Kim Bailey’s National Hunt star and Grade One winner First Flow has been retired after a successful career, notching 12 victories from 28 runs, and winning £307,409.
All his winning performances came under jockey David Bass, who struck up a great partnership with the gelding owned by Terry Solomons, a long-standing owner of Mr Bailey’s. The 12-year-old was last seen winning the Godstone Handicap Chase at Lingfield during the Winter Million meeting in January, carrying top weight to victory by a length and a quarter over Saint Segal.
“What a star he is,” said Mr Bailey. “There will be few others as tough and enjoyable to train as First Flow. Thank you for being the horse that I just loved.”
First Flow was originally bought by Irish event rider Karrie Fanshawe as a store [unbroken three-year-old] for €4,500 at the Tattersalls Derby Sales in Ireland.
“Karrie broke him in and after a year she rang me and asked me to come and watch him work,” Mr Bailey said. “David Bass rode him, and after watching him strut his stuff on that bitterly cold snowy day, we sat down and did a deal.
“Tony Solomons was looking for a horse to replace Harry Topper, and First Flow fitted his budget and hence the start of a wonderful partnership.”
It was well documented that jumping did not come naturally for First Flow; Laura Collett and fellow eventers Lucy Jackson and Ginny Thompson all spent time schooling the gelding to help him with this.
“The end product was that he jumped ok on the racecourse, even if at times we wondered what he and David Bass were doing,” said Mr Bailey. “But they built a total understanding on bravery, based on trust and stupidity, which was to set them up to take on the big boys in Graded races.
“First Flow was always better right-handed, but we tried the Champion Chase at Cheltenham [in 2021] and considering David nearly pulled him up because he could not steer him round the bends, he still probably ran his best race ever by finishing sixth, beaten six lengths behind Put The Kettle On.”
First Flow’s career highlights include winning the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in 2021 and the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, also in 2021.
“Sadly his owner Tony Solomons is not in the best of health so his colours, like his horse will be retired,” explained Mr Bailey. “Wonderful memories of both Tony’s enjoyment with all his horses and frankly, I really don’t believe I have ever trained a horse who showed such passion and guts as First Flow.”
Mr Bailey said that a “very suitable home” will be found for First Flow.
“That will be difficult as I am loathe to say goodbye to him.”
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