National Hunt Parade 2018 – Horses, Hog Roasts and High Excitement

24th July, 2018

Thursday 19th July saw our second annual National Hunt parade at Highclere stud. There was a bumper crowd of 175 shareowners there to view our twelve-strong team of jumpers. The sun shone and the horses looked in magnificent condition ahead of what looks to be an incredibly exciting NH season. It was good to see all our NH trainers out in force. They gave everyone at the parade a real insight into their horses and their ambitions for the season ahead. Kim Bailey this year has joined our roster of trainers and now is part of a team that includes: Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Alan King, Dan Skelton, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Philip Hobbs.

Our NH team of horses goes from strength to strength. Since the 1st September 2017 our jumpers have operated at a win percentage of 25% and a win/place percentage of a staggering 71%. The turn of this season has seen this progress further with five winners from our eleven runners (45%) and a win/place percentage rising further to 82%. Of our eight jumpers to have currently received a rating all bar one has gained a rating of 127 or above, putting them firmly in the category of ‘Saturday Horse’.

Our Latest Recruit – Alfie Corbitt

We are incredibly pleased to announce that Kim Bailey has joined the team this year. Alfie Corbitt is the horse who will represent Highclere from Kim’s yard and he looks a highly exciting individual. He bolted up to win an Irish point at Bartlemy, winning by 15 lengths that day going away. He showed speed and staying power, to hit the line hard when all his rivals had cried enough. He had before that finished third in two starts and the form of those points looks absolutely rock solid. The three horses who have been through the ring, having finished in front of him, have all made six figure sums and one made a staggering £410,000 to Joseph O’Brien. He looks very well bought and Kim is certainly the right man to get the best out of him having shown his aptitude with novice hurdlers last season. Vinndication and First Flow both won at pattern level in that sphere and Red River was a winner for Kim in the Scottish Albert Bartlett. There are still shares available in this strapping black son of Arakan.

 Danse Idol – Shares Available

Danse Idol was bought after finishing second to Champion bumper winner Relegate and the form of that race from the horses in behind is incredibly strong. She had previously beaten next time out winner Siege of Tobruk by 30 lengths in a point to point at Boulta. Paul Nicholls knows the progeny of Dansant well having trained Dan McGrue to three wins in novice hurdles last season. Our mare has done magnificently well for a summer off and will be aimed at a bumper at Aintree followed by the listed bumper at Cheltenham in November. Novice hurdling will then beckon where she will no doubt go on to even bigger and better things.  There are a few shares available in this highly exciting mare so do get in touch for more information.