Charles Wood

Who was Charles Wood?

Charles Wood was an English flat racing jockey.

He left home aged 11, and became apprentice to Joseph Dawson in Newmarket, where he stayed for seven years. He won his first race in 1872 and was Champion Jockey in 1887. He also rode the unbeaten St. Simon in his three year old year when that horse's usual jockey, Fred Archer, could no longer make the weight.

However, Wood was as famous for his behaviour off the track as on it. He was the principal rider to Sir George Chetwynd, 4th Baronet and the two were regularly in trouble with the Jockey Club. First of all, he and Chetwynd were accused of organising a gambling ring from their Newmarket stable. Moreover, he owned some of the horses he rode, which was strictly forbidden. The matter was brought to wider attention when the Earl of Durham used his speech at the annual Gimcrack Dinner to make disparaging comments about the stable. Chetwynd sued Durham for libel, asking for £20,000 in damages and Wood sued the publication Licensed Victuallers' Gazette and Hotel Courier for £5,000. The result was that they were both awarded one farthing in damages. The trials had brought details of their activities to light and Chetwynd resigned from the Jockey Club. Wood was warned off for ten years but bounced back in some style, winning the Triple Crown on Galtee More in 1897. He retired in 1900. When he died in Eastbourne in 1945, he left over £60,000.