Edward Ringstead

Edward Ringstead

1905-1970

Article by Alan Trout

Although far less successful than Charles, his elder brother (1888-1982), Edward Ringstead managed to ride four winners on the Flat and 11 under National Hunt rules between 1920 and 1934.

Born in 1905, he was apprenticed to Captain John Renwick and had his first ride at Lincoln on the opening day of the 1920 Flat season, finishing unplaced on a three-year-old colt named Flight Errant in the Brocklesby Trial Handicap Stakes.

His first victory came a few weeks later when Main Royal won the Apprentices’ Plate at York on May 18, 1920. Harry Wragg and Charlie Elliott, two of the top jockeys of the 20th century, were among his defeated rivals. 

More than a year went by before his next success, achieved on Gallant Spear in the Lowther Apprentice Plate at Carlisle on June 30, 1921. Win number three came soon after when Calpurnia took the Hackfall Apprentice Plate at Ripon on August 1. Captain Renwick trained all those first three winners,  

Edward finished third on his first ride over jumps, at Bogside on October 31, 1923, although his mount, Manver, was well beaten in the Montgomerie Hurdle. It was almost a year before he had his first success in that sphere, when Financier, trained by Billy Larkin, took the Amberley Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell Park on October 7, 1924, beating Treble Scotch, ridden by Michael Tighe, by eight lengths. 

He rode his next winner the following month, when Antimagic landed the November Handicap Hurdle at Wye. He then made a good start to 1925, winning five races in the first few weeks, two of them on Antimagic. All were trained by Larkin, who also provided Edward with his last success on the Flat, when Antimagic showed his versatility by winning the Tradesmen’s Selling Handicap Plate at Bath on May 19, 1925. 

Edward’s last ride on the Flat was at Lingfield Park on October 7, 1925, when Tragacanth was unplaced in the Partridge Selling Handicap. 

After finishing second on Bosy Bisto in the Fleet Handicap Hurdle at Aldershot on April 12, 1927, he was not seen in action for some years. However, he did eventually return and enjoyed a final win when Black Pointer took the Stokesay Selling Hurdle at Ludlow on April 11, 1934, beating Mr. Finn, the mount of Tommy F. Carey, by a short head. Edward kept the ride on Black Pointer, finishing second on him at Woore the following month. Black Pointer was also his final ride when third in the Rudyard Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on May 15, 1934.  

Edward Ringstead died in 1970. 

His winners were, in chronological order:

1. Main Royal, York, May 18, 1920

2. Gallant Spear, Carlisle, June 30, 1921

3. Calpurnia, Ripon, August 1, 1921

4. Financier, Fontwell Park, October 7, 1924

5. Antimagic, Wye, November 5, 1924

6. Antimagic, Plumpton, January 3, 1925

7. Antimagic, Gatwick, January 9, 1925

8. Imprudence, Hurst Park, January 14, 1925

9. Polisson, Lingfield Park, January 22, 1925

10. Treble Scotch, Hurst Park, February 20, 1925

11. Antimagic, Bath, May 19, 1925

12. Turnips, Lingfield Park, March 4, 1926

13. Bookham Star, Chelmsford, March 17, 1926

14. Bertie Brooks, Bournemouth, April 1, 1926

15. Black Pointer, Ludlow, April 11, 1934

Edward Ringstead's last Flat win: Bath, 1925