THERE is an increasing number of ex-racehorses competing under Dressage Ireland rules these days and a video posted on Instagram last week by ITV Racing presenter Alice Plunkett, who is married to leading event rider William Fox-Pitt, should have more people checking out thoroughbreds for the discipline.

Taken in the centre of Cheltenham racecourse early last Thursday week, the clip shows the Willie Mullins-trained Blackbow “strutting his stuff” ahead of that afternoon’s Grade 1 Marsh Novices’ Chase.