John Hanlon
1820 - 1892
1820 - 1892
John Hanlon rode in four Grand Nationals.
John Hanlon rode in four Grand Nationals.
The Iron Duke (1850)
The Iron Duke (1850)
Wanderer (1855)
Wanderer (1855)
Jumpaway (1856)
Jumpaway (1856)
Sting (1857)
Sting (1857)
He failed to finish on three occasions, but it was a different story in 1855.
He failed to finish on three occasions, but it was a different story in 1855.
Riding Wanderer, a 25/1 shot, he won by two lengths from Freetrader after taking a pull on hs free-running mount just after The Canal Turn. This allowed both Freetrader and Maurice Daley to storm passed, and, attempting to cut each other's throat, they were a spent force jumping the last.
Riding Wanderer, a 25/1 shot, he won by two lengths from Freetrader after taking a pull on hs free-running mount just after The Canal Turn. This allowed both Freetrader and Maurice Daley to storm passed, and, attempting to cut each other's throat, they were a spent force jumping the last.
John and Wanderer regained the lead and won going away.
John and Wanderer regained the lead and won going away.
The result did not please its owner, Mr Dennis, who - believing that Wanderer could not act on the prevailing heavy conditions - heavily backed another horse (Roundaway) instead.
The result did not please its owner, Mr Dennis, who - believing that Wanderer could not act on the prevailing heavy conditions - heavily backed another horse (Roundaway) instead.
Because of severe frost, the race had been postponed from the Wednesday of the previous week.
Because of severe frost, the race had been postponed from the Wednesday of the previous week.
John Hanlon had a long career in the saddle, riding from the late 1840s to the early 1880s. Latterly he rode alongside his son, John Hanlon Jnr. He also trained at the Curragh.
John Hanlon had a long career in the saddle, riding from the late 1840s to the early 1880s. Latterly he rode alongside his son, John Hanlon Jnr. He also trained at the Curragh.
In addition to riding Wanderer to victory in the Grand National, he also prepared him, being private trainer to John Dennis in County Kildare. Although Dennis called himself an owner-trainer, it was Hanlon who effectively dealt with the day-to-day preparation.
In addition to riding Wanderer to victory in the Grand National, he also prepared him, being private trainer to John Dennis in County Kildare. Although Dennis called himself an owner-trainer, it was Hanlon who effectively dealt with the day-to-day preparation.
An item appeared in the Birmingham Post of April 15, 1908, which told of an Irish jockey who won a Grand National in the 1850s for an owner for whom he trained and schooled, receiving as payment for his services two sacks of potatoes, a side of bacon, some eggs and a roll of butter. This must surely have been a reference to John Hanlon and the owner John Dennis, whose losing bet on Roundaway evidently left him so short of cash that he couldn’t afford to pay his winning jockey other than by produce from his farm.
An item appeared in the Birmingham Post of April 15, 1908, which told of an Irish jockey who won a Grand National in the 1850s for an owner for whom he trained and schooled, receiving as payment for his services two sacks of potatoes, a side of bacon, some eggs and a roll of butter. This must surely have been a reference to John Hanlon and the owner John Dennis, whose losing bet on Roundaway evidently left him so short of cash that he couldn’t afford to pay his winning jockey other than by produce from his farm.
An article in The Sport, a Dublin newspaper, dated January 23, 1892, states that John Hanlon had recently died, aged 71.
An article in The Sport, a Dublin newspaper, dated January 23, 1892, states that John Hanlon had recently died, aged 71.