LATEST NEWS:
Where Are They Now
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The policy at Flint Cottage is to find all our horses, that have retired from racing, as good a home as possible. We endeavour to do this very carefully and, as you can see from the pictures below, very successfully. We usually have a waiting list of prospective owners and, if you are interested, please e-mail the office for details of any future horses needing new homes. Astroverdi,Astrovenus and Bird of Faith These three lucky horses are having the winter off and then will be re-trained to the stick and ball as polo ponies. Astromoon  Lucky Astromoon has a new home with Jackie, who is a top class rider and is really looking forward to re-training the filly. We have recently heared from Jackie and as you can see Astromoon is doing really well. The weather has been on her side and as such she has been able to stay out. She gets a short feed every day which took a while to get her to eat but now she's 1st to the gate to get out for it. She certainly is the boss and has the other two exactly where she wants them. Finger Spin Holly Butler schooling Finger Spin, about whom, she says, "Finger Spin has taken to polo, as if she's done it all her life". Connect Tracy Robinson on Connect, competing at her local hunter trial.Spirit Land Spirit Land, above and below, enjoying himself in the snow, at the home of his new owner, Anne Ratcliff
Captain Clint
Captain Clint has settled well into his different life and is enjoying his new role Astrobrava
Enjoying her retirement with Becky, who used to be our blacksmith. Astrobrava was homebred by Mystic Meg at Dullingham Park. She was from the only British crop of Falbrav, who stood one season at Cheveley Park Stud, before going back to Japan. He was a very good racehorse, winning many top races, including the Japan Cup, the Juddmonte, the Eclipse amongst his 8 Group 1 victories in 5 countries. We were very excited about the mating but, unfortunately, he turned out to be a poorish sire and Astrobrava didn't live up to our hopes. She has found a fantastic home with Becky and is winning competitions galore and looks like she is going to make a really good eventer.
Westminster
Westminster with his owner Cheryl Townson and young jockey Westminster was owned by John Bull, a marvellous man , who died a few years ago. He ran a family business, which is still there today in New Bond St., specializing in silver, he was the Lord Mayor of Westminster, hence the name and had had racehorses in training for many years (not with me I add) before meeting me and purchasing Westminster. He had failed to have a winer in all those years and this horse was to give him his first of two in very quick succession. He has found a top-class home where as you can see he is part of the family, that is what it is all about.
Westminster (left) playing in the snow Ringmaster
Ringmaster or 'Charlie', as he is now known, arrived with his present owners as long ago as 1st April 1997 for Emma Tritton, then aged 10, to ride. He is still going strong, now aged 19 and enjoying life as much as ever.
'Charlie' asleep in the shelter with his friendsHe won some nice races but his best race was in defeat, when he was second in the Magnet Cup at York, beaten a head, ridden by a Hong Kong apprentice at the last minute, as Philip Robinson had hurt himself the day before. He has made the transition from racehorse to riding horse with no problem at all. I still hold very fond memories of him. Fortune's Maid
Fortune's Maid, ridden by her owner, Sharon Goddard and accompanied by her friend Willow, ridden by Lia. Fortune's Maid ran for one of the syndicates without too much success but was a very kind filly and was ideal to carry on her life as a riding horse. She is very much loved by her new owners, just as we like it at Flint Cottage. Skydome
Skydome at home in Yorkshire with Jean and David Tompkins
Skydome is a very special horse. He was owned by Dena and Leslie Arstall, who race their horses under Pollards Stables. He was one of those horses, who never let you down and always came up trumps; he won many races and gave so many jockeys marvellous days. He is now being completely pampered by my sister-in-law and family, who absolutely dote on him. Many of my owners go and visit him and feed him packets of Polos, as they have as fond memories of him as we do. Tortola Tortola or Norman, as he is now known, being schooled in preparation for his first show by his new owner, Millie Green Tortola was not very quick as a racehorse and quite difficult to train but he has found a fantastic home with the Greens, who are relations of Michael Bowring, one of the stalwarts of Flint Cottage. He is loved and cherished and the time, he has had out of training, has enabled him to mature and become what he is today. Babodana One of Babodana's first crop, the young stock champion at a show in Somerset
Babodana was bought as a yearling at Fairyhouse sales in Ireland and, as Angie keeps reminding me, it was she who spotted him. What a fantastic racehorse he turned out to be. Owned all his life by Michael Bowring, he won the Lincoln and was placed so many times in Group races, they are too numerous to mention. A very sound horse, who was a great character, he is now at stud in Somerset with Rosie and Derek Scott. His first foals are on the ground and really look the part, as the photo above shows us. I am hoping I can acquire some of the offspring and have his first runners from Flint Cottage. He was just a pleasure to train Blurred Blurred being ridden by Sarah Hilton, Mark's neice
 Blurred was a great, big, gentle giant, who was a good racehorse and always did his best. He has now found a lovely home with my sister in Derbyshire with both mother and daughter riding him out amongst the sheep and the hills. Etoile d'Or Etoile d'or at her first show
She was another of the syndicate horses, who gave her band of supporters a great day at Yarmouth when she won by a very long way. She could be a little bit headstrong but had no malice and she has taken to her new career as the picture shows above with zest.
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