'This is what I've always aimed for and now it's come along - it's been quite surreal'
Charlie Deutsch talks to Lewis Porteous about parenthood, his sensational season and the craft of riding
With the Betfair and Peterborough Chases, December Gold Cup, Cotswold and Denman already under lock and key for the season, it is little surprise Charlie Deutsch emerges bright and breezy from the jockeys' changing room on a damp squib of a Monday at Plumpton.
The 28-year-old is unlikely to ride the number of horses Sean Bowen, Harry Skelton or Sam Twiston-Davies might in a season but, thanks to the backing of Venetia Williams, he can certainly match them when it comes to quality.
Royale Pagaille, L'Homme Presse, Djelo, Martator, Gemirande and Victtorino have all been Saturday stars for Deutsch this season and he has reached the stage of his career where it almost comes as a surprise when he is not involved in the feature races on any given weekend during the core jumps season in Britain.
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Published on inThe Big Read
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- 'The numbers went in the wrong direction and you're an idiot if you don't think about it - but you back what you're doing'
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- 'I know people will say they've heard it all before - but when I see Constitution Hill now, he's suddenly developed quality'
- 'I don't want to be part of this narrative that Irish trainers are better than us - I think that's rubbish, it drives me nuts'
- 'The grief hits me quite a lot - so many people think I'm really tough but I get terribly upset by things inwardly'
- 'The numbers went in the wrong direction and you're an idiot if you don't think about it - but you back what you're doing'
- 'My wife wants to know why I'm reading the sales catalogue in bed - it's relentless, but you have to be on it all the time'
- 'I know people will say they've heard it all before - but when I see Constitution Hill now, he's suddenly developed quality'