It is fair to say that Charlie Deutsch has been through both ups and downs during his racing career so far. From Grade One winners to time in prison, Deutsch has made the headlines on quite a few occasions during his short career so faronship.
A wonderful jockey, who has formed a great partnership with trainer Venetia Williams, he’s a rider that many would trust to ride at the highest level, and he’s already had success at that level. Things began with Charlie Longsdon in 2013, but a move to the Williams team really kickstarted his career.
In terms of the Grand National, Deutsch has yet to win the race, with his first try coming in 2017 on board the Venetia Williams-trained Houblon Des Obeaux. He completed the course, finishing 10th, a solid first attempt.
Charlie Deutsch Grand National Wins
Charlie Deutsch has never won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2017 with Houblon Des Obeaux who came 10th.
Full Results
| Year | Horse | Result | Prize Money | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Cloudy Glen | Fence 1 - Unseated Rider | - | Venetia Williams |
| 2022 | Commodore | 12 | - | Venetia Williams |
| 2018 | Houblon Des Obeaux | Fence 6 - Fell | - | Venetia Williams |
| 2017 | Houblon Des Obeaux | 10 | £1,000 | Venetia Williams |
Grade One Success With Venetia Williams
Deutsch’s relationship with Venetia Williams is his most important, and the pair have grown in stature together, helping each other along the way. They’ve had Grade One success together. The first time this happened came in 2022 with L’Homme Presse.
The horse won the Scilly Isles Novice Chase at the start of the year and then went on to win the Brown Advisory Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, ridden by Deutsch again. This would also be the first time that Deutsch had ridden a winner at the Cheltenham Festival.
Conviction & Prison
Sadly, during Charlie Deutsch’s career, he went through a troubling time, which led to a criminal conviction and having to leave the sport for a short while. He was caught and convicted of dangerous driving while over the alcohol limit, as well as escaping from police custody. The penalty was a 10-month prison sentence, which he was told to serve at Bristol prison.
He served two and a half months of the sentence before being released, and shortly after this, he was able to return to his job, with Venetia Williams again choosing him to be her rider.
His relationship with Williams was very strong at the time, and it is likely that this is the only reason he was offered the chance to return. Without strong relationships, he could well have struggled for rides and ultimately had to leave the sport. The pair have continued to work together, and not only that, but they have been able to come together for strong success.