Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 95

EQUESTRIAN

Main: Buffalo Bob at
Bangor on Dee
Left: Chris Guy with
Buffalo Bob
Top right: Ixora
winning at
Worcester

the pedigree to become a top
class distance steeplechaser.
The horse made its Aintree
debut in the pre-Grand National
Topham Chase, only to see the
adventure ended at the eighth
fence when another faller
distracted it, and he unseated
his rider. But Chris remains
confident he has a horse capable
of not just taking part, but
eventually winning jump racing’s
most famous event.
Chris explained: “My interest
in horses began in 1972 when I
was working as a kitchen porter,
and someone asked me if I was
going to have a bet because it
was Derby Day and Piggott was
riding Roberto. I backed it and
it won. How strange that I now
part own its great grandson.
“After that win I started betting
big time, but often lost all my
wages by the end of the week,
so I learned the best way – the
hard way! I still have a bet, but
I stopped being a big gambler
when I became a family man,
because they came first and I
couldn’t afford it.”
After a divorce he met Jenny,
who shared a passion for racing,
and they had the occasional
conservative bet. Then Chris
met a friend who had bought a
share in a race horse, and he was
invited to join the syndicate –
£400 for a share of the horse,

and £80 a month training and
stabling fees.
“I joined it but soon found to
my cost it was not a good move.
I visited the stables and saw the
horse had one leg all bandaged
up, and it never did race. I
pulled out of F