{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}
Trending:

‘Everything I dreamed of and more’: five-star showjumper wins biggest race of her new career

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • Former showjumper Nicole Lockhead Anderson has transferred her high-octane riding skills from coloured poles to the racecourse over the past two seasons. On Saturday she landed the biggest race of her career – and her first winner under Rules – the Blackrock College AFC Ladies National Handicap Chase at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival in Ireland.

    “It was great just to be offered a ride in the race, so to win was incredible,” she told H&H.

    The 24-year-old Aberdeen-born rider won team gold at the pony European showjumping championships, then went on to jump at five-star level and win at the likes of Hickstead, Royal Windsor and the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour. But at the end of 2024 she switched codes to pursue her love of racing.

    She began riding in point-to-points for Kent trainer David Phelan, then moved to leading Irish handler Sam Curling’s Tipperary yard where she’s been based since, riding her first Irish point-to-point winner in November, Longhouse Star.

    Nicole Lockhead Anderson: “I just crept away and then picked up the pieces”

    Now in her second season, she’s racked up eight winners between the flags, also riding in a bumper and an amateur hurdle under Rules, but Saturday’s ladies’ national for amateur riders was her first attempt over fences.

    Turning for home in the 2m 5f 17-runner contest, Nicole and the Sean O’Brien-trained The Gradual Slope were making eye-catching progress. Despite veering right over the final three obstacles, the nine-year-old grey gelding produced a thrilling late surge and forged ahead of leaders Caragh Monaghan and Vaureal in the final stride to win by a head.

    “It wasn’t until I was coming to the line that I thought I might win it,” she said. “They went very fast early on and he couldn’t really be competitive, so I was further back than I wanted to be, but I just crept away and then picked up the pieces. He dug deep.

    “I didn’t know if I’d got up on the line so hearing I’d won was brilliant. The atmosphere coming back was just class.”

    The Mark McDonagh-owned The Gradual Slope hadn’t won for nearly two years, although he finished fourth behind multiple Grade One-winning Gerri Colombe and Grand National-winner Nick Rockett on his previous outing at Down Royal, and the pair were sent off at odds of 16/1.

    “He was coming back to form so we thought he’d run well, but he ran a lot better than we imagined!” said Nicole, who was riding the son of Shantou for the first time.

    “I’ve had an amazing season – eight winners point-to-pointing and my first win on the track. This is everything I’ve dreamed of and more.”

    You may also be interested in:

    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    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.
    Jennifer Donald

    You may like...