CANFORD THOMPSON. 12 April 2013. Canford Cliffs-Sadie Thompson Owner-Ian Barran, Rita Butler, & Gemma Hogg.
Canford Thompson doesn't like staying in the same place for two long, having changed yards a staggering seven times, and he has only raced 36 times to date. His dam Sadie Thompson only raced twice, both as a two year old, winning on the second occasion at Warwick. He also has two very talented half brothers, in the 96 flat rated American Gigolo, and the 141 rated jumper Daneking.
Canford Thompson ran four times as a two year old in 2015, from the Newmarket yard of Marco Botti, his best effort was on debut at Wolverhampton in September, when finishing third, over seven furlongs.
He joined us here at Oakwood Stables for the first time in the Spring of 2016, where in three attempts on the flat, he failed to show the sparkle of his debut.In August at Cartmel he made his hurdles debut in a first time hood, but dropped away from two out, and it was a similar story at Perth the following month.His next race was at Wetherby in September, where there was no pace, so his jockey Fin O'Toole took the initiative, and went clear after the second flight, and he kept enough in reserve, to win being driven out. In October, back at Wetherby, he took his chance in the Listed Wensleydale Hurdle, but came home a soundly beaten fifth.
The owners at that time thought it was time to move him on, as he was proving a hard horse to keep sound,and he changed hands at the Doncaster sales later that month,with his new handler Mark Walford taking a chance on him. He ran twice for Mark in November, and December, running well, and placing on both occasions, on the all weather, but he was proving difficult to keep sound.
It would be 11 months until he returned to the track, this time in the care of West Sussex trainer Daniel Steele, he ran twice for that yard, but failed to fire.
He next appeared in January 2018 in his forth different ownership, and forth different trainer, this time with Mick Appleby taking over. After a couple of runs on the sand at Southwell, he found his form, finishing runner up on all of his next four starts.
He was on the move once more in April 2018, this time to go jumping again, with the Neil King yard in Wiltshire. After some consistent efforts, he got off the mark for that yard at the seventh attempt, at Stratford in October 2018, from a reduced mark of 89. under Bryony Frost.
When Canford Thompson came up for purchase again, he was brought back to Middleham for his second spell with Micky, where fingers crossed,to date, he has proved a lot easier to keep sound. During 2019, he raced six times over jumps, placing on four occasions, and getting his head in front on his latest outing at Kelso in September, under Billy Garritty. When racing resumes, it should be worth keeping an eye on Canford Thompson, as he now appears to have found consistency, with the benefit of being a sound horse.