Frank Grantham

Francis Gregory Grantham served his apprenticeship with John Hallick and rode one winner on the Flat before turning his attention to jumping. 

His sole Flat success was at Pontefract on April 23, 1914, when Puss In Boots, trained by John Hallick, landed the Park Apprentice Plate by three lengths. There were only three runners. Frank did not ride her again and appears to have had only one more mount that season. 

He had his first ride over jumps when Chittington finished unplaced in the Juvenile Selling Hurdle at Wye on November 8, 1922. The three-year-old clearly benefitted from the experience, for next time out, at Plumpton on December 12, he gave Frank his first success when winning the Beginners’ Hurdle by half a length. This was his only win that year, and he just had one in 1923, again on Chittington. There was then a wait of more than five years for his next victory.  

However, over the next five seasons he rode a total of 19 winners, mine of them on the hurdler Lashaway, including five at Chelmsford. He also won four times on Souchong. He enjoyed his best season in the 1928/29 season with seven wins. He rode what would prove to be his final winner on Evening Sun in the Harville Handicap Hurdle at Wye on September 26, 1932. 

Sadly, Frank Grantham fell heavily with Souchong in the Boxgrove Selling Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell on April 26, 1933. He died the following day of a fractured skull. He was reported as being only 28 at the time of his death but may well have been older. He left £375.

Frank Grantham’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Puss In Boots, Pontefract, April 23, 1914

2. Chittington, Plumpton, December 12, 1922

3. Chittington, Isle of Wight, May 2, 1923

4. Souchong, Fontwell Park, October 10, 1928

5. Souchong, Wye, October 15, 1928

6. Lashaway, Hawthorn Hill, October 29, 1928

7. Lashaway, Chelmsford, November 7, 1928

8. Lashaway, Chelmsford, April 15, 1929

9. Lashaway, Plumpton, April 29, 1929

10. Souchong, Fontwell Park, May 20, 1929

11. Paddy O’Hara, Gatwick, December 4, 1929

12. Paddy O’Hara, Plumpton, December 10, 1929

13. Lashaway, Folkestone, September 8, 1930

14. Lashaway, Chelmsford, March 18, 1931

15. Golden Gauntlet, Newton Abbot, August 3, 1931

16. Evening Sun, Wye, September 28, 1931

17. Lashaway, Chepstow, November 20, 1931

18. Lashaway, Chelmsford, February 15, 1932

19. Lashaway, Chelmsford, April 11, 1932

20. Souchong, Newton Abbot, August 1, 1932

21. Evening Sun, Devon & Exeter, August 24, 1932

22. Evening Sun, Wye, September 26, 1932