Rupert Nuttall
Amateur rider Rupert Ellis Gurney Nuttall was born in Devon on November 14, 1959, the son of permit trainer Anthony Nuttall, who had himself ridden as an amateur.
Amateur rider Rupert Ellis Gurney Nuttall was born in Devon on November 14, 1959, the son of permit trainer Anthony Nuttall, who had himself ridden as an amateur.
Rupert did not ride that many winners under National Hunt rules but gained far and away his biggest success aboard the Robert Alner-trained Harwell Lad in the 1997 Whitbread Gold Cup. In his post-race interview on Channel 4 Racing, the presenter grew pensive when Rupert said that were it not for hunting, “his mount would have ended up as dog food years ago”.
Rupert did not ride that many winners under National Hunt rules but gained far and away his biggest success aboard the Robert Alner-trained Harwell Lad in the 1997 Whitbread Gold Cup. In his post-race interview on Channel 4 Racing, the presenter grew pensive when Rupert said that were it not for hunting, “his mount would have ended up as dog food years ago”.
Rupert rode Harwell Lad in all his races. In addition to the Whitbread triumph, he won five other chases (including four in a row) on him plus two point-to-points.
Rupert rode Harwell Lad in all his races. In addition to the Whitbread triumph, he won five other chases (including four in a row) on him plus two point-to-points.
His career in the saddle ended when he broke his back for the second time in 1998. His injuries did not prevent him from carrying on hunting and he was joint-master of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Foxhounds for five seasons.
His career in the saddle ended when he broke his back for the second time in 1998. His injuries did not prevent him from carrying on hunting and he was joint-master of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Foxhounds for five seasons.
In June 2000 he drove his tractor 125 miles from his farm in Somerset to London in a low-speed personal protest, circling Parliament Square on the day the Government announced that there would be a free vote in the House of Commons on foxhunting.
In June 2000 he drove his tractor 125 miles from his farm in Somerset to London in a low-speed personal protest, circling Parliament Square on the day the Government announced that there would be a free vote in the House of Commons on foxhunting.