Alice Watson secured a career best win today when claiming the honours in the Tom Hudson Derby Trophy. Riding her own 10-year-old grey mare Billy Lemon, she produced a fast double clear to head off competition from Ireland's Cian O'Connor.
“I know she’s quick, I’ve just got to try to put her in the right places and she’ll try for me," said Alice. “She felt unreal, she loves that ring and is a bit of a show-off. People tell me she’s the most spoilt horse in the world and she probably is. But I don’t care if she performs like that!”
Alice had a non-equestrian upbringing, and started adding to her stable when she was 16 years old, buying a pony for just £150 that she sold for a small profit at a later stage. She did that a few times until she had enough put aside to buy a quality young horse who would go on to become her biggest star – Billy Lemon.
"That’s the great thing about this game – what other sport can you compete against the world’s top riders when you don’t even have a world ranking? And it’s all thanks to Billy Lemon. I just need more horses now to take the pressure off her a bit as wherever we go we have to win our entry back and bit more to pay for the next.”
The wins are coming in quick succession for Alice, after she also rode Cudandsa M to first place in the Hickstead 1.35m Open.
In the showing, Jordan Cook won the Alltech Supreme Hack Championship with his own 14-year-old Fleetwater Xecutive, while the Osborne Refrigerators Scurry Driving Championship went to Jemma Millman and her prolific pair Eeyore & Piglet.
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