Rupert Campbell-Black’s nineteen-year-old American grandson, a gilded brat and former flat jockey who’s spending a year at his grandfather’s yard in England to try his luck at National Hunt racing.
PARIS ALVASTON
Dora Belvedon’s boyfriend and ice-cool Adonis, now in Upper Sixth at Bagley Hall and dickering between Cambridge and RADA.
ANGEL
The youngest stable lass at Marius Oakridge’s yard, Throstledown.
ARIELLA
The new young mistress of Bluebell Hill.
CHRISTOPHER AND CHRISTINE ASHBY
Known as Chris and Chrissie. Landlord and lady of the Fox, Willowwood’s pub.
SETH BAINTON
Drop-dead gorgeous actor, known as Mr Bulging Crotchester, who with his considerably older and more famous mistress, actress Corinna Waters, lives part of the year in Willowwood in a house inappropriately called the Old Rectory. Seth and Corinna have an open partnership.
SAMPSON BANCROFT
A hugely successful field marshal of industry specializing in property and engineering. A charismatic shit, whose failing health in no way diminishes his ability to bully and control.
ETTA BANCROFT
Sampson’s delightful but dreadfully downtrodden wife.
MARTIN BANCROFT
Sampson and Etta’s self-regarding son, who gives up the City in favour of fundraising with a celebrity-tapping bias. Has houses in Chiswick and Willowwood.
ROMY BANCROFT
Martin’s even smugger wife, who makes a fetish about being a stay- at-home mum. Despite enchanting looks, an egomaniac.
DRUMMOND BANCROFT
Martin and Romy’s fiendish five-year-old son.
POPPY BANCROFT
Martin and Romy’s four-year-old applause junkie.
CARRIE BANCROFT
Martin’s sister. Workaholic – hugely successful in the City, a failure as a wife and mother. Prefers to be known by her maiden name but in reality is Mrs Alan Macbeth. Houses in Knightsbridge and Willowwood.
BERTIE AND RUBY BARACLOUGH
Bedding billionaire and his jolly wife. A devoted couple and very new racehorse owners.
DORA BELVEDON
Fifteen-year-old smart cookie. Besotted with horses, dogs and Paris Alvaston. Has a somewhat dubious ability to flog stories to the national press, redeemed by an extremely kind heart.
LESTER BOLTON
As short in inches as he is on charm. Internet tycoon specializing in porn. Has recently acquired romantic Primrose Cottage in Willowwood.
CINDY BOLTON
Lester’s child bride, an extremely successful porn star.
BRUNHILDA
An Animal Rights activist. JOHNNIE BRUTUS A narcissistic Irish jockey.
RUPERT CAMPBELL-BLACK
Owner/trainer who bestrides the racing world like a colossus. Despite being in his mid-fifties, still Mecca for most women.
TAGGIE CAMPBELL-BLACK
His enchanting second wife, an angel.
XAVIER CAMPBELL-BLACK
Rupert and Taggie’s adopted Colombian son – a point-to-point rider.
BIANCA CAMPBELL-BLACK
Rupert and Taggie’s ravishing adopted Colombian daughter, best friend of Dora Belvedon.
ABERDARE ‘DARE’ CATSWOOD
A complacent, handsome amateur jockey with a very rich father.
JAMIE CATSWOOD
Dare’s brother, later pupil assistant to Harvey-Holden.
BLUEY CHARTERIS
Rupert Campbell-Black’s retained jockey, about to retire – every jockey in the land wants his job.
COLLIE
Marius Oakridge’s long-suffering head lad.
LADY CROWE (NANCY)
Martinet, MFH (Master of Fox Hounds) and Marius Oakridge’s most loyal owner.
MAJOR NORMAN CUNLIFFE
Retired bank manager who has wormed his way on to every committee in Willowwood. Closet letch, despite respectable exterior.
DEBBIE CUNLIFFE
The Major’s wife. A bossyboots and madly competitive gardener. Known as Direct Debbie because of her appalling lack of tact.
JOEY EAST
A wonderful builder and jack of all trades. Part of the Terrible Trio syndicate with Woody and Jase, Joey has just landed a plum job masterminding the complete gutting and rebuilding of Valent Edwards’s house, Badger’s Court.
MARY EAST
Known as Mop Idol, Joey’s very comely wife who cleans for the Travis-Locks and Seth and Corinna when they’re down in Willowwood.
VALENT EDWARDS
Brusque but intensely charismatic widower and a man of the people in his middle sixties. Ex-Premier League goalkeeper remembered for his legendary save in Cup Final. Leaving football, his hawk-like goalkeeper’s eyes have found gaps in every market, making him a major player on the world stage. Valent has caused huge excitement in Willowwood, buying the big house, Badger’s Court.
TILDA FLOOD
The village schoolmistress – excellent and loving primary teacher, whose pretty face is ruined by very buck teeth. Gagging for marriage and a family, Tilda has developed a passion for Shagger Simmons, Willowwood’s beast of a bachelor.
NIALL FORBES
Vicar of St James’s, Willowwood. In despair over his dwindling congregation and as yet undisclosed fondness for his own sex. Niall is drinking rather too much of his parishioners’ sherry.
DENNY FORRESTER
Harvey-Holden’s embattled head lad.
MARTI GLUCKSTEIN
Rupert Campbell-Black’s red-hot lawyer.
CRAIG GREEN
The village leftie – Green by name and Green by nature.
RALPH HARVEY-HOLDEN
A controversial, networking trainer, whose Ravenscroft yard lies to the north of Willowwood.
LYSANDER HAWKLEY
Rupert Campbell-Black’s assistant, brilliant at bringing on horses.
HINTON
Etta Bancroft’s gardener at Bluebell Hill.
JOSH
Handsome stable lad working for Marius Oakridge.
RAFIQ KHAN
A magnificently moody Pakistani with matchless looks and militant tendencies. After a stint in prison for suspected terrorism, where he learns to love and look after racehorses, Rafiq is trying to make it as a jockey.