Written by Tony Millett.
1985: David Quinn (in trilby) and Steve Raymont lead Rainbow Quest to the start for the Prix de l'Arc de TriompheDavid Patrick Quinn, who for many years was travelling head lad for trainer Jeremy Tree at Beckhampton, has died shortly after celebrating his 90th birthday. He lived in Avebury Trusloe.
Quinn continued to work at Beckhampton after Tree retired and when his assistant trainer, Roger Charlton, took over the yards in 1989. Roger Charlton continues to train at Beckhampton - now with his son Harry as his Assistant Trainer.
Talking about Quinn, Roger Charlton told Marlborough News Online: "He was a huge part of the Beckhampton team."
Charlton remembers David Quinn travelling with Sanglamore to Chantilly in 1990 for the French Derby - which he won by half a length with Pat Eddery aboard. And then, four days later, Quinn took Quest for Fame to Epsom for the Derby - again with Pat Eddery. Quest for Fame won by three lengths.
Quinn, from Ballingary, Limerick began his career in racing as an apprentice to Curragh trainer Michael Collins. He moved to England in 1947 and worked for trainer Monty Smyth.
He started work at Beckhampton on 13 December 1960. His weekly pay was a bit over £17. His name is linked to some of the most famous horses Tree sent out: Danehill, Sharpo and Rainbow Quest - who famously, on his final outing, won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after a steward's enquiry. [See photo above.]
Steve Raymont, now the Charlton's head lad and who had worked closely with Quinn, described him as "A thoroughly nice, ordinary guy with no airs and graces. He was very straightforward and new his job inside out."
After he retired he still kept his interest in racing and would ask Steve Raymont how the horses were doing at the yard.
When Tree died in 1993 Quinn received a bequest of £5,000 - one of the key members of the Beckampton staff to be remembered in his will.
Quinn is survived by his daughter Teresa, son Sean and four grandchildren.
There will be a memorial service at 1.30pm on Monday, March 21 at St Thomas More Catholic Church in George Lane.
[Photo courtesy Roger Charlton - with thanks.]
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Written by Tony Millett.
A field of fourteen is set to go to post for the £50,000 StanJames.com Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup - the highlight of the seven-race card at Newbury on Saturday (March 5) - Greatwood Charity Day.
This is one of the main days for Greatwood's fundraising for its work at Clench Common, Marlborough with retired racehorses and disadvantaged children.
The weights for the handicap chase, run over just short of two and a half miles, are headed by Shutthefrontdoor (11st 12lb, Jonjo O'Neill/Barry Geraghty, 16/1 with Stan James), who finished fifth in last season's Grand National and was third over hurdles on his only appearance this season at Aintree in December.
Paul NichollsPaul Nicholls has landed the StanJames.com Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup an amazing seven times since its inception in 2004, including last year's race with Sound Investment.
This year the champion Jump trainer, based in Somerset, enters Stan James's 11/2 favourite Art Mauresque (11st 4lb, Noel Fehily) and 7/1 joint second-favourite Sametegal (11st 3lb, Harry Cobden (7)).
Art Mauresque won a novices' chase at Cheltenham in October and went on to finish a close sixth in the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup back at the same course the following month, while fellow novice Sametegal scored at Huntingdon in November and was travelling well when unseating Sam Twiston-Davies in the Grade Two Fuller's London Pride Novices' Chase at Newbury later the same month.
Bennys Mist (11st 5lb, Venetia Williams/Liam Treadwell, 9/1) was the three quarters of a length runner-up to Sound Investment last year and has been in great form this season. Successful in the Grand Sefton Chase over two miles and five furlongs of the Grand National course at Aintree in December, he was last seen out when a close third to stable companion Dare Me in a valuable handicap chase at Ascot on January 23.
The 10-year-old runs in the Manchester United-inspired colours of the Mezzone family and Graham Mezzone commented today: "Bennys Mist has been an outstanding horse for us and exceeded all our expectations.
"He was second to Sound Investment in this race last year and they finished 17 lengths clear of the rest. We were really using the race last year as a prep race before going to Aintree so it was a tremendous effort.
"My daughter picked him out as a three-year-old when Venetia held a celebration at her stables after Mon Mome won the Grand National (2009) and he has been a real star for us - he has won almost 10 times what we paid for him.
"The horse seems to love Newbury and Aintree - they are the two courses he always seems to run well at. He has run four times at Newbury - he won a novices' chase, fell in a race when Aidan Coleman thought he would have won and ran a cracking race in the Greatwood Gold Cup last year.
French trainer Emmanuel Clayeux is set to saddle his first runners at Newbury in the StanJames.com Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup, headed by Pythagore (11st 8lb, Felix de Giles, 10/1), a multiple winner over fences in France including in a Grade Two contest at Auteuil in November. Clayeux's other starter is Vicomte Du Seuil (10st 8lb, Jacques Ricou, 12/1), who won a chase at Pau in December and ran most recently when runner-up in a hurdle at the same venue on February 2.
Other contenders prominent in the betting market with Stan James include Little Jon (11st 3lb, Nigel Twiston-Davies/Wayne Hutchinson, 7/1), successful over the course and distance in November, and Generous Ransom (10st 10lb, Nick Gifford/Daryl Jacob, 8/1), a winner at Cheltenham last season who hinted at a return to form on his latest start at Doncaster in December.
Colin Tizzard's yard is in great form and is set to be represented by Ultragold (10st 5lb, Paddy Brennan, 8/1), a comfortable winner at Wincanton last month.
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Written by Sam Hoskins.
During the Festival the huge crowds will make the stands look quite different!Whether you are a racing fan or not, the Cheltenham Festival (Tuesday, March 15 – Friday, March 18) seems to bring with it a breath of fresh air for everyone. There's a change in the weather for all and the most spine-tingling week of horse racing for those of us besotted with this wonderful sport and its incredible equine athletes.
Cheltenham is gearing up to its annual Irish invasion where, for one week only, any stray visitor would question whether we were in the Cotswolds or Leinster.
The Irish equine challenge this year is as strong as it has perhaps ever been mainly through the phenomenal and very gracious Willie Mullins who has dominated the Cheltenham Festival in recent years, taking the leading trainer award four out of the last five years.
The likes of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls are unlikely to have it any easier this year with Mullins’ hand so strong (courtesy of the likes of hot favourites Min, Douvan, Annie Power, Vroum Vroum Mag and Un De Sceaux) that one major bookmaker makes him a 1/33 shot to retain his title as the Festival's top trainer!
However, whilst most form anoraks will be pawing over the implications of the many nail-biting bouts in the mud this winter both sides of the Irish Sea, it may pay to save some time and instead throw this year's formbook completely out of window and pick up the one from last spring. That was the last time many of these star horses were able to run on ‘decent’ ground - given how wet a winter it has been this time around.
Mother nature is drying Cheltenham’s hallowed turf the whole time and by 1.30pm on Tuesday, March 15, the time when the big roar erupts and all hairs stand to attention, the ground may look more of the green than the ploughed variety. And that may come to the bookmakers' rescue as the form gets turned on its head.
The shortest price favourite from the home and indeed local brigade is Yanworth from Alan King’s Barbury Castle yard. Yanworth is set to tackle the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle on the Wednesday at prohibitive odds.
The talented chestnut looks one of the most exciting novice hurdlers we have seen in recent times. This time next year, he could well be trying to emulate his owners’ own Istabraq in the Champion Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson, who trains in Lambourn, has had a bit of an in and out season He has been the king when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival and whilst he lacks an obvious star this time around, his yard is full of 'good ground' horses that will have been trained to peak for these four days.
He is a man to follow in the Championship Races and Handicaps alike and I feel he may be able to pluck a couple of white rabbits from his hat in two of the big hurdle races courtesy of Hargam (Champion Hurdle, Tuesday, 20-1) and Whisper (World Hurdle, Thursday, 20-1), two forgotten horses who love good ground and who can go close at rewarding odds.
Sam HoskinsOnce Cheltenham is over, it is time for my own attention to focus on the flat racing season and in particular the syndicates I manage, namely Kennet Valley Thoroughbred Syndicates and the Hot To Trot Syndicate.
We have some extremely exciting horses to go to war with this year, not least our aptly-named grey sprinter Magical Memory, trained by Charlie Hills at Lambourn, who won last years’ Stewards Cup at Goodwood before going on to finish third in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup.
He boasts a very high cruising speed and watching his big grey self loom up large on the bridle as if he is in a two mile hurdle race is simply exhilarating. Sixteen people are lucky enough to own him and my fingers and toes are crossed he can fulfill the dreams we all have for him this year.
April is a particularly exciting month as we host many stable visits for our syndicate owners. For many, these are some of the most special days of the season, being able to get up close and personal with the horses and to hear all the latest news (usually taking an optimistic spin!) from the horse's month.
This game is all about dreaming and it is certainly the time of year for that whether you are into the jumps or the flat. For me it is both - and I can’t wait!
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Written by Tony Millett.
On Sunday (February 28) Sally Randell ran her first winner as a licensed trainer when the eight year-old bay gelding Goal won at Southwell in a two mile selling handicap hurdle. Goal is owned by Mark Hampson and was ridden by his daughter Brodie, who works for Sally Randell Racing.
Sally Randell became a licensed trainer in November - taking over Andy Turnell's Broad Hinton yard. Since then she has had plenty of placed horses, but the jump season's wet conditions have not favoured her horses.
Just a week ago Brodie Hampson had made headlines when she won the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown on her father's horse Jennys Surprise.
Jennys Surprise, Brodie, Mark & his wife Jan holding the Gold Cup with staff members at Prospect HospiceMark Hampson has cancer and when he was told was told he had thirty days to live, Brodie had promised him that before he died she would win a race in his colours.
Goal, who had not won a hurdle race since June 2013 and was well beaten on his last outing at Taunton, won the two mile handicap hurdle at Southwell by one and quarter lengths from a field of thirteen.
Now she has won two races in her father’s colours. Mark Hampson is currently a patient at the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton.
Sally and Brodie told Marlborough News Online they are delighted to get their first winner: "We started my training career seven years ago together in South Wales so I always hoped she would be steering home my first winner!"
"And fantastic to carry on the fairy tale for Mark Hampson and get another winner for him too - the first of many for such a young, dedicated and passionate team."
Brodie Hampson's other ride at Southwell was on Driftashore who came home seventh of the nine entries in a three mile handicap hurdle race. The race was won by Delgany Demon - trained by Neil King whose yard is just up on the downs from Broad Hinton - at Burderop near Barbury Castle.
[Click on photos to enlarge them]
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