Peter Ellis Boothman was born in Lincolnshire on September 17, 1940. He dreamed of becoming a jockey and, after leaving aged 16, he became apprenticed to Harry Wragg at Newmarket. He had his first ride in public on Dutton at Newmarket on May 3, 1957, finishing fourth of five.
He rode his first winner on the Harry Wragg-trained Pinky, owned by the Begum Aga Khan, in the Warwickshire Handicap at Birmingham on April 8, 1958. He finished that year as champion apprentice with 37 wins. By far the most important of those was on Amos, trained by Syd Mercer, in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot.
At Epsom on April 22, 1959, Peter suffered a bad fall when his mount, Masquerade, fell when encountering a path which crossed the course a furlong from home in the City & Suburban Handicap. Masquerade crashed through the rails and fell. Being so close to the finish, the pace was fast and the impetus high. Peter was thrown heavily but, luckily, cleared of the rails and the horse.
The cause of the accident appeared to have been a gap in the running rails, through which racegoers could transfer from the enclosures to the centre of the course. Masquerade probably tried to run out when he saw the opening.
Peter was badly winded and sustained severe bruising but, luckily, no bones were broken. His mount, however, was not so fortunate. Masquerade smashed a bone in a hind leg and was destroyed by the vet.
The incident did not keep Peter out of action for long. He was back the following month, winning the Crocker Bulteel Cup at Hurst Park on Starlet for his boss Harry Wragg.
He completed his apprenticeship in 1961 and the following year left for Ireland to ride as first jockey to Brud Fetherstonhaugh at the Curragh. He won 17 races there in 1962 plus one in England, the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Ascot on Prince Tor.
In 1963 he won the Gallinule Stakes on Mick Hurley’s colt Vic Mo Chroi and finished second on him to Ragusa in the Irish Derby. In addition, he won that year’s Railway Stakes on Mesopotamia and rode her to a Royal Ascot success in the Chesham Stakes. He also won the Anglesey Stakes on Dromoland.
His association with Brud Fetherstonhaugh brought more success for Peter during the next three or four years, recording several big winners. The best horse he rode during that time was Busted, on whom he won the Gallinule Stakes in 1966, prior to the horse being transferred to Noel Murless the following year, for whom he won the Eclipse Stakes and King George Vi and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Peter eventually returned to England and retired from riding in races.
