West Ilsley Gallop Videos

In terms of our work videos, gallops can be viewed by clicking on the relative icons below. If you cannot find the horse you are looking for, you can use the search gallops feature. Simply enter the horses name into the search engine and click "search".

Our gallop videos feature work mornings which take place every Tuesday and Friday on either the Summer or Winter ground.

To the East of West Ilsley, Hodcott Down (Winter Ground) features the six furlong woodchip gallop, the mainstay of the year-round operation. It also has grass chutes covering five, six and seven furlongs, with "Gilbert's Gallop" covering a mile on the collar providing probably the stiffest test of all the gallops on the Downs. There are also grass chutes used primarily for bunching up the yearlings in the winter months, covering about four furlongs each.

The Summer Ground, or Sheep Down, lies to the North West of the Village and provides a vast array of different challenges, including a left handed Derby trial gallop and the only flat gallop in the surrounding area. The "Trial Ground" follows the spine of the Ridgeway for the best part of two miles before finishing at the highest point of Berkshire, affectionately known as Scotsman's Knob.

The helicopter video on this page and Mick's accompanying commentary, gives you a clearer insight into the gallops at West Ilsley.