Successful owner and accountant to the stars Charles Little dies aged 70

Former Lincoln-winning owner and accountant to many of the current crop of Flat jockeys, Charles Little, died from a stroke at the weekend aged 70.

From Bedford, Little initially got into racing when he became accountant to Newmarket trainer Mick Ryan and later took shares in horses when his son John took over the licence in 2005.

As well as the Ryans, at that time Little found time to help many young and emerging jockeys such as Adam Kirby with their books and finances with issues such as tax returns and national insurance.

The best horse Little was involved with was the 117-rated Ocean Tempest, who the Lincoln at Doncaster under Kirby at odds of 20-1 and followed up in Listed contests at Ascot and Windsor that year before placing at Group 3 level.

Ryan said: "Charles was a good accountant worked for my dad for years. The two became friends and had a shared love of racing. When dad was first struggling with his knees he used to come and drive him around the Heath at weekends.

"He had a few shares in horses and the first and probably the only good one he was involved with was Ocean Tempest, who won the Lincoln and then two Listed races in the same year."

He added: "Adam Kirby struck up a good relationship with Ocean Tempest and the Lincoln was probably his first big winner back in the day.

"Funnily enough, Charles as an accountant was very instrumental in helping young jockeys such as Adam sort out their finances, I know Adam was cut up about Charles's passing."