The Big Finals At Aintree!

The excitement has been building for the lead up to the big finals at Aintree!

When Paddy first arrived from Ireland, we had two main aims in mind – to hopefully win a race and to qualify for the finals at Aintree and it has been so exciting to have been able to do both!

The lead up to Musselburgh was quite hard work because of the quick ground, but now it is a bit of a struggle because it has suddenly got so dark in the mornings, so most of the work has to be done in the afternoon/evening – Paddy doesn’t seem to mind though, he has three things he loves most, working, eating and sleeping in that order!

However, having had 9 months where everything has gone smoothly and to plan, after having 2 easy weeks after Musselburgh, he got a bruised foot and we had to do all his work in the final week.

So as the big day nears we are all just very thankful that we are going to be able to take part, especially as so many family members were coming along to watch. When we arrived at Aintree I was not that nervous and just excited to be there! Tim Reed (who has been so helpful all year) is again on hand to take us all through the preparations and then all of a sudden it is time for the race.

I cannot begin to explain just what a thrill it was to be in the paddock at Aintree and to ride out through the tunnel and onto the track where so many amazing horses and jockeys have done the same in the past. The whole race went in a bit of a blur, Dad and I had planned our tactics again and we had decided to stay out quite wide and try and get a good position and not get boxed in (just like Frankie Dettori) – Paddy really tried as hard as he could, but he did get quite tired and of course I was a bit disappointed, but without an ideal preparation he ran as well as could have been expected.

It was the best experience of my life and I was so happy for the winners AJ O’Neill and Miss Wonderful and Sophie Smith and Push the Button.

I am very sad that this is my last time competing in Pony Racing, I have learned so much and had some wonderful experiences – not many people get to ride at Ascot, York and Aintree and it has been such an adventure. It’s such great preparation for the future and hopefully will set me up well to get my Category A license in February and get a few rides on the flat! A huge thanks to everyone at the Pony Racing Authority and Aintree Racecourse for such a special finale and also to Charles Owen for their sponsorship and support of Pony racing.

Next to Musselburgh!

This blog comes with apologies for having taken such time to write. My last blog ended with “but back to school now” and I must admit that Sixth Form has come as a bit of a shock to the system with a huge amount of extra work. I am taking Geography, Modern History and Philosophy, with a view to hopefully going on to study Law at University.

Paddy came out of the York race really well and for me I think that this was our best race yet – it took ages for the thrill to sink in. The plan was to have one further run this season at Musselburgh and then fingers crossed hopefully the final at Aintree. With three weeks between York and Musselburgh Paddy was able to have a quiet week before going back into proper work. This helped me get stuck in to my first week back at school.

It has been a bit harder work in the lead up to Musselburgh as we have had vey little rain and so the fields that we use here for working have got a bit too firm. This means boxing up Paddy all the time to take him to gallops but otherwise the preparation has been great.

Mum and I set off early for Musselburgh, not as early as some though who had been riding in Ireland the day before for the Shergar Cup! We went through all the usual preparations with Tim Reed before the race and it was soon time for the ponies to come into the paddock. Dad was a bit concerned about the quick ground as Paddy usually like it soft, I was more concerned about poor Paddy having to carry 11lbs extra.

The race went really well, Will Thirlby and Princess Propeller went off really quickly and we set off chasing after him, Paddy led into the straight but we were caught by Abbie McCain and Little Bull and were beaten ½ a length – we were thrilled to bits with the way Paddy tried, especially carrying all that weight. I was really happy for Abbie and Little Bull as like me, this is their last season and it has been great riding with her.

4 weeks to the big day – THE FINALS

The big day at York!

We were all so excited after Beverley but with just a week till York it was back to getting ready for our biggest race of the year, the Conditions Final at York! The Conditions series is new this year and it has been for ponies/riders that have not been placed in the finals for the last 2 years – it’s a great series because it gives more people a chance to get to a big final.

With just a week between races Paddy didn’t really need to do much work, but having been away the week before I wanted to make sure I was as fit as possible – ever since I started pony racing I have been getting help from jockey and Coach Brian Harding, he helps me with sessions on the equicizer. We work on my technique and fitness and it really does make a big difference and I am much fitter and stronger now thanks to his help.

As Sunday arrived, I started to feel nervous – we arrived at the stables and got Paddy settled in his box, then Dad and I went across to the weighing room. I hadn’t been to York before and when we came out from the stables and onto the track I was just amazed at how big   the racecourse is and the nerves just started to get worse! We all met up went for the course walk with Tim Reed and very soon it was time for the race.

Dad and I had talked through tactics etc., but it all went out of the window a bit because we didn’t really get the start we wanted so we settled in about 4^th place, as we came around the bend I had to go quite a bit wider than I had wanted but I didn’t want to get blocked in, about 2f out Paddy started running on well and we hit the front, he kept staying on really well and we won! It really was the best feeling ever!

Coming back into the paddock and the winners enclosure was all a bit of a dream, but one of the best things was that my big sister Beccy was there as well – she is moving to Australia next week for 2 years and because of her job as a nurse, she hasn’t been able to come racing before so it was really special that she was there. 

I would like to say a huge thank you to the Pony Racing Authority for putting on such a special day, everyone at York for looking after us so well and also to White Rose Saddlery for the lovely prizes. We took a picture of Paddy in his winner’s rug but didn’t realise until after he is being cheeky and poking his tongue out!

What a brilliant way to end the summer holidays, but back to school now…….

And on to Beverley

Following the excitement at Carlisle, the plan had been to run Paddy at Bangor then go away for our annual holiday to the North of Scotland. We were balloted out at Bangor though so back to the drawing board! We decided to cut short our holiday and hopefully run at Beverley instead (thanks mum and dad).

Being away for the week before the race isn’t an ideal preparation, but a good friend Liz Butterworth looked after Paddy for us and I think he enjoyed his holiday as much as we did. I would normally be riding out every day  so I was worried about keeping fit as well – luckily the holiday involved lots of walking up mountains which hopefully cancelled out all the food!

We arrived back from Scotland late on the Friday night so we collected Paddy early on Saturday morning and made our way over to Beverley, it was great to see him again! Mum usually plaits up before we leave, but because we had been away we didn’t have time and so for once we left him unplaited. We arrived at the same time as Roy Day who also travelled over from Cumbria – his pony looked fantastic and was the very deserving winner of the best turned out.

Thankfully, this time the saddle stayed in the right place and Paddy ran a brilliant race to finish 1^st by 6 lengths – I was so pleased with him as he always tries so hard! 

Thanks to everyone at Beverley Racecourse, the pony racing stewards and jockey coaches, it was a really great day!

Last week we also got our GCSE results, it has been quite difficult juggling riding and revising but thankfully my results were really good! I am going on to 6^th Form to do Geography, History, Biology and Philosophy – eventually I hope to go on and study Law at University and then specialise in Sports Law.

Next stop York for the Conditions Race finals! I can’t wait!

My First Blog After An Exciting Week!

My name is Rachel Sharpe, I am 16 years old and live near Penrith in Cumbria. I have ridden since I was very young and have been a member of the Cumberland Farmers Hunt South Pony Club since I was on the lead rein on Cherry Pie who was a real monkey – I used to fall off her a lot and perhaps that is where I began to learn to stick on! I have had some brilliant ponies since, Frankie who at 12.2hh took me onto all the Junior Pony Club Teams and then Duke who I brought on from a youngster to competing British Eventing.

But for years though I pestered my parents to let me have a go at Pony Racing, Mum was not so easy to convince and she works for the Injured Jockeys Fund and sees what can happen when jockeys fall off! Dad was easier to win over as he was a Jockey himself and still works in racing now as a Stipendiary Steward. Eventually they gave in and along came Miss Tiny.

Miss Tiny belonged to Barry and Sue Murtagh and had been ridden by Lorcan and Connor – they were very kind and said we could have Miss Tiny for the season so I could have my first go at Pony Racing. Miss Tiny is a brilliant pony to ride, she is really sensible and doesn’t pull, but she completely the opposite in the stable! I had a great season with her and had five rides, the best being a third at Overton, she ran really well and wasn’t beaten very far, it was my first experience of getting quite close and after that I became determined to win! Tiny has been ridden by Jessica Swan this season and has helped her to win a most improved rider award.

Having really now got the racing bug the hunt was on for a new pony!  A friend told me about Mr Marshall (Paddy), he had run really well in Ireland for Daniel McMenamin, so me, my mum and a friend Rosie Thompson went off to have a look at him over in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. Anyway we all loved him and he arrived here in Cumbria in January this year!

So preparations for our first race began. We don’t have any gallops at home, so to get Paddy fit we did lots of roadwork, we also have had lots of help from James Callow who lives near by, he is very kind and lets us use his facilities and has lots of helpful advice. Diane Sayer also trains nearby and she is really kind letting us use her gallop. It does mean a lot of hard work keeping him fit, especially as I was doing my GCSE’s at the same time.

Paddy’s first race was at Overton again on 21^st March. I do get quite nervous before the race but once I get on Paddy the nerves disappear. Paddy is quite strong and likes to be in front, so we jumped off in front and stayed there, he won by about 20 lengths, my first winner! Since then he went on to win another race at Tranwell and my first ever Charles Owen race at Kelso.

This week Paddy and I were due to run at Carlisle. Preparations had gone really well and we knew Paddy was feeling great. My grandad had travelled up from Wales to come and watch and Carlisle is nearby so quite a few of my friends came along as well.  Mum and I were up early to get Paddy ready, I do the grooming and mum does the plaiting (she is very fussy about her plaits and wont let anyone else do them!) I always clean my tack the night before and all my gear is loaded up – I am quite messy and forgetful so we have a checklist for every bit of equipment that we need and the last thing we do is check everything off on the list to make sure nothing is missing.

We arrived at Carlisle and we all met up with Tim Reed who is a Jockeys Coach, he walked the course with us and gave us help and advice about lots of things like the start. I then went back to the trailer and got changed into my gear and got ready to weigh out. The normal weight to carry is 9st but because Paddy has won a race we have to carry a penalty of 5lbs, it means I have to use a weight cloth with a little bit of lead. My saddle is quite special because it belongs to an ex-jockey called Scott Taylor who was badly injured in a fall, he wanted me to use it and made me promise to ride a winner with it!

Once everyone is weighed out all the ponies are tacked up and walk around the pre-parade ring! Eventually we are on board and head off down to the start and this is when I start to get more focused. The 138cm race set off first and we then went down to the 6f start, we all had our girths checked and circled around waiting for the starter to get up on the rostrum, then off!

Paddy and I set off in about 3^rd/4^th, I didn’t get quite the start that I wanted but Paddy was soon in his stride and was up there near the lead. All of a sudden though, and quite soon after the start I felt as if my stirrups weren’t quite level – I had a quick look down and I could see that everything had slipped over to the left a bit – I tried to push a bit of weight down into my right stirrup, but by then it was too late. Paddy was still running on so well and I was concentrating on just keeping my balance! But things just got worse and the saddle by now had slipped right round and I couldn’t keep my right leg on the right side, I am not quite sure how I managed it but by leaning over Paddy’s back I was able to stick on, I was determined to stay on until I was past the line which I did and finished third! Being on the Pony Club Games Team must have taught me something! I did then fall off and thankfully didn’t hurt myself too much. Paddy carried on and galloped a full circuit, he came up the straight with his ears pricked and I think he thought he had won! I was embarrassed with the publicity afterwards and I hope it hasn’t taken away from the fact that Connor rode a lovely winner!

Anyway, hopefully the next race will be a bit less eventful!