Twice a G2 winner in Irish chases, former Jessica Harrington-trained jumper is thriving in his second career as he mixes ‘a bit of everything’ – from show jumping to trips to the beach
Retirement is almost always the wrong word to use about racehorses. The skill-set acquired over several years is more usually merely redirected, a change of focus, a change of pace.
Woodland Opera once jumped for a living, now he jumps for fun, and is just as accomplished at the new day job as he was in his previous career.
Woodland Opera was bred to shine over jumps. He is by Robin Des Champs, sire of top-notcher Vautour, six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega and Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Sir Des Champs, and out of the high-class racemare Opera Hat, winner of the G1 Melling Chase at Aintree. The apple fell close to the tree, for Woodland Opera ran 28 times over hurdles and fences and failed to complete only once.
His jumping technique was his long suit, his trump card, as his trainer Jessica Harrington noted on several occasions, saying: “He jumps really well”; “He had a really good cut at his fences”; “He jumped like I thought he would and I’m excited about him”. That airy panache over obstacles is now paying off in a different sphere.
“He loves to jump,” says Jamie Buckley, who runs a livery and schooling yard near Ratoath, north of Dublin, a short gallop from Fairyhouse, where Woodland Opera gained his first success over fences.
“During his retraining work, when it came to pole-work and jumping he just loved it. Once he settled and realised he wasn’t going racing any more, he just couldn’t get enough.”
Woodland Opera remains the property of his owner-breeder Valerie Cooper and her daughter Diana, but Buckley took over his care in April 2021 and soon found she had acquired a fast learner with a hearty appetite for picking up new skills.
“He could probably turn his hand to anything asked of him, once he figured out what was needed,” she says. “The hardest part of the retraining process was trying to slow his brain down and teach him that any away trips didn’t mean he was going racing – once he realised that, we were flying.
Retraining on the beach
“We did a lot of our retraining on the beach and the road, with maybe one day a week in the arena. I’m lucky enough to have ridden racehorses for a few years, so I have a good understanding of how their brains work, and I was able to work around him until he started to understand what I wanted from him.”
Woodland Opera, now known as ‘Woody’, or sometimes ‘Spud’ – “I don’t know where that came from, but it has just stuck!” – got the message loud and clear, and three months later he and Buckley won the first racehorse-to-riding horse class they entered.
Two months after that, they won the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Racehorse to Riding Horse class at the Balmoral Show. And as time went on, the big gelding developed into a Spud-of-all-trades, demonstrating the innate versatility of former racehorses.
“We have done a bit of everything, showing, showjumping, working hunter, cross-country, racecourse parades, demonstrations and his favourite – trips to the beach,” says Buckley. “Most days we came away with good results, and any days that weren’t so great gave us something to work on for the next day.
“His main strength is that he is a very genuine horse. Even if he is having a bad day, he tries to meet me somewhere along the way. It might not always be where I want to be, but he tries.
Different type of horse
“It is important to remember that this is a different type of horse that has been conditioned from a very young age to be go-go-go. If he is having a bad day at home or he is a little wound up, we will go for a hack to let him chill out.
“The beach has also been a brilliant tool in his retraining, as it relaxes him completely, even if it’s driving wind and rain. The morning before any major shows or anywhere with a big atmosphere, I will take him to the beach and it just settles him right down.”
Ireland’s non-profit organisation for the rehabilitation and retraining of former racehorses is Treo Eile (translation: another direction), funded by industry heavyweights such as Godolphin, Moyglare Stud and Horse Racing Ireland.
Buckley and Woody have competed in many classes and won many prizes under the Treo Eile banner. Woodland Opera is a conspicuous success story for the organisation, demonstrating the possibilities on offer, highlighting its good works.
“Ireland is renowned for its Thoroughbred industry, so the aftercare of our racehorses has to be important,” says Buckley.
“Treo Eile stands on three pillars – first, it helps to connect owners and trainers with people who will provide homes for racehorses. Second, it provides training clinics, and we have great Treo Eile sponsorship specifically for Thoroughbreds in many areas.
Suitable for a second career
“Third, it is always publicising our achievements with our Thoroughbreds and illustrating how suitable they are for a second career.”
Buckley’s initial goal for Woodland Opera was a spot at the prestigious Dublin Horse Show. Injury kept him out in 2022, and last year it was Buckley in the wars with a broken hand. Time and opportunity were running out.
“The hand wasn’t recovering the way I had hoped, so I had to do a lot of work with Woody on the ground to keep him going in the hopes of making it to Dublin,” she says.
“My hand recovered just in time and we had the best weekend, finishing up as Reserve Champion. Just to have him there and get that result was brilliant, and we also got to parade in the main ring on the Saturday and Sunday.
“It was great to have Valerie and Diana [Cooper] there as well as other members of the Cooper family, my own family and friends to support us. It was such a wonderful couple of days.”
Buckley was delighted; Woody was thrilled to have the attention. He may love the solitude and serenity of a morning at the beach, but he’s just as happy when the paparazzi crowd him after another star performance.
“Woody is a real showman and just loves attention of any kind,” says Buckley. “He especially loves having his picture taken. He practically poses for it, and will follow whoever is taking the photo with his ears pricked.
Such good manners
“He is such an intelligent animal, he is only just short of answering me back half of the time, but he’s very gentle in his own way and has such good manners.
“But he knows he is the main man. He just loves life and is a happy horse, always has his ears pricked and wondering what is happening next.”
What is happening next for Woody and Buckley is a move away from showing and a greater emphasis on the jumping side of his portfolio.
Six years on from his finest hour on the racecourse, a front-running ten-length victory in the G2 PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park, Woodland Opera is using his greatest attribute to embellish the second act of his very active life.
“My plan for the rest of the summer is to compete in working hunter/performance classes, showjumping and maybe some cross-country,” says Buckley. “We will take part in as many of the Treo Eile clinics and sponsored classes as possible, just have some fun and enjoy each other.
“Woody and I have had some amazing days, and I am just proud to be part of his journey and pleased to have met so many wonderful people along the way.”
• Visit the Treo Eile website
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