Frederick Cole
Article by Alan Trout
Frederick Ernest Cole made an excellent start to his career with twelve winners in 1903 and a ride in that year’s Grand National. However, he only managed six more winners in the following two seasons.
Cynosurus was his first success, leading from start to finish when taking the Sussex Selling Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on January 24, 1903, beating Percy Woodland’s mount Devil’s Dance by a length. From there the winners flowed steadily, with eight more in little over three weeks, including a double at Kempton Park.
Frederick rode 100-1 outsider Cushendun in the 1903 Grand National. He had ridden the horse for the first time at Gatwick just eight days earlier when running a good race to finish second. However, at Liverpool, like so many others, Cushendun was a faller. The horse clearly suffered no ill effects from his Liverpool spill, for he provided Frederick with his last three wins of the year, at Folkestone, Kempton Park, and Newmarket’s National Hunt course (the latter closed two years later).
Frederick rode only five winners in 1904, and his sole success of 1905 was on Guerilla in the Grange Selling Chase at Gatwick on October 30, beating Country Lass, the mount of ‘Tich’ Mason, by ten lengths. All his 18 wins were gained on horses owned by Sir Horatio Bottomley. He rode for one more year but did not renew his licence for the 1907 season.
Frederick Cole’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Cynosurus, Lingfield Park, January 24, 1903
2. Adansi, Gatwick, January 28, 1903
3. Cassock’s Pride, Kempton Park, January 30, 1903
4. Adansi, Kempton Park, January 31, 1903
5. Picador, Kempton Park, January 31, 1903
6. Minford, Windsor, February 18, 1903
7. Chelford, Lingfield Park, February 20, 1903
8. Minford, Lingfield Park, February 21, 1903
9. Chelford, Plumpton, February 23, 1903
10. Cushendun, Folkestone, May 11, 1903
11. Cushendun, Kempton Park, December 4, 1903
12. Cushendun, Newmarket, December 22, 1903
13. Chelford, Folkestone, February 8, 1904
14. Sweet Dixie, Lingfield Park, February 19, 1904
15. Cushendun, Folkestone, April 25, 1904
16. Eastern Friars, Lingfield Park, May 2, 1904
17. Cobden, Lingfield Park, December 16, 1904
18. Guerilla, Gatwick, October 30, 1905
