Some of National Hunt racing’s most recognisable former stars will be opening their stable doors to the public near Andover next week, including eight-time Cheltenham winner and Grand National runner-up Balthazar King.
Harroway Stables in Penton Mewsey will welcome visitors for a free National Racehorse Week Open Morning on Tuesday, 25 August, offering a rare opportunity to get up close to former racehorses and discover what happens after their careers on the track come to an end.
Running from 10am until 1pm, the morning will feature a parade of former racehorses alongside demonstrations of dressage, flatwork, long-reining, side saddle, polework, grids and jumping.
There will also be a horse osteopathy showcase involving the remarkable Balthazar King, giving visitors another insight into the care and management of retired racehorses.
The event forms part of National Racehorse Week, which runs from 22 to 31 August this year and sees racing yards, studs and aftercare centres across Britain open their doors to give the public a closer look at the lives and care of Thoroughbreds.
Meet a genuine Cheltenham legend
For racing enthusiasts, the headline attraction is likely to be Balthazar King, now 22, whose racing career made him one of the most popular cross-country horses of his generation.
His record at Cheltenham was extraordinary.
Balthazar King won at the Gloucestershire course eight times, including victories in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in both 2012 and 2014.
His talents extended well beyond Cheltenham. In the 2014 Grand National at Aintree he finished second to Pineau De Re, beaten five lengths after tackling racing’s most famous steeplechase.
But arguably the most remarkable chapter of his story came a year later.
During the 2015 Grand National, Balthazar King suffered a fall which left him with four fractured ribs and a punctured lung. The injuries were potentially life-threatening, but he made an extraordinary recovery and eventually returned to the racecourse before being retired in 2016.
More than a decade after that injury, the gelding remains very much part of life at Harroway.
Foaled on 12 February 2004, Balthazar King is now 22 years old. His longevity and continued active life after racing make him a particularly fitting ambassador for an event designed to demonstrate the care and opportunities available to racehorses after retirement.
Zarkandar – a Festival winner with racing royalty in his blood
Standing alongside him at Harroway is another horse whose name will immediately be familiar to National Hunt followers – Zarkandar.
He burst onto the British jumping scene in spectacular fashion in 2011, winning the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Daryl Jacob.
Zarkandar went on to establish himself as a high-class hurdler, with victories including the Aintree Hurdle, International Hurdle, Kingwell Hurdle and Grand Prix d’Automne among his achievements.
His racing pedigree is equally remarkable. Zarkandar is a half-brother to Zarkava, winner of the 2008 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
By the end of his own racing career, Zarkandar had accumulated more than £900,000 in prize money.
Today, however, his achievements are measured very differently.
Harroway uses horses such as Zarkandar to demonstrate the versatility of the Thoroughbred and the wide variety of disciplines former racehorses can enjoy once their days on the racecourse are over.
Diesel D’Allier completes a formidable trio
Visitors will also be able to meet Diesel D’Allier, another former Cheltenham winner with considerable cross-country credentials.
The French-bred gelding won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in November 2019, defeating Urgent De Gregaine by four-and-a-half lengths under Charlie Deutsch.
He returned to Cheltenham to win another cross-country contest in December 2021, this time getting the better of Welsh Grand National winner Potters Corner in a photo-finish.
Alongside the three headline names are other former racehorses including Major Mac, Hangard and Bahamian Boy.
The National Racehorse Week listing says Harroway currently has 12 horses and describes the Penton Mewsey operation as a private livery yard specialising in retraining and, in some cases, rehoming retired racehorses.
Life after the racecourse
That second career is at the heart of Tuesday’s event.
Rather than simply seeing famous horses standing in their stables, visitors will be able to watch former racehorses demonstrate the breadth of what Thoroughbreds can achieve away from racing.
The day’s demonstrations are expected to include dressage and flatwork, long-reining, side saddle, polework, grids and jumping.
Some retired racehorses may go on to compete at a high level in another equestrian discipline, while others find a quieter second career. The principle at Harroway is that horses are given the time and individual attention needed to discover what suits them.
National Racehorse Week describes the yard as taking pride in giving each horse “time and space to fulfil whatever potential they may have”, while highlighting the versatility of former racehorses as riding horses.
That approach reflects the wider work of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), British racing’s official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing. RoR supports retraining, rehoming and welfare programmes, with former racehorses going on to disciplines including showing, eventing, dressage, showjumping, polo and endurance.
The woman behind Harroway
At the centre of Harroway is proprietor Lucinda Sims, known as Cindy, whose equestrian career stretches far beyond her work with former racehorses.
Her family’s involvement with horses reaches back generations. According to Harroway, her great-grandparents became the first married couple to represent Great Britain in showjumping in 1904, while her great-grandfather Harry Buckland won the International High Jump at Olympia in 1909.
Sims began eventing at 16 and was shortlisted for British Junior, Young Rider and Senior teams, becoming first reserve for Britain’s eventing team for the 1982 World Championships.
At just 19 she competed at Badminton Horse Trials for the first time.
She subsequently competed at both Badminton and Burghley several times aboard Queen Hill – himself a failed hurdler bought for 500 guineas – an experience Harroway says helped cement her lifelong affection for Thoroughbreds. Over the course of her career she competed in almost 60 three-day events.
Her experience also extends into judging and coaching. She has judged at the Horse of the Year Show, Royal International and Royal Dublin Show, as well as major shows overseas, and is an A Grade side-saddle instructor. In 2012 she received the Pony Club’s Cubitt Award for 36 years of outstanding service.
She now focuses on retraining former racehorses and promoting the versatility of the Thoroughbred.
National Racehorse Week describes her as an international showing judge and highly respected side-saddle rider and instructor who has competed for Great Britain in eventing and produced advanced event horses.
A morning of demonstrations
According to the event flyer, gates at Harroway Stables will open at 10am, followed by a parade of horses at approximately 10.30am.
At around 11.15am, visitors will be able to watch demonstrations covering dressage, flatwork, long-reining and side saddle.
A second demonstration from approximately 12 noon will showcase polework, grids and jumping.
Visitors will also be able to see a horse osteopathy showcase involving Balthazar King during the event.
The morning concludes at around 1pm with a charity raffle, which organisers say will be drawn by a racing celebrity.
Visitors are encouraged to meet the horses and ask questions about their racing careers, retraining and lives after racing. Those wishing to bring treats for the horses are asked to bring only polos or carrots.
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads.
A catering van will also be in attendance, with cakes, teas and other refreshments available.
Raising money for three charities
While admission is free, the event will also raise money for Retraining of Racehorses, the Injured Jockeys Fund and Breast Cancer Now through donations and the charity raffle.
The Injured Jockeys Fund has supported jockeys and their families since 1964 and provides assistance including medical, financial and general wellbeing support to current and former riders in need.
Breast Cancer Now combines research with information and support for people affected by breast cancer.
Organisers say the cause has particular significance for Sims, who has faced cancer twice during the past decade.
Opening the stable door to the public
National Racehorse Week was created from an idea put forward by racehorse trainer Richard Phillips in 2019, with the aim of creating a nationwide celebration of the racehorse and giving people outside the industry an opportunity to see the care horses receive.
The Harroway morning offers something slightly different from visiting an active training yard.
Instead of focusing on horses preparing for their next race, it shines a light on what can happen when the racing stops.
From a Grand National runner-up and dual Cheltenham Festival winner who survived life-threatening injuries, to a Triumph Hurdle winner who earned more than £900,000, the horses at Penton Mewsey have already enjoyed careers many owners could only dream of.
Tuesday’s open morning will instead celebrate the chapters that came afterwards – and demonstrate that crossing the finishing line for the final time does not have to mean the end of a Thoroughbred’s working life.
Event details
National Racehorse Week Open Morning – Harroway Stables
Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Time: 10am–1pm
Venue: Harroway Stables, Penton Mewsey, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 0RA
Admission: Free – registration required
Dogs: Welcome, but must be kept on leads
Horse treats: Visitors wishing to bring treats are asked to bring polos or carrots only
Fundraising: Retraining of Racehorses, Injured Jockeys Fund and Breast Cancer Now
The official National Racehorse Week listing currently shows spaces available and states that visitors should register in advance.
Register for the Harroway Stables National Racehorse Week open morning