James Costello

James Costello

James Costello was a successful jockey in his native Ireland during the inter-war period. He rode in the Irish Grand National eight times between 1925 and 1940, won Baldoyle’s Metropolitan Chase twice and achieved his greatest triumph on Pulcher in the 1939 Galway Plate. He also rode seven winners in England.

His first English success was gained on Crafty Maid in the Ince Maiden Hurdle at Manchester on November 3, 1928, winning by an emphatic 15 lengths. The four-year-old was trained in Ireland and was making her debut over hurdles, but there was little opportunity to see how good she might turn out to be as she was sent to Sweden after that victory. 

Back at Manchester on February 1, 1929, James rode another Irish-trained filly, Melita, to win the Paddock Hurdle by eight lengths. He was then placed twice on her before she was dispatched to America. 

Having won on the three-year-old filly Poppy at Navan in September 1929, when trained by Darby Rogers, James then rode her to win Osmaston Juvenile Hurdle at Uttoxeter next time out, on her first start for Tern Hill trainer Max Barthropp. However, the victory was gained in the stewards’ room. Baco, ridden by Fred Gurney, was first past the post, but James objected on the grounds of bumping, boring and crossing, the objection being sustained. 

James then won Manchester’s Ince Maiden Hurdle for a second successive year when Swift Agnes beat 13 rivals. She followed the familiar path of starting her career in Ireland before making a winning debut in England. Victory on Argos Lad in the Farm Selling Hurdle at Haydock in February was James’s last win of the 1929/30 campaign.

The following season, Swift Agnes, running for the first time since finishing second at the Curragh in May, won the Lindale Selling Hurdle at Manchester on the last day of October. Four days later, James won his final race in England when bachelor’s Vow, again trained in Ireland, took the Dudley Selling Hurdle ay Wolverhampton by two lengths, having scored on him over hurdles at the Curragh 12 days earlier.

All seven of his English wins were over hurdles, but James then had an opportunity to show his skills over the Liverpool fences when riding Coronoher in the Grand Sefton Chase on November 6, 1930. He had ridden the seven-year-old to victory at Baldoyle the previous month, and now they finished second to Drin, ridden by Jack Moloney, after the horse that had originally been first past the post, Tamasha, was disqualified for bumping. 

James did not renew his British jump jockey’s licence after that season but continued to enjoy plenty of success in his homeland. His major victories there included two renewals of Baldoyle’s Metropolitan Handicap Chase on Blazing Roof (1927) and Pulcher (1940); the 1934 Governor of Northern Ireland’s Perpetual Challenge Cup Chase at Down Royal on Markington; and most famously, the 1939 Galway Plate on Pulcher, although he had to survive an objection from Willie O’Grady, rider of the runner-up Drumlargin, on grounds of crossing and not giving him room in the straight. 

James Costello’s seven British wins were, in chronological order:

1. Crafty Maid, Manchester, November 3, 1928

2. Melia, Manchester, February 1, 1929 

3. Poppy, Uttoxeter, October 15, 1929

4. Swift Agnes, Manchester, November 2, 1929

5. Argos Lad, Haydock Park, February 13, 1930 

6. Swift Agnes, Manchester, October 31, 1930

7. Bachelor’s Vow, Wolverhampton, November 4, 1930 

His eight Irish Grand National mounts were:

1925: Fairly, unplaced

1927: Mr Wrigley, fell

1930: Blazing Star, fell

1932: Mighty Like, 6th

1933: Markington, 13th 

1935: Cushendall, fell 

1939: Ivy Of Rheims, 8th

1940: Pulcher, pulled up