John Dowling was born on August 22, 1932. Aged 14, he began his apprenticeship with Irish trainer Cecil Brabazon at the Curragh.
He moved to England and lived at 24, Winterford Lane, Eaton Tarporley, Cheshire and, on February 8, 1953, married Patricia. She gave him two sons, John and Douglas and three daughters, Denise, Sarah and Kerry.
He rode his first winner on Joe’s Ginger, at Ludlow on October 21, 1954. That was his only winner of the season. He rode three winners from 28 rides the following season, while the 1956/57 brought five from 54, including twice on Tulliepowrie at Bangor and Manchester in March.
The 1957/58 campaign was easily his most successful, bringing a dozen winners from 127 rides. The first of these was achieved at Newton Abbot on the opening day of the season, on Snowdrifts for Retford, Nottinghamshire owner-trainer Albert Bacon. Snowdrifts provided him with further success at Devon & Exeter later that month and scored again at Nottingham in October. Bacon also supplied John with another early season winner, Charioteer, in a Devon & Exeter novices’ chase.
Another trainer to make use of John’s services was Tarporley handler Jim Mason, for whom he won on Durox Pearl at Haydock in November and Faireyko at Manchester in December. But the highlight of that season was his association with Pax Vobis, who won three times over fences, culminating in victory in Manchester’s two-mile Minden Rose Chase.
The 1958/59 season yielded four winners, all for different trainers, starting with Corinthian at Wetherby for Charlie Hall in October, and Red Emperor for George Owen in November.
John rode Charioteer in the 1958 Molyneux Chase over the Grand National fences and was leading the field when falling at Becher’s. However, he fared much better over Liverpool’s Mildmay course on December 3, landing another high-profile victory on David Richards’ Haytedder in the Christmas Cracker Handicap Chase. This was followed by another pre-Christmas win aboard John Gittins for Walter Whiston.
The 1959/60 campaign got off to a good start with victory on Bridgewell at Buckfastleigh in August. Bridgewell also gave John the first leg of a double, completed by Monrose, at Wye on October 5. Faireyko gave him another Liverpool winner, over hurdles this time, while Harrosa won over fences at Wolverhampton in January. John then rode Harrosa in the Topham Trophy but was badly baulked and forced to pull up.
John had what were to be his last two winners in the 1960/61 season, the first on Repeat Performance at Birmingham on December 12, 1960, the second on Man Happy at Nottingham on January 31, 1961. He held a licence the following season but relinquished it thereafter. He took one out again in 1964/65 but had few, if any, rides.
He rode a total of 33 winners during his career. He stated that the best horse he rode was that admiral staying chaser Tea Fiend. John rode him twice, finishing fourth over three miles at Birmingham in November 1957, then finishing second to Polar Flight in Cheltenham’s Fred Withington Chase, over three miles seven furlongs, on December 30, 1957.
John Dowling died of cancer on September 7, 1989, aged 57.