Two horses from Nicky Henderson’s Lambourn stables paraded before the crowds at Greatwood’s open day at Clench Common on Sunday (August 31.) Bobs Worth brought his Gold Cup with him and stood utterly unperturbed to provide a very popular photo opportunity.
The other horse from the Henderson yard was Carnival Flag – just starting out on her racing career. They were fitting visitors to the charity which looks after retired racehorses and uses them to help educate and develop children and young adults with special educational needs.
Bobs Worth was bought for £20,000, has come home first on ten of his fifteen outings and won over £671,000 in prize money. His tally of major races is formidable – he has won not just the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but also the Hennessy. He came fifth in this year’s Gold Cup and is an early entry for the 2015 race.
He is a special favourite of his usual jockey Barry Geraghty – and he proved a special favourite with the open day crowds. “He has”, said one fan waiting to hold the Gold Cup and have her photo taken beside him, “the most intelligent head – and he’s so alert and calm at the same time.”
Carnival Flag, a five year-old filly, is one to watch. She has run in three bumpers and come second in all of them. Just back from spending the summer in Ireland, she is not yet up to full racing fitness. She is expected to make her season debut in a hurdle race in late October.
Besides the racehorses, there was a parade of some of Greatwood’s own stars – including Deanos Beeno who was so enjoying the attention of the spectators he did not want to leave the parade ring.
Among the others on parade was Ouzbeck a twelve year old French bred gelding known in the yard as Mojo.
Ouzbeck was trained first by Alan King at Barbury and then by Emma Lavelle who had hopes for him in the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup to crown his record of ten wins from 38 starts. But it was not to be. He did, though, win £115,000 during his career.
Bringing up the rear of the parade were two retired horses Greatwood had found new homes for made a welcome return visit to Greatwood – Bon Mirage who has been with his new owner for ten happy years and the much more recent rehoming success, Fifi.
Greatwood tries to find good homes for the horses that they take in – sometimes in a pretty poor state once their racing days are over. And they have an enticing list of re homers on their website.
There were two intriguing displays of top flight riding. The young New Zealand eventer Lizzie Brown, who is now based at Temple Farm, Rockley, brought her New Zealand bred thoroughbred OJ – who competes under his full name of Princeton.
He looked in fine fettle, immaculately groomed and did not appear to mind Lizzie’s from-the-saddle commentary booming around the ménage. Lizzie put him through his paces showing how far she had brought him on.
OJ is now competing in intermediate level eventing competitions and last month came second at Wellington in Hampshire. At eight years old he is still a young horse for eventing and Lizzie says she has great hopes of him in years to come – perhaps for Rio.
Natasha and Pete Olivant brought two of their pure bred Spanish horses from Sussex to give an intriguing display of riding – in terms of style a cross between dressage and the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Their thirteen year-olds Storm and Grasshopper gave two immaculate performances.
Apart from looking round the yards and talking to the horses, there was a very well-run dog show, a large bouncy tractor, a clutch of trade stands – and refreshments. The crowds enjoyed the horses, dogs, sunshine – and the pizzas.
If you want to know how much horses can help young people, read ’When Sophie met Darcy Day’ by Helen Yeadon who runs Greatwood. It includes the story of young Sophie who had not spoken for two years – until she met the horse called Darcy Day.
With fifty-plus horses at Greatwood, there is never a dull moment and it’s good to see so many young enthusiasts working there – both employed and volunteering.
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