Jim Chaloner

Jim Chaloner

Article by Alan Trout

National Hunt jockey James Trevor (Jim) Chaloner rode six winners during the 1953/54 season but only managed one more thereafter. 

He was certainly in good hands, for all of his winners in his first season were trained by Findon maestro Ryan Price. He started with two on the six-year-old Ginsky, firstly landing the Malvern Handicap Hurdle at Worcester by eight lengths on November 14, 1953, followed by the Colwick Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham by three lengths 16 days later.

He recorded a double at Taunton on December 19, initiated by Fuimicino in the Novices’ Hurdle, and completed by a first success over fences on Porterhouse in the Cubley Handicap Chase. Newton Abbot’s Boxing Day meeting brought further success with victory on The Gnat in the Charles Vickery Memorial Challenge Cup Handicap Hurdle. Two days later, again at Newton Abbot, came another victory on Fuimicino.

Having ridden his first six winners in as many weeks, it is perhaps surprising that he did not go on to achieve more that season. Whether he suffered an injury is not known, but he does not appear to have ridden between April 2 and November 5.

More than a year passed before he had his seventh, and final, winner when Almaskin, trained by Bill James, won the Weald Handicap Chase at Lingfield Park on February 11, 1955. The runner-up, beaten four lengths, was Atom Bomb, ridden by Fred Winter.

Having had less than 20 rides throughout the 1954/55 campaign, Jim Chaloner did not renew his licence the following season. 

Jim Chaloner’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Ginsky, Worcester, November 14, 1953 

2. Ginsky, Nottingham, November 30, 1953

3. Fuimicino, Taunton, December 19, 1953 

4. Porterhouse, Taunton, December 19, 1953

5. The Gnat, Newton Abbot, December 26, 1953

6.  Fuimicino, Newton Abbot, December 28, 1953 

7.  Almaskin, Lingfield Park, February 11, 1955