Watching horses limber up in the canter circle
On the gallops
Guests enjoying a glass of bubbly
HARPER LODGE FARM became a seat of equine learning last week end for some Herts-based Oxford University alumni.
The Hertfordshire branch of the Oxford University Society arranges various interesting days out for its members throughout the year and there is no doubt a tour of the county’s leading racing stables ranked as one of the more unusual events planned during recent times.
Yours truly played tour guide for the morning which began promptly at 9am on Saturday as alumni from eleven different Oxford colleges arrived in time for second lot. The stables were in for a busy day with five runners at three different tracks, so less horses were on the gallops than usual. Nevertheless, several winners and stars of the future went through their paces, first in the canter ring and then on the gallops.
After the convoy of cars came back from seeing horses work, it was time for the personal guided tour of the stables which included the equine spar. Star of the yard, Tropics, who runs in the Group One Diamond Jubilee tomorrow at Royal Ascot, was of special interest having been bought for a bargain basement 2,500 guineas in 2011 before winning five races and £100,000 in prize money last year.
As one would expect from such a learned gathering, there were plenty of questions on a range of equine and racing topics. The morning at the stables concluded with a glass of bubbly before everyone adjourned for lunch at the fabulous St James Restaurant in Bushey. The Michelin listed restaurant was a favourite haunt of the late David Johnson, six-times Champion National Hunt owner whose many successes included Comply Or Die’s victory in the 2008 Grand National.
