Fred Phipps rekindles interest with amateur ride by riding Christopher Robin

As a new teenager in 1982, Phipps watched his then-girlfriend Ginny Belding take a gallant second place behind Viewed Away on her first ride in Goldgetter, entered by his mother Angela Phipps.

Four decades later, the 57-year-old will swap the race, held this year in memory of former trainer and 1959 race winner Julie Cecil, for participation in the amateur-only event aboard the Roy Brotherton. coached Christopher Robin.

Though he has no illusions about the task ahead, Phipps, who is driving his first race since 2004, is looking forward to competing on Saturday at the unique prize, inaugurated in 1666 by King Charles II and who remains the only monarch to this day , who wins it 27.8.

Phipps said: “I got the fondness for the race from Goldgetter, who finished second, as it was just a great thing and there was a really good atmosphere.

“Since then I’ve always thought about whether we’re betting on the right horse, which I hope is Christopher Robin.

“Everyone there wants to get as close to the front as possible. Not finishing last would be a step in the right direction as he’s finished last in his last two flat races, but that’s against proper flat horses who are moving away from him. He is a real gem and a really friendly horse.

“He’s a reluctant hero, but he loves his racing. If we keep the combination together and have a good run, that would be great.”

Much time may have passed since his first encounter with the Town Plate, but Phipps has vivid memories of the day and of Goldgetter, with whom he shared a connection similar to that of Christopher Robin, who is owned by his family.

Phipps, who lives in Kersoe, Worcestershire, said: “My mother worked for John Spearing at the time and I later worked for him too.

“The horse we ran was called Goldgetter, which ironically Roy Brotherton had first ridden in a first point-to-point for someone else, then we ended up with him ourselves.

“I remember coming to the course and putting the horse in the stable over on the links, then going back to walk the course.

“We got to the start and started running, then it dawned on us that we were going to run almost four miles with the way we had to the start, so we backed off a bit and probably ran the second half back.

“It was a great race with a lot of runners and the horse that won was a really good open point to point horse that ran by the rules.

“Our horse then ran in a novice hunt at Market Rasen where Peter Hobbs rode it, then I had one of my first point to point rides and my first rules ride aboard the horse at Towcester on a hunt. He was a friendly little horse who was fun.”

Phipps, who described himself as a “terrible” jockey after a handful of rides, has since run a successful mobile catering business. Despite his short-lived time in the saddle, however, he admits he was keen on keeping his foot in the door.

He added: “I drove for Roy a lot as a teenager and in my early twenties. He is the funniest man you will ever meet and the hardest working guy and just an amazing guy to work for.

“I ended up working for John Spearing as an assistant coach. I’ve had a few rides towards and into bumpers and over fences. I was awful and deeply disappointing.

“I’m in my mid 20’s and thought I’ll never make it as a jockey and I don’t have the brain or skills to be a trainer so I’m betting I’ll get out there and make a living.

“I figured if we make a little bit of money later and have a point-to-pointer, that’s probably the best way to do it.

“In 1991 we happened upon a cafe on the outskirts of Worcester. We basically developed this business and the catering side and a few other parts and that’s been it for the last 30 years.”

It’s every jump jockey’s ambition to step back into the winner’s pen at the Cheltenham Festival, and while Phipps knows this will always remain a dream, he has a long-standing association with the home of the National Hunt races.

He added: “We’re at every meetup with a donut unit at Cheltenham races and we have a couple of others there for the festival.

“To be honest I don’t watch much of the Cheltenham races. All I see all day are donuts and a line of people!

“I probably haven’t seen a race there for years. That’s the only downside because I work there so I don’t get too involved with the racing. It’s a beautiful place to work and great to be a part of.”

Like many other businesses, Phipp’s business The Mobile Catering Group has been hit by the Covid pandemic in 2020.

However, it was this time that helped him rediscover his passion for horseback riding and spurred him to find a horse capable of competing at the Town Plate.

He said: “One of the key factors was when Covid arrived and halted our business, when I went back to work for Tom Gretton and really loved it.

“That helped me a lot and was a lot of fun. It keeps your head straight with something to do.

“Like many other people, it was the first time in 30 years that my wife and I had been home for a summer, so it gave us a little different perspective and we thought there’s no reason why we can’t have Bank Holiday Saturday off could do that.”

Phipps says pushing for victory at the Town Plate, which will be held over the shorter two-mile course this year, may be a lofty goal, but he knows Christopher Robin is treated like a winner by his family, which is what it is always the result will be .

He said: “He’s got skills but he needs a little bit of drive and he needs three miles plus over hurdles.

“The fast bottom won’t worry him and we thought he would enjoy the three and a half miles of the slab but obviously the race has now been shortened.

“He has enough abilities hidden, it’s the key if he decides to use them. We were lucky enough to buy him and he truly is the family pet and that is the value for us.”

“He doesn’t care if he finishes first or last because he thinks he’s won the Gold Cup anyway. There’s so much fuss about him afterwards that it doesn’t make a difference.”

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