Stories from the Saddle: Ed Doggrell

27-year-old Ed Doggrell, originally from Dorset but now working for Chris Barber in Herefordshire, broke his duck for the season on Western Cowboy at the very first meeting, having – due to injury – had to wait until Easter to do so last year. He got off the mark in style then, with a second career treble, and – amazing as it may seem – they were his first wins since the 2017/2018 campaign, as he took a six-year break from the saddle.

Muddy connections celebrate with Western Monkey (Alun Sedgmore)

Ed tells Jake Exelby about the reasons for his long sabbatical, a life growing up with horses, and some innovative ideas he and some of his fellow jockeys have to bring more people into the sport.

Tell me about your career in racing so far and how you got into point-to-pointing in the first place.

I grew up on the family farm near Dorset. My father, Mark, was huntsman for the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale for 14 years, so hunting was at the forefront of my upbringing. I grew up hunting with Harry Cobden – but his riding was far more advanced than mine! My grandad, Peter, rode, then trained, and Dad rode for him. When I was 15, I got a summer job riding out for Colin Tizzard, then – when I left school – I went to work for him full-time. I was there for three years and that was when I decided to give pointing a go.

Talk me through your first ride, your first win, and how your career progressed.

My dad had won on his first ride – at Cotley – on Plot Lane, a big grey horse who’d also given my aunt Sarah (now Sprake) her first ride, so I had a lot to live up to. My parents had got me Beside The Fire, and I had a few rides on him, but it didn’t go so well, and I didn’t ride my first winner until two years later, on Virginia Ash at Littlewindsor, for Stuart Penny.

After working for Colin, I moved to Will Biddick’s – I think I was his first employee. He spent lots of time with me, teaching me, and helped me loads with my riding. I owe the way I ride now to him – I was brought up hunting ponies, but Will taught me to race-ride.

As Will was based at Ditcheat then, I got rides for Rose Loxton and on Bistouri D’Honore for the Feltons, who Paul Nicholls part-owned. Lorcan Williams introduced me to Sally Alner, a lovely woman, and my career started to take off. In 2018, I had a treble at Badbury Rings and a double at Stafford Cross.

I also rode a point-to-point winner in Ireland that season, Carrignagapple at Ballindenisk.

A memento of Ed's first treble

Why did you stop riding after that, what did you do in the meantime, and why did you return to the sport?

I wanted more flexibility in my life so went back home, worked on the farm and hunted four times a week. I was then offered a job with the Taunton Vale, and it was a dream come true the first day I was a huntsman, just two weeks after I started. I’d always wanted to hunt the hounds with Dad’s horn and it gives me goosebumps thinking about it even now.

Hunting is an important part of Ed's upbringing

After that, I worked for the Quorn, then went back to the farm. I’d been close friends with Chris since school and still was. One evening, he asked me if I wanted to get back into not only working in racing, but race-riding – I was 13-and-a-half stone at the time!

Ed (left) and Chris - friends since schooldays

Chris was then offered the move to Herefordshire, which has been the making of the yard. It’s brought new owners, pre-trainers and you can get to a lot more places within two hours than you could from Dorset – we’re only ten minutes from the M50.

Ed leaves a vapour trail in Chris' indoor school (Caroline Exelby)

How did you manage to get down to a racing weight?

I watched what I ate, and stopped drinking for three months, which helped with the calories! I started running, and riding out more regularly helped.

Last season, you had some rides early season before getting injured, so it took until Easter to ride your comeback winner. Was there a time last season you thought it wasn’t going to happen for you?

I had two bad falls at home, which put me on the sidelines. I was out for three months, as I gave myself plenty of time to recover. Yes, I got down at times – it was a bad period – but I watched my weight and hoped that my dedication would pay off.

I returned at Maisemore Park, on Jewel In The Park, which meant a lot. He runs in the Doggrell colours and is owned by family and friends, including Ed and Helen Vickery – I think it was their first pointing winner for over 30 years.

What has been your career highlight?

I have two. Winning on Jewel In The Park at Stafford Cross in the family colours and on Move With The Beat at Cothelstone. The latter was my first win back and my first win for Chris. We’re such close friends and it was proof that the hard work had paid dividends.

Move With The Beat - a first win back, and a first win for Chris (Tim Holt)

Easter was great, and the winners kept coming for the yard after that.

How do you split the rides on Chris’ horses with James King and other jockeys?

James has commitments with other trainers, so I rode for Chris more later last season when he was riding for Luke Price and chasing the title. I hope to be able to ride Famous Clermont again, after winning on him at Cothelstone.

Ed wins on Famous Clermont at Cothelstone (Tim Holt)

Which horse (not one of your own mounts) would you most like to ride?

Grace A Vous Enki. He’s the highest-rated pointer in the country but he’s James’ ride. Maybe one day I’ll get the chance!

Grace A Vous Enki and James King - Ed's dream ride (Neale Blackburn)

And which one in the yard are you most looking forward to riding this season?

We’ve got a good crop of three-year-olds and there’s an unnamed one by Maxios that I like. I ride him every day, he’s already schooled over fences and he’s done everything right so far. He’s very talented, but we’ll only see his full potential when he runs. Hopefully I’ll only ride him once – he’s a sales horse.

What's your favourite course?

I’ve never had success there, but I would most like to ride a winner at Charlton Horethorne. It’s my local track and Aunt Sarah’s family own it. Also Badbury Rings, another local track.

Charlton Horethorne - Ed's local track (Tim Holt)

What do you enjoy most about pointing?

The community feel, especially in the West Country.

Your brother, Tom, rode in points before turning conditional. Is that a route you ever wanted to pursue?

I wanted to, but weight was always an issue, so I stayed pointing. Tom’s slightly shorter than me – and maybe more of a natural! It would be great if he’d come back pointing so we could ride against each other again, but he’s a bit heavy at the moment!

What are your ambitions in pointing and racing?

I love doing breakers and pre-trainers and may go into that side of things, getting young horses competing at a high level and helping push the 3yo and 4yo scene in England.

What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?

I think the season could actually be longer. I know that numbers are dropping and we have a limited number of horses, but spreading out the racing so that the yards – most of which are professional in all but name, “professional amateurs”, now – can run throughout the year would help. The Irish pointing season starts before ours – even three weeks earlier would mean an extra six meetings.

Having fewer meetings per weekend would mean bigger fields and offer more opportunities for tracks. Take Chipley Park – it always seems to be bottomless in January. Could a course like that race later in the season too?

I’d also like to see the younger generation get more involved with pointing and modernise it by being more creative. For example, I help set-up Maisemore Park with Stan Sheppard and the likes of Chris, Richard Patrick and Ed Bailey are also involved. With the course in place, why couldn’t we have an evening meeting ten days later too? The costs would be lower as everything would be in place and we could attract students from Gloucester, which might get them interested in the sport. I’d have inventive race types, like four-year-old only Maidens, two-mile Opens, and Mares Races, which might encourage yards to travel. And I’d put the profits back into prize money.

Ed Doggrell is sponsored by Honeycombe Shoot this season.