Frederick (Fred) Fiddler rode eight winners over jumps in the 1950s but only once did he have more than one success in a season.
His first win was at Nottingham on March 27, 1952 when he rode Blackpool, trained by Captain Neville Crump, to victory by eight lengths in the Weir Handicap Chase. Fred was by far the least experienced jockey in the eight-runner race, his rivals including Leo McMorrow, Jimmy Power, George Slack and Jack Dowdeswell. On his previous start, Blackpool had fallen at the last fence when well clear at Manchester with Fred aboard for the first time, but the pair made no mistake on this occasion.
Captain Crump’s stable jockey Arthur Thompson replaced Fred for Blackpool’s next outing, an unplaced effort at Cheltenham in April. Fred was given one more opportunity on him in the Queen Margaret Handicap Chase at Hexham on Whit Monday but this time the seven-year-old fell again.
It was not until January 12, 1954 that Fred entered the winner’s enclosure again, when Captain Crump put him up on Master Rocky to win the Five Ways Handicap Hurdle at Birmingham. The previous month, over the same course and distance, Fred had finished second on Master Rocky, having been tailed off at halfway and finished strongly, failing by two lengths to the George Slack-ridden winner. After the race, the stewards asked Fred to account for his riding. However, after hearing the trainer’s evidence, they accepted Fred’s explanation.
He kept the ride for Master Rocky’s next two outings, which were among the most important hurdle races of the season. In the first of them, the Imperial Cup at Sandown, they led two out before finishing third, beaten by Jack Dowdeswell on The Pills, who won by a length from Tony Grantham on Tifas, with Master Rocky a length and a half further back. Then on Grand National day, Fred and Master Rocky finished eighth in the Liverpool Hurdle, having been denied a clear run.
He kept the ride on Master Rocky throughout the following season, but despite finishing in the first four in all six starts, including three second places, the horse, like his jockey, ended it winless.
A third career success did eventually come Fred’s way when Prince Mick beat 19 rivals to take the Kiplin Selling Handicap Hurdle at Catterick Bridge on November 5, 1955. Trained by the veteran Bertie Bullock, Prince Mick had not run since the previous January but led approaching the last flight to score by a length and a half. At the post race auction, Prince Mick was bought by trainer Jack Fawcus for 160 guineas.
Fred did not have to wait long for his next win, achieved when Sandy Bank, trained by Neville Crump, got up close home to land the Mother Goose Three-Year-Old Hurdle at Catterick on New Year’s Eve by a neck. Sandy Bank was making only his second start, having previously finished ninth under Johnnie East at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
More than three years after their previous success together, Fred was reunited with Blackpool to win the Kersal Selling Hurdle at Manchester om January 2, 1956. Now eleven years old, Blackpool beat Bayrum, five years his junior, by four lengths.
Sandy Bank then provided Fred with another success, this time when dead-heating with Prosody, the mount of Michael Reeves, at the end of the Stoneygate Four-Year-Old Selling Hurdle at Leicester in February. Then it was Blackpool’s turn again, taking the Kinderscout Handicap Hurdle at Manchester on March 2 by five lengths from Golden Alan, ridden by Dick Curran.
Having ridden five winners in the 1955/56 campaign, Fred might have hoped for better things. However, there was to be just one more victory. That came with a third and final success on Sandy Bank, who was sent off the evens favourite for the Hanley Selling Handicap at Uttoxeter on September 22, 1956 and duly obliged by a length and a half.
Neville Crump tended to use his new stable jockey Gerry Scott more on Blackpool and Sandy Bank as the season wore on, meaning opportunities for Fred Fiddler became ever more limited, and he relinquished his licence at the end of it.
Fred Fiddler’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Blackpool, Nottingham, March 27, 1952
2. Master Rocky, Birmingham, January 12, 1954
3. Prince Mick, Catterick Bridge, November 5, 1955
4. Sandy Bank, Catterick bridge, December 31, 1955
5. Blackpool, Manchester, January 2, 1956
6. Sandy Bank, Leicester, February 13, 1956
7. Blackpool, Manchester, March 2, 1956
8. Sandy Bank, Uttoxeter, September 22, 1956