Article written by John Turley to whom I am indebted
Fred Stokes rode his first winner on Corrie Lass on 5th April 1926. The race was the Grand Stand Selling Hurdle at Hereford and thereafter Fred carried a cigarette case with an inscription marking the event.
Three years later, on 17th April 1929, Fred was on Arosa, the outsider of five in the Tewkesbury Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
He was several lengths behind the others when the horse caught the top of the hurdle, turned a somersault and rolled over the stricken jockey. Fred’s skull was fractured and he died within a few minutes - an inquest held two days later returned a verdict of 'Accidental Death'.
The race was won by leading jockey Billy Speck, who himself was killed at the same course six years later.
Fred was aged just 27 when he died. His family came from Tarporley, where his father William was a master carter. Fred had moved down to Compton in Berkshire where he was attached to private trainer R C Woods, who handled Arosa. Woods also trained Fred’s last winner, Flown Away, at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day 1928.