FACT SHEET
REDDITCH
Bay Gelding (1927 - 1935)
Breeding:
Red Dennis – Kenilworth Queen
Trainer:
F. Hoysted
Owners:
Loddon Yuille, W.J. Woods
Race starts &
record:
49 starts: 14 wins, (12 over jumps), 7 seconds, 4 thirds
Stake money:
£7,768
Major wins:
Australian Steeplechase (2)
Grand National Steeplechase
Interesting fact:
The death of Redditch was to result in a lengthy and acrimonious debate on the
merits of the solid fences on the Flemington steeplechase course.
The upshot was that they were replaced by brush fences.
Redditch was purchased at the 1929 Sydney yearling sales by Loddon Yuille, Keeper of the Australian
Stud Book, for just 75 guineas. He was later leased to W.J. Woods, and was trained at Mentone by Fred
Hoysted.
Like many great jumpers, Redditch began his racing career on the flat, and showed little promise; as a
two and three-year-old he managed just one win and one minor placing from 12 starts. In his first effort
over the jumps in October 1931 he won the Banyule Trial Hurdle at Moonee Valley, with a further win in
November at Williamstown. In the autumn and winter of 1932 he won three successive hurdle races,
followed by third in the Grand National Hurdle.
In 1933 Redditch was introduced to steeplechasing and quickly proved that the bigger fences posed no
problem for him. He began by winning the Brush Steeplechase at Mentone in May 1933, followed by the
Hopetoun Steeplechase at Flemington. In July he carried 12 st 3 lb (77.5 kg) to win the Grand National
Steeplechase by eight lengths, breaking the previous record by 3.75 seconds. In August he took out the
Australian Steeplechase under the punishing weight of 12st 13lb (82 kg), relegating that other great
jumper, Mosstrooper, to second place.
In 1934 Redditch was to run second in the Grand National Steeplechase, and win another Australian
Steeplechase, again carrying 12st 13lb (82 kg). After a lengthy spell he returned to the track in 1935 with
two second placings and a win in the Wanda Steeplechase. On 13 July he fronted up as the 7/2 favourite
in the Grand National Steeplechase, but disaster struck when, on the first time round in the straight, he
hit a log fence, fractured a thigh, and had to be destroyed, thus ended the career of one of Australia’s most
spectacular and best loved jumpers.