16 February 2013
When I heard that the trophy commemorating my father Arthur’s triumph in famous horse race: the 1958 Grand National, was about to be auctioned and could end up being melted down – I decided I had to win it back.

It was Marcus Armytage, the Telegraph’s racing correspondent who told me that the trophy from my father’s race was up for auction - I initially put in a reserve bid to make sure that the trophy did not go, as so many do, for smelting.

But then the heart took over the head and I ended up in a bidding auction to buy it back, I have never done an auction before and the bids seemed to fly by.

It was a very nice and rather special feeling to hear the auctioneer beat the gavel and announce ‘Sold to the Freemans. It’s coming home’.
It may prove to be a terrible investment, but for me it’s a priceless chance to re-connect with my absent father’s greatest triumph.

Now, with two children of my own, I want them to grow up with a sense of their heritage, and I am always on the lookout for any memorabilia of dad’s career.

| Telegraph

| Welwyn Hatfield Times

| EDP,MP’s Grand mission in honour of jockey dad