Success stories Owner Breeder's Pride - Tattersalls RoR Former Racehorse Challenge Champion

Written by Jane May, owner and breeder of Potters Grenadier

My husband and I have been going to the Tattersall Sales for the last 50 years and have bought some very nice horses. We have won several races with some of them, not expensive ones, always on the cheap side.

In 2009 we purchased the mother of Potters Grenadier, Mountain Stream with a filly foal at foot and in foal with what turned out to be Potters Grenadier. The sire was a very nice quality stallion who won many races called Notnowcato.

As she was walking round the sales ring outside, we liked both the mother and the nice bay filly foal, we asked the opinion of the Rt Hon James Broughton from Barton Stud, as too what she would make, he seemed to think not a lot, so I thought we would take a pop, and we duly bought her for £1,600 for all three, we were very excited, we though a real bargain.

When the time came for the mare to foal we were presented with a very nice big colt, my husband and I pulled him out, we foaled 8 mares that year and did not see our beds for nearly three months, they don’t tell you when they are going to foal.

Before racing we showed Potters Grenadier as he was so good looking, he never came away without a rosette. As a 2-year-old he won Best TB, Hunter classes, the Champion Sports horse Breeding HIS, of Great Britain and the Champion HIS, National Hunter Show, and many more. When he was a 4-year-old he went in his first ridden showing class at Windsor Horse Show under Simon Charlesworth in an Open class. In total there were 19 in the class and Henrietta Knight was the judge, he behaved beautifully and ended up placing second to the prolific winner Party Time.

Unfortunately he developed a splint, so we rested him. He then went racing, visiting various racecourses but sadly he didn't take to it. It was like he decided that if he had been round once he thought that was enough however, we had jockeys call asking to ride him again. Jockey William Kennedy said ” I would love to ride him again as he gave him a wonderful ride over the jumps”, but it was not meant to be, so we went back to showing again and won at the Suffolk show and East of England and many others also Equitation classes and also Working Hunter classes.

The judges said he would make a lovely eventer, so off we went eventing, and he won his first event at Keysoe in 2019, under his rider Kizzy Smith.

In 2022 I suggested we took him to the Royal Norfolk Show and try RoR Showing Classes, Kizzy wasn’t keen at first as she had never done showing but we persuaded her. Luckily we won and qualified for the Tattersalls RoR Former Racehorse Challenge Final at Aintree. We never thought Kizzy would agree however, the rest is history and he only went and won the final! Kizzy now has the bug, but does not want to admit it, she is such a natural rider and we are very lucky to have her.

My Husband and I are still breeding racehorses, it is hard work but very rewarding, to think that you have bred lovely horses. We have on the farm four generations of the family, some now in their twenties, it is our life with no holidays, but such a thrill when you win at the RoR Championships. I was so proud and overwhelmed, I was on cloud nine for ages.

We have the wonderful Potters Legend that is now racing in veteran classes and loving with Charlie Longsdon, once he is retired, he will also do RoR.