Fred Leader

1881 -1933

Article by Alan Trout

Like many other members of his family, Fred Leader was a successful trainer for the first part of the 20th century. However, before that he had ridden two dozen winners on the Flat between 1896 and 1900.

George Frederick Leader – always known as Fred – was born on April 18, 1881 and was apprenticed to his father Tom, who had trained the ill-tempered equine George Frederick to win the 1874 Derby.

Fred had his first rude in public when unplaced on Alpha in the Selling Plate at Hurst Park on July 5, 1895. He had to wait for his first win until Bush Chat scored by five lengths in the Bestwood Park Plate at Nottingham on March 31, 1896. Nine more wins followed during that season including a double at Manchester in September.

There were three wins in 1897, six in 1898, but only two in 1899. Fred rode his third winner of the 1900 campaign – and his final one – when Pindar, trained by his father, won the Norfolk and Suffolk Handicap at Yarmouth on September 18, beating Lady Athel, the mount of Tommy Loates, by half a length. His final ride was on Little Fanny in the Shoreham Plate at Brighton on June 27, 1901, finishing unplaced.

Of those 24 wins, six had come on Flavus, including the Great Northern Handicap at York on May 16, 1899. Fred’s only ride in a Classic came in the 1898 2,000 Guineas when he rode M.D. on whom he had won two races as a two-year-old. Although prominent early, M.D. faded and finished last but one.

Having retired from race-riding, Fred became a successful trainer but met a tragic end. On June 13, 1933, he trained the favourite Gainslaw to win the Ascot Gold Vase at Royal Ascot. After the meeting he and his wife were being driven back to Newmarket when their car ran into the back of a stationary lorry near Stevenage: both were killed instantly.

Fred Leader’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Bush Chat, Nottingham, March 31, 1896

2. Full of Fashion, Huntingdon, July 22, 1896

3. Alpha, Manchester, September 25, 1896

4. Conifer, Manchester, September 25, 1896

5. Palm Oil, Manchester, September 26, 1896

6. b.c. by Despair out of St Frida, Kempton Park, October 9, 1896

7. Silver Maze, Gatwick, October 20, 1896

8. Soliman, Gatwick, October 21, 1896

9. Zina, Newmarket, October 29, 1896

10. Full of Fashion, Manchester, November 27, 1896

11. M.D., Nottingham, April 13, 1897

12. N.D., Manchester, June 12, 1897

13. Record Reign, Derby, September 2, 1897

14. Lowland Beauty, Manchester, June 4, 1898

15. Flavus, Pontefract, July 7, 1898

16. Flavus, Leicester, July 18, 1898 (dead-heat)

17. Flavus, Leicester July 19, 1898

18. Made of Money, Liverpool, July 21, 1898

19. Bob Stay, Derby, September 1, 1898

20. Flavus, Warwick, April 6, 1899

21. Flavus, York, May 16, 1899

22. Flavus, Chester, May 8, 1900

23. Capstan, Worcester, July 6, 1900

24. Pindar, Yarmouth, September 18, 1900.