Tim McCarthy

Tim McCarthy

Article by Alan Trout

Timothy Burns McCarthy, known as Tim, rode one winner as an amateur before turning professional and adding a further 14 to his score.    

His sole success in the amateur ranks came on January 19, 1928, when his mount Hunting Hall, carrying 2lb overweight, neat Perhaps No, ridden by another future professional, Frank Sclater, by six lengths. 

Almost a year later, on January 10, 1929, Tim had his first win as a professional when Peggie’s Pride beat two rivals to take the Crawley Handicap Chase at Gatwick. The six-year-old had four lengths to spare at the finish over Hawker, ridden by Fred Brookes. Tim rode Peggie’s Pride in that year’s National Hunt Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March but they were unplaced. 

Over the next three seasons, Tim had the occasional winner, with Peggie’s Pride providing two of them, including the valuable National Trial Chase at Gatwick on March 1, 1930. Finishing down the field that day was Shaun Goilin, but 27 days later it was the latter who triumphed at Aintree, winning the Grand National under Tim Cullinan, while Peggie’s Pride, with Tim McCarthy in the saddle, was among the many fallers. 

He had rides in other big races too, but Uncle Ben in the 1929 Scottish Grand National, Peggie’s Pride in the 1930 version, and Near East in the 1931 Welsh Grand National, were all unplaced.

Tim enjoyed his most successful season in 1931/32 when he had seven wins, five of them supplied by Near East, and it was on that horse that he had his best ride over the Liverpool fences, finishing fourth in the 1932 Grand National, albeit a long way behind the winner, Forbra, and one place behind his old rival Shaun Goilin. 

Earlier that month, Tim had scored what proved to be his last victory when the grey Uncle Batt took the Brookside Handicap Chase at Plumpton on March 7 by three lengths from fellow grey Glangesia, ridden by George Turner, with old rival Frank Sclater third on Kinship. 

His final ride was on Taka San, a faller in the Chatham Selling Chase at Folkestone on May 10, 1934.

Tim McCarthy died in 1970. 

His winners were, in chronological order:

1. Hunting Hall, Lingfield Park, January 19, 1928

2. Peggie’s Pride, Gatwick, January 10, 1929

3. Uncle Ben, Gatwick, February 6, 1929

4. Peggie’s Pride, Gatwick, December 4, 1929

5. Peggie’s Pride, Gatwick, March 1, 1930

6. Near East, Newton Abbot, May 17, 1930

7. Near East, Fontwell Park, October 9, 1930

8. Near East, Hawthorn Hill, November 20, 1930

9. Near East, Lingfield Park, January 15, 1931

10. Near East, Lingfield Park, February 28, 1931

11. Near East, Lingfield Park, May 4, 1931

12. Uncle Batt, Plumpton, May 5, 1931

13. Uncle Batt, Newton Abbot, May 16, 1931

14. Persian Sun, Folkestone, September 7, 1931

15. Uncle Batt, Plumpton, March 7, 1932

Tim McCarthy’s rides over the Liverpool fences were:

1. Uncle Ben, Grand Sefton Chase, November 7, 1928 – fell

2. Peggie’s Pride, Grand Sefton Chase, November 6, 1929 – unplaced 

3. Peggie’s Pride, Grand National, March 28, 1930 – fell

4. Sorcier, Stanley Chase, March 26, 1931 – unplaced

5. Sorcier, Stanley Chase, March 17, 1932 – fell 

6. Near East, Grand National, March 18, 1932 – fourth