ASO – ridden by Laura Tylor
13-year-old by Goldneyev, formerly trained by Venetia Williams
Breeder – I Pacault, A Pacault & M Pacault
Aso was given to Rupert Sweeting, who is a cousin of today’s rider Laura after finishing his racing career, since then the combination have won dressage qualifiers and a dressage championship at a local venue and won and qualified for Riding Club dressage championships.
We took him to Aintree for the Jockey Club RoR championships for the experience where he thought he was running in the Grand National, the first day he totally forgot all his schooling and wanted to gallop in the direction he believed the first fence would be. After spending time with him going over and over the basics his mind clicked back to riding horse and what we were asking and he went in to get a 5th in the intro, 8th in the prelim and 3rd in the in hand always a star class.
He has an amazing mind and learns so fast he has been a pleasure to retrain and hope he will go in to have more success.
BALTHAZAR KING – ridden by Michael Andrews
19-year-old by King’s Theatre, formerly trained by Philip Hobbs
Breeder- Sunnyhill Stud
During a long and distinguished racing career Balthazar King won 16 times, including the Cross-Country Chase at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival. After recovering from a life-threatening injury incurred at Aintree, he was retired and enjoyed several seasons hunting with Izzi Beckett, wife of trainer Ralph. He has now moved on to be a ‘schoolmaster’ for Michael Andrews, The Jockey Club’s social media manager, with a view to competing in low-level dressage and show jumping. Michael says: “He is the most charming, loveable and intelligent horse.”
BARBERS SHOP (Showing) – ridden by Katie Jerram-Hunnable
21-year-old by Saddlers’ Hall, formerly trained by Nicky Henderson
Breeder – Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Bred by the Queen Mother, Barbers Shop raced in the late Queen Elizabeth’s colours with distinction. An eight-time winner, he was also placed in a King George and a Hennessy. Since his retirement from racing in 2012, he has been with Katie Jerram-Hunnable and under her care he became one of the leading former racehorses to compete in showing classes. Among his many successes was champion at Hickstead and three times winner and champion at Royal Windsor Horse Show. He is now retired from competitive showing.
BRISTOL DE MAI (HUNTING) – ridden by Clare Alexander
12-year-old by Saddlers Maker, formerly trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies
Breeder -Jean-Yves Touzaint
Bristol de Mai retired in February 2023 following a stellar racing career, he has been in his new home with his rider Clare Alexander since March, settling in beautifully to his new life; he is a big character and very intelligent. He has been out on hound exercise and autumn hunting with the Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds and Surrey Union Hunt which he really enjoys. Clare and Bristol de Mai have weekly lessons with a local event rider, and the plan for Bristol’s second career includes plenty of hunting along with hunter trials and one-day-events during the summer.
CONEYGREE - ridden by Sara Bradstock
16-year-old by Karinga Bay, formerly trained by Mark Bradstock
Breeder - Lord Oaksey
One of the leading staying chasers of his generation and the winner of the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Coneygree was retired from racing in February 2019. He adapted quickly to a life outside of racing and since being re-trained by Mark Bradstock’s wife Sara, Coneygree has won several RoR showing classes and twice qualified for the final of the Tattersalls RoR Show Series at Hickstead. Coneygree took part in the recent Cotswold Team Chase ridden by Alfie Bradstock and came up the hill towards the finish taking off just like he was winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup all over again.
MOON RACER – ridden by Juliette Huckstep
14-year-old by Saffron Walden, formerly trained by David Pipe
Breeder Denis and Teresa Bergin
After Moon Racer finished his racing career, Clare Poole started his retraining journey where he attended Show Jumping clinics and did some in hand showing. In November 2022 he came to Devon to live with Juliette. Juliette has found Moon Racer to be the nicest natured horse and having competed so far in Dressage, Showing & Show Jumping, proving to be a great all round competitor. In 2023, Dressage has been his main focus and together they qualified for the RoR South West Regional Dressage Championships gaining a ticket to the finals at the RoR National Championships, Aintree. The Championships at Aintree was a huge new experience for Moon Racer, he was placed 9th in one of his finals and had some wonderful comments from judges, showing what potential he has for the future. Moon Racer was also Champion Retrained Racehorse at Launceston Agricultural Show. He also qualified for the Team Show Jumping at the British Riding Clubs National Championships this year. At home he enjoys hacking with fellow former racehorse Magillen & loves being in the field with his companion, Balgarry (x David Pipe). The future plan for Moon Racer is to continue his jumping education over this winter in preparation for an eventing debut in 2024.
HAZEL HILL ridden by Jane Williams
15-year-old by Milan, formerly trained by Philip Rowley
Breeder – Patrick Rowley
Diana Williams has owned Hazel Hill for 10 years.
He won 19 out of 24 races in Point to Points and Hunter Chases including The Foxhunter Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in 2019. Since retiring from racing he has turned his hand to leading the ponies, trail hunting and more recently to dressage and showing.
Qualifying for the RoR Championships at Aintree 2023, in Showing and Dressage where, to the amazement of his owner, Diana and and his rider, Jane Williams, he was crowned Supreme Showing Champion. Since Aintree he has been 4th in the SEIB Racehorse To Riding Horse Final at the Horse Of The Year show.
MINELLA REBELLION (SHOWING)- ridden by Katie Dashwood
11-year-old by King’s Theatre, formerly trained by Nicky Henderson
Breeder – Sunnyhill Stud
A full brother to Cheltenham Festival winner Balthazar King, MINELLA REBELLION did not share his sibling’s ability and was retired after 5 runs under Rules. However, another door opened for him in the Show Ring and the past three years have seen his star shine brightly and consistently. In 2021 he was crowned Elite Champion at the Jockey Club RoR National Championships at Aintree – becoming the first Novice horse to lift the title. He then went on to win the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship at HOYS. Last season 2022, he won the RoR Tattersalls Championship at Royal Windsor Horse Show; then followed this by being Champion Riding Horse at Royal Three Counties and was also crowned Supreme Amateur Riding Horse at the Royal International Horse Show. This year (2023) he once again netted the Riding Horse Championship at Royal Three Counties followed by becoming Champion BSHA Racehorse to Show Horse. At HOYS he became only the second ever former racehorse to win the overall Riding Horse Championship.
PINEAU DE RE - ridden by Lizzie Brunt
20-year-old gelding by Maresca Sorrento, formerly trained by Dr Richard Newland
Breeder – Michel Hardy
Winner of the 2014 Grand National Pineau De Re retired from racing in 2016. Since then, after a period hunting, he has been competing in eventing at BE Novice level and in dressage, qualifying this year for the RoR Southern Dressage Championships at Blenheim. Pregnancy precludes his regular rider Lizzie Brunt from riding him today, but she says of him: “He is so intelligent, by far the brightest horse I’ve ever ridden. I think this helped him win the National, along with his huge heart.”
