Robert Collie (Major)

Major Robert Collie was a successful amateur rider from the mid-1950s to the mid-60s. 

He won numerous point-to-points and hunter chases, notably on Topper and R.U.C.D., achieving the highlight of his career when winning the 1965 Kim Muir Challenge Cup Chase at Cheltenham on Burton Tan. 

His racing colours were ‘red, green crossbelts and cap’.

Robert Bibby Collie was born on November 27, 1912. He served as a Regular Cavalry Officer with the Kings Dragoon Guards. On December 30, 1953, he married Jennifer Straker. They had one son, Andrew, and one daughter, Jane Victoria.

He owned, trained and rode his first winner under National Hunt rules when Topper came with a strong run on the flat to land the Fielden Hunters’ Challenge Cup at Uttoxeter on Saturday, April 2, 1955. They won again over course and distance nine days later at Uttoxeter’s Easter Monday fixture. They repeated their Fielden Challenge Cup victory the following year. They won both the military hunters’ chases in 1957 and again in 1958, landing Sandown’s Past and Present Hunters’ Chase at the Grand Military meeting and the Ubique Hunters’ Chase at Sandown’s Royal Artillery fixture.

Major Collie’s next good hunter chaser was R.U.C.D., on whom he won at Leicester in February 1959, then added Sandown’s ‘Ubique’ for the third year running, following up in the Clive Hunters’ Challenge Cup at Cheltenham’s April meeting. That was Major Collie’s tenth winner, resulting in his claim being reduced to 5lb.

Topper, by now aged 14, was unable to give his owner-rider a fourth successive Ubique Hunters’ Chase success in 1960, finishing fourth, while R.U.C.D. could only manage third in that race the following year. However, normal service was resumed when R.U.C.D. won the 1962 renewal (right). They then finished second to Baulking Green in the Clive Challenge Cup before winning the Empress Elizabeth of Austria Hunters’ Chase on Towcester’s Easter Monday card.

His third good hunter chaser, Flight 062, won three times during the spring of 1962 (including a dead-heat at Uttoxeter), giving Major Collie a score of five for the season. He rode both R.U.C.D. and Flight 062 to victory in April 1963.

His fourth decent horse was Burton Tan. In 1964, Major Collie won a Market Rasen hunter chase and a fifth Sandown ‘Ubique’ on him. In 1965, Burton Tan gave his owner-trainer-rider success on steeplechasing’s biggest stage, winning Cheltenham’s Kim Muir Challenge Cup by two and a half lengths from George Small on the grey Pioneer Spirit. Three weeks later, Robert rode Burton Tan to win Sandown’s Ubique Hunters’ Chase, his sixth victory in the race.

That turned out to be Major Collie’s final winner under National Hunt rules. Understandably, he nominated Sandown as his favourite racecourse.

Burton Tan went on to win several more races, but leading amateur Michael Bloom took over in the saddle for the hunter cases, while he was also campaigned in handicap company and ridden by professionals.

Having retired from military service, Major Collie took up farming, based at Skeffington Vale, in Leicestershire. He served as Joint Master of the Fernie Foxhounds from 1962 to 1965. In addition to his hunting and race riding involvement, he enjoyed sailing and was a member of the Royal Southern Yacht Club. He was also a member of the Cavalry Club.

He continued to have the occasional mount under National Hunt rules, mostly at Sandown’s Grand Military and Royal Artillery meetings. He had his final ride in public when finishing fourth on Commodore in the James Seely Memorial Hunters’ Chase at Southwell on April 7, 1971.

On February 23, 1976, aged 63, he took part in the Melton Hunt Club cross-country chase. His mount fell, Major Collie broke his neck and died from his injuries. The Fernie Hunt’s point-to-point meeting, due to take place the following weekend, was cancelled as a mark of respect. The funeral was held at Skeffington Parish Church.

Major Robert Collie’s winners under National Hunt rules were, in chronological order:

1. Topper, Uttoxeter, April 2, 1955

2. Topper, Uttoxeter, April 11, 1955

3. Topper, Uttoxeter, April 14, 1956

4. Topper, Sandown Park, March 22, 1957

5. Topper, Sandown Park, April 3, 1957

6. Topper, Sandown Park, March 21, 1958

7. Topper, Sandown Park, April 1, 1958

8. R.U.C.D., Leicester, February 9, 1959

9. R.U.C.D., Sandown Park, April 1, 1959

10. R.U.C.D., Cheltenham, April 11, 1959

11. R.U.C.D., Sandown Park, April 3, 1962

12. Flight 062, Stratford-on-Avon, April 5, 1962

13. R.U.C.D., Towcester, April 23, 1962

14. Flight 062, Uttoxeter. April 24, 1962

15. Flight 062, Uttoxeter, May 12, 1962 (Dead-heat)

16. R.U.C.D., Stratford-on-Avon, April 4, 1963

17. Flight 062, Uttoxeter, April 15, 1963

18. Burton Tan, Market Rasen, March 7(above) 1964

19. Burton Tan, Sandown, April 1, 1964

20. Burton Tan, Cheltenham, March 10, 1965

21. Burton Tan, Sandown Park, March 31, 1965