Mick & David Easterby

National Racehorse Week: Mr Snugfit

Feature | Racehorses

Mr Snugfit was bought in 1978 by owner Adrian Greenwood from the sales for £1,200 with a plan to race on the flat. Mr Greenwood needed a trainer and he approached me after the sale to see if I'd be interested in taking him.

"He needs time", I told him. "He's a long term one, a jumping horse. You won’t see him at his best until he's matured. He's got a lot of growing to do and it'll take time."

I hadn't looked at the colt's breeding, but he had every stamp of a jumper about him. However, when I eventually saw the pedigree I thought I'd been given misinformation as his sire was Jukebox, a sprinter.

We discussed training fees and I loaded him onto a box and took him to Sheriff Hutton. The horse was given the name 'Mr Snugfit' after the line of trousers called 'Snugfit Slacks' that were currently being marketed by his owner.

On 28th November 1980 Mr Snugfit won over hurdles in the snow at Leicester at odds of 14/1. The following month he went to Newcastle and won the Alnwick Castle Novices Hurdle, but these wins over timber were bonuses as the horse was born to jump fences, hurdling being just a stepping stone to the bigger obstacles.

Mr Snugfit went on to win nine races over fences between 1983 and 1985, the stories of which I'll leave for the book. But as the 1983/4 season drew to a close Adrian and I decided we would aim Mr Snugfit at the 1985 Grand National.

Any jumps trainer will tell you of their ambition to win the Grand National, and in Mr Snugfit we had a live contender. A National win puts you in all the newspapers and guarantees a steady stream of owners calling you up for the next few years. Mrs McArdy and Lochnager had put me on the map several years back and I was enjoying success with the new owners that the reputation of these two flag-bearers had brought into the yard.

Mr Snugfit went to Aintree in fine form with wins at Carlisle, Nottingham and Leicester under his belt, but he'd have to put in the performance of his life to win the big one.

The days before the National saw plenty of money for Mr Snugfit and his price tumbled. Phil Tuck was the jockey with the task of getting our horse home and he knew Mr Snugfit better than anyone. Raceday came around and Mr Snugfit put in a round of jumping worthy of any showjumper, and hitting the front two out it looked like the market was right. I was shouting him on, I was sure at that the race was in the bag. Last Suspect, the horse that looked his biggest danger, made a blunder jumping the third last and Snugfit looked the horse to beat. At the elbow Mr Snugfit was clear and it was time to begin the celebrations.

But in the final 100 yards Mr Snugfit emptied out. The lad was shattered and he had no more to give.

Last Suspect had responded to the coaxing of jockey Hywel Davies and caught closing down Mr Snugfit he caught him in the final 40 yards. Last Suspect was flashing his tail all over, not happy at his jockey's demands, but he dug deep to win, leaving Mr Snugfit to settle for the runners up spot. Second place picked up a nice pot but it wasn't about the money, it was about winning a race that would be the pinnacle of a jumps trainer's career, and having it taken away in that manner.

Jockey Phil Tuck was distraught after the race as he talked me through the finish.

"I thought we'd won at the last boss", said Phil, "then this bloody great big black and yellow bumble bee flew past me just as we got to the post."

We were denied Aintree glory that day but the following year we were back for another crack.

As the 1986 Grand National approached things were about to change as Mr Snugfit, the Grand National favourite, was purchased by one of the most flamboyant characters in racing. Terry Ramsden made an offer that couldn't be refused and the black and pink silks were replaced by Terry's blue and white hoops. His new owner was also reported to have placed a huge six figure bet on his horse winning.

The whole tale has already been written and we'll tell you the rest if ever we get the book into print.