John Oaksey

John Geoffrey Tristram Lawrence, 4th Baron Trevethin and 2nd Baron Oaksey, (21 March 1929 – 5 September 2012) was a British aristocrat, amateur jockey and horse racing journalist and TV presenter. He was twice British Champion Amateur Jump Jockey, before becoming a journalist and racing personality both on television and through his charitable work for the Injured Jockeys Fund, which he helped establish. Oaksey was described as "quite possibly the outstanding racing figure of modern times, touching so many via his compelling writing, broadcasting, race-riding and tireless fund-raising". with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. He then went up to New College, Oxford, to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. On graduating, he took law at Yale University and, at that point, looked destined to follow his father into the profession.

Career

Jockey

Oaksey had learned to ride on an old pony called Mince Pie, which later gave rise to the title of his autobiography, Mince Pie For Starters

Awards

His work with the IJF led to his appointment as OBE in 1985. Other awards he received during his lifetime include Racing Journalist of the Year in 1968,