Our first naming day of the year is always a great occasion. Owners gathering at the stables to name their two-year-old can only mean one thing – the Flat season is nearly here!
We’ve been holding such days at Kevin Ryan’s fantastic Hambleton Lodge stables for nearly 20 years and the unmistakable buzz a could-be-anything two-year-old creates amongst owners was there for all to see again as American Style had his racing name confirmed.
On the all-complimentary day owners enjoyed warming coffees and baked goods from our caterer, which were most welcome, with temperatures most definitely still on the cooler side!
There was no mistaking the main attraction, as owners gathered to catch a glimpse of their stunning colt by Washington DC as he prepared for action.
Once the riders had saddled up their mounts, owners headed up onto Kevin’s historic gallops for a private audience and see their exciting two-year-old in action.
In rather bracing conditions, our 2023 Listed winner Washington Heights led the string, closely followed by the young pretender in front of his horse racing syndicate and trainer Kevin Ryan.
To anyone au fait with this young colt’s seamless progress since joining us from the sales, it would have been little surprise to see our two-year-old behaving like a true professional as he went about his morning exercise in front of a bigger audience than normal.
Owners captured the moment as American Style strutted his stuff before returning to Kevin’s yard to see him at much closer quarters as Hambleton’s photographer, Louise Pollard, took those much-treasured naming day photos.
Once everyone had taken a good look around the yard, getting up close and personal with the Hambleton horses, owners made their way down to the nearby award-winning Carpenter’s Arms for lunch.
As ever, the catering at the Carpenter’s was excellent and made for the perfect location in which for owners to find out the racing name of their youngster.
Once again, the award-winning venue provided excellent catering as owners enjoyed the chance to get to know one another a little better, before Cosmo took to the stage to build the tension and reveal the name American Style to be the popular winner of the naming vote.
Owners celebrated the popular name, chosen by longstanding owner Carol, who received a prize bottle of champagne for putting forward the winning choice.
With Saturday’s star looking a real racy, early type, American Style’s naming day proved a real hit as the atmosphere built in the pub and his owners relaxed and discussed what might lie ahead for their young horse.
We’d like to take this chance to thank all owners who joined us for what will hopefully be the first of many memorable days for American Style and his horse racing syndicate.
We look forward to being back at Hambleton Lodge soon to name our powerful colt by Territories, another exciting two-year-old we have high hopes for this year with Kevin.
