Tributes paid to Newmarket racing worker, Ursula Ransom, who lost her brave fight against cancer

Inspirational, brave, determined, and a joy to be around. Just some of the tributes paid to racing worker Ursula Ransom, who lost her hard-fought battle with cancer on Sunday.

Forty-eight-year-old Ursula died at St Nicholas Hospice, in Bury St Edmunds, with her husband, Kevin, and members of her family by her side.

“She kept going to the end,” said Kevin. “She never felt sorry for herself and was determined to carry on as normal for as long as she could. I will miss her so much as she was not only my wife but my best friend.”

The couple, who had been together for 21 years and married for 11, lived in Fordham and both worked for Godolphin Racing at Moulton Paddocks.

Ursula had first come to Newmarket in the early 1990s. She hailed from Scotland and was very proud of her Scottish heritage. She had always wanted to be a vet but after riding ponies with friends she saw an advertisement for the Doncaster Racing School. “That was it,” said Kevin. “She wrote off to them, got a place and didn’t look back.”

She began her working life in racing with trainer Brian McMath, and there followed jobs with William Haggas at the time he trained Derby winner Shaamit, Clive Brittain, with whom she spent several years, and David Loder at Egerton House. She then joined the Darley pre-training operation at Hamilton Hill before she took up her final post with Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby in 2016.

There, the best horse she looked after was Walton Street, who won the Group 1 Canadian International at Woodbine in 2021.

“We are all deeply saddened by the news about Ursula,” said Mr Appleby. “What she brought to the yard was her enthusiasm and love for horses. Walton Street was her pride and joy and no-one could say a word against him or they would have Ursula to deal with. Her enthusiasm meant she was always a joy to meet and very positive.

“From all of us at Godolphin our thoughts are with Kevin, and the family, and we look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready.”

As well as her racing life, Ursula was well-known in local running circles. She was an accomplished distance runner and a member of Newmarket Joggers.

Kevin said she had competed in the London Marathon three times and had also completed the Berlin Marathon in 2014 when she recorded her best time for the distance, three hours and 23 minutes.

Kate Warboys, chairman of Newmarket Joggers, said: “Ursula was an integral part of the club. She was not only a fantastic runner but an inspiration to all members and particularly supportive of those just starting out. She was the first woman to win our champion performer award.

“She was just a lovely person and although very focused on her running it was not to the exclusion of everything else. She always had time to help others because she could remember what it was like when she first took up running.”

Ursula had first been diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2019.

“Her reaction to that was to do what she could to raise awareness of how important it was to make sure women got themselves tested for it,” said Kevin.

“She suffered a lot as a result of the radiotherapy treatment but she was clear of it for 18 months. It came back and in 2022 had spread to her lungs. She did her best to keep going and we got on with our lives.

“She wanted to try and live her life to the full and she did that. In August we went to see The Who at Sandringham and when we got back she complained of a headache. The cancer had spread to her brain but she dealt with that by getting an 18-month old cocker spaniel puppy, Fergal, to keep her going.”

Kevin was full of praise for the staff at St Nicholas Hospice Care who cared for Ursula at the end of her life. “They were marvellous, not just for Ursula but for us,” he said.

And donations made at her funeral, which will be on Monday, December 4, at 1pm at West Suffolk Crematorium will go to the hospice.

He also thanked the community in Fordham and all those at Godolphin for their support.