EN Today: Chris McCarron’s NARA at High Hope

Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron came of out retirement briefly to show the upstarts how it’s done. Samantha Clark reporting.

Hall of Famer Chris McCarron who came back out of retirement briefly to show his North American Racing Academy students how it should be done in the fourth running of the Catch A Riding Star race at the High Hope Steeplechase, hosted by the Kentucky Horse Park in aid of charities including Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, the Secretariat Center and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation.  Crowds numbering more than 12,000 turned out to admire McCarron’s style, as well as enjoy the Terrier Races, carnival atmosphere and bask in the mid-80 degree heat.

The NARA students racing – I believe the jockey in front is eventual winner Mallory Standberg who was also treated to a traditional dunking in the water trough after the race, closely followed by former Phillip Dutton working pupil Kali Francois, and behind them both, the pacemaker!

The NARA jockeys rode really well today and did Chris proud, and a big EN get well soon to Chris’ daughter Stevie, a local hunter/jumper rider, trainer and coach who suffered a horrible fall recently but was lucky to escape serious injury – we’re jolly glad you’re okay, and wish you a speedy recovery.

Something for everyone – The Woodford Hounds meet and greet.

As usual a wonderful day was had by all, marred only by an accident in the final race, the inaugural running of the Sportswomen’s Challenge. Selfishly, I was thankful that by then my children were completely preoccupied playing football with all the other kids on the “backside” and didn’t see a thing, and as it happened vice versa too. Once again I’ll be nominating myself for mother of the year as hot, tired, sweaty and happy on the way home, they regaled me with horror stories of Harry being knocked down by a golf buggy, luckily he’ll live to see another day, sadly the horse will not.

Gustav Dahl on Monteagle, victorious in the $15,000 Maiden Hurdle cruised round with a fairly comfortable lead to win easily.

The two week Kentucky Spring Show–big deal jumpers and hunters–and that this year included the Olympic Observation Trials, wrapped up today, and next weekend we look forward to the May Daze Horse Trials with Beginner Novice through Preliminary Divisions. Massive props and Thank you to the Organisers and Volunteers of the High Hope for another wonderful year, and Go Eventing!