‘He still loves racing’: Grade One winner makes connections proud in new sphere

A 13-year-old gelding who “still loves racing” and who helped his previous trainer through dark times has made a winning point-to-point debut in his new home.

Summerville Boy and Thomas Easterby won the men’s open at the York & Ainsty & West of Yore meeting at Aksham Bryan College in Yorkshire on 2 February.

The horse had enjoyed considerable success under Rules with both Tom George and Henry de Bromhead, including winning the Supreme Novices’ hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival with the former.

“I’ve had quite a few horses from Roger Brookhouse [the previous owner of Summerville Boy], including Black Op, and have become good friends with him,” said trainer Charles Clark, whose wife Emma now owns this gelding.

“Roger rang me and said “this horse doesn’t owe racing anything” – he’d got too high in the handicap but was still loving racing and Roger didn’t want to put him through the sales, so he came to us last summer.”

Yorkshire arable farmer Charles said he only has three horses so Roger knew he would get weekly updates.

“I introduced myself to Henry de Bromhead at some sales and he said Summerville Boy is one of the kindest horses he’s ever trained – and he shed a tear when he left as he’d helped him get through some difficult times,” he said. “He’s a wonderful horse.”

Charles added that a life of hunting awaits Summerville Boy once he has retired from racing.

“We haven’t taken him yet, but he is showing all of the attributes to make a great hunter,” he said. “The way he hacks around the farm here, coupled with his temperament, I’m sure he will be brilliant.”

Thomas added: “When you ride a horse like him in a point-to-point, you have to look forward to them as they don’t come along very often.”

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