Market Rasen racehorse that came good like star of War Horse

War Horse is set to tug at heartstrings and have us crying in our popcorn when the film opens today - but the bond between horse and human is nothing new in Market Rasen.

The latest Spielberg blockbuster stars former racehorse Finders Key and Market Rasen is, of course, the home of racehorsing in Lincolnshire.

Ei Ei, once owned by Market Rasen trainer Michael Chapman, who raced to victory but fell and died at the last hurdle on the local course in 2004.
Actor Jeremy Irvine as Albert with the 'star' of the film War Horse.
Darbi and Jessie have grown up together. Here they are together when Jessie was a foal.

In the film, Jeremy Irvine plays Albert - a farmer's young son who has a special bond with his horse, Joey. When the horse is sold as a cavalry mount and sent into battle in the First World War, Albert vows they will be reunited.

Market Rasen Racecourse may not have been built until after the Great War, but now thousands of race fans watch horses charge into 'battle' at every meeting.

Local race horse trainer Michael Chapman said: "Horses have their own personalities in the same way as humans.

"Some horses have a strong bond with their owner, but others don't like humans because they were mistreated when they were young."

Mr Chapman has experienced the same strong bond that saw Finders Key fail as a racehorse when it was young, but later rise to stardom. He said: "I had a horse that went to a top trainer, but it was useless and was sent to Ascot sales.

"It was bought by a young girl for 800 guineas, but she couldn't hold it and it was put in a selling race to get rid of it.

"I was at Stratford and it was a real battler and wouldn't let anything get by, so I forked out £5,000 and bought it.

"But it wouldn't jump. I rang the previous trainer and he said he couldn't get it to jump. It had stitches in its back leg and apparently it had got its leg caught. The trainer said he had never heard a cry from a horse like it - it had never got over it.

"I advertised it for sale and a lady magistrate from Northamptonshire came over to see it. When she saw the injury she said she couldn't buy it - but it wasn't long before she was back. She said if she had always wanted to own a racehorse and if she didn't buy one then, she probably never would.

"That horse was called Ei Ei and it went on to win a £173,000 race. It was useless when it was young, but it just blossomed. We loved that horse - it was such a character.

"Unfortunately, it was 20 lengths in front in a race at Market Rasen and fell at the last hurdle and died. They were going to make a film about it if it did 20 races, but it only ran 16."

An equally special bond growing between a young rider in the De Aston Equestrian Team and her horse, Jessie.

Year 10 student Darbi Murphy is captain of the team and has just been selected for the Lincolnshire Elite Athlete programme for 2012 and will compete at a national level this season. It follows a successful first season for the team, which was only formed last September.

Mum and team manager Sandra, a second year Lincoln University equine student, said: "Jessie was bred for Darbi to compete on and you can see the horse looking after her when they are in competitions. They are very close and have a wonderful relationship."

WAR HORSE

War Horse is set in Europe during World War I and follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets - British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter. The story of the boy's search to be re-united with his horse reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man's Land.

CINEMAS

Filmgoers in the Market Rasen area can see it at cinemas across the region from today (Friday).

Odeon Lincoln

Brayford Wharf North, Lincoln

0871 224 4007

www.odeon.co.uk

Playhouse Cinema - Louth

Cannon Street

Louth

LN11 9NL

(0150) 760 3333

www.screenrush.co.uk