Pear

Pear is the latest addition to the Old Gold Racing string and offers owners the chance to become involved in the next chapter of the Lucinda Russell and Apple Away story. A half-sister to our Grade 1-winning mare, we were delighted to secure her for €38,000 at the Goffs Arkle Sale.

The aptly named ‘Pear’ represents a slightly different opportunity for Old Gold Racing, giving owners the chance to follow a young horse from the very beginning of her career and watch her develop over the next two years. That means following her through her training, her first trips to the racecourse, the inevitable ups and downs and, importantly, watching her simply grow up along the way.

Lucinda was particularly keen to get her, and once she had viewed Pear at the sale, it quickly became clear that we were going to do our best to bring her home. She has plenty of similarities to her older sister, including that characterful head, and looks a nice, solid type who should develop with time. If she can achieve even a fraction of what Apple Away has, we will have plenty to look forward to.Lucinda has commented “We just had to buy her, it was a no brainer.” Adding “She is so obviously Apple’s little sister.”

Pear has already been broken in by Lucinda and her team and will now begin the next stage of her education. She will take her time and gradually be introduced to her work, with a bumper likely to provide her first taste of racecourse action before we see her over obstacles. For now, the excitement is in watching her take those first steps and seeing just how far she can go.

Lucinda Russell grew up surrounded by horses competing in a variety of disciplines. Lucinda trains in the beautiful Kinross countryside half an hour north of Edinburgh. Lucinda started training Point-to-Pointers before getting out her professional licence in 1995.

Lucinda trains with her partner Peter ‘Scu’ Scudamore MBE, an eight-time Champion Jockey who rode 1,678 winners in a record breaking career. Together they have formed a partnership that has produced the most successful racing yard in the history of Scottish jumps racing. To date, Lucinda Russell has trained over 750 National Hunt winners including 17 Graded winners and triumphs at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals. From 2009/10 season to the present, she is the leading National Hunt trainer in Scotland.

In 2017, she became an Aintree Grand National winning trainer with One For Arthur, ridden by Derek Fox - winning again in 2023 with Corach Rambler. She became only the fourth female trainer to do so and the first Scottish trainer since 1979. Lucinda was awarded an OBE for her services to horseracing in 2018.

In August 2025 Michael joined her on the license prior to which he has trained in his own name for 16 years, during which he enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success and a winner in the 2013 Welsh National.