Ted Leader

1902 - 1983

Thomas Edward Leader was the Champion National Hunt Jockey in 1925-26, riding 61 winners.

Born on May 9, in 1902, he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice; on Ballinode in 1925 and on Golden Miller in 1932. That year he also won the Champion Hurdle on Insurance.

In 1927, the BBC broadcast the Grand National for the first time.

Sprig was the favourite. Owned by Mrs Partridge, the horse had been bred by her son, Captain Richard Partridge.

Richard intended to ride Sprig himself but, a few weeks before the armistice in 1918, was killed in action.

His grief-stricken mother put the horse into training with Tom Leader in a bid to fulfil part of Richard's dream. Tom's son, 24-year-old Ted Leader was entrusted with the mount.

Sprig won, beating the 100/1 one-eyed outsider Bovril lll by a length.

Ted was apprenticed to his uncle, Harvey Leader, at Newmarket. He rode his first winner on Ella, trained by his uncle, in the Wednesday Two-Year-Old Selling Plate at Newmarket on August 15, 1917. Having gained unwelcome weight, Ted switched from the Flat to the jumps where he operated between 1922 and 1934.

Ted had another uncle - Colledge Leader who, on leaving Machell Place Stable, became a private trainer to Lord Derby, Ted took over and, the very next year, won the Cambridgeshire with Wychood Abbott. In each of the two following seasons, he won the Champion Stakes with the same horse.

After the War, in which he served in the R.A.F., Ted Leader resumed training at Machell Place.

After 56 years in racing as jockey and trainer, he retired in 1971.

He died in Newmarket on February 10, 1983, aged 80.

Best wins:

1924: Grand Sefton - Ballinode

1924: Stanley Chase - Sprig

1925: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Ballinode

1926: Champion Chase - Aisle

1927: Grand National - Sprig

1927: Victory Chase - Shaun Or

1928: Champion Chase - Mount Etna

1928: Imperial Cup - Royal Falcon

1932: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Golden Miller

1932: Champion Hurdle - Insurance