Peter Wood

Peter Wood

Article by Alan Trout

After riding four winners as an amateur, Peter Wrench Wood turned professional in the summer of 1937 and had four more victories before the war, then another dozen afterwards. 

Born on February 8, 1913, his first success was at Fakenham – known in those days as West Norfolk Hunt – on Easter Monday, April 17, 1933, when Jacobite won the Farmers’ Optional Selling Hurdle by a neck.

It was three years before he rode another winner, this coming in a match at Hethersett on the penultimate day of the 1935/36 season, when Kellsboro’ Witch finished alone in the Intwood Handicap Chase, his sole opponent, the 7-2 on favourite Two Royals, having fallen. 

His last win as an amateur came at Birmingham on February 23, 1937, when Thermopylae, trained by Tom Leader, landed the Saltley Chase, beating champion jockey Gerry Wilson on And How by three-quarters of a length. The win was more than a little fortunate as Thermopylae was receiving 22lb from the runner-up, while Tim Hamey on Fortune Teller II was beating them both when falling at the final fence. 

He had just one winner in his first season as a professional, that being the five-year-old Mailtop, owned and trained by Tommy Rayson, in the Virginia Chase at Hawthorn Hill on March 1, 1938, beating Far Cotton by six lengths, although the 7lb overweight the runner-up was obliged to shoulder may have helped the winner’s cause. 

Peter served as a pilot in the RAF for the duration of the war, from 1939 to 1945, but did well in his first season back riding, recording five wins in the space of 37 days. However, he drew a blank for the 1946/47 campaign. 

The following season he turned up with a five-year-old hurdler called Nobby’s Pet, trained by Captain Ryan Price, then at the start of his illustrious career, to win four races within 23 days. He also shared first place in the Tangmere Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell Park on October 14, 1947, when his mount, Robin o’ Chantry, and Glen Kelly on M And B could not be separated after a long struggle.

Just three days later, Peter rode his final winner when Signaller easily won the Hawling Hurdle at Cheltenham. His last ride was on Skoiton, a faller in the Kington Chase at Warwick on February 25, 1951. By then he had taken out a trainer’s licence, based at Dereham, Norfolk, from where he enjoyed some success during the next two decades. 

Peter Wood’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Jacobite, West Norfolk Hunt (Fakenham), April 17, 1933

2. Kellsboro’ Witch, Hethersett, June 1, 1936

3. Birthgift, Derby, February 16, 1937

4. Thermopylae, Birmingham, February 23, 1937

5. Mailtop, Hawthorn Hill, March 1, 1938

6. Arrah-Go-On, Haydock Park, March 15, 1939

7. Arrah-Go-On, Manchester, April 8, 1939

8. Orange And Green, Hethersett, May 4, 1939

9. Agag, Southwell, April 20, 1946

10. Agag, Wye, May 6, 1946

11. Agag, Woore, May 16, 1946

12. Wyndozen, Southwell, May 21, 1946

13. Wyndozen, Wye, May 27, 1946

14. Nobby’s Pet, Newton Abbot, August 23, 1947

15. Nobby’s Pet, Devon & Exeter, August 30, 1947

16. Nobby’s Pet, Buckfastleigh, August 30, 1947

17. Nobby’s Pet, Wye, September 15, 1947

18. Signaller, Fontwell Park, October 13, 1947

19. Robin o’ Chantry, Fontwell Park, October 14, 1947

20. Signaller. Cheltenham, October 17, 1947