Pedigree

                                                                      Thatching
                                        Sugarfoot
                                                                      Norpello
Charlie Bucket
2003 chesnut gelding
                                                                      Scorpio
                                         Stoproveritate
                                                                      Luscina

The family

Charlie Bucket is a half brother to 3 winners :
- the fair hurdler, and useful chaser Exstoto who won 6 races in all for Richard Fahey
- Classical Ben, who won a couple of bumpers then 2 hurdle races, again for Richard Fahey
- the 12f AW winner Paris House (also trained by Fahey)
The dam, Stoproveritate was a tough all round performer with 2 hurdle wins in amongst her 8 career victories.

The second dam, Luscina, won a race over 1 miles at 3yr, and was placed 4 times. However she did much better at stud and is the dam of 8 winners.

From the family of prominent NH Sire Flemensfirth.

About the sire

Sugarfoot (chesnut horse, born 1994) was a tough miler trained by Nigel Tinkler and was successful in 9 of his 41 races. These included victories in a couple of Group 3 events. He ran particularly well at York where he won 4 races.

Retired to stud in 2002, he is the sire of winners of about a dozen races to date. His only National Hunt success has been provided by Bathwick Breeze, who was trained to win a juvenile hurdle by the Pipes.

Sugarfoot was well suited by soft, a trait which he seems to have passed on to most of his progeny.

Form Summary

The high-pitched yells betrayed the ages of the group of the race-goers gathered down by the rails after the final flight. "Come on Charlie", they screamed. "Go on Charlie Bucket!".
Such is the popularity of Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", that it didn't much matter that our gelding was disputing eighth place at the time - he was their favourite horse that day.
And around Dodlands Steading stables, he is very much a favourite with the team, ever since he was bought at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales by Donald as an unbroken 3 year old in 2006. A likeable character, but one who proved quite backward in training, really taking an age to learn how to do the simple things properly. For instance, he was forever tugging at his blanket with his teeth, to remove it from his body when in his box. He started off his race career in 2008 in bumpers showing ability, and has improved with experience each season since.
Charlie Bucket has put up some tremendous performances in handicap hurdles, in particular in season 2011-12 when finishing 2nd on two occasions, including a fine runner-up to a subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner (the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze).
In season 2012-13, he sort of lost his way a bit, and didn't really show any form until running 4th in a Hexham handicap hurdle in May 13.
So it was with great delight for all, when in November '13 Charlie stayed on well to get his nose in front in a 3m handicap hurdle, again at Hexham.
Charlie remains in the yard this season, is now in the veteran stage of his caeer but is well suited by soft ground.

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2008-09	hurdles					3
2009-10	hurdles			1		3
2010-11	hurdles		2	1		3
2011-12	hurdles		2	1		1
	chases					2
2012-13	hurdles					4
2013-14	hurdles	1			1	1
2014-15	hurdles

Current Season Form