Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Native River, takes top spot at Defender Burghley for Horse of the Year ticket

The 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Native River was the convincing winner of the SEIB Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifier at Defender Burghley on the 8^th September. 

In winning this high-profile class in the main arena on the final day of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Native River and his rider Jazmin Hosgood have qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse championship. Owned by Tom Malone, Native River looked a picture in the class of twenty ex-racehorses at Defender Burghley. 

Ride judge, Michaela Bowling said: “Our winner went amazingly, he was like an out and out show horse to ride.” Conformation judge Stuart Campbell added: “It was the presentation, movement, balance, rhythm and self-carriage of the winner that set him apart. It is wonderful to see ex-racehorses becoming truly multi-purpose horses.”

Winning owner, Tom Malone said: “I’m as proud as I could be of this horse, I get more pleasure than I can tell you out of this success. We set out with this as our goal and he’s gone and done it. I bought him as a four-year-old out of a yard in Ireland after he’d unseated his jockey in a point-to-point and its been a beautiful journey ever since.” 

Jazmin Hosgood said: “It was a big atmosphere today and he was just amazing. We went to Moreton show yesterday and won too. I used to work for Tom and have ridden Native River lots at homeand out hunting. He is absolutely Tom’s baby. I train point-to-pointers at home and had two maiden winners last season.” 

Jazmin has ridden at HOYS once before in 2012 when she won the SEIB Search for a Star Riding Horse Hack final. She continued: “Native River goes out in the field every day and will do plenty of hacking before HOYS and hopefully a hunter trial! He also won a big jockeys jumping competition with Harry Cobden a few weeks ago!”

During his racing days Native River won over £1 million in prize money and was ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson in many of his races. The now fourteen-year-old gelding was trained by Colin Tizzard in Somerset before retiring to Tom Malone’s yardnearby. 

Taking second place and the remaining qualifying spot were new mum, Tori Thomas and her own, Wonga Swinger. Tori’s husband – former Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey – and trainer of Wonga Swinger, Sam Thomas said: “Wonga Swinger wasn’t very successful for me, Tori has absolutely transformed him, the way she has turned him around since he finished racing is amazing.” Tori and Sam are new parents to four-week-old, Lily-Rose Thomas who watched the class from the sidelines with her grandmother. 

SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse organiser, Nicolina MacKenziesaid: “Wow, what a winner to have at our final qualifier of the season. The class today went off brilliantly and we were delighted to see so many stunning thoroughbreds and their riders out enjoying themselves. Huge thanks to Defender Burghley for having us here once again.” The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse class has been held in the main Defender Burghley Arena on the final day of the world famous Horse Trials since 2012. 

SEIB have been providing expert insurance services for over 60 years. Renowned for their specialist equestrian insurance, SEIB offers tailored cover for horses, horseboxes, trailers, riders, and equestrian businesses, ensuring comprehensive protection and peace of mind. For more information on their range of services and to explore their bespoke insurance solutions, please visit seib.co.uk. 

Feature Image: Left to Right Native River and Jazmin Hosgood Bipin Thaker COO of SEIB Insurance Brokers, Jill Wormall, Tori Thomas and Wonga Swinger, Michaela Bowling, Stuart Campbell and Nicolina Mackenzie credit Trevor Meeks