Trainer Profile: Christopher Barber
Christopher announced towards the end of last season that he was retiring from race riding to concentrate on training and on the evidence of the success from last season his horses for 2018/19 season should be noted with interest. Christopher, 21, who is Richard Barber’s grandson and Jack Barber’s cousin has clearly inherited his grandfather’s ability to purchase good horses and this was borne out from the success of Definitelyanoscar bought at Doncaster in May 2017 who was an emphatic winner of a Maiden race at Barbury Castle under Martin ‘Fly’ McIntyre in January 2018. Subsequently sold to patrons of Harry Fry’s stable the mare then proceeded to win a Bumper at Market Rasen and finished second in another at Cheltenham in April. She was running well when falling on her hurdling debut at Chepstow last month and seems likely to find compensation shortly.
Christopher, 21, paid tribute to Harry and Ciara Fry for the encouragement and assistance he has received from them since starting his training venture and wanted to acknowledge all the guidance he has received from his grandfather Richard when first getting involved with purchasing bloodstock. Richard was instrumental in introducing Christopher to David Loder with whom Christopher enhanced his knowledge by attending numerous sales and learned what to look for in a horse.
Christopher’s other horse that he trained last season was the fragile but talented Carraig Mor. Off the course for over a year since falling at Exeter when trained by Alan King the gelding put in a great display of jumping to make all on his point to point debut in a Mens Open at Charlton Horethorne on soft ground. He finished his season with a highly respectable second to Minella Fifty at Stafford Cross in a Mixed Open race when he was giving three pounds to the winner. Christopher will not be training the gelding in the new season as he has been acquired by Emma Mellor to replace the late Elizabeths Wish.
Christopher will however be training up to nine horses from his yard overlooking Littlewindsor racecourse. With the assistance of Fly and his mother Charlotte he hopes that there will be some more successes from his new inmates which principally consist of unraced 3 and 4 year olds. He has fillies by Getaway and Kayf Tara and geldings by Arakan, Tiger Groom, Imperial Monarch and Geordieland who hopefully will be appearing during the season.
He has two horses who have been on a racecourse before namely the three year old gelding Test Valley previously trained by Harry Fry who started his hurdling career when unseating Slippers Madden at Dieppe in France and then pulling up in a Hurdle at Market Rasen in June. Christopher hopes that he can settle him as he was headstrong in both his races to date and hopefully can return to Harry Fry’s stable after regaining his confidence. He will probably start in a two and a half mile Maiden race
The other horse that has raced before is the five year old gelding Flemenstrix bought out of Charlie Longsdon’s stable at Doncaster in May. Placed in both a Bumper and a Hurdle it is hoped that he will thrive at Christopher’s stable and that at least a Maiden race should be won with him.
Christopher continues to ride out for neighbour Harry Fry but with his stables full of young talent he will certainly be busy over the coming winter. His partnership with Fly is an important part of their success and Fly will ride the horses during the new season.
