Colin Chaloner
Article by Alan Trout
Colin Nigel Chaloner rode over jumps for much of the 1950s but only had four winners.
He opened his account by winning the Tatton Maiden Hurdle (Division 2) at Manchester on March 14, 1953 by five lengths. His mount, Armada News, was the outsider in a field of three. Subsequently, the Stewards were of the opinion that leading amateur rider Danny Moralee, who finished second aboard the odds-on favourite Lord of Verona, had ridden “a most injudicious race”. (Mr Moralee was eventually warned off in July 1964.)
Armada News was running for the first time under National Hunt rules, and Colin partnered the six-year-old once more when they were second at Wetherby on Easter Monday 1953.
More than four years passed before he visited the winner’s enclosure again. The drought was finally ended at Cartmel on Whit Monday, June 10, 1957, aboard Pendle Lady, who landed the Barrow Chase by a distance. It was the seven-year-old’s first win at the tenth attempt. She would go on to win the 1959 running of Wetherby’s Rowland Meyrick Chase and take part in the 1960 Grand National.
Colin did not manage a winner in 1957/58 but rode his last two the following season. The first came on Yanina in the Bulcote Hurdle at Nottingham on October 27, 1958, snatching a short-head victory over the favourite Jack’s Choice, the mount of Jimmy FitzGerald.
Finally, on Boxing Day 1958 at Market Rasen, there was a much easier success when Duke Of York – the best horse he rode – trounced his rivals in the Risby Juvenile Hurdle. The three-year-old would progress to win good races over fences, including Sandown’s Mildmay Memorial Chase in 1962 under leading amateur Derrick Scott and also finish fourth in that year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Colin Chaloner held a licence for one more season, 1959/60, but had no further success.
