He was trained in England throughout his career and was notable for his performances in hurdle races.

[2] He is owned by John P. McManus, trained by Nick Gifford, and his primary jockey has been Tony McCoy.

[3] His first notable win came in April 2006 at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Liverpool, England where he won the John Smith's Imagine Appeal Top Novices' Hurdle, a Grade 2 National Hunt race.

[5] Straw Bear’s other major Grade 1 National Hunt win came in the Christmas Hurdle in December 2007 at Kempton Park Racecourse in Surrey, England.

Afterward, McCoy spoke of the tough victory for Straw Bear: Harchibald is a very good horse and the plan was to have a little bit to battle with at the finish.