Jack Bloom

Jack Bloom, born May 3, 1911, first rode under National Hunt Rules at Hethersett in 1930.

On January 10, 1933, he married Beryl Marguerite Allthorpe. She gave him a son, Michael John.

A noted amateur rider in point-to-points and under National Hunt rules, Jack trained and rode Tonderman, a horse bought for £100 and considered “unrideable” to finish seventh in the 1949 Grand National.

On another occasion, in a point-to-point at Cottenham, he had the distinction of winning a race on a horse he’d been instructed by the owner not to win on, and on whom he had the good sense to invest £10.

One of Jack’s proudest days came at his local West Norfolk Hunt (Fakenham) meeting on Easter Monday 1951, when Jack landed a double, winning both hurdle races on the card, while his son Michael rode his first winner in the novices’ chase. At the following year’s corresponding fixture, Jack finished second to Michael, beaten a short head, in the West Norfolk Plate Hunters’ Chase.

After he gave up riding in 1954, Jack became a successful trainer under NH rules, based at Downham Lodge, Wymondham, Norfolk. Among the numerous winners he trained was Chambertin, whom Michael rode in the 1961 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other good horses he trained included Four Elms and Soho Sol.

Jack, who listed his recreations as hunting, shooting and sleeping, died in February 1989, aged 77.