Leslie Butchers 

Leslie Butchers

1896-1939

Article by Alan Trout

Although much more successful as a National Hunt jockey, Leslie Walter Butchers also rode winners on the Flat, both before and after World War One.

Born at Lewes on December 29, 1896, he served his time with his father, George Butchers, a leading jump jockey of the 19th century. Leslie’s first ride was a winning one when Farinaceous, trained by his father, won the Mayblossom Selling Mid-weight Handicap at Gatwick on May 5, 1911. Unplaced in seven previous outings, Farinaceous started at 100-8 and won by a length. Leslie added one more winner in 1911, followed by three in 1912 and two in 1913. His final success on the Flat before the outbreak of war was at Hurst Park on May 12, 1913 when Café du Monde won the Walton Handicap. 

Although he continued to take the occasional ride on the Flat after war broke out, Leslie’s wins were now over the jumps. His first ride over hurdles was at Gatwick on January 6, 1915 when Gulvain, owned and trained by his father, finished unplaced in the Caterham Selling Handicap Hurdle. Leslie’s older brother Fred rode in the same race. Twelve days later, also at Gatwick, Ulim Rhy gave Leslie his first win under National Hunt rules when taking the Sandgate Selling Hurdle by three lengths. There were to be no winners between January 1917 and March 1920, with Leslie serving part of that time on active war service fighting in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) where he suffered gas poisoning.  

Leslie resumed riding on the Flat on the first day of the 1920 season. He had his first success in that sphere for nearly seven years when Darklin won the Gauthy Selling Plate at Lincoln on March 24 and ended the year with a score of six. Thereafter he rode steadily on the Flat, finishing with a total of 19 wins altogether. 

His final Flat win came at Gatwick on June 11, 1927 when Souchong won the Salfords Three-Year-Old Selling Plate. Just ten days later Lesley had surely one of the highlights of his career when he rode in the Derby. His mount, Parker, was owned by Charles Austin, one of the leading comedians of the 1920s, and his horse started at 1,000-1, which was not surprising as he had run three times previously without showing anything. Still, at least Parker did not finish last. That honour went to the other complete outsider, Stampede, ridden by another dual-purpose jockey in the field, George Bowden, who went on to win the 1928 Welsh Grand National. Parker ended the year, and his racing career, running, unplaced, in a selling hurdle at Hawthorn Hill.   

Leslie went on to ride 68 winners under National Hunt rules, achieving a best score of 10 in 1928/29. His last winner, trained like so many by his father, was on a horse named Island, successful in the Sussex Selling Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on January 16, 1930, surviving an objection for ‘bumping’ by Billy Speck on the runner-up John Haig. 

His final ride over obstacles was Norman Arrow who finished unplaced in the Mortlake Handicap Hurdle at Hurst Park on January 17, 1931. His last ride in public was also on Norman Abbot, finishing unplaced in the Hawkinge Welter Plate at Folkestone on August 11, 1931. 

Leslie’s brother George Frederick (Fred) Butchers died tragically young on wartime service in 1917, while another brother, Don, rode over 160 winners and was placed in both the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

Leslie Butchers died at Lewes from blood poisoning on March 26, 1939. He was 42 and left £2,020. His son Bob was a prominent racing journalist, writing for many years as ‘Newsboy’ for the Daily Mirror.

Leslie Butchers’ winners on the Flat were, in chronological order:

1. Farinaceous, Gatwick, May 5, 1911

2. Grayling IV, Lingfield Park, October 14, 1911

3. Grayling IV, Manchester, May 31, 1912

4. Grayling IV, Lewes, June 11, 1912

5. Café du Monde, Gatwick, October 23, 1912

6. Café du Monde, Alexandra Park, March 28, 1913

7. Café du Monde, Hurst Park, May 12, 1913

8. Darklin, Lincoln, March 24, 1920

9. Polisson, Newmarket, April 14, 1920

10. Tric-Trac, Derby, April 17, 1920

11. Border Don, Windsor, May 22, 1920

12. Intrepid, Lingfield Park, May 29, 1920

13. Flying Simon, Brighton, June 22, 1920

14. Zarane, Folkestone, June 29, 1922 

15. Zarane, Folkestone, October 3, 1922

16. Zarane, Wolverhampton, October 10, 1922

17. Soldier Song, Birmingham, October 30, 1922

18. Z.Z., Warwick, April 9, 1923

19. Souchong, Gatwick, June 11, 1927