Where are they now?

                We retired two horses last season (Bemused & Chord) and sometimes get enquiries as to where they have gone, so we thought you would like to see the ex-racehorses in their new homes/careers.  Their new owners have updated us recently and it is really important to me that I know where they are and what they are up to.  I love to hear about their progress and to keep in touch with the owners.  It is so important to make sure they are all going to a good home and preferably a home for life.  We owe these horses so much so it is very important they continue to be well looked after and happy.

                Below is a lovely email from Bemused’s new owner: Kate.  Kate intends on bringing Bemused on and possibly eventing him but mainly took him on so she can hack out with her children, hunt etc., and she was very interested in taking on a barefoot ex-racehorse for the first time.

Dear Simon,

Well, he’s no longer called Bemused, but has been rechristened Bertie The Beloved.  As his new name suggests, Bertie the Beloved has exceeded expectations in every way possible.

Most importantly, his temperament is unbeatable.  Whether it be handling him daily, which is nothing but a pleasure, teaching him new things where his attitude and quick brain make learning a doddle (that said I’m sure he could learn naughty tricks if he wanted to but he hasn’t shown any propensity for that yet), or being whinnied at several times a day, just to say hi, his temperament is the best I’ve ever come across in a horse.  His movement is far better than I realised when I came to try him, my pro-event rider chiropractor was green with envy when he met him.  Keen to learn more about classical dressage, I’m keen to get the basics in his schooling correct before pushing him on to other things.  Because he’s such a trier, I think he could get pent up with worry if I were to rush him so I think Bertie is really enjoying this approach, and my jump saddle fitter hasn’t yet been out to fit it to him.  So, I don’t yet have any exciting jumping photos to show you but they will come in due course.  I am confident that jumping will be a breeze, I’ve always found jumping a lot easier than dressage so tend to put my effort into that predominantly.  I cannot thank you enough and give your training methods enough credit because, having taken on so many racehorses in the past, Bertie really isn’t like a racehorse but rather like a riding horse who has experienced a more varied training.  With a bit of luck I won’t be wanting another horse for a long time, but when I do, I hope you don’t mind if you are my first port of call!

With many many thanks as ever,

Kate & The Beloved

Bertie being ridden by Kate, his new owner

                Chord was also retired and he went to one of his syndicate members (The Plum Merchants) in the capable hands of Simon & Janine Owen.  He settled in brilliantly with his best friend over the winter, whom I don’t joke is called mini-Chord (and is a pony stallion!).  He and his owner look very happy having jumping lessons! And it is Simon’s aim to hunt him next season.

Chord with (and I couldn't work out if it was Harvey Smith or AP McCoy on a stylish day on board, then I realised it was the great...) Simon Owen!

 Chord with his new pal, mini-Chord

Thank you to Kate, and Simon & Janine, for keeping us posted on their progress and do keep the photos coming in.  Good luck in your new careers boys!

Snowy Valley & Starlight Secret

                We ran Snowy Valley and Starlight Secret for their first run last Tuesday at Kempton over 6f.  We were very pleased with them in what was a reasonable maiden.  Both horses ran barefoot.

                They were in training as 2 yr olds with us and we got them ¾ of the way to racing and then turned them out.  That was as much as we wanted to do with them, as they were just too immature to run.  It is now thought that a degree of training of youngsters can help them later – with tendons, ligaments etc., of which I agree with so long as things aren’t taken too far and you know not to do too much.

                The two boys looked great and behaved impeccably, with Snowy not even needing to be led into the stalls but just walking in!  I was worried that they would be completely outpaced, as they both were not tuned up for this race at all.  Starlight weakened from being bang there 1f out but he got tired and Snowy ran on from being well last turning in and ended up finishing best of all, running on in the closing stages very nicely past horses.  They will both improve and I would love to think we could get the owner’s colours in the winners’ enclosure.  Snowy has a lovely full brother in the paddock that looks just like him plus he has a half sister by Norse Dancer.  It certainly would be good to put some value on them when Snowy does well.

                Both horses came out of the race well and have eaten up so all in all it was a good and happy experience for them.

Snowy Valley pre-race

Starlight Secret post race

Happy owner & happy jockey post race!

Happy owner & happy horse post race

The above photographs were kindly taken by Ben Thompson of Littleton Stud (from where Snowy Valley was brought up).  Please take a look at Ben's website as there are some truly wonderful shots on there:  www.studphotography.com

Luke Kilgarriff

                Well another of our riders does well!  Luke finished 2^nd on Wednesday on Best Bette at Southwell, to Tony McCoy who won on Wild Rhubarb.  A few months ago I phoned the trainer Clarissa Caroe to see if Luke could ride one for her, to no avail a couple of months back, but a while later she didn’t forget and asked Luke to ride Best Bette at Stratford in a Hunter Chase.  The horse ran well and she was pleased with the performance so he kept the ride.  On Wednesday he rode a very good race and looked like winning at one stage but Wild Rhubarb was just that bit better under Tony McCoy. 

                We shall sit down and have a look at the race and see if there is anything that can be improved.  We discussed a lot about when he rode the horse at Stratford and there is no doubt that Luke has been thinking about it and putting the thoughts into action.  The horse is a real tryer and jumps well so he is very lucky to have the ride and it is just what he wants – having this will improve his confidence no end.  Well-done Luke.

                I used to ride for Clarissa many years ago and she is a really lovely lady and was great to ride for.  She also appeared on Mastermind a few years back now and I seem to remember she didn’t do too badly; very unusual for a racehorse trainer to be such an intellect!

Luke Kilgarriff on the yard

Sam Goldsmith - Charity Race at Larkhill

                I have just watched the video of a member of our staff, Sam Goldsmith, riding her horse ‘Biscuit’ to win the charity race for The Wiltshire Air Ambulance at the South & West Wilts point-to-point at Larkhill racecourse. 

Sam has worked for us for a few years now as well as studying Biomedicine at Reading University where she is in her 2^nd year.  Her riding has improved a great deal since she has been with us and in the race she certainly looked like she had done it before but in fact, it was her first ride in a race.  I remember my first ride and I was a complete passenger and was no use to the horse at all!

As is so often the case at Larkhill, they go off too quick and then stop in front and it is the ones who have taken their time that come through and win – and that is exactly what Sam did!  One wonders if you are born with a good judge of pace or if you learn and I suspect it is more of the former. 

Well I will lay claim to training the jockey a bit but what Sam and Gillian, her mother, have done with the horse since I saw him soon after they bought him as a 2 yr old is to be commended.  When you look at a young underdeveloped horse it is so much guesswork to know how it will look when fully grown and I can see they have done it all right.  Biscuit was completely jaded, hated everything and everybody – probably because he was being asked to do things in his life that he was not ready for at 2 years old and possibly in a big yard where nobody cared or particularly liked him.  He has grown into a really nice looking horse with a much better attitude and now wants to please.  Again, I have said it before, but if you are patient and do what is right for your horse then they will return the compliment in buckets and spades and make you happy!  Well done Sam and a great little write up in the House & Hound to boot!

Proud of Red Not Blue

                We had a very eventful day at Cheltenham with Red Not Blue running a personal best at the age of nine to finish a closing 2^nd in the £16,000 Class 2 Handicap Hurdle after being off the course for 158 days.  Another one who doesn’t wear shoes.

                He is at his best on good ground and the rain came and turned it to soft so I thought our chance was gone, but I knew he wouldn’t come to any harm and that Andrew Thornton can take him round, look after him and probably finish out the back and the handicapper can drop him a few pounds!  Luckily, as so often is the case the owners, The Plum Merchants tend to take no notice of me and all piled on at 40-1 each way and cleaned up – and the handicapper has put us up 2 lb to 132!

                I was so proud of the horse and loved him for trying so hard.  He and everyone involved deserve to win a big one like that – we got close and we are going to try and get closer in the coming weeks – I just wish he were 6!

Red Not Blue relaxing in the paddock

Headly's Bridge - 2nd @ Chepstow

                Headly’s Bridge ran a cracker again to finish 2^nd at Chepstow last Saturday in a 0-115 handicap hurdle over 2m.  I felt we were quite unlucky.  We have to tuck him out the back early on in his races, as he tends to be over exuberant.  I think the more racing he has the better he will settle and hopefully then we will be able to ride him more prominently.

                He was completely boxed in on the home turn and couldn’t progress forward as we would have liked.  The winner stole a few lengths on us before we got going and we were gaining a lot at the finish.  Overall I am delighted that we have a lovely horse that is only 6 yrs old and has a lovely future ahead of him.  I know there is plenty more to come plus he wouldn’t go left handed when he ran in Ireland so that is one obstacle we’ve overcome as well with Chepstow being left handed.

Cheltenham and work yesterday

                Next Wednesday 18^th April, it is the Brightwells select sale at Cheltenham racecourse, commencing after racing at 6.30pm.  There are plenty of decent horses in this sale with form, Irish Point-to-Point form, National Hunt flat form etc.  There have been plenty of top class jumpers that come out of this sale and I would love to go there and purchase one for someone!  It is billed as the most prestigious sale of the year and horses from this sale consistently produce impressive results on the track with multiple graded winners and the highest strike rate of Winners from Runners of any National Hunt sale.

                We are likely to be there that day with Red Not Blue who is hopefully running, so if you are interested in attending the sale, do come and enjoy a day at the races and I would be more than happy to have a look at some horses in the evening.  Please ring me on 07850 350116.

                Mrs Penelope Bridel came to see her horse, Headly’s Bridge, do some grid work yesterday and all went well.  He has had 4 runs for us – one 2^nd and one 1^st and we are really glad the rain has come!

Opera Prince (left) with Sam Goldsmith riding and Headly's Bridge (right) with Holly Brown riding and his owner, Mrs Penelope Bridel

                Raul Da Silva, who works for Jeremy Gask as his flat jockey, galloped Snowy Valley over 5 furlongs yesterday.  He liked the horse very much and said how well behaved and balanced he was.  We are hoping he will be running soon with Raul on board.  I like using a local jockey where I can, plus it always helps with un-raced horses that the jockey gets to know them at home.

Snowy Valley being ridden by Raul Da Silva (left) and Starlight Secret being ridden by amateur Luke Kilgarriff (right)