Time Down Under clocks up a Hickstead win

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Today’s Tattersalls RoR Open Ridden Show Series Championship at Hickstead went to show producer Justine Armstrong-Small and the former Flat racehorse Time Down Under.

The eight-year-old by Aussie Rules had a shortlived racing career, racing three times under rules before being retired from the track. “He was quite weak; he ran as a two-year-old and then sat in a field for three years, so he’d done very little,” said Justine, who is based in Essex. “A friend of mine actually messaged me and said, ‘I’ve got this horse, and I’ve got no time – would you be interested? I think you’d really suit him, and I’d really like him to go on and achieve what he can’. So I went to look at him and thought he was too small for me, because he’s only 15.2hh. But I thought he’s a nice type, so I just went with it. He’s a lovely mover and very clean-limbed.”

Hickstead’s huge Longines International Arena can be daunting for even the most established of show horses, let alone ones whose former career involved galloping at top speed. But Time Down Under took it all in his stride. “He was so relaxed in there, and he just went like a dream. I wasn’t expecting this at all. It’s even nicer when you’ve just come to enjoy the day and then you win!”

In reserve was Katie Dashwood and the 10-year-old Minella Rebellion, who was formerly trained by Nicky Henderson; while in the Tattersalls RoR Amateur Ridden Show Series Championship Tori Cannon’s Wonga Swinger won ahead of Holly Gray and Symphony of Kings in reserve.

For full results click here.