Donald Lynn

Donald Lynn

1932-1995

Article by Alan Trout

Donald Lawrence Lynn was born in 1932 and rode four winners over jumps in the 1950s, starting with victory on Icy Calm, trained by George Archibald, in the Autumn Selling Chase at Sandown Park on November 20, 1954. Icy Calm beat Man Of Honour, ridden by future leading trainer Derek Kent, by two lengths. 

He then had to wait until Saturday, March 17, 1956 for his second winner, which came when 11-year-old Manorway dead-heated for first place at the end of the Selling Handicap Chase at Hereford, sharing the spoils with Normandy III, ridden by Peter Collyer-Bristow. Normandy III, who was conceding 19lb to Manorway, led throughout but Manorway, who had been in second place for most of the way, joined him on the line. Manorway was trained by Jim Lea at Wythall, on the outskirts of Birmingham. 

Donald endured an even longer wait for his third win – precisely two years, in fact. This came at Doncaster on March 17, 1958 when Ben Flotta landed the Markham Main Hurdle (Division II). Trained by Ryan Jarvis, the four-year-old was having just his second race, the first having been an unplaced effort, with Donald in the saddle, in a field of 30 at Leicester the previous month. 

An Easter Monday victory at Huntingdon on April 7 was Donald’s last. Cherry Lassie beat three rivals to take the Stukeley Selling Handicap Hurdle by 15 lengths, their main danger, odds-on favourite Merry Prince, having fallen. Cherry Lassie did not run again that season, while Donald had only one further ride on Ben Flotta, finishing third at Uttoxeter on April 19, before the gelding also finished for the season. 

Donald Lynn died in 1995. 

His wins were, in chronological order:

1. Icy Calm, Sandown Park, November 20, 1954

2. Manorway, Hereford, March 17, 1956 (dead-heat)

3. Ben Flotta, Doncaster, March 17, 1958

4. Cherry Lassie, Huntingdon, April 7, 1958