Maid of Houxty

Maid of Houxty : 2015 bay mare
Owner : W M Aitchison

Pedigree

                                                                      Cape Cross
                                        Native Ruler
                                                                      Love Divine
Maid O'Houxty
2015 bay mare
                                                                      Mtoto
                                         Izons Croft
                                                                      Sticky Money

The family

Maid of Houxty is a daughter of the Mtoto mare Izons Croft who was placed a couple of times in Point-to-Points. Mtoto is, of course, the sire of the late, top class NH sire Presenting.
Izons Croft was raced by owner/breeder Bill Aitchison who bred this mare.

Bill also bred Bonny Houxty, her full sister, and half-sister Houxty Reiver who are also in training here at Dodlands. Prior to the 2022-23 season, Bonny Houxty had been placed 7 times over timber.

The 2nd dam, Sticky Money has bred 3 winners over jumps, the best of which has been Magic Money a 6-time winner over hurdles and fences, who was also listed placed over fences.
A little further back in the pedigree under the 3rd dam Cover Your Money can be found the Grand National winner Red Marauder and his brother Red Striker who won both The Dipper Chase and Peter Marsh chase.
A stout pedigree!

About the sire

Native Ruler (bay horse, b 2006) was unraced at 2 but was trained by Henry Cecil to win a Pontefract 10f maiden at 3 years of age. His racing career was restricted by injury but undoubtedly he showed his best form at 5 when finished a very close 2nd to Dandino in the 12f Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.
He achieved a Timeform rating of 119 at his peak.

He is extremely well bred, being a son of the excellent Cape Cross (sire of Sea The Stars, Golden Horn etc.) out of Love Divine, who was trained by Henry Cecil to win the Oaks in 2000.
As such, he is a half brother to the high-class St. Leger winner Sixties Icon.

Native Ruler has stood at Batsford Stud since 2012, where his fee has remained at £1,500 for 2020. From very limited opportunities, he has bred a few winners on the Flat and over jumps.

Form Summary

Season 2022-23 outlook

Maid of Houxty had us a bit flummoxed last season, but she did show more of the ability we know she possesses on her 3rd of 4 runs when 6th at Kelso in February over an extended 2m 6f, well there throughout but weakening from the home turn. Like her fine debut run over hurdles, that Kelso event was the only time she encountered soft ground (or even heavy) so perhaps that extra cut in the turf is what "Aura" prefers.

She starts the season on a more realistic mark of OR90, and we're still hopeful she can get her head in front.

Maid of Houxty is a well-made type who looks to be suited by 2m 4f plus and - as we've deduced (!) - give in the ground.
She has schooled well at home, so will be aimed at fences this season, possibly after an initial run over hurdles.

Profile....
We feel we know the family of Bill Aitchison's broodmare Izons Croft quite well as her full sister Bonny Houxty has now had a couple of seasons at Dodlands Steading. And Bill also has a younger sibling by Black Sam Bellamy too who joined the yard in late 2021.

So, we were delighted to receive this unraced mare from Bill into the yard in 2020.

Maid of Houxty made her racecourse debut in a bumper at Hexham in mid December of 2020-21 season and ran quite well before being outpaced when the race started in earnest 3f out. She did keep on pleasingly to finish 6th.
She put that experience to good effect next time on her hurdles debut a couple of months later when running a cracker over 2 miles beaten only 1½ lengths.
The 2nd horse that day has won twice since, whilst the 4th (Cancan) also won in 2021-22 season.
With the ground drying out though, Maid of Houxty took an early summer break that season and rejoined her owner-breeder in early April 2021.

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2020-21	NH Flat					1
2020-21	Hurdles			1
2021-22	Hurdles					4
2022-23	Hurdles
2022-23	Chases	1	1	1	2

Current Season Form

18 March 23 Newcastle 2m 7½f Hdcp Chase (Class 5 0-100) OR88 heavy 6 ran (Henry Brooke) - won (by 3½l))

Close up, led 5 out, jumped well, joined 3 out, ridden 2 out, kept on well from last, gamely

Marvellous! A much deserved win for Maid of Houxty who has been consistent over fences, and we're delighted to train a winner for Bill & Carol Aitchison, a first for the yard for Bill to add to his previous 4 successes as an owner across several decades.

14 February 23 Ayr : 3m hdcp chase (Class 5 0-105) OR 88 good to soft 10 ran (H Brooke) - 3rd (beaten 5¼l)

waited with, went third 4 out, challenged for second last 2, no extra only late on

As with our other runner on the day (Nights In Venice), this run was a return to form for Maid In Houxty. She is weighted to be competitive so we'll pop away at this level and hopefully find an opening before the end of the season.

1 January 23 Catterick : 3m 1f hdcp chase (Class 5 0-100) OR 89 soft 9 ran (Theo Gillard (3)) - 4th (beaten 23½l)

Waited with, ridden when not fluent 15th, never dangerous

Maid of Houxty wasn't able to follow up her promising run at Kelso last time here at Catterick. No real excuses for the mare but there will be more opportunities in small races in the North in the coming weeks.

24 November 22 Kelso : 3m 2f cond'l jockeys hdcp chase (Class 5 0-110) OR 87 soft 5 ran (L Dobb (5)) - 2nd (beaten 1l)

Always prominent, every chance when bad mistake 2 out, ridden and stayed on but not quite get up to leader run-in

She's run well, but that mistake 2 out was the difference between success and failure here. Not that this is considered at all a failure as she thrilled us all with her jumping (mostly) and good attitude. She acts with plenty give in the ground.

24 October 22 Ayr : 2m 4½f novices hdcp chase (Class 5 0-105) OR 90 good to soft 9 ran (C Nichol) - 4th (beaten 15l)

In touch, not always fluent, ridden and outpaced 4 out, bad mistake 3 out but kept on towards finish

It's hard to be too critical of Maid of Houxty run here, as she put in a lot of nice leaps just mixed with 2 or 3 jumping errors, on her chase debut. She didn't give up, keeping on after a mistake at the last open ditch as the pace quickened.

Previous Season Form

12 April 22 Kelso : 2m 5½f handicap hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR 94 good to soft 10 ran (T Gillard (3)) - 8th (beaten 31½l)

Waited with in rear, blundered 7th and not fluent next, soon ridden and weakened

Maid of Houxty's chance here had gone by 4 out. She really does need some help from the handicapper as her current rating of OR94 is clearly much too high.

18 February 22 Kelso : 2m 6½f handicap hurdle (Class 4 0-110) OR 99 heavy 12 ran (C Nichol) - 6th (beaten 18¼l)

Close up, blundered 6th but remained prominent, ridden after 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out

Off 10 weeks, Maid Of Houxty looked fit and well in the paddock pre-race but shaped here as if needing the race. Either that or she didn't quite see out the trip in extreme conditions.

9 December 21 Newcastle : 2m 6f novices hurdle (Class 4) Good to soft 10 ran (Conor O'Farrell) - 9th (beaten 48¼l)

Waited with in rear, ridden 5 out, soon behind

A bit disappointing. Although this was a good race for novice hurdlers, we thought Maid of Houxty would have shown a bit more. Still, she'll now be qualified for handicap hurdling.

17 November 21 Hexham : 2m novices' hurdle (Class 4) good to soft 13 ran (D Macmenamin) - 8th (beaten 29¼l)

Tracked leaders, ridden and lost place quickly 2 out

Maid of Houxty ran well for a long way here but went out like a light 2 out. She didn't seem to act on the course.

27 February 21 Newcastle : 2m novices hurdle (Class 4) Soft (good to soft places) 12 ran (C Nichol) - 3rd (beaten 1½l)

Trckd ldrs, prom 3rd, went second before 4th, ridden and lost second after 2 out, outpaced approaching last, rallied run-in, stayed on towards finish

A fine hurdling debut from Maid of Houxty. She jumped very well - her recent schooling had impressed - and Craig gave her a nice ride being in the first 3 throughout. Just tapped for toe slightly at the last, she finished very well. Will improve again and be suited by further and genuine soft ground.

13 December 20 Carlisle : 2m 1f Mares Only NH Flat Race (Class 5) soft 11 ran (C Nichol) - 6th (beaten 28l)

Settled in midfield, not quicken and lost place 5f out, some headway from 3f out but not reach leaders

A nice introduction for the mare, and she shaped with a fair deal of promise behind a quality winner in the Crawford Bros.' Hollymount. Without being unduly knocked about, she kept on well up the steep Carlisle hill into 6th place, a couple of lengths off 4th. Should be suited a trip over jumps.