26 August 2009 Watership Down retired
by Robin Gray
WATERSHIP DOWN: winning at Larkhill in 2008
photo: Brian Armstrong
Watership Down, one of the most successful horses qualified in the Sandhurst Area in recent years, has been retired. The winner of a Hunter Chase at Folkestone and five Point-to-Points was always ridden by his owner, 25-year-old Clare Wills.
‘Shippy' is now on loan to Rachel Powell, wife of trainer Brendan, under whose licence he ran his most recent races. Rachel plans to take him showjumping in the Berkshire/Wiltshire area.
‘I owe Shippy so much,' says Clare. ‘I had never ridden in a race until I took him to Barbury Castle in February 2006. I managed to get him on the deck through my inexperience, but that was the only time he fell.'
Watership Down, now a 12 year old, never looked like approaching his best form in seven races this year, always struggling to go the pace over distances ranging from two and a half miles to three and a quarter miles. ‘In spite of what Mackenzie & Harris have said about him, Shippy is totally genuine' says Clare. ‘He could win from the front or coming from behind and he is a spectacular jumper, but this year the spark has gone out - he wont race again.'
Clare has now ridden in almost 60 races including Point-to-Points, Hurdles, Chases and on the Flat, often for Brendan Powell to whom she is now head girl at Lambourn.
‘My first win at Hackwood Park three years ago was magical but the greatest thrill with Shippy was making the running to past halfway in a two mile five furlong Chase at Cheltenham last year.'
