MARK BRADSTOCK
TRIBUTES have been paid to the Cheltenham Gold Cupwinning trainer, who has died at aged 66 after a long illness.
The Lambourn-based handler and his wife Sara prepared Coneygree to become the first novice in 41 years to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in 2015. This helped launch the career of Nico de Boinville, who rode Coneygree to the victory and who paid his respects with dozens of racing followers.
Nico said: “Thinking of the Bradstock family. I owe them so much, they played an integral part in getting me going. Mark will be hugely missed.”
National Hunt trainer Kim Bailey visited Mark before he died and said: “We were not sure if he recognised us, but when Sara brought his 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree on to the yard lawn so that he could see him, the smile that came onto his face was one I will never forget.”
Mark won the 2011
Hennessy Gold Cup with Carruthers and the 2018 bet365 Gold Cup with Step Back. His final runner was Mr Vango, who won the Devon National by 60 lengths on 23 February.
Mark said after the race: “You don’t see many horses win by that sort of distance. He’s over 18 hands and conditions weren’t a problem for him. It was very exciting, we are over the moon.”
Mark will be fondly remembered for his campaigning of Coneygree, bred by his late father-in-law Lord Oaksey. The horse has remained with the Bradstocks since his 2019 retirement and recently took part in a team chase at the age of 17.
As well as wife Sara, Mark is survived by son Alfie, an international showjumper and event rider, and daughter Lily, a point-to-point and event rider.