04 March 2009 Where are they now? Tim Mitchell
FANTUS (right): 1997 Foxhunters winner under Tim Mitchell
The first subject of our new series of special profiles, ‘Where Are They Now?', is ex-jockey Tim Mitchell, who won the 1997 Cheltenham Foxhunters on Fantus.
Despite always needing to watch his weight due to having the stature of a second row forward as opposed to a jockey, Tim Mitchell was one of the outstanding riders of the 1990s. He went into the final day of the 1997 season level pegging with Andrew Dalton and Julian Pritchard, but was robbed of the chance to claim a well-deserved championship victory when Umberleigh was called off due to waterlogging, his rivals managing a winner apiece at Garthorpe to share the title. Tim was also runner-up to Pritchard the previous year. His father Richard and brother Nick are both licensed trainers.
NAME: Tim Mitchell
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU GO ON TO AFTER RETIRING FROM RIDING? A freelance race-reader for PA Sports Ltd, and then joined the Racing Post, for whom I do close-ups and supply news from the West Country yards.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED? Piddletrenthide in Dorset, with my wife Tracey and ten month old son Ben.
WHY DID YOU RETIRE FROM RACE-RIDING? It was due to an injury sustained to my shoulder at Larkhill in 2000. I did ride again later that season, but was still having problems with it.
FOR HOW MANY SEASONS DID YOU RIDE, & HOW MANY WINNERS DID YOU PARTNER? I rode for 15 years. I had 185 winners in Point-to-Points, and 11 in Hunter Chases.
WHICH HORSES AND WINS MEANT THE MOST TO YOU? Fantus in the 1997 Cheltenham Foxhunters, for obvious reasons! Bond Jnr in the 1995 Lady Dudley Cup, for doing everything to the letter that owner Paul Barber told me, and all of the seven that I rode to consecutive victories one weekend in 1997 at Woodford and Littlewindsor.
I used to love riding Earl Boon and Fosbury, who were fantastic jumpers, although Fos could be rather hard work.
Also Run To Me, who gave me my first taste of the Festival - I'll never forget how far we stood off at the second last when we were third in the Kim Muir.
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT NO LONGER RIDING? The thrill, and the friends that I made, as I rarely get the chance to see them these days. Also the drinking at the car boots after racing used to be great fun!
HAVE YOU ANY CURRENT INVOLVEMENT WITH RACING, OR IF NOT, DO YOU STILL FOLLOW THE FORTUNES OF POINT-TO-POINTING AND THE RIDERS WHO COMPETE? I obviously see a lot of National Hunt and flat action but I rarely get the chance to go Pointing. I read the Weekender to catch up, and my family are still involved. I did steward for five years and then took a year off, but unfortunately have not been asked to steward since, which might be saying something in itself...
HAVE YOU GOT INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER SPORT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF POINTING? I love playing most sports but unfortunately an ageing body has retired me from football, where I wasn't a bad striker for seven years.
I still play cricket but snapped my Achilles tendon last June and am not allowed to play again for a year. It's very frustrating as I need to do something because I'm rather mischievous with any spare time I get!
I occasionally play golf, which I find challenging because I'm s**t at it, but because of my nature I refuse to let it beat me, much to everyone's amusement.
WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG RIDERS IN POINTING TODAY? I think Dai Jones will go far.
I get told about the young riders coming through and keep my eye on them when they hit the National Hunt scene, but so many are put in very demanding situations so soon that it can ruin them. It's a great shame, because they are still learning their trade and could develop into something special, given time, but that's the nature of the game these days.
WHAT PARTICULAR HORSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE NOW - IN POINTS, UNDER RULES OR WOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE? Any of Denman, Master Minded and Kauto Star, plus Snap Tie when he goes over fences. I'm not fussy which one, really!
WHAT WAS YOUR FUNNIEST INCIDENT AT THE RACES? Too many that I could mention but unfortunately can't, though I did have a good laugh when I was stewarding at the Blackmore Vale one year, when a friend of mine, Christian Williams, currently one of the best professional riders on the circuit, was called in front of the stewards after missing out the last fence on an odds-on shot trained by Richard Barber. I told him outside to put his hands up and admit he dropped a clanger, but he didn't, and I was chuckling all the way through the enquiry. He still holds the record for a fine in a Point-to-Point!
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST HEROES IN RACING? The horses. Plus Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter, Stan Mellor, and A. P. McCoy - and I always had a lot of respect for Julian Pritchard, both as friend and competitor.
WHAT TURNS YOU ON/OFF - IN RACING & LIFE IN GENERAL? I simply love the sport, but some people who feel the need to voice their opinion on whatever subject seem to know the least about it, especially horseracing - everyone seems to be an expert now (which many would say includes me).
In general, though, I'm a very laid-back person and not a lot bothers me really, apart from this government.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT NIGHT IN & PERFECT NIGHT OUT: In: a good film and just mellow out on the sofa with my crisps and diet coke, which I'm addicted to, and of course Tracey is sometimes willing!
As for going out, just popping to the local pubs. I live slap bang in the middle of the two in our village. There are some real characters in both, and it's great fun.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMMES AND FILMS? Any John Wayne film, and I like horror and some comedy, but not the crap coming out of America recently. The Simpsons, Two And A Half Men, King of Queens, and Family Guy make me laugh a lot, but I've seen most of them now.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE? I was brought up on Country & Western music, but I have a varied taste these days. I recently bought Timbaland.
WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GO ON HOLIDAY? Anywhere my wife tells me, but I do enjoy Turkey.
WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? A Volkswagen Golf Tdi.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DECEMBER RACING? The best decision of my life was to retire before it came in!!! There should have been a bit better selection of the courses they use, anyway.
DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON THE CHANGES IN THE SPORT IN RECENT YEARS? Not really, except that the lowering of the weights was a tad harsh on some of the riders.
