Allsopp, Fred

Frederick George Allsopp, born at Peopleton, Worcester, on January 3, 1869, served his five year apprenticeship with Lambourn trainer James Humphreys and won the 1886 Ebor for the stable aboard the 100/30 joint favourite La Caissier. Because of his light weight – he could ride at 5st.12lb. – he was much in demand.Tall and slim (with heavy black eyebrows), he put up more than two stone dead weight when winning the 1892 Derby aboard 40/1 outsider chestnut Sir Hugo. It was a very fortuitous victory which many considered to be a fluke. George Barrett, a fast-finishing second aboard La Fleche, the 11/10 favourite had, it was generally agreed, given the filly an atrocious ride. This was Allsopp’s only win in a classic race, though – four years later – he rode Earwig into third place in Persimmon’s Derby

He was third in the jockey’s list of 1895, when his 836 mounts far exceeded those of any other jockey, including the champion, Mornington Cannon, who had 721.  He rode a total of 845 winners, but never headed the list of winning jockeys: he finished third in 1895 and again in 1896. His had his final ride on 10th October 1900.

Fred Allsopp died at his home in Peopleton, Worcestershire on December 4th 1912 after a long illness. He was 43.

Fred rode a total of 845 winners during his career. He did not ride after 1901 although granted a licence as late as 1904.

Sir Hugo’s owner/breeder Lord Bradford won £7,000 in Derby prize money, but considerably more in bets, having backed the horse at 100/1 before it had ever set foot on a racecourse. He died aged in March 1898, aged 78.

Fred Allsopp also won the Goodwood Stakes on White Feather (1891), Spindle Leg (1894) and Carlton Grange (1896), the Lincoln Handicap on Clarence (1892), the Great Metropolitan Stakes on Soliman (1897) and King’s Messenger (1900), the Manchester Cup on The Docker (1896), the Royal Hunt Cup on Knight of the Thistle (1897) and the Cambridgeshire on the heavily-backed Marco (1895).

On 14th November 1891, Fred had his licence temporarily cancelled for having crossed another horse in a Nursery Handicap at Blankney Races, Lincolnshire. Because of his growing reputation for ‘cross-riding’ as it was then known that he gained for himself the nickname ‘The Bumper’.

La Caisser’s wealthy, Cheltenham-born trainer James Humphreys fell ill with Bright’s Disease and, after a protracted illness, died 5 years later, age 49.

La Fleche is a municipality located in the French department of Sarthe and the region of Pays de la Loire in the Loire Valley.

The 1892 Derby