Christopher Brady

Christopher Brady

1874-1922

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1874, Christopher Brady rode 21 winners under National Hunt rules at the start of the 20th century. He had the first five during a lucrative 29-day spell, beginning at Folkestone on November 18, 1900. He finished second on Space in the Three-Year-Old Hurdle but the winner, Serio Comic, was disqualified because of an ‘incorrect description’, giving Christopher his first success. 

Following that good spell at the end of 1900, he rode six winners in 1901 but fewer thereafter. A career highlight was the double he rode on the same horse, Lampas, on the same afternoon at Colchester on Easter Monday, April 13, 1903. However, as the Open Steeplechase was a match and there were only two rivals in the Maiden Hurdle, this was probably not the finest double of all time. 

Colchester’s racecourse was located at Reed Hall, located a mile and a half from the town’s railway station. It was one and a half miles round, left-handed, with easy brush fences. The last day’s racing there took place the following year, Easter Monday, April 4, 1904. Its closure was due to the land being required for military purposes, the course having had strong military links, initially with the 12th Royal Lancers and then with the 20th Hussars.  

Christopher had the occasional ride on the Flat in 1905 but without success. His last victory was at Wye on December 18, 1905, when he rode Blonde to beat Tooting, the mount of Tommy Willmot, by a neck in the Maiden Three-Year-Old Selling Hurdle. He held a licence until 1909.

Christopher Brady died in 1922.

His winners were, in chronological order:

1. Space, Folkestone, November 28, 1900 

2. Campana, Gatwick, December 4, 1900

3. Crystal Palace, Plumpton, December 6, 1900

4. Crystal Palace, Sandown Park, December 8, 1900

5. King Bonby, Kempton Park, December 27, 1900

6. Crystal Palace, Hurst Park, January 18, 1901

7. Contraband, Portsmouth Park, May 8, 1901

8. Contraband, Wye, May 29, 1901

9. Little Cicestrian II, Devon & Exeter, August 28, 1901

10. Little Cicestrian II, Plymouth, September 5, 1901

11. Contraband, Southwell, October 3, 1901

12. Sanctissima II, Chelmsford, May 6, 1902

13. Claudia, Portsmouth Park, March 4, 1903

14. Lampas, Colchester, April 13, 1903 

15. Lampas, Colchester, April 13, 1903

16. Chelsea Bob, Bungay, October 5, 1904

17. Light hand, Southwell, February 28, 1905

18. Liza Johnson, Wetherby, April 25, 1905

19. Liza Johnson, Catterick Bridge, April 27, 1905 

20. Liza Johnson, Catterick Bridge, April 28, 1905 

21. Blonde, Wye, December 18, 1905