Have you heard of Ken Pitterson? Most horse racing fans have probably seen him on TV at some point or caught a media sound bite. Like myself, you may have even seen him at the races. As a frequent visitor to Great Yarmouth, I’ve spotted him on a number of occasions, although I haven’t had the chance to chat with him. I’ve even seen him at the Grosvenor Casino down on Marine Parade.
Horse racing is all about opinions. Even to the less observant, it’s clear that horses come in all shapes and sizes. Some look fit and ready to run; others seem sleepy, as though they’ve just woken up in their box. And that’s where Ken Pitterson comes into his own.
His expertise lies in being a skilled paddock judge.
If you’re not sure what that means, he has the ability to assess the physical condition and temperament of thoroughbred racehorses—usually in those few minutes before the start of a race.
But can a good paddock judge really pick the winners from the losers?
I’ve enjoyed horse racing for over 30 years and know a decent horse when I see one. However, I haven’t refined my skills enough to consistently spot the wheat from the chaff. Whether or not you believe a horse’s condition and temperament can determine whether it wins, Pitterson knows enough to make a good living from it. His unique approach has seen him feature on many racing platforms such as William Hill Radio, ITV & Racing TV. He often appears on high-profile race days like the Classics and Royal Ascot. We’ll explore this further.
His journey into horse racing is unconventional. Unlike many pundits, his background wasn’t in the sport.
In fact, he trained as a pastry chef.
He once said that his dream was to open shops all over London.
Back then, he didn’t know much about racing, but many Fleet Street journalists used to visit one of his patisseries and talk about it. He wasn’t a big gambler, but he fondly remembers watching races on TV with his uncle and placing a 50p win bet on Troy in the 1979 Epsom Derby.
He said he had no idea what he was doing, but it caught his imagination.
Pitterson credits much of his success to meeting the right people at the right time. One of those key moments came when a paddock judge for Victor Chandler introduced him to Gerald Delamere, who worked for the Racing Post and The Sporting Life Weekender in 1983. Delamere provided post-race commentary and ground assessments, which eventually became the industry standard. He was well regarded as a judge of form and the paddock. One of his most famous calls was identifying Best Mate as a future Gold Cup winner after just one bumper race.
Unfortunately, Delamere’s column ended due to cost-cutting measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he played a vital role in mentoring Pitterson, who went on to become one of Britain’s leading paddock experts.
Their relationship began in the early 2000s during a midweek fixture when Pitterson made an impromptu on-camera appearance with Delamere.
Delamere asked Ken if he’d like to cover for him and take notes for the Sporting Life while he was on holiday. That opportunity led Ken to learn how to type. Fleur Cushman, the former Weekender editor, said she believed he could do the job—and it turned into a role that lasted almost 17 years.
Pitterson said he gained an edge by attending races several times a week and carefully observing horses in the paddock.
By chance, he was looking for work when he bumped into someone who used to write for a magazine called In The Know. That person had a contact at William Hill who suggested Pitterson try radio. He said he had no expectations when he began giving his on-the-spot paddock opinions, but they liked what they heard. After a couple of months offering his services for free, they began paying him to attend races three or four times a week. For over 23 years, he has worked for William Hill Radio.
That opportunity opened even more doors.
Pitterson said that people from all over the world have come up to him and said they’ve listened to him on the radio.
For example, after he once criticised horses wearing red hoods, William Haggas approached him at York and said, “You don’t like red hoods, Ken?”
“You never know who’s listening.”
He also got a break with ITV Racing by accident. After they experienced technical problems, Oli Bell asked if he could do a quick bit to camera. Ken didn’t think much of it, but the next day at York, ITV asked him to cover all three days.
That led to even more work.
He now covers all the big races for ITV—Flat and jumps—and appears on the Opening Show from time to time. It all came from being in the right place at the right time.
Pitterson has also been invited to many top stables, including those of Ralph Beckett, Richard Hannon, and Warren Greatrex.
He says, “I always say it’s not a job going racing for a living. If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”