Valentine’s Day dawned bright and bitterly cold but that didn’t stop a hardened band of equestrians from turning out at Mirabel Helme’s farm, Mount Orleans, on the edge of Salisbury Plain in East Wiltshire. The course was reputedly a touch longer than most expected and around 30 obstacles stood in the way of the competitors but a strong pace was set early and the final placings were still very much up in the air until the last field. Pandora Bailey snatched victory on her mount Offshore Account, a horse who placed 15th in the 2009 Grand National, from Craig Pilgrim on Arctic Fire. Rory Guinness and Alcibiades (2007 by All That Jazz x Sedaza) got third place and were awarded the prize for Best Placed Non-Thoroughbred.
The race was followed by a more casual ‘Stirrup Cup’ ride around the course and both Incognito (2010 by Indoctro x Turkish Candle) and Dunlewey Red Kite (2008 by Ashfield Plover x Dunlewey Ruby) went well.
Rory Guinness and Alcibiades (2007 by All That Jazz x Sedaza) heading down to the start.
Rory Guinness and Alcibiades head down to the start.
Philippa Holland on Tick Tock and Izzy Beckett on Coco.
And they’re off….
Alcibiades sets the early pace.
A view of the field with the Salisbury Plain behind.
The finish! Pandora Bailey on Offshore Account followed by Craig Pilgrim on Arctic Fire.
Craig Pilgrim on Arctic Fire, Rory Guinness on Alcibiades and William Fox-Grant on Skipper Robin.
The Tedworth crew – Izzy Beckett on Coco and Dominic Birkmyre on Leo.
Katey Cuthbertson on Incognito (2010 by Indoctro x Turkish Candle)
Megan Fox on Dunlewey Red Kite (2008 by Ashfield Plover x Dunlewey Ruby)
The final placings.