Carol Cuthbert

Carol Cuthbert

Article by Alan Trout

Carol Cuthbert was the daughter of trainer Tommy Cuthbert, whose stables were at Carlisle. She rode three winners in the 1989/90 season, beginning with a low-key walkover on Victory Boy in the West Cumberland Insulation Company Handicap Hurdle at Carlisle on September 30, 1989. 

Carlisle was also the venue for her second win which came on Easter Monday, April 16, 1990, when Justice Lea, despite being outpaced in the early stages, came through to lead at the last flight and beat Change The Name in the BBC Radio Cumbria Handicap Hurdle. The 10-year-old started at 20/1, which was perhaps not surprising as he had only been placed once from six starts that season, although that third place finish, with Carol up, had been at Carlisle just two days earlier. 

After fishing fourth at Hexham on April 28, the pair went to Sedgefield five days later and, starting the outsider of three at 8/1, beat Chris Grant’s mount Royal Mile by five lengths in the Stanley Thompson Memorial Handicap Hurdle, a race in memory of the father of racing personality Derek Thompson. Carol and Justice Lea then finished second on both days of Cartmel’s Whitsun meeting. 

Carol rode Justice Lea in all of eight of his starts the following season, having one third place finish to show for their efforts, and that was in a three-runner race. They fared rather better in 1991/92 with three second places and one third, again from eight starts. 

There were two more second places and a third from five outings together in 1992/93, then one fourth place from six starts in 1993/94 before Justice Lea, by then aged 14, was retired after finishing fifth of six at Cartmel on May 30, 1994. 

It appears that Carol, who had partnered him in every race since his victories, may have bowed out too with that ride. Carlisle and Cartmel on bank holidays would not be the same without them.