Former Northern area and national novice point-to-point champion Andrew Parker is the latest recruit to the training ranks, having taken over the licence held by his father Colin, who died at his Lockerbie home last month after a long battle againstbone marrow cancer.
Andrew’s first trio of runners last week yielded two placings. Colin also leaves a widow, Janet, and younger son David, who turned professional after winning the 1994/95 amateur jump jockeys’ title, but who last week hung up his boots in order to concentrate on the pointing livery yard which he runs with his partner Pauline Robson.
Colin, who sent out his first winner, Three Shiners, in 1984, enjoyed his highest profile success when Sparky Gayle landed the Cathcart at Cheltenham in 1997.
The 10-year-old, who is destined to go hunter chasing in 2001, is owned by the yard’s principal patron, Ray Anderson Green, for whom Colin trained 118 winners.
