Racehorses in training

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These horses are charging up a "gallop" on the South Downs near Findon. They are being ridden by stable lads and lasses who work for Nick Gifford, a well-known trainer of horses which compete in hurdles and steeplechase races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National. I took the photo on Wednesday during a walk with our dog just before leaving for a long drive home. We had crossed the gallop a few minutes before and were walking back down the hill when a truck drove up and turned round to await the string of horses. The hill is considerably steeper than anything that would be encountered on a racecourse, and is used to increase a horse's strength and stamina. Who knows - one of these horses might become as famous one day as "Red Rum"!