Charles Rickaby

Charlie Rickaby

Article by Alan Trout

Charlie Rickaby was one of the less successful members of a family that played a major role in British horse racing for over a century. His father, John Rickaby (died 1892), had been a steeplechase jockey, and his brother Fred (Frederick Edward) won three Classics and was a leading jockey on the Flat for over 20 years.

Charles Edward Rickaby was born in 1886. He was apprenticed to George Lambton, one of the leading trainers of the day, and for whom Fred was stable jockey. Charlie’s first ride was at Newmarket on October 10, 1899 when his mount, Lisbeth, finished unplaced in the Apprentices’ Handicap Plate.

However, he made an excellent start to the new century by riding his first winner on the Duke of Portland’s Serio Comic, trained by Lambton, in the Apprentices’ Maiden Stakes at Lincoln on March 27, 1900. Two more wins in apprentice races followed before he gained his first success against senior jockeys when Weybridge won the Thames Handicap at Windsor on July 28. The winning margin was two lengths, the runner-up being ridden by future champion jockey Willie Lane.

Charlie had ridden nine winners by the end of the season, but there was only one more to come. His final victory came on a filly named Water Wings in the Bradford Two-Year-Old Plate at Wolverhampton on May 28, 1901. He had his final ride over a year later when finishing unplaced on a horse named Folkestone, owned by Rear Admiral Lambton, in the Two-Year-Old Selling Plate at Newmarket on October 17, 1902.

In stark contrast to the long and successful career of his elder brother Fred, Charlie Rickaby’s race-riding career was over at 16.

Charlie Rickaby’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Serio Comic, Lincoln, March 27, 1900

2. Rose Deep, Sandown Park, June 22, 1900

3. Martineau, Newcastle, June 28, 1900

4. Weybridge, Windsor, July 28, 1900

5. Celerina, Hurst Park, August 6, 1900

6. Robino, Lewes, August 10, 1900

7. Perseverance, Kempton Park, August 15, 1900

8. Water Violet, Kempton Park, September 8, 1900

9. br. f. by Prism out of Antona, Alexandra Park, September 15, 1900

10. Water Wings, Wolverhampton, May 28, 1901