Woodford fund gets 'Bronze' Morningstar analyst rating

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Neil Woodford, one of Britain's most famous fund managers due to his strong track record, has seen his new CF Woodford Equity Income fund given a 'Bronze' rating by fund analysts Morningstar (NasdaqGS: MORN - news) .

It is the first time Morningstar has ranked the fund since it was launched to much fanfare earlier this year, after Woodford left Invesco Perpetual to start up his own company, Woodford Investment Management.

"The strategy of this fund is clear, and aims to generate a positive capital return in the long term and grow the income whilst offering capital preservation," Morningstar said in a statement on Tuesday.

"He has proven himself willing to stick to his strategy even during periods of poor performance. As a result, his long-term track record, which encompasses numerous market cycles, is strong," they added. (Reporting by Simon Jessop; editing by Carolyn Cohn)