Arthur Aylin

Arthur Aylin

Article by Alan Trout

Although less successful in Britain than his three brothers Alfred, Harry and Clyde, Arthur Aylin did manage to ride eight winners over jumps between 1911 and 1919. The first of those came at Wetherby on Easter Monday, April 17, 1911, when Osiris won the Wetherby Steeplechase, which despite its title, was merely an optional selling race. 

It was not until Wolverhampton on September 25 that Arthur doubled his score when Scotsgap, trained by Frank Hartigan, won the Juvenile Hurdle by a head from Decider, ridden by the great George Duller. His last victory of the year was at Sandown Park on December 8, when General Fox beat four rivals to claim the Ewell Handicap Chase.  

Almost two years passed before Arthur rode another winner, the wait ending when Mintlaw took the Sutton Handicap Hurdle at Birmingham on December 2, 1913.He then won another race just 15 days later when Cage annexed the Ashbourne Handicap Hurdle at Hurst Park.

Opportunities were obviously scarce during the war years, but Arthur did ride one winner, that being at Cheltenham on April 14, 1915, when the four-year-old Kitch landed the Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle by three lengths. 

His final two victories came at the two-day Isle of Wight meeting in December 1919. On the first day Firespark won the Ashey Maiden Hurdle by a length, and the following day saw Bishop’s Sutton take the Brightstone Juvenile Hurdle by a head from Ladyday, ridden by Garnet Bull. Arthur does not appear to have held a licence after that year.   

Arthur Aylin’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Osiris, Wetherby, April 17, 1911

2. Scotsgap, Wolverhampton, September 25, 1911

3. General Fox, Sandown Park, December 8, 1911

4. Mintlaw, Birmingham, December 2, 1913

5. Cage, Hurst Park, December 17, 1913

6. Kitch, Cheltenham, April 14, 1915

7. Firespark, Isle of Wight, December 4, 1919

8. Bishop’s Sutton, Isle of Wight, December 5, 1919