Trainer kept his racehorses ticking over during the big freeze

The snow couldn't have come at a worse time for him.

His horses had run into winning form and were doing well until jumps fixtures were abandoned because of sub zero temperatures and relentless snow.

His yard and gallops are at the foot of the downs, down a long, steep lane but dedicated stable staff took immense risks to make sure they turned up every day to ride out and look after their horses.

It was a daily battle to keep the yard clear of snow and ice but Richard and assistant trainer Paul Hacking established a new routine which enabled staff to start later, with first lot not going out until around 11am, and two other lots following before evening stables a little earlier than usual.

"We abandoned the traditional routine of them arriving at 6.30am, riding out, taking the afternoon off and returning for evening stables. It made sense for them to only make one trip here and for that to be in daylight at both ends in view of conditions.

"I've got good, dedicated staff and we couldn't have done this without them," explained Richard.

Some top trainers had to confine their strings to endless circles in indoor schools, but Richard, thanks to the help of Graham Kittle, who owns fields adjacent to his gallops, had been working horses there on fresh snow everyday, which does not ball up under their feet.

Other main areas were kept clear by Phil Heath, using the yard's large tractor.

It was important to keep everything going because there are some Cheltenham-bound horses in the string, and others were ready to build on success as soon as the weather cleared.

Marty's Mission, owned by the Stewart sprang a 50-1 shock when beating Punchestown and finishing second at 50-1 in a two-and-a half-mile chase at Newbury at the end of November.

"He's a nice horse and I'm aiming him at the Jewson at Cheltenham.

"Pocket Aces is also a very good horse, having won two chases on the trot before Christmas, and I'm hoping he will go to Cheltenham too.

"I have also entered him for the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster on January 30," said Richard.

Lord Appellare had won on Boxing Day at Huntingdon and ran at Kempton on Saturday. In extremely testing conditions, he finished a good third.

Helm, owned by the Richard Rowe Racing Partnership,is a good stayer and was third on his seasonal reappearance at Folkestone on November 30.

He had been due to run in the Sussex National but just failed to get into the race because the weights didn't change as expected. He will be entered as soon as a suitable race is available now racing has resumed.

Richard has sent out more than his fair share of good winners since he switched ranks from stable jockey to Josh Gifford at Findon in 1991.

He has since won major races as a trainer, including the Whitbread Gold Cup with Eulogy for owners Philippa and Nicholas Cooper, making him only one of four people to have ridden and trained a winner of the famous race.

Another horse owner by the Coopers, I'm Supposin, won the Kingwell Hurdle and was third in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle.

One of his work riders , Donovan Eldin (21) is to become a conditional jockey for the yard, and Richard's son, Richard junior, is an apprentice on the Flat, and also rides out for his father.

Now aged 23, Richard junior rode a winner on Turf last season for Andrew Balding at Newbury and three wins on all-weather surfaces, as well as having a number of placed horses.

He is a lightweight and can claim his 7lb allowance off an allocated weight of 7 stone 12lb. He has been attracted more rides from trainers all over the country through his agent Sarah Metcalfe.

Richard hopes to get more rides and winners, especially on the turf in the coming season.