I've realised for some time now that I know nothing. One of the nothings I know nothing about, is where trainers in the UK train. Most trainers in Oz use the local track for conditioning. I was wondering if it's the same in the UK? If so can anyone offer me a place where I can get a list of where trainers use home tracks? If not, then maybe just post any info on who trains where?
Cyc, very few trainers in the UK and Ireland train on a racecourse. Most are trained on public gallops, such as those in Newmarket, or on private facilities. The 3 main areas of public gallops, and therefore the highest concentration of trainers are Newmarket, Lambourn and Malton. This link will give you all the registered trainers in the UK http://www.racehorsetrainers.org/contacts/listtrainers.asp This link tells you more about the Newmarket facilities: http://www.thejockeyclubrooms.com/Pages/Page.aspx?PageName=JCENewmarket-Home This one about Lambourn http://www.thejockeyclubrooms.com/Pages/Page.aspx?PageName=JCELambourn-Home. Both are operated by the Jockey Club.
If you want to know where a particular trainer is based you can find the information on his page on the RP site.
I think that you will find that the training system works differently in the UK to how it works in Australia and the USA. Trainers do not train at the racecourses themselves, although several of our big racehorse training areas are associated with local racecourses. The town of Newmarket has two racecourses and a large number of the biggest names in the training business are based there; however, much of the land in the area that is not actually the racetracks is taken up with gallops that are maintained collectively for the trainers to use. The two other big areas are at Lambourn, which is geographically West of London near to Newbury racecourse; and Malton, which is North East of the city of York. A couple of places that spring to mind as having quite a few trainers nearby are Middleham in North Yorkshire and Epsom (home of The Derby) in Surrey. There are plenty of trainers scattered all over the country, especially in the National Hunt game where there are many smaller yards. If you go onto Google maps and type in one of the locations so that it shows you a map and then type in “horse trainers locations” it should add lots of dots to the map showing you various training establishments. Hold the cursor over a dot and it should tell you the trainer. In terms of a website where you can find details of trainers and their locations individually, you might try http://www.racing-index.com/horseracing/trainers/.
Alan King and Jim Old are both in Wroughton which is not too far away. Mr PN is stationed just down the road at RAF Lyneham, but I don't think he's training anything on the side - wouldn't know one end of a horse from t'other!
Cheers PN, was just wondering as I often go past a farm with a horse walker on the way into Wootty, I thought it was probably an equestrian yard but I thought I would ask!
Thanks folks. I was sort of hoping that I'd find things as they are here, where a home trained horse can often have a decided advantage over the visitor. I guess their really isn't a short cut to the palatial mansion. PS Thanks for the three wonderful sites PN.
Nass, you may be talking about the place near Wootton Bassett owned by the grandfather of the jockey Lucy Barry (I can’t remember his name though). He no longer holds the licence which has very recently been taken over by Adrian Chamberlain who has now moved there from another yard in Wiltshire. Lucy Barry’s grandfather has his handful of horses trained there by Chamberlain and they have formed a partnership of sorts. Or should I say at ‘Royal Wootton Bassett’ as it will shortly be known (actually saw 2 signs with its new moniker on them the other day and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry). Jim Old’s stables (and the accompanying farm) are up for sale with an asking price of a couple of million quid plus by the way.
'Tis true Ron, and he'd be the first to admit it. Though he likes to tell everyone the story about the first time I took him racing - the 2,000 Guineas in 2002. To my shame I talked him OUT of backing ROCK OF GIBRALTAR! He only wanted to back him on the basis that Sir Alex owned him. I didn't give him any advice the following day and blow me down if the jammy git didn't go and back KAZZIA
That is no way to refer to your lord and master, Princess! We know who wears the uniform in your house – or at least we do during working hours. At least he did not want to back Rock Of Gibraltar because of the colours – that would have been a gender reversal as well.
There's also a few trainers around Thirsk on good North Yorkshire Limestone. Used to be more important than it is now but still got a few good trainers. That's why sometimes James Heriot visited trainers.
