Jim Moore

Jim Moore

Article by Alan Trout

James Moore, known as Jim, made an inauspicious start to his riding career. His first ride in public, Gee Whiz in the Cardiff Juvenile Hurdle at that course on October 7, 1925, was a faller. 

However, he rode his first winner the following month, November 5, when his mount Irina won the Blaina Maiden Hurdle at Newport. Trained by former champion jump jockey Percy Woodland, the three-year-old Irina beat Corozon, ridden by Pat Mullins, by two lengths. 

Jim had to wait 18 months for his second victory but then his fortunes changed for the better, achieving a career-best 11 wins in the 1927/28 season. However, he only added six more in the next four seasons.

Seven of his 20 wins over jumps were gained on the mare Royal Toy. She remains one of the forgotten heroines from the inter-war period. Her racing career spanned four months short of 13 years. She made her debut when unplaced in a Ludlow maiden hurdle in October 1922 and finished second in her final race, a Huntingdon selling chase, at the age of 17 in June 1935.

Royal Toy ran in a total of 137 races, winning 34, finishing second 17 times, third 26 times, and 14 times fourth. She was a course specialist at Shirley Park, running there 15 times, winning seven (two of them with Jim Moore on board), finishing second three times and third once. She also finished third, fourth and sixth in three renewals of the Molyneux Chase over part of the Grand National course. 

She was the second leg of the only double of Jim’s career, at Shirley Park on September 10, 1928, the first leg being Royal Falloch in the Novice All-aged Hurdle. Both horses were trained by George Sanday at Neston. 

Jim won four races on Crockanoir, which was also his only ride over the Liverpool fences when contesting the Grand Sefton Chase on November 7, 1928, but the six-year-old was among the fallers in a race in which only five of the 15 starters completed the course.

His final win was on Holmes in the Bungay Chase at that Suffolk venue on April 2, 1932, winning by eight lengths. After finishing second on the gelding next time out at Chelmsford nine days later, he was replaced by leading jockey Billy Speck. 

He had his last ride on May 5 of that year when finishing fourth of seven runners on Virgil’s Potion in the Westenhanger Hurdle at Folkestone. 

Jim Moore’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Irina, Newport, November 5, 1925

2. Burnt Heather, Ludlow, April 22, 1927

3. Much, Woore, May 12, 1927

4. Royal Toy, Shirley Park, September 5, 1927

5. Royal Toy, Wetherby, October 27, 1927

6. Crockanoir, Haydock Park, December 3, 1927

7. Crockanoir, Haydock Park, January 5, 1928

8. Saighton, Birmingham, January 10, 1928

9. Crockanoir, Tarporley, April 11, 1928

10. Crockanoir, Bangor-on-Dee, April 13, 1928

11. Royal Toy, Oswestry & Llanymynech, May 5, 1928

12. Royal Toy, Uttoxeter, May 15, 1928

13. Fog Horn, Woore, May 17, 1928

14. Fog Horn, Hexham, May 26, 1928

15. Royal Falloch, Shirley Park, September 10, 1928

16. Royal Toy, Shirley Park, September 10, 1928

17. Royal Toy, Pershore, September 15, 1928

18. Royal Toy, Uttoxeter, October 15, 1928

19. Hurricane James, Warwick, February 3, 1930

20. Holmes, Bungay, April 7, 1932