Cornelius's first win: Splash Me at Haydock, 19 December 1925.
Cornelius Clark
c1900-1971
National Hunt jockey Cornelius Adam Clark rode 42 winners between 1925 and 1937 before being banned for foul riding.
He started out as an amateur and had his first two rides under NH rules at Retford Hunt on March 31, 1924. It was not an auspicious start. His first mount, Desert Lady, refused in the Welbeck Chase; his second, Courier II, fell in the Earl Fitzwilliam’s Hunt Chase.
Retford’s racecourse was situated on land owned by Viscount Galway, about a mile north-east of the town. It had staged its first meeting in April 1877, with a reported 5,000 racegoers braving persistent rain which rendered the going heavy. Despite its evident popularity, the race committee’s decision to double the cost of admission the next year backfired and there was no more racing at Retford until 1894.
Retford’s final meeting took place on Wednesday, April 18, 1928, a day greeted by all weathers: wind, rain, hail, sleet, snow, and even the sun put in an appearance. There would have been a meeting in March 1929 but it fell victim to frost. Horse racing ceased there because Viscount Galway had to sell off his estate later that year to defray debts.
Cornelius had by then achieved his first success, aboard the 4-1 chance Splash Me, who won the Club Chase at Haydock by eight lengths on December 19, 1925.
He turned professional in September 1932 and also set up as a trainer, based at Market Rasen, achieving his biggest success when training and riding Africorn to win the Royal Silver Jubilee Cup Handicap Hurdle at Hexham on May 2, 1935. He enjoyed his most successful season in 1936/37 with eight wins, the last of which came courtesy of 100-7 chance Cider Prince in the Kelham Handicap Hurdle at Southwell on May 15, 1937.
Besides being his last winner, Cider Prince was also the final ride of his career, although it wasn’t intended to be. Seeking a belated first success of the 1937/38 campaign, Cornelius was first past the post on Cider Prince in the Colwick Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham on February 15, 1938, beating the 2-1 favourite Manchukua, the mount of Jack Fawcus, by half a length. However, the stewards deemed that Cornelius was guilty of foul riding and disqualified Cider Prince, awarding the race to Manchukua.
It must have been an alarming piece of ‘foul riding’ because the National Hunt Committee withdrew his licence to ride following the race. His appeal was dismissed, bringing his riding career to an ignominious end. Although banned from riding in races, he was at least able to continue training and went on to saddle more winners during the ensuing years.
Cornelius Clark died in 1971.
