Charles Horan

Charles Horan

1878-1927

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1878, Charles Thomas Horan had ten winners between 1902 and 1904, including two big race triumphs, but continued to ride for some years after that. 

His first win, on February 1, 1902, was on six-year-old Childwickbury in the Sandown Grand Prize, which, boasting a winner’s prize of £415, made it among the most valuable handicap hurdles of the year, eclipsing both the Liverpool Hurdle and Gatwick’s International Hurdle. It was a forerunner of Sandown’s Imperial Cup, first run in 1907.  

Childwickbury had run well in defeat in some of the leading hurdle races in 1901 with Charles aboard, including when second over course and distance in the Great Sandown Handicap Hurdle. Now they beat Hearwood, the mount of ‘Tich’ Mason, by a neck. The Sportsman newspaper stated that Childwickbury had been “nicely ridden” and explained that Charles was associated with the stable of William Waugh but often schooled and rode over hurdles for Charles Waugh, Childwickbury’s trainer. 

Charles Horan and Childwickbury obliged again later that month in Kempton Park’s Kingston Handicap Hurdle, again beating Hearwood, this time by four lengths. This contest offered an even more valuable winner’s prize of £437, which, bearing in mind that very few hurdle races were worth £100 to the winner, put its importance in context.  

A third success came on March 11 at Derby when Moonlit won the Devonshire Handicap Hurdle by two lengths. Later that month, Charles and Childwickbury lined up for another big race, the Liverpool Hurdle. In the closest of finishes, King’s Idler beat Papdale by a short head with Childwickbury a further short head behind them in third place, and Admiral Dewey a neck away in fourth.  

Charles had five wins in 1903, though none from Childwickbury, who placed four times from eight starts. He had another try at winning the Liverpool Hurdle, this time on Queen Catherine, but she was unplaced. 

There were two more victories in 1904, the last coming at Nottingham on March 28, when Galloping Helen just beat Consolation by a head to land the Oxton Hurdle. He had a few rides on the Flat without success but continued to ride over jumps until 1910, though he failed to add to his earlier triumphs. 

Having not ridden in 1911, Charles returned the following year for one final victory when Quasimodo landed the Lowton Selling Hurdle at Haydock Park on December 16, beating the odds-on favourite Springtime II, ridden by his owner, Harry Atherton Brown, by five lengths. 

He had his final ride when finishing second on Struy in the Sandown Open Maiden Hurdle at that Esher venue on February 29, 1913, beaten five lengths by Joe Lyall on Shelswell. 

Charles Horan died on September 2, 1927.

His winners were, in chronological order:

1. Childwickbury, Sandown Park, February 1, 1902

2  Childwickbury, Kempton Park, February 26, 1902

3. Moonlit. Derby, March 11, 1902

4. Queen Catherine, Hurst Park, February 6, 1903

5. Grandchild, Birmingham, February 24, 1903

6. Grandchild, Maiden Erlegh, April 8, 1903

7. Galloping Helen, Nottingham, December 15, 1903

8. Galloping Helen, Newmarket, December 21, 1903

9. Chouette, Hurst Park, January 16, 1904

10. Galloping Helen, Nottingham, March 28, 1904

11. Quasimodo, Haydock Park, December 16, 1912