When it comes to capturing the spirit of what it means to participate in the Newmarket Town Plate, look no further than enthusiastic amateur rider Fred Phipps, who is set to renew his affiliation with the race 40 years on from his previous association with it.
Back in 1982 as a fresh-faced teenager Phipps watched on as his then girlfriend Ginny Belding, on her first ride, partnered Goldgetter, who was entered by his mother Angela Phipps, to finish a gallant second in the historic contest behind Viewed Away.
Four decades on and the 57-year-old will swap watching the race, which this year is being run in memory of former trainer and winner of the 1959 race Julie Cecil, to taking part in the amateur-only event aboard the Roy Brotherton-trained Christopher Robin.
Although under no illusions of the task ahead, Phipps, riding in his first race since 2004, is looking forward to lining up in the unique prize which was inaugurated in 1666 by King Charles II, who remains the only monarch to win it, on Saturday August 27.
Phipps said: “I got the fondness for the race from Goldgetter finishing second as it was just a great thing to do and there was a really good atmosphere.
“It is something I’ve always had on my mind since then if we dropped on the right horse which hopefully Christopher Robin is.
“Everybody there wants to get as close to the front as possible. Not coming last would be a step in the right direction as he has come last in his last two flat races but that is against proper flat horses quickening away from him. He is a real gem and a really kind horse.
“He is a bit of a reluctant hero but he loves his racing. If we can keep the combination together and have a good run that would be fabulous.”
Plenty of time might have passed since his first encounter with the Town Plate, however Phipps has vivid memories of the day and of Goldgetter, whom he held a similar connection to the one he has with Christopher Robin, who is owned by his family.
Phipps, who is based in Kersoe, Worcestershire said: “My mother at the time worked for John Spearing and I subsequently went on to work for him as well.
“The horse we ran called was called Goldgetter who ironically Roy Brotherton had ridden first time out in a maiden point-to-point for somebody else then we ended up with him ourselves.
“I remember getting to the course and putting the horse in the stables over on the Links then I went back to walk the course.
“We got to the start and started walking it then it dawned on us that we were going to be walking almost four miles with the walk we had to the start so we left ourselves a bit tight on time and we probably ended up running the second half of it to get back.
“It was a great race with plenty of runners in and the horse that won was a really good open point-to-point horse which went on to run under rules.
“Our horse ran then ran in a novice chase at Market Rasen where Peter Hobbs rode it then I had one of my first point-to-point rides on and my first ride under Rules on aboard the horse at Towcester in a hunter chase. He was a kind little horse that was fun.”
Describing himself as a “terrible” jockey following a handful of rides, Phipps has since gone on to run a successful mobile catering business. However despite his short lived spell in the saddle he admits he was keen to keep his foot in the door.
He added: “I used to ride out for Roy a lot when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. He is the funniest man you will ever meet and the hardest working chap and just a fantastic guy to work for.
“I ended up working for John Spearing as an assistant trainer. I had a few rides pointing and in bumpers and over fences. I was terrible, and desperately disappointing.
“I got to my mid 20s and I thought I’m never going to make it as a jockey and I’ve not got the head or the skill to be a trainer so I bet get out and earn the living.
“I thought if we can earn a bit of money further down the line and have a point-to-pointer that is probably the best way to do it.
“In 1991 we ended by chance in a cafe on the outskirts of Worcester. We basically developed that business and the catering side and a few other bits of pieces and that has been it for the past 30 years.”
The ambition of every jump jockey to walk back into the winner’s enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival and while Phipps knows that will only ever remain the thing of dreams he does have a long standing connection with the home of National Hunt racing.
He added: “We are at Cheltenham races every meeting with a donut unit and we have a couple of others there for The Festival.
“To be honest I don’t get to see much of the racing at Cheltenham. All I see all day is a donuts and a queue of people!
“I’ve not probably watched a race there for years. That is the only disadvantage that of I’m there I’m working so I don’t get too involved with the racing. It is a lovely place to work and great to be involved with it.”
Like many other businesses Phipps company The Mobile Catering Group took a hit with the Covid pandemic in 2020.
However it was during this time that helped him re-discover his passion for riding and spur him on to find a horse capable of contesting the Town Plate.
He said: “One of the key factors was when Covid arrived and it stopped our business as such I went back to work for Tom Gretton and I really loved it.
“It helped me tremendously and it was great fun. It keeps your head straight with something to do.
“Like many other people it was the first time me and my wife had been at home for a summer in 30 years so it gave us a slightly different perspective and we thought there is no reason why we couldn’t have Bank Holiday Saturday off to do this.”
Pushing for victory in the Town Plate, which will be staged over the shorter trip of two miles one this year, might be a lofty target according to Phipps, but he knows that whatever the outcome Christopher Robin will get treated like a winner by his family.
He said: “He has got ability but he does need a bit of a trip and he needs three miles plus over hurdles.
"The fast ground won’t worry him and we thought the three and three quarter miles of the plate he would enjoy but obviously the race has been shortened now.
"He has enough ability tucked away it is whether he decides to use it is the key. We were lucky to buy him and he really is the family pet and that is where the value is for us.
"It doesn’t matter to him if he finishes first or last as he thinks he has won the Gold Cup anyway. He gets such a fuss made afterwards it doesn’t make any difference."
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