Chris Barber is the latest member of one of the most famous point-to-pointing families to turn his hand successfully to the sport. Grandson of the legendary Richard – the leading trainer of all time – and cousin to fellow champion Jack, now successful as a full licence holder, Chris is fast gaining a reputation as one of the shrewdest handlers of young horses on the circuit. The 23-year-old has his largest string yet this year, with 16 to run from his Dorset base and I adhered to the lockdown rules to meet Chris outside at his yard recently, where he told me about being part of the Barber clan and ran me through his hopes for the season.
When I turn up at Boundary Stables, Chris is out riding so I’m greeted by two ladies who are pivotal to his yard. Alice Porter of Equine Products UK Ltd, is here to ride out. She told me why she has started sponsoring the yard. “I’ve known Chris too long,” she smiles. “Since he had a pony called Cowboy who used to run off with him! I wanted to sponsor someone up and coming who works hard.”
Mum Charlotte is one of Richard’s four children – elder brother and PPA board member Jeremy is a sheep farmer, Jason has dairy cows and distils Black Cow vodka and Vicky runs the Augustus restaurant in Taunton. “I’m just the understudy,” she laughs as she drives me up to the Seaborough gallops where Gold Cup winner See More Business – among others – learnt his trade. We are there to see the three horses Chris ran on the first weekend of the season – Jupiter Rising (Alice), Miltiades (Jamie Thomas) and Thechaseison (Chris) – prepare for their first outing and Charlotte points out the stones at the top of the climb. “Richard’s buried there,” she says quietly. “He can see all his farms, the gallops and Chris’ yard.”
Another key member of the team is Jamie Thomas, who rode over 60 winners – mostly for Kayley Woollacott – before retiring from the saddle and moving to Dorset to work for Colin Tizzard, where he rode Gold Cup winner Native River in his daily work. He recalls his career highlights. “Winning a Hunter Chase on Steeltown at my local track Newton Abbot, coming third at Sandown for Colin wearing Native River’s colours, riding horses like (prolific winner) Jepeck, making a lot of friends… But it’s like a family here and I may make a comeback – don’t rule it out!” – laughs this engaging character.
Horses washed down, in their boxes and fed, I get to sit down with Chris as Charlotte dispenses coffee and biscuits. He tells me how his love of pointing came about. “I was very close to granddad,” he says of his relationship with Richard. “I spent all my holidays with him getting run away with up the gallops. He never let me ride any of the good ones – just the big buses! I had a good pony called Second Chance and we won a few races together then, when I left school – I was supposed to do A-levels but lasted three weeks, as I’d rather be riding horses – I went to work for him. Will Biddick and Harry Fry were there at the time but no novice rider, so I was lucky that it fell into place.”
Chris had his first ride on his grandfather’s old campaigner Barneys Mate and rode his first winner for Stuart Sampson on Top Chief, owned by Terry Hamlin and John Gardiner. He explains the connection. “I got to know Stuart through Jake Bament, who was working at Harry Fry’s and no longer a novice rider – so I got the mount on Top Chief. He was only 15.2 hands but had the heart of a lion – and Stuart became my main supporter.”
Chris’ career in the saddle only lasted five seasons, from 2014 to 2018, because it was clear that he was destined to follow Richard into the training sphere. “I loved riding,” he says, “And my last season was my best (with seven winners), but I trained a couple too that year, which gave me the buzz. I put in more stables and people started asking me to have horses, so I felt responsible to the owners. You can’t give 50% as both jockey and trainer, you have to do one thing 100%.”
“I remember going to the sales with granddad,” recalls Chris, “Although I never worked out his recipe for success! Then I spent six months with David Loder, who bought horses for Godolphin, so hopefully picked up some of his techniques!” Something obviously rubbed off, as Chris had his first runner – and winner – at the tender age of 20, with Definitelyanoscar at Barbury in 2018. He tells me her story.
“I went to the sales with £10,000 to buy a three-year-old, but couldn’t afford any, so looked at four-year-olds and stumbled across her. She was unsold because she was a late foal and weak and backward, but I bought her privately from Sean Doyle. I took the time to build her up and Fly (jockey and friend Martin McIntyre) did a lot with her, so we went to Barbury thinking a lot of her.”
“I’ve always had a passion for the sales,” Chris goes on. “It’s about trying to discover unknown talent, the risk and thrill of buying an unbroken three-year-old to sell on. Grandad did well with unfashionable sires,” is Chris’ intriguing response to my question of what he looks for in a horse. “I’m always getting into trouble with my mate Ed Bailey for buying good-looking horses by less well-known stallions, but granddad bought the likes of Jollyallan and his sire Rocamadour was almost unknown at the time.” He uses an athletics analogy to prove his point. “Anyone can be a good runner – it’s not as if their parents have to be.”
Chris is lucky enough to be able to call on the services of Will Biddick, the winningmost rider between the flags, just as Richard did. “Will comes in once a week to school the youngsters and will ride most of mine this year,” confirms Chris. So far, Chris and Will have only teamed up successfully once, but it was an emotional victory – when So When scored at Upcott Cross in 2019, it was his grandfather’s last winner as an owner.
An emotional Chris remembers that day. “You could put a child on So When in the stable and his work could be phenomenal but he was quirky. I thought the time to catch him right would be his first outing but he jumped to the front with Fly then said ‘no thanks’, and once bucked Will off at the start (in a match!) Upcott Cross (where he started with form figures of RPR4UR!) was the best ride I’ve ever seen from Will.” Unfortunately, Richard was not there to see it. “Grandad had seen him run every time until then,” says Chris sadly. “But he was very ill by then and couldn't make it. I burst into tears when he crossed the line.”
With the majority of Chris’ string maidens, I ask him what he thinks about the new regulations for this year, with lightly raced four-year-olds limited to one race per meeting getting weight from their elders. “Putting the weights up is a good thing,” he responds. Getting a stone and a half from an older horse is a bit of a freebie and it’s silly to ask amateur jockeys to do ten or ten and a half stone – an experienced jockey like Will can’t do that weight, so you get novices riding novices.”
Chris is also in favour of increased competition in the young maiden arena. “I was gutted when Charlton Horethorne was called off last season,” he exemplifies. “The maiden would have been one of the best races of the year – five or six of us were running four-year-olds and it wouldn’t have looked out of place in Ireland. A lot of bloodstock agents are negative about the lack of form and it’s good for British pointing if we run against each other. Young horse Maidens are a brilliant idea and I think they’ll succeed,” he continues, “But they need to be at the right course at the right time – not everyone has a four-year-old ready to run in January.”
However, Chris is less keen on running the horses he plans to sell in point-to-point flat races and explains why. “Maidens are a brilliant grounding for young horses – you can run in a rules bumper having jumped 15-18 fences, which gives you experience. It’s like a jockey turning conditional having ridden in points. But, while pointing bumpers educate horses, the trainers I sell to want to know that a horse can jump.”
As a selling yard, Chris was obviously affected by Covid-19. “Last year, I was ready to go with my four-year-olds just before lockdown – Miltiades was going to be my first runner. So I rang up a few trainers and asked them to look at horses I thought would suit them. I sold a couple, which helped with cash flow, and bought a couple of new ones – that’s fewer than normal, but then I’ve paid a bit more. I was under bidder for five or six and have found it hard to get bargains – the better horses are still making money and the big players are still there.”
Before I leave, I ask Chris about his future plans. He ponders for a moment before saying, “I’d love to be like (Irish point-to-point trainer) Colin Bowe, standing next to the likes of Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival, watching my graduates run. More than training under rules, that’s my ambition.”
Chris’ Super Six
Famous Clermont
A dark horse, who Alice is involved with. He ran well last season, but is better mentally this year – he’s highly-strung and always wanted to get on with it, but is bigger, stronger and more relaxed now. Jamie rides him every day and has done a great job. He’ll go back to Larkhill at the end of the month.
Thechaseison
Owned by the Charlotte’s Web partnership headed by Mum and bought privately from Sean Doyle by Ed Bailey. First time out at Larkhill, he was handy, game and galloped to the line. Was then second at Chipley Park in heavy and again at Badbury Rings. Hopefully he’ll be here for years and become a yard legend. Made his seasonal debut at Bishops Court.
Unnamed Malinas 4yo x Pyleigh Lady
Owned and bred by Robert Pudd and Tigger Day, he’s only just got going and is not a horse to sell. I used to ride one of his relatives and was the under bidder for his brother at Doncaster, which is why they sent him to me. He’s a nice, rangy horse who was only broken in the summer so I’m bringing him on slowly. Will be ready to run in January.
Unnamed Presenting 3yo x Sussex Sunset
A lovely horse, who we bought at the Derby Sale for 32,000 Euros. He’s a big, scopey horse – 16.2 hands – and a prime example of a good pedigree. He gives me a good feel and I’m excited about him.
Unnamed Gentle Wave 3yo x Dun Eoghanachta
Owned by Dave Footer of Yorton Stud and bought last year at the Grech and Parkin dispersal having been sold to them as a foal. Broken in March, did a lot over the summer and has already schooled over fences. He’s got a good attitude.
Unnamed Saddler Maker 3yo x Dolly Du Gouet
Bought privately having been unsold at the Land Rover sales and consigned by Hamish Macaulay. We’re very happy, as his sire is a top stallion. He’s forward, and should be ready to run in January or February.