'He's adjusted so well and has soaked it all up like a sponge' - Gold Cup hero Native River bound for Horse of the Year Show

Retirement from racing has not stopped Native River making more column inches and the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is now bound for the grand finale at the Horse of the Year Show (Hoys) in October. 

The chestnut has many strings to his bow these days, be it opening a jewellery shop in London's Bond Street, providing a chauffeur service to a school prom or acting as Exeter racecourse ambassador, and has reportedly taken to showing like a duck to water. 

His recent success in the SEIB Search for a Star riding horse qualifier at Stoneleigh Park was plastered all over social media, such is the adoration for the gelding. 

Having entered into retirement with bloodstock agent Tom Malone after a stellar racing career for the Tizzards and the Brooms, Native River's regular rider now is Emma Vine, a showjumper by trade who has picked up the showing thread with her famous partner. 

They will almost certainly have a big fan club present to witness their performance at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham this autumn.

The pair first competed in showing and dressage competitions last year, and have come a long way in a short space of time. 

Vine, who works for Malone, says of the 14-year-old: "He's retired with Tom and this will be his first full season as a retrained racehorse; we started in the middle of last year with his first few shows. 

"He's been really trainable and is such a fabulous horse anyway. He has great paces and is easy to work with as he's naturally got a great walk, trot and powerful canter. 

Native River: a hugely popular figure both on and off the trackCredit: Edward Whitaker

"All the great attributes he's had as a racehorse, we've just flipped and made him into a riding horse. He's adjusted so well and has soaked it all up like a sponge. He's just a gentleman in every way."

Native River's second-placed finish in the riding horse class, behind fellow ex-racehorse Polydamos, provoked a mix of joy and surprise for Vine, having qualified for Hoys on their first attempt. 

She says: "It will be my first time at Hoys and I've had people contacting me about qualifying first-time-out, saying, 'I've been trying to do it for seven years, or ten years, and you've done it on your first attempt with him!' If I'm honest, I was shocked.

"The ride judge was beaming from ear to ear; you can tell they're enjoying it as they ride them for a bit longer! He was then presented to the conformation judge and he trotted up well, and he was very well-mannered. 

"At the end, when they came to give me our prize, the ride judge said, 'Whatever you're doing, just keep doing it because he gave me the best ride.' I replied, 'Is there any feedback you could give me to improve?' And she said, 'No, no, he gave me a fantastic ride.'

"The conformation judge said he was such a lovely model, every part of him fits in the right place. His body has changed, he's a lot more furnished now, and he'll continue to be like that. 

"I just cried after qualifying at the first attempt. I couldn't believe it had happened, but he deserved it. He was a professional and pulled it out of the bag."

Tom Malone: agent has Native River at homeCredit: Debbie Burt

The hugely popular son of Indian River, bred by Fred Mackey out of the By My Native mare Native Mo, won 14 times on the track, and in addition to the Gold Cup landed the Hennessy Gold Cup, Welsh Grand National, Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase and three Denman Chases.

He is no one-trick pony in his post-racing endeavours, for aside from showing and dressage he will also compete in showjumping, a discipline which requires a different jumping technique to National Hunt racing. 

Vine says: "He's qualified for the Retraining of Racehorses dressage regionals, so hopefully he'll go on and qualify for the finals at Aintree. He's going to Hickstead at the end of this month as he's qualified for the Tattersalls RoR amateur and open finals; to do that in both classes was incredible.

"I've also been slowly starting his jumping. I've been to a few RoR jumping days, and it's something he'll be doing more of. I took him down to Pontispool [equestrian centre] and it was the first time Harry [Cobden] had sat on him. 

"Harry was incredible and wanted to learn as much as River; even though he's a jump jockey he was like, 'Showjumping is new to me!'"

So, what is it like being responsible for a big name who captured so many racing fans' hearts? 

"It can be daunting but I'm such an advocate for the thoroughbred anyway," says Vine. "I teach a lot of people and I'm always going on about thoroughbreds. 

"I feel they can be too easily dismissed, and I think to have a high-profile horse like him doing jobs really well outside of racing is so lovely. 

"Everywhere I take him, there's so much support. At Aintree last year a couple came up on the bus from Liverpool just because they'd heard Native River was competing at the RoR National Championships. 

"So many people come up and ask for some photos too. He just loves it and is such a superstar."

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