Zara Tindall left 'so annoyed' with Mike Tindall as he spent £12K on impulsive purchase 'after a few beers'

GB News.

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Zara and Mike Tindall sing and host festival at their house.

Dorothy Reddin

By Dorothy Reddin


Published: 15/07/2025

- 11:04

The Olympic silver medallist admitted she was 'so annoyed' by the spontaneous acquisition

Zara Tindall has disclosed that her husband, Mike, made an impulsive £12,000 racehorse purchase after drinking at a Cheltenham Racecourse sales event.

The Princess Royal's daughter revealed the former England rugby captain bid on the final lot of the evening after consuming "a few beers".


Speaking to Closer in a recent interview, the 44-year-old explained how horses were being auctioned throughout the night.

"He'd had a few beers. It was the last lot of the night. Mikey put his hand up, and that was it. He was left buying this horse for £12,000," Zara recounted.

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall

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Zara Tindall left 'so annoyed' after Mike Tindall's impulsive move set couple back £12,000.

The Olympic silver medallist admitted she was "so annoyed" by the spontaneous acquisition.

Despite her frustration, the purchase proved successful when Mike brought in three associates to share ownership.

"Annoyingly, it did not backfire. He got three mates involved, and the horse ended up winning the Welsh Grand National and came third in the Grand National. I was so annoyed," Zara told the publication.

The horse, named Monbeg Dude, was co-owned by Mike alongside former England rugby player James Simpson-Daniel and retired Wales fly-half Nicky Robinson. Michael Scudamore took on training duties for the steeplechaser.

Mike Tindall and Monbeg Dude

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Mike Tindall and Monbeg Dude pictured in 2014.

Monbeg Dude established himself as one of the premier steeplechasers of his era.

The horse achieved notable success on the racecourse, securing victory in the Welsh Grand National and finishing third in the prestigious Grand National.

However, the then 10-year-old's racing career came to an abrupt end in 2016. During his Grand National run that year, Monbeg Dude sustained an injury that forced his immediate retirement from competitive racing.

Trainer Michael Scudamore expressed "mixed feelings" about the retirement, telling BBC Sport it was "sad" to see the horse's career end but "nice to see him go out in one piece".

Mike Tindall

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Mike Tindall celebrating after Monbeg Dude came third in the Grand National in 2015.

\u200bPrincess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, Mike and Zara

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Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, Mike and Zara watching Monbeg Dude run at Aintree Racecourse in 2014.

Following his retirement, Monbeg Dude relocated to the Tindalls' residence at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. The estate, which the couple shares with Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, became the horse's permanent home.

Scudamore reflected on the horse's achievements, noting to BBC Sport: "It's great to see him going to a happy retirement, but he will certainly leave a big hole in the yard.

"We've had some great days with him, and the thing about him was that he wasn't bred to be a superstar."

At Gatcombe Park, Monbeg Dude joined Zara's own horse, Toytown, who later died in 2017.