| Charles Smirke | |
|---|---|
 Charlie Smirke, in the colours of HH Aga Khan (Gallaher's cigarette card, 1936) | |
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | 23 September 1906 Lambeth, England, United Kingdom |
| Died | 30 December 1993 (aged 87) |
| Major racing wins | |
| British Classic Race wins: 2,000 Guineas (2) 1,000 Guineas (1) Epsom Oaks (0) Epsom Derby (4) St. Leger Stakes (4) | |
| Racing awards | |
| British flat racing Champion Apprentice (1925, 1926) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Windsor Lad, Bahram, Mahmoud, The Bug, My Babu, Tulyar, Never Say Die, Hard Ridden | |
Charles James William Smirke (1906–1993), was a British flat-race jockey. In a career that lasted from 1920 until 1959, he rode the winners of eleven British Classic Races. As a rider, he was known for his skill, strength and tactical intelligence,[1] together with his self-confident and outspoken personality. Although he never won the Championship, he was regarded as one of the best jockeys of his era.[2] The Racing Post ranked him as the fifth greatest jockey of the 20th Century and the greatest never to have been champion.[3]
- ^ Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- ^ Colin Cameron (21 December 1993). "Obituary: Charlie Smirke - People - News". The Independent. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ Randall, John (19 May 1999). "Richards is in a class of his own; A Century of Racing - 50 Greatest Flat Jockeys". Racing Post. Retrieved 23 October 2023.