Adam Kondrat
Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Adam Kondrat was born in Poland on November 19, 1966. His parents chose to leave their country in search of a better life – they had family in France. Adam’s father went as a ‘scout’ in 1973. He lived almost four years on his own there, having found work in a factory manufacturing automotive batteries.
Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Adam Kondrat was born in Poland on November 19, 1966. His parents chose to leave their country in search of a better life – they had family in France. Adam’s father went as a ‘scout’ in 1973. He lived almost four years on his own there, having found work in a factory manufacturing automotive batteries.
Adam and his mother joined him in 1977 and settled in Arras, opposite the racecourse. There Adam got to know a Mr. Poulain, who was training trotters, and he paid him frequent visits. However, Adam was very light, so. Poulain directed him towards racing rather than trotting.
Adam and his mother joined him in 1977 and settled in Arras, opposite the racecourse. There Adam got to know a Mr. Poulain, who was training trotters, and he paid him frequent visits. However, Adam was very light, so. Poulain directed him towards racing rather than trotting.
Adam spoke very little French but he was starting to manage when he left Arras for Gouvieux, a move he describes as ‘a second uprooting’. He joined trainer Mick Bartholomew, who taught him the basics and how to gallop horses. He started riding on the Flat and won 65 races in four years.
Adam spoke very little French but he was starting to manage when he left Arras for Gouvieux, a move he describes as ‘a second uprooting’. He joined trainer Mick Bartholomew, who taught him the basics and how to gallop horses. He started riding on the Flat and won 65 races in four years.
By the age of 18 he had grown 10 centimetres and had gained 10 pounds in six months. He encountered major weight problems … one meal per day, sometimes not eating at all for 24 hours. He could no longer stay on the Flat.
By the age of 18 he had grown 10 centimetres and had gained 10 pounds in six months. He encountered major weight problems … one meal per day, sometimes not eating at all for 24 hours. He could no longer stay on the Flat.
Bartholomew advised him to leave because he had very few jumpers. He thus joined François Doumen at Pau. Doumen quickly put him on good horses. Adam became associated with Nupsala and Tivoli. He won the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil and the Grande Course de Haies d’Enghien twice each on the great champion Ubu.
Bartholomew advised him to leave because he had very few jumpers. He thus joined François Doumen at Pau. Doumen quickly put him on good horses. Adam became associated with Nupsala and Tivoli. He won the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil and the Grande Course de Haies d’Enghien twice each on the great champion Ubu.
However, the horse with which he is best-known to British audiences is The Fellow, owned by the Marquesa De Moratalla. The Fellow was a full brother to France’s ‘Horse of the Century’ Al Capone II. Adam rode The Fellow in five consecutive renewals of the King George VI Chase and four Cheltenham Gold Cups, winning the King George twice and the Gold Cup once.
However, the horse with which he is best-known to British audiences is The Fellow, owned by the Marquesa De Moratalla. The Fellow was a full brother to France’s ‘Horse of the Century’ Al Capone II. Adam rode The Fellow in five consecutive renewals of the King George VI Chase and four Cheltenham Gold Cups, winning the King George twice and the Gold Cup once.
The Fellow first came to prominence in Britain when he ran in the 1990 King George VI Chase as a five-year-old and finished third behind Desert Orchid and Toby Tobias. He returned to Britain to run in the 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he was beaten a short-head by Garrison Savannah.
The Fellow first came to prominence in Britain when he ran in the 1990 King George VI Chase as a five-year-old and finished third behind Desert Orchid and Toby Tobias. He returned to Britain to run in the 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he was beaten a short-head by Garrison Savannah.
Adam rode The Fellow to victory in the 1991 King George VI Chase, beating Docklands Express and Remittance Man. However, he was again beaten a short-head in the 1992 Gold Cup, this time by Cool Ground.
Adam rode The Fellow to victory in the 1991 King George VI Chase, beating Docklands Express and Remittance Man. However, he was again beaten a short-head in the 1992 Gold Cup, this time by Cool Ground.
The next season they finished third in the 1992 Hennessy Gold Cup and then retained their King George VI Chase crown, winning by six lengths. The Fellow was sent off a short-priced 5-4 favourite for the 1993 Cheltenham Gold Cup but finished a well-beaten fourth behind Jodami. The Fellow then ran in the Whitbread Gold Cup but could only finish fifth.
The next season they finished third in the 1992 Hennessy Gold Cup and then retained their King George VI Chase crown, winning by six lengths. The Fellow was sent off a short-priced 5-4 favourite for the 1993 Cheltenham Gold Cup but finished a well-beaten fourth behind Jodami. The Fellow then ran in the Whitbread Gold Cup but could only finish fifth.
The Fellow’s bid to win a third consecutive King George VI Chase failed when he finished third behind Barton Bank and Bradbury Star. However, having been narrowly beaten in the 1991 and 1992 Cheltenham Gold Cups – for which the jockey received much criticism from the British press – Adam and The Fellow finally made amends by winning the 1994 Gold Cup by a length and a half.
The Fellow’s bid to win a third consecutive King George VI Chase failed when he finished third behind Barton Bank and Bradbury Star. However, having been narrowly beaten in the 1991 and 1992 Cheltenham Gold Cups – for which the jockey received much criticism from the British press – Adam and The Fellow finally made amends by winning the 1994 Gold Cup by a length and a half.
They took their chance in the 1994 Grand National but The Fellow was tiring when falling at the Canal Turn on the second circuit.
They took their chance in the 1994 Grand National but The Fellow was tiring when falling at the Canal Turn on the second circuit.
Adam rode The Fellow for the final time in the 1994 King George VI Chase but the old spark had gone by then and Adam pulled him up. He ran twice more in France, his last race being the Grande Steeplechase de Paris at Auteuil in June 1995, where he was again pulled up.
Adam rode The Fellow for the final time in the 1994 King George VI Chase but the old spark had gone by then and Adam pulled him up. He ran twice more in France, his last race being the Grande Steeplechase de Paris at Auteuil in June 1995, where he was again pulled up.
Adam announced his retirement from the saddle on his 44th birthday, November 19, 2010. He had won more than 400 races, including 49 Group races, nine of which were Groups 1s.
Adam announced his retirement from the saddle on his 44th birthday, November 19, 2010. He had won more than 400 races, including 49 Group races, nine of which were Groups 1s.
Adam Kondrat died from cancer on 29 September 2020, aged 53.
Adam Kondrat died from cancer on 29 September 2020, aged 53.