Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Keeping up a family tradition
Point-to-point
Bright eyed, bushy tailed and full of enthusiasm – that just about sums up 22-year-old Stewart Wright, the Faversham-based pointto-point jockey carrying on a family tradition, writes CHRIS LAWSON.
A former pupil at St Edmund’s School, Canterbury, he graduated from the University of Leicester in 2015 with a degree in banking and finance, spent most of 2016 working for JM Finns, the City-based investment management firm, and is currently riding out for Wye trainer David Phelan while contemplating his next career move in the City.
While point-to-pointing has become increasingly professional both in the way horses are trained and by the people employed in racing who make up the participants, Stewart epitomises the almost defunct concept of the true Corinthian – an amateur enjoying this dangerous and fiercely competitive hobby while earning his living from other means.
“It’s very much a family tradition. It helps keep us together,” said Stewart.
Mum is Sue Frazer, a regular point-to-point rider in the 1980s, while father Richard is a serious farming and shooting man who loves his racing.
“It’s a straightforward relationship when it comes to the horses,” added Stewart.
“Mum is responsible for the training and dad pays the bills!”
No surprise really, that a young Stewart started riding when he was just 10-months-old.
He has ridden all his life since, hunting with local packs, the Ashford Valley and the West Street Tickham.
He rode out for licenced trainer John Best at the age of 13, successfully completed two years’ pony racing before riding out with some of the most respected jockey/trainer talents in the Midlands, Stuart Morris, Rowan Cope, Joe Docker and Dickie Barratt, while at university.
While some former pony racing colleagues like Freddie Mitchell and Tom Cannon, have graduated to professional jockey ranks, Stewart has his mind on other targets.
He has great respect and admiration for Philip (Shaggy) Hall, the stalwart among South East point-to-point jockeys and a successful insurance broker.
“I want to be the next ‘Shaggy,’ states Stewart.
“I would love to be the South East champion jockey one day but you need to have a good trainer, good owners and a good strike rate for that. Right now I’m focused on riding out my novice title.”