Jack Conway

Jack Conway

Article by Alan Trout

Jack Conway rode under National Hunt rules for most of the first decade of the 20th century and had 14 winners but was eventually warned off. 

Even before riding a winner Jack had faced the fearsome Liverpool fences when partnering Monkspath in the Altcar Four-Year-Old Chase on March 31, 1900. There were only four runners and two of them fell, so Jack was able to finish second, beaten eight lengths, by William Oates on Carnmore.

His first victory came the following month, at Shirley Park on April 30, 1900, aboard the curiously named Poor Mrs. Hodge, who won the Solihull Selling Chase by a neck and then survived an objection for crossing. Just 14 days later, the four-year-old ran twice on the same afternoon at the Hall Green meeting, with Jack aboard, and refused both times. 

After his initial success it was almost two years before he rode another winner, and that pretty much summed up his career; just the occasional success. The exception was 1906 when he rode a career-best seven winners, all within the space of three months..

He had what would prove to be his final winner in a match race for the Dunsmore Plate Chase at the annual Rugby Hunt meeting on March 19, 1908, finishing alone on The Kaid after his sole rival, the 5-1 on favourite Leinster, ridden by Richard Morgan, fell but was remounted, only to refuse later. 

Just over four weeks afterwards, at Wolverhampton on April 21, 1908, three runners lined up for the Easter Handicap Hurdle. They were: Cross Question, ridden by George Butchers; Trelydan, partnered by his owner Mr George Thompson; and the odds-on favourite Arcadic, the mount of Jack Conway. Cross Question won by a distance, while Arcadic ran out. The local stewards were not satisfied with Jack’s explanation of his riding and why the horse had run out, reporting the case to the stewards of the National Hunt Committee, who investigated the case and warned hin “off all courses where National Hunt Rules are in force”. 

Jack Conway’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Poor Mrs. Hodge, Shirley Park, April 30, 1900

2. Bow, Newport, November 13, 1902

3. Nahillah, Cheltenham, April 2, 1903

4. Sin, Shirley Park, September 11, 1905

5. Royal Winkfield, Cheltenham, October 5, 1905

6. Noble Lad, Tenby, January 24, 1906

7. Noble Las, Warwick, February 22, 1906

8. Attractor, Ludlow, March 7, 1906

9. Mint Drop, Chepstow, March 14, 1906

10. Red Monk, Cheltenham, March 29, 1906

11. Arcadic, Maiden Erlegh, April 12, 1906

12. Bayona, Hereford, April 16, 1906

13. Clean Linen, Birmingham, January 8, 1907

14. The Kaid, Rugby Hunt, March 19, 1908