Born on December 4, 1962, Christopher Neil Kellett rode six winners under National Hunt rules before becoming a dual purpose trainer.
He began as a conditional with former jump jockey Ray Peacock and had his first ride in public at Hereford on May 3, 1984, when finishing second on Cheeky Tico in the Grunwick N.H. Flat Race, beaten five lengths by Celtic Bob.
His first success did not come until Carlisle’s Easter meeting on March 29, 1986, when Go Lissava, trained by Ray Peacock, led two flight out and came away to win the Cumersdale Conditional Jockeys’ Selling Handicap Hurdle by ten lengths.
His second victory was at Doncaster in December that year when the seven-year-old Adare ran on strongly from the last fence and just caught Shannie to win the Lottery Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase by a short head. The winner started at 16/1 and was the outsider of the five runners, having achieved little in five previous outings that season. They turned out again just three days later at Kelso and were prominent when falling at the last.
It was to be more than three years before Chris next visited the winner’s enclosure. The long wait finally ended at Sedgefield on January 3, 1990, when Change The Name made all and held the late challenge of Tulum to win the Tow Law Novices’ Selling Hurdle by four lengths. (Tulum went on to win four consecutive renewals (1992-95) of England’s oldest horse race, the Kiplingcotes Derby, when owned, trained and ridden by Ken Holmes.)
Change The Name was trained by Paul Blockley, and it was he who supplied Chris with his second winner of the season when D’Or’s Gem made most of the running and kept on under pressure to take the Yarm Selling Handicap Hurdle back at Sedgefield on March 13 by five lengths. Then Change The Name came good again, staying on well to land the Ruby Wedding Long Distance Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen in May.
Chris had a final win at Hexham on May 25, 1991, when Malicho took the lead on the flat and ran on for a four-length victory at the end of the Hilltop Novices’ Chase. He rode for at least one more season but had no further wins.
He began training in 1999, based initially at Manor Farm, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, but the following year found him at Calke Abbey Racing Stables at Swadlincote, where his string numbered around two dozen. In 2005 he relocated to Barton under Needwood, near Burton-on-Trent, then in 2010 he moved to Jubilee Racing Stables at Appleby Magna.
In 2016 Chris answered an advertisement in the Racing Post that was to change his career, accepting the post as private trainer to Andy Bell at Blythe Stables in Lathom, Lancashire. In September 2022 Chris celebrated his biggest win when Blistering Barney landed the £30,000 Grassroots Series Stayers’ Final Handicap at Nottingham, prevailing by a neck under jockey Rob Hornby. It was the sixth time the horse had won for him.
Chris Kellett’s winners as a jockey were, in chronological order:
1. Go Lissava, Carlisle, March 29, 1986
2. Adare, Doncaster, December 12, 1986
3. Change The Name, Sedgefield, January 3, 1990
4. D’Or’s Gem, Sedgefield, March 13, 1990
5. Change The Name, Market Rasen, May 12, 1990
6. Malicho, Hexham on May 25, 1991
Chris Kellett's first winner: Go Lissava, Carlisle, March 29, 1986