Horse Hound – 5 March 2026

Summary

Horse & Hound, 5 March 2026, leads its breeding special with Diarado – the 21-year-old Holsteiner standing at Paul Schockemohle's station for 2,200 euros plus VAT – then hands Ben Pauling's Jukebox Man and seven other British names a Cheltenham Festival form guide for 10-13 March.

Volume CXLII, issue 9 runs a breeding special on Diarado, the Holsteiner by Diamant De Semilly who tops the WBFSH eventing sire ranking for a fourth time, has 119 approved stallion sons and sired JL Dublin for Tom McEwen. A companion investigation by Oscar Williams asks whether ICSI foals are as durable, using Chacco-Blue's posthumous progeny and Hippomundo figures as evidence.

Cheltenham gets a 12-page preview framed around the Prestbury Cup, with Jennifer Donald profiling eight British contenders: Nicky Henderson's Old Park Star, Paul Nicholls' grey No Drama This End, Harry Derham's outsider Mossy Fen Road and Ben Pauling's Handstands and Gold Cup hope Jukebox Man. News leads on Horse of the Year Show judges staying unnamed per class until finals eve, plus the police inquiry into a horse dealer.

Emma Martin, the reigning national endurance champion, explains how she and two friends rode, vetted and finished a 160km ride at Thetford on the Arab Nightfire Hallelujah Louis. Karen Coube's vet clinic covers shipping fever and pleuropneumonia survival rates, kit focus prices a 595 pound Hippo Go-10 portable shower, and the back half carries hunting, point-to-point and Kelso racing reports.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

p.30 · The stallion who has it all

Pippa Roome profiles Diarado, the 2005 Holsteiner by Diamant De Semilly out of Roxette I, who stands at Paul Schockemohle's yard for 2,200 euros plus VAT and topped the WBFSH eventing sire ranking a fourth time in 2025. Kylie Roddy explains breeding Kinda Corvette from her Jaguar Mail mare; Lara de Liedekerke-Meier calls him her go-to for maiden mares. A boxed list names 12 top progeny. Takeaway: for eventing, Diarado's 52% thoroughbred blood suits mares needing a better hindleg and smaller, quicker types rather than extra height.

p.36 · ICSI: miracle tool or misunderstood risk?

Oscar Williams tests the claim that ICSI foals are fragile. Vet Carlos Ramires Neto of Genetech says no plausible mechanism links ICSI to poorer soundness; studies in Reproduction, Fertility and Development and a 2026 Theriogenology paper found no meaningful differences in birth weight, growth or gene activity. Hippomundo 2025 data shows 66.8% of Chacco-Blue's offspring aged four and over are in international sport. Takeaway: ICSI widens access to dead stallions' semen, but studbooks still don't record conception method – so treat any performance claim as unproven.

p.18 · Emma Martin

Martha Terry interviews reigning national endurance champion Emma Martin, who first completed a 160km ride at 12 on a 12.1hh roan called Sandpiper and repeated it nearly 40 years later at Thetford on the grey Arab Nightfire Hallelujah Louis, riding with Amie and Victoria. She credits her mother Julie, who now crews for her, and a switch to a Specialized Ultralight saddle with half-panels that ended post-ride niggles. Takeaway: Martin says attitude, focus at vet gates and a low resting heart rate matter more than breed purity for 160km horses.

p.40 · 'Great races sell the sport'

Jennifer Donald previews 10-13 March at Cheltenham through eight British contenders. Dan Skelton sends 30-plus horses and argues the Prestbury Cup margin will narrow; Ben Pauling's Handstands, 100-1 for the Gold Cup after beating Jango Baie twice, may drop to the Ryanair. Paul Nicholls compares grey No Drama This End to Denman; Harry Derham calls Mossy Fen Road 'a lively outsider' in the Supreme. Takeaway: use the trainer quotes here alongside the 19 March analysis issue before backing anything each-way.

▸ News

p.4 · Mixed reaction to 2026 HOYS judging format

Grandstand Media confirmed Horse of the Year Show judges but will not say who sorts which class until the evening before each final, reverting to the 2024 system. Pony specialist Gill Thompson calls it 'really refreshing'; columnist Rebecca Penny warns owners may be unable to enter. Producer Harrison Taylor, who rode a horse owned by one of this year's judges, fears owners will be disappointed. Takeaway: email entries@grandstand.co.uk early if you have any connection to a listed judge.

p.5 · Horses who sleep better learn better, study finds

University of Helsinki researchers monitored 16 riding school horses for six weeks and found those getting more than 30 minutes of REM sleep – only achievable lying down – performed better on a bucket-touch learning task and gave up less easily. No horses were sleep-deprived. Takeaway: check whether your horse can actually lie down; insufficient bedding, a cramped box or a restless neighbour may be capping REM, and therefore trainability.

▸ Opinion & Regulars

p.14 · 'Riders, show us your best trick'

Pippa Roome borrows a format from Winter Olympics big air – three attempts, best two tricks counting – and asks whether dressage could copy it after the grand prix and special. She argues the FIS extended start lists, with each competitor's record, are a cheap fix for commentators new to a sport. Takeaway: eventing's season opens at Poplar Park with Yasmin Ingham's world champion Banzai Du Loir returning and JL Dublin and Its Cooley Time entered; Oasby and Tweseldown follow a week later.

p.16 · 'Shows will need your support'

Stuart Hollings digs out a 192-page Horse & Hound show guide from 24 February 2000, priced 1.65 pounds, and traces the HOYS levy from 4 pounds in 1998 through 6 pounds in 2000 to 20 pounds per entry this season. He warns competitors that show organisers absorb the shortfall when entry targets are missed, and asks why the Pretty Polly mini plaited classes were dropped. Takeaway: enter early and support local HOYS qualifiers – and note 10-year-old Anya Dewey Clark as the BSPS rider to watch.

▸ Vet Clinic & Kit

p.24 · Travel sickness

Karen Coube MRCVS explains shipping fever, the pneumonia-pleuritis combination that follows long journeys. Three-quarters of cases trace back to prolonged travel; the tied head-up posture stops mucus draining from the lower airways. Mortality was once near 50%; with prompt treatment 75% now survive and 60% return to their original athletic function. Takeaway: record temperatures twice daily for three days before and after travelling, as the FEI HorseApp requires, and call the vet at the first fever rather than waiting.

p.28 · New in the ring

Six items with prices: Ariat's Solveil show shirt (75 pounds), LeMieux's Rochelle rugby shirt (49.95 pounds), Supreme Products' Champion Show Hunter Rider breeches (89.99 pounds), RaceSafe's Veloair air jacket (from 355 pounds young rider, 425 pounds adult, inflating in under 0.095sec), Thunderbrook's Daily Care balancer (39.95 pounds for 6kg) and Hippo Showers' Go-10 portable shower at 595 pounds. Takeaway: the Go-10 runs off an integrated pump, rechargeable battery and LPG heating with no mains power or plumbing – the only genuinely new idea on the page.

▸ Hunting & Reports

p.48 · A different perspective

Former Duke of Beaufort's huntsman Matt Ramsden marks nearly a year since his last day hunting hounds and admits his relationship with weather has flipped: wet spells now worry him about drains and crops rather than scent. He describes sitting on point with fellow ex-masters, and the relief of no longer needing to be at the meet at 10.45am. Takeaway: his argument is that no one sees a day's hunting the way the huntsman does – compare notes in the lorry park, not at the meet.

p.50 · Linehan is a Cotswold

The hunting pages report the Heythrop's Maurice Linehan landing his third hunt ride victory of the season – hence 'a Cotswold' – with Catherine Austen writing and the prize presentation pictured. Takeaway: check the hunt ride form before the spring fixtures; repeat winners like Linehan are the ones who handle heavy ground and a long day in the saddle.

p.64 · Harry Skelton pilots Protektorat to Kelso win

H&H's Saturday racing round-up leads on Harry Skelton steering Protektorat to a Kelso win, with Hugo bossing it in the Morebattle and Craig Nichol partnering the Donald Whillans-trained Both Barrels to victory in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle. One winning camp admits they 'took a punt and ended up with a good one'. Takeaway: read it alongside the Cheltenham preview to judge which British handicappers arrive in form rather than on reputation.

p.68 · A winning weekend

Alex Robinson reports from Charm Park, where Cherry Coward's yard landed a double: Olivia Rogers rode her first pointing winner in the ladies' open on 12-year-old Ballydonagh Boy, and five-year-old Kingofthefrontier, by Frontiersman, won the 4&5yo maiden on debut under Joe Wright. An all-female finish to the three-mile maiden saw Lois Teal win on Native Nellie for Paul and Karen Clifton; George Atkinson took the restricted on Driveondonn. Takeaway: Coward's method – buying foals, breaking late, giving time – is spelled out here.

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Editor's Take

The breeding special is the spine of this issue and earns its pages: Diarado at 21, still sound, 2,200 euros plus VAT and 119 approved sons is a genuine story, and the ICSI piece resists the easy scare. Cheltenham previews are usually padded; this one works because Ben Pauling, Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton are allowed to disagree rather than advertise. The weakness is the rear half – hunting, point-to-point and Kelso reports are competent but interchangeable week to week, and the kit page's six products offer one genuinely new idea. Buy it for breeders and Cheltenham week punters.

Strengths
• Diarado profile carries stallion facts, stud fee and 12 named progeny – rare depth.
• ICSI investigation names its sources and admits where long-term data is missing.
• Cheltenham preview gives rival trainers room to disagree about British chances.

Weaknesses
• Reports section recycles the same race round-up format with no new angles.
• Kit page offers six products and only one genuine innovation.

Verdict: Recommended — Breeding special and Cheltenham preview justify the cover price; reports and kit pages are filler for anyone outside those two interests.