Brian Corke

Brian Corke

Article by Alan Trout

Brian Charles Corke took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence for the 1953/54 campaign but had to wait until the following season, December 28, 1954, for the first of his two wins over jumps. He rode Travina, trained by Cyril Mitchell, to win Kempton Park’s Oatlands Handicap Chase by five lengths. He had been placed twice before on the five-year-old and later finished sixth on him in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Chase at Hurst Park on May 30, 1955.    

Brian’s second, and final, victory came at Wye on October 17, 1955, when Heavens Bequest, also trained by Cyril Mitchell, was an easy eight-length winner of the Knowlton Three-Year-Old Hurdle. Brian only kept the ride for one more outing, a fourth-place finish at Fontwell Park, and he did not extend his licence beyond that season.