The West Berkshire Racing club, who kindly let me join their ranks to visit such yards are a bunch of kind and well informed racing fans who visit yards on a regualr basis, and over about the last 10 trips to trainers establishments i have not only enjoyed the company and trainer ,their staff and horses but also the look of the 'child in a sweet shop' expression of these enthusiasts as they are allowed to wander through training establishments that are on a whole out of bounds.
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| West Berkshire Racing Club visit to Eve Johnson Houghton |
The West Bershire racing Club
visit their website
http://www.westberksracingclub.org.uk
The venue this time was Eve Johnson Houghtons Woodway stables in Oxfordshire. Not far from the few remaining Didcot chimney stacks, the yard is nestled in some of the most beautiful landscapes that make up the ridgeway, an area packed with horse racing history, and Eve and her family make up a great part of that story throughout the years.
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| 200 Acres a gallop at Woodway Stables |
The Johnson Houghton family have been in this beautiful setting for the past 40 years. Gordon Johnson Houghton the first occupant and now his grandaughter Eve taking the reins, The yard has produced many group 1 status equines. Habititat, Robero and Ile De Bourborn to name but a few, but todays visit was to see some of the new and rising stars of Woodway
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| Some of the guys we met on the way |
The trainer with help from her long serving head lad William Reddy allowed us wander the yard and took us up part of the 200 acres of owned gallops to see some of the horses work.
Horses such as 2 year olds Soiree, Custodial and Sunlit Waters and others all flowed up the sweeping grass gallop on a sunny June morning.
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| Soiree,Custodial,A Dutch Art Filly |
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| Sunlit Waters, A Dylan Thomas Filly and one other added to the work? |
The welcome all recieved, as in all yards visited is warm and friendly, also these guys know their industry and are happy to share that with you.
So Another great visit,and a sure thing i saw a few faces of my past come into view around the yard,
As always the complete pictorial story of this visit can be seen at
horse racing folder
The last part must go to the team at Woodway though
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| Friends |
