On a cold winter’s day in 2019, Louise Bell’s eyes glowed bright as she spoke about a home-bred yearling, for whom she had high hopes: “He’s absolutely spectacular – he’s the golden child.” Seven years later, the now eight-year-old dressage horse called Peaky Blinder is living up to the promise he showed back then.
Known at home as Duggy, he has been relatively lightly competed, thanks to a tendency for “self-harm” as a four- and five-year-old that meant a few stints off with injury. However Peaky Blinder has since proved his worth with a win last year in the international young horse division at Wellington Premier League. He’s also racked up three prix st georges (PSG) wins and two at inter I since stepping up to the level in July, with scores nudging 70%.
Could Peaky Blinder be Louise Bell’s Valegro?
“He’s a gift from God,” says Louise Bell , 54, her enthusiasm for the Uthopia son she now owns with her friend Denise Reynolds still totally undiminished. “He’s such a trier – he has ‘Uti’s’ trainability – and he’s such a kind horse.
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"}
Read this exclusive interview in full in Horse & Hound magazine (29 January 2026 edition), and to stay up to date with more insight from top riders across the disciplines, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
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LOUISE BELL - INTO THE BLUE
Louise Bell and Into The Blue competing in the CDI at Royal Windsor Horse Show 2019.
Credit: Peter Nixon
Credit: Future
