'Marvellous' sprinter and European record-holder Tedburrow dies aged 31

Former trainer Eric Alston described history-maker Tedburrow as a "marvellous horse" following the death of the prolific sprinter at the age of 31.

Tedburrow holds the record as the joint-oldest horse to win a European Pattern race after he won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle as a ten-year-old in 2002. 

A six-time winner before he arrived at Alston's Edges Farm stable in Preston, he won a further 15 races for the trainer, including successive victories in the Flying Five at Leopardstown, before enjoying a long and happy retirement.

"He came to us at the end of his three-year-old campaign, so he'd been here for 28 years and at the age of 31 he'd had a good innings," said Alston.

"He was a marvellous horse – one of the best we had. He was very tough as winning 21 races takes a bit of doing. He won a Group 3 contest when he was ten and also won the Flying Five twice and nearly three times in a row but was beaten a head by Namid [in 2000]."

Tedburrow took Alston on international trips to Hong Kong, Dubai and Italy, where he was narrowly beaten in a Group 3 race at San Siro.

Alongside Group 1 winner Reverence and giant mare Stack Rock, he helped put the recently retired trainer on the map. 

"For a hold-up sprinter he did fantastic as he won three years running round Chester, which is a front-runners' track," Alston said. 

"He was a bit hyper when he was younger but barring that, he was all right. Although he pulled, he wasn't nasty or anything and was easy to train. Willie Supple got on well with him and Kieren Fallon won a couple of races on him too."

Tedburrow, who raced in the colours of Philip Davies, is joined on the illustrious list of ten-year-old European Pattern races winners by Yavana's Pace, Repertory, Persian Punch, Alcazar, The Whistling Teal and Bellamont Forest.

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