Gold Cup-winning trainer Mark Bradstock remembered for his 'true brilliance' at memorial service

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree was present during a celebration of the life of Mark Bradstock on Thursday as key figures from jump racing paid their respects at a memorial service three months on from the trainer's death.

Coneygree, who won the Gold Cup in 2015 for Bradstock, was at the front of the congregation as it left a service at St Michael & All Angels Church in Letcombe Bassett, near Wantage, and walked through the streets to the village hall.

The church, close to where Bradstock trained for 30 years, was packed as the popular trainer's life in and out of racing was remembered, while a gospel choir performed between tributes and readings.

Gold Cup winner Coneygree at Mark Bradstock's memorial service

Famous figures included Nicky Henderson, John Francome and Henrietta Knight as well as Coneygree's jockey, Nico de Boinville.

Sara, the trainer's wife of 40 years, was among those to give readings, while close friend Charlie Brooks detailed Bradstock's early career as an amateur jockey and assistant to Fulke Walwyn.

Bradstock's brother-in-law Patrick Oaksey later described Coneygree's incredible 2015 Gold Cup-winning story. Known as Max in the stable, Coneygree overcame a career-threatening injury to defy the odds and become the only novice to win jump racing's biggest prize in 50 years. 

He described how, in the build-up to the race, the trainer slept in an old caravan outside the horse's box as an extra security precaution. Coneygree, now 17, ran his last race in 2019 and still resides at the family's Old Manor Stables.

Sara Bradstock said: "It's been a great day and it's really nice that so many people have come out for it. About half an hour before we had to stop people coming into the church as it was full and there were plenty listening in from outside. Mark would have loved hearing all the stories and the music."

Figures from the racing world pay their respects to Mark Bradstock

Bradstock died aged 66 in March after a long illness and Sara has since taken over the licence, training stable flagbearer Mr Vango to finish third at the Cheltenham Festival just days after her husband's death. She said: "It's great to see so many from the village were here as well, it's touching. 

"We've had some special days, as we heard about, but Mark told me towards the end he wanted me to carry on training and that's exactly what we'll do. We're available if anyone wants to send us some horses."

The husband and wife training duo were praised for their incredible achievements from just a handful of horses over the years, in what Brooks described as "a measurement of true brilliance".

Other big successes for the stable included Carruthers, Coneygree's older brother, who won the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, and Step Back, who took the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown seven years later.