Edward Raine

c1883-1916

Northern-based National Hunt jockey Edward Raine rode exactly 50 winners over jumps between 1903 and 1914, over half of them being achieved on just two horses. He also landed a double on the final day’s racing at Scarborough.

Edward was associated with William Binnie’s stable at Wold House, Malton and made the perfect start to his race-riding career by winning on his first mount in public, 6-1 chance Boa, who landed the St Wilfred’s Handicap Chase at Hexham by 40 lengths on October 7, 1903.

The horse on which he achieved the most success was a chestnut mare named Isabelle II. He won on her for the first time at Bogside on April 6, 1906. Over the next five years he would ride her to victory 15 times over hurdles.

On Saturday, May 18, 1907, Edward rode two winners on what proved to be the last day’s racing at Scarborough, annexing the Londesborough Handicap Hurdle on Isabelle II and the Beckett Selling Hurdle on Stealaway.

Racing at Scarborough had dated back to 1751, when races were held on the beach. It was put on a firmer, non-sand footing with the formation of a turf course on Seamer Moor in 1868. However, the course soon became notorious for rowdyism, welchers und uncontrolled villainy, eventually causing Flat racing to come to an end there in 1893.

There was a brief revival under National Hunt rules in 1906. It didn’t last long, only 12 months in fact, but there was just enough time for Edward to achieve that double at Scarborough’s final meeting.

Later the same year, on October 4, 1907, Edward rode another double, this time at Wetherby, winning a selling hurdle on Stealaway and a maiden chase on Bank Balance.

He enjoyed his best year in 1910 with 11 winners, the only time he achieved a double-figure score during a calendar year. Three of those successes were courtesy of Isabelle II, while five more were gained on Thraldom. They included an Easter Monday double at Wetherby on March 26 aboard Isabelle II and Thraldom, who was winning fourth time that month. He rounded off the year with a Boxing Day double at Catterick on Isabelle II and Dirleton.

Thraldom was a versatile performer, equally at home over fences and hurdles, and would go on to provide Edward with six more victories over the next three seasons, while Dirleton became another regular contributor with five.

In 1910, Edward notched a double at Cartmel’s traditional Easter Monday fixture, winning an optional selling hurdle on Thraldom and the Grange Selling Hurdle for the third time in four years on Isabelle II. She was by then 12 years old and that would be the 15th and last victory she and Edward enjoyed together. The versatile Thraldom turned out again later that same afternoon in a match for the Hartington Chase. Alas, Edward’s hopes of a treble were dashed when Thraldom fell.

After spending the vast majority of his career with William Binnie, Edward joined Sir John Thursby’s establishment, also based at Malton. He rode his last winner on Caledonian in the Cowthorpe Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on October 19, 1914. Wetherby was also the venue when he rode for the final time, trailing in last of four finishers on Dirleton in the Leeds Chase on April 6, 1915.

Edward Raine died in Richmond, Yorkshire the following year, on July 24, 1916, after a brief illness.

His 15 wins on Isabelle II were, in chronological order:

1. April 6, 1906: Selling Handicap Hurdle, Eglinton Hunt (Bogside)

2. June 6, 1906: Grange Selling Hurdle, Cartmel

3. September 20, 1906, Palace Handicap Hurdle, Ayr

4. October 25, 1906: Rudd Hall Handicap Hurdle, Catterick Bridge

5. May 18, 1907: Londesborough Handicap Hurdle, Scarborough

6. April 1, 1908: Fishburn Selling Handicap Hurdle, Sedgefield

7. October 25, 1908: Hartforth Selling Hurdle, Catterick Bridge

8. May 31, 1909: Grange Selling Hurdle, Cartmel

9. June 7, 1909: Doddington Hurdle, Southwell

10. January 1, 1910: Tunstall Selling Handicap Hurdle, Catterick Bridge

11. March 28, 1910: Wharfedale Selling Hurdle, Wetherby

12. December 26, 1910: Moulton Selling Hurdle, Catterick Bridge

13. January 6, 1911: Friday Selling Hurdle, Haydock Park

14. February 20, 1911: Selling Hurdle, Doncaster

15. June 5, 1911: Grange Selling Hurdle, Cartmel

His 11 wins on Thraldom were, in chronological order:

1. March 3, 1910: Four-Year-Old Hurdle, Shincliffe

2. March 15, 1910: Wynyard Maiden Chase, Sedgefield

3. March 16, 1910: Lambton Optional Selling Hurdle, Sedgefield

4. March 26, 1910: Harrogate Maiden Chase, Wetherby

5. May 5, 1910: Beacon Chase, Hexham

6. March 16, 1911: Croxdale Hurdle, Shincliffe

7. June 5, 1911: Tradesmen’s Optional Selling Hurdle, Cartmel

8. April 8, 1912: Leeds Chase, Wetherby

9. April 16, 1912: Sunlaws Hurdle, Kelso

10. March 25, 1913: Leeds Chase, Wetherby

11. May 12, 1913: Whitsuntide Chase, Wetherby

His five wins on Dirleton were, in chronological order:

1. February 22, 1910: Stockil Handicap Hurdle, Doncaster

2. December 26, 1910: Christmas Handicap Hurdle, Catterick Bridge

3. April 20, 1912: Craythorne Maiden Chase, Picton

4. December 16, 1912; Makerfield Handicap Chase, Haydock Park

5. December 26, 1912: Picton Optional Selling Chase, Picton