Joe Childs
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Joseph Childs (1884–1958) was a French-born, British-based
flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...
jockey. He won fifteen British Classics in a 35-year career, the last ten years of which were spent as jockey to King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...
. He was known for riding a slow, waiting race, and also for having a short temper which regularly saw him at odds with his trainers and owners.


Early life

Childs was born in
Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city ** US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Chantilly (Charlotte neighborhood), North Carolina ...
into a racing family. His father had ridden successfully in France, and his grandfather had worked at the stables of Peter Price in Newmarket. There were also four brothers – Albert, Arthur, Charles and Henry – who all became jockeys. Joe would go on to be the foremost of these, but Charles Charlie Childs would win the 1916 St. Leger on Hurry On, two years before Joe himself won it. Albert became a trainer in
Marseilles Marseille (; ; see below) is a city in southern France, the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the Provence region, it is located on the coast of the Mediterranean S ...
, France. Childs was married to Emily Lavis (1887–1914) like Childs she was from a racing family, born in
Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city ** US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Chantilly (Charlotte neighborhood), North Carolina ...
and the daughter of racing trainer Alfred James Lavis, they had one child Joey who died in 1916.


Career


Apprenticeship (1900–1902)

Childs spent his
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...
at Phantom House, Newmarket, the stables of trainer, Tom Jennings Jr. His first winner came for Jennings in 1900 at the now defunct
Lincoln Racecourse Lincoln Racecourse is a former horse racing venue to the west of the city of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincoln, at Carholme, Lincoln, Carholme, a flat tract of common land in Lincolnshire, England. It was the original location of the Lincolnshire ...
on a horse called Lady Alicia. He was aged just 16. The following year he took a step up, winning the
Royal Hunt Cup The Royal Hunt Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to ...
at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
on Stealaway and the final November Handicap to be run at the New Barns course in Manchester before it was relocated. In 1902, he won the valuable Great Metropolitan Handicap at
Epsom Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain ...
and the
Goodwood Cup The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3 ...
. Yet, despite these wins, he was beginning to struggle to get rides. He no longer qualified for the apprentice weight allowance, which made him a less attractive proposition as a jockey. In response to this problem, Jennings arranged for him to spend some time in Europe.


In Europe (1903–1913)

The first French trainer for whom Childs rode was Maurice Caillault. However, the quick temper which would come to mark his career cost him his job with Caillaut, as it would do with the owner Duc de Gramont and during a short lived spell at an Italian stable. He was back and forth across the
Channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Australia in Queensland and pa ...
for a couple of years before he finally found success on a third spell in France. Deputising for the sidelined
George Bellhouse George Francis Bellhouse (July 1885 – 22 July 1946) was a Classic-winning jockey in both England and France. He was born in the Upper Priory, Birmingham in July 1885 to an engineer of the city fire brigade. His riding career started as appr ...
, he won the 1908
Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...
for owner William K. Vanderbilt on Northeast. The following year he won the 1909 renewal on board Verdun for
Prince Murat Prince Murat is a Nobility of the First French Empire, French princely title that traces its origin back to 1804, when Emperor Napoleon granted the rank of Nobility of the First French Empire#Princes, ''prince français'' to his brother-in-law Jo ...
and he began to surge ahead with his career. In 1908, he had ridden 75 winners; in 1909, 90. His next battle was with his weight. This problem was solved with a move to Germany to ride for the von Weinbergs, with a contract that was not dependent on his meeting a specific weight. The Weinberg brothers' trainer was
Fred Darling Frederick Darling (1884–1953) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who trained a record-equalling seven English Derby winners. Darling's father, Sam Darling senior, was a trainer at Beckhampton, near Avebury in Wiltshire, who traine ...
and Childs formed a partnership with that trainer which would provide him with some of his most memorable victories, although given Childs' temper the relationship was often stormy. He was based back in France in 1912, when he won his first
Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
on Mirska for his old trainer, Tom Jennings. His successful spell in Europe, though, was cut short by the advent of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. He escaped France on the last train before the Germans arrived and had to leave all his possessions behind.


War years and beyond (1914–1924)

During the war, Childs initially joined the
Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
but not taking to the disciplined regime he transferred to the
4th Hussars The 4th Queen's Own Hussars was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, including the World War I, First World War and the World War II, Second World ...
. Generously, they allowed him a good deal of leave so he could meet riding commitments. This allowed him to partner the top class filly
Fifinella Fifinella was a female gremlin designed by Walt Disney for a proposed film from Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl's book ''The Gremlins''. During World War II, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) asked permission to use the image as their official mas ...
in her classic year of 1916. It has been suggested he threw away a winning chance on her when she was 11/10
favourite A favourite was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In Post-classical Europe, post-classical and Early modern Europe, early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated signifi ...
for the
1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1, ...
, hitting her as she played up in the stalls. As a result, she sulked during the race and failed to perform. Her finest moments, however, were yet to come. In the substitute Derby of that year, into which she had been entered because that year's crop of colts was so weak, she again acted obstreperously. This time however, she deigned to respond to Childs and in the final furlong he poked through a gap to win by a neck. She went on to be only the fourth, and to date, last, filly to do the Oaks-Derby double. In 1918 even better was to come for Childs on the colt
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to: Places * Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England ** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich * Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England ** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) * Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, Ca ...
. Trained by
Alec Taylor Jr. Alec Taylor Jr. (1862–1943), known as the Wizard of Manton, was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who followed in the footsteps of his highly successful father, Alec Taylor Sr. Family His father, Alec Taylor Sr., was a successful ho ...
in
Manton, Wiltshire Manton is a suburb of the town of Marlborough in Wiltshire, England, just off the A4 Bath Road. History A settlement of twelve households and an estate held by Miles Crispin were recorded at ''Manetone'' in the 1087 Domesday Book. In the 17th ...
, Gainsborough won the
2,000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...
,
Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
and
St. Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
with Childs as the jockey, becoming one of the few horses to have won the British Triple Crown. He would later repay the Hussars by donating his riding fees for 1918 to the regiment, including those for Gainsborough. Taylor would be one of the trainers for whom Childs would continue to ride after the war. In 1919 he rode Bayuda to victory in the Oaks for Lady Douglas. He also rode Buchan, the odds-on favourite, for Lord Astor in the 1919 St. Leger, but got beaten. A dispute with Astor's racing manager over the matter meant he never rode for Astor again. In 1921, Childs became stable jockey to
Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Sir Cecil Charles Boyd-Rochfort KCVO (188718 March 1983) was an Irish thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was British flat racing Champion Trainer five times. Background Cecil was the son of Rochfort Hamilton Boyd-Rochfort and the grandson ...
. The next few years were quieter by comparison with the big race victories of the war years, but in 1921 he won the Oaks on Love in Idleness and the
Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...
on Lemonora, both for Joseph Watson (later
Baron Manton Baron Manton, of Compton Verney in the County of Warwick, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 25 January 1922 in recognition of war services for the Leeds industrialist Joseph Watson. the title is held by his gr ...
), who had purchased the Manton estate. He also won a St Leger on Polemarch (1921) and a
July Cup The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 me ...
on Golden Corn (1923).


Royal Jockey (1925–1935)

From 1925 until his retirement in 1935, Childs would be jockey to King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...
whose horses were trained by William Rose Jarvis. Childs would refer to the King as 'My Guv'nor' and would toast him with champagne every time he won on one of his horses. In the King's colours he would have 'the proudest moment of his life' when he won the 1929
1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1, ...
on Scuttle. As a reward, the King presented Childs with a cane, which would become his most treasured possession. The 'best race he ever rode' was for the King too – the 1933
Hardwicke Stakes The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), an ...
on Limelight. Childs won the 1926
Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
on
Coronach A coronach (also written coranich, corrinoch, coranach, cronach, etc.) is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the Gol, being the third part of a round of keening, the traditional improvised singing at a death, wake or funeral in the Highlands of Sc ...
for one of his long standing trainers, Fred Darling, one of the few trainers who could handle him. The horse's aristocratic owner was
Lord Woolavington James Buchanan, 1st Baron Woolavington, (16 August 1849 – 9 August 1935), known as Sir James Buchanan, Bt, from 1920 to 1922, was a British businessman, philanthropist, and racehorse owner and breeder. Early life Buchanan was born in Brockvil ...
. Childs and Coronach won the race with an uncharacteristically fast, front-running performance, Childs being known as a 'hold up' jockey. This resulted in a famous post-race comment, "The bastard ran away with me". No jockey would win a Derby with the same front running tactic until
Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...
on Slip Anchor in 1985. By the end of his career Childs was often found riding for
Cecil Boyd-Rochfort Sir Cecil Charles Boyd-Rochfort KCVO (188718 March 1983) was an Irish thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was British flat racing Champion Trainer five times. Background Cecil was the son of Rochfort Hamilton Boyd-Rochfort and the grandson ...
and it was for him he rode his last classic winner – Brown Betty in the 1933
1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1, ...
. Childs had by this time mellowed considerably with age. His final winner was at
Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
in November 1935 and in December of that year he was invited to
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
at the request of the King. In all, Childs had achieved 15 British Classic wins, two
Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...
and one French Derby.


Riding style

Childs was a tall jockey, described as "lithe and beetle-browed" These 'beetles' – his dark, bushy eyebrows – were said to give "broody, bellicose expression to a hair-trigger temper." In turn, the temper was one of the defining characteristics of his racecourse performances. He would regularly argue with officials, once reportedly accusing a steward of lying: "You were not at the gate and could not have seen the incident as you stated you did." The other characteristic of his racing was the way he tended to win a race with "a well-timed rush". He is described as "The most fanatical exponent of waiting". or, put less favourably, "A waiting race was the only one he could ride" This "lack of versatility" is cited as the one thing that prevented Childs being a really great jockey. Despite this, he was renowned in some quarters for his horsemanship and judgement in a race. He is said to have ridden some of his best races at Newmarket


Retirement

On retirement he managed Portsmouth Greyhound Stadium and dabbled in horse ownership with trainer George Digby. He also kept a small stud at Nazeing in
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
. He published an autobiography, ''My Racing Reminiscences'' in 1952 and died in Portsmouth in 1958. In 1999, more than 40 years after his death, he was ranked 11th in the Racing Post list of Top 50 jockeys of the 20th century. John Crouch (jockey), John Crouch was appointed as king's jockey when Childs retired.


Major wins


Classic races

Great Britain * 1,000 Guineas Stakes, 1,000 Guineas – (2) – ''Scuttle (1928), Brown Betty (1933)'' * 2,000 Guineas Stakes, 2,000 Guineas – (2) – ''
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to: Places * Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England ** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich * Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England ** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) * Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, Ca ...
(1918), Cameronian (horse), Cameronian (1931)'' * Epsom Oaks – (4) – ''Mirska (1912), Fifinella (horse), Fifinella (1916), Bayuda (1919), Love in Idleness (1921)'' * Epsom Derby – (3) – ''Fifinella (horse), Fifinella (1916),
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to: Places * Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England ** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich * Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England ** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) * Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, Ca ...
(1918),
Coronach A coronach (also written coranich, corrinoch, coranach, cronach, etc.) is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the Gol, being the third part of a round of keening, the traditional improvised singing at a death, wake or funeral in the Highlands of Sc ...
(1926)'' *
St. Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
– (4) – ''
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to: Places * Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England ** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich * Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England ** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) * Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, Ca ...
(1918), Polemarch (1921), Solario (1925),
Coronach A coronach (also written coranich, corrinoch, coranach, cronach, etc.) is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the Gol, being the third part of a round of keening, the traditional improvised singing at a death, wake or funeral in the Highlands of Sc ...
(1926)'' France * Prix du Jockey Club – ''Sourbier (1920)''


Selected other races (incomplete)

Great Britain * Ascot Gold Cup – ''
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to: Places * Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England ** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich * Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England ** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) * Gainsborough, Saskatchewan, Ca ...
(1918), Solario (1926), Trimdon (1931, 1932)'' * Champagne Stakes (Great Britain), Champagne Stakes – ''Golden Corn (1921)'' * Cheveley Park Stakes – ''Brown Betty (1932)'' * Coronation Cup – ''Solario (1926)'' * Eclipse Stakes – ''Buchan (1919),
Coronach A coronach (also written coranich, corrinoch, coranach, cronach, etc.) is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the Gol, being the third part of a round of keening, the traditional improvised singing at a death, wake or funeral in the Highlands of Sc ...
(1926)'' *
July Cup The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 me ...
– ''Golden Corn (1923)'' * Ribblesdale Stakes – ''Sir Cosmo (1929)'' France *
Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...
– ''Northeast (1908), Verdun (1909)''


References

Notes Citations Bibliography * * *


External links


Pathe News footage of Childs winning the 1926 Derby on Coronach
{{DEFAULTSORT:Childs, Joe 1884 births 1958 deaths British jockeys French jockeys People in greyhound racing French emigrants to the United Kingdom