Bryan Smart Racing - Retraining of Racehorses

Midnight Robbery never troubled the judge on the racecourse but he is making new ground in his new career as one of the first racehorses to be retrained as a Western horse. He has had much success in this new sphere including demonstrating his new skills at the ROR showcase with owner Emma Lonnie. 

Smalljohn retired from racing in 2016 after a successful career spanning 8 years, 16 wins and over £55,000 in prize money. 'Smally' was always a yard favourite and Mrs Smart was his regular rider on the gallops. He now lives just down the road near Helmsley with his pony and broodmare friends.

Mythmaker retired from racing in 2021 after an illustrious career totalling 8 wins and over £160,000 in prize money. He is now enjoying another successful career in the dressage arena with new owner Emma Lebutt. 

Straightothepoint, another yard stalwart, has also found a new home with Emma. Both of these horses were owned and bred by Crossfield's Racing so it is lovely that they are enjoying their retirement together. 'Pointy' has also enjoyed success in the dressage arena including qualifying for British Dressage finals.

Armarda Bay is enjoying hacking with friends and has started jump training. 

Bought as a breeze up horse, he raced 11 times winning once and being placed five times. He went on to have a very successful showing career with Vicky, winning the ROR Tattersalls Retrained Racehorse Championship at Hickstead in 2010, the ROR championship at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2010 and 2011 and he was Reserve Champion at the Horse of the Year Show in 2013. He then went on to have a very successful career as a dressage horse competing up to Elementary level and being placed in the Novice section at the ROR Dressage Championships in 2014.

Chivola is still stabled at Hambleton House and is very happy being a companion to some of the younger horses. 

Chuckamental was an average racehorse but has developed into an above average eventer and is seen her competing in a BE 100 with his owner Emma Lebutt.

Ran 23 times, winning 5 races he still holds the track record at Catterick over 7 furlongs. A freak accident in his stable ended his racing career in 2006. However he was very successfully retrained and won several showing classes qualifying for both Hickstead and the Horse of the Year Show.  Differential had two speeds either slow or flat out but he always knew when a novice rider was on him and he looked after them carefully.

He died recently at the age of 20 and is buried here at Hambleton House.

Definitely one of the best looking horses we have ever trained, Fearless Poet was owned by a syndicate who enjoyed success with him on the racecourse and were willing to find him a lovely home after his racing career was over. He now lives with Maggie Mearns in South Yorkshire and they have become a wonderful partnership, competing in British Eventing and combined training as well as all the ROR competitions.

Trained by Bryan for a number of years, Hambleton has now been very successfully retrained as an eventer. He is loving his new job and is doing really well.

Midnight Robbery was owned by one of our very own syndicates and few times as a 2yo and 3yo but didn't really take to it and was never placed higher than 4th. Since his retirement from racing he has been retrained into a Western horse competing successfully at Western shows and doing demonstrations for the ROR charity at their Showcase. 

Compton River had a successful racing career winning a number of races for another one of our syndicates but the decision was made to retire him as a 6yo. Similarly to Midnight Robbery, Compton has also began a new career as a Western horse with the same owner which he is really enjoying. 

Orwellian had a successful racing career winning and being placed numerous times. He was retired from racing the age of 6 and has since been retrained to perform dressage to music which he has taken to very well!

Trained by Bryan in 2011, Pontius Pilate was re-trained to polo and as the pictures show he has taken to his new career very well.

Yorkshire born and bred Roger was a joker who never took anything seriously.

He ran a few times and would have been placed but decided to take a wrong turn so he was retired from racing at the age of three and quickly found success as an eventer and as a show horse. Roger’s Revenge won the ROR Championship at The Great Yorkshire Show in 2012 and later that year he was Champion Racehorse to Riding Horse at the Horse of the Year Show ridden by Vicky. He went on to have many wins as a lightweight hunter before being sold to take up a new path as a dressage horse. Roger was the inaugural lead horse for the ROR Musical Ride in 2014 and is now enjoying life with his new owner in East Yorkshire.

Space Artist was one of our first syndicate horses and was a prolific winner of 6 races for his owners. He was sold when the syndicate disbanded and continued to be trained in Yorkshire but was recently retired and has found a home for life locally. Although he was a flat horse he has a great jump and has started show jumping.