Frederick Caisley

Frederick Caisley

1897-1951

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1897, Frederick Valentine Caisley had one win on the Flat before the First World War and five over jumps after it.

Apprenticed to Peter Gilpin, who trained at Newmarket, he had his first winner on what was probably his first ride in public when scoring on Area in the Hermitage Apprentices’ Handicap at Sandown Park on October 24, 1912. Area was kicked at the start, and the reporter of The Sportsman newspaper was scathing of the “extraordinary amount of wild riding” in the race, observing that Caisley “probably rode with the best judgement”. It was his only ride of the season and he had very few opportunities the following year. 

However, he made a bright start to his career over jumps, winning by 15 lengths on Blind Hookey in the Riverside Selling Hurdle at a Hurst Park meeting staged at Gatwick on March 13, 1919. Hurst Park’s first two post-WW1 fixtures were staged elsewhere – at Sandown and Gatwick – as the course was not yet ready – it finally reopened in May that year. 

Frederick then scored at Cheltenham in the Southam Selling Hurdle on May 8 aboard Monard, with two Grand National-winning jockeys, ‘George’ Parfrement and Ernie Piggott, following him home. 

Winners on both days of Newton Abbot’s August meeting followed, with a three-length success on Sporting Parson in the Churchills Handicap Hurdle on day one, followed the next day by a two-length victory on King’s Coat in the Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle. On both occasions, Ranelagh, ridden by former champion jockey Bert Gordon, was the runner-up.

Monard provided Frederick with his final winner, taking the Dover Handicap Hurdle at Folkestone on December 22, 1919. He kept the ride on Monard for his first two outings of 1920, but then lost it to Ernie Piggott, who went on to win three races on the 11-year-old. 

Frederick held a licence until 1923, and also trained briefly around this time. He died in 1951.

Frederick Caisley’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Area, Sandown Park, October 24, 1912 

2. Blind Hookey, Gatwick, March 13, 1919

3. Monard, Cheltenham, May 8, 1919

4. Sporting Parson, Newton Abbot, August 4, 1919

5. King’s Coat, Newton Abbot, August 5, 1919

6. Monard, Folkestone, December 22, 1919