The 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River was the convincing winner of the SEIB Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifier at Defender Burghley Horse Trials today (Sunday 8 September).
Ridden by Jazmin Hosgood, the duo will now contest the championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in October.
Twenty ex-racehorses came forward in total, with runner-up Wonga Swinger, ridden by new mum Tori Thomas, also collecting a ticket to HOYS.
“Our winner went amazingly. He was like an out and out show horse to ride,” said ride judge Michael Bowling.
Stuart Campbell, who judged conformation, added: “It was the presentation, movement, balance, rhythm and self-carriage of the winner that set him apart. It is wonderful to see ex-racehorses becoming truly multi-purpose horses.”
‘A beautiful journey’
During his racing days, Native River won over £1 million in prize money and was ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson in many of his races.
The now 14-year-old gelding was trained by Colin Tizzard in Somerset before retiring to his owner Tom Malone’s nearby yard.
“I’m as proud as I could be of this horse. I get more pleasure than I can tell you out of this success,” said Tom.
“We set out with this as our goal and he’s gone and done it. I bought him as a four-year-old out of a yard in Ireland after he’d unseated his jockey in a point-to-point and it’s been a beautiful journey ever since.”
Jazmin, who trains point-to-pointers and had two maiden winners last season, used to work for Tom and rides Native River regularly, including hunting.
“It was a big atmosphere today and he was just amazing,” she said of the horse. “We went to Moreton Show yesterday and won too. He is absolutely Tom’s baby.
“Native River goes out in the field every day and will do plenty of hacking before HOYS and hopefully a hunter trial.
“He also won a big jockeys jumping competition with Harry Cobden a few weeks ago,” added Jazmin, who has ridden at HOYS once before, back in 2012 when she won the SEIB Search for a Star Riding Horse Hack final.
Wonga Swinger’s turn around
Wonga Swinger was previously in training with his rider/owner Tori’s husband, the former Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Sam Thomas.
“Wonga Swinger wasn’t very successful for me. Tori has absolutely transformed him,” said Sam.
“The way she has turned him around since he finished racing is amazing.”
Tori and Sam became parents just four weeks ago, welcoming a daughter, Lily-Rose.
‘Stunning Thoroughbreds’
“Wow, what a winner to have at our final qualifier of the season,” said Nicolina Mackenzie, organiser of the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse series, about Native River.
“The class today went off brilliantly and we were delighted to see so many stunning Thoroughbreds and their riders out enjoying themselves.
“Huge thanks to Defender Burghley for having us here once again.”
Main photo from left: Native River and Jazmin Hosgood, Bipin Thaker COO of SEIB, Jill Wormall, Tori Thomas and Wonga Swinger, Michaela Bowling, Stuart Campbell and Nicolina Mackenzie. Image by Trevor Meeks
