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‘We have lost a great friend’: farewell to jockey and racing manager with ‘unrivalled knowledge’

Obituary
Becky Murray Becky Murray

    • Bruce Raymond, the highly regarded Flat jockey turned racing manager died on 24 August from cancer, aged 82.

    Bruce was born in Hertfordshire in 1943. He started his career in racing as an apprentice to Willie Stephenson, and rode his first winner Arctic Bar at Birmingham in 1961. The following year he was champion apprentice, having ridden 13 winners including Rainstorm in the Newbury Autumn Cup.

    He went on to ride for a number of trainers in Newmarket, including Michael Jarvis. Some of Bruce’s notable wins included the July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes in 1967, both with Forlorn River, the 1982 Coronation Cup with Easter Sun, the 1985 Prince of Wales’s Stakes with Bob Black and three Haydock Sprint Cups, with Runnett, Petong and Sheikh Albadou.

    Bruce won approximately 2,000 races, including six Group Ones and a number of international Classics, although a British Classic eluded him. He retired from the saddle in 1994 owing to injury, aged 51, and became assistant racing manager to the late Joe Mercer, working for Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum. In 2006 he joined Godolphin’s newly formed Rabbah Bloodstock as racing manager, overseeing horses including Poet’s Word, Night Of Thunder and 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown.

    Rabbah Bloodstock managing director Jono Mills said Bruce had “unrivalled knowledge of racing built up over his seven decades in the industry”.

    “He was obviously a hugely talented jockey but was also blessed with superb people skills, attributes that served him brilliantly as a racing manager. Bruce excelled in a role that required the utmost diplomacy, and he was greatly respected throughout the industry. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him, and I always admired the generosity he displayed to anyone who needed guidance or advice,” he said.

    “Most importantly, we have lost a great friend and someone who will be sorely missed.”

    Bruce is survived by his wife Jennie Crossley, and son Martin from his first marriage.

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    Becky Murray
    Becky Murray

    H&H senior news writer
    Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
    Becky Murray

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