Grand National runner Santini has started a new career in racing with multi-medallist William Fox-Pitt.

The 10-year-old’s last outing on the track was finishing a creditable fourth in the Grand National on 9 April this year and he has transitioned quickly into his new job, finishing 13th in a BE100 at Bovington with William on Saturday (15 October). William has high hopes for Santini, who is owned by Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes.

“Even though Santini is 10, he has got time to become a top horse, and he could be one by the time he is 14 or 15,” said William. “Look at this year’s Burghley winner – she is 17 years old. I’m really impressed by him and certainly, as he is still green in eventing, if I compare him to my young horses, he’s as nice as what I’ve got.”

During his career under Rules, Santini clocked £490,388 in prize money while trained by Nicky Henderson, for whom Santini finished second in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was latterly in the care of Polly Gundry, who trained him to finish second in the Grade Two Cotswold Chase in 2022 and then followed this up with fourth in the Grand National, both under jockey Nick Scholfield.

“It’s a novelty to have a celebrity on the yard – he has so many followers,” said William. “He’s very special.”

William explained that the Kelvin-Hughes decided Santini had given them plenty during his racing days and did not want to ask any more of him.

“His owners didn’t want to keep on asking him to keep racing, and Polly had always said to me that he is so naturally balanced and how well suited to eventing he could be, so they decided to give it a go and he has been with me since July.

“Since I’ve had him, he seems to be finding things quite easy and is getting on with it – he’s a good sport and quite the student.”

Santini got his new career off to a great start at Bovington, posting a very respectable dressage score of 26.8, despite having a few excitable moments in the warm-up.

“He heard the commentary and had a bronc and play around and so I had to sit tight,” said William. “But then I thought ‘Christ, this horse’s last outing was at the Grand National’, so for him to then tie up to the lorry throughout the day and relax into it was quite impressive.

“He’s very educated on the flat and his work in this phase is going to be good – his flatwork is definitely not going to be his limiting factor at the higher levels and he already has some lateral work and his flying changes sorted.”

William and Santini, who is 17hh, then had two fences down in the showjumping, but William explains that the course had some short distances, so at this stage of Santini’s training, it wasn’t a bad result.

“Showjumping is Japanese to him, but he’s got a conscience and learns from his mistakes,” said William. “His ability to shorten is lacking at the moment – he’s a big, loose horse, but he’s not clumsy and he could have had more down, so I was reassured by that. He will certainly jump clear rounds in the future, because he wants to.”

Santini followed up the first two phases with a clear cross-country jumping round, incurring just 1.2 time-faults for finishing three seconds over the optimum time.

“He was quite a tool to sit on across country,” said William. “I was going around for a nice, safe clear and he was only just over the time – usually when I ride a safe, steady clear round, I get 10 to 20 time-faults – but he was always saying ‘let’s go’ and he was loving it.

“It was a really fun day and he far exceeded my expectations as a first-timer.”

William hopes to get one more event in before the end of this season and then they can come out next year and start to progress up the levels.

“I’ll talk to his owners and Polly to make a proper plan, but all being well, he will progress quickly,” said William. “He is fun-loving and always on the go, now all he needs to do is take time to use more brain and less forwardness.”

You might also be interested in:

Why hunting and fun rides are proving the perfect (if unusual) prep for this Cheltenham Gold Cup contender

Gold Cup contender delights crowds with point-to-point parade

‘It’s a fairytale’: Sam Waley-Cohen wins the Grand National on his last ever ride

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Santini delighted crowds by parading with hounds at the Beaufort point-to-point on Saturday (5 March).

The 10-year–old Milan son, owned and bred by Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes, paraded with the Beaufort hounds at Didmarton, with trainer Polly Gundry in the saddle, as part of his final preparations for the Cheltenham Festival.

“He really lit up, enjoyed it and was showing himself off,” Polly told H&H. “I’m very pleased with him. He’s fresh and happy, and he’s even fresher today [Monday] and yesterday, because he did that on Saturday.

“He loves going to parties and he loves a trip out.”

The pair rode with the hounds across the course – where Santini won his point-to-point maiden for Polly’s husband, Ed Walker, at this fixture five years ago – and into the paddock.

Polly added that she and Santini’s connections were keen to highlight the close links between pointing, hunting and National Hunt racing, the importance of those connections, and how much those involved in all three love and care about animals.

“Hopefully we were making that point to the crowd,” she said. “There were a lot of people there that don’t ride horses. But going to a point-to-point they can see what a nice atmosphere it is, and there’s a whole bunch of country people there with horses and dogs and hounds, and that they’re nice people – normal people – and that they are animal lovers.”

Santini did his pre-training with Polly, going into training with Nicky Henderson after winning his maiden point-to-point.

He finished second in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup, but after a lacklustre year in 2021, connections decided to give him a change of scenery and he returned to Polly’s care.

Santini has been enjoying trips out hunting, team chasing and to fun rides with Polly. He has been out with the Cotley Harriers since his last race, the Cotswold Cup at Cheltenham on 22 January, in which he finished second under jockey Nick Scholfield.

Polly was keen for him to see hounds again before the Festival and she said the Beaufort was “really kind” in enabling it to be possible at the point-to-point, which drew a large crowd.

‘He has a huge following – and deserves it’

Speaking to the Jockey Club this week, Nick said he believes Santini can run a “big race” next Friday (18 March) and could go one better than his runner-up performance in 2020.

“I sat on him last week and jumped a few fences on him. He seems in great form. Polly is doing lots of different things with him to keep him sweet,” he said.

“I was pleased with his run in the Cotswold Chase behind Chantry House and hopefully he has come on from that. I was taken back by the reception he got last time. When you normally get beat you are like, ‘damn it’, but he has got a huge following and he deserves it.

“He won’t worry what the ground is and if we can get him back to the kind of form when he was second to Al Boum Photo then he will run his race.

“We will go there and give it our best shot and what will be, will be. We will just worry about me and him and if we can get everything right on the day then we will worry about everything else afterwards.

“If we can get him there in good form, hopefully he can run a big race.”

Nick added that he is “very grateful to Polly and the owners” for giving him the ride.

“Hopefully we can do the best for them,” he said. “He is well-bred but he is also a gorgeous looking horse and if you went to the sales he would catch anyone’s eye.

“He is the perfect looking racehorse and he looks like a Gold Cup horse. He has given his owners an enormous amount of pleasure. If you are an owner/breeder you always dream of having a Gold Cup horse and he has given his connections that.”

You might also be interested in:

Why hunting and fun rides are proving the perfect (if unusual) prep for this Cheltenham Gold Cup contender

Cheltenham Festival day four: Al Boum Photo claims back-to-back Gold Cups, while there is a surprise 66/1 Foxhunter victory

Read all the highlights from the final day of the Cheltenham Festival

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Hotels and holiday homes near Cheltenham Racecourse for all budgets

11 heartwarming Cheltenham Festival wins that we won’t forget in a hurry

Best Mate, Kauto Star and Coneygree — just some of the horses who have made Cheltenham Festival their own over

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

At racing yards up and down the country, preparations are stepping up as the Cheltenham Festival beckons. But Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Santini, is undergoing a rather unusual regime ahead of his tilt at the showcase race, enjoying some hunting, team chasing, hunter trials and fun rides under new trainer Polly Gundry.

“He works harder and better if he has a few trips out, so that’s why we try to do it,” Polly says.

The imposing 10-year-old by Milan has been a high calibre chaser during an exceptional career and he’s no stranger to the Cheltenham Festival, having finished just a neck behind winner Al Boum Photo in the 2020 Gold Cup, with placings in the RSA Novices’ Chase in 2019 and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2018 when trained by Nicky Henderson.

But, after a lacklustre year in which he was pulled up in his second attempt at the Gold Cup, connections decided to give him a change of scenery and he was sent to Devon-based trainer Polly Gundry, who actually broke in Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes’s home-bred and did all his pre-training. Santini also won a point-to-point for Polly’s husband Ed Walker before joining Nicky Henderson at his Seven Barrows stables in Lambourn.

The eight-time champion lady point-to-point jockey admits to feeling daunted at the prospect of taking on such a high-calibre chaser back in April. But so far this season, he’s put in two encouraging performances on the track and is now all systems go for the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s been hunting three times – once with the Berkeley and twice with the Cotley Harriers – we’ve done bits of flatwork and he did the Cotley Hunt fun ride too,” says Polly. “He’s usually an absolute gentleman out hunting.

“He hasn’t been hunter trialling this year because it’s been a bit too firm, but he has in previous years. He’s just used to being chucked in the lorry and dragged off with me to do lots of odd things!” says Polly, who rides him herself nearly every day.

A star in their midst

While this legendary chaser can hack round the Ottery St Mary countryside anonymously, he did get recognised by some surprised competitors at the Stevenstone Hunt team chase in September.

Polly will now also be focussing on some weight management for this “good doer”.

“He definitely needs to be a bit leaner before the Gold Cup!” she says. “It’s the sign of a healthy, happy horse but he’s just a really good doer. He goes out in the field to keep him marching around too.”

Polly has also been using “lots of old-fashioned roadwork” to help keep his feet right as Santini has been prone to getting corns in the past.

“We’ve just worked on trying to get him confident in his feet again as I think that was part of the root of his problems last year,” explains Polly.

Polly is thoroughly enjoying having Santini back in her stables.

“He’s always been a gent but he’s much more professional nowadays,” she says. “As a baby he was really spooky and silly, we couldn’t go out the back drive if it was dustbin day. He’s still spooky and fun, but he does it in an arrogant way now. You could do a dressage test on him today or you could showjump him, he’d have made the most beautiful eventer. He’s a proper all-rounder.”

The road to the Cheltenham Festival for Santini

Santini’s first run for Polly came at Cheltenham in December under Harry Skelton, where the gelding just tired in the closing stages. Nick Scholfield received the leg up when Polly sent Santini back to Cheltenham on Saturday (29 January) where they finished second, just over two lengths behind Santini’s former stable-mate, Nicky Henderson’s Gold Cup hope Chantry House.

“The ride Nick Scholfield has given him was amazing,” says Polly. “As Harry [Skelton] couldn’t ride him this time and as he will probably ride Protektorat in the Gold Cup, Nick has come in and got to know him over the past month to six weeks and he will probably ride him in the Gold Cup.

“It was just poetry to me. That reception will make the world of difference to him as it will do his confidence good. He is a showman.”

Jockey Nick Scholfield describes Santini as jumping “like a stag”.

“He’s everyone’s dream – he doesn’t pull but he does still have a little bit about him,” says Nick. “I’ve ridden lots for Polly over the years and often sit on some Kelvin-Hughes horses there. I first rode Santini when he was four and at Polly’s when she trained him to win his first point-to-point. I jumped a few jumps on him back then and he stood out – it was no real surprise to see him go on and do great things and almost win a Gold Cup with Nicky Henderson. I’ve followed Santini’s career all the way through.

“It’s very exciting to have the ride on him in the Gold Cup.”

Santini will be making a few more appearances on the hunting field in the run-up to the Cheltenham Festival.

“The Gold Cup is the aim now and he’ll hopefully go hunting again this week. He’ll also be doing his long, steady canters every week – it’s four miles on our soft sand,” says Polly. “People ask what it’s like to have a Gold Cup horse but I try to compartmentalise it slightly, because actually I’ve got plenty to worry about and all I want to do is not let him get the snots – he’s not a Gold Cup horse if he’s not healthy. He will be treated very similarly to the rest but I’ll probably just watch him a bit more often.”

You might also like:

Kim Bailey: ‘The stuff of legends’ – Paisley Park lit up Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day

Gearing up for Cheltenham Festival 2022: three stars to watch after Trials day

As laid-back as they come: watch Cheltenham Festival winner being ridden by small child

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

H&H point-to-point columnist Polly Gundry is coming out of race-riding retirement for one day only — to take part in a charity race at Kelso.

The race on 22 May is in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, with the specific aim of building a rehabilitation centre for injured riders in the north of England.

Polly, the most successful female point-to-point rider of all time, said that despite being “flat out” with training National Hunt racehorses she is supportive of such a worthy cause.

“I feel so lucky that I have retired from race riding in one piece, especially as recently there have been some horrid injuries suffered by the professional jump boys in particular,” she said.

Polly isn’t yet sure of the horse she’ll be riding, but it’ll be provided by trainer and Injured Jockeys Fund vice-president Jack Berry, who has been the driving force behind the proposed rehabilitation centre.

To sponsor Polly, visit www.justgiving.com/Polly-Gundry

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Eight-times champion lady jockey Polly Gundry has retired from riding in point-to-points.

Polly also holds the record for the number of career wins — she reached 300 when landing the Western ladies’ open on 12 March.

She rode three winners at the Cotley meeting on Sunday.

“It seemed like a good time to hang up my boots,” she told H&H on Monday.

Polly was granted her National Hunt trainer’s licence in February and saddled her first winner with Fort View at Newbury on 4 March.

The 35-year-old first contemplated giving up race-riding when she landed the ladies’ title for the seventh time — then a record — in the 2008-09 season, but she continued, determined to beat the 287-winner record set by Alison Dare in 1993.

This she achieved in March last year and went on to add a further ladies’ championships.

The 300th win proved irritatingly elusive this season, with Polly commenting wryly: “I decided I rather like the number 299!”

But Wee Fly obliged for owner Ross Oliver, one of Polly’s great supporters. She will continue to train from her Ottery St Mary base, which she shares with partner Ed Walker.

• See point-to-point in this week’s H&H (7 April)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

H&H point-to-point columnist Polly Gundry was called to the stewards’ office after her charge Alysia’s Flame raced dramatically better a week after a poor run.

Alysia’s Flame ran in a maiden on 30 January at Charing under Ian Chanin. The horse bolted before the start, then was slowly away and tailed off before being pulled up.

On 6 February, the same horse won her maiden at Black Forest Lodge ridden by Polly.

Polly claims she expected a good run from Alysia’s Flame at Charing and spent the next week schooling her.

“I admit I made a mistake in thinking she would behave well when she was not disciplined enough to do what she was told during her first run this season,” said Polly. “But now I’m being investigated for putting my mistake right seven days later.”

Both times Alysia’s Flame was backed down to 5-1 from 11-1, which Polly put down to the owner’s bets.

This has been referred to the British Horseracing Authority, whose point-to-point executive Freddy Arthur confirmed there is no investigation of breaching the non-triers rule, but that they are assessing the improvement in horse performance.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (17 February, 2011)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Men

8 James Tudor; 6 Richard Burton, Oliver Greenall, Sam Waley-Cohen, Phillip York; 5 Will Biddick, Mark Wall, Richard Woollacott; 4 Darren Edwards, Fred Hutsby; 3 Chris Dawson, Tom Ellis, Neil Harris, Rhys Hughes, Jeremy Mahot, Ran Morgan, Stuart Morris, Nick Pearce, Adrian Wintle.

Women

9 Polly Gundry; 7 Claire Allen; 5 Lucy Gardner, Rachael Green; 3 Hannah Watson.

Novice men

2 Sam Allwood, Frasar Barr, Rhys Flint.

Novice women

2 Chloe Boxall, Jenny Carr.

Horse & Hound Leading Horse

3 Mr Tee Pee.

Read reports on the past week’s point-to-point meetings in today’s Horse & Hound (7 February, ’08)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Men

36 James Tudor; 34 Richard Burton; 25 Nick Scholfield; 24 Richard Woollacott; 22 Phillip York; 21 Stuart Morris; 19 Dickie Barrett, Darren Edwards, Oliver Greenall.

Women

26 Claire Allen; 25 Polly Gundry; 20 Jacqueline Coward; 19 Rachael Green; 12 Isabel Tompsett; 10 Lucy Gardner.

Novice men

25 Nick Scholfield; 9 David Maxwell; 6 John Mathias; 5 Michael Smith, Will Telfer.

Novice women

8 Diana Hobbs; 6 Alice Mills, Hannah Watson; 5 Maxine Filby, Emily Jarvis.

Horse & Hound Leading Horse

10 Sea Snipe; 8 Let’s Fly; 6 Carryonharry, Irilut, One Five Eight; 5 Ballylusky, Double Honour, Lough Ennel, Noble Persian, Watchyourback.

Read all the latest point-to-point news and reports in this week’s Horse & Hound (14 June, ’07)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Men

12 Richard Burton;

9 Jamie Snowden;

7 Julian Pritchard, Richard Woollacott;

6 Dickie Barrett, Oliver Greenall, Neil Harris, James Tudor;

5 Darren Edwards, Michael Miller, Phillip York;

4 Tigger Barnes, Ryan Bliss, Joe Docker, Gary Hanmer, Fred Hutsby, David Maxwell, Ran Morgan, Stuart Morris, Sam Waley-Cohen, Adrian Wintle;

3 Will Biddick, Andrew Braithwaite, Guy Brewer, Rhys Hughes, Will Kinsey, Matthew Mackley, Godfrey Maundrell, Nick Scholfield, Mark Walford;

2 Sam Allwood, Shane Byrne, Ian Chanin, Mark Ellwood, Alistair Findlay, Harry Fowler, George Greenock, Colin Heard, Nick Kent, Tim Lane, Alex Merriam, Luke Morgan, Nick Oliver, James Owen, Andrew Richardson, Stuart Robinson, Tim Stephenson, Nigel Tutty, Alex Vaughan-Jones, Guy Weatherley.

Women

8 Claire Allen, Polly Gundry;

6 Jacqueline Coward, Rachael Green;

3 Lucy Alexander, Maxine Filby, Diana Hobbs, Katherine Hobbs, Charlotte Tizzard, Isabel Tompsett;

2 Kelly Bryson, Rose Davidson, Lucy Franks, Lucy Gardner, Jenny Gordon, Cynthia Haydon, Emily Jarvis, Alice Mills

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now