Born near Newmarket on 1 April 1835, Charles Pratt served his apprenticeship with Sam Rogers at Newmarket but moved to France in 1852 to further his career.
He rode the winners of the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) three times: in 1865 (Gontran), 1866 (Florentin) and 1870 (Bigarreau). In 1870, he won the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) on Sornette.
Charles rode occasionally in England. He partnered Ronzi to win the Handicap Plate at Newmarket on 28 October 1857, and Stradella to land the Derby Trial Stakes, also at Newmarket, on 8 April 1863, beating George Fordham on Buckstone by a length and a half in the latter contest.
However, he had his most important English success on Sultan in the 1866 Stewards Cup.
He spent a slightly longer period in England in the autumn of 1870, during which time he rode ten winners, four in September, six in October.
His last two English wins were both gained on Sornette at Epsom’s Derby meeting in May 1871. On the 23rd he rode her to win the Trial Stakes, then two days later dead-heated on her in Her Majesty’s Plate but won the decider.
Charles Pratt went on to become a successful trainer in France. He died there in September 1907, aged 72.