R.I.P - Lord Oaksey

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taken from the sporting life [h=2]Lord Oaksey, the former jockey, journalist, broadcaster and founder of the Injured Jockeys Fund, has died, aged 83.[/h] Oaksey passed away on Wednesday morning at his family home in Wiltshire following a lengthy period of ill health. Lisa Hancock, chief executive of the IJF, said: "Lord Oaksey passed away at home this morning with his family." Hancock paid tribute to the groundbreaking contribution Oaksey made in establishing the forerunner of the IJF in 1964. Following the career-ending falls of Tim Brookshaw and Paddy Farrell in the Grand National that year, Oaksey was a key mover in establishing the Brookshaw-Farrell fund to help the injured riders. That fund eventually became the IJF and the charity has helped over 1,000 riders since those early days. Hancock said: "It is a sad day for us all here. The IJF is probably his greatest legacy and I know that's what Lady Oaksey always said. "He was very proud of his involvement. He was only at Oaksey House with us for a Diamond Jubilee celebration in June and he was on good form that day. "Unfortunately, he declined over the last three months and he was with Chicky, his wife, and his family when he passed away. He started it all at the IJF and obviously he is a great loss for us and the sport. "He was a fantastic man and we all feel very proud to be part of what he started and to be continuing his work in the future." Born John Lawrence on March 21, 1929, he was the son of Geoffrey Lawrence, the 1st Baron Oaksey, who officiated at the Nuremberg trials after the Second World War. Educated at Eton and Yale, Lord Oaksey was an enthusiastic amateur rider and enjoyed considerable success, winning the 1958 Hennessy Gold Cup on Taxidermist and finishing second in the Grand National on Carrickbeg in 1963. The residential home of Oaksey House in Lambourn was built in his honour for the recuperation of injured jockeys and a statue of him adorns the grounds. He was a renowned writer for The Daily Telegraph and was a member of ITV Seven from 1969 and, later, Channel 4's racing team. He retired from broadcasting in 1999. Even in his retirement, Lord Oaksey continued to make an impact in the shape of the steeplechaser Carruthers, whom he bred and named after a story he used to tell in his role as an after-dinner speaker. Trained by his son-in-law, Mark Bradstock, Carruthers claimed the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, bridging a gap of 53 years after he won it as a rider. a sad loss to racing and a very respected man in racing, R.I.P. - thoughts go out to his family and friends