James L'Estrange

James L’Estrange 

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1886, James L’Estrange won 16 races over jumps between 1913 and 1925 in a career disrupted by the First World War.

He had his first ride at Wolverhampton on January 15, 1912 in the Novices’ Chase, but his mount, Bill Brendan, refused. James rode the gelding three more times that year, managing one third place. When reunited with him for the first time in 1913, in the Shipley Hall Chase at Derby, the five-year-old had failed to finish in his last two starts. He duly fell again but so did two of his three rivals, while the other one refused, and James remounted Bill Brendan and won his first race, finishing alone. Bill Brendan had two more starts and two more falls, both with James on board, the last of which sadly proved to be fatal.  

James had just one more success that year, and even that had its moment of drama. After finishing first on Boy Scout in the Abbey Hunters’ Chase at Wenlock Hunt on May 9, the rider of the runner-up objected to the winner on the grounds of ‘boring’ but this was overruled. 

James had one win in 1915, by which time war had broken out. He returned after hostilities ended and his career finally picked up a little in the early 1920s. He rode a double at Bungay in September 1922, aboard Puro in the Waveney Selling Hurdle and Young Hazel in the Henham Selling Chase. 

His final victory was on Cross Paddy, trained at Epsom by Walter Nightingall, in the Burstow Selling Chase at Gatwick on February 4, 1925, beating the 5-2 on favourite Golden Victory, ridden by multiple champion jockey Fred ‘Dick’ Rees, by ten lengths. His final ride was on Winter Prince, who finished unplaced in the Richmond Hurdle at Hurst Park on January 11, 1930. 

James L’Estrange’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Bill Brendan, Derby, March 4, 1913

2. Boy Scout, Wenlock Hunt, May 9, 1913

3. Coton, Manchester, April 6, 1915

4. Geordie, Nottingham, February 1, 1921

5. Geordie, Southwell, May 12, 1921

6. Whiston, Market Rasen, April 17, 1922

7. Puro, Bungay, September 22, 1922

8. Young Hazel, Bungay, September 22, 1922

9. Puro, Hawthorn Hill, November 10, 1922

10. Simon’s Light, Windsor, February 5, 1923

11. Jack Boore, Retford Hunt, April 9, 1923

12. Son o’ Melton, Bungay, April 11, 1923

13. Triple Blue, Sandown Park, December 7, 1923

14. Head Master, Gatwick, January 30, 1924

15. Dorado, Hurst Park, December 20, 1924

16. Cross Paddy, Gatwick, February 4, 1925