Equinties - jumping into the New Year

Gm Equinauts

A foreword from Olympic Equestrian, Carl Hester MBE

On behalf of Equinties, I’d like to wish the readership a very happy new year.

It’s a fairly unknown fact that I have followed horse racing for many years. My first introduction to racing was with Peter and Trish Andrews who I rode a dressage horse for. They owned the wonderful grey Smad Place, trained by Alan King, who won the Hennessy, now called the Ladbrokes Trophy, and also happen to part-own the winner of last weeks Welsh National, Val Dancer, trained by my brilliant friend Mel Rowley. My best wishes to them.

At one stage, I owned a lovely National Hunt horse, with Trish and Peter called DRAMATIC PAUSE, trained by Tom Symonds he won his first bumper at Chepstow - the rest of his career didn’t feature another win but that’s racing and part of the fun of ownership for me was to be so local, I could actually enjoy watching the early morning training, as well as the race days.

I would urge anybody to have a share, small or large, of a horse with a trainer of your choice so you can go and enjoy the morning gallops.

Pre-Cheltenham, I’m having a great new years evening with the writers of this publication and friends, and we’re just discussing the horses that we’re most excited to see tomorrow, who we think have a possible great chance of featuring.

Firstly, KALIF DU BERLIAS. As the youngest in the race, he comes with high appraise from his trainer and is ridden by none other than the in-form Harry Cobden. Considering his fall earlier this season, his last run was full of confidence and he finished the race off well and full of running.

The 13.30 throws up some old favourites, who many of you would have been following for years. BROADWAY BOY, running for the Twiston-Davies, will be a firm favourite for the locals, but it’ll be great to see CLOUDY GLEN at 12yo, running for another local in form trainer, Venetia Williams, run well, and with the weather forecast due windy conditions and heavy rain, the ground could be saturated and you’ll never overlook her horses, who are so suited to it.

In the 14.05, GERMIRANDE’s gusty performance at Cheltenham on the 14th of December showed real class, let’s hope he ate well enough at Christmas to run be able to run with the same passion! This looks like a fairly open race and with my limited experience, who can predict this one!?

For those of you who don’t much about racing and go on just picking your favourite names, in the 14.40 we have Deep Cave , What A johnny and One Big Bang… this race looks loaded with tension! Finishing with Itchy Feet! Pick your favourite name, because I’ve probably won more from picking names than trying to work out form.

In the 15.15, last time out Lucky Place took the spot above Golden Ace, but this could be close with a reversal of fortunes for this fabulous 7yo mare for Jeremy Scott. Thunder Rock is one of my favourites, but his inconsistencies between brilliance and average are hard to follow, but I shall be having a little bet on him at 20/1.

The 15.50 bumper is indeed a mixed bag, having experienced Cheltenham I’m normally out of there before the last race so I can curl up on the sofa after the day to watch the highlights and see all the things I’ve missed, thanks to Cheltenham’s hospitality!

However, I’m going to go with Precious Metal because not only is the breeding of this four year a strong pedigree, but the experience of Henrietta Knight, whose form producing previous champions is incredible, is hopefully due another star in the not so distant future. Her book, that inspired me, The Jumping Game, is absolutely fantastic. If you haven’t read it - think of it for next years Christmas present!

I am travelling to the races tomorrow with nine friends, our annual treat is to take a table in the Cheltenham Club Sky Bar and I can honestly say it’s the best way to start year!

Although it makes me slightly nervous being asked my opinion on this race day, I have loved giving my ideas…which may be totally wrong! There will be lot’s of you out there who will be stabbing in the dark, however you could be as brazen as I am and ring a trainer and ask, or you could read a newsletter such as this, or you could quite simply have fun, take a chance and enjoy the racing.

My wish for tomorrow is of course for all horses to come home safe, but to also see in a win or six! If only I had ever been brave enough to do the ITV 7!

Best wishes to everyone enjoying the racing tomorrow,

Carl

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