news Former racehorses shine in special parade at Cheltenham Racecourse

A special parade showcasing retired racehorses will take place from 11.35am to 11.55am at Cheltenham Racecourse on day two of the November meeting, Saturday 16 November 2024, as part of the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) parade. The event will celebrate the remarkable transformations of ten former racehorses, each now excelling in new careers after retiring from the track.

The line-up includes several high-profile names, such as Allaho, Coneygree, Native River, and Smad Place. These well-known former racehorses will be joined by stars like Amroth Bay, Gentleman At Arms, and Wonga Swinger, who have all thrived in their second careers, competing in disciplines ranging from dressage and showing to eventing and team chasing.

The parade will be led by Allaho, a ten-year-old gelding formerly trained by Willie Mullins. A Cheltenham Festival star, Allaho won 10 of his 20 starts, including four Grade One races, and triumphed by 12 lengths in the 2021 Ryanair Chase. Now retired and living with Emma Vine in Somerset, they are just starting out on their second career journey in RoR dressage and showing.

Also featured are Coneygree and Native River. Coneygree, the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup champion, retired in February 2019 and has since flourished in RoR showing classes, even reaching the finals of the Tattersalls RoR Show Series at Hickstead. Native River, retired in December 2021 after earning over £1 million in prize money, won fourteen races, including the Hennessy Gold Cup, Welsh National, and Denman Chase. Since retiring, he has enjoyed similar success, being crowned the Tattersalls RoR Amateur Show Series Final Champion at Hickstead in 2024.

Other notable participants in the parade include Amroth Bay, the 2024 Veteran Champion at the RoR National Championships at Aintree. Known for his versatility, Amroth Bay has excelled in eventing and showing, even qualifying for Horse of the Year.

Gentleman At Arms, trained by Stuart Edmunds, won six races and earned over £90,000, with his final victory at Aintree in November 2023. Since retiring, he was crowned Supreme Showing Champion at the RoR National Championships in August.

Wonga Swinger, trained by Sam Thomas, retired in 2018 after two wins. Since then, he has shone in the showing world, winning Champion at Royal Windsor Horse Show, the Tattersalls RoR Amateur Champion at Hickstead, and the 2023 RoR Elite Showing Championship. This year, he qualified for Horse of the Year at Burghley and went on to become the 2024 SEIB Champion Racehorse to Riding Horse.

David Catlow, Managing Director of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), said: “This parade showcases a diverse range of horses, many of which were top performers on the track, while others have thrived in their second careers. The different paths these horses take reflect the strong aftercare system RoR has developed. While this highlights the care and commitment to retired racehorses in Great Britain, it also emphasises the need for continued support, as outlined in the RoR Strategy 2024-2026, to ensure all retired racehorses have the opportunity for a fulfilling second career or retirement.”

Full parade line up:

1.ALLAHO – ridden by Emma Vine
2.AMROTH BAY – ridden by Sophie Kingston
3.CONEYGREE - ridden by Sara Bradstock
4. DUC DES GENIEVRES – ridden by Amy Phillips
5. GENTLEMAN AT ARMS – ridden by Harriet Edmunds
6. KIMBERLITE CANDY – ridden by Hollie Cartwright
7. NATIVE RIVER – ridden by Jazmin Hosgood
8.ROBIN ROE – ridden by Maddie Cantrill
9. SMAD PLACE – ridden by Sarah Haydon
10. WONGA SWINGER – ridden by Tori Thomas

Notes for Editors
For more information, please contact Toni Levey, Marketing Communications Executive at RoR, tlevey@ror.org.uk or telephone 07881 286441.

About Retraining of Racehorses (RoR)
Founded in 2000, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is British Horseracing's official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing. We believe every former racehorse deserves a life well lived throughout every stage of their life. For more information visit www.ror.org.uk