Peter Crouch

National Hunt jockey Peter Michael Crouch hailed from Brighton and served his apprenticeship with Captain Robert Maxwell. He rode over jumps for 15 years from 1952 to 1967 yet rode just four winners from limited opportunities.

He married on June 25, 1955, and his hobbies included swimming and boxing.

As a freelance jockey he rode for many different trainers including Peter Cazalet, who trained for the Queen Mother, Staff Ingram and Ryan Price, plus several local Sussex permit holders.

He was also associated with Rex Carter, who trained at Itteringham, in Norfolk, and rode his first winner for him on Mazajaz in a three-mile novices’ chase at West Norfolk Hunt (Fakenham) on Easter Monday, April 22, 1957.

He rode two winners from 17 rides in the 1957/58 season, both of them on Carter’s selling chaser Fairpase, firstly at Doncaster on November 22 , secondly when dead-heating with Bill Rees’ mount Domata at Leicester on December 2.

Curiously enough, Peter’s only other winner was also a dead-heat, that being on Albert Neaves’ grand campaigner Certain Justice, who shared the spoils with Flash Bulb (ridden by Buster Haslem) at his beloved Fontwell on December 30, 1963.

After retiring from the saddle, Peter became head lad for Miss Auriol Sinclair and was there for her biggest triumph, when Simian won the Massey-Ferguson Gold Cup at Cheltenham in 1970.

Peter retired from racing to run a convalescence home for injured racehorses, nursing them back to fitness for many Sussex trainers. He never lost his love of horse and in later life, well into his retirement years, he worked near to his home in Barcombe for the Veasey’s Stud, mucking out and breaking in horses, one of which, The Whistling Teal, won several Group races.

Peter’s contribution to the sport was recognised by the ‘Peter Crouch A Lifetime in Racing Beginners’ Chase’ at Fontwell on March 15, 2009. Sadly, Peter passed away not long before his Lifetime in Racing day took place. However, his family was delighted when it was decided to carry on with the celebration of this Sussex racing stalwart’s life and they were on hand to present the winning connections with their prize.

Contrary to popular belief, Peter Crouch was not related to fellow jockey Frank Crouch, who was a contemporary of Peter’s for many years, Frank Crouch being an only child.