Nicholls completes fruitful weekend with Greatwood Charity race success

By Advertisement Feature on November 18th 2011

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Becky Furber provided Champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls with his seventh win at this weekend Open fixture at Cheltenham Racecourse in a nail biting battle up the Cheltenham hill to clinch victory in the Greatwood Charity Race on board Rock of Deauville.  

Becky who works for Nicholls, came with a late flourish to win by a nose from Diana Hobbs, daughter of trainer Philip on board Piroulet, with Clare Luck riding Circus of Dreams trained by Oliver Sherwood in third.

Twelve riders took part in this year’s Charity race, each raising over £2,500 in aid of the Greatwood charity. Greatwood, based near Marlborough, Wiltshire rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes former racehorses and educates children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) via their acclaimed Horse Power program.   To donate to the riders please visit www.justgiving.com/greatchelt

Commenting after the race, Becky said "It was such a thrill to ride around Cheltenham today, let alone win!   I would like to thank my boss Paul Nicholls as well as Mr Warner, who owns Rock of Deauville and everyone who generously sponsored me, it’s been a fantastic experience as well as raising funds for such a worthwhile cause as Greatwood”.

Helen Yeadon, Founder of Greatwood added "The Greatwood Hurdle and Charity Race were both super competitive and we have enjoyed a fantastic day. The Charity Race alone has raised over £30,000, a record breaking figure for this race and we are very grateful to all the riders for taking part”.

Paul Nicholls and his Ditcheat team enjoyed another fruitful weekend, with Brampour winning the feature race on the Sunday, the £100,000 Greatwood Hurdle, under a young amateur Jockey Harry Derham. Derham, who is Nicholls’s nephew and just seventeen years old notched his biggest career win to date in the competitive handicap hurdle, which is sponsored in Greatwood’s name by its patron Nigel Bunter, owner of Barbury Castle Estate, Marlborough.    Al Ferof and Rangitoto provided further winners for Nicholls on Sunday, with Join Together, Edgardo Sol and Hinterland on the Saturday.

Before racing, to mark the fifth anniversary of Greatwood’s Horse Power program,  after it was launched at Cheltenham’s Open fixture five years ago, students and graduates from Millfield, Elmhurst and Marchant Holiday School’s as well as Greatwood direct, took part in a best turned out pony challenge in the parade ring, judged by Cheltenham former Jockey Mick Fitzgerald. 

During this period 2000 children with Special Education Needs have passed through Greatwood’s Horse Power program, which provides the opportunity to explore caring for horses, learning about trust, kindness and respect while at the same time applying the same considerations to how to care for themselves and their own relationships.  

Aaron and Poncho, two Shetland ponies from Greatwood who the children regularly work with as part of the Horse Power course, both were immaculately turned out following a fiendish grooming session with both teams receiving awards from the Grand National winning Jockey.  

Helen Yeadon, Founder of Greatwood added "The Greatwood Hurdle and Charity Race were both super competitive and we have enjoyed a fantastic day. The Charity Race alone has raised over £30,000, a record breaking figure for this race and we are very grateful to all the riders for taking part”.

Paul Nicholls and his Ditcheat team enjoyed another fruitful weekend, with Brampour winning the feature race on the Sunday, the £100,000 Greatwood Hurdle, under a young amateur Jockey Harry Derham. Derham, who is Nicholls’s nephew and just seventeen years old notched his biggest career win to date in the competitive handicap hurdle, which is sponsored in Greatwood’s name by its patron Nigel Bunter, owner of Barbury Castle Estate, Marlborough.    Al Ferof and Rangitoto provided further winners for Nicholls on Sunday, with Join Together, Edgardo Sol and Hinterland on the Saturday.

Before racing, to mark the fifth anniversary of Greatwood’s Horse Power program,  after it was launched at Cheltenham’s Open fixture five years ago, students and graduates from Millfield, Elmhurst and Marchant Holiday School’s as well as Greatwood direct, took part in a best turned out pony challenge in the parade ring, judged by Cheltenham former Jockey Mick Fitzgerald. 

During this period 2000 children with Special Education Needs have passed through Greatwood’s Horse Power program, which provides the opportunity to explore caring for horses, learning about trust, kindness and respect while at the same time applying the same considerations to how to care for themselves and their own relationships.  

Aaron and Poncho, two Shetland ponies from Greatwood who the children regularly work with as part of the Horse Power course, both were immaculately turned out following a fiendish grooming session with both teams receiving awards from the Grand National winning Jockey. 

www.greatwoodcharity.org

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