Noel Hine

Noel Hine

Article by Alan Trout

Noel Joseph Hine rode eight winners over jumps, starting with a narrow victory on Kilkerran, owned and trained by Lord Westmorland, in the Hoe Selling Hurdle at Plymouth on September 1, 1926. Only a short head separated the winner from Black Prince, ridden by Cecil Rhodes. Noel had ridden the four-year-old on his first three starts the previous season, but they had not been placed. Kilkerran was sold after the race, so Noel had no more opportunities to shine on him.

He had to wait until October 21, 1927, for his second success. This came at Bournemouth when Cross Hands, also owned and trained by Lord Westmorland, won the Pembroke Handicap Hurdle. Billy Stott, rider of the runner-up Balfour, objected on the grounds of ‘crossing’ but the objection was overruled, giving Noel his one win of the campaign. Stott went on to ride 88 winners that season and become champion jockey for the first time. 

The following season went rather better for Noel with four wins, beginning with a 25-length victory aboard Side Glance, who was running over hurdles for the first time, in the Tradesmen’s Juvenile Hurdle at Totnes on September 13. Noel had to survive another objection, this time lodged by Tim Hamey, jockey of the runner-up Diatonic, on grounds of ‘going the wrong course’. Again, the objection was overruled, and Noel’s fortunes increased further when, six days later, Cross Hands won again in a match for the Churchills Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot. His opponent, Troutwal, ridden by Fred Gurney, was beaten a length and a half. 

Another of Lord Westmorland’s horses, Le Roi Soleil, gave Noel his next win when taking the Butterfield Hurdle at Stratford on October 6. Making his debut over obstacles, the four-year-old won by a neck. Two weeks later, Side Glance won his second race when landing the Juvenile Selling Hurdle at Ludlow. Trained by Harvey Leader, Side Glance won by a length and a half but was sold at the post-race auction. 

Having ridden four winners within the space of five weeks, more than three years elapsed before Noel rode what would prove to be his last two winners, both on the six-year-old San Farian. Noel was riding him for the first time when they won the Coronation Handicap Chase at Hereford on March 28, 1932, the winning margin being ten lengths. Their second victory was a much closer affair, with only half a length separating them from Oliver Cromwell, the mount of future royal trainer Peter Cazalet, at the finish of the Highweek Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot on May 12. After the race, Mr Cazalet objected to the winner on the grounds of ‘crossing’ but, for the third time in Noel’s career, the objection was overruled. 

San Farian finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length, five days later at Cardiff in May, then fell later that month at Newport. Noel was aboard for both those starts but was then replaced. He did not add to his score before relinquishing his licence.

Noel Hine’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Kilkerran, Plymouth, September 1, 1926

2. Cross Hands, Bournemouth, October 21, 1927 

3. Side Glance, Totnes, September 13, 1928

4. Cross Hands, Newton Abbot, September 19, 1928 

5. Le Roi Soleil, Stratford-on-Avon, October 6, 1928

6. Side Glance, Ludlow, October 19, 1928 

7. San Farian, Hereford, March 28, 1932

8. San Farian, Newton Abbot, May 12, 1932