Martin James
The National Hunt jockey Martin James was a conditional jockey who rode 15 winners during the mid-1970s.
The National Hunt jockey Martin James was a conditional jockey who rode 15 winners during the mid-1970s.
Martin was based with Owen O’Neill who trained at Cleeve Hill, on the outskirts of Cheltenham. He rode his first winner on the O’Neill-trained five-year-old Milon in the Lidsey Selling Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell Park on January 15, 1974. He gained his second win the following month aboard Monsieur Royale, also trained by O’Neill, in a Doncaster novices’ selling hurdle. They were his only to victories that season.
Martin was based with Owen O’Neill who trained at Cleeve Hill, on the outskirts of Cheltenham. He rode his first winner on the O’Neill-trained five-year-old Milon in the Lidsey Selling Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell Park on January 15, 1974. He gained his second win the following month aboard Monsieur Royale, also trained by O’Neill, in a Doncaster novices’ selling hurdle. They were his only to victories that season.
He enjoyed his best campaign in 1974/75, registering 10 wins, all bar one of them for Owen O’Neill. The first of those successes came at Cheltenham in October when Quackatory won the Nailsworth Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Little Andy gave Martin his first win over fences when scoring a 20-length victory in the Quorn Novices’ Chase at Leicester on December 30.
He enjoyed his best campaign in 1974/75, registering 10 wins, all bar one of them for Owen O’Neill. The first of those successes came at Cheltenham in October when Quackatory won the Nailsworth Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Little Andy gave Martin his first win over fences when scoring a 20-length victory in the Quorn Novices’ Chase at Leicester on December 30.
Martin’s only outside win came on Carib Royal, trained at Ross-on-Wye by Katie Gaze, in the Alderminster Opportunity Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday, May 3, 1975. The race started bang on time at 6.00pm, the seventh contest of a mammoth 12-race evening meeting that had begun, bizarrely, at 1.30 in the afternoon. There can’t have been many evening meetings with a first race time of 1.30 but that’s what happened at Warwick that day; an evening meeting that lasted seven hours.
Martin’s only outside win came on Carib Royal, trained at Ross-on-Wye by Katie Gaze, in the Alderminster Opportunity Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday, May 3, 1975. The race started bang on time at 6.00pm, the seventh contest of a mammoth 12-race evening meeting that had begun, bizarrely, at 1.30 in the afternoon. There can’t have been many evening meetings with a first race time of 1.30 but that’s what happened at Warwick that day; an evening meeting that lasted seven hours.
The seven-race card had been due to commence at 5.30, thus allowing football fans to watch the final of the FA Cup between Aston Villa and Norwich before racing got under way. However, so many runners were declared that five of the seven scheduled races had to be divided, resulting in a twelve-race bonanza. In order to ensure that racegoers did not miss the match, which was being shown live on TVs around the course, it was decided to run the first five races from 1.30 to 3.30, then have a two-hour break and resume at 5.30 with the remaining seven contests. Hence the first race got under way at 1.30 and the last started at 8.30, seven hours later.
The seven-race card had been due to commence at 5.30, thus allowing football fans to watch the final of the FA Cup between Aston Villa and Norwich before racing got under way. However, so many runners were declared that five of the seven scheduled races had to be divided, resulting in a twelve-race bonanza. In order to ensure that racegoers did not miss the match, which was being shown live on TVs around the course, it was decided to run the first five races from 1.30 to 3.30, then have a two-hour break and resume at 5.30 with the remaining seven contests. Hence the first race got under way at 1.30 and the last started at 8.30, seven hours later.
Despite that promising season, along with an early-season success on Owen O’Neill’s selling hurdler Breezy Boy at Newton Abbot in September, the 1975/76 campaign yielded just three winners, the last of them on Little Andy in the Chelmarsh Handicap Chase at Wolverhampton on January20, 1976.
Despite that promising season, along with an early-season success on Owen O’Neill’s selling hurdler Breezy Boy at Newton Abbot in September, the 1975/76 campaign yielded just three winners, the last of them on Little Andy in the Chelmarsh Handicap Chase at Wolverhampton on January20, 1976.
He came within half a length of victory on Warwick Flyer at Chepstow on February 21, just failing to peg back the 7-2 favourite Loch King, the mount of Richard Evans. Five days later he had three rides at Warwick but the nearest he came to winning was a sixth-place finish on novice hurdler Majestic Touch. Of his other two mounts, one finished tailed off, the other was pulled up.
He came within half a length of victory on Warwick Flyer at Chepstow on February 21, just failing to peg back the 7-2 favourite Loch King, the mount of Richard Evans. Five days later he had three rides at Warwick but the nearest he came to winning was a sixth-place finish on novice hurdler Majestic Touch. Of his other two mounts, one finished tailed off, the other was pulled up.
Martin appears to have had his last ride in public when pulling up Majestic Touch at Chepstow on Tuesday, April 20, 1976. He did not renew his licence t following season.
Martin appears to have had his last ride in public when pulling up Majestic Touch at Chepstow on Tuesday, April 20, 1976. He did not renew his licence t following season.
Martin James’s wins were, in chronological order:
Martin James’s wins were, in chronological order:
1. Milon, Fontwell Park, January15, 1974
1. Milon, Fontwell Park, January15, 1974
2. Monsieur Royale, Doncaster, February 25, 1974
2. Monsieur Royale, Doncaster, February 25, 1974
3. Quackatory, Cheltenham, October 9, 1974
3. Quackatory, Cheltenham, October 9, 1974
4. Lonely Isle, Warwick, November 16, 1974
4. Lonely Isle, Warwick, November 16, 1974
5. Cast Iron, Ludlow, November 26, 1974
5. Cast Iron, Ludlow, November 26, 1974
6. Clydebank, Chepstow, November 30, 1974
6. Clydebank, Chepstow, November 30, 1974
7. Clydebank, Ludlow, December 23, 1974
7. Clydebank, Ludlow, December 23, 1974
8. Little Andy, Leicester, December 30, 1974
8. Little Andy, Leicester, December 30, 1974
9. Blasta Blaze, Newton Abbot, February 18, 1975
9. Blasta Blaze, Newton Abbot, February 18, 1975
10. Blasta Blaze, Warwick, March 5, 1975
10. Blasta Blaze, Warwick, March 5, 1975
11. Little Andy, Worcester, March 27, 1975
11. Little Andy, Worcester, March 27, 1975
12. Carib Royal, Warwick, May 3, 1975
12. Carib Royal, Warwick, May 3, 1975
13. Breezy Boy, Newton Abbot, September 12, 1975
13. Breezy Boy, Newton Abbot, September 12, 1975
14. Happy Call, Leicester, November 17, 1975
14. Happy Call, Leicester, November 17, 1975
15. Little Andy, Wolverhampton, January 20, 1976
15. Little Andy, Wolverhampton, January 20, 1976