Sara Bradstock looking to the past and present after being granted licence

She was instrumental in career of Gold Cup winner Coneygree, trained by her late husband, Mark.

Sara Bradstock is the latest addition to the National Hunt training ranks after being granted a full licence to continue the operation she ran with her late husband Mark.

Based at the Old Manor Stables near Wantage, Bradstock will shortly saddle her first runners assisted by her daughter Lily, who has been an integral part of the family run business and who will one day inherit the trainer’s badge.

Lily was instrumental in the career of Southfield Theatre, a prolific winner between the flags and champion point-to-pointer at the age of 14, while also winning at the Cheltenham United Hunts fixture.

Sara Bradstock said: “Lily’s role is massive and she works incredibly hard. She adores the horses and does much of the physical work.

“She’s worked here solidly since she left school. She rides as an amateur and wants to continue doing that, while she also has the top eventer Tout Chocolat.

“Lily has an incredible way with horses, and they just love her.”

While the tradition of nurturing top staying chasers will continue, Bradstock wants to run her operation more commercially and is in the process of syndicating one of her nicest young prospects.

Under the watchful eye of the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Coneygree, whose blue riband triumph formed the crowning moment of Mark Bradstock’s career when landing the Cheltenham centrepiece under Nico de Boinville, Bradstock assessed the prospects of some of her string.

Sara Bradstock has high hopes for Mr Vango
Sara Bradstock has high hopes for Mr Vango (PA)

She hopes that at the forefront of developments will be Mr Vango, who proved the best of the home runners when third in the old National Hunt Chase at the Festival in March.

“Mr Vango is heading for the Welsh Grand National and that race would seem perfect for him as he loves to get his toes into the ground, and has the strength and power required to plod through it,” Bradstock added.

“I bought him for 30,000 guineas after he won a point and he’s a big horse measuring over 18 hands.

“He was very impressive at Exeter where he won by a distance, and ran a great race in the old four-miler, in which he might have finished second if it was still run over that distance.”

The historic yard in Letcombe Bassett is steeped in tradition and history, with Bradstock saying: “Golden Miller was trained here and he remains the only horse to win a Gold Cup and a Grand National in the same season.

“We sent out Carruthers, bred by my father (Lord Oaksey), to win a Hennessy and Step Back to win the Whitbread. Coneygree had fragile legs and did all his work on our grass Greendown gallop as well as hours of rehabilitation on the roads. He was judged supreme champion at the Lambourn Show recently, and is part of the place in every sense.

Carruthers on his way to winning the Hennessy Gold Cup
Carruthers on his way to winning the Hennessy Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

“Taking him to the grass was the only way to keep him sound, as his long legs made it difficult for him. We could have run him in the old Sun Alliance Chase but Mark decided there was no point when we could go for the Gold Cup with a realistic chance, and typical of the horse he gradually put his rivals to the sword with his jumping and galloping out in the country.

“We have a one-mile all-weather gallop and a one-mile grass facility on which the horses can work a mile and a half going the other way round.

“Another nice prospect is Smugglers Haven, who was bought on the same principle as Plaid Maid, the dam of Carruthers as she is a half-sister to Limini. She ran promisingly at Uttoxeter the other day.”

It is Bradstock’s intention to launch a racing club to be named The Remembering Mark Racing Club.

She said: “It will be based around a horse by Chemical Charge and the plan is to put together 30 people who each pay GBP 2,500 in an all-in amount that covers all the bills for the the season as well as a share in the horse.”

Ultimately Bradstock returns to the huge role Mark played in the yard, adding: “We have always very much trained and cared for the horses as a partnership and I will continue to consult him whenever needed as I have all his wise words in my head.”

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