Francis Woods
Francis Woods won the Irish Grand National twice, in 1994 on the Peter McCreery-trained Son Of War and in 1996 with Arthur Moore’s Feathered Gale. By so doing, he emulated his father, Paddy Woods, who had himself won the race twice, on Last Link in 1963 and Splash in 1965, both trained by Tom Dreaper.
Francis Woods won the Irish Grand National twice, in 1994 on the Peter McCreery-trained Son Of War and in 1996 with Arthur Moore’s Feathered Gale. By so doing, he emulated his father, Paddy Woods, who had himself won the race twice, on Last Link in 1963 and Splash in 1965, both trained by Tom Dreaper.
Francis narrowly failed to win Ireland’s biggest steeplechase for a third time when finishing a short-head second on Amble Speedy in 1997. He had also finished third on Feathered Gale in 1995, meaning he’d won or been placed in four consecutive renewals of the Irish Grand National.
Francis narrowly failed to win Ireland’s biggest steeplechase for a third time when finishing a short-head second on Amble Speedy in 1997. He had also finished third on Feathered Gale in 1995, meaning he’d won or been placed in four consecutive renewals of the Irish Grand National.
Francis was born on August 21, 1967, two years after his father’s second Irish Grand National triumph. He scored his first big race success as a 5lb claimer when winning the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan on January 20, 1988.
Francis was born on August 21, 1967, two years after his father’s second Irish Grand National triumph. He scored his first big race success as a 5lb claimer when winning the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan on January 20, 1988.
He recorded his two greatest British triumphs on Klairon Davis, trained by Arthur Moore, in the 1995 Arkle Chase and the 1996 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
He recorded his two greatest British triumphs on Klairon Davis, trained by Arthur Moore, in the 1995 Arkle Chase and the 1996 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
He announced his retirement in February 1998, aged 30, having not ridden since suffering severe injuries to his left shoulder in a car crash on May 23, 1997.
He announced his retirement in February 1998, aged 30, having not ridden since suffering severe injuries to his left shoulder in a car crash on May 23, 1997.