Frederick Dodd

Frederick Dodd

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1881, Frederick (Fred) Dodd’s career over jumps lasted for more than a decade but was disrupted by the First World War, his final total being just 12 wins. However, one of them was on one of the great chasers of the period.  

His first victory came on March 4, 1907, when Call Duck took the Novices’ Chase at Wolverhampton by three lengths, beating the favourite Leon, ridden by Tom Savage. 

More than two years elapsed before he had another winner. He rode four in 1910 but relinquished his licence for a while thereafter. He returned in 1914 with a dead heat on March 13, when his mount Repp and Stoke Boy, ridden by Mr Harry Cottrill, could not be separated at the end of the Mersey Selling Handicap Chase at Hooton Park. At the same venue the following day, Repp made no mistake, winning the Spring Selling Chase by 20 lengths. 

There can be little doubt about the best horse Fred rode. That was Poethlyn, destined to win the 1919 Grand National, having won the wartime substitute race at Gatwick the year before. Fred was on board when Poethlyn made his racecourse debut, finishing unplaced in a chase at Birmingham on February 10, 1914. Although they fared no better on their next two outings, Fred then rode Poethlyn to beat three rivals in the Clifton Park Selling Chase at that course on April 3, 1915, winning by five lengths. One more unplaced effort at Uttoxeter followed before others, most notably Ernie Piggott, took over in the saddle. 

Fred's last two wins came after the war on the five-year-old Cyril’s Hope, eleven days apart, the second occasion when taking the Dunstall Park Chase at Wolverhampton on December 27, 1919. 

There were no more winners after that, but at least Fred could claim the distinction of having ridden a Grand National winner. 

Frederick Dodd’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Call Duck, Wolverhampton, March 4, 1907 

2. Stormcock II, Cheltenham, October 22, 1909

3. Obtruder, Birmingham, February 7, 1910

4. Armature, Southwell, March 21, 1910

5. Althrey, Woore, April 14, 1910

6. Ptarmigan, Hooton Park, April 30, 1910

7. Repp, Hooton Park, March 13, 1914 (dead-heat)

8. Repp, Hooton Park, March 14, 1914

9. Red Cockade, Cartmel, June 1, 1914

10. Poethlyn, Clifton Park (Blackpool), April 3, 1915

11. Cyril’s Hope, Derby, December 16, 1919

12. Cyril’s Hope, Wolverhampton, December 27, 1919