A FORMER racehorse put a smile on the faces of the old and young when he visited a complex for elderly people.

Adelphi Warrior, known as Alexander, was happy to meet everyone at Chesterton Court in Ilkley, stopping for a chat and a carrot on his way round.

He travelled from his home at Farfield Livery Centre, near Addingham, for the much-anticipated visit to the assisted living development on Railway Road.

His leisurely stroll around the garden on Wednesday, July 6, stopping to politely accept a mint or a slice of carrot has raised more than £200 - donated by residents and staff - for the New Beginnings racehorse rehabilitation charity where Yorkshire racing legend Mister McGoldrick still lives at the ripe old age of 25.

Alexander, who weighs well over half a ton, didn’t put a hoof wrong when he greeted people from toddlers to wheelchair users in their nineties, stopping to be stroked by many eager hands.

His owner, former T&A crime reporter Steven Wright, works at Chesterton Court as a care and support assistant. Over the years he has chatted to residents about his beloved ex-racer and their adventures in the more than 12 years they have been together.

Alexander had just two races before he was up for sale, aged six. He was on the racing scrapheap after coming last and being pulled up and he faced an uncertain future.

He is now 18 and he and Steven, 63, of Silsden, have shared many successes, winning show jumping and cross-country competitions.

They have twice taken part in The Hidden Project that was photographed near Haworth by the acclaimed artist/photographer Red Saunders. The Leveller Women in the English Revolution, featuring Steven as a mounted Cromwellian soldier, had its world premiere at the Impressions Gallery in Bradford in 2011.

In April, 2017, Steven’s dream came true when he and Alexander took part in a charity Flat race at Skipton Race Course raising £550 for the Candlelighters children’s cancer charity. At the combined age of 71, they battled six rivals in the hotly-contested one and a quarter-mile sprint to come third and proudly take their place in the Winners Enclosure.

Their big day was filmed by T&A photographer Mike Simmonds and the result was so entertaining that Steven gave a presentation at Chesterton Court in which he played the DVD and talked about his strong bond with Alexander. The idea then grew for the chestnut thoroughbred to visit the home.

Steven said: “Alexander is so important to me that I often talk about him at work. Then Mike’s brilliant film made everyone want to meet him. It was a first for Chesterton Court but I trusted Alexander and things couldn’t have gone better.

“Animals bring so much joy to people. He really was a star today and he gave so much. For such a large and fast horse to gently and quietly mix with so many people, some of whom are frail, was very moving.

“To think he was quickly rejected by his racing owner as a failure. Today was just further proof of what a great success he really is. He has given so much, not just to me but to countless others over the years.”

Estate manager at the McCarthy Stone complex, Abychan Alex, said: “The visit caused great excitement. We had all heard so much about Alexander so we wanted to see him for ourselves.

“We try to give our Home Owners something different to enjoy and they were really excited about seeing Alexander.

“He couldn’t have been better behaved. It went really well and brought smiles to so many faces, including that of my two-year-old daughter, Evelyn, who was delighted to feed him a carrot. Alexander was so gentle with her and all of our Home Owners.”

Adelphi Warrior at the races, the film by T&A photographer Mike Simmonds of Steve and Alexander’s big day, is on YouTube in two parts.

Race To My Dream, telling of the ups and downs of Steve’s journey with Alexander, is available on Amazon Books as a Kindle and in paperback.