Coming under starter’s orders for this year’s Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National at Olympia Horse Show are a whole host of familiar names following in the footsteps of their famous racing parents.
Among the brightest young names lining up for this year’s ultra-competitive contest at Olympia, the London International Horse Show (17-23 December) is Olive Nicholls, daughter of 10-time champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls. She rides the pint-sized racing Shetland Briar Tiffany.
Olive will be up against Alice Crowley, daughter of 2016 British Flat racing champion jockey Jim Crowley, who himself is a graduate of the Shetland Pony Grand National at Olympia.
Lucy Aspell, whose father Leighton won back-to-back Grand Nationals at Aintree in 2014 and 2015 riding Pineau De Re and Many Clouds, will be heading to the Grand Hall, Olympia, for the second year.
Nine-year-old Lucas Murphy is another blessed with racing genes as his father Timmy won the 2008 Grand National riding Comply Or Die. Up-and-coming jockey Lucas won a race at Chepstow racecourse earlier this month and heads to Olympia on Shelcroft Buttercup.
Shetland pony time at Chepstow – with 9yo rising star Lucas Murphy!Look at them go! A great finish in the Shetland Pony Grand National at Chepstow Racecourse and won by nine-year-old jockey Lucas Murphy, son of Timmy Murphy. Check out his fantastic interview at the end!Posted by At The Races on Sunday, October 14, 2018
The fast and furious Shetland Pony Grand National is open to jockeys aged 8-14, who must be under 5ft tall. Past contenders who kick-started their racing careers at Olympia include Sam Twiston-Davies and Tom Garner. All proceeds go to The Bob Champion Cancer Trust.
The full field of runners and riders who have qualified to race at Olympia this year is as follows:
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
