Neville Ender: Meet the colourful Point to Point racing commentator who has gone from DJ to racehorse trainer

“That day was a real thrill and I’d tried to hold it together for as long as I could but for the last 100 yards I must have been screaming like an idiot. He was a big and very slow horse that I had named after a spider, because he was all legs and was the slowest spider I could find on the internet.

“Harriet gave him a fantastic ride in a big field of something like 18 runners and afterwards I said to Sara that I would never have a runner and commentate on the same day again. Blow me if we didn’t go and do it all again the following year!

“I’ve always been obsessed by horses even though I’m originally from an urban background having been born in Leeds and grew up in Moortown and Alwoodley. Pretty much from leaving school I’d always thought I ‘d want to be involved in horseracing, either broadcasting or working with horses.

Neville’s first job was as a jockey, but not with horses.

“I was a mobile disc jockey for 15 years and found my way into racing commentary. My first ever commentary at a Point to Point meeting was 34 years ago in 1989. It was at Easingwold and it was the late Joe Rowntree who was secretary and a very prominent journalist for The Times, Racing Post and Sporting Life who gave me my first opportunity. Since then I’ve commentated at a handful of meetings a year in Yorkshire and right up into the Scottish Borders.

“For me there is still no thrill like when you have to think very quickly and be very correct in what you’re doing. It’s just a great adrenaline buzz.

“The thing I liken it to is a football referee because people only comment on your commentary if you make a mistake. If everything runs smoothly nobody says a word, but if there’s one error, which can easily come when you are watching through binoculars at horses half a mile away and the weather is not helping, you pretty soon get someone on your case. All the same, I wouldn’t trade my position as a Point to Point commentator and I am always interested in commentating at any meetings.

Neville said that Charm Park has to be his favourite course as he has commentated there probably more than anywhere, for the Staintondale meeting, and he’s saddened that there are less courses and meetings in Yorkshire than there used to be.

“I’ve commentated at Charm Park for so many years that I would have to nominate that one. It’s a good viewing course as well with a square shape and if you’ve a good set of binoculars you can’t miss anything.

“When I first started commentating there were something like 16-18 meetings in Yorkshire, but in recent times that has gone down to only 11 fixtures. We’ve also lost great tracks like Whitwell on the Hill, which was as good as any, and Whitcliffe Grange at Ripon.

“I’m fairly certain I will be commentating at the Badsworth & Bramham Moor meeting at Askham Bryan College in March, but otherwise the others will probably be out of the county.

Neville said that in his time he has seen some great jockeys starting their careers and has also seen how Point to Points have changed.

“It’s still a great grounding for the young jockeys coming through. It’s where most will start their careers, in the countryside capturing the spirit of Point to Point.

“Henry Brooke was very good as an amateur and is now a very successful National Hunt jockey and Tommy Dowson too. Regular Point to Point winner John Dawson is now a very good trainer.

“Point to Point is not all about turning professional. I remember speaking to Serena Brotherton who stayed as an amateur. Serena is still riding and has been very successful. I was commentating when she had her first ride in a Point to Point.

“The sport of Point to Point racing is a lot more professional these days. The horses are a lot fitter than they used to be. They tend to fit into three sets – young horses that owners are hoping to win a maiden with and then sell-on; those that haven’t been good enough to run under rules; and older horses that were good enough to run under rules but are now dropping down from National Hunt.

Point to Point commentary also opened doors for Neville elsewhere.

“Through my commentating I also got on internet radio for several bookmakers including William Hill. I was the first ever person to commentate on racing on internet radio which I did for several years between 1999 and 2008 and I was writing for every racing publication imaginable.

But Neville also had another dream that he wanted to pursue.

“I always wanted to train racehorses and, apart from continuing with a handful of Point to Point commentaries a year, it was either training racehorses or broadcasting. I knew if I didn’t make that leap in my mid to late 40s it would never happen.

Neville, his wife Julie and daughter Sara moved to Moss near Doncaster before taking stables at Tim Fitzgerald’s yard and then moving to East Heslerton.

“At first Sara and I trained them and Sara used to ride them. Sara is now the one with the licence. We once had a double winning day which was fantastic and probably the best day’s racing I’ve had. The next progression was to take out a full licence to train under rules which we have been doing the past nine years.

“We have nine horses either ready to run or not far off. I’ve had planning passed to double our stabling to 24 boxes. Our best horse at the moment is Cold Henry who we picked up for very little money. He’s won his last two races with jockey Joanna Mason, both at Catterick on the flat, but we think he will make a very good hurdler when he goes jumping. He’s bred to jump hurdles.

“You won’t see Cold Henry in Point to Point. You might just see me, but you’ll certainly hear me.