Chidswell provides boost for Richards

A WEEK ago trainer Nicky Richards and owners David and Nicky Robinson lost one of their best horses when Baywing suffered a fatal injury in the Eider Chase at Newcastle.

Yesterday, in the familiar Robinson colours, their 10-year-old Chidswell won the 888Sport Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster to provide some consolation.

Trained by Richards and ridden by Craig Nichol, Chidswell carried bottom weight of just 10st 4lbs in the three-mile-two-furlong feature and flew home after the final fence.

His nearest challenger, stablemate Looking Well, fell at the last leaving Chidswell to coast home.

David Robinson said: “That was fantastic after last week. It couldn’t have been better.

“That was horrible, last week. But onwards and upwards – don’t look back, always look forward and look for the next one.

“The northern racing community is a family and we’ve had loads of texts and emails. If you look on Nicky Richards’ Facebook page, there are 130 comments offering condolences.

“I was a bit nervous today, with what happened last week. Going to the first fence, he was very, very fresh and had his head up, but once he settled, I thought ‘just get round’. Then you could tell he was going very, very well.

“There was a little bit of a doubt whether he’d stay, but we thought he would do, and he has done. Jockey Craig Nichol said he stayed very, very well.”

Richards said: “He didn’t know what price he was. He’s a bit of a boy, I promise you – he’s a bit of a comedian to ride at home.

“He’s not an old man’s ride, like me. He needs to be fresh, so we won’t be rushing him back quickly.”