Bid to find adaptable track stars launched in Richmond

Next Saturday’s event is the brainwave of yard manager Kathryn Dobson, delighted that the retraining of racing’s former flat and jumps stars is most definitely on the up.

Dobson was a secretary to racehorse trainer Karl Burke for 12 years, but now runs the Centre alongside her husband Scott, a former amateur jockey.

The yard specialises in the re-training and then re-homing of former racehorses with the duo now counting down the days ahead of next Saturday’s eagerly-awaited event – open to any ex-racehorse and their connections.

Horses making the transition from the Sport Of Kings to the equestrian ring are unquestionably on the rise with both former Gold Cup winner Kauto Star and Grand National hero Neptune Collonges now embarking on dressage careers.

Dobson now hopes that trend can have the desired effect next weekend on a day that will feature one-off events in showing, showjumping and dressage with prizes up for grabs for the winners.

“I think what’s happening with horses like Kauto Star is brilliant,” said Dobson.

“It’s a life after racing for them so why not?

“Horses are used to going to the races once a month so why should they just be sent out into a field to retire?

“It’s fantastic that the re-training of racehorses is coming on loads and I think previously people were getting the wrong idea about racehorses. They have had so much done to them to make them into a racehorse, but at the end of the day they are just horses.”

The vast majority of former racehorses that are sent to Richmond Equestrian Centre are re-trained and re-sold but the Dobson’s have kept hold of Lord Stones – now a regular in the equestrian ring but formerly in training with Tim Easterby. Now Dobson is thrilled that both Easterby and fellow Yorkshire trainer Kevin Ryan have pledged their sponsorship and support of next weekend’s event, alongside Catterick Racecourse and main sponsors Shadwell Stud.

“It’s the first time we’ve held this event and it was both myself and Scott’s idea really,” said Dobson.

“But we needed some sponsorship so we were delighted when Shadwell Stud said they would sponsor the whole day.

“We have also got some of the local racehorse trainers on board including Tim Easterby and Kevin Ryan as well as Catterick Racecourse and to get them all on board is brilliant.

“We have got some brilliant facilities here and we are really looking forward to showing people what we do.

“We take these horses in, re-school and retrain them, and then calm them down before they are put up for sale and re-homed.”

Each class at next weekend’s event costs £8 to enter with the Dobson’s ready to welcome would-be-contenders for events such as the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship at the Horse Of The Year show – won last year by the former Bryan Smart-trained Roger’s Revenge.

Whether there will be any future champions on show next weekend remains to be seen but Dobson is no stranger to handling smart recruits from the racing sphere with big-race winners such as Daraahem having already passed through her hands.

The yard manager joked that she wouldn’t even be phased if Kauto Star turned up.

“I’ve had horses just as nice as him,” said Dobson.

“We have had some lovely horses off Shadwell including a Chester Cup winner – Daraahem – and a class two race winner – Wasan.

“All of these horses have been re-trained and re-homed and that’s what we love doing.”

Next Saturday’s event, which also features a raffle and prizes gets underway at 9am

n For more information call Kathryn Dobson on 07734 246 236.