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One of the most memorable day's racing happened on 3rd December 1991. Newcastle was the destination as I took Senator Snugfit, Coulton and Sawdust Jack for what would initially appear to be a routine afternoon of jumps action at Gosforth Park. The first runner of the day was Senator Snugfit who finished fourth in the 'Valley Of Fear Novices Chase'. Running in Adrian Greenwood’s colours which had been carried round Aintree by Mr Snugfit in 1985, Senator would go on to win his next two races. He would win four races in all before coming to grief at the 11th in 1993’s notorious void Grand National which spelled the end of his career. I ran Sawdust Jack in the two-mile 'Silver Blaze Handicap Chase' at 2.30 in which he faced just two rivals. Sawdust Jack came home alone under by Peter Niven after Boutzdaroff fell at the fourth and Greenheart crashed out at the 8th. Jubilant scenes followed as Sawdust Jack was a yard favourite, but that part of the tale was only the start. My final runner of the day was a horse called Coulton in the 'A Study In Scarlet Novices Hurdle'. Coulton was owned by businessman Martin St Quinton and Edward Shouler, a wholesale butcher and slaughterhouse owner. Coulton's career had started uninspiringly when he was pulled up in bumper at Market Rasen after his saddle had slipped and on his third outing at Newcastle he was sent off at 33/1. Coulton defied the odds and came home in front by three and a half lengths. The celebrations would not last long and a cloud would soon be cast over the proceedings as during his victory Jack had struck into a tendon very badly. The following days would see myself and Jane Towse, who looked after Jack, do all that we could to save him. We sent him to one the top vets in the country in the hope that if his leg could be repaired then he could retire gracefully. Sadly this wasn’t to be and Jack was peacefully put to sleep with his groom by his side. Jane’s heart was broken in two when she said goodbye. As for Coulton, his win marked the beginning of a tale in itself, which would see him win Grade 2 races at Liverpool and Uttoxeter and his ascendancy to favourite for the 1993 Champion Hurdle before a spell of dry weather and unseasonal good to firm ground meant he had little hope. It was an off-the-cuff remark about Coulton to a journalist at Wetherby in October 1993 that would catapult the six-year-old into the media spotlight. Coulton left the yard in 1994 and the rest of the story will be told another time. |
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