Allister said:
“What a way to go out! It is brilliant for the owners, who have all been such good supporters and have had a lot of fun following his showing career. It was lovely that Mrs Hanbury, his owner when he was a 2-year-old in racing, was also here to see him win. We’ve had him for three years and he is quite a character. He may go hunting now, we’ll see how he goes.”
Jack the Giant was formerly trained as a race-horse by Barry Hills on the flat and Nicky Henderson over fences. He ran 26 races during his racing career, gaining 9 wins and 4 seconds and amassing total prize money of £223,055. His syndicate of owners, The Jackpots, was formed after Nicky Henderson’s partner Sophie Waddilove suggested to Allister that the horse might have potential in showing. Sophie and the six other owners, who were in the Pony Club together, have enjoyed following Jack the Giant’s considerable success in the ring.
Barbers Shop showed all his experience of the big occasion, putting in an immaculate performance and going one better than last year to take second place with Katie Jerram. The 11-year-old bay gelding by Saddlers’ Hall (IRE) out of Close Harmony was trained by Nicky Henderson and ran 24 times under National Hunt rules. He finished 2nd twice at Cheltenham and his eight wins and 7 placings earned £143,000 in prize money before he retired from racing in 2012. He has since been produced for the show ring by Katie Jerram, who has enjoyed huge success including winning at Aintree and Hickstead, as well as contesting ladies side saddle classes.
Third place went to a delighted Jo Bates, riding Sophie Tranter’s elegant bay gelding, Bang on Trend. Sophie, from Monmouthshire, has had the 11-year-old gelding for 4 years, and originally bought him to race herself. By Tel Quel (FR) out of Penny Star (IRE), Bang on Trend was trained by Christopher West and ran 18 point to point races with some success before retiring in 2010.
He had previously raced in Ireland, and Sophie won a maiden point-to-point on him before her cousin, Sam Parry, took over the ride and started to show him last season. He showed a bit of promise, and after meeting Jo, they decided to send him to her for a month to see what she could do. The pair stood 3rd in the qualifier at Stretcholt, before taking the top spot at Bury Farm to clinch their place at HOYS. Jo said:
“He is such a lovely horse. I’m delighted that Sophie asked me to ride him!”
The SEIB Racehorse To Riding Horse Show Championship was created by SEIB Insurance Brokers to support and encourage the re-education of thoroughbreds taken out of racing, re-schooling them and preparing them for a new career in the show ring. The series runs six qualifiers throughout the country, with winners earning a coveted HOYS ticket. The classes are open to both amateur and professional producers and are judged as for Riding Horses, with the best of type, whether hack, riding horse or hunter, deemed the winner.
Leading equine Insurance brokers, SEIB Insurance Brokers provide cover for horses, horse boxes, yards and much more.
Nicolina MacKenzie, Marketing Manager at SEIB Insurance Brokers said:
“The Racehorse to Riding Horse series was created to support and encourage the re-education of thoroughbreds that come out of racing, and to provide an alternative career in the show ring. I am delighted to see how the standard of these horses just goes up every year.”
More information on the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship is available from www.racehorse2ridinghorse.co.uk, or you can keep up with the latest news on social media at www.facebook.com/SEIB.R2R.
SEIB Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship – FULL RESULTS
1st Jack the Giant, owned by The Jackpots and ridden by Allister Hood
2nd Barbers Shop, owned by HM The Queen and ridden by Katie Jerram
3rd Bang on Trend, owned by Sophie Tranter and ridden by Joanna Bates
4th Royal Rock, owned by Yvonne Botham and ridden by Oliver Hood
5th Pastoral Prey, owned by Alastair McCulloch and ridden by Richard Telford
6th Clonard Lad, owned by Rebecca O’Neill and ridden by Paul Langrick
7th Wild West owned and ridden by Lizzie Harris
8th Beware Chalk Pit, owned by Ann Leftley and ridden by Rebecca Court
9th Amalric, owned by Sarah Thorman and ridden by Sarah Gwilliam
