The excitement for the upcoming Flat season continues to build and owners in a couple of recently named juveniles at Kevin Ryan’s Hambleton yard have more reason than most to look forward.
Our all-complimentary naming days at the stables are always events to remember as owners get together to meet as a horse racing syndicate for the first time and see their horse in action on the gallops.
There was a really positive feeling across the two separate naming morning’s we held at Kevin’s last week, the foggy conditions that we faced on the Friday did little to dampen enthusiasm while Saturday’s group were able to bask in beautiful sunshine out on the picturesque Hambleton Hills.
As ever, owners were greeted at Kevin’s yard by the Hambleton team who welcomed owners into Hambleton lodge and directed them towards our mobile barista, who provided the usual selection of excellent warm drinks and tasty, finger-licking treats for owners to enjoy.
Once the horses were saddled up and the riders ready, owners headed onto Kevin’s gallops to watch the action on his private gallops at close quarters.
Our globetrotting superstar, last year’s Group 3 Abernant winner, Washington Heights, fresh from finishing runner-up out in Doha, led the young pretenders up the gallops both mornings before the assembled gallery of Kevin and their horse racing syndicates.
It came as little surprise to see both youngsters behaving impeccably and showing a notably professional attitude to their work as they exercised at altitude in front of an impressed audience.
Of course, such professionally conditioned equine athletes are very much what we and our owners have come to expect of horses trained by Kevin, a master of his craft whose attention to detail is second to none in preparing his juveniles for their first season of racing.
With the exercise complete owners returned to the yard to see their horses up close and personal as Hambleton’s photographer, Louise Pollard, took those all-important naming day photos.
There was a great atmosphere throughout the days and owners very much enjoyed getting the chance to see all of the Hambleton horses at Kevin’s yard as their pre-season preparations are really hitting full swing.
Once the action was finished within the yard, owners headed down to the nearby award-winning Carpenter’s Arms for lunch. As ever, the catering at the Carpenter’s was of the highest order and made for the perfect location in which for owners to find out the racing name of their youngsters.
Ahead of the meal, the winners were announced by our Head Racing Manager Cosmo, with naming rights going to two of Hambleton’s long-standing owners, who currently own in a number of syndicates with Hambleton, Peter and Carol, who successfully suggested the names Showtown and Regal Dream respectively.
Both winning names went down well as owners relaxed and looked forward to the season ahead. These two-year-olds look another couple of exciting youngsters for our owners to enjoy with Kevin and with the Flat season moving ever closer excitement is building all the time.
Attention now turns to our next complimentary day for owners with juveniles at both Karl Burke’s and David O’Meara’s Yorkshire stables set to take centre stage next week ahead of what we hope and expect is going to be another exciting and very successful year of racing.
