Matthew Hogan
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Matthew Hogan, otherwise known as Matt Hogan, was one of the top northern National Hunt jockeys of the 1930s and 40s. Listed in the form books as Matthew Hogan to differentiate him from Martin Hogan, who was riding at the same time, he rode in seven Grand Nationals.
Matthew Hogan, otherwise known as Matt Hogan, was one of the top northern National Hunt jockeys of the 1930s and 40s. Listed in the form books as Matthew Hogan to differentiate him from Martin Hogan, who was riding at the same time, he rode in seven Grand Nationals.
He rode as stable jockey to trainer Stewart Wight during the late 1930s, achieving his biggest pre-war success on Inversible in the 1937 Grand Sefton Chase at Liverpool. Matt won four more races on Inversible and also rode him in three successive Grand Nationals, falling in both 1938 and 1939 but completing the course in ninth place in 1940.
He rode as stable jockey to trainer Stewart Wight during the late 1930s, achieving his biggest pre-war success on Inversible in the 1937 Grand Sefton Chase at Liverpool. Matt won four more races on Inversible and also rode him in three successive Grand Nationals, falling in both 1938 and 1939 but completing the course in ninth place in 1940.
Matt finished second on Clyduffe in the 1946 Valentine Chase over the Aintree fences and rode him in the 1947 Grand National, in which he finished ninth. By 1948 he was riding for some of the top Yorkshire trainers, including Charlie Hall at Tadcaster and Bobby Renton at Ripon. He rode Hall’s 66/1 outsider Gormanstown in that year’s Grand National, falling at the fourteenth fence.
Matt finished second on Clyduffe in the 1946 Valentine Chase over the Aintree fences and rode him in the 1947 Grand National, in which he finished ninth. By 1948 he was riding for some of the top Yorkshire trainers, including Charlie Hall at Tadcaster and Bobby Renton at Ripon. He rode Hall’s 66/1 outsider Gormanstown in that year’s Grand National, falling at the fourteenth fence.
He rode 26 winners during the 1948/49 campaign, including Doncaster’s Princess Elizabeth
He rode 26 winners during the 1948/49 campaign, including Doncaster’s Princess Elizabeth
Hurdle, Manchester’s Victory Hurdle and the Princess Royal Hurdle at Doncaster, all on The Heron for Charlie Hall, along with three chases on Highland Cottage including Doncaster’s Mansion House Chase. His wins for Bobby Renton included Wetherby’s Montagu Hurdle on Blue Raleigh. Disappointingly, his 1949 Grand National mount, Clifford Nicholson’s Stone Cottage, fell at the very first fence.
Hurdle, Manchester’s Victory Hurdle and the Princess Royal Hurdle at Doncaster, all on The Heron for Charlie Hall, along with three chases on Highland Cottage including Doncaster’s Mansion House Chase. His wins for Bobby Renton included Wetherby’s Montagu Hurdle on Blue Raleigh. Disappointingly, his 1949 Grand National mount, Clifford Nicholson’s Stone Cottage, fell at the very first fence.
His 21-winner haul for the 1949/50 season included more high profile wins on horses trained by Charlie Hall, notably Doncaster’s Princess Royal Handicap Chase on Culworth, a second successive Victory Hurdle on The Heron, and Liverpool’s Coronation Hurdle on Average. He also won two Market Rasen chases on Highland Cottage, owned by Clifford Nicholson, and had his final Grand National ride on him in 1950, falling at the seventh fence. He rode a double at Wetherby on the last day of the season, landing the selling hurdle on Tony Doyle’s Arch Stone and the Godfrey Long Handicap Chase on George Owen’s Dog Watch.
His 21-winner haul for the 1949/50 season included more high profile wins on horses trained by Charlie Hall, notably Doncaster’s Princess Royal Handicap Chase on Culworth, a second successive Victory Hurdle on The Heron, and Liverpool’s Coronation Hurdle on Average. He also won two Market Rasen chases on Highland Cottage, owned by Clifford Nicholson, and had his final Grand National ride on him in 1950, falling at the seventh fence. He rode a double at Wetherby on the last day of the season, landing the selling hurdle on Tony Doyle’s Arch Stone and the Godfrey Long Handicap Chase on George Owen’s Dog Watch.
Matt was still riding as well as ever and opened his account for the 1950/51 season when winning a two-mile chase at Ayr on Keep Moving for Tony Doyle on October 11, 1950. But just seven days later, October 18, he broke his back in a fall from Wolfhound in a Catterick selling chase, bringing to an end a career that had brought plenty of success but had also robbed him of some of his best years due to the war.
Matt was still riding as well as ever and opened his account for the 1950/51 season when winning a two-mile chase at Ayr on Keep Moving for Tony Doyle on October 11, 1950. But just seven days later, October 18, he broke his back in a fall from Wolfhound in a Catterick selling chase, bringing to an end a career that had brought plenty of success but had also robbed him of some of his best years due to the war.