The Horse & Hound is reporting that Laura Collett will no longer ride her top mounts Noble Bestman and Allora 3. Both horses are owned by Phillip Walker; Laura owned a share in Noble Bestman and had the option of a buy-out, but chose not to. She had been based at Phillip Walker’s yard in Membury, Berks, but moved to Lambourn this fall. Noble Bestman is still in rehab from a fractured pastern sustained at Boekelo.
“I’m totally heartbroken, but I was left with no choice,” she told H&H.
Laura said the decision had been made “for various reasons,” but there had been “no falling out.”
“It’s gutting, especially the mare [Allora] — I produced her and sold her to Philip because he liked her. I’m so disappointed as she was a potential team horse, but she’s no longer an option, so I have to move on,” she said.