Territorial Knight’s naming day

This year’s two-year-olds look a largely forward group and it was great to see another of them at close quarters on Saturday as owners joined us at Kevin Ryan’s Hambleton Lodge stables to name Territorial Knight.

There’s always a lovely feel to these days and with the weather kindly staying dry, owners enjoyed a relaxed time in the yard and enjoyed cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolates and a few tasty treats as the horses prepared for action.

The star turn of the morning was of course Territorial Knight, a lovely colt by Territories who has thrived through the winter and is a strong colt now who looks like he knows his job and is all but ready to race.

With the last of the riders safely legged up, owners made their way up onto the gallops to watch their colt canter in behind another member of the Hambleton team.

Last year’s Listed winner and Group 2 Duke Of York entry Washington Heights led the string, closely followed by Territorial Knight in front of his horse racing syndicate on the historic gallops, which have been home to racehorses for well over 400 years in one guise or another.

Videos and pictures were taken as Territorial Knight, ridden by Kevin’s apprentice Curtis Wilson-Ruddock, exercised in impressive fashion despite the breezy conditions before heading back into Kevin’s yard where owners saw him at much closer quarters as Hambleton’s photographer, Louise Pollard, captured naming-day photos for owners.

Once everyone had taken a good look around the yard, owners made their way down to the nearby award-winning Carpenter’s Arms for lunch.

The standard of the excellent catering is well established at the Carpenter’s and provided the perfect location for owners to receive the all-important naming news, which was announced by Helen.

Sue, a first-time owner to Hambleton, was the owner responsible for the winning name. As ever, the announcement of the name generated much conversation as the horse racing syndicate discussed their horse’s racing name, and what lay ahead for him in the coming weeks and months.

On that very subject, owners are unlikely to have to wait long to see their young colt in action, with Kevin highlighting a race for him at Beverley in the coming weeks.

It will be great to see Territorial Knight and his horse racing syndicate out and racing and he looks a lovely colt who should give his owners plenty of fun.

Our attention now turns to Lambourn where the team are looking forward to welcoming owners to name our two-year-olds based with in-form trainer Archie Watson.

Hambleton Diary Index >>

Buy Racehorse Shares >>