Where Are They Now?

It is always very important for us to find good homes after our horses retire so that they can go on to have an interesting and happy second career.   Below are some recent photos of our previous stable stars.

Civil Unrest now aged 17 won 12 races over the course of nine seasons and was wonderfully consistent and never failed to win each year. He now enjoys competing in ROR (Retraining of Racehorses) and has just won his class at the City of Edinburgh horse show to the delight of his owner - vet, Victoria Cuthbert who lives near Hawick.

Civil Unrest at the City of Edinburgh Show and below his rosettes

Sleep in First was in the yard at the same time as Cyril and is also aged 17 and won 11 races. He is much loved by his current owner Jo Fox and also takes part in ROR competitions.

Sleep In First

Aristo du Plessis aged 13 was a top-class hurdler winning 11 times including the £25k Hogmaneigh Hurdle at Musselburgh.   He is now owned by Rachel Robson - a professional dressage competitor who lives near Newcastle.

Aristo du Plessis learning to do dressage

Un Guet Apens is now 15 and owned by Andrew Gale. In Yorkshire   He won five times for us including coming back from a serious colic operation to win a Class 2 chase at Kelso.   After retiring, he went point-to pointing and now enjoys hunting with the Hurworth.

Un Guet Apens hedge-hopping

Back to the present, we have had some good results over the last couple of weeks with Nikgarde ridden by Brian Hughes coming third at Newcastle.   Then Fostered Phil had his first experience of fences at Perth ridden by Danny McMenamin.   He ran a cracking race only to be pipped by a well handicapped southern raider beaten by just ¾ length. Racing TV’s comment was ‘Fostered Phil ran a mighty race’.

Empire de Maulde returned to action at Aintree with Brian Hughes after a long layoff and was right there for much of the race.   So, we hope he can now build on this.

Back at Hexham on Tuesday 24 May, Hapy La Vie was also having his first run over fences. Ridden by Edward Austin this was a very encouraging debut and he galloped all the way to the line to come second by 2 ¼ lengths.

The girls have also done us proud at the Haydon point-to-point at Hexham. Leah Barnfather and Wilsarben1 came second in the 5f novice riders race and won best Northern Novice rider.   The pony is not the easiest and Leah has done brilliantly to understand how to ride him and achieve such good results. The winner had come up from Hereford – a round trip of 560 miles!

Wilsarben1 before the start and Leah after the race

Ask Cory with Chloe Mchattie ran another excellent race to come second in in the Conditions Race following up on her previous win. Chloe is a work rider with us and also in charge of a barn and it is great that she is having such fun with Ask Cory who was recommended as a suitable horse by Rachael Blackmore!

Meanwhile the winter horses are enjoying their summer holidays – mostly in the sun.

Hold Onto The Line enjoying the sunshine 

In further yard news, we were delighted to hear of the safe arrival of baby Fiadh Hart on Thursday 18^th May. Her father Paul has a share in Big in Milan.

Also, Colin Barnfather won the yard’s ‘Horses to Follow’ competition and has been rewarded with a meal at the Eskdale Hotel in Langholm!

Finally, we now have the trailer with the Fitzdares logo.

We have entries at Cartmel and Kelso over the bank holiday weekend.