Sparky shines en route to big prize

An Australian-bred former Flat horse takes the big-money ex-racehorse class, plus young horse and rider champions are crowned despite tricky weather

- GEMMA REDRUP

BRITISH-BASED New Zealander Clarke Johnstone was the winner of the inaugural Arena Racing Company (ARC) racehorse to eventer challenge aboard Tim Boland's Sparky Lad. The huge £45,000 first prize drew 44 entries and Clarke led from start to finish, completing on his 26.2 dressage.

“This is the biggest prize I’ve won – it is amazing and the initiative is fantastic,” said Clarke, who has enjoyed success with this 11-year-old gelding at CCI4*-S level. “I hope this class encourages top riders to ask their local racehorse trainer whether they have a horse that might suit eventing.”

This is how Clarke came across Sparky Lad, who ran over 30 times and won AUS$250,000 (approximately £122,500) while in training with Chris Waller.

“His owner, Tim Boland, runs Limitless Lodge, which is a leading breaking and pre-training yard, just north of Sydney. He pre-trained Sparky and identified him as a horse that could go on to succeed in eventing and here we are. He has such a beautiful mind – he is the same every day and tries very hard,” said Clarke.

Cooley Iceage won the The Howden Way British seven-year-old championship under Laura Collett. Laura and this lovely grey, who is owned by Diana Chappell, Teresa Stopford Sackville, Gillian Morris-Adams and Carolyn Taylor, added 6.8 cross-country time-faults to a 28.7 dressage to win by 1.6 penalties.

“He’s an unbelievable horse. He’s still quite weak and isn’t the finished article yet, but he’s got so much talent,” said Laura of this son of Alicante, who is out of a Le Tot De Semilly mare. “He can’t quite carry himself yet, but he’s got all the jump and a great brain.”

Laura purchased Cooley Iceage from Richard Sheane at Cooley Farm in November 2023 and they have notched up some strong results this year, including finishing third in the CCI2*-L at Bicton in May.