The Princess Royal National Hunt Novices' Handicap Chase was very much a Welsh success story in 2025 with Haiti Couleurs, trained in Wales by Rebecca Curtis, powering to a four and a half-length victory in the hands of Welsh jockey Ben Jones.
This year was the first year the contest was run as a handicap and open to professional jockeys. It also honoured HRH The Princess Royal for the first time this year.
Rebecca Curtis said: “I felt so nervous before this horse ran today, but watching him was almost like watching it all in slow motion. He’s done that well, he deserved that. These guys are great, all his owners. Thanks to everyone at the yard, we’ve got such a great team at home – thank you to them all for working so hard.”
Asked what in particular made her so nervous, she said: “I suppose just because he was favourite and because I wanted him to win so much for these owners, because they’ve been amazing for the yard and my best supporters.
“We’ve only really got 20-odd horses in, we just need more horses now. I know I can do the job, it would just be nice to get a few more.”
She added: “He’s such a tough horse. He wouldn't be overly speedy, he’ll just gallop all day long. His jumping is so quick and accurate.”
Ben Jones said: “He was a dream of a ride round there. He just jumped really well, travelled through the race nicely. I missed two out down the last, but he put his head down and galloped all the way to the line. He wants to please you, and puts his head down and gallops everywhere. If you’ve got a horse underneath you like that, a horse who would run through a brick wall for you, then it definitely helps going up that hill. I felt like I had plenty of horse left and I had to pull him up at the top of the hill, which is always a good sign.
“There was a doubt as to whether he would stay, but as doubts go, it wasn’t a massive one. Every time I rode him over hurdles, and I rode him first time over fences, to be fair to him, he’s always been an athlete. Now we’re seeing him on the bigger stages where we still haven’t seen the very best of him. Another year or two, that’s where we’ll see his full potential.
“Becky and the whole team have been brilliant to me over the years. When it was a bit quiet after I lost my claim, she was probably the one who supported me, and to be able to give a little something back to them means the world to me.” #horseracing #horse #horses
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