Rich Man Poor Man crowned supreme champion as 'feel-good factor' fills Aintree

Thistlecrack, the 2016 King George VI Chase hero, was among 280 former racehorses to take part in the 2022 Jockey Club Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) national championships at Aintree.

But it was Rich Man Poor Man, pulled up on four of his five starts under rules, who was crowned the Supreme Champion across five days of competition for rider Kristine Douglas.

Minella Rebellion, last year’s champion and formerly trained by Nicky Henderson, finished runner-up, while 20-year old My Diss Sire was victorious in the RoR National Dressage Championships Elite Performance Award.

Other high-profile successes came from 2016 July Cup winner Limato and the classy staying chaser American, both taking home top prizes in the showing class.

In the dressage competition Goldream – winner of the Prix de l’Abbaye in 2015 and now equine ambassador for York racecourse – was a notable runner-up, while First Receiver, owned and bred by the Queen, was successful in the Tattersalls RoR Novice Showing Series Championship final.

The five-year-old, who finished second in the 2020 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot under Frankie Dettori, is looked after by Katie Jerram-Hunnable, who had also taken care of the Queen's former popular jumper Barbers Shop.

“An atmosphere like no other”

RoR chief executive Di Arbuthnot was full of praise for what she described as a “very special event".

She said: "There is a genuine feel-good factor walking around Aintree and it is heart-warming to see so many former racehorses looking so well with their devoted owners and riders."

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