Lalor's blog - Our trip to Aintree
Our journey to Aintree didn’t begin as I had hoped. The morning I left, my Grandpa passed away. He was 86 and lived a good life, but the loss was incredibly tough. He had watched me ride Lalor to qualify for the Championships at Chard, and so I wanted to go to Aintree and give my best performance in his memory. This was for him.
When we finally arrived at Aintree, I was feeling the weight of sadness and nerves. But the moment I got into the saddle, things felt a little lighter. That’s what Lalor does for me—he makes everything seem better.
Lalor is nothing short of a champion. He behaved impeccably, taking in the atmosphere without getting stressed or over excited. We performed what I believe was our best test yet. I was actually riding this time—not just sitting there like a lemon! I wasn’t expecting to win, but we did just that! It was an incredible and unexpected victory, and I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come in such a short time. That lap of honour is a memory I’ll cherish forever. Bringing Lalor back to winning ways at Aintree meant the world to us.
We spent three wonderful days at Aintree. We settled in on Wednesday with a little stroll alongside the racetrack, competed on Thursday, and spent some time watching our stablemate Enormouse compete before heading home on Friday. Lalor also had his moment to shine in the "Always A Star" parade on Thursday evening. He loves an audience and always behaves impeccably, even in a big arena. I’m lucky to have a horse who enjoys the spotlight as much as he does.
Congratulations to all the participants and winners, especially Enormouse, who was ridden and trained by our coach, Sophie Hawke. A big shout-out as well to Evron, another former Blackmore Farm resident, now with Stella Bunn, winning in everything from eventing to dressage—and even dancing to music!
The RoR Championships is a truly fantastic competition, and it’s heartwarming to see so many former racehorses excelling in various disciplines at all levels. It’s a well-run event, fully supported by riders of former racehorses. That said, it would be wonderful to see more supporters there to spectate the event and cheer on these horses as they embark on new careers. It’s free to attend for spectators, so do consider going along next year.
There are so many people I need to thank. Sophie Hawke, for helping me train and ride Lalor, and my sister Kayley, who always supports us and ensures Lalor is well looked after. To the team at home, thank you for caring for and exercising him when I can’t. A special thanks to his farrier, physios, and vets—it truly takes a village, and I’m privileged to be able to ride such a magnificent horse.
For now, Lalor is enjoying a well-deserved break. He’s been hacking and taking things easy, with a few sessions on the water treadmill each week to help improve his topline. We’re aiming to tackle some Prelim competitions over the winter, but his health and strength will always be our top priority. Here’s to a long, successful dressage career ahead!