Paisley Park Heads A Steller Line Up In The RoR Parade On Coral Gold Cup Day

Fan favourite, Paisley Park, will return to Newbury Racecourse as one of six retired racehorses in the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) parade after the first race on Saturday, November 30, day two of the Coral Gold Cup meeting. All six retired stars will be paraded in the paddock at approximately 12:18pm before the start of the second race of the day.

The hugely popular Paisley Park, the winner of the 2019 Long Distance Hurdle, will return to Newbury Racecourse on Saturday. Newbury racegoers experienced two unforgettable finishes in the 2022 and 2023 renewals of the Long-Distance Hurdle when Paisley Park showed his tenacity to battle to the line against both Champ and Dashel Drasher. The twelve-year-old, retired after his run at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, spent a well-deserved summer in the field. He is enjoying his retirement at the home of trainer Emma Lavelle’s secretary, Katrina, for her daughter Jazz to enjoy. Having enjoyed his first days hunting last week, jumping plenty of hedges, Jazz aspires to compete in RoR showing classes with Paisley Park with the Tattersalls RoR show series qualifiers at the Royal Bath & West Show an initial target. Jazz Stanhope-White will ride Paisley Park on Saturday to the delight of owner, Andrew Gemmell.

Trained by the late Mark Bradstock, the winner of the 2015 Denman Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup, Coneygree, will be ridden by Mark’s wife, Sara, in Saturday’s parade. Having been retired from racing in 2019 after becoming the first Novice to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 41 years when ridden by Nico de Boinville, Coneygree was re-trained by Sara. He has subsequently won several RoR showing classes and twice qualified for the final of the Tattersalls RoR Show Series at Hickstead and recently took part in the Cotswold Team Chase when ridden by Sara’s son, Alfie.

One of the most popular National Hunt stars in recent seasons, Native River returns to Newbury on Saturday, a track in which he enjoyed much success. A three-time winner of the Denman Chase and winner of the 2016 Hennessy Gold Cup [now Coral Gold Cup], Newbury was a happy hunting ground for Native River. Since retirement, he has had many social engagements including being the star guest at the 30th Anniversary of the onsite Rocking Horse Nursey at Newbury Racecourse as well Boodles on Bond Street and attending a school prom. 2024 has been a successful year for Native River, aka Garfield, when being crowned the 2024 Tattersalls RoR Amateur Show Series final Champion at Hickstead. The fourteen-year-old-year, formerly trained by Colin Tizzard, will be ridden by Jazmin Hosgood in Saturday’s parade.

The winner of the 2015 Hennessy Gold Cup [now Coral Gold Cup] when trained by Alan King, seventeen-year-old Smad Place is enjoying retirement with Sarah Haydon. Still owned by his racing owner, Mrs Peter Andrews, Smad Place attends clinics, RoR camps and Sarah has hopes to quality for the Jockey Club RoR National Championships which take place at Aintree every August.

A runner on the flat when trained by Wiliam Muir, Sweet Jemima retired from racing as a four-year-old. For the last 16 months, she has been based with 4* event rider, Phoebe Locke, who will ride her on Saturday. Under Phoebe’s guidance, she has competed 15 times in British Eventing with 11 double clear finishes. Progressing through the ranks she has competed at Novice and 1* level with highlights being a first placed finish at Oxstalls and a 2nd at Aston le Walls.

Completing the line-up is Carole’s Destrier, twice a winner at Newbury when trained by Neil Mulholland and runner up in the 2016 Hennessy Gold Cup [now Coral Gold Cup] behind Native River. Upon his retirement in 2022, owner Carole Skipworth gifted him to Maisie Bush. Maisie first met Carole’s Destrier when working for Mulholland, describing the meeting as: “it was love at first sight.” They have enjoyed much success together both in and out of racing, most recently winning the RoR Novice Final at the RoR National Championships in 2023.

David Catlow, Managing Director of RoR, commented on the line up: “This parade showcases a fantastic range of former racehorses. While some of those parading were top performers on the track, all are now thriving in their second careers which reflects the strong aftercare system RoR has developed. While these parades highlight the care and commitment for retired racehorses in Great Britain, they also emphasise the need for continued support, as outlined in the RoR Strategy 2024-2026, to ensure that all retired racehorses have the opportunity for a fulfilling second career or retirement.”