Usually I’m updating this page with good news but yesterday was a sad day for the yard.  Our great old character, Beckermet, pulled up sore at Musselburgh on Friday and was seen by our team of vets at Station House on Saturday morning.  The xrays showed a joint injury from which he could not recover, not even to be retired to the paddock.  Grandad (David Chapman) bought Becks in May 2010 from the late Roger Fisher for £16,500.  I can remember that Grandad was determined he was going to buy him and I thought £16,500 was too much for an 8yo but I was wrong!  Becks had been rated as high as 110 and had won listed races.

He ran several times in 2010 in Grandad’s colours and was placed in a seller and claimer and tumbled down the handicap.  In 2011 Becks ran 20 times after a few runs on the AW he went on to win 4 races and be placed 10 times.  A share was sold to the Shopping, Shoes and Champers Partnership who had great fun supporting the old lad at various race meetings especially in Scotland.  2012 saw him win by a wide margin at Doncaster on very soft ground and be placed several times.  As an 11yo in 2013 he once again ran in the Chapman brown and orange silks this time for Grandma and won another twice as well as being placed lots.  This year Becks was placed 4th or third in every run until Musselburgh on Friday and although he was injured his will to please still meant he was not disgraced.

Since Becks came to us in 2010 I can honestly say he has only been ridden at home a handful of times.  He loved his turn out and lunging and I was quite happy I could get him very close to race fitness in the lunge ring and a spin at Southwell after racing would put him right for his first run of the year.  Becks was a real character – a bit like a grumpy old man but all at Mowbray House loved him and will miss him.