James Kinlan

James Kinlan

National Hunt jockey James Joseph Kinlan held a licence between 1957/58 and 1961/62 and rode three winners, all of them within the space of two weeks in May 1960.

Born around 1936, he had the first of those three wins at Wye on May 9, when 7-4 favourite Anita’s Hope won the Eastling Selling Handicap Hurdle by a length, having led all the way. Trained by Peter Dawson at Middleton-on-Sea, in Sussex, the six-year-old gelding was having his tenth run of the season. 

Anita’s Hope and James, his regular partner, followed up five days later in the Tealby Selling Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen, adopting the same tactics of leading throughout, holding off the challenge of Johnny Lehane on 11-10 favourite Cuckoo Weir, again winning by a length. Anita’s Hope was sold at the post-race auction for 210 guineas to Lincolnshire trainer Gordon Fleming, who promptly saddled him to win at Southwell three days later, partnered by Gerry Hindley. 

The following Saturday, May 21, James rode his third winner when Trafalgar Square, also trained by Peter Dawson, landed the Summer Selling Handicap Hurdle (Division 1) at Stratford. The four-year-old had only been placed once in eight previous starts that season, but James, his usual jockey, took the lead three hurdles out and won by two lengths from Reg Major’s mount Rash Decision. 

Again, his winner was sold after the race, making 320 guineas, the purchaser being amateur rider Robin Pryke, who made his living selling bananas at Birmingham market and was known as ‘The Banana King’. Pryke sent the horse to be trained by Jim Edmunds at Wythall, on the outskirts of Birmingham and, in 1961, rode him to win three times: at Uttoxeter on Easter Monday, at Hereford on Whit Monday and at Newton Abbot in August.  

As for James Kinlan, those three winners, just twelve days apart, were as good as it got. He held a licence until the 1961/62 season, relinquished it the next, then renewed it for one more go in 1963/64. He also took out a Flat jockey’s licence as a freelance for 1964, having his first ride when unplaced on Johnnie’s Girl in the Bartlow Maiden Stakes at Newmarket’s Craven meeting on April 15. However, he had few opportunities and met with no success.

James Kinlan’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Anita’s Hope, Wye, May 9, 1960  

2. Anita’s Hope, Market Rasen, May 14, 1960

3. Trafalgar Square, Stratford-on-Avon, May 21, 1960