Michael Carron

Michael Carron

c1894-1918

Article by Alan Trout

Irish-born Flat jockey Michael Carron rode 40 winners in just four seasons between 1910 and 1913. Born circa 1894, he was apprenticed to George Smith. Although the trainer may not have registered any wins in 1910, his young jockey did.  

Michael’s first ride had been at Ripon on May 8, 1909, finishing unplaced on Incentive in the Grewelthorpe Handicap. His first success also came at Ripon, on August 1, 1910, when Kolin won the four-runner Hackfall Apprentice Plate by two lengths. His second victory was gained on Faust, owned and trained by George Smith, in the Newcastle Autumn Handicap on October 18. On the second day of that same Newcastle meeting he did even better, notching a double on Ashgate in the Northumberland Autumn Handicap, and Colt Crag in the Stewards Apprentice Plate. 

Michael finished the season with six wins. He increased that in 1911 with a score of nine. They included success on the outsider of three, when Baker’s Pride won the Holme Pierrepoint Selling Plate at Nottingham on July 4, beating two of the leading jockeys of the day in Charlie Trigg and Feed Templeman. 

His best season was 1912, during which he recorded 18 wins. There were doubles at Catterick Bridge and Lanark, plus victory in Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap on August 5 aboard Loup-chien, surviving a stewards’ enquiry before being confirmed the winner. In those days the Great St Wilfrid Handicap was a mile-and-a-half contest rather than today’s six-furlong sprint. 

The year 1913 started well with victory on Needy Duke in the Newcastle Spring Handicap on March 24, but by the end he had ridden only seven winners all season. The last of these was also at Newcastle, when Dersingham took the Scurry Selling Welter Handicap on October 22. The race before it had been won by Thomas Carron, also apprenticed to George Smith, and presumably Michael’s brother, who was scoring the second and last victory of his career. 

Michael rode throughout 1914 but without success, his last mount being on the final day of the season when he partnered Clarita, who finished unplaced in the Saturday Selling Handicap at Manchester on November 28. 

Michael Carron died at the family home in Ireland on November 1918, a victim on the Spanish Flu epidemic.