Fred Greening

Fred Greening

Article by Alan Trout

Like many other jockeys of the period, Fred Greening had one very good season. Otherwise, there were meagre rewards for his efforts. Between 1905 and 1909 he had 44 winners, 38 of them coming in 1907. He added one more in 1913.

Frederick Greening was born on September 17, 1887. He was apprenticed to George Thursby, the leading amateur Flat jockey of the day and from 1906 onwards the only one allowed to ride on equal terms with professional jockeys, having been given special dispensation by the Jockey Club. 

Fred’s first ride in public was at Bath on May 23, 1905 when finishing second, beaten two lengths, on Sea-Fox in the Kelston Plate. His first victory came in controversial circumstances at Windsor on August 18, 1905. Fred, riding Cautious, won the Castle Handicap by a head from Lord Victor, the mount of Billy Higgs. Higgs promptly objected to the winner on the grounds of ‘bumping and boring’. The stewards overruled the objection, but Higgs took the matter to the stewards of the Jockey Club. They upheld the decision of the local stewards as they were satisfied that Lord Victor was partly to blame for the bumping that took place.

Fred’s only other victory that year was on Lucifer in the Barnbougle Nursery Handicap at Edinburgh on October 6. Both of his winners were trained by Chris Waller, a former distinguished amateur rider under National Hunt rules. 

Fred had the occasional ride in 1906 but without success. However, he made up for lost time in 1907. He started the season slowly, with only three wins to his name by the end of June, but after that there was no stopping him. He registered a treble at Hurst Park on September 21, a double at Leicester on October 9, and at the same course on November 11 a dead-heat with none other than Billy Higgs. 

However, that was as good as it got. Fred managed only two wins in both 1908 and 1909. 

It is likely that he rode abroad for the next three seasons, for he did not appear on a British racecourse again until April 1913. His sole success that year, the last one of his career, was gained on Sudden Squall in the Rook Selling Plate at Gatwick on May 24, winning by two lengths from Nares, ridden by Steve Donoghue.

Fred made a brief comeback in 1919, which also ended in controversy – and an ironic controversy at that. Having finished first on Kaloolah in the Manor Two-Year-Old Selling Plate at (of all places) Windsor on August 16, he was disqualified for ‘bumping and boring’. He did not ride in Britain again.