Ian Straker, Major

1888 -1970

Major Ian Straker was born at Hexham in 1888, the son of John Straker. He rode 31 winners as an amateur rider under National Hunt rules. He took part in a Grand National and twice won the Lady Dudley Cup, the blue riband of point-to-pointing.

Educated at Cambridge, he made his debut under National Hunt rules at the Cambridge University fixture at Cottenham on February 19, 1909, competing in one of the races confined to hunters or horses owned by undergraduates.

It was at the corresponding meeting twelve months later, February 3, 1910, that he rode his first winner, guiding Miss Fitz to a three-length triumph in the two-mile Cottenham Challenge Cup Chase.

He enjoyed his most successful year in 1912 with eight wins, half of them being achieved in one day when landing a Cottenham four-timer on February 15. He won the Cambridge Hurdle on Simple Ned, the University Challenge Whip Chase on Dustman, the Loder Cup Chase on Fairy Prince II, and the Red Coat Chase on Palta, finishing alone in the latter contest after his four rivals had all fallen.

In 1913 he rode Wavelet in the prestigious National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Sent off the 4-1 favourites, they finished second, beaten a length and a half. Wavelet had looked all over the winner when blundering two out, and 33-1 shot Kransfugl got up in the last 50 yards to beat him.

He rode as ‘Mr’ Straker until World War One, then joined the 9th Royal Lancers and attained the rank of Lieutenant. He was engaged in action in the war’s early months, returning home for a few days in April 1915 prior to heading back to the Front.

He ended the war as Captain Ian Straker and it was under that title that he won a Sandown Park handicap chase on Ballinacarroona in February 1919. He then rode Ballinacarroona, a 20-1 shot, in that year’s Grand National – the first back at Aintree following three war substitute ‘Nationals’ staged at Gatwick – but was among the fallers. Undaunted. He was reunited with Ballinacarroona the very next day and finished third in the Stanley Chase over part of the Grand National course.

Promoted to the rank of Major by November 1919, he went on to win two point-to-points on Glengarry II in 1921 and finished sixth on him in the 1922 National Hunt Chase. He then rode Glengarry II to victory in that year’s Lady Dudley Cup at Crowle, the point-to-point equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ian owned the horse himself and hunted him with the Tynedale. Sent off as a 6-1 chance, Glengarry II was left in front when the leader fell four fences from home and went on to score by two lengths.

In 1923, Major Straker rode Glengarry II to win a point-to-point at the Eamont Harriers in March and, in April, they won a pair of two-mile chases at Carlisle and Rothbury, a Kelso hunter chase and, in May, a two-mile chase at Hexham, beating that year’s Grand National-winning rider William Watkinson on the favourite Mr Manhattan by 10 lengths. That would turn out to be the last winner Major Straker rode under recognised National Hunt rules.

On April 1, 1924, he rode Don Ricardo to win the M.F.H. Nomination Cup Chase at the Dumfriesshire Hunt’s bona fide meeting at Lockerbie, then on March 21, 1925, guided him to victory in the Masters’ Nomination Chase at the Eglinton Hunt’s bona fide meeting at Bogside. Bona fide meetings were essentially point-to-points and differed only inasmuch that racegoers could be charged for admission and the results appeared in the official Racing-up-to-Date form book. However, the winners did not count to the riders’ seasonal totals and the horses remained maidens for races under ‘proper’ National Hunt rules.

Thus, despite those two wins in bona fide events, Don Ricardo was eligible to run in the 1926 National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Of the record 39 runners that year, Don Ricardo was among the 29 who lined up as 25-1 outsiders. While horses of that price finished first, third and fourth, Don Ricardo was pulled up by Major Straker.

In 1928, he rode Don Ricardo to win a point-to-point at the Braes of Derwent. Also that year, he finished second on another of his horses, Coral Reef, in the Lady Dudley Cup.

Major Straker had his last ride under National Hunt rules on Tim From Tipperary, who finished unplaced in the Heart of All England Hunt Cup at Hexham on May 1, 1930.

He did, however, continue to ride in point-to-points and, in 1931, he acquired the top-class Herode Bridge, winning three races on him that year, at the Cumberland, Morpeth and Braes of Derwent. In 1932 they won at the Cumberland again, and also at the South Durham, Zetland and Tynedale. On April 15, 1933, following repeat victories at the Zetland and Tynedale, they landed the Lady Dudley Cup on hard ground, beating the evens favourite Ebon Knight by three lengths, giving Major Straker his second win in point-to-pointing’s most prestigious race at the age of 45.

Major Straker retired from the saddle soon after but continued to own Herode Bridge, who went on to win a total of 21 races including six hunter chases, most notably the 1936 Cheltenham Foxhunters’ Chase when ridden by Alec Marsh. His 21st and final win was at the Tynedale point-to-point in April 1939 when, ridden by John Straker, Ian’s son, he landed the prestigious William Bell Memorial Gold Cup Nomination Race, six years after his previous win at the meeting.

Major Ian Straker died in 1970, aged 82. His sons John and Clive were both first-class amateur riders. Clive won 108 races under National Hunt rules including the 1952 National Hunt Chase on Frosty Knight, while John rode more than 60 winners including the Eider Chase on Gentle Moya and finished sixth on her in the 1955 Grand National.