Austin Milburne

1894-1951

Article by Alan Trout

Austin Milburne rode 23 winners on the Flat plus a dozen over jumps during a career that was clearly disrupted by the First World War.

Born in 1894, he was apprenticed to John Renwick, who trained at Malton. Although granted a licence for 1911, he did not have his first ride in public until the opening day of the 1912 season, when he finished unplaced on the four-year-old Braemar in the Northern Welter Plate at Lincoln on March 25.

Braemar had won his last race as a three-year-old and, after his pipe-opener at Lincoln, went on to win his next contest, a Welter Handicap at Catterick Bridge. That was one of the increasingly rare Flat races in which professional jockeys competed against amateurs, the winning rider being the vastly experienced Joe Thwaites.

Austin’s first win did not come until three months later, June 26, 1912, when he won the Gibside All-Aged Plate at Newcastle by a short-head on the three-year-old Sublime. Two further victories followed that year.

In 1913, when he was riding without the benefit of an apprentice allowance, he had his best season with 13 wins. A double at Ayr on May 23 was perhaps the highlight, with a six-length success on Dancing David in the Trial Selling Plate being followed by a more hard-fought victory when Caledonian took the Montgomerie Handicap by half a length.

After his most successful year, winners became harder to find. He had just two in 1915. He did not ride in England at all in the years 1916 to 1918 (presumably involved in fighting for his country) and he struggled on his return to action, riding one winner in both 1919 and 1920. His final Flat winner – his sole success of the season – came at Redcar on May 17, 1921 when he partnered Mirshel to a five-length win in the Normanby Maiden Plate.

His last ride on the Flat for many years came at Catterick Bridge on October 1, 1921 when the six-year-old Rossini was unplaced in the Hornby Castle Selling Handicap won by Jack Leach on Care Free.

While his Flat career was stalling, Austin was doing rather better over jumps. Granted a licence for the 1919 season, he had his first win in that sphere when Flying Wonderland won the Colwick Selling Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham on December 2 by five lengths

He rode seven winners in 1920 including two on the five-year-old hurdler Esplanadian at Birmingham and Hurst Park, but there were only two victories in 1921, following which he did not renew his licence for a few years.

He did eventually return, however, and won the Bryn Hurdle Race for three-year-olds at Haydock Park on November 30, 1928. His mount that day was Spring Blossom, owned by leading amateur rider John Johnstone and trained by Ernie Davey, who had ridden the horse to victory at Catterick Bridge 15 days earlier.

Austin had to wait nearly five years for his final win. This came at Wetherby on October 25, 1933 when Mingled won the Ainsty Juvenile Optional Selling Hurdle. It is likely that Mingled was also his last ride over jumps when finishing fourth in the Bickerton Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on May 21, 1934, for his did not renew his licence for the following season.

He eventually returned to riding on the Flat for the 1945 and 1946 seasons but without access.

Austin Milburne died in 1951.

Austin Milburne’s 12 wins under National Hunt rules were, in chronological order:

1. Flying Winkfield, Nottingham, December 2, 1919

2. Esplanadian, Birmingham, January 12, 1920

3. Krooner, Manchester, February 14, 1920

4. Esplanadian, Hurst Park, February 21, 1920

5. Brunswick, Wetherby, April 6, 1920

6. Brunswick, Hexham, May 6, 1920

7. Nada, Southwell, May 13, 1920

8. Jugalis, Leicester, December 6, 1920

9. More Rain, Sedgefield, March 22, 1921

11. Spring Blossom, Haydock Park, November 30, 1928

12. Mingled, Wetherby, October 25, 1933