Grassroots: Minna Sherborn Hoare

One of the joys of point-to-pointing is the ‘open to all’ and ‘inclusivity’ of it and last Sunday at Edgecote Minna Sherborn Hoare made a dream a reality in riding her first winner on her first ride in the Hunt Members race aboard the very capable Cap Du Mathan. Sherborne Hoare may not initially seem a familiar name but she is no less the sister of Robbie and Ed Henderson who both rode successfully point-to-pointing and the well-known Henderson family colours were worn.

She takes up the story: “Our great friend Vanessa Ryle was gifted the horse because she was looking for a team chaser and Paul Nicholls suggested he was to be looking for a home. Between Vanessa and myself we have hunted, team chased and had lots of fun all winter and were given permission from previous connections to run him. So the dream of running in the hunt race began. Jack and Vanessa have been friends forever and when Vanessa got Cap we just had this mad idea that we could train it between us and I got talked into riding him.”

Ryle of course is a Sky Sports broadcaster and by the scenes in the winners enclosure afterwards and the following picnic celebrations it was clear that this, her first venture into ownership and training was very special. Certainly made even more special due to the nature of the team of friends bringing it to fruition. Sherborn Hoare confirms: “We are just three numpties having a really nice time. Each day is different and he has been such a joy. It is a lot of work but has been so much fun and to win is amazing.”

Three runners went to post and the other two runners, the progressive Bluescape who was sent off favourite, and ShantyAlley were ridden by the far more experienced Ed Vaughan and George Case. Sherborn Hoare kept her cool and having landed in the lead at the first fence continued to make the running and held off a late challenge from the Bradley Gibbs trained Bluescape, Sherborn Hoare fended off a bit of ‘argy bargy’ from Bluescape’s jockey Ed Vaughan to win by a head and she says: “The whole race couldn’t have gone better really, but let’s call it beginners luck.

I did feel very nervous and very unprepared. When you are surrounded by so many people doing it so seriously you worry you’re not taking it seriously enough and I didn’t want to let anyone down.”

Isn’t that the joy of point-to-pointing?

The doors are open to anyone to have a go and yes, in this case dual hunter-chase winner Cap Du Mathan is a classy individual who is more than capable of winning a Hunt Members race but for Sherborn Hoare he has proved a trustworthy friend in which to enable her to tick off a bucket list ambition.

Sherborn Hoare grew up in Dorset from a racing family and is the granddaughter of the legendary Biddy Wingfield-Digby, who is a woman worthy of her own story. Sherborn Hoare says: “Granny was amazing, she was the first ever woman to ride at Badminton, she evented hunted and point-to-pointed and was my inspiration and driving force for me growing up.”

Sherborn Hoare claims she is a nervous nellie and very uncompetitive and tells me: “When I was eventing I came back in from the cross-country one day very pleased and I had a lovely time. Mum was not happy and told me I had missed three fences!

”By profession Sherborn Hoare is a Travel Desinger for Wilderness and sells safari holidays, based in London two days per week she explains how the training of Cap Du Mathan has worked: “I rent a stable with Joe Stephenson and Sophie Candy and without them this whole thing would not have been possible. The days I am in London, Vanessa rides him out. Jack’s involvement began with a bit of mucking out and turning out but then he started to take more interest coming to watch at the gallops and of course trying to tell us what to do! Jack is also a Forage merchant so he provides the hay!”

She goes on to say: “As far as me riding goes everyone was saying I should ride him and it got to the point I was running out of excuses! Sophie told me not to stress that I wasn’t riding out all the time and that if I went to the gym and knew my horse inside out I would be ok! Thank god it turned out like that! The whole thing has been such fun and for us three to have pulled it off is wonderful, Jack constantly says he gets the ‘ick’ because Vanessa and I love the horse so much. He is the most wonderful horse to be around – he is a real tonic.”

Moving on from Sunday’s success the goal is to retire Cap Du Mathan and enjoy him as a hunter, hack and team chaser and Sherborn Hoare confirms: “He is our pet, he won’t run again which means I will not be riding again – he is the only horse for me! It has been wonderful and we all realise how very fortunate we are.

My prediction is to watch this space…… I think the Bicester and Whaddon Hunt Race next season will be too tempting not to go back and win again!