Joseph Little
Joe on Chandler
Joe on Chandler
1821 - 1877
1821 - 1877
Captain Joseph Lockhart Little - affectionately known as Josie by the racing public - was born on November 14, 1821, in Chipstead, near Redhill, Surrey. He held a commission in the King's Dragoon Guards until losing everything in a bank crash. He was forced to transfer to the less fashionable 81st Regiment of Foot.
Captain Joseph Lockhart Little - affectionately known as Josie by the racing public - was born on November 14, 1821, in Chipstead, near Redhill, Surrey. He held a commission in the King's Dragoon Guards until losing everything in a bank crash. He was forced to transfer to the less fashionable 81st Regiment of Foot.
His luck changed dramatically when that good horse Chandler came his way. Little rode the horse to victory at Worcester and collected £500 from the betting ring. He won again on the horse at Windsor and bought half shares in it. The other joint owner was Captain Peel.
His luck changed dramatically when that good horse Chandler came his way. Little rode the horse to victory at Worcester and collected £500 from the betting ring. He won again on the horse at Windsor and bought half shares in it. The other joint owner was Captain Peel.
An assault on the Grand National was planned. It would be Little's first ride in the race, and he turned to course expert Tom Olliver for guidance.
An assault on the Grand National was planned. It would be Little's first ride in the race, and he turned to course expert Tom Olliver for guidance.
It paid off. Twelve-year-old The Chandler, third in the betting at 12/1, got up close home to win by half a length. The runner-up, The Curate, was ridden by none other than Little's mentor, Tom Olliver!
It paid off. Twelve-year-old The Chandler, third in the betting at 12/1, got up close home to win by half a length. The runner-up, The Curate, was ridden by none other than Little's mentor, Tom Olliver!
The story of how Captain Peel had come across The Chandler is worth the telling. In 1841, he had driven over to Moor Hall to enjoy a day with the Bonehill Harriers. He was sent over a black horse to ride; this animal turned out to be lame and he was given, instead, The Chandler. So impressed was the Captain with the horse as it chased across the countryside after a stout hare that he bought it immediately after for twenty guineas.
The story of how Captain Peel had come across The Chandler is worth the telling. In 1841, he had driven over to Moor Hall to enjoy a day with the Bonehill Harriers. He was sent over a black horse to ride; this animal turned out to be lame and he was given, instead, The Chandler. So impressed was the Captain with the horse as it chased across the countryside after a stout hare that he bought it immediately after for twenty guineas.
Strangely, it was not until The Chandler was ten years old, in 1846, that Captain Peel thought of trying it in a steeplechase.
Strangely, it was not until The Chandler was ten years old, in 1846, that Captain Peel thought of trying it in a steeplechase.
Captain Little died of congestion of the liver on 17 February 1877 at the Clarendon Hotel in Paris.
Captain Little died of congestion of the liver on 17 February 1877 at the Clarendon Hotel in Paris.
He was once sat in a railway carriage with just another person, a man who kept staring at him. Suddenly the man sprung at him and, after a tussle, Little managed to hold the man down until the train stopped. There was no communication cord in those days and the train, being an express, only stopped once between York and London. Little's assailant turned out to be an escaped lunatic.
He was once sat in a railway carriage with just another person, a man who kept staring at him. Suddenly the man sprung at him and, after a tussle, Little managed to hold the man down until the train stopped. There was no communication cord in those days and the train, being an express, only stopped once between York and London. Little's assailant turned out to be an escaped lunatic.