Gareth Charles-Jones 

Gareth Francis Hugh Charles-Jones was born on March 16, 1961. He rode his first winner on Beau

Sovereign for trainer Michael Chapman at Ludlow on May 15, 1980.

He married Jessica Turner, daughter of trainer Bill Turner, in August 1986. Gareth became second jockey to Lambourn trainer Stan Mellor, while Jessica rode as conditional jockey to another Lambourn trainer, Rod Simpson. They once hit the headlines when they each rode a winner at the same meeting.

However, their lives were devastated when Jessica broke her back in a fall from 33/1 outsider St Anlo at Southwell on October 3, 1988 and was left paralysed from the chest down. That left Gareth considering whether to retire, his immediate reaction being that he intended to not ride again.

While the couple was adjusting to that icy reality, Gareth was diagnosed as having lymphatic cancer, and was later given a double hip replacement to combat bone cancer in his joints. Despite all this, the two still pressed on with their plans to start training and managed to assemble a string of a dozen horses at Letcombe Regis, near Wantage.

They celebrated their first win on the Flat when Shirl landed a 33/1 shock victory in the Pepper Pot Selling Handicap at Brighton on August 25, 1992. The moment was not lost on the stream of racegoers who queued up to congratulate them afterwards.

Sadly, Jessica Kate Charles-Jones passed away peacefully at home in Bridestowe, Devon, on 8th September, 2010, aged 45 years.

Her Memorial Service was held on Monday 20th September at 2 p.m., at St Mary's Church.