John Barclay Jr

John Barclay Jr.

John Barclay Junior rode as an amateur in the 1960s and early 1970s and had four winners. He was the son of former professional jockey John Barclay, who rode 11 winners between 1949 and 1952 and later trained in Dumfriesshire. 

Two of his earliest efforts were when finishing third on Hopalong Cassidy in the Ayrshire Hunters’ Challenge Cup at Ayr on March 15, 1965 and again the following month in the John McKie Hunters’ Chase at Carlisle on Easter Monday. 

His first winner was 20/1 shot Alkabar, trained by his father, in the Eglinton Amateur Riders’ Maiden Hurdle at Ayr on March 11, 1967, beating fellow 7lb claiming amateur Tommy Stack on Royal Eden. That was ten years before Stack would achieve the most famous moment of his career when guiding Red Rum to a unique third Grand National triumph. 

Alkabar was owned and by then being trained by John’s uncle, James Barclay, by the time the horse gave him his second victory, in the Adamhill Hunters’ Chase at Ayr on April 19, 1969.

James Barclay was also responsible for John’s third winner, the grand old warrior Vulmidas. The horse had formerly been trained by John’s father, for whom he had won a host of races, usually ridden by the talented amateur Terry Pinner. However, he was now in the care of James Barclay, who saddled the spritely 15-year-old veteran to land the Dinsdale Selling Handicap Chase at Catterick Bridge on January 17, 1972.

John’s fourth and last victory was in the race he had won five years earlier, the Eglinton Amateur Riders’ Maiden Hurdle at Ayr. This time it was on Gleneagles, trained by James Barclay, that he achieved his final triumph, beating Fair Double, ridden by future professional jockey Colin Tinkler, by a length. 

John Barclay Junior’s winners were, in chronological order:

Alkabar, Ayr, March 11, 1967 

Alkabar, Ayr, April 19, 1969

Vulmidas, Catterick Bridge, January 17, 1972

Gleneagles, Ayr, March 11, 1972