James Conlon

James Conlon

James Conlon rode out his claim in his native Ireland prior to crossing the Irish Sea in time for the start of the 1935/36 National Hunt campaign. Despite having to compete without a claim, he made a promising start, ending the season with seven wins to his name.   

He had his first success at Kelso – known in those days at United Border Hunt – on October 11, 1935, when Melegret won the Kalewater Selling Handicap Chasse by 15 lengths. The 12-year-old had run for many years on northern courses, and this proved to his final victory.

A double at Catterick on January 11, 1936, along with four wins on hurdler Skylass were among the highlights of the season. His first six wins were all courtesy of owner-trainer Alastair Paton, whose stables were at Yetholm, near Kelso. 

James’s seventh and final winner of that 1935/36 season, Cuban, in the Cragside Handicap Hurdle at Rothbury on April 1, was for a man destined to become one of the world’s greatest trainers of racehorses, with 21 classic victories and nine Champion Flat Trainer titles, namely Noel Murless, who had only started training the year before, based at Hambleton, near Thirsk. Knighted for his services to racing, Murless trained Cuban to win six races in 1936, these being among his earliest successes, although James was only on board for one of them. 

The 1936/37 campaign yielded just one winner, Graine d’Epinard in a two-mile selling chase at Catterick in November. Skylass, who had carried him to four victories the previous season, failed to score in seven starts, and James was eventually replaced in the saddle by leading amateur Dicky Black.  

After a gap of over two years, James rode his final winner when Herbert, trained by former Grand National-winning jockey Bill Dutton, took the Shipley Hall Selling Chase at Derby on February 8, 1939, by two lengths. He did not renew his licence the following season. 

James Conlon’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Melegret, United Border Hunt (Kelso), October 11, 1935

2. Skylass, Wetherby, October 24, 1935

3. Skylass. Catterick Bridge, November 16, 1935

4. Skylass. Catterick Bridge, January 11, 1936

5. Juba, Catterick Bridge, January 11, 1936

6. Skylass, Manchester, February 1, 1936

7. Cuban, Rothbury, April 1, 1936

8. Graine d’Epinard, Catterick Bridge, November 21, 1936

9. Herbert, Derby, February 8, 1939