Chris Wall open to offers as he embarks on life after training | Horse Racing News
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It is that time of the year when the foundations for the spring and summer are being laid in Flat yards up and down Britain and Ireland but, for the first time in more than three decades, the new year is starting in a very different fashion for Chris Wall.
One of the most respected trainers in Newmarket, Wall decided to bring his 36-year training career to a close at the end of 2022, meaning he has no gawky two-year-olds to educate this winter.
When the Front Runner called unannounced, Wall was busy “cobwebbing and dusting” and it sounds like there are going to be plenty of similar jobs to keep him busy at Induna Stables over the next few months.
“It’s the first time we’ve had the yard completely empty since we moved in 31 years ago, so we’re getting a few jobs done and getting the place tidied up and then we’ll see whether we let it or sell it,” says Wall, who pulled up stumps with 785 winners to his name across the globe.
“I’m not sure what avenue we’ll go down just yet but there is a bit of work to do. Winding up the company and things like that all take a bit of time as well, so it’s going to be the spring before we move on to pastures new, whatever they may be. The yard needs a bit of work doing to it and I’d like to do that first before passing it on.”
After working at his father Ron’s small jumps yard, Wall learned the Flat ropes as pupil assistant to Barry Hills before moving to Newmarket, where he had two-year spells as assistant to Sir Mark Prescott and then Luca Cumani.
He branched out on his own as private trainer to Ivan Allan, owner of St Leger winner Commanche Run, for one season and then had five successful years at Wroughton House Stables in Newmarket before moving to Induna in 1993.
Perhaps best associated on home soil with the likes of Ashdown Express, Premio Loco and, more recently, Double Or Bubble, Wall was something of an international innovator in his formative years as a trainer.
He took the Gran Criterium at San Siro in 1989 with Candy Glen, who won the following year’s Italian 2,000 Guineas, while Donna Viola, who Wall rates as the best filly he ever trained, landed the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita in 1996. In the same year she also won Group races in France and Ireland.
Premio Loco, too, was a regular abroad, winning Group races in Germany and Sweden during a career spanning eight years and 50 appearances.
“If we’d had the horses I’d have been quite happy to have kept on going,” admits Wall. “I didn’t stop because I was fed up or I had a problem with anything, but the horses just weren’t there. I was 64 last week and if you were ten or 15 years younger you’d get stuck in and keep going but we’ve done it for long enough and don’t have much to prove.
“I felt a bit guilty about my owners, who are all good friends and have been with us a long time, but now we’ve got this side of Christmas I’m happy with the decision we’ve made. You’ve got to move forward, look to the future and not worry about what’s happened in the past.”
What the future may hold for Wall beyond the spring is unknown for now, but there must be any number of gaps his knowledge of the industry and inquisitive mind could fill.
“I’ve not put myself out there but I wouldn’t mind a little bit of TV work and would like to give something back to the industry in some way,” he says. “I was involved in racing’s politics for a very long time with the NTF and perhaps I can help out in some way there or something like that.
“I don’t necessarily want a full-time job, but something that keeps me occupied and keeps the grey matter ticking over is very important I think.”
Open minded and open to offers, Wall has plenty more to give yet.
Three things to look out for today . . .
1. Vicki Vale, sent off an 11-1 chance in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle on her last start, is an intriguing runner in the 2m novice hurdle at Ffos Las. She did far too much in front at Newbury and was ultimately pulled up before the last but it was pretty remarkable she lasted to that point having raced so exuberantly. Previously she had won a Hereford maiden hurdle by 17 lengths and there is little shock to see her return to the minimum trip after tiring over 2m4f in the Challow. The big question today is how much that race took out of her but there must be a chance she can do something similar to what she managed at Hereford if fully recovered. I guess the Skeltons would love to see her race a little more evenly today but she might just be one of those mares who wants to get on with it. Either way, she’s an exciting prospect.
2. With four wins from five starts, going from an official rating of 59 to 83 in the process, there were few shrewder buys at the autumn sales than Zealot, who was snapped up by The Horse Watchers for just 19,000gns in October. His last three wins have all come at Southwell and he returns to the same track today to try and make it five wins on the bounce in the mile handicap. He’s been a bit tardy at the start on his last two starts, which could become more problematic as he moves up in grade, but you get the feeling we’ve not reached the bottom of him yet. He holds entries at Newcastle on Wednesday and back at Southwell on Thursday and, having won three races in ten days in December, it seems highly likely we’ll see him more than once this week if he wins today.
3. The secret is well and truly out regarding star apprentice Billy Loughnane, who moved on to 21 career winners at Lingfield on Saturday having ridden just one winner from 27 rides at the start of December. His father Mark has been instrumental in getting his son’s career rolling and it is threatening to snowball now as the big stables come calling. Take his book of six rides at Wolverhampton today as a case in point, with just one ride for his dad, alongside two for Marco Botti and one a piece for George Boughey, Kevin Philippart de Foy and Mark Usher. The 16-year-old has a 22 per cent strike-rate at Wolverhampton, easily his most successful track to date, with 11 winners from 50 rides at Dunstall Park and you wouldn’t rule any of his mounts today out with any great conviction. Boughey’s Hit Mac, a winner last time out over today’s course and distance, should get Loughnane off to the perfect start in the 5f handicap for apprentices.
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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members’ Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day’s biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members’ Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content
