Mark Todd endured a humiliating 2022 after social media trolls drew the world's attention to his attempts to discipline a miscreant young horse. He finished the year with a modest 5 winners from just 51 runners, and, unjustly, something of a tarnished reputation outside the sport at any rate.
But time heals most things, and 2023 has started stronger for the likeable eventing maestro from Wanborough, near Swindon. The team that lifted all the main equestrianism trophies during a long and distinguished career in the saddle has already surpassed last year's score from just 22 runners, the latest being a neck winner by Prophet's Dream under Tom Marquand at Leicester this afternoon.
Our Flat racing scene is dominated by large stables of 150+, populated by the best blue-bloods and long-established owner-breeders. Even our Jump yards are as large nowadays, with nearby Alan King stabling circa 150, split between both codes. So small yards are even more improbable success stories on the Flat as during the winter game.
Todd's expertise and general horsemanship are more than compensation for a lifetime not spent in the racing game. Of his 10 horses in training, there are four individual winners, none being rated higher than 88. This then is not a yard frequenting the festival meets, or headed for the Channel ports for foreign black type, although Tasman Bay was a welcome exception last August.
It's worth reflecting however, that this is just his third full year here in Britain in this very different discipline to Eventing. With the pandemic affecting the start of that career change, there are plenty of reasons to believe the same expertise that propelled him to three Badminton trophies and no less than 5 at Burghley can be applied to the British racing scene. The success he enjoyed at Group I level in New Zealand can be repeated here with a fair wind and a better class of horse.
Mark Todd endured a humiliating 2022 after social media trolls drew the world's attention to his attempts to discipline a miscreant young horse. He finished the year with a modest 5 winners from just 51 runners, and, unjustly, something of a tarnished reputation outside the sport at any rate.
But time heals most things, and 2023 has started stronger for the likeable eventing maestro from Wanborough, near Swindon. The team that lifted all the main equestrianism trophies during a long and distinguished career in the saddle has already surpassed last year's score from just 22 runners, the latest being a neck winner by Prophet's Dream under Tom Marquand at Leicester this afternoon.
Our Flat racing scene is dominated by large stables of 150+, populated by the best blue-bloods and long-established owner-breeders. Even our Jump yards are as large nowadays, with nearby Alan King stabling circa 150, split between both codes. So small yards are even more improbable success stories on the Flat as during the winter game.
Todd's expertise and general horsemanship are more than compensation for a lifetime not spent in the racing game. Of his 10 horses in training, there are four individual winners, none being rated higher than 88. This then is not a yard frequenting the festival meets, or headed for the Channel ports for foreign black type, although Tasman Bay was a welcome exception last August.
It's worth reflecting however, that this is just his third full year here in Britain in this very different discipline to Eventing. With the pandemic affecting the start of that career change, there are plenty of reasons to believe the same expertise that propelled him to three Badminton trophies and no less than 5 at Burghley can be applied to the British racing scene. The success he enjoyed at Group I level in New Zealand can be repeated here with a fair wind and a better class of horse.
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