Nigel Roddis and Teaforthree - 2012 National Hunt Chase

Nigel Roddis and Teaforthree - 2012 National Hunt Chase

 

Nigel Roddis enjoyed a famous Festival winner back in 2012 when Teaforthree captured the National Hunt Chase under the much-missed JT McNamara. We asked him to reminisce on the victory, and how Teaforthree helped to introduce a new audience to racing.

How did you get involved in ownership?

I started going racing at weekends because of how bad Sheffield Wednesday were. I needed a different distraction. Ownership then seemed a natural extension of that interest. I began by having small shares with a few friends. We had one with Bryan Smart initially. Then when Andy Clifton, who I had worked with previously, joined Favourites Racing I had a couple of shares with them. That’s now extended to forming a few syndicates myself – all very low key and amongst friends, but it allows for significantly more control. I’m a fan of the sport and ownership facilitates a deeper involvement with it. I also work in the industry, so I can persuade myself that it is an investment of sorts!

How did you find Teaforthree?

I was working with Rod Street at the time and Racing for Change wanted to lease a horse for Soccer AM, the Sky Sports football programme – the aim being to expose a football crowd, and a younger demographic, to racing. I had met Helen Chamberlain, the presenter, at a race meeting previously and they were interested, and Helen could speak with enthusiasm about the sport as well. I thought that Rebecca Curtis would be a good fit for the show – a young, up and coming trainer in 2011, so I made contact, told her what we were trying to do and she recommended Teaforthree. He was leased by the show for the year, they took the cameras to Newport and to the Festival, when Teaforthree ran in the Albert Bartlett. He also visited the Sky Sports studio in Teddington, and he clearly loved all the attention. It was clear in that race that he would be a better chaser than hurdler, so when the Soccer AM arrangement ended, I offered to buy him and put together a small syndicate for him – all friends who were keen Jump racing fans.

What do you remember about the lead up to the race?

He came third on his chasing debut, then was second at the Cheltenham November meeting, at which point you can start planning and the 4 miler was where we aimed. He won his third chase, at Chepstow, then was pulled up at Kempton at Christmas. That was too speedy a track for him. He then returned to Chepstow and won easily, at which point AP said he’d be making a call to JT McNamara to suggest he ride him in the NH Chase. Once that recommendation was in, it was hard to think about anything else.

Where did you watch the race from?

I watched with my wife Hannah, in front of the old boxes where the new Princess Royal stand is. In amongst the crowd on the lawn.

How did you feel when Teaforthree crossed the line?

I was wearing a heart monitor – Racing for Change persuaded me to. The reading was equivalent to sky diving apparently. I couldn’t actually see the line, but had a good view of the last fence. He jumped it so well and I could see he was leaving it in better shape than the other couple nearby. I also knew he wouldn’t be stopping, so the celebrations started probably a bit early. Those nearby would likely remember. Hannah and I went to meet him off the track and we walked in with Phillip, who looked after him. It was all very odd – something that you’ve witnessed many times, but now being at the centre of it. The sport is relatively unique in the access the public gets to the stars – ownership takes that on a step, providing you with a role in it. A Festival winner is the pinnacle, and to have had that experience – nothing before or since has compared.

One clear memory from the immediate aftermath was discussing the race with JT. Teaforthree had been up front most of the way but was headed between the last two fences. JT said “I let him coast down the hill. I knew I was coming up it. I wasn’t so sure about them”. He was a great horseman and there’s rarely a day goes by that I don’t think of him and what he did for us that day.

How did you celebrate?

Enthusiastically!