THE Cult Hero gelding Bay My Hero made a welcome return to eventing at Oasby (2) last Saturday when, under William Fox-Pitt, he finished 10th in the Open Intermediate class which was won by the Jonty Evans-partnered, Pau-bound Cooley Rorkes Drift.

While Evans completed on his winning dressage score of 24.3 after a flawless show jumping and cross-country run, Bay My Hero picked up some cross-country time penalties but, on his first start since the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle, the 14-year-old recorded a double clear much to the delight of his rider and also owner Catherine Witt.

Bay My Hero had put in a disappointing performance at the Scottish venue that September but his extended spell on the sidelines was due to the serious head injury Fox-Pitt suffered in a fall at Le Lion d’Angers the following month and the admirable reluctance of Witt to have anyone else ride her horse.

The bay, who won Rolex Kentucky in 2014 and later that year was fourth in Burghley, had spent much of the intervening period at his owner’s Rookery Park Stud along with two other top horses Fox-Pitt competed for Witt, Fernhill Pimms and Luxury FH.

Also helping them keep down the grass at the Cheshire stud was the Australian thoroughbred Koko Pop who had entered quarantine down under on the day his new partner fell in France.

“I’m very loyal to whoever rides for me,” said Witt, “and how could I have anyone else ride those horses? I just had to wait for William to decide when he was ready to do so again. We talked about it at Tattersalls, where William finished second in the young horse class on my seven-year-old The Graduate, and they went back to him at the end of June.

“They had been kept under the radar until this month, when the other three had a run at Calmsden, and the four are now finished for the year. It was a two and a half hour drive for me to Oasby but I wouldn’t have missed seeing ‘Moonie’ run for anything.

“He was second after dressage but I told William not to go too fast across the country as I wanted my money’s worth!”

Bay My Hero, who is out of the Tomgar Power Crest mare Bing Power, was bred by Bryan Maguire, another delighted to see the Cult Hero gelding back on the eventing scene.

“Catherine sent me a text on Saturday to say the horse was out competing and then rang me on Sunday to say how he well he had gone,” said the Co Wexford breeder.

“This year his dam had a filly foal (Power Eire) by the thoroughbred Superior Premium and she has a two-year-old filly by him as well. Her yearling (Power Galore) is by Insatiable, another thoroughbred. I’m selling her four-year-old, Power Supreme, at the Go For Gold Sale (Lot 26). This mare, who is also by Superior Premium, was fourth in the Discovery class at Millstreet and fifth in the four-year-old class at Tattersalls on her only Eventing Ireland start.”