Jack Cooke 

Northern National Hunt jockey Jack Cooke began his riding career in the late 1920s, He rode his first winner on Carlam in an optional selling chase at Kelso on October 9, 1929. He then won twice on a chaser named Zeus, at Hexham on October 16 and Catterick on November 13.

The first good horse with which he was associated was Morekeen, on whom he won at Perth and Kelso in the autumn of 1930 and at Manchester in January 1931. He rode Morekeen in that year’s Grand National but fell on the second circuit when in arrears. He won on Morekeen again at Perth in September 1931.

Though he never rode more than ten winners in a single season, Jack became a reliable journeyman jockey on the northern circuit during the 1930s. At the two-day United Border Hunt meeting in October 1938, he rode a first day double, then added another on day two.

The outbreak of war caused him to lose vital years at the height of his career. He returned and picked up the threads, registering a double at Wetherby on December 14,1945 aboard chasers Knight of the Deep and Eastgate for Beverley trainer Captain A. Hall Watt. He rode winners for several other trainers during that winter and came in for the ride on Largo in the 1946 Grand National, their partnership ending in a spectacular fall at Becher’s second time round. The horse miraculously emerged unscathed but Jack was one of four jockeys taken to hospital.

He continued to ride winners for a couple more seasons, emulating his feat of nine years earlier by winning three races at the two-day United Border Hunt fixture in October 1947.

He rode a total of 56 winners, the last of which was achieved on Flaming Marquis in division two of the Thorparch Maiden Hurdle at Wetherby on November 29, 1947, for local trainer Percy Vasey.

He had his final ride on March 7, 1953 in the Sprouston Selling Handicap Hurdle at Kelso, the course where he had ridden his first winner 24 years earlier. However, he failed to go out on a winning note, his mount, Ski Bell, falling at the third flight.