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2007 The TBA AWARDS sponsored by Darley The Dudgeon Cup
Deb’s Ball
T
he Dudgeon Cup for National Hunt Broodmare of the Year went to Deb’s Ball, the gamest mare that Dudley Moffatt ever trained and winner of 15 races, including 11 over hurdles. Deb’s Ball, sadly now deceased, ran only once over fences as the former Cartmel trainer was keen to breed from her and she rewarded him by producing two winners in 2006/07, Hot Weld and Only Millie. Hot Weld won the Scottish Grand National and the Betfred Gold Cup, and the son of Weld is the only horse to bring off this double in the same season. The official breeder of both winners is Cartmel Bloodstock, representing Dudley Moffatt, Margaret Faragher and Eileen Milligan, who received the cup.
The Queen Mother’s Silver Salver
Mercy Rimell
C
ertain names are indelibly written into the annals of National Hunt racing and one of them is Rimell. It started with Tom Rimell and has been extended by his son Fred, who succeeded him training at Kinnersley, together with the latter’s widow Mercy. A noted point-to-point rider in her day, Mercy Rimell took over the running of the stable on the death of her husband, one of the greatest National Hunt trainers of all time, and not long afterwards she saddled Gaye Brief to win the 1983 Champion Hurdle. It was from Gaye Brief’s half-sister Gaye Memory that she bred last year’s Racing Post Chase and Sky Bet Chase (formerly the Great Yorkshire Chase) winner, Simon, who is trained at Kinnersley by John Spearing. Mercy Rimell is the mother of Scarlett Knipe of Cobhall Court Stud, and the grandmother of Witney trainer Mark Rimell.
The Dominion Bronze
Reg Rutherford
“N
o foot no horse” may be an old adage, but it’s true none the less, and this time the much coveted Dominion Bronze went to one of the most skilful practitioners of his trade, farrier Reg Rutherford. He has worked in Newmarket for exactly 50 years and his ongoing association with Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud started when the stud was owned and managed by Nat Frieze. With such a long-standing involvement in Newmarket, he can recall the likes of Philip Mitchell and David Minton just starting out on their bloodstock careers. One of Rutherford’s first clients was Douglas Gray, then running David Wills’s Hadrian Stud. Gray certainly had an eye for talent as he was one of the first to appreciate the veterinary skills of Peter Rossdale. Rutherford’s work has not been confined to Newmarket and his travels have taken him to studs nationwide, to Thornton in North Yorkshire, Templeton in Berkshire, Hesmonds in East Sussex, Woodcote in Surrey, Worksop Manor in Nottinghamshire, Sezincote in Gloucestershire, and Highclere and Polhampton Lodge in Hampshire.
FEBRUARY 2008 THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER 49