Richard Lee - Coral Welsh National Winning Trainer




Welcome to the official website of leading Racehorse Trainer Richard Lee. Based in the rolling countryside of North Herefordshire Richard has held a full dual purpose licence since 1986 and counts the Coral Welsh National together with the Grand Annual, Mildmay Of Flete Chases and Aintree's Martell Cup among his many big race wins.

A specialist stable of over 30 horses Richard is a renowned authority on the subject of 'bleeders' - EIPH (Equine Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhaging),
and also enjoys an enviable reputation curing horses afflicted by chronic leg problems.
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The Season
so far

Many of the pictures used on our website are thanks to thejockey.co.uk, officialphotographers.gbr.cc, Graftonwood and Les Hurley

The Chazer scores

The Chazer landed our first winner of the 2012/2013 season at Hereford. The seven-year-old Witness Box gelding relished the heavy ground and went on to score by four and half lengths from Marodima.



 

Hector is our Hero!

Hector's Choice on the far side of Aerial


James and Jean Potter's Hector's Choice bounced back to form with a determined victory in the Ceres Estates Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham.

Richard Lee's eight-year-old has enjoyed a generally consistent season having won on his first start at Aintree before placing in four consecutive valuable handicaps. Only Aerial was a real danger to the 4-1 shot running down the hill and the two continued their prolonged battle in the home straight.

There was very little to choose between them jumping the final fence, but Hector's Choice and Jamie Moore asserted on the run-in to score by four and a half lengths.

Lee said: "I'm really pleased to see him bounce back and it was great to see him battle so well up the hill. The bit of rain we've had probably just slowed them down a bit and everything has worked out well, so I'm delighted.

"He has run some great races this season, finishing second to Nacarat in the Racing Plus Chase, and his only disappointing run was at the Festival.

"He just got banged into that day and then made a mistake and with the hurly-burly and everything, it just didn't happen for him.

"It's nice to see him get back to winning ways and that's him done for the season now.

"He might be back at Cheltenham for the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November."

Richard Lee is delighted to report his exciting youngster Knock A Hand is none the worse after appearing to break down at Aintree last week.

The exciting seven-year-old lined up in the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle following four consecutive victories over timber, but he was pulled up sharply by Tom Scudamore after just four flights.

Lee admits he feared the worst watching from the grandstands, but bizarrely, Knock A Hand was sound after returning from the track.

"Fortunately he's absolutely fine, which is a big relief, as it looked very worrying at the time," said Lee.

"Nobody really knows what happened. Tom thought he'd gone lame so he pulled him up, which was absolutely the right thing to do. But 10 minutes after the race he was perfect.

"That's him done for the season as he's had his six runs this season now and is still a young horse.

"He'll have a nice break and we'll bring him back in the autumn to go novice chasing.

"He's a proper winter horse and hopefully quite exciting."

A fine delivery. Poste and Le Beau Bai win
the Coral Welsh National

Le Beau Bai

Le Beau Bai

Click here to Listen to the BBC Radio interview

Le Beau Bai, trained by Richard Lee and ridden by Charlie Poste, edged out Giles Cross after a thrilling duel in the Coral Welsh National. The pair had the race to themselves turning for home and it seemed Giles Cross (15-2) was set to go one place better than when second last year.

He was still in front over the third last but soon began to tire and despite being under pressure, the 10-1 winner rallied. Le Beau Bai headed his rival going to the penultimate fence and stayed on dourly to win by seven lengths. It was a further 15 lengths back to Cappa Bleu in third with Bench Warrent (50-1) fourth.

Lee said: "It's a race I've always wanted to win. "We didn't run in it last year, but he was third two years ago and it all went to plan this time.

"I was worried the ground wasn't going to be soft enough for him but Charlie got some great leaps out of him.

"We train on the Welsh borders to come here and win the Welsh National is fantastic. It's a fairytale."

 

Le Beau Bai

 

Le Beau Bai


 

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Contact Richard: 01544 267672 or email info@rleeracing.com