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Charlie Deutsch is a multiple Grade I winning British National Hunt jockey. In 2018, he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for dangerous driving.

Racing career

Deutsch began his racing career with Charlie Longsdon in 2013 before moving across to Venetia Williams in Herefordshire. He fell in his first ride for Williams. Deutsch won the Grade 3 Betfair Handicap Chase at Cheltenham with Aachen in 2015. He would win the race again in 2021 with Commodore making him joint leading jockey in the race. In 2016, Deutsch won the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton Park with Yala Enki. The jockey stated it as his biggest win at the time.

Deutsch was arrested in 2018 for drink driving. At this point of his career, he had won 88 races.

His first ride after release from prison was Rogue Dancer at Huntingdon Racecourse on 16 October 2018. He finished 2nd. At the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, Deutsch nearly won his first Festival race in the Ryanair Chase with Aso, finishing second to Frodon. At the 2019 November meeting at Cheltenham he won the Leading Jockey award sponsored by Ariat.

Deutsch built a solid partnership with L'Homme Presse, winning a number of Grade 2 Races. He would go on to win two Grade 1 races - The Scilly Isles Novices Chase, and the Brown Advisory Novices Chase which would be his first Cheltenham Festival winner.

Deutsch won the 2023 Betfair Chase with Royale Pagaille. He also partnered Victtorino to two big race victories at Ascot in the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup and Ascot Silver Cup, with the horse running in the silks of triple-crown winner Secretariat. Djelo was another key horse for Deutsch in 2023, notably winning the grade two Noel Novices' Chase.

Deutsch would repeat his success with Royal Pagaille, successfully defending the 2024 Betfair Chase.

Major wins

Great Britain

• Brown Advisory Novices Chase - (1) - L'Homme Presse (2022)
• Scilly Isles Novices' Chase - (1) - L'Homme Presse (2022)
• Betfair Chase - (2) - Royale Pagaille (2023, 2024)

Cheltenham Festival winners (1)

• Brown Advisory Novices Chase - L'Homme Presse (2022)

Personal life

Deutsch is based in Tewkesbury and in his youth was a keen huntsman with Heythrop. He was also a member of the Pony Club. Since 2017, Deutsch has been sponsored by equine insurer Lycetts.

Criminal conviction

On 30 March 2018, Deutsch was arrested following a five-mile police chase in his Audi A4, after being initially stopped for speeding and possible driving under the influence of alcohol. During the chase, he reached speeds over 110 mph. He evaded police but was caught using a police stinger. In May 2018, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving while over the legal alcohol limit and escaping from police custody. He was sentenced to ten months in prison. He served two and a half months of his sentence at HM Prison Bristol before being released.

References

1. "Deutsch jailed for ten months for dangerous driving and escaping custody". Racing Post. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
2. "Getting back in the saddle after a spell in prison: 6 facts about comeback jockey Charlie Deutsch". Horse and Hound. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
3. "'Tough and gutsy' Yala Enki deserved Lanzarote Hurdle glory". Get Surrey. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
4. "Deutsch jailed for ten months for dangerous driving and escaping custody". Racing Post. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
5. "4.20pm Huntingdon". Racing Post. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
6. "Ryanair Chase: Bryony Frost makes history with fabulous Frodon triumph". Racing TV. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
7. "Charlie Deutsch won the Ariat-sponsored award for the leading jockey at Cheltenham's The November Meeting". Sporting Post. November 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
8. "'I gave it a Superman' - Deutsch delight at first Grade 1 with L'Homme Presse". Racing Post. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
9. "Cheltenham: Charlie Deutsch's journey of redemption from prison to Cheltenham Festival winner on L'Homme Presse". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
10. "Connections plot Gold Cup path for L'Homme Presse". Racing TV. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
11. "Royale Pagaille upsets Bravemansgame in Betfair Chase at Haydock". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
12. "Ascot round-up: Victtorino claims surprise victory in feature for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
13. "'It was quite a bold step to run' - Victtorino sports Secretariat silks to victory for Venetia Williams". Racing Post. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
14. "Victtorino wins at Ascot for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch". Ledbury Reporter. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
15. "We always thought he was nice Djelo another winter wonder for Venetia Williams". Racing Post. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
16. "Gritty Royale Pagaille makes hay in Haydock's mud to win Betfair Chase". theguardian.com.
17. "Getting back in the saddle after a spell in prison: 6 facts about comeback jockey Charlie Deutsch". Horse and Hound. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
18. "Lycetts announces renewal of sponsorship deal with Charlie Deutsch". Insurance Business Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
19. "'Intoxicated' jockey who rode in the Grand National jailed after fleeing police in 114mph car chase through Cheltenham". Gloucestershire Live. May 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
20. "Jockey Charlie Deutsch jailed after high-speed police pursuit". BBC. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2022.

• Living people
• English jockeys
• British sportspeople convicted of crimes