Crossword Genius

Haggard chap with singular description of horse without jockey (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

riderless

'description of horse without jockey' is the definition.
(jockeys are horse-riders)

'haggard chap with singular' is the wordplay.
'haggard' becomes 'rider' (novelist H Rider Haggard).
'chap' becomes 'Les' (man's name).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'singular' becomes 's' (abbreviation sometimes used in dictionaries).
'rider'+'les'+'s'='RIDERLESS'

(Other definitions for riderless that I've seen before include "Some Grand National runners may become so" , "without one taking seat" , "like liberty horses" , "With no one in the saddle" , "Without addendum" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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