Reunion at Ludlow for Aintree star
Descended families of those involved with Grand National winner Forbra will meet up for the first time at Ludlow tomorrow.
The annual steeplechase commemorating the 1932 Aintree hero is scheduled to be staged for the 65th time, making it an even longer continuous “trophy-sponsored” running of any UK horserace than even the Whitbread or Hennessy Gold Cups.
Forbra, a 50-1 chance trained by Tom Rimell and partnered by Tim Hamey, successfully carried the colours of Ludlow town councillor and bookmaker William Parsonage, beating Egremont by three lengths to net the £8,165 first prize.
The get-together has been organised by Hamey’s nephew, former Press Association and Raceform reporter Will Lefebve, who will be joined at the venue by Paul Hamey (Tim’s eldest grandson), plus members of the Parsonage family. It was they who put up and paid for the magnificent gold trophy back in 1955.
Also present will be descendants of Tom Rimell, whose son Fred is in the National Hunt record books alongside Ginger McCain, the pair having each saddled four National winners.
Three winners of the world’s most celebrated and toughest horse race have contested ‘the Forbra’ – Early Mist, Nicolaus Silver and Well To Do.
A handful of jockeys and trainers to have tasted victory in the three mile event will also be on hand to present the trophy alongside Simon Parsonage, great grandson of Forbra’s owner.
