Success stories Racing Staff Week - Emilie Hardy and Cloud Creeper

I worked at Philip Hobbs racing yard for 3 1/2 years and during the last year that he was in training there I rode Cloudy every day. In over a decade of riding hundreds of different horses I can quite honestly say that Cloudy was the most genuine little horse I had ever sat on, he was always so honest and tried his hardest for you.

He sadly sustained a tendon injury and was retired from racing, I was given him by the Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club Syndicate. He was on box rest for a few months, then field rest for the remainder of the year. Luckily when I had it scanned it had healed, I have been very careful with him post injury by only jumping him when needed and being cautious about the ground I ride him on.

Having worked in racing for a few years but never ridden in a race, I decided that Cloudy would be the perfect schoolmaster for me to have a go at point-to-pointing on. I started training him and picked our first race - the novice riders at Barbury in November 2017. He was an absolute star, looking after me over fences that were nearly as big as I am and we managed to come 4th out 12 runners which I was beyond thrilled with.

I'd always had a 'bucket list' of things that I'd like to do with Cloudy, so next on the list was Eventing. I started retraining him for the three phases - dressage, show jumping and cross country and as always, he tried his absolute best for me, we have stepped up to 100cm this season. We have also competed in a few team chases - including 2nd place in our first ever one! I think he enjoys this the most as the tracks are long and galloping with natural fences.

Last year Cloudy also carried me around Newbury racecourse in a charity flat race where we raised £2,500 and met Princess Anne. Cloudy has given me some of the best days of my life and I have achieved things that I could have only dreamed of as a child. He is the most kind, huge hearted horse that I have even ridden and am fortunate enough to own him.