CLARE WILLS AND THE HEARTWARMING STORY OF AN EX RACEHORSE FROM BRENDAN'S YARD!

Claire Wills is a familiar face at Brendan's yard. Claire helps on the yard, attends the races as she frequently leads up, and also works as a part time secretary for Brendan.

Claire's favourite horse at the yard is Tora Bora, so, as you can imagine she was thrilled with his win this week.

So often you hear the question asked about what happens to the racehorses that don't make the grade on the racecourse. This is a heartwarming story of Claire and Watership Down. It goes to prove that with plenty of TLC, lots of patience, and a bucket load of courage (especially in this instance) so much can be achieved.


Claire bought Watership Down (Shippy) out of Brendan Powell’s racing yard, where she works, in July 2002. The first year with Shippy was spent reschooling and attending riding club clinics, but Shippy was less than co-operative, showing little respect for show jumps and thinking water was to jump over and not into, at the cross country course. After two years with little success, Claire decided she would put him back in to racing and have a go at point to point race riding herself. We got him fit and ready to run (regularly using Brendan’s fences and gallops) and Shippy had his first race on February 18th at Barbury racecourse. It was a very nerve racking experience for all concerned but especially for Claire. She set off at the back of the field in order to gain her confidence and try to keep out of trouble. The races are all run over 3 miles with 18 fences of approx 4ft 6ins and at a speed of about 25 mph. Unfortunately, they came to grief 5 fences from the finish, when starting to make significant progress into 4th place. Shippy did a complete somersault but was unhurt and Claire ended up in the medical room with concussion and severe bruising. Claire was heard to say, “never again!” but Shippy had shown a great deal of promise and would certainly have been in the money, bar the fall.

With a great deal of encouragement from Brendan on March 19th we were all back at Larkhill racecourse on a bitterly cold day to watch Claire and Shippy come from a long way behind (frightened of falling again) to take 3rd place in a race they really should have won, only being beaten by 3 lengths after coming from an impossible position at half way. It was still great to be in the winner’s enclosure after the race and more importantly both the horse and jockey finished safe and sound.

The next race was at Hackwood Park on 2nd April in wet, muddy conditions. Claire and Shippy had learnt a great deal from the experience of the two previous races and made no mistakes this time, coming from behind to win their first race by a head at the odds of 5-1! This was the best experience ever, Brendan and his wife Rachel were there, plus several supporters who had been following her progress at the races she has competed in so far. Claire was presented with a silver challenge cup, a pair of silver champagne goblets, prize money and other gifts, she was also congratulated by Richard Dunwoody, who was there to watch, plus she was interviewed by various newspaper reporters, there was no stopping her now.

April 17th was a return to Hackwood Park. They ran another good race to finish a close 2nd under a penalty, after being hampered and impeded several times by some erratic jumping from one of her rivals.

The next race was April 29th back at Larkhill, with Claire, the only female in the race, setting off at the back of the field, which was now her trade mark. They started to make ground through the field and were in second place coming towards the second last fence, then took the lead and easily moved away from the field to win by comfortable 4 lengths. The horse they beat was the odds on favourite, who had won his two previous races and has won again since. Claire was presented with another silver challenge trophy, some very nice Royal Doulton crystal glasses, prize money and yet more press interviews leading to a write up and photo in The Horse and Hound.

Shippy’s last race of the season was back at Larkhill for an evening meeting on May 24th. Claire said before the race, “she did not think Shippy was 100% right, ” but we had a good look at him before the race and could not put a finger on anything wrong, so we decided to let him take his chance as it was his last race before his summer rest. With hindsight this was a mistake. The weather was appalling, an absolute downpour, rain all evening, they run well to finish in 4th place, but it appears Claire was right, as Shippy came home very sore and with a bit of a leg, which may have been niggling him before the race or it might have been the result of some very deliberate jumping on the wet, slippery ground. Shippy has had his leg scanned by the vet and, thankfully, there was no serious long term damage done.

On the 27th May at Tweseldown racecourse the Sandhurst Area Point to Point Association had their end of season awards party and Claire was awarded a superb bronze challenge trophy of a horse, for finishing as the leading owner/rider/trainer in the area for the 2006 season. She was delighted to be presented with the trophy by Mary King, a childhood heroine of hers.

Shippy is now enjoying a nice long summer break at grass before being readied for another season at Point to Point next year.

WELL DONE TO BOTH CLARE AND SHIPPY! LET'S HOPE THERE IS MORE TO COME FROM THIS " WINNING TEAM" NEXT SEASON.