Regarding Neville Crump. A great trainer of chasers in a great age of Chasers/Trainers. I will be wrong likely, but I can't recall him training any top Hurdlers.

Tommy - I think you're probably right. I can't think of one in the 60s or afterwards, although he was training years before that. He did have Richdee, who went off 5/2 fav for the stayers hurdle, when Derring Rose won it at 3/1. Richdee had run in the 2.5m novice hurdle the year before (Sun Alliance), but fell. He was one of 2 decent northern hopes that year, Even Keel being the other. He was also one of only 2 4yos in the field (of 27) - Heighlin was going to be a 3rd, but was withdrawn overnight and went for the following day's Triumph instead, which he won. Honourable mention should be made of Crump's Whispering Grace, who he had his whole career, from age 4 to 14, for 'Colonel' Green. I don't think he ever ran over fences - he had a back operation as a younger horse - he was never a top hurdler, but ran to a decent level over hurdles for many years, and even won the November hcap on the flat at age 11 (Willie Carson, 7-10). He also had Arcturus, who was probably the top novice hurdler in the north, but he soon went chasing, and won the Scottish Grand National as a novice.

There was a piece in the newspaper at the end of December 1966 where Crump talked a bit about his training of Grand National horses (he'd won the race 3 times), and horses in general, which was interesting. At the time, he had 32 horses, and 26 winners in the season to date (20 over fences, 6 hurdles). These are a few of his comments...

"My hurdlers I am afraid, except for Arcturus, are a poor lot. The worst I can remember"

"I do not mind giving my Grand National horses four or five races before Christmas, but in ordinary circumstances I do not give them more than two in the three months before the race"

"Nor do I gallop my horses at home farther than five furlongs. I know, or should know by now, if a horse stays, and fast work over five furlongs, in my view, is quite as far as necessary. When they come up from grass in the summer they get plenty of steady road work on the banks and hills around Middleham, a good two hours and a half a day. With this conditioning behind them they are ready for the next stages of a season's training".


Colonel Green also had horses on the flat with Bruce Hobbs. He was Hobbs' commanding officer during the war. Looking at Canton's win, I'd say his colours were red and white hoops, green sleeves, white cap, though that would make them very similar to Carlo D'Alessio's.

Crumps obituary in the Independent lists most of his big wins none of which
were hurdles. Interestingly it mentions in Springboks win in the Hennessy Gerry Scott
had his wrist in plaster.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-neville-crump-1284314.html
Its worth a read if you are not easily offended by non political correctness, made me laugh

Yep