KENNET VALLEY THOROUGHBREDS

Summer 2020 Newsletter

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MAGICAL MEMORY 2012 gelding by Zebedee ex Marasem, trained by Charles Hills

MAGICAL MEMORY is in full work at Charlie Hills’ and they are over the moon with how he has quickly got back into the swing of things. He has been off the track for nearly two years now but there still appears to be a huge amount of ability there and hopefully he can translate this onto the track in due course.

SIR BUSKER 2016 bay gelding by Sir Prancealot ex Street Kitty, trained by William Knight

William feels that SIR BUSKER is a different horse this season, having strengthened physically and matured mentally over the winter. His ability to handle a range of going descriptions will prove handy and he could be one for some valuable 7 furlong / 1 mile handicaps this season.

DANCE FEVER 2017 bay colt by Sir Prancealot ex Silk Fan, trained by Clive Cox

Clive is making some bullish noises about DANCE FEVER who has been working with Group 1 horses from last year, Positive and Golden Horde. When racing resumes we will look to exploit his handicap rating of 91 and, if Royal Ascot goes ahead, he could be one for the Britannia Handicap.

KASHMIRELLA 2017 chesnut filly by Camacho ex Pashmina, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton

KASHMIRELLA is moving well at Eve’s Woodway Stables and has filled into her impressive frame. She was disappointing on her second start last season but was found to be sick afterwards so a line can be drawn through that. She is eligible for handicap races after one more start and will hopefully be one to progress well in these.

SPANISH KISS 2017 bay colt by Lope de Vega ex Kissable, trained by William Knight

SPANISH KISS has been impressing on the gallops all spring and William is excited about him. He was always likely to be a much better 3yo than 2yo given his frame. He was very slightly lame for a couple of days at the end of April but it appears nothing to be worried about and he is capable of progress over trips up to 12 furlongs this season.

Current Horses in Training

With the country in lockdown and racing in a state of flux due to the coronavirus, our summer newsletter consists of a little bit more than just horses which we hope you will enjoy reading.

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STREAK LIGHTNING 2017 chesnut colt by Night of Thunder ex Emreliya, trained by Mark Johnston

The Johnston team are very happy with STREAK LIGHTNING who is ready to run as soon as racing gets the green light to resume. He has been showing plenty of ability at home and is an exciting prospect who will hopefully reward his partners’ patience this season.

CAROLUS MAGNUS 2018 bay colt by Holy Roman Emperor ex Izola, trained by Andrew Balding

Andrew is delighted with CAROLUS MAGNUS who could be our first 2yo runner this season, all being well. He shows great appetite for the job at home and is showing plenty of speed. He is likely to start off over 6 or 7 furlongs and a major target for him could be the €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Race at the Curragh in mid-September.

DUAL IDENTITY 2018 bay colt by Belardo ex Teide Lady, trained by William Knight

William speaks highly of the attractive DUAL IDENTITY who does things easily at home. He hasn’t had the gun put to his head yet but he is a very good moving colt. He also boasts a good attitude and could be anything.

EQUALITY 2018 bay colt by Equiano ex Penny Drops, trained by Charles Hills

EQUALITY is a powerful colt who oozes class. Charlie reports he has recently gone through a growing spurt so they have eased off him and he is showing all the benefits from that. He had impressed with all that he had done before that and they like him. He holds an entry in The Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes at York.

NOVELTY 2018 bay filly by New Approach ex Welsh Angel, trained by Mark Johnston

NOVELTY was never likely to be an early filly given her pedigree and physique but that has not stopped her catching a few early pigeons. She is bound to want 7 furlongs or a mile this season and should get further next season. The yard love her temperament so she is exciting.

SEMPER AUGUSTUS 2018 chesnut colt by Dutch Art ex Pink Flames, trained by Ed Walker

SEMPER AUGUSTUS is another good moving colt who is also doing everything easily at this stage. He is a ‘teenage boy’ in the behavioural stakes but Ed reports this is an observation rather than a concern. He appears relatively forward and a big target for him could be the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket in October.

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NOVICE/MAIDEN RACESAll horses racing on the flat must start off in Novice or Maiden Races with Novice’s being open to winners who are penalised for their wins. If one has a ‘cheaply’ purchased horse then it is eligible to run in a Novice or Maiden ‘Auction’ Race which are races for horses who have been through an auction ring for prices less than the condition attached to the race (the highest bracket usually being £50k or less). These naturally are weaker races so are attractive to target. The other type of ‘weaker’ Novice or Maiden are ‘Median Auction’ races for which eligibility is determined by the median price of the horse’s sire at the yearling sales that year the horse is sold. KVT have often had success buying the best progeny of a perceived lesser/cheaper sire and, as such, these sorts are often eligible for these races which is helpful.

HANDICAP RACESA handicap rating is achieved after having run three times in any of the above contests. However, if a horse has won on debut then it will be assigned a rating if it is placed on its second start (i.e. when racing under a penalty). With the vast majority of horses being ‘handicappers’ and the programme for handicappers being so valuable (Heritage Handicaps are largely worth considerably more than most Listed or Group 3 races), then it is vital to think ahead when it comes to race planning. A horse that a trainer thinks is capable of being rated 80 or above should be capable of winning a run of the mill maiden or novice race. If eligible, it would still make sense to target an auction or median auction race but generally placement is fairly easy – pick the weakest race at declaration stage and run. If a trainer thinks he has a young horse on his hands that is capable of running to a rating of 70 then that is unlikely to be good enough to win an ‘open maiden’ at a big track. Therefore, if eligible, it may be more prudent to target the horse at an Auction or Median Auction race which will give it the best chance of winning whilst naturally ensuring the eventual handicap rating can’t be overinflated (as it would be running against lesser sorts) . However, if a horse is showing ability just to win a ‘little handicap race’ somewhere (so maybe rated around 60?) then it might be best for the trainer to campaign the horse with the future in mind and ensure it peaks in terms of fitness/education in time for its low grade handicap races. Needless to say, all KVT horses are campaigned on their merits at all times but it is prudent to think ahead and not make a horse’s debut run its Derby!

Once a horse is handicapped there become plenty of options, especially for the middle tier horses. The 3yo handicap division is often very competitive with many young improving sorts that will quickly ascend the grades, potentially ending up in Group company. Tullius, Magical Memory and more

recently Flashcard all progressed through handicaps into Group company. The handicapping of the 4yos is slightly more settled albeit horses can improve markedly from 3yo to 4yo, not least because of physically development but also as it often coincides with them taking on the more exposed older division. The weight for age allowance for 3yo’s against the 4yo’s+ (from midsummer onwards really) can be quiet punitive for the youngsters in sprint races (where being battle hardened and experienced counts for a lot). However, the allowance the 3yo’s receive in the staying division can often favour the younger division in a big way especially over 1 mile 4 furlongs plus. This is something Sir Mark Prescott is very good at exploiting.

As with placement for all horses, the role of the trainer is vital to guide where a horse sits in terms of ability and when the time is right to aim high or lower. Horse confidence is important and there has to be the right balance between ‘having a go’ and risking a horse’s rating rising too high by running down the field in a Group race. Those who do have a go but fail often find it hard back in handicaps off revised ratings against progressive ‘improvers’ who are full of confidence on the back of wins in lesser grades.

At KVT, we work closely with all our trainers to try and place our horses to best effect and ultimately for the best chance of winning. Those dreams aren’t always fulfilled as ultimately these are animals racing against other animals, but we do our best to at least make sure there is method in the madness!

Race Planning for KVT HorsesRace planning is a vital part of work for a trainer and syndicate manager. As someone famously quoted: ‘the aim is to keep yourself in the best company but your horses in the worst’! By Sam Hoskins

Churchill at the Gallop by Brough Scott

Mr Darley’s Arabian by Christopher McGrath

Robert Sangster and the rise and fall of the Sport of Kings by Patrick Robinson with Nick Robinson

Frankincense and More: The Biography of Barry Hills by Robin Oakley

Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

Life of the Edge: Tristan Voorspuys Fatal Love of Africa by Adrian Dangar

The Sure Thing: The Greatest Coup in Horse Racing History by Nick Townsend

NB – All the above are available to buy at Amazon

RECOMMENDED LOCKDOWN READING LIST

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A year mucking out, riding out and helping at my father’s Robin’s Farm Racing Stables (now the home of George Baker) followed a brief city career at Deloitte’s. A chance meeting with the late Tristan Voorspuy and his wife Lucinda, at Badminton Horse Trials, enabled me to pack my bags and head to Kenya to work with them on their legendary riding safaris.

My first day started badly and could have been my last. The horse I was riding across Borana Conservancy, a four-year-old gelding also on his first safari, and I both got rather excited chasing a herd of Giraffe and Eland. We ended up falling at a flat out gallop down a termite hole.

My left ear dangling in the breeze and a rather sore head did not appease Tristan, who gave me a right dressing down and told me that as his back-up guide I was not allowed to fall off - he also queried the fact I had been riding three lots of jumpers for the past year. Thankfully multiple stitches put the ear back together and my induction was complete over a bottle of Johnnie Walker (also my steeds name) around the camp fire that evening.

Three months rapidly became three years riding 6-7 hours a day on ten-day back-to-back safaris across the world famous Maasai Mara. What more could a young man want? The freedom of horse, countryside teaming with wildlife, not a care in the world, the most brilliant fun.

In 2005 I was summoned to the Voorspuy’s colonial mansion, Deloraine, in the Great Rift Valley. By now I had a string of polo ponies and a safari car and was earning some wage guiding the rides. Tristan explained his vision of creating a unique portfolio of small, boutique safari camps and lodges around Kenya. He and others (including KVT owner Anthony Deal) had already turned Sosian Ranch in Northern Kenya into a stunning wildlife lodge. Tristan wanted a partner to build tented camps in the Maasai Mara and

Meru National Park, thus complementing Sosian and creating a perfect Kenyan safari circuit.

The idea was wonderful, the lack of funds the issue. But having begged and borrowed lots and aided by a fortuitous Royal Ascot bet on Safari Sunrise (who was 3rd at 66-1 in the Windsor Castle trained by my father), which broke the new betting company in Kenya who paid full odds the place, the new Offbeat Safaris was born.

In the summer of 2005 I opened the doors, or rather tent flaps, to Offbeat Mara Camp and Offbeat Meru Camp, respectively North and South of Nairobi.

As we celebrate 15 years of operation

Offbeat Safaris, KenyaMy Kenyan adventure began in Spring 2002 and what should have been a three-month hiatus from UK life turned into a lifelong passion for the wonders of the African Bush. By Piers Winkworth

Walking with the Maasai Horse, Man and Elephant

Elephants and kids at SosainCheetah at sunset

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this year things have changed somewhat during this period, Coronavirus aside, both the riding and non-riding aspects of our safaris continue to thrive. We have survived camp closures, terrorist threats, camp floods, world recession to name a few, but the biggest shock of course was the murder three years ago of Tristan. A truly unique man, he was a huge inspiration to me and his life has been well recounted in Adrian Danger’s book “Life on the Edge”, which I know some of you have enjoyed, it’s a good read to get you through the current lockdown period.

Prior to the Virus we were looking at an excellent 2020 across our portfolio of Kenyan properties which today include:

• OFFBEAT RIDING SAFARIS – specialised horse-riding safaris

• OFFBEAT MARA CAMP – a tented camp in the leading private Conservancy Mara North

• SOSIAN – a beautiful lodge on 24,000 acres of private Conservancy in Laikipia

• SPIRIT OF THE MAASAI MARA – an upmarket safari lodge in a private Conservancy

• EKORIANS MUGIE CAMP – a tented camp in the private Mugie Conservancy

The private Conservancies are partnerships between the indigenous population and tourism partners, with strict rules on visitor numbers. Accordingly, their unique nature and low-density tourism provide an exceptional opportunity to enjoy the matchless beauty and wildlife of some of the greatest areas of Africa, if not the world, away from the masses.

All of our properties are small (6-8 rooms/tents) and located in the best wildlife viewing areas. They are individually owned (Offbeat Mara is mine) and offer exceptional standards of guiding, food and safari ambience.

We have been lucky to host several KVT owners over the years, including most recently Luke Lillingston and family in the February half-term, as well as plenty of racing folk.

If you would like to learn more, please do let me know. 2021 may well be a perfect time to come out, with warmer weather, no racing and lockdown hopefully over.

Offbeat Mara Mess Tent

Early morning game drive

Riding in the Great Migration

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UnbelievableBy Annabelle Greville Williams

Parenthood really has evolved for me over the last few months providing memories and experiences that are hard to put down in writing and all down to my son, Williams’ call up to the England Rugby Six Nations Squad. Standing in the England players changing room after their game at the Stade De France to witness him being presented with his first cap was “special” beyond imagination and rather like an out of body experience enhanced by the fact that I was surrounded by twenty three of the world’s finest sportsmen wearing very little!

Will’s journey from showing ability on the sports field as a young child to representing his country seems to have happened in a flash. With his enthusiasm, it was always easy to drive miles around the country with Bovril (the dog) and I becoming quite accustomed to spending Sunday mornings standing by rugby pitches and finding areas of the countryside to explore whilst waiting for him to finish training or playing.

His natural talent for sport really spanned across all disciplines but due to his extra-large proportions, rugby was the game that he was singled out for gaining a scholarship to his public school and being earmarked as a front row forward – hardly the most glamorous position on a rugby field and rather similar to a hippo - unfazed by dirty conditions, often found hiding under a pile of mud who can hold their breath for long periods at a time and can be a quick runner but only if provoked. Whilst there, he was quickly scouted and included in Wasps “Elite Development Group”.

Even with all of this commitment on both of our parts, I never thought that rugby was a career that he would really consider until he announced just before his A Levels that Wasps had offered him a professional contract and that he was going to defer his place at UCL in order to give it a shot. With A Levels done and dusted, he moved in to his new “Wasps Academy” house in Acton with five other adolescent recruits all straight out of school and away from home for the first time. Needless to say, the house soon looked like a good few bombs had been dropped on it and their inability to notice any form of dirt caused various bouts of illness. As an academy prospect in a premiership club, you really are the lowest of the low with the Club Captain (James Haskell in those days) just referring to them as Academy No 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 rather than by their names but being paid a pittance and used as cannon fodder, did not seem to

deter Will. After six months and a broken leg, he and one other were offered new Academy contracts for 3 years and with his mother as his agent, a deal was brokered which meant that University was shelved and a move to Wasps new training facility in Coventry was impending.

The next couple of years were pretty tough and whilst training day in day out with the first team, the opportunities to play were limited. Most clubs will loan out their young players to Championship/National League 1 sides so Will had a stint at Moseley and Nottingham, which proved to be really invaluable for experience particularly when it came to learning the tricks of the trade as a “tighthead prop” or as the saying goes “at the coalface”. A few more injuries along the way to add to the tally, two shoulder reconstructions and a new metal thumb, but with the inclusion in the 2016 Under 20 England Squad testifying to his growing stature as a player. The World U20 Championship is an annual event and in 2016 it was to be hosted in Manchester – Will’s new thumb was fixed just in time for his inclusion and despite their rather unimpressive performances in the six nations tournament, the team played magnificently and were crowned 2016 World Champions having cast aside New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. By the end of the tournament, I calculated that we had spent 80 hours in a car queueing on the M6 – but absolutely worth all those traffic jams.

First Cap in France

Cute blonde rugby player

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Another contract offer from Wasps followed, but this time it was as a “first teamer”. I was promptly sacked by Will as his agent and replaced by a younger, better looking model who did however come with quite a large price tag, unlike his mother.

The next two seasons were pretty quiet on the playing front for Will – as a prop, he was still really too young to be taking the strains of scrummaging at premiership level and he was also battling with various injuries – another shoulder reconstruction, bulging neck discs, ankle syndemosis etc. I was beginning to understand the physical consequences of his chosen career with many trips to specialists and private hospitals with days spent in enormous pain following yet another operation. It seems to me that the players just learn to live with these aches and pains, but they are incredibly diligent and upbeat in the way that they work so hard to return to fitness after a set-back. Worryingly though, painkillers become part of their daily life too and often anaethesising an injury before a match will allow them to get back on the field sooner than they perhaps should.

His breakthrough happened at the beginning of the 2018/2019 season with Wasps’ first choice tighthead prop sustaining a significant injury during pre-season training. As the club’s third choice tighthead, this meant that he was likely to be on the bench for the start of the premiership season. He had to grab his chance and duly did with a couple of “man of the match” performances and some significant press interest. With this came plenty of offers from other clubs and after much deliberation and soul searching, he agreed to sign a two year contract for Bath

from July 2019. Being in the right place at the right time is also so key to success and it proved to be true once again for Will, when Bath’s first choice tighthead prop was injured before the start of the season. He seemed to be thriving in the Bath environment and under the guidance of Neal Hatley who had just returned from coaching the England Squad in Japan, his improvement was significant. Although I have never actually sat through a whole game of rugby whilst supporting Will (I am always physically at the match but usually found in the ladies loo), on watching the televised replay of the Bath v Northampton game in November, I could not believe that my cute little blonde boy had turned in to something that was capable of destroying

the entire Northampton forward pack. When he left the field that day along with his fellow prop, Beno Obano, having both played outstandingly for 75 minutes, the entire stadium got to their feet and applauded them. Being in the loo, I missed it live, but I did shed a tear whilst watching the replay on the TV.

And on to international recognition – the call from the boss “Eddie Jones” came on 30th January 2020 – my birthday. Will is notoriously bad at efficient communication and rarely picks up his phone but due to his Director of Rugby giving him a tip off fortunately, Eddie’s call was answered and the next day, the 2020 England Six Nations Squad was announced to the press with Will Stuart included.

Like everything recently, rugby came to a grinding halt before the end of the six nations’ tournament due to the world succumbing to this horrid virus with the last game in Rome being postponed. Will was capped 3 times coming off the bench against France, Ireland and Wales with the game against Ireland at Twickenham being attended by twenty members of the family and preceded by a dry (weather only!) picnic beforehand. Although his England experience was cut short, he has got the bug and is champing at the bit for more – sadly, a tour to Japan in July, looks unlikely to go ahead but he is firmly focused on ensuring that he gets the call up for his country again and is aiming to be remembered as a “Lion” rather than a “Hippo”!

Six Nations England v Ireland

Man of The Match Bath v Northampton

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By Peter Winkworth

I first noticed rhododendrons when as a young boy my parents took us to Wentworth where they played golf. Gorgeous crimson blooms in May. Decades later a chance meeting on a train with Anne George led me to become an avid collector.

The late Arthur George propagated rhodos at his nursery South of Guildford. The “Hydon Hybrids” became famous and Arthur was a regular Gold Medallist at the Chelsea Flower Show, then later one of the judges. About 16 years ago he decided to sell some of his larger plants and my new friend Anne, his wife, dibbed me in for first pick (“before the golf clubs get them”). Green as grass but always the impulse buyer, I said I would take everything other than white and orange colours. My shock was that this comprised 80% of a fairly long list! I was landed with not only a large bill but also many months of hard work as our only available space was rough woodland.

So, I started our woodland rhodo garden by ridding an ancient oak patch of its hazel under planting. Anne very kindly not only selected the first plants for delivery but also drew a plan of where to put them. It’s as well that she did because I would have put the smaller physicals in front little realising that these ones would grow into the giants!

On my retirement from the City 11 years ago a colleague, who also happened to be president of the RHS at the time, gave me a leaving present of rhododendrons from Hydon. I had

thought a handful of plants, but the gift was several van loads! Where to put them? I had to clear more woodland & from that moment the rhodo bug really took hold.

It is not easy to bring on small rhodos here as although our soil is the required acidic it is heavy clay and thus not suited to plants with fine fibrous roots. Accordingly, we have imported from the sugar beet fields of Norfolk several thousand tons of suitable soil. We have also installed extensive watering systems, currently controlled by three separate computers, using water from our two lakes.

There has been much progress here since then. More acres cleared including around the lakes, more soil lorries from Norfolk and more lorries of hardwood shavings. These latter were the useless spoil from my all-weather gallops, but

the material has proved ideal for side -growing plants both as mulch and also as development soil. Rodney Longhurst, who was with Hydon for 50 years and who is one of the very few individuals with both two RHS medals and a plant named after him, has really revved up the propagation project. Single handed and out of retirement in his eighth decade he now produces more than two thousand plants a year from just the one small mist house and three poly tunnels. These plants comprise principally rhodos, camellias and azaleas and in accordance with the Hydon way they are progressed on in open ground rather than in pots (which can constrict root development).

During the past year I have done a check of all the varieties and note that we have more than 550 rhodos, 140 camellias and nearly 100 azaleas. Judging by the

The Merton Woodland Garden

Elephant and Calf

Mrs G W LeakGrace Seabrook Desert Orchid (front) and Rock Rose

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labels written we may have approaching 15,000 plants in total…and counting. A few of these are quite rare and we hold probably the entire stock of the fully registered PETER WINKWORTH rhododendron! As the Georges had no children they tended to name and register with the RHS their best new creation each year. Most carried the Hydon prefix, but a handful were named after their friends. I was most honoured that their last such registration carried my name.

Our garden has caught the attention of the local RHS Rhododendron Society, who have made a couple of visits here. The members are fanatically- scarily- expert in the subject so even though they seem to be impressed to meet two living people with a named plant I put Rodney into bat with them. One lady informed me that I had the wrong label on a plant…” that one refers to a pink colour, not the white of the

plant”. However, Rodney interjected with the historic information as to the exact date and source of the variety- which came from the Queen Mother’s garden- and confirmed our correct labelling!

I have yet to mention magnolias, but they too have become a bit of an obsession as have Acer Palmatum (Japanese Maple) trees. We have around 350 plants of the former (280 varieties) and some 100 of the latter (65 varieties). Both thrive in our soil and in our woodland growing conditions, the magnolias complementing the camellias earlier in the season and the acers providing texture and colour contrast throughout the spring and summer as well as spectacular autumn colour, particularly red and gold.

With all this input we are now able to see woodland colour in every month of the year and in the January- July period every

day. We add late summer/autumn colour with hydrangea and, in the spring, aconite, bluebell, primrose, wild orchid and wood anemone provide a carpet.

In addition to the planted areas we have also acquired various artwork/statues including bespoke African wild animals. Some in stone, others in metal sourced either in Portugal (life sized ostrich and giraffe) or Kenya (life sized elephant and hippo), and others crafted from our wood (rhino, leopard, lion, monkey, crocodile, cleverly placed to all who first see him)! No horse statues as we have plenty of the real thing in the paddocks!

We are not open to the public as the liability cover is prohibitive. However, if you would like to visit post lockdown do contact me and you will be most welcome…end April/early May is by far the best time for the colour show.

Offbeat Mara Mess Tent

Hydon Dawn in bud Magnolia AdvanceAugustinii Green Eye

Peter Winkworth (Pink) Hydon hybrid Cardiobasis x Fortunei

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We have all been given much cause for thought. Personally it has made me realise more than ever, under the current circumstances, how extremely lucky we are to live on a farm. Furthermore our lives have changed but very little since the recent hiatus of normal life began. At this time of year we are foaling mares and doing our best to get all our mares back in foal. In that respect, except some common sensical protocols, nothing has changed.

I had been especially looking forward to the yearling sales in the Autumn as I believe we have the best crop of yearlings we have had since I returned to Ireland twenty years ago to take over, in a gradual way, from my late father. Now I’m hoping that this lovely group may just be able to keep us in business; perhaps it will be better than that, perhaps things won’t be so torrid in six months’ time. Let’s hope!

On a day to day basis it has been very much business as usual. There was an ugly moment when it seemed that the stallion studs in France were all about to close. Happily only one did and that one, Haras de Bouquetot, has just reopened. Similarly in the UK musings from the Chief Veterinary Officer suggested that vets should only be involved with

emergency work. There has been a strong feeling in the Newmarket community that reproductive work must go on, and so it has proved, although Lanwades Stud was forced to close temporarily the gates to its stallion division as three key members of staff were reported unwell.

In Ireland too our hearts were in our mouths when we had a very sudden lockdown in the country imposed at 8pm one Saturday evening. The following morning two mares, en route to be covered, were sent home by members of the Garda (Irish police) and Sheikh Mohammed’s farm was closed for one day. Clarity was required and quickly. Happily in all three jurisdictions common sense has prevailed. We are essentially farmers and are involved with the production of animals which need the appropriate veterinary care.

And so life goes on for us quite normally, except we are all chomping at the bit even more than usual for the start of the flat season proper. We believe that as a group the current KVT team of horses has as much potential as any since Piers, Sam and I took over from Nick Robinson.

I wish you all good health and good luck with evading the dreaded and more than ever look forward to seeing you on a racecourse soon cheering on those special colours with which we are all so proud to be associated.

Life goes on at MOUNT COOTE

Luke and Tabitha

Blissful Ignorance

By Luke Lillingston

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William Knight who currently trains Sir Busker, Spanish Kiss and Dual Identity has moved from Lower Coombe Stables on the Angmering Estate to Rathmoy Stables in Newmarket.

Rathmoy was extensively renovated 4 years ago and boasts around 80 boxes, its own equine pool, spa, treadmill

and covered ride with superb access to Newmarket’s unrivalled gallops.

KVT has not had a horse trained in Newmarket for some years and we relish the opportunity both to enjoy visits to William’s yard and also to make the most of all that “headquarters” has to offer.

A NEW CHAPTER

As a KVT Partner, you will no doubt have heard the term “sore” or “bucked” shins many times before.

Bone pain is an occupational hazard for all athletes. Horses are no exception and bone pain is a common consequence of training horses for fast galloping competition, especially racing. This pain is caused by the bone’s natural response as it adapts to the stresses of training and working at speed.

The racehorse’s bones change dramatically as training progresses in order to support the huge forces sustained by a galloping horse. However, while the bones undergo this transformation, there may be pain and discomfort, which can lead to sore shins, properly known as dorsal metacarpal disease.

CLINICAL SIGNS• There may be no lameness, but some heat and pain affecting

the front of the cannon bone.• More frequently, the horse will be mildly lame, although this

may appear more as stiffness or shortness of stride, since both front limbs are frequently involved. Almost invariably, heat can be felt in the front of the cannon bones and the bones will be painful to examine by touch.

• In occasional cases, X-rays may be required, to look for production of new bone on the front of the cannon bone. In severe cases, X-rays may investigate the possibility of fractures on the front of the bone, as a result of sore shins. Bone scans are occasionally used.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENTPrevention of sore shins is better than treating them. Once a horse has clinical signs, treatment probably has a limited effect on the course of the disease. Most cases will be treated by anti-inflammatories either rubbed into the leg or given by injection or by mouth. There are numerous other treatments –

mostly involving lotions – that have evolved over generations. The most importan thing is to limit further damage. The bone has to be given a chance to remodel and repair, and this is best done by restricting fast work. Swimming is useful to maintain cardiovascular fitness while stopping loading of the limbs that would further exacerbate the condition.

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ACT ON THE GROUND – A horse that runs well on that particular ground or going.

AWT – Known as All Weather Racing, which consists of horses running on an artificial running surface.

CONDITIONS RACE – A race which favours horses who would carry too much weight in a top class handicap or are below the level required to be competitive in a group or listed race at the time. Weight in these races, which predominantly occur on the flat, are allocated by age, their sex and if they have won a race before.

CUT IN THE GROUND – Refers to ground which has been softened due to rainfall.

GATES – This refers to the front part of the starting stalls which open to start a race.

HACKED UP – A phrase which suggests a horse won easily.

JOCKED OFF – This occurs, when a jockey replaces the intended jockey for that horse.

ONE-PACED – This is a phrase used to describe a horse who doesn’t appear to have a change of gear in the final part of a race.

ON THE BRIDLE – Refers to a horse appearing to travel well during a race.

QUARTERS – This refers to the hind section of a horse.

RATING – Every horse is given an official rating by the BHA after three runs or if it has won within three runs. This allows a handicap race to be run.

WALKOVER – A race when only one horse lines up. Horse and jockey merely need to pass the winning post from the intended start to claim the winning prize.

WELL IN – A horse who appears to be well treated regarding their current handicap mark.

SOME RACING JARGON

Veterinary Corner – Sore Shins