Cheltenham unites in tribute to Woollacott

RACING united in tribute to trainer Richard Woollacott but his star horse Beer Goggles was unable to deliver a poignant success as he was sunk in the Cheltenham mud and finished fifth in the Cleeve Hurdle.

The Richard Johnson-ridden seven-year-old was the first runner from the Woollacott Devon stable since the trainer was found dead last Monday night.

Woollacott’s widow Kayley (right), who has been granted a temporary training licence, had said the gelding, who won the Grade One Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month, was running in her late husband’s memory.

She has also created an online fundraising page with mental health charity Mind one of the beneficiaries.

After a minute’s silence and with jockeys wearing black armbands, Beer Goggles would have been a 10-length winner on sentiment alone.

But after racing prominently and keenly, the 11-2 shot faded up the Cheltenham hill behind Lizzie Kelly-ridden winner Agrapart, who beat Wholestone by three lengths.

Johnson said: ‘It has been a very hard day for all concerned. We’re remembering Richard and the horse has put up a bold show compared to where he was 18 months ago.’

Woollacott was a neighbour of Kelly’s stepfather trainer Nick. So apart from Beer Goggles, Agrapart was probably the most appropriate winner of the race. Kelly said: ‘Richard was wonderful and funny and we are all heartbroken. ‘He trained down the road and I rode a winner for him once. There’s nothing I can say that makes it any better. That’s the awfulness of it. But it does open the door for a conversation on mental health.’