Tom Chatfeild-Roberts and his partner Meisha Micklewright, both 29, are equine vets based in Leicestershire. True amateurs, with most of both their rides being in the well-known red and green colours of Tom’s father John, they have seen plenty of success between them. Tom is not far off 50 career victories, has competed in both the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters and narrowly missed out in both the Cheltenham Intermediate Final and the John Corbet Cup last season, while Meisha doubled her career tally in 2021/2022, the highlight being a brace at Thorpe Lodge on Easter Monday. Jake Exelby caught-up with the couple to find out more about their background and their hopes for next season.
How did you get into point-to-pointing in the first place?
(Tom) I rode in a charity flat race at Garthorpe when I was 17, on a horse called Django, who used to be trained by Jessica Harrington. I caught the bug and went to get a schoolmaster – Limerick Leader – who’d been ridden by Gemma Hutchinson. He was coming towards the end of his career but he got me round safely, although he couldn’t trouble the better horses. I was looking for something more competitive and my aunt, Helen Connors, knew Charlie Mann, who had Bench Warrent. He ran well first time out at Chaddesley Corbett, but was hampered two out and I fell off. We were then second at Brocklesby Park, then won at Thorpe Lodge. That was in February 2013.
None of this would have been possible without Helen. As well as Bench Warrent, she gave me my first ride and trained She's Real and Warden Hill among many others.
Tom winning on Bench Warrent at Thorpe Lodge
(Meisha) I’m from Devon and had done a bit of pony club, but hadn’t sat on a racehorse until I rang Richard Woollacott and went to work with him in my holidays. I stayed with him for seven seasons and he taught me so much. When I went to university, I started riding out in Lambourn, met Tom and told him how much I loved it. Tom’s parents John and Doone – who have been so supportive of both of us – kindly let me ride L’Eldorado, or Bunny as he was known, and I got to learn on him. I had my first ride when I was 25, at Larkhill in January 2018, and I didn’t have a clue! It all happened very quickly, I thought we had another circuit to go and got overtaken three out. Luckily the two horses in front of me mistook the winning post, but Bunny knew where the finishing line was!
Meisha winning on L'Eldorado at Larkhill
How did you feel on riding your first winner?
(Meisha) I was screaming, shouting and crying! I’m more of an outgoing personality than Tom.
(Tom, laughing) It wasn’t as overwhelming for me as Meisha because it took longer in coming. And she’s right – I show my emotions less!
How did your career take off from there?
(Tom) After Bench Warrent, I had a good mare called She’s Real. She wasn’t quite Open quality, but she was very good in Mares and Conditions races and I won 11 in total on her, including seven at Garthorpe. There, if she was on the bridle going down the hill, I knew she’d quicken.
Tom and She's Real after winning at Mollington (photo: Neale Blackburn)
Warden Hill would be up there with the best I rode. I won a Hunter Chase at Doncaster on him, beating Pacha Du Polder, and he took me to Cheltenham twice and Aintree, although my experiences there were varied. He was a good horse, but could be hard work. He was never in contention in the first year at Cheltenham, and got into a good position the next year but got tired against quality opposition. Then he didn’t have a going day at Aintree, the fences seemed very big and we parted company at the one after Valentine’s Brook.
Tom on Warden Hill at Cheltenham
Last season, Go Go Geronimo finally won his Maiden at Duncombe Park (after six seconds and two thirds from eight starts!) He then won a Restricted and Intermediate, so we thought we might as well go to Cheltenham as we knew he was a good jumper and that he’d stay. He ran a blinder to be beaten just a neck, then backed it up with a close second at Stratford. He wants a good stamina test and I’m excited about next season – he’s qualified for both Foxhunters and still eligible for Intermediates!
Tom with Go Go Geronimo after winning at High Easter
(Meisha) I won three on L’Eldorado in my first season then had my fourth win when Tom let me ride Love Manhattan at Fakenham the year after. I had my own horse, Shannon Silver – who Claire Hart trained – then bought Theatre Evening, who liked to run on concrete, but it rained from October to March, then Covid came! Last season, John and Doone let me ride a couple of theirs, including trusting me on a maiden – Santon – who I’ve always loved and stole from Tom as my ride! I won a Maiden and Restricted on him and he was one half of my Thorpe Lodge double, along with Dream Conti.
Who's inspired you most in the world of pointing?
(Tom) Sam Waley-Cohen. A true amateur who rode and won at the highest level. He inspires real amateurs like me.
Sam Waley-Cohen - true amateur (photo: Neale Blackburn)
(Meisha) I owe everything to Richard Woollacott – without him, I wouldn’t have got on a horse. Also Claire Hart, who never gave up on me and always went out of her way to help. If you were having a wobble in the weighing room, she’d have a firm word!
Richard Woollacott - taught Meisha everything
Which jockeys do you most admire? Why?
(Tom) The weighing room has changed since I started. There used to be characters like Dickie Barrett, Johnny Bailey and Sam Davies-Thomas. Rowan Cope organised a dinner recently for Caroline and Gerald Bailey’s retirement and we had a real laugh.
(Meisha) I’m always happy to see Izzie Marshall do well. She’s an incredible rider and a lovely person who’s always positive.
Which are your favourite courses? Why?
(Tom) Garthorpe. It’s my local course and I’ve ridden lots of winners there.
(Meisha) Larkhill, obviously!
Why do you love pointing?
(Tom, laughing again) We sometimes ask the same question ourselves, particularly during Covid, when we put in all that effort and couldn’t run our horses. We both very competitive, enjoy the buzz and thrill of pointing and can’t do it forever, so want to make the most of it. Ultimately, we like winning and slow horses don’t win races, so we had a major reorganisation last season (it worked, with 12 winners between them!)
What have been your funniest moments in the sport?
(Meisha) I think we’ve only ridden against each other twice and on neither occasion did we both get round. Once was in the Oriental Club race at Mollington – Tom came off at the first and I galloped over him. My grandfather, who was videoing the race, could be heard saying, “She’ll turn round in a minute. Oh, no, she doesn’t care!” Then, when Tom won the Belvoir Members on She’s Real, everyone was cheering him, but I’d toppled off at the last.
Tom and Meisha going out to ride at Mollington
What are your plans for next season?
(Meisha) Tom’s parents have bought Blazing Tom from Natalya Irvine. We saw on Facebook that he was for sale and Jess Bedi – who’s a good friend – recommended us as buyers as we’re both vets, so would look after him! The plan is to run him in Ladies Opens and he’s a tough horse, so should be able to run regularly.
Blazing Tom (maroon and blue) in action (photo: Carl Evans)
(Tom) We had six horses last season and should have five or six this year, all trained by Kelly Morgan now Caroline and Gerald have retired. We’ve sold Beauvallon Bay but Chahuteur – who had useful form in France – is back after a year off. He slipped two tendons off his hocks but is sound and happy again now.
What are your ambitions in pointing?
(Tom) To go back to Cheltenham and Aintree. When you’re younger, you don’t appreciate it as much.
(Meisha) I’m hoping to get my category B licence and ride in Hunter Chases – Blazing Tom could go for them if the stars align. I’d also love a couple of outside rides – I only had ten last season – as riding more regularly will help me improve.
What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
(Tom) I’m trying to get more involved at a local level, helping with race planning for the Belvoir to make the races as open as possible. Overall, to get more people riding in the first place – the more who get the bug, the more will carry on, but how to get people into the sport is hard. Thorpe Lodge had a race for hunters after the point-to-points and, if people enjoy that, maybe they’ll start looking for a schoolmaster themselves. The big yards are important, but we need to get more owner-trainer-riders in, so people who never thought they’d ride can do so.
(Meisha) We couldn’t go in the owner-trainer races, because our horses are trained by Kelly Morgan and Gerald Bailey. Should you make the conditions more flexible, so they can be for owner-riders and not just owner-trainers?
What do you do when you’re not pointing or working?
(Tom) I’m joint-master of the Belvoir and do a lot of hunting – whenever we’re not racing, we’re hunting. I do like a day out at the cricket though – I was at Lords last week to see England bat badly before the heavens opened! TV? We’ve got one, but don’t have time to watch it.
(Meisha) I don’t even know how to turn the TV on! I sew in my spare time, making my own dresses, while Tom reads scientific veterinary journals. I’m running the London Marathon in October for Racing Welfare and I used to compete for Team GB at amateur bodybuilding.