richards will also be remembered for training the fearless, front-running two-mile chaser, noddy's ryde. the horse was only in his second season over fences when he was killed in action at devon and exeter in october 1984. he had been beaten narrowly in the arkle challenge trophy at the cheltenham festival in the spring of that year, after dueling from a long way out with the eventual winner, bobsline. the race was considered one of the most exciting of the time.