Ref. 29647-11Former champion jump jockey and Wanborough trainer Stan Mellor has told of his dismay after thieves stole five of his most prized trophies.

Stan, who was the first National Hunt jockey to ride 1,000 winners, left his Ashbury house for little over an hour to eat a meal at his local pub.

While he was out, burglars broke into his home and made off with a precious sculpture, a silver plate, two trophies and three salvers.

The awards were the fruits of several successful decades in racing, and are worth up to £20,000.

"It's a great loss," said Stan, who retired from training two years ago.

"A lot of them are from when I was racing and they meant a lot to me. They become part of you and we always enjoyed having them.

"In horse racing there are plenty of ups and downs and when you train a winner at one of the top courses and are presented with a trophy it is very important.

"The missing items are all inscribed, so hopefully it will make things difficult for the burglar to sell them."

The theft happened last Thursday after 66-year-old Stan had spent the day at Cheltenham watching the Gold Cup.

When he got back the former Foxhill trainer, who has saddled four Cheltenham Festival winners himself, popped out to the Rose and Crown for a meal.

By the time he returned home just after 9pm the thieves had forced their way in and made off with his trophies.

The most valuable of the items was a 20-year-old Philip Blacker sculpture of Royal Stewart and Royal Mail, two prize-winning horses trained by Stan.

The other items were a 30-year-old silver Armada plate that Stan won as a jockey in 1971, a gold-plated replica of the King George VI trophy Stan had won for the owner of Frenchman's Cove in 1964, a silver plated horse on an onyx plinth, which was presented to Stan by The Punter's Club when he rode his 1,000th winner, and three silver salvers.

"I have been privileged to have had them but I'm still hoping to get them back," said Stan, who is planning to tighten security at his home following the break-in.

"At first I was dismayed but you have to make the best of it. I just can't understand why anyone would go off with them."

As a trainer, Stan won the Triumph Hurdle twice, once with Saxon Farm and once with Pollardstown, the National Hunt Chase with Alpenstock, and the Stayers Hurdle with Kings Curate.

WPC Debbie Cannon of Thames Valley police, who is dealing with the theft, said: "If anyone has had any of the items offered to them, or can help in any way they can get in touch with me on 07800 702885."

Andy Tate