Clare Wills & Watership Down At Newbury

[Kathy]

Some of you may know that I run Brendan Powell's website. Just a little hobby I undertook when Brendan undertook to train 2 horses for me a few years ago.

Brendan and some of his staff have become good friends, and one particular young lady, Clare Wills, at his yard is a real star in the making. A few of you may recognise her as when she leads up she just rarely stops smiling. Clare has a great attitude, is an extremely hard worker (both riding out and in the office) and gives 150% in absolutely everything she does. Nothing is ever too much trouble for her.

Watership Down (or Shippy as he is known) was a horse trained by Brendan back in 2004. I ran a story about Clare and Watership Down on Brendan's website a few months ago and it is one of the most popular pages on his site.

To cut a long story short, Clare brought him when he was retired and started to train him herself down at Brendan's yard. Clare has recently been point to pointing with him and has had some success. After one PtP meeting she then dashed to meet us up at Newbury to come and support some of Brendan's runners. She came along because she wanted to support one of Brendan's runners.

Last week Clare told me she had entered Watership Down in a race at Newbury tomorrow although she wasn't convinced she would get in - she has! It's the 4.25 Hunter's Chase. Clare will be down as the owner, the trainer and the jockey! This is quite an achievement bearing in mind she is still only 23 years old.

I am looking forward to going down to support her tomorrow and the added twist in the tail is that she is going to be riding against one of Brendan's horses, Gielgud, ridden by John Maxse. You couldn't make it up could you.

I hope someone from The Racing Post reads this and runs an article on Clare. I think she just wants to finish the race with her and Watership Down in one piece but in racing you never know what could happen do you?

Go Girl! :clap: :clap:

[Aldaniti]

Will be routing for her

[Isinglass]

This is great news, she is so excited about her horse, and what a chance! :clap:



Cannot attend the day sadly, but will be cheering her on anyway. She is always so helpful to us, and as you say, very cheerful even with her heavy and varied workload.

[Kathy]

I have just spoken to Clare, Isinglass. I accidently called Shippy, Skippy on Brendan's website and she was in hysterics thinking that people may think she would be jockeying a bush kangeroo around Newbury tomorrow! It's OK, I've changed it now.

Clare will be leading up for Brendan in the second race, and trying to steady her nerves for later in the afternoon. Her Mum and Dad will be there so I am sure they will be so proud of her. She only did the amateur jockey's course at Newmarket this week so it has all been done very quickly. She just desperately wants to get round in one piece.

[Isinglass]

We are all so pleased for her. She was telling us about the horse and their adventures last time we were at the yard. As you say lets just hope they make it round, come home safe and enjoy their day.

Take photos so we can see them!

(Skippy ? :laughing: )

[Kathy]

I just "accidently" phoned The Racing Post. :shy: I am not sure if they will do the story as it is a bit late... but it would be great for Clare if they ran a little article, although probably adds a bit to the pressure, poor thing.

She probably hates me now!

I can't stop humming that "Skippy The Bush Kangaroo" song in my head now..... :brows:

[Kathy]

Here is young Clare, with her favourite jockey, Mick Fitzgerald and that wonderful and very exhausted looking Bay Hawk!

[Sara]

Great stuff Kathy - will join you on the Members' steps to cheer her on!

[trudij]

Oh bless her - wish her luck from me - (not that ive spoken to her very often!) she really is a lovely girl - shes done superbly with shippy ( though there are worse mistakes to make with a name KAthy - at least Skippy can jump!!)

Hope they have lots of fun and come home in one piece

[krizon]

All good wishes to Clare and Shippy, Kathy. I hope they complete intact and that she really enjoys her whole day. Don't forget the photos before and after!

[Kathy]

I will ensure you have some super photos of the event tomorrow, ladies!

[trudij]

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

They were 7th - and not really beaten all that far. (and more importantly, she beet Gielgud

Well done Clare, she must be over the moon! !!!

1 Scots Grey N J Henderson 12 12-2 Mr R Burton 9/4F 130
2 13 Red Brook Lad C St V Fox 12 12-2 Miss C Tizzard(3) 7/1 107
3 8 Spring Grove (IRE) A D Old 12 11-5 Mr J Barnes(7) 14/1 110
4 1½ Coolefind (IRE) W J Warner 9 12-5 Mr S Morris 3/1
5 6 Royal Hector (GER) A G Hobbs 8 12-5 Mr A Wintle 15/2 128
6 5 Cantarinho D J Kemp 9 11-7 p Mr D Kemp(5) 8/1
7 11 Watership Down (IRE) Miss C L Wills 10 11-5 p Miss C L Wills(7) 100/1
8 24 Gielgud B G Powell 10 11-9 Mr J Maxse(7) 66/1 87
PU Tom´s Prize S Joynes 12 11-9 Mr N H Oliver(7) 14/1 111
PU Kausse De Thaix (FR) P H Hogarth 9 11-12 Mr W Kinsey(7) 25/1 104
PU Hi Blue J W Stevenson 8 11-5 Mr Niall Terry(7) 100/1
PU Beauchamp Oracle S Flook 10 12-2 Mr D Mansell(3) 12/1
F Maitre Levy (GER) A S McPherson 9 11-5 Mr O Williams(7) 25/1

[krizon]

Well done to them both - a very respectable finishing pozzie, especially as she stayed on in spite of the excitement!

[Kathy]

A great afternoon for Clare and her Mum and Dad who took the Watership Down (alias Shippy) to Newbury for her as Clare was "officially" working for Brendan today !

Clare (naturally) was very nervous but she had so many people from Brendan's yard giving advice and support she just took it all in her stride. All she wanted to do was get round with both her and Shippy intact. I thought she rode brilliantly given that she only passed got her amateur's licence this week and Shippy was thoroughly enjoying his day back at a NH course. :clap:

Young Sam Jones led Shippy round for her and despite the odd bit of ribbing from a few individuals (all done in fun), they were all thrilled that Clare did so well. It was great watching Clare ride out to the line and wondered where that last spurt of energy had come from until we realised John Maxse was behind her on Gielgud!








Well done, Clare!

[Sara]

Great stuff and it was so much what a Friday at Newbury should be all about!
Thank God it's one course which has not lost the plot!

[Diminuendo]

Gavin at GJ Multimedia has put up some shots of Claire, look under Watership Down

GJM

[Kathy]

Thanks, Diminuendo! Clare is going to be thrilled! :clap:

[Diminuendo]

Unfortunately Clare and the horse were covered up at the fence I was working at, but I got these two of her after..........

[Kathy]

Well, she has the whole race now as I took a few before and after the race and you and Gavin did the ones on the track!

She is going to be one happy bunny. It's difficut to describe how much this all means to Clare. She is fairly competitive but not overly sure of herself so yesterday would have given her such a buzz!

The plan is to find another PtP race and then there are a couple of races for Shippy in May. One at Folkestone and one at Cheltenham. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again, Tracy!

[Isinglass]

I watched the race from home and was really pleased that she got a good round. Well done - and I know how much she would have enjoyed this. Great pics from everybody too!