Chris Wall to saddle final runner on 'emotional day' at Chelmsford

Newmarket trainer Chris Wall will bring the curtain down on his 36-year career as a licence holder when he saddles Spit Spot in the weatherbysshop.co.uk Handicap (7.30) at Chelmsford on Thursday night.

Last month, the 63-year-old decided to call time on his illustrious spell in the training ranks after his numbers dropped significantly and he admits it will be "an emotional day" when his final runner takes part in the five-runner 1m6f contest.

Spit Spot, who will be ridden by Hayley Turner, posted a career best under the Royal Ascot-winning jockey last time when second to the reopposing Mountain Road at the Essex track, but Wall is unsure if she has enough in her locker to turn the tables.

He said: “Spit Spot will have to repeat her run of last time and a bit more if she is to beat Dave Simcock’s Mountain Road who beat her last time I would think, but we would be hopeful of another good run.”

On the occasion of saddling his last ever runner from his Induna Stables on Newmarket’s Fordham Road, he added: “It would be nice to go out on a winner but we’ll have to see what the fates decree. I don’t regret the decision to give up training, we’re moving on and you’ve got to keep looking forward so that’s it.

"I think Thursday will be an emotional day but we’ll deal with that and the last horse will leave the yard on Friday which I expect will be another lump in the throat moment.”

Jockey Jack Mitchell (left) with Double Or Bubble, groom Natalie Holmes and trainer Chris Wall, holding his reliable stick

In his time, Wall trained around 785 winners globally, the first of which was Romantic Prince at Haydock in 1987, and later at Group 1 level in Italy and the US.

He was most prolific at Yarmouth where he trained a remarkable 99 winners from 592 runners, nearly double his next highest tally at other British tracks.

He said: “Yarmouth was a very lucky track for us as they put on races that suited our horses. We’ve also trained for a lot of owners who lived in East Anglia and they like going to Yarmouth. It would have been nice to get to 100 but we’ll take 99 not out.”

As to the future, Wall added: “We’ve plenty to keep us busy as there are a few things need doing to the yard which we couldn’t do when horses or people were about. Most of the staff have moved on and Spit Spot will be going to James Fanshawe after her run. We’ll make a decision as to whether we rent the yard out or not in the New Year but we’re in no rush.”

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