news Pineau De Re heads vintage line-up for Aintree RoR Parade

• Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Parade to take place on Friday of Randox Health Grand National Festival
• Grand National winner Pineau De Re and multiple Grade 1 winner Monet’s Garden feature in parade sponsored by the Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust

The winner of the 2014 Grand National, Pineau De Re, heads a vintage line-up for the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Parade at the Randox Health Grand National Festival.

The parade also features notable Aintree winners Monet’s Garden and Peddlers Cross, as well as the Queen’s Barbers Shop, Mad Moose and two members of the Great Britain Horseball team.

The RoR Parade, generously sponsored by the Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust, takes place before racing on the second day of the Randox Health Grand National Festival, Ladies Day, Friday 13^th April at around 12.40pm in the parade ring.

Each of the ten horses has been found a fulfilling second career after retiring from racing, whether it be showing, dressage, showjumping, eventing, hunting or horseball.

Lizzie Doolittle has re-trained Pineau De Re for a career in eventing. The combination enjoyed a successful first season competing last year and Lizzie’s ambition for 2018 is to graduate to British Eventing Novice classes.

Lizzie, who also rides out for Pineau De Re’s former trainer, Dr Richard Newland, says of the 2014 Grand National winner: “Pineau is an absolute pleasure to handle and take care of. He is so intelligent, honest and loyal and he’s great fun to ride. He never fails to makes me smile and he definitely doesn’t feel 15. He tries hard and is a very quick learner. Generally, a complete legend!”

Di Arbuthnot, Chief Executive of RoR, said: “All of these horses are wonderful ambassadors for the charity, promoting the versatility of the racehorse.

“We would also like to thank the Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust for their most generous sponsorship. Sir Peter’s voice will forever be associated with the Grand National so it is great to maintain his connection with Aintree and he was a fervent supporter of horse welfare and would have enjoyed seeing these horses parade.”

Also featuring will be the 20-year-old Aintree favourite, Monet’s Garden, who won the Old Roan Chase three times. Monet’s Garden crowned a wonderfully successful second career showing when winning RoR Horse of The Year 2016. Monet’s Garden is now retired from competition and will be led in the parade by Joey Richards.

The parade is due to take place at 12.40pm, on Friday, 13^th April. Details of the 10 horses participating, together with their riders and their current activities, are listed below.

2018 RoR Aintree Parade, sponsored by the Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust:

BARBERS SHOP (Showing) – ridden by Chris Hunnable

16-year-old by Saddlers’ Hall, formerly trained by Nicky Henderson

Owned by HM The Queen, since his retirement from racing in 2012, Barbers Shop has been with Katie Jerram and under her schooling he became one of the leading former racehorses to compete in showing classes. Among his many successes was victory at the Hickstead Derby Final and three times winner and champion at Royal Windsor Horse Show. He is now retired from competitive showing.

JUNIOR (Dressage and Hunting) – Ridden by Abi Espin-Frith

15-year-old by Singspiel, formerly trained by David Pipe

A winner at both Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival, Junior ran in the 2012 Grand National and won over £200,000 in prize money. Since his retirement in 2015

Junior has been hunting with the Holderness and this summer he is due to do some RoR showing classes. His rider, Abi Espin-Frith, reports that he works brilliantly on the flat, adding that even at the age of 15 there is still plenty of spirit left in him.

MAD MOOSE (Dressage) – Ridden by Sophie Burkin

14-year-old by Presenting, formerly trained by Nigel Twiston-Davis

A talented racehorse, Mad Moose acquired notoriety on account of his refusing to start and he was retired from racing in 2014. Under the care of Sophie Burkin, he has adapted really well and enjoys going hunting regularly. Mad Moose has also taken up dressage and showjumping and last summer competed in both disciplines at the RoR National Championships at Aintree. The pair are aiming to continue competing successfully this season.

MIDNIGHT CHASE (Hunting) – Ridden by Sally Hayward

16-year-old by Midnight Legend, formerly trained by Neil Mulholland

A five-time winner at Cheltenham, Midnight Chase retired in 2013 and has since gone on to excel in a range of activities. Under Sally Hayward he is a Field Master’s horse for the Cheshire Forest. He has also taken part in showing, competing at the Horse of the Year Show, eventing, hunter trials and unaffiliated dressage and acts as a lead horse for the Pony Club.

PEDDLERS CROSS (Showjumping) – Ridden by Brian Storey

13-year-old by Oscar, formerly trained by Donald McCain

The winner of a Grade 1 Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and of a Grade 2 race at the Grand National Festival, Peddlers Cross retired from racing in 2013. He is now based with Brian and Jackie Storey and his kind nature has helped him to adapt to a range of activities, including showjumping, arena eventing and hunter trials. He has spent the winter hunting and leading the two-year-olds on the gallops.

PINEAU DE RE (Eventing) – Ridden by Lizzie Doolittle

15-year-old by Maresca Sorrento, formerly trained by Dr Richard Newland

The winner of the 2014 Grand National, Pineau De Re retired in April 2016. After a break he enjoyed a season’s hunting with Richard Newland’s daughter Amelia, before moving to Lizzie Doolittle. Lizzie, who also rides out for Dr Newland, reports that Pineau took quickly to dressage and jumping, despite having his own jumping technique, and the pair embarked on an eventing career that culminated last season at Aldon International three-day-event in the BE100 class. The ambition this season is to upgrade to and complete a couple of Novice event classes.

WILD WEST (Showing) – ridden by Lizzie Harris

10-year-old by Galileo, formerly trained by Jonjo O’Neill

Despite being in-training first with Aidan O’Brien and then Jonjo O’Neill, where he was ridden by AP McCoy, Wild West remained a maiden under rules, however, he has enjoyed great success in his second career. The highlight was being crowned Supreme Champion at the RoR National Championships at Aintree in 2017, when ridden side-saddle by Lizzie Harris. He is a very versatile horse having also hunted, team chased and evented. In the show ring his victories include the RoR Tattersalls Championship at Hickstead in 2015 and 2017 and he was the winner of the 2017 RoR Elite Performance Award for Showing.

INCHLOSS (Horseball) – Ridden by David Worthington

17-year-old by Imperial Ballet, formerly trained by Stewart Parr

The winner of two races during a four year racing career before retiring in 2007 to start playing Horseball, Inchloss has since become an essential part of the Great Britain Horseball team under rider David Worthington. The pair played a key part in Great Britain winning their first ever bronze medal at last year’s FIHB WHR European Championships.

MABAIT (Horseball) – Ridden by Ben Berry

12-year-old by Kyllachy, formerly trained by David Simcock

The winner of nine races, including a Listed race when dead-heating with Group 1 winner Rio De La Plata, Mabait retired in 2014 after a racing career that took him to Dubai and Istanbul. Under rider Ben Berry, he has excelled at Horseball, representing Great Britain at the 2016 World Cup and winning the Best Horse and Rider combination for the 2016 season. Outside of Horseball, Mabait has also done some dressage and showjumping.

MONET’S GARDEN (Showing) – Led by Joey Richards

20-year-old by Roselier, formerly trained by Nicky Richards

An Aintree favourite, Monet’s Garden won the Old Roan Chase three times. In 2010, Monet’s Garden overcame a life threatening illness and was nursed back to health by Joey Richards. Since then the pair have enjoyed great success in the show ring, including victory at RoR National Championships in 2016 when crowned RoR Ridden Veteran Champion, after which he was also awarded RoR Horse of The Year. Monet’s Garden is now retired from competitive showing.