John Corbridge

John Corbridge

Article by Alan Trout

John William Corbridge had one winner from limited opportunities on the Flat in 1967, returning more than a decade later to add another over jumps. 

Apprenticed to the great Harry Wragg, before attaining his sole success on the level he was placed second on at least one occasion, when Agrarian ran on strongly but was unable to catch Syllable in the Burgesses Apprentice Handicap at Yarmouth on June 15, 1967. The winner was ridden by a young George Duffield.

Duffield went on to record over 2,500 wins on the Flat, whereas John had to be content with just the one, when landing the Newby Apprentice Stakes at Pontefract on August 26, 1967. His mount was the four-year-old Sereno, making all the running and holding off the challenge of Toots, the mount of John Higgins, to score by a length and a half. Sereno was trained by Harry Wragg and owned by Gerry Oldham, whose chocolate and white hooped colours were famously carried by the likes of Sovrango, Espresso, Miralgo and Sagaro, Oldham having a penchant for naming all his horses with words ending in the letter O.  

John only had a few more mounts on the Flat but he returned over a decade later, finishing fourth on his first ride under National Hunt rules aboard Wanlockhead in the Berry Magicoal Handicap Hurdle at Stratford on September 30, 1978. 

He had three more rides on him that season, finishing third once. However, on their first start of the 1979/80 campaign, at Newton Abbot on August 6, Wanlockhead came through to lead at the penultimate flight and hold off the challenge of Ron Atkins on Persian Conquest to win the North Bovey Handicap hurdle by three lengths.  

Trained by Duncan Sasse, Wanlockhead showed little in three subsequent starts under John, who had few further opportunities. His final ride was at Newton Abbot on August 4, 1980 in the same race he had won the year before, but this time Wanlockhead was pulled up when tailed off.