Jack Colling

Jack Colling

1900-1981

Article by Alan Trout

Before becoming a leading trainer for more than four decades, Robert John Colling, always known as Jack, had a brief but successful career as a jockey. 

The elder son of Robert Weston Colling, Jack Colling was born on July 16, 1900. He was apprenticed to his father, who trained at Middleham. He had his first ride in public, aged 11, when Judge Peter finished unplaced in the Clifton Three-Year-Old Handicap at Thirsk on May 3, 1912. 

Over 18 months passed before Jack had his first taste of success when Marque carried just 6st 6lb to victory in the Gosforth Nursery Handicap at Newcastle on October 21, 1913. 

He rode one winner in 1914 and three in 1915, but it was the following two years when his career as a jockey thrived, especially at Newmarket where most racing took place because of wartime restrictions. His score of 12 wins in 1916 was followed by 13 in 1917. 

His victories in 1916 included the Newbury Summer Cup on Aerschot, while his 1917 tally included Newmarket’s Wood Ditton Stakes on Roubaix. 

He had seven wins in 1918, his final year of riding, most notably the July Stakes on Buchan. He also finished in the frame in three Classics that year. He was third on Lord Astor’s colt Blink in the 2,000 Guineas and fourth (promoted from fifth) on Freesia in the Oaks, but he came closest at Newmarket on June 4 when Blink was beaten one and a half lengths in the Derby by stable companion Gainsborough, who went on to land a wartime Triple Crown. 

His last win came at Newmarket on October 29, 1918 when, in a tight finish to the Fordham Welter Handicap, Jack on Brilliant Star beat Steve Donoghue on Sundari by a head. The following day, again at Newmarket, saw Jack’s final ride in public when Square Measure finished fourth in the Scarborough Stakes. His brother George, who also later became a successful trainer, finished back in seventh.

Jack Colling rode 37 winners in all and, when rising weight finally defeated him, turned his attentions to training. He enjoyed much success, especially for various members of the Astor family. Based at Ellesmere House, Newmarket, he had a string of about 50 horses in each of the seasons during the decade prior to the outbreak of World War II. 

He obtained his first important success with Cat O’ Nine Tails in the 1932 Ebor Handicap. He trained the sprinter Bellicose to win back-to-back July Cups in 1935/36 as well as the 1936 Cork and Orrery Stakes and 1936 Nunthorpe Stakes. Another fast horse he trained around that time was Portobello, who won the Windsor Castle Stakes and York’s Scarborough Stakes along with each of his other three races as a two-year-old in 1938. 

After the war, Jack trained Lord Astor’s High Stakes, one of the most successful geldings in the history of the Turf. He won seven consecutive races, including the Great Yorkshire Stakes, in 1947. By the time he ran for the last time as a nine-year-old in 1951, High Stakes had won 34 races.

At the end of 1949 Jack moved his string from Newmarket to Hodcott House, West Ilsley. When Lord Astor died in 1952, the 3rd Lord Astor succeeded him.  The first important winner Jack trained for him was Ambiguity, who won the 1953 Oaks, ridden by his 19-year-old apprentice Joe Mercer, whose fledgling career he nurtured, along with several other apprentice jockeys. 

Other important races he won for the 3rd Lord Astor included the 1955 Free Handicap with Counsel, the 1956 Great Voltigeur Stakes with Hornbeam, and Kempton Park’s Jubilee Handicap with Alcimedes in both 1958 and 1959. 

Jack also trained for Lord Astor’s brother, Mr ‘Jakie’ Astor, for whom he won the 1956 Yorkshire Oaks with Indian Twilight, the 1958 Northumberland Plate with Master Of Arts, the 1959 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with Rosalba and the 1961 Royal Lodge Stakes with Escort.

Jack’s other big race triumphs included the 1951 Chester Cup with Wood Leopard, the 1952 Queen Mary Stakes with Devon Vintage, and the 1953 Northumberland Plate with Nick La Rocca.  

The association between Jack Colling and Joe Mercer worked very successfully and lasted until Jack retired from training in 1962. Following his retirement, he continued to live at Hodcott House and maintained an active interest in racing as an advisor to leading owner David Robinson on the purchase of yearlings and in other capacities.

Jack Colling died on April 15, 1981. Aged 80. 

Additional information sourced form ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Flat Racing’ (1978) by Roger Mortimer, Richard Onslow and Peter Willett.