With the St Leger on the horizon, the racing world is still firmly focused on the flat stars as we move towards the end of the summer. However, last month, fans took time to celebrate the career of a chasing great from the yard of Alan King.
Edwardstone made his first racecourse appearance in November 2018. Almost eight years later, the Kayf Tara gelding retires as one of Barbury Castle’s greatest ever servants. Taking the yard to the heights of Grade 1 success at the Cheltenham Festival, the much-loved bay is set to begin a new chapter at 12 years of age.
A Very Special Horse
Edwardstone will be 13 years old by the time the next springtime festivals roll around. As such, it doesn’t come as the biggest surprise that connections have decided to call it a day. Announcing the news to the racing public following the TBA National Hunt Breeders’ Awards, his trainer stated:
“He’s been a very special horse right the way through. Tonight’s the first time we’ve all got tother since Sandown and the decision’s been made that he’s been retired.”
Many runners of Edwardstone’s age make connections’ minds up for them, whether that be due to rapidly declining performance or simply falling out of love with their work. However, that wasn’t the case with Edwardstone, who reportedly worked as well as ever last season, and backed that up with a sensational final success in the Celebration Chase at Sandown. However, although Edwardstone was willing to continue, those close to the horse were terrified that something might happen to their pride and joy, as explained by King:
“I think if we’d brought him back this season, we’d have been nervous wrecks going into every race.”
As a horse who loves to be active, Edwardstone will be found a suitable activity as part of a hopefully long and happy retirement. His departure will leave a large hole at the yard of his Scottish handler, but he also leaves behind plenty of happy memories .
Talented Over Hurdles
Making his debut in a Newbury bumper on 8 November 2018, Edwardstone scored top marks for consistency in his early days – finishing second in all three National Hunt Flat outings.
Born to jump, his breakthrough success came when faced with an obstacle for the first time in a novice hurdle contest at Wincanton. Barring a solitary chase outing at Doncaster, which ended in an unceremonious unseat of Tom Bellamy, Edwardstone remained over the smaller obstacles until April 2021. He ended his hurdling career with three wins from nine outings and £54,836 in prize money. Much better was to come over fences.
| Date | Race | Course | Position | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/11/19 | Novices Hurdle | Wincanton | 1st | 6/1 |
| 7/12/19 | Novices Hurdle | Aintree | 1st | 6/5 |
| 18/1/19 | Rossington Main Nov. Hurdle | Haydock | 2nd | 13/8 |
| 10/3/20 | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Cheltenham | 6th | 25/1 |
| 15/11/20 | Greatwood Handicap Hurdle | Cheltenham | 5th | 13/2 |
| 29/12/20 | Handicap Chase | Doncaster | Unseated | 11/8 |
| 16/1/21 | Handicap Hurdle | Market Rasen | 1st | Evens |
| 21/2/21 | Betfair Hurdle | Newbury | 3rd | 14/1 |
| 19/3/21 | County Handicap Hurdle | Cheltenham | 5th | 18/1 |
| 9/4/21 | Handicap Hurdle | Aintree | 3rd | 7/1 |
Rising to the Top of the Novice Division
The 2021/22 season would prove to be a golden campaign for Edwardstone. Not that it began particularly well, with the second chase start of his career seeing him brought down at Warwick. From there, the only way was up.
Announcing himself to the chasing world with a seven-length stroll on his second crack at the Warwick fences, he then turned the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown into a procession – coming home fully 16 lengths clear of his rivals. Alan King had a serious talent on his hands.
Backing up that breakout performance with easy wins in the Grade 2 duo of the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase and Kingmaker Novices’ Chase, Edwardstone headed to the Cheltenham Festival for the ultimate test of a 2m novice.
Ten rivals lay in wait for the 2022 edition of the Arkle Chase, including talented performers from the powerful Irish yards of Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, and Henry de Bromhead. However, Edwardstone was the horse punters wanted to be with, seeing the eight-year-old start as the 5/2 favourite at the off. The rising star justified the faith of the betting public in spectacular style. Jumping well throughout, he cruised into contention around the home turn and forged clear for an authoritative 4½l success, handing his trainer a first Cheltenham Festival success since 2015.
| Date | Race | Course | Position | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/11/21 | Novices Chase | Warwick | Brought Down | 13/8 |
| 17/11/21 | Novices Chase | Warwick | 1st | 4/6 |
| 4/12/21 | Henry VIII Novices Chase | Sandown | 1st | 3/1 |
| 27/12/21 | Wayward Lad Novices Chase | Kempton | 1st | 8/15 |
| 12/2/22 | Kingmaker Novices Chase | Warwick | 1st | 10/11 |
| 15/3/22 | Arkle Novices Chase | Cheltenham | 1st | 5/2 |
| 9/4/22 | Maghull Novices Chase | Aintree | 2nd | 4/7 |
Success in Open Company
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Edwardstone was never able to repeat the consistency of his brilliant novice campaign. However, when at his peak, he more than held his own against the best in the business.
The pick of his four victories in open company came in the 2022 edition of the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown. Slightly overlooked in a field containing the Nicky Henderson superstar Shiskin and Paul Nicholls’ defending champ Greaneteen, Edwardstone produced a staggering finishing effort to score by nine lengths. That performance left racing writers reaching for the superlatives and saw the official handicapper increase his mark to a lofty 170.
Tingle Creek Chase 2022 Result
| Positon | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Edwardstone | Alan King | Tom Cannon | 5/1 |
| 2nd | Greaneteen | Paul Nicholls | Harry Cobden | 2/1 |
| 3rd | Shishkin | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville | 6/5 |
In a fine illustration of the unpredictability of racing, Edwardstone didn’t win again until 2024, when strolling 40 lengths clear in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase. While adding the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase to his haul in 2026, a run of nine successive defeats in Grade 1 company suggested his time at the very top level may be at an end. However, there was still time for one last hurrah.
Ending on a High at Sandown
What would turn out to be Edwardstone’s final racecourse appearance came in the 2026 edition of the Celebration Chase. Three years older than any of his rivals in the Grade 1 contest, he started as the fourth choice of the market, with Joseph O’Brien’s Irish raider Solness leading the way.
With half of the six-runner field failing to complete the course, Edwardstone made the turn for home with a couple of lengths to make up on Solness and second favourite JPR One. With the prospect of one final top-level victory in sight, Edwardstone began to stay on relentlessly. He quickly mastered Solness before overhauling JPR One on the run-in to post a suitably thrilling end to a wonderful career.
The admirable Edwardstone makes it three Grade 1 triumphs at Sandown Park, the 12-year-old proving best in the £175,000 @bet365 Celebration Chase pic.twitter.com/Y7xieTPh7Y
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) April 25, 2026
Edwardstone retires having won 12 of 42 career starts and amassed £822,970 in prize money for connections.