Breakfast with Ann and George Duffield
Constable Burton, Yorks, DL8 5RL
£75 per person
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A great gift for horse racing lovers
Come and have breakfast and see the yard which is home to Lanark Silver Bell Handicap winner Just Lille.
Located near the historic racing town of Middleham we have put together a special package for anyone interested in horse racing – a fun and entertaining morning including breakfast, a trip to the gallops and an informative stable tour with Ann and George Duffield MBE.
Why not consider a night away before your stable tour - we recommend The Blue Lion and The White Swan.
Itinerary
Mondays (available March to October)
8am (three-hour tour)
The fun starts the moment you arrive at Sun Hill Farm, Constable Burton, North Yorkshire
DL8 5RL, where the day commences in the best way possible over a winning breakfast (guaranteed to set you up for the day) with trainer Ann and her husband and former Classic-winning jockey George Duffield MBE.
Afterwards Ann will take you on foot or drive you to the gallops to watch the string being put through their paces at first hand.
Next it is back to the stables and enjoy an informative tour of the yard to gain an insiders' view to some of the equine stars 'looking over the doors'.
Then over a mug of coffee you'll get the chance to ask Ann and George about the workings of a racing yard and hear tales 'from the horse's mouth' from their colourful careers in the Sport of Kings.
*You will also receive a gift badge as a lasting memento of your visit.
*For comfort and safety each tour is limited to groups of four.
*Under 12s must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Directions from Middleham - just over 3 miles and 10 minutes away.
From the Market Square (with the White Swan behind you), go left down the hill out of Middleham (Micky Hammond Racing stables on right), on the A6108 towards Masham and Ripon.
After approximately 1 mile, turn left at the Coverbridge Inn (signposted to Spennithorne), cross over the river and then immediately take the first right signposted to Thornton Steward and Finghall.
After two miles, take the first left (at Hutton Hang Farm) and within half a mile you will reach a crossroads. Go straight across at the crossroads, Sun Hill Farm is approximately 0.4 mile on the left hand side.
Directions from East Witton - just over 3 miles and 10 minutes away.
From the Blue Lion, turn right on the A6108 towards Middleham and Leyburn.
After approximately 0.7 mile, go over the bridge with the Coverbridge Inn on your left, immediately turn right towards Spennithorne, cross over the river and then immediately take the first right signposted to Thornton Steward and Finghall.
After two miles, take the first left (at Hutton Hang Farm) and within half a mile you will reach a crossroads. Go straight across at the crossroads, Sun Hill Farm is approximately 0.4 mile on the left hand side.
Directions from Leyburn - about 3.5 miles and 10 minutes away.
From the market Square, take the A684 towards Patrick Brompton and Bedale.
After approximately 2.3 miles (just after the one-way traffic-light system for the Wensleydale Railway) there is a small crossroads, turn right signposted towards Spennithorne.
Go under the railway bridge, and at the next crossroads turn left, signposted to Finghall.
At the next crossroads (approx 1.4 miles), turn left, Sun Hill Farm is approximately 0.4 mile on the left hand side.
Directions from Bedale - about 7.5 miles and 15 minutes away.
From Bedale, continue on the A684 towards Leyburn.
Go through Crakehall and Patrick Brompton.
After around 5.5 miles, go past Akebar Caravan & Golf Park, and at the end of the double bend sequence, at the bottom of the hill, you need to take the next turn on the left, signposted towards Finghall.
Go through Finghall village (Queens Head public house on right), and after approximately 1 mile, you reach a crossroads.
Turn right at the crossroads towards Constable Burton, Sun Hill Farm is approximately 0.4 mile on the left hand side
History
Ann has been training horses for 18 years and this is her 10th season at Sun Hill, Constable Burton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
The yard is enjoying another fine year with over 25 winners to date, mostly on the Flat but with a few jumpers, it has also collected over £150,000 in win-and-place prize money.
Ann's greatest success so far was victory in the Watership Down Stud Sales Race (Fillies) race at Ascot in 2007 with the four-times winner Lady Rangali. The filly earned £163,932 in win-and-place prize money.
George rode his first winner - Syllable - in June 1967 at Yarmouth and went on to ride over 2,500 more in a career that spanned over 40-years, before retiring from the saddle in March 2005.
He is the ninth most successful jockey in the history of British racing and for more than 30 years was stable jockey to Sir Mark Prescott at Newmarket's Heath House stables.
George's two English classic wins were aboard the fantastic filly User Friendly in the Oaks and the St Leger in 1992, trained by Clive Brittain. He also successfully teamed up with Aidan O'Brien, memorably so when gaining a hard fought victory in the Eclipse Stakes on Giants Causeway in 2000.
George was awarded the MBE in the 2002 Queen's New Years Honours list in recognition of his services to racing.
Sun Hill offers everything a racehorse trainer could want; its 50 acres are set in the most beautiful of surroundings amidst quite country lanes.
The land around Sun Hill Farm is divided into a series of post and railed paddocks ensuring that the horses in training have safe time outside.
The larger fields are used for schooling and turning out those horses currently 'roughed off' from work.
There is stabling for 70 horses in this very friendly but professional yard.