- Monday, 16 March 2026 15:59
- Written by G Edwards
Vieux Lion Rouge has Sadly Passed Away
I am not sure quite where the last seven days have gone but the Cheltenham Festival has been and gone in the blink of an eye! Our runners, Kingston Queen and Gericault Roque ran with credit but the ground was not soft enough for the mare, it was not far enough on that ground. Both have returned home safe and well which is the main thing and will run again when the ground is more to their liking. We have made an entry for Kingston Queen in Ireland, at Fairyhouse’s Easter meeting in a valuable mare’s novice’s hurdle over 2m4f so we will be keeping an eye on the weather and might head there should things be in our favour closer to the time.
I was at Cheltenham everyday as we hosted our hospitality marquee with myself and Matt Chapman giving tips to our guests before racing each day. It started well on Tuesday but seemed to go downhill a little from there and it was difficult to find the winners! The marquee seemed well received by everyone who attended. We were in a slightly different location, but effectively next door to where we had been in recent times and it was rebranded and looked smart as everyone arrived. Our yard sponsor, W & S Recycling provided some fantastic scarfs, umbrellas, pens and banners which made everything look fantastic and there was a great atmosphere throughout the week.
Three Winners
We started last week with a winner at Taunton thanks to Way of Stars winning the maiden hurdle under Jack Tudor. Acquired from the Newmarket horses in training sales in October, he has taken to hurdling well, progressing with each run and he shows a great attitude alongside his talent. It was a tough little race at Taunton, with the runner up having quite a similar rating on the flat and he battled well, enjoying the better ground in the process. He carried the green and orange silks of new owners to Pond House, Jopla racing and this was their first winner and so it was a memorable day all round. He has come out of that race well and he is now qualified for a valuable novice’s final at Sandown on the last day of the season and that is something we may aim for with a run before then as well. At some point I am sure we will be trying him back on the flat as well. He is versatile with his trip and ground and there will be plenty of fun to be had along the way.
We had two runners at Huntingdon on Wednesday last week which included another winner, Best Night in the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club. This was filly’s second win over hurdles since we bought her from France and she enjoyed the return to some better going. She jumped and travelled very well and while a small mistake at the last cost her a bit of momentum she recovered to win a little snuggly in the end. We will see what he handicapper does to her on Tuesday but on the better ground she is another with a great attitude and she will continue to give us lots of fun going forwards. Saccary ran his best race to date over hurdles to be second and on this evidence his winning turn should not be too far away.
Our third winner of the week came at Chepstow on Sunday with Jaipaletemps winning for the fifth time this season. He has been an incredible little horse for the Edwards family and just when you think he can’t keep improving, he does! He started winning from a mark of 94 in November and won on Sunday off a rating of 119. Rian Corcoran has been on board for all of his wins and they have formed a great partnership and the seven-year-old has really got Rian’s career going. Life will be tougher again once the handicapper has had his say but he is such a bonny little horse that loves life and if he has a bit more to improve again it would not surprise me.
This Week
Our first runners of this week will be at Exeter on Tuesday. Shot Boii carries the colours of the David Pipe Racing Club and reverts to hurdles having been disappointing over fences on his last couple of starts. Allstitchedup and Eton Mes both run in the 2m4f handicap hurdle with the former making his handicap debut after wind surgery. Eton Mes is a dual hurdle winner this season and finished a close third at Ffos Las last time. Both horses look to have good each way chances. We don’t have any runners on Wednesday but to have entries at Ludlow on Thursday and at Newbury, Lingfield and Wolverhampton on Friday. King Turgeon has an entry at Newbury on Saturday while Show Your Hand could make is career debut in the valuable Goffs bumper on the card. We also have entries at Bangor, Carlisle and Exeter over the weekend and so for all the latest news on the stable runners keep checking the Daily News on the website.
Second Place for Jack
Jack rode in the 148cm pony race at Buckfastleigh on Sunday and finished second behind Rocket Ronnie, the pony he just beat the previous week. In softer conditions than ideal and very wet weather, Jack couldn’t quite peg back the leader on this occasion but it was another great learning experience for them both and by finishing second he is now qualified for the racecourse series which begins in May. This race was over 7 furlongs and the pony will be better when over 1m4f on the racecourse later in the year, watch this space!
Passing of Vieux Lion Rouge
I am saddened to report that Vieux Lion Rouge passed away on Friday after a short battle with colic at the grand old age of seventeen. He spent his recent retirement living with Toby and Callie Coles on the edge of Dartmoor from where he loved his ventures onto the moor and also his trips to various Devon sandy beaches and blackberry picking. Previous to that he had been on Exmoor and out regularly with the hounds and he really did love his active retirement. He was also back for spells at the yard quite regularly in the build up to his days out at Aintree parading. When back here he and Julie Bellamy teamed up like they did in his racing days and they would go on hacks on Culmstock Beacon. He loved seeing his old friends and seemed to enjoy the buzz of being back in what was his home for well over a decade. His favourite pastime has always been going to Aintree racecourse, both during his racing career and then in more recent times he loved his twice yearly outing to Liverpool. You could really see the twinkle in his eye when he stepped out of the lorry at Aintree. He was due to be there for Grand National Day this year but now he will be looking down on them all from above and saying I hope you enjoy jumping those fences as much as I did!
Vieux Lion Rouge retired from racing in January 2022 a few days after his thirteenth birthday. He has been a tremendous horse for the Pond House team and the ‘horse of a lifetime’ for owners Professor Caroline Tisdall and John Gent. During his 41 race career he won thirteen times, including two Becher Chases over Aintree’s Grand National fences and a Grand National Trial at Haydock and amassed over £344,000 in prize money.
Of Vieux Lion Rouge, Professor Tisdall said, “He has been amazing for us, the horse of a lifetime. He has given us so many memorable moments and the fact that he was able to remain sound and happy for ten years of racing is testament not just to his toughness, but to the care and attention given to him by the trainer and the whole team at Pond House”.
Vieux Lion Rouge became something of an Aintree legend, contesting five Grand Nationals and six Becher Chases over the famous fences, setting a modern day record by jumping 254 Grand National fences. Alongside his two Becher wins, he finished runner-up on another occasion, whilst his best National finish came in 2017 when an honourable sixth behind One For Arthur. He seemed to save his very best for Aintree.
Purchased as an unraced horse from the Arqana Sales in France in 2012, he spent his entire racing career at Pond House. He was one of Caroline’s first purchases in racing and he will always hold a special place in her heart as well as all of us here at Pond House. He was a cheeky character who loved his carrots and he leaves us with some fond memories that we will cherish forever.
