2025/2026 Season Review
13MAY2026 - With the curtain down on another National Hunt season and a nice summer break on the cards, we take a look back over the events of 2025/2026.
Although the actual racing itself didn’t get going for us until late October, the real fun began at the May sales where HOE Racing acquired the well bred Kilworth. At the time, a 5 year old mare with a second place and a point to point win in the bank out of Order of St George, she would prove to be worth every penny. She was soon settled in at the fabulous Bonita Racing Yard where she began training under Emma Lavelle and looked after by all the wonderful people down at the South Wiltshire stable.
Kilworth arrives at Bonita Racing Yard ready for the 2025/2026 national hunt season.
In no time at all our new recruit was race-ready and made her debut, for HOE Racing and over hurdles; at Stratford Racecourse in October 2026. A more than adequate introduction to the world of jumps racing played out until the last hurdle when distracted by a faller. Thankfully, having been our first faller in a race; she dusted herself down and was only mildly embarrassed by the ordeal.
Two more maiden hurdles followed in quick succession which included a 3rd place finish for minor money at Exeter racecourse and whilst Kilworth was wetting her beak under rules some of her siblings were also out making waves in the jumps racing world. Half brother Storming George was busy qualifying for a Grade 1 action with another half brother Supreme George rattling off 3 victories over Christmas and new years.
With the sires stock rising all winter it was Kilworths turn to shine and she did just that on her handicap debut at Taunton in mid-January. Under the superb guidance of the brilliant champion jockey Sean Bowen Kilworth took the spoils over 3 miles in a hurdles race which got warmer as the season progressed. The race threw up 2 subsequent winners and a number of placed finishes amongst her rivals in their races to come.
Kilworth goes in at Taunton under the soon to be crowned Champion Jockey 2025/2026 Sean Bowen.
January also saw the rising of a new star and stablemate at the Bonita Racing Yard. Ma Shantou landed the Pertemps Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham for trainer Emma Lavelle in fine style under Ben Jones who would go on to provide us with a winner.
In February we were privileged to have attended the Jamie's Farm Raceday 2026 at Plumpton Racecourse. The charity event featured a seven-race jumps card, with Queen Camilla attending as patron to support the charity’s work with young people. The day raised over £53,000 to support the charity's farm-based residential programs.
At the business end of the season Kilworth returned to 3 miles in the Barrie Wells Box4Kids Handicap Hurdle in March at Ascot. The course was brimming with excitement on its annual Spring Family Race Day and rider Ben Jones produced an expertly ridden race to steer her to victory. The winner of the King George Chase also secured his Ascot Riders Championship for the season with the win and we congratulate him on a wonderful season.
A number of Kilworth relatives caught the eye over the festival months. Mighty Bandit worked his way up to a Chase rating of 151 and the afore mentioned Storming George did just that storming to victory at Aintree in National week to claim trainer Neil King his first Grade 1 victory.
We closed out the season at Chepstow in late April and the Welsh hillside was bathed in sunshine providing the perfect setting to enjoy great company and reflect on a great season. Although 3rd of 4, Kilworth took on the tough undulating track in her stride and produced a gutsy finish for Harry Cobden after a gruelling 3 miles, only falling short by a handful of lengths in the closing stages. Harry was one in a number of fantastic jockeys we’ve been lucky enough to have ride for us over the season and we wish him the best of luck with his new job!
Kilworth is off on her summer holidays now, all-carrots-inclusive; having run her socks off all season long and we couldn’t be prouder of her. We’ll see that familiar white blaze again soon and with the sales right around the corner we can’t wait to do it all over again in 2026/2027 ;)
