19-year-old Hugh Lillingston made the perfect start to his riding career when scoring on his mare All Loved Up at Larkhill last month. Many readers will recognise his surname – Hugh is the son of Luke, who runs the Mount Coote Stud in Limerick and grandson of Alan, who won the 1963 Champion Hurdle on the one-eyed Winning Fair, the first amateur to win the storied race.
Jake Exelby caught up with Hugh recently to find out what the youngster is doing in British pointing, his background, and plans for the future.
Tell me about yourself and your background in racing
I was brought up at Mount Coote in Kilmallock. My family’s always been involved in breeding – predominantly flat, though we have the odd jumping mare. I went to school at home until I was 13, when I went to Eton. I finished last summer.
I grew up in the Scarteen Hunt Pony Club – I’d hunt eight days a week if I could! My Mum, Tabitha, who was a reserve for the British Olympic eventing team, is District Commissioner for the club. I also evented, show jumped, and hunter trialled.
When I was 16, I started going to Enda Bolger’s in the holidays to ride out. I learnt a lot there.
Another influence is John Kiely. My family’s had our homebreds with him most of my life. The first, and also the first racehorse I sat on, was Toe The Line – she was a great mare, winning the (€90,000) Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown and two listed races, and placing in the Park Hill Stakes and Ebor. We sadly lost her at Cheltenham.
She got me into racing, and I got to know John and his wife Marion. They’ve always been great to me and given me advice.
Her full brother Line Out, who won the Irish Cesarewitch, was supposed to be my first ride, but she has two half-brothers in training with John, both by Hillstar, who I hope to ride in bumpers in the coming months.
Hugh riding work at John Kiely's
What about pointing?
One of the first foals of the dam – Bluebell Line – was a pointer called Always Improving, trained and ridden by James Butler, Mount Coote’s head lad. I always went to the point-to-points to cheer him on.
What made you come over to England this season?
I always had a gap year planned. I finished school on July 1st and started an internship at Tattersalls Newmarket on the 2nd! I worked there until Christmas and really enjoyed it – preparing for the sales and putting catalogues together. I learnt more about the industry in six months than I had done in the rest of my life and also got an insight into the jumps side from Tattersalls Cheltenham.
After that, I went to work for Nicky Henderson at Seven Barrows as a stable lad, riding out three lots as well as my own mare.
How did you come by All Loved Up?
She was in training with Liam Lennon and J D Moore sourced her for us, as I was keen to have a pointer while I was over here, to have a few rides and a bit of fun. We bought her in early January.
At Larkhill, we weren’t expecting much, other than a clear round and to learn about each other. I didn’t realise how rare it was for a maiden to win a Novice Riders race. She didn’t win for Liam, but he campaigned her quite competitively. She’s no superstar, but a safe enough ride, and better than her form read. There was a Mares Maiden on the card, but it was over 2m4f, and we thought the longer trip would suit better.
Hugh winning on All Loved Up at Larkhill (Tim Holt)
What made you send her to OIive Nicholls?
Olive’s very local to Seven Barrows and has had success as a trainer already – she had a 100% success rate when All Loved Up arrived and was all over me about maintaining her strike rate! She knows what she’s doing.
You’re actually older than your trainer
Yes, by nine months. But she certainly doesn’t act like she’s younger than me. She’s very knowledgeable and certainly not inexperienced, with her background.
What are your plans for the rest of the season and when your gap year is over?
All Loved Up will run again in a couple of weeks and maybe have 1-2 more runs. After that, my next step is to work for a riding safari in the Masai Mara in Kenya. I’m not sure what the pointing’s like down there!
I’m going to Oxford Brookes University in September and hope to ride out for Olive again next season and maybe go back to Seven Barrows – the team there is young and fun.
Ultimately, I’ll end up back at Mount Coote and be involved in breeding – Dad’s a bloodstock agent after all and that’s my long-term aim. But it’s such a broad industry that I wouldn’t say not to anything. My grandad trained pointers and we have training facilities at home, so I’d like to have a go at that.
Tell me a bit about your father?
Dad’s been great. He tells me I make his job easy as I’ve shown an interest in racing since day one. I’ve obviously got plenty still to learn from him. He’s a great resource to have close and it would be a shame if I didn’t mug him by asking him questions every day! He was at Larkhill (to see Hugh win) although that was only because my sister was over playing in the Rosslyn Park Rugby Sevens!
Hugh's Dad Luke in race-riding action
I suppose he’s best-known for consigning Immortal Verse, who made 4,700,000 guineas at Newmarket in 2013, a European record price for a mare.
Immortal Verse going through the ring at Newmarket
And your grandfather?
He died ten years ago so my memories are less personal and more the legacy of what he’s done for our family. He came from Leicestershire, but his parents were based in Ireland during the hunting season. He was orphaned as a teenager – Mount Coote was a cattle farm at the time.
He rode his first winner aged 13 at Tralee and was leading amateur the year he won the Champion Hurdle. A year later, he suffered a spinal injury and the doctor said he’d never race-ride again, so he replied, ‘That’s alright – I’ll go eventing.’ He got on the Irish Olympic team in 1968 but his horse was injured, then he won a European Championship gold medal in 1979.
Alan Lillingston and Winning Fair
What differences have you noticed between British and Irish pointing?
In Britain, it seems much more of a social event, which I think is brilliant.
The one thing I’d improve is that the Irish are further ahead in sourcing stores for young horse maidens. However, when British 4yo maiden winners start winning at the Cheltenham Festival, things will change. It’s noticeable that, when you listen to Cheltenham previews, consignors like Donnacha Doyle, Colin Bowe and Warren Ewing get namedropped as much as the rules trainers.
What would you do if you weren’t involved with horses?
Immediately, I’d be very unhappy!
Like my sister, I play rugby. I’m a flanker, was in the first XV at school and played for Newmarket when I was at Tattersalls – we got promoted this season. It would be a dream to play professional rugby but maybe I’d go down a sports journalism route.
Who would be your dream dinner party guests?
Sir Mark Prescott. He’s got a wealth of knowledge going back years, is a fantastic raconteur and would be great value.
Vincent O’Brien. A great trainer who was significant in Irish breeding for sourcing horses from America. I’d love to ask about his thinking behind that.
Harold Kirk, who’s Wille Mullins’ bloodstock agent. I’d love to hear his stories about different horses coming from different places as he uses a number of paths, not just one or two contacts.
Finally, Barney Curley and John McCririck. Well, you couldn’t have one without the other!