‘Utterly useless’ £100k racehorse qualifies for showjumping championship

Annabel McCourt and ex-racehorse Discours D'Un Roi in action over the showjumps — (Image credit: Jasmine Punter)

He may not have emulated Best Mate or Frankel on the racetrack, but 10-year-old ex-racehorse Discours D’Un Roi looks to have found his forte over the coloured poles after an eye-catching showjumping win at Prestige Equestrian Centre in Gloucestershire recently.

The chestnut gelding and his rider Annabel McCourt picked up a ticket for the prestigious Blue Chip Winter Championship Finals in April thanks to a convincing victory in the show’s Voltaire Design winter novice qualifier.

The 16.3hh gelding made his racecourse debut in England in a handicap hurdle at Sandown Park with Noel Fehily in the saddle, but finished last of the nine runners. He did not fare much better when fourth in a five-runner hurdle at Ludlow, making “no impression” under Sean Bowen, and connections decided to call it a day after he was pulled up at Chepstow in October with Nico De Boinville riding.

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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.

‘Utterly useless’ £100k racehorse qualifies for showjumping championship

“He’s very careful and jumps more like a warmblood,” said Annabel.

“He cost a lot of money – over £100k – and after he came to England he ran three or four times over here and was utterly useless, so we bought him!

“It was basically a case of, ‘Take him, he eats too much!’”

Discours D’Un Roi was bred in France by the stallion Vision D’Etat, out of a Sabrehill mare, and went into training with Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte. He made his racecourse debut as a three-year-old, finishing mid-field in two races on the Flat.

But “Rio” has proved a great all-rounder for Annabel since she took the reins soon after.

Having won in showing classes, been hunting and team chasing and tried his hand at eventing, Rio was registered with British Showjumping last year on the advice of Annabel’s coach Stella Bunn, who believed it would be his forte.

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