Sounds like the spur-of-the-moment purchase paid off…

Zara Tindall has admitted she was left “so annoyed” by husband Mike Tindall after he splashed out £12,000 on a spontaneous purchase.

King Charles’ niece, 44, previously revealed Mike – who was a member of the I’m Celebrity reality TV cast in 2022 – had imbibed some beers before paying up.

And even though many wives might object if their husband forked out such a huge amount without warning, equestrian Zara seemed more put out that the item Mike snapped up appeared to be a winning acquisition.
Zara Tindall has shared how her husband Mike Tindall stumped up a cool 12 grand on the spur-of-the-moment (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Zara Tindall ‘frustrated’ with husband Mike

In an anecdote that has made the pages of this week’s Closer magazine, Zara recalls how her hubby of nearly 14 years bought a horse in an auction.

Picked up during an auction at Cheltenham Racecourse, former rugby star Mike reportedly decided to make his first bid of the evening as the final lot of the night was sold off.

He’d had a few beers.

Zara Tindall recalled: “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.”
London 2012 Olympian Zara Tindall riding her horse in 2017 (Credit: Splashnews.com)
However, it wasn’t as if Mike was left with an old nag whose legs had gone. Indeed, the money he spent may well have been a decent investment.

The horse, named Monbeg Dude and trained by Michael Scudamore, was co-owned by Mike alongside fellow egg chasers James Simpson-Daniel and Nicky Robinson.

“Annoyingly, it did not backfire,” Zara continued. “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 Tindall and Mike share a tender moment ahead of the 2015 Grand National. Monbeg Dude came third (Credit: Splashnews.com)

What happened to Mike Tindall’s horse Monbeg Dude?

Monbeg Dude’s reputation saw it hailed as one of the top steeplechasers. However, retirement came in 2016 when it was ten years old after reportedly suffering an injury.

Following this, Monbeg Dude resided at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire where the Tindalls and Princess Anne live.

Trainer Michael Scudamore reflected to the BBC: “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.”

Zara, who’d hoped to compete in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, finally followed in her parents’ sporting hoofsteps at London 2012.

She emerged from the eventing competition with a silver medal. Her mother took part in the same competition in the 1976 games. And her father Mark Philips was also an Olympic competitor, winning gold in 1972 in Munich.