Richard Onslow

[Peter Poston’s Ghost]

Older Forumites may remember racing journalist Richard Onslow who has sadly passed away.

From Racing Post website;

ADMIRED racing journalist and historian, Richard ‘Dickie’ Onslow, has died of pneumonia at the age of 76.

Onslow, who lived in Windlesham, near Bagshot, had an ambition for a career as a historian and actually started work as assistant to the Keeper of the Archive at York Minster, but he felt out of place in there and admitted: "The call of the betting shop proved too strong, too often".

He joined the staff at the Sporting Chronicle and went on to become a feature writer and resident Newmarket correspondent, while forging life-long friendships with many of the sport’s leading personalities including trainers Henry Cecil and Paul Cole.

Onslow won the Sporting Chronicle Gold Cup for tipping in the 1971 Flat season and the 1968-69 jump campaign.

He was the author of several books,most notably The Squire, a brilliantly written and researched biography of amateur rider George Alexander Baird who rode hundreds of winners, and The Heath and the Turf, a history of Newmarket. His works also included a book on Beckhampton.

The funeral is on Friday at 11am at the Sacred Heart Church in Sunningdale. Flowers are welcome or donations to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund or Verona Fathers (Mission).

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