Birdsong is flying high

A National Hunt trainer secures her first ticket to HOYS, an exciting three- year-old hunter lifts the Queen's Cup and one family lands five championships

- By CELESTE GALL

NATIONAL HUNT trainer Polly Walker - of Polly Gundry Training - posted a superb clear to clinch her first Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket in the working hunters aboard the talented Brief Encounter mare Birdsong IV (Lily), owned and bred by Rebecca Jordan. Nine-year-old Lily has been partnered by Polly since last season after Rebecca was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I asked Polly if she would event her for me and they got on really well together, moving up to novice level very quickly,” said Rebecca, who uses Lily as her field master horse with the Mid Devon. “She has been out hunting across Dartmoor and she was so clever with her feet around the tricky course here; the sloping ring caught a few out.”

Lily has already been out eventing this year, finishing on her dressage score in fourth at Chard in April and will now be aimed at two-star.

DELIGHTFUL DELILAH