Fred Lane was a French-born, English-based flat racing

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

, who won the 1932 Derby among other big races.

Career

Unable to get many rides in England at the start of his career, he took advice from fellow jockey

Joe Childs Joseph Childs (1884–1958) was a French-born, British-based flat racing 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. He was known for riding a slow, waiting ...

to pursue a career in Europe. This meant that at the outbreak of World War I, he was interred in Germany, along with other English riders. On his return he won the

Ebor Ebor is the abbreviation of the Latin '' Eboracum'', the early name of York in Britain. It may also mean: * Ebor, the legal alias of the Archbishops of York * Ebor, Manitoba, a community in Canada * Ebor, New South Wales, a village in Australia ...

on Race Rock for

Tom Cannon Jr. Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

in 1919, and two consecutive Gimcrack Stakes, on Polemarch in 1920 and Scamp in 1921. Other victories came in the Jockey Club Stakes (Lady Juror in 1922), the Queen Alexandra Stakes (Seclin, 1925), the

Ascot Stakes The Ascot Stakes is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 metres), and ...

and

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 (3,219 ...

on Old Orkney in 1929, as well as the Queen's Vase, Cheveley Park Stakes, and Sussex Stakes. He won on Mountain Lad in the 1930 Chester Cup and Silvermere in the 1932 Ascot Gold Vase Lane was jockey for George Digby at Exning, but he won the Derby for Tom Walls on April the Fifth, quite late into his career.

Steve Donoghue Steve Donoghue (8 November 188423 March 1945) was a leading England, English flat-race jockey in the 1910s and 1920s. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey, Champion Jockey 10 times between 1914 and 1923 and was one of the most celebrated ...

had refused to commit to the horse at the start of the season and Lane was retained to ride him instead. Crawley Wood was another good horse for him, winning the

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at Epsom and Final Stakes at Newmarket in 1935. His "consistently successful" racing career lasted from before World War I until after World War II, after which he continued as a work rider into late middle age.

Reputation

Lane has been variously called "quiet and reliable" and a "jockey of all-round ability" and was said to be at his best over longer distances.

Personal life

Lane married Florence Griggs, widow of trainer Walter Griggs, at St Peter's, Eaton Square, London, in 1933, which led to him becoming uncle by marriage to Lester Piggott and Fred and Bill Rickaby.

Major wins

Great Britain *

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

– ''April the Fifth'' (1932) *

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 (3,219 ...

– ''Old Orkney'' (1929) * Sussex Stakes – ''Diligence'' (1922)

References

Bibliography