Have Horse Will Travel - the international racing opportunities that trainers should be targeting this autumn
Ireland
The Irish Champions Festival takes place at Leopardstown and the Curragh 13th and 14th September respectively. The Curragh boasts the richest day of its year, with a card worth over €2.5m (£2.10m) in total. The highlights are the €600,000 (£503,865) Gp.1 Irish St Leger for three-year-olds and up, the Gp.1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and Gp.1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes for juveniles and Gp.1 sprint The Flying Five Stakes, each worth €400,000 (£335,900).
The €200,000 (£168,000) Gp.2 Blandford Stakes, the €250,000 (£210,000) Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes and two Premier Handicaps each worth €150,000 (£126,000) complete the card.
On the opening day at Leopardstown, the nine-race card features five Group races, including the €1.25m (£1.05m) Gp.1 Irish Champion Stakes 2000m (10f), the €400,000 (£335,900) Gp.1 Matron Stakes, €200,000 (£168,000) Gp.2 Solonaway Stakes, €150,000 (£126,000) Juvenile Stakes, €100,000 (£84,000) Gp.3 Tonybet Stakes, the €100,000 (£84,000) Ingabelle Stakes and two Premier Handicaps each carrying €150,000 (£126,000).
In addition to the Irish Champions Festival, the Autumn Racing Weekend will be held at the Curragh 27th and 28th September, which includes the 1400m (7f) €1m (£850,000) Goffs Million, the richest race for two-year-olds in Europe, and the richest handicap in Europe the 3200m (16f) Irish Cesarewitch, worth €500,000 (£425,000). The meeting will also include the Gp.2 Beresford Stakes (€120,000/£101,700) 1600m (8f) for juveniles, celebrating its 150th anniversary, 1200m (6f) Gp.3 Renaissance Stakes (€60,000/£50,800), and 1400m (7f) Gp.3 Weld Park Stakes (€60,000/£50,800).
Irish jumps series
For National Hunt runners, a series of seven 3300m (2m1f) 10-hurdle Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle races will be run in Ireland from October to December. The first is at Cork on 12th October, followed by Fairyhouse 4th October, Punchestown 13th November, Cork 23rd November, Navan 6th December, Naas 15th December and concluding at Leopardstown 29th December.
The races are open to three-year-olds which have not had any previous run under either Rules of Racing or I.N.H.S. Rules other than in Academy Hurdle races. Horses that run in any of the seven races can continue their careers in bumpers, maiden hurdles or Point-to-Points.
Jonathan Mullin, Director of Racing at HRI, explains, “Each of the races offer a Sales Voucher, similar to the IRE incentive for the owners of any eligible Irish-bred horse which wins or is placed either second or third. Each winning owner will receive a €5,000 voucher while the owners of the runner-up and the third-placed horses will each receive €3,000 and €2,000 respectively.”
Additionally, all seven races are part of the Weatherbys National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme, so three-year-old Irish-bred fillies that win an Irish EBF Academy Hurdle in 2025 will be awarded an additional €7,500 bonus on top of the race prize money and will still be eligible for the €5,000 scheme bonuses available if subsequently winning a bumper or a steeplechase, but not a maiden hurdle.
Germany
This season, Deutscher Galopp introduced 12 premium handicaps and 15 Premium Racedays, which included seven Group 1 racedays, guaranteeing at least €15,000 (£12,500) in handicaps and maiden races on those days.
The BBAG Auktionsrennen at Mülheim 4th October is worth €52,000 (£43,600), run over 2000m (10f) for three-year-olds offered as yearlings at the 2023 BBAG Sale, while at Krefeld 15th October is the €55,000 (£46,000) Gp.3 Herzog Von Ratibor-Rennen for two-year-olds, over 1700m (8.5f).
The Berlin-Hoppegarten card 3rd October is one of the Premium Racedays and as well as including the 2000m (10f) Gp.3 Preis Der Deutschen Einheit, €55,000 (£46,000) for three-year-olds and up, there is also a 1400m (7f) BBAG Auktionsrennen for three-year-olds offered as yearlings at the 2023 BBAG Sale, and a support card of seven other races from €15,000 (£12,500) to €22,000 (£18,500). Similarly, 19th October at Baden-Baden sees a nine-race card with the guaranteed minimum that also features the Gp.3 €155,000 (£130,000) Preis Der Winterkönigin for two-year-olds over 1600m (8f), and the Gp.3 Herbst Trophy €55,000 (£46,000) over 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds and up.
The 26th October Hannover Premium card includes the €55,000 (£46,000) Gp.3 Herbst-Stutenpreis over 2200m (11f) for three-year-olds and up and two €25,000 (£21,000) juvenile races over 2000m (10f) and, for fillies only, 1400m (7f). The Premium Racedays conclude at Munich 8th November, where the feature is the Gp.1 Grosser Allianz Preis Von Bayern over 2400m (12f) worth €155,000 (£130,000), and another €52,000 (£43,600) BBAG Auktionsrennen, this time for two-year-olds over 1600m (8f) offered as yearlings at the 2034 BBAG Sale.
Sweden
Sweden’s showcase takes place at Bro Park 12th September with a card that includes the Gp.3 Stockholm Cup International (Gp. 3) over 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds and up and worth SEK 1,000,000 (€91,700 / £76,900). The three Listed races on the support card are each worth SEK 550,000 (€50,500 / £42,350) and open to three-year-olds and up, namely the Bro Park Sprint Championship 1200m (6f), the Tattersalls Nickes Minneslöpning 1600m (8f) and the Lanwades Stud Stakes for fillies 1600m (8f).
Later Listed opportunities for three-year-olds up, each worth SEK 400,000 (€36,700 / £30,800), are the 2400m (12f) Skånska Fältrittklubbens Jubileumslöpning and the Peas and Carrots Mile over 1600m (8f) at Jägersro Galopp 5th October, and the 2100m (10.5f) Songline Classic at Bro Park 26th October.
Spain
The highlight of the Spanish season is Champions Day 19th October in Madrid, with a card that includes the Gran Premio Memorial Duque de Toledo over 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds and up, with a value of €50,000 (£42,000) and the Gran Premio Ruban over 1200m (6f) worth €40,000 (£33,500). The €40,000 (£33,500) Gran Criterium for two-year-olds is run over 1600m (8f) 26th October.
British Champions Day
Opening a card that features the British Champions Long Distance Cup (€590,000/£500,000), the British Champions Sprint Stakes ((€590,000/£500,000), the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes ((€590,000/£500,000), the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (€1.36m/£1.15m), the Champion Stakes (€1.53m/£1.3m) and the 1600m (8f) Balmoral Handicap (€295,000/£250,000) is the newly-introduced Two-Year-Olds Conditions Race, worth €295,000 (£250,000), taking the total prize money on the day to €5.13m (£4.35m). Open to two-year-olds, the 1200m (6f) conditions race, like all races at this distance at Ascot, will be run over the straight course.
Turkey
The Jockey Club of Türkiye hosts seven international races in Istanbul at Veliefendi Racetrack, as part of the International Racing Festival run on the first weekend in September. The highlights are the €62,650 (£53,400) 2000m (10f) Gp.2 Anatolia Trophy for three-year-olds up, €190,000 (£162,000) Gp.2 1600m (8f) Topkapi Trophy for three-year-olds up, the €98,700 (£84,150) Gp.3 1200m (6f) Queen Elizabeth II Cup for two-year-olds, €197,500 (£168,400) Gp.3 2400m (12f) Bosphorus Cup for three-year-olds up and the Gp.3 1600m (8f) €142,400 (£121,400) Istanbul Trophy, entries closing 6th August. There is a transport subsidy for international races, $18,000 for round-trip per horse arriving from the continents of America (North and South), Oceania, Africa and Far East countries, €12,000 for round trip per horse arriving from Europe and United Arab Emirates. Any horses scratched from the race after arrival by veterinary report will still receive transportation subsidy. The Gp.3 Malazgirt Trophy for purebred Arabians over 1600m (8f) will also be part of the card.
USA
Kentucky Downs is home to America's only European-style 2000m (10f) all turf racecourse, hosting just seven days racing from 28th August to 10th September, entries closing from 16th August, when emailed expressions of interest must also have arrived for the invitationals. The feature races are the $3.5m (€3m/£2.6m) Gr.3 Nashville Derby Invitational over 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds, the $2.5m (€2.19m/£1.86m) Gr.3 1600m (8f) Mint Millions Invitational and the 2400m (12f) Gr.2 Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational of the same value which is also a "Win and You're In Breeders' Cup Turf" race. Both races are for three-year-olds and up.
Carrying $2m (€1.75m/£1.48m) each are the Gr.3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up over 1600m (8f), the Gr.2 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint 1200m (6f) for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up, the Gr.1 1200m (6f) Franklin-Simpson Stakes for three-year-olds, the Listed 1600m (8f) Gun Runner for three-year-olds, the Gr.2 1200m (6f) Music City Stakes for three-year-old fillies, the Gr.3 2000m (10f) Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Invitational for three-year-olds and up fillies and mares, the Gr.3 2000m (10f) Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational three-year-old fillies, and the Gr.2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint 1200m (6f) for three-year-olds and up which is another of the "Win and You're In Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Division” races.
Each carrying purses of $1m (€870,000/£738,000) are the Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational 3200m (16f) for three-year-olds up, the 1600m (8f) Listed Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies, the 1200m (6f) Listed Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint, the 1600m (8f) Listed Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, and the 1200m (6f) Untapable Stakes for two-year-old fillies. The Listed Tapit Stakes over 1600m (8f) for three-year-olds up heads three races worth $500,000 (€437,000/£370,000), alongside the 1600m (8f) NTL Tight Spot Overnight Handicap for three-year-olds up, and the 1600m (8f) Listed One Dreamer for fillies and mares three-year-olds up. Maiden races, already the richest in the world, carry €181,000 (€158,000/£133,300) per race.
“We want to build the Nashville Derby into a race that American and European horsemen alike point to and buy horses for,” says Ron Winchell, co-managing partner of Kentucky Downs with Marc Falcone. “We’ve positioned the Nashville Derby so that it fits into a big-money circuit for three-year-old turf horses.”
The 42nd running of the Breeders’ Cup will be held for a fourth time in Del Mar, California, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in San Diego “where the turf meets the surf”. Consisting of 14 Grade 1 races with purses and awards totalling more than $31m (€27.11m/£22.97m), the meeting takes place Friday 31 October and Saturday 1st November.
“Our return to Del Mar in back-to-back years marks the continuation of a wonderful collaboration and successful partnership, both with our friends at the track and with the greater San Diego area,” says Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “We look forward to once again gathering where the turf meets the surf as the world’s best thoroughbreds put on an incredible show.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about hosting back-to-back Breeders’ Cup World Championships and welcoming the very best in international racing back to the town of Del Mar and the greater San Diego area,” said Joe Harper, CEO of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “The Breeders’ Cup represents the pinnacle in world-class racing and the organisation’s willingness to return here again is a testament to the quality of our racing facilities, our idyllic weather, and the warm hospitality shown to our visitors by the local community.”
With 14 championship races held over two days, Future Stars Friday sees the two-year-old championships run for purses upwards of €931,130 (£783,500) and €1.9m (£1.6m). Saturday boasts nine races, culminating with the €6.5m (£5.5m) Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The “win and you’re in” series consists of 69 of the best races from around the world, from June to October, awarding each winner an automatic and free entry into the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Bahrain
The Bahrain Turf Series is fairly new to the calendar and has seen just five renewals to date. Running from December through to February, each race carries prize money from €73,750 (£62,850) up to €91,880 (£78,200) with total and the series is designed to attract international runners rated 85-100 to compete against local Bahrain-based horses.
“We believe the time is right to build on the success of the Bahrain Turf Series and expand the international programme to incorporate our season’s premier races,” explains His Highness Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Bahrain Turf Club. “Our most prestigious races, including the Crown Prince’s Cup and the King’s Cup, fall within the Bahrain Turf Series calendar, and are intended to make racing in Bahrain an even more attractive and compelling proposition for international visitors.”
In total, the Series of sprint and middle-distance races comprises of 12 races, six in each division, with each race carrying bonus prizes for the horses accumulating most points in their respective division.
At time of going to press the dates and 2025/26 prize monies were not available, but last year saw significant increases. In December are two 1000m (5f) and two 2000m (10f) races for horses rated 84-100 and a 1200m (6f) and 2000m (10f) race for those rated 80-100.
In January there are two conditions races, over 1000m (5f) and 1800m (9f). February, when the season concludes, sees opportunities for horses rated 80-100 at 1000m (5f), 1200m (6f), 1800m (9f) and 2000m (10f). For those seeking black type, the 2000m (10f) Gr2 Bahrain International Trophy in November for three-year-olds and up is establishing Bahrain as a premier horseracing destination. Run on turf, in 2024 the race was worth €921,858 (£785,315) in total, with €553,115 (£471,178) to the winner.
Entries close 2nd October with supplementary entry stages later in October, but there are three 'Automatic Invitation' races, for the first, second and third from The Royal Bahrain Irish Champions Stakes and the Gp.3 Strensall Stakes at York. The Bahrain Turf Club will provide air tickets for overseas connections and hotel accommodation on a room only basis. Shipment of invited horses will be arranged and paid for by the Bahrain Turf Club.
Australia
The Melbourne Cup Carnival needs no introduction and the Cup itself is only one of 10 Gp.1 racedays during the 22-day season at Flemington. The 3200m (16f) Gr1 Melbourne Cup will be worth A$8.66m (€4.93m / £4.14m) this year, with prize money down to 12th.
During the week there are three €1.8m (£1.6m) weight-for-age Gr1s, the 2000m (10f) Champion Stakes, 1600m (8f) Champions Mile and the 1200m (6f) Champions Sprint. “It is always a great thrill to host international connections who make the journey to Melbourne,” Leigh Jordon, the VRC Executive General Manager, tells us.
More recently the Sydney Everest Carnival held at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens has competed for equal attention, running from 21st September to 9th November, and boasting the world’s richest race on turf, The Everest, over 1200m (6f) in mid-October at Royal Randwick and worth A$20m (€11.3m / £9.5m). The opening day at Royal Randwick features two weight-for-age races, each with a total prize of €615,840 (£520,265) for three-year-olds and up, The 7 Stakes 1600m (8f) and the Gp.2 1100m (5f) Shorts. Randwick later hosts the iconic 1600m (8f) Epsom Handicap, a Gp.1 worth €924,000 (£780,500) and on the Everest supporting card is the €3m (£2.6m) Gp.1 King Charles III Stakes over 1600m (8f).
At Rosehill Gardens, the Hill Stakes over 2000m (10f), and 1800m (9f) Five Diamonds each carry a purse of €1.2m (£1m), with the €6.2m (£5.2m) Golden Eagle over 1500m (7f) the showpiece in November.
Japan
The JRA offers travel incentives for particular overseas horses for Group 1 races and for invited overseas horses for the Japan Cup. The JRA provides air transport costs for the horse and two attendants, the owner, trainer, jockey, and their spouse/partner, and five nights’ accommodation at a JRA designated hotel.
All Japanese Gr.1s are free to enter, or by free invitation, and carry the same declaration fee of €20,200 (£17,500), with significant bonuses from first down to last for the participating winners of designated Gr.1 races globally. The 2400m (12f) Japan Cup is run at Tokyo in November for a purse of €7.3m (£6.3m), Also in November, at Kyoto, the 2200m (11f) Queen Elizabeth II Cup for fillies and mares carries a purse of €1.9m (£1.6m), and The Mile Championship is worth €2.7m (£2.3m). Run on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse, the 1800m (9f) Champions Cup has a total value of €1.7m (£1.5m).
Have horse will travel - The key races and prize money earning opportunities on offer this summer
Article by Lissa Oliver
European Pattern changes
A well-publicised European Pattern Committee (EPC) review of European races was made earlier this year and the EPC sanctioned a total of 814 Black-Type races to be held in Europe in 2025, down from 826 in 2024, with 411 Gp. races (416 in 2024) and 403 Listed races (410 in 2024). A total of five Pattern races have been downgraded in 2025, and 12 Listed races have lost their status.
A total of 22 Pattern and Listed races will be at risk of potential downgrade in 2026, depending on this season’s performance. Already hard-hit, Italy has nine races at risk, Germany six, Britain and Ireland two and France, Denmark and Turkey one each.
France
It is now compulsory for all trainers to enter their horses' vaccinations onto the server via the France Galop website before any race entry is validated. Most racing authorities will also require a Racing Clearing Notice (RCN) for a horse travelling abroad rather than a passport endorsement.
France Galop has implemented some changes in entry fees to be aware of with regard to Black-Type races. Based on the changes introduced for Gp.1 races in 2024, the entry fee in Gp.2 and Gp.3 races now stands at 0.65% of the total prize money. This reflects a €355/£293 reduction in the entry fee for Gp.2 races and a reduction of €210/£173 in Gp.3 races, guaranteeing sustainable funding of the Owner’s Pool (Poule Proprietaire), which funds 32% of prize money offered in Gp.1 races.
The French programme offers an opportunity to enter a horse in a Pattern race between the early closing and the supplementary entry stages and the fee has been standardised at 2% of the total prize money. Second entries, part of the revision of the entry process, will close on the Tuesday of the week preceding the race. The three Gp.2 races run over the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend are the only exceptions to this rule, their second entry closing now a Tuesday mid-September. With the aim to standardise entry fees in all Pattern races, the supplementary entry fee in Gp.2 and Gp.3 races now stands at 7.2% of the total prize money. This percentage also applies to Gp.1 races, with the exceptions of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de Diane.
The Gp. 2 Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp, 15f/3100m, four-year-olds up, in May, has been upgraded to offer an earlier Gp. 1 opportunity for staying horses in the spring. The Gp. 1 Prix Jean Romanet, 10f/2000m, now open to three-year-olds and upwards fillies and mares, has been increased in value to €400,000/£330,280 and effectively now replaces the former Gp.2 Prix Alec Head (Prix de la Nonette) that had been on the same card at Deauville in August. Similarly, the Gp.3 Prix du Prince d’Orange, 10f/2000m, Maisons-Laffitte, replaces the 10f/2000m Gp.3 Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte and has been put back to 14th September to avoid a clash with the new date of the Arc trials. Joining the Gp.1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp 7th September will be the three Arc trials, Gp.1 Prix Vermeille, Gp.2 Prix Foy and Gp.2 Prix Niel. Prize money for the Prix du Moulin increases from €450,000/£371,565 to €800,000/£660,560, entirely financed by the owner’s fund.
The Listed Prix Joubert has been retained in preference to the former Prix des Tourelles and will be run over 14f/2800m for three-year-old fillies and older, while the Gp.2 Prix Kergorlay, 15f/3000m, effectively replaces the former Listed Prix du Carrousel and sees its prize money increase to €180,000/£148,626 as a result.
Other prize money changes are the Gp.3 Prix du Palais-Royal 7f/1400m from €80,000/£66,000 to €150,000/£123,855. Its traditional stepping-stone, the Listed Prix Servanne 6f/1200m, increases from €55,000/£45,400 to €70,000/£57,800. However, the Gp.2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, 10f/2000m has been halved from €400,000/£330,280 to €200,000/£165,140 to increase prize money in other Black-Type races. The Prix d’Aumale, a trial race for the Gp.1 Prix Marcel Boussac, has been upgraded to Gp.2 with a value of €130,000/£107,340.
The Black-Type programme for two-year-olds has been altered in the hope of increasing the number of starters and improving the competitiveness of the races, particularly throughout September. The decision was made to stagger some races and redefine their role by changing distances and surfaces. The Gp.3 Prix des Chenes 8f/1600m moves from the beginning of September to 20th September at Chantilly, becoming a stepping stone for the Gp.1 Criterium International. The Gp.3 Prix de Conde is now 10f/2000m, from 9f/1800m, at Saint-Cloud as a stepping stone for the Gp.1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. The Gp.2 Prix Thomas Bryon 7f/1400m moves to 18th November on the Chantilly fibresand, three weeks after the Criteriums at Saint Cloud. The Listed Prix Isonomy 9f/1800m will also be run on the Polytrack at Chantilly, 27th October.
Finally, the Gp.2 Gros-Chene at Chantilly has been downgraded to Gp.3 and the Listed Prix Ceres at Fontainebleau has lost its Listed status.
Britain
Britain will stage two new Gp.1 races this year, with both the City of York Stakes, 7f/1400m, three-year-olds up, at York in August, and British Champions Long Distance Cup, 16f/3200m, three-year-olds up, at Ascot in October, being upgraded. Both races will also see a significant increase in total prize money for this year. The City of York Stakes now joins the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp in October as the only two all-aged 7f/1400m Gp.1 races in Europe.
BHA’s Director of International Racing and Development, Ruth Quinn, observes, “A very different picture to this time last year, with the outcome of the EPC meeting an encouraging demonstration of what can be achieved when we work together. It really is a significant achievement to see the City of York upgraded to a Gp.1, with this having been our long-term and ambitious plan as the race gradually climbed through the ranks from Listed status. York has been a patient and consistent supporter of the long-term strategy to develop this race into Britain’s 7f Gp.1 race, only the second of its kind in Europe. Similarly, it’s wonderful to now be in a position to reward the Long Distance Cup on Qipco’s British Champions Day and see that too, become a long-awaited and much-deserved Gp.1 event. The overall progress for the stayers’ project across Europe is extremely heartening; we must continue to add fuel to the upward momentum being experienced.”
Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot will become the first British raceday to stage five Gp.1 races, following the upgrade of the British Champions Long Distance Cup. Prize money for the race will also be increased to £500,000 this year, bringing it in line with the Fillies’ & Mares’ and Sprint races. The day will also feature a new £250,000/€301,800 race for two-year-olds, bringing the total value of the day to €5.21m/£4.35m. The new race will be a 6f/1200m conditions race open to all two-year-olds and to be run without penalties. Details will be released later in the year.
Ascot’s near neighbour, Newbury, have also announced increased prize money increases for two Gp.2 races - the Hungerford Stakes and the Mill Reef Stakes.
Each race has been boosted by £25,000, bringing the Hungerford Stakes to £150,000 and the Mill Reef Stakes to £125,000.
Newbury Racecourse Executive are also offering a £50,000 bonus, for any horse who wins any two-year-old race at Newbury this year and then goes onto win the 2025 Mill Reef Stakes. £40,000 will be paid to the winning owner and £10,000 to the racing staff of the winning trainer.
Some British Black-Type races have moved, the Gp. 3 Criterion Stakes in June, 7f/1400m, moving from Newmarket to York, while the Listed Fred Archer Stakes in July, 12f/2400m, has moved from Newmarket to Beverley and has been renamed the Charlie Wood Stakes, in honour of the local Hull-born Victorian jockey. In November, Newcastle has lost both the Listed Churchill Stakes, 10f/2000m, and Listed Golden Rose Stakes, 6f/1200m, to Southwell, where they will be run one week later. To maintain an optimum gap, the Listed Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton Park, 12f/2400m, has been moved back by two weeks in December. The Listed Rothesay Stakes, 10f/2000m, will move from Ayr to Haydock Park and be run 24th May.
In addition to the EPC changes, over €3.92m/£3.3m in prize money will be available across 89 High Value Developmental Races for the 2025 Flat season in a further boost for the British racing and breeding industry. Richard Wayman, Director of Racing at the BHA, explains, “We are really pleased to confirm the continuation of the High Value Developmental programme for 2025 after another successful year. It is important for us to take steps to encourage the racing and breeding of horses in Britain, and the increased returns in prize money that these races provide is a vital part of that process.
“It has been brilliant to see the races so well engaged with by owners and trainers, and that wouldn’t be possible without the support of British Stallion Studs (EBF), Darley, Juddmonte and Tattersalls, who have worked together with the BHA to enable this initiative to thrive. We are also grateful to the Horseracing Betting Levy Board and our host racecourses for supporting the running of the races.
“In producing this year’s list of races, we have increased the focus on the staying horse as part of our ongoing strategy to attract and encourage quality horses with an aptitude for stamina. We very much hope to grow this significant initiative in the future.”
The programme of races, primarily for two-year-olds and three-year-olds at the beginning of their careers, begins with a €47,550/£40,000 three-year-old contest at Southwell 15th March and concludes at Chelmsford 1st December. Introduced in 2023 with 63 races, this year sees 89 races, with 31 Open Novice/Maiden races for two-year-olds, worth a minimum of €47,550/£40,000, 30 Restricted Novice/Maiden races for two-year-olds, worth a minimum of €35,660/£30,000, and 28 Open Novice/Maiden races for three-year-olds up, worth a minimum of €47,550/£40,000.
Simon Sweeting, Chairman at British Stallion Studs (EBF), says, “The British EBF will again lead the industry sponsorship of this £3.3 million project in 2025 which focuses prize money into a vital, foundation area of the programme. With Open Maiden and Novices worth a minimum of £40,000 and Restricted races a minimum of £30,000, we hope more owners and trainers will target the great prize money on offer in these development opportunities for their horses' careers.”
Ireland
The Gp.2 Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown, on Irish Champions Weekend in mid-September, will be upgraded to Gp.1 for 2026 and will increase in distance from 8f/1600m to 9f/1800m, for two-year-olds. The Gp.3 Anglesey Stakes, 6f/1200m in late-July will swap dates with June’s Gp.2 Railway Stakes over the same course and distance at the Curragh, in an attempt to create better progression through the Irish Pattern for two-year-olds. The Gp.3 Blue Wind Stakes, 10th May, will swap dates with the Listed Naas Oaks Trial Stakes 25th June.
A new Listed race for two-year-olds, the 8f/1600m Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas in early-July, will be run with similar allowances as those of the Irish EBF Median Sires Series. Jonathan Mullin, Director of Racing at Horse Racing Ireland, points out that the race “feeds into that strategic policy around producing and retaining quality middle-distance and staying horses, and it is fitting that the newest addition to the Irish Pattern roster should be named in honour and in memory of one of our finest riders.”
Mullin says, “The welcome upgrade of the Golden Fleece Stakes by the EPC is a continuation of efforts to promote the production of stamina, and is part of a suite of Irish measures, some already in place, to assist that strategic ambition. The Gp.1 Golden Fleece will, in 2026, be an option for staying two-year-olds on better ground than is likely in late October for the Futurity Stakes, the Criterium de Saint-Cloud and the Criterium International, but will also act as a lead-in to these three races, many of which are being won and heavily populated by Irish-trained runners.”
As part of its commitment to the production and retention of middle-distance and staying horses in Europe, Horse Racing Ireland will review the opportunities, including for auction and median auction horses, for two-year-olds at 8f/1600m and beyond later in the season.
The Gp. 3 Athasi Stakes has been increased to 8f/1600m and will now be for three-year-old only fillies. The Gp.3 Cornelscourt Stakes has been opened up to three-year-olds up fillies and decreased to 7f/1400m. The Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes 8f/1600m is now for three-year-old only fillies and the Gp.3 Rathbride Stakes has increased to 10f/2000m and is now for four-year-olds up fillies. The Listed Listowel Stakes has been reduced to 8f/1600m and the Listed Navigation Stakes has changed to 10f/2000m and is now restricted to three-year-olds only. The Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes is now 9f/1800m and for four-year-old up fillies. Among the European automatic downgrades, the Gp.3 Amethyst Stakes, 8f/1600m at Leopardstown in May has been downgraded to Listed.
The Irish European Breeders’ Fund has also announced new initiatives and record-high sponsorship of €3.1m/£2.56m for 2025. Supplementary to this spend are prize money commitments of €150,000 to Irish EBF-named races in Britain and for retired racehorses through TREO EILE. Principally, the sponsorship has allowed for the creation of the new Smullen Series of 18 middle-distance races for two and three-year-olds, including the new aforementioned two-year-old Listed race at Naas in July named in honour of Pat Smullen.
The Spring Series of races originally designed for middle-distance three-year-olds, including the valuable €200,000 Gowran Classic, will become part of the overall Smullen Series that will provide trainers, owners and breeders of middle-distance horses valuable opportunities to race throughout the season.
To boost prize money and interest in nursery races, there will be three Irish EBF nursery handicaps each worth €40,000/£33,000, starting in August, followed by the Auction Series Nursery at Cork in September and culminating with the traditional Birdcatcher Premier Nursery at Naas in October. There is also a total of €1.6m/£1.32m of prize money on offer for two-year-olds in the successful Auction Series and the Median Sires Series, which both include big race targets in the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Final and the €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes.
Jessica Harrington, 2024 Gowran Classic and Auction Series Final-winning trainer observes, “Last year we were lucky to have won two big prize money pots from the Irish EBF, the first running of the €200,000 Gowran Classic with Fleur De Chine and the €120,000 Auction Series Final in Naas with Fiona MacCoul. Those two races alone brought in €182,000 in prize money for our owners and gave them tremendous thrills in the process. The exciting new Smullen Series with the new Listed is another example of how the Irish EBF is constantly coming up with great ideas and keeping prize money at the core of its decisions.”
Ralph Beckett, for whom Pat Smullen rode his first Breeders’ Cup winner in 2008 with Muhannak, adds, “The new Smullen Series is a wonderful showcase for middle-distance horses that is sure to put the spotlight on these type of horses to help promote their breeding and retention in the training ranks.”
Scandinavia
On Sunday 24th August, Øvrevoll racecourse stages its annual Norwegian Derby Day card which also features the 35th running of the Gp.3 Marit Sveaas’ Memorial and will a have a total purse of 1.200.000 NOK (approx. € 103,500), and 750.000 NOK (approx. € 64,700) to the winner. Travel concessions for horses trained outside of Scandinavia will be available.
This Gp.3 contest is one of the most valuable run in Europe over 1800m (1m1f) and is sponsored by Kistefos a Norwegian company who played a significant role in Norway's industrial history.
The Derby Day card also boasts two Listed races - The Polar Cup at 1370m ((6f185y) and the Lanwades Stud Stakes at 1600m (1m). The winning filly / mare of the latter race will be entitled to a complimentary nomination to a suitable Lanwades stallion for the 2026 breeding season.
Two races have been upgraded to Listed status in Sweden and Denmark, the Valley Chapel Memorial in July at Jagersro, 8.5f/1730m, for three-year-olds up, and the Zawawi Sprint at Klampenborg in August, 6f/1200m, for three-year-olds up.
Italy
Milan has created the new Listed Premio Bimbi for two-year-old colts and geldings, over 6f/1200m, in June and the Gp.2 Derby Italiano in Rome has moved from mid-May to a national holiday, 2nd June. But the remainder of changes this season are far from good news for the Italian industry. At Milan, the Gp. 2 Gran Criterium, 7.5f/1500m for two-year-olds has been downgraded to Gp.3. The Gp.3 Premio Primi Passi 6f/1200m for two-year-olds is now Listed. And the Seregno, the Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, Nogara Memorial Mil Borromeo, Gran Premio d’Italia, and Merano all lose Listed status. Similarly in Rome, losing Listed status are the Conte Felice Scheibler, Rumon Memorial Daneile Porcu, Criterium di Pisa, and Piazza Dei Miracoli.
In a statement, the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Cavalli (ANAC, Italian breeders’ association) insisted the defence of the Italian Black-Type races had been fought for “tooth and nail”. As a result, the Gp.2 Oaks d’Italia (11f/2200m) and now downgraded Gran Criterium, together with several other races issued with EPC warnings, have been given make-overs to attract better quality entries, with the comment from ANAC, “MASAF (Ministry of Agriculture) rightly puts in the money, our owners do their best by buying where and how they can... When the market in a country is reduced to the bare bones, it is the only lifeline. However, a change of gear is needed between payment of prizes, betting reform and revaluation of our breeding, which has too few [foals] born to be competitive in the rest of the world.”
Germany
The initial closing for the 54th running of the Gp.2 Comer International Orleander-Rennen (Sunday 11th May) will have passed ahead of publication date. But trainers have an opportunity to make supplementary entries on Wednesday May 7th.
The winner of this race receives an all-fees paid invitation to the $250,000 (prize money paid to all horses) Gr.2 Belmont Gold Cup, Invitational for 4yo+, 3200 metres (about 2 miles) on turf at Saratoga on June 6th 2025.
The first, second and third placed horses are also entitled to a free entry in the Irish St. Leger, Gp.1, 2800 metres (about 1 mile and 6 furlongs) €500,000 (prize money paid down to eighth place) on September 14th, 2025 at The Curragh.
The winner of the 135th running of the Gp.1 Westminster Grosser Pries von Berlin on Sunday August 11th will receive an automatic entry to the Japan Cup, Gr.1, 2400m turf, on November 30th, 2025. The conditions for the Japan Cup, rules for travel allowances and the bonus programme can be found at www.japanracing.jp/en/japancup/jc/2025.
Losing Listed status are the Diana Trial 9f/1800m at Baden-Baden in early June and the Grosser Preis der Hannoverschen Volksbank 7f/1400m at the end of May at Hannover. This is worrying for the German industry, where already on the EPC watchlist are the Gp.1 Deutsches Derby, Gp.1 Preis der Diana and Gp.2 Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas). Two Listed sprints and the Gp.3 Goldene Peitsche 6f/1200m at Baden-Baden have been added to the watchlist this year. In an effort to rest the decline of the two Classics, the Deutsches Derby will be worth €390,000/£321,900 to the winner and the Preis der Diana worth a first prize of €300,000/£247,600.
Good news for the fillies, however, is that the Gp.2 German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf in May (supplementary Entry 9am 21st May €12,500/£9,900), with a value of €125,000/£103,270, is now a win-and-you’re-in race for Newmarket’s €333,000/£275,000 Gp.1 Falmouth Stakes 11th July. As well as picking up €70,000/£58,000, the winner of the German 1000 Guineas will receive an all-fees paid invitation to Newmarket.
Both the Listed 6f/1200m Hamburger Fliegerpreis and Listed 6f/1200m Hoppegartener Fliegerpreis will receive prize money boosts to bring the value of each race to €40,000/£33,000, while the Goldene Peitsche over the same distance will now be worth €70,000/£57,800.
In a statement, Deutscher Galopp Managing Director Daniel Krüger said, “A strong sprint programme is of crucial importance for German racing and our breeding. Without targeted support, there is a risk of a gradual erosion of this segment, which would have negative long-term consequences for owners, trainers and breeders. With these measures, we are sending a clear signal that we are acting early to preserve these races and the diversity of our racing. I am particularly proud that we as an association are acting with foresight and setting the course for a stable future of the German sprint programme. Our commitment shows that we not only recognise problems but also move forward with well-thought-out concepts.”
Turkey
The Gp.3 International Istanbul Trophy, 8f/1600m at Veliefendi has been downgraded to Listed, having dropped off the international radar somewhat and attracted only domestic runners in recent years.
New York Focus
With the re-opening of the historic Belmont Racetrack next year, 2026, it seems timely to look at the opportunities on offer to European runners at the New York tracks.
Belmont Park
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will fully utilise the new all-weather Tapeta track at Belmont Park for future winter racing. Still under construction, it’s expected to be ready for re-opening in late 2026, when the one-mile (1600m) oval will become the exclusive winter racing surface on the NYRA circuit. While race dates for 2026-27 are still to be determined, NYRA anticipates approximately three months of racing exclusively on the all-weather surface. This reflects NYRA’s commitment to improving all aspects of winter racing at the new Belmont Park. Crucially, shifting from dirt to the all-weather in the winter months will enhance equine safety and provide additional opportunities for NYRA’s year-round horse population.
“At its core, our vision for the new Belmont Park is centred around modernising racing and training facilities in ways that will ensure the sport’s continued success and future growth,” says Dave O’Rourke, NYRA President and CEO. “NYRA has closely tracked the evolution and application of synthetic surfaces, and the relevant data unequivocally supports a shift to the all-weather surface during the winter months. Together with the renovated main track and two new turf courses, Belmont Park will provide a multitude of quality options for both training and racing throughout the year.”
Saratoga
New York's Triple Crown week returns to Saratoga this year with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The Gr.1 Belmont Stakes (12f/2400m), the final leg of the Triple Crown, will be run in June in Saratoga Springs. The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from 4th to 8th June with the Belmont Stakes on Saturday 7th June.
Saratoga has a new meeting for the summer with the addition of the July Fourth Racing Festival from 3rd to 6th July, kicking off the summer season. The traditional summer meet will open on Thursday 10th July, featuring 40 days of racing including Whitney Day and Travers Day, concluding on Labor Day weekend. The Jim Dandy Stakes date is yet to be announced, but is a traditional stepping stone to the Travers Stakes.
The Gr.1 Whitney Stakes, 9f/1800m, on 2nd August is one of the highlights of the Saratoga season, with a purse of $1m/€926,155/£776,186, attracting the top older horses, for four-year-olds up. The centrepiece, however, is the Gr.1 $1.25m/€1.16m/£970,233 Travers Stakes, 10f/2000m, 23rd August, attracting many of the horses that contested the Triple Crown earlier in the year, for three-year-olds only.
Churchill Downs
In other North American news, Ascot, The Jockey Club and Churchill Downs have extended their Wild Card Initiative for American runners and European horses travelling to the States. Launched last year, it ties together Royal Ascot, The Derby Festival and the Kentucky Derby meeting at Churchill Downs in a commitment by all three parties to create links between historic races in the UK and high-profile, top quality turf races in the USA. The ultimate aim is to build the international profile of these races by increasing the number of runners travelling from the US to the UK and vice versa.
Continuing on from last year, a runner from each of the Edgewood Stakes for three-year-old fillies and the American Turf Stakes for three-year-old colts will receive an entry for The Oaks and Derby respectively. An invitation will also be offered to a runner from both races for Royal Ascot.
A runner from the Gr.2 Edgewood Stakes, 8f/1600m, $500,000/€463,135/£387,900, run on Kentucky Oaks Day, Friday 2nd May, will receive an entry and travel incentive for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on the Friday of Royal Ascot, 20th June, as well as an invite to The Oaks on Friday 6th June.
Similarly, a runner from the Gr.1 American Turf Stakes, 8f/1600m, $1m/€926,155/£776,186, run on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday 3rd May, will receive an entry and a travel incentive for the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot, Tuesday 17th June, as well as an invite to The Derby on Saturday 7th June.
Those two races join the existing Gr.2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes, 5.5f/1100m, $500,000/€463,135/£387,900, and the Gr.1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes, 9f/1800m $1m/€926,155/£776,186, both run on Kentucky Derby Day, which also provide Wild Card entry to Royal Ascot. The Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes links into the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes and the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes offers the option of either the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes or the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
In return for the above incentives for USA-based runners, a runner from both the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, 8f/1600m, and the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes, 10f/2000m, receives an entry and a travel incentive to run in the Colonial Downs’ Gr.1 Arlington Million Stakes, 10f/2000m $1m/€926,155/£776,186, in mid-August.
In addition, a runner from the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, 8f/1600m, at Newmarket’s July Festival will also receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the Gr.2 Beverly D Stakes for three-year-olds and up fillies and mares, 1m 1.5f, $500,000/€463,135/£387,900 on the same day as the Colonial Downs Arlington Million.
Of particular note is the fact that, in the event that the winners aren’t able to take up their invite, racecourses may then also invite placed horses. The elimination procedures in these races will remain as they are now. Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, says, “We are delighted to extend this initiative to include the two Group 1 three-year-old races over a mile at Royal Ascot. In recent years we have seen top-class clashes between the Guineas winners from Britain, Ireland and France in the St James’s Palace and Coronation Stakes so if we could add the best of the American Classic generation over a mile on turf to those races as well that would be really exciting.
“We look forward to working with Churchill Downs and the UK Jockey Club on this exciting plan once again and hope to build on the recent growth in interest from American connections of having runners at Royal Ascot. Their participation always adds hugely to the meeting and, with NBC once again set to broadcast the whole week.”
Gary Palmisano, Vice President of Racing for Churchill Downs Incorporated, adds, “We are thrilled to continue and expand this partnership with Ascot and The Jockey Club. This partnership further strengthens the international connection between our historic race meets. Churchill Downs has long been committed to showcasing world-class racing and we look forward to hosting some of the world’s best turf horses over Kentucky Derby weekend.”
Brexit remains the heaviest cloud on the horizon
By Lissa Oliver
This is now the third update on Brexit we have carried and we could easily reprint the first, from March 2018; so little has changed or moved forward. Alarmingly, the bleak 2018 predictions from those involved at the highest level have come to bear, yet Britain and the EU have appeared to turn a blind eye to the prospect of a no-deal Brexit until the last possible moment. While we look at the current views and contingency plans of individual countries most affected, it is clear that their problems are shared by all, and a common thread runs throughout.
EEA nationals and UK nationals
We all need to be aware of how Brexit will affect our freedom of movement and right to live and work throughout Europe and the UK. Any EEA national with five years continuous residence in the UK can apply for Permanent Residence to protect them from future legislative changes. Applicants must have been resident and in employment, or self-employment, for five years; and it is recommended to apply before the official date of Brexit.
There are strong indications that the current Common Travel Area of the UK and Ireland is likely to remain, to enable Irish nationals to move freely and work in the UK, but this remains unconfirmed; and it is recommended that Irish nationals living and working in the UK apply for Permanent Residence.
The EU has yet to decide how UK nationals living and working in the EEA will be treated. They may qualify for Permanent Residence in the applicable country and are advised to make an application prior to the UK’s withdrawal from Europe.
France
Edouard Philippe
The economy of the French equine sector is driven by horseracing, sports and leisure, work, and horse meat production. While the sports and recreation sector is responsible for the majority of horses (68%), horseracing has the largest economic impact and financial flow (90%), for only 18% of the horse population, and will be the most affected by Brexit.
The start of the year found France preparing for a disaster scenario, and the view hasn’t softened. Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has told press,
“The hypothesis of a Brexit without agreement is less and less improbable. Our responsibility is to ensure that our country is ready and to protect the interests of our fellow citizens.”
In January he initiated a no-deal Brexit plan prepared in April 2018. Philippe’s priority is to protect French expatriate employees and the British living in France in anticipation of the restoration of border control.
Fishing is considered the business sector most at risk, but Philippe has also looked to protect the thoroughbred industry with a €50m investment in ports and airports, where 700 customs officers, veterinary controllers and other state agents have been added—in the hope of avoiding administrative delays. He told press,
“It will be necessary that there are again controls in Calais.”
Dr Paul-Marie Gadot, France Galop, is also working to avoid delays at the border posts. "The political negotiation is still going on, as you know, and as long as it lasts we will not get agreement on the movement of horses. We have prepared for two years, with our Irish and English counterparts, a technical solution—the High Health Horse status—which would allow thoroughbreds and the horses of the Fédération Equestre Internationale to benefit from a lighter control.
“This organisational scheme was presented to the Irish, UK and French Ministries of Agriculture, and we received their support. It was also introduced to the International Office of Epizootics, which is WHO for animals, and it was very favourably received. We have presented it to the European Commission, but we are not getting a favourable answer at this time.
“In the absence of agreement, border control will be put in place. This means for the public authorities and the European Commission the implementation of ‘Border Inspection Posts’ with the ability to process movements. Our departments are very aware that this situation will be very difficult to manage without endangering the economic activity and the well-being of horses. We are working on palliative solutions, but I strongly fear that the situation is unmanageable.”
Gadot points out there are 25,000 horse movements per year between Ireland, the UK and France, and any hindering of these movements would be a blow to international racing and participation and to the breeding industry. Any challenge to the current freedom of movement could also threaten sales companies such as Arqana, where Irish and British-bred horses are catalogued, and Irish and British buyers are active.
Germany
The Haile Institute for Economic Research reveals that a hard Brexit will hit employment in Germany the hardest, with an estimated loss of 102,900 jobs; although that is just 0.24% of the country’s total employment figure. With its thoroughbred industry barely figuring in any economic impact, it is little wonder that Germany’s sport-related concerns focus on football. But the issues facing Britain’s Premiership are similar to racing’s problems and also heavily tied to Ireland.
Currently, as per EU law, Britain’s Premier League clubs are allowed to have as many EU players in a team as they wish, but a minimum of eight players in a 25-player team must be British. Elsewhere, Portugal limits non-EU players to just three per top flight team, with none allowed in the lower leagues. Italy also has restrictive rules on the purchase of non-EU players. If German football managers are concerned by the effect Brexit will have on the transfer market, how worried should British trainers be at the prospect of similarly curtailed recruitment?
And the concerns of German trainers? These are not being highlighted by the general press or by the government, but German racing and breeding are fairly self-contained and self-sufficient. How many British and Irish-bred horses are catalogued at the BBAG, however, and what percentage sell to Britain and Ireland? Ireland may still be in the EU, but its landbridge will not be come October.
At the 2019 BBAG Yearling Sale, five British-bred yearlings were catalogued and 18 Irish-bred—four of which were offered by an Irish agent. The top five lots at the 2018 sale were purchased by Godolphin, Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock and Meridian Bloodstock; and the sixth highest-priced yearling was foaled in the UK, as was the ninth in the listings. Fetching €110,000 and €100,000 further down the list were two Irish-foaled colts, both bought by German agents. The marketplace is cosmopolitan, and no market can afford to lose two supplier links or two buyer links.
Sweden
Swedish trade minister Ann Linde warns that a no-deal Brexit could have major implications for the country, which has a prosperous trading relationship with Britain. “The big companies have the possibility to analyse what is happening and prepare themselves, but there are too many small and medium-sized companies which have not fully prepared,” she points out. The Swedish National Board of Trade has sent out checklists to companies to work through to understand the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
Linde is also concerned for the futures of 100,000 Swedes living in Britain and 30,000 Britons living in Sweden. Hans Dahlgren, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, fears it is unclear how the new British government will treat EU citizens who want to move to the UK for work after 31 October.
"The previous British government had made some openings for people coming to the UK after Brexit, and those statements have not yet been endorsed by the new government," he said.
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Arkle - the legend, Himself
Racing commentator, Sir Peter O'Sullevan called him 'a freak of nature'. Fan mail to him was addressed, 'Himself, Ireland'.
In March 2014 it will be 50 years since Arkle won his first Cheltenham Gold Cup and this issue features excerpt from Anne Holland's new biography, which tells his story and of the people around the legendary steeplechaser who enabled him to produce his brilliant best.
Racing Against Arkle (From Chapter 8: ENGLAND v IRELAND, MILL HOUSE v ARKLE 1963-64)
Arkle had run six times in his first season, seven in his second and now, 1963-4, was to be the busiest of his career with eight. His reputation was red hot and the whole of Ireland was on fire about him. England was not. They had their own hero, Mill House, the ‘Big Horse’ who as a six-year-old had stormed to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory while Arkle was cruising to a mere novice win at the Festival.
The build up on both sides of the water that autumn was intense. Arkle had become what in today’s parlance is called a ‘Saturday’ horse. Television sets were still few and far between in Ireland and many fans, if they could not get to the track, would flock to whatever friends, relations or pubs had this large, new-fangled, somewhat ‘snowy’ black and white machine taking up a chunk of the sitting room.
At the time Michael Hourigan, now one of Ireland’s leading trainers was an apprentice jockey serving his time with Charlie Weld (father of Dermot) at Rosewell House on the Curragh. It was a strict life but a fair one and the lads found Mrs Gita Weld a perfect mother figure. When Arkle was running the lads were allowed into the house to watch him on the television.
‘I remember the crowds following him in, people were able to get a lot closer to the horses then,’ says Michael Hourigan.
Schoolboy Kevin Colman (now manager of Bellewstown and Laytown races) went to some lengths to reach a television.
‘I got the impression that Arkle ran every Saturday – he wasn’t wrapped in cotton wool. A family friend, Jim Kelly, ran the local athletics club and worked for the Greenshield stamp people including half day Saturdays. My sister Carmel and I were about twelve and fourteen and we used to go in to Dublin with him; his mother lived in Julianstown and on the way back we would watch Arkle on their black and white telly; television was a great novelty then.’
Arkle began his third season by running in a Flat race, against pukka Flat racehorses (unlike his two initial Bumpers which are specifically for NH horses in the making.) Although Arkle had gone through the previous season unbeaten (two hurdles and five chases) he was eligible for the one mile six furlong Donoughmore Maiden Plate because he was, indeed, a maiden on the Flat. There were thirteen runners for the weight for age contest; Arkle had to carry 9 stone 6lb along with three others and the lowest weight was 7 stone 13lb; Arkle was odds-on favourite.
It meant he would have to have a flat race jockey. One of the very best professionals was chosen in Tommy ‘TP’ Burns, who had not only been Champion jockey three times, but who had also grown up with Greenogue very much a part of his childhood.
Speaking in early 2013, just before his eighty-ninth birthday, TP recalled, ‘I spent a lot of my childhood at Tom Dreaper’s and rode a pony around the yard there. He taught me to drive a motor car and he was a friend. My father, Tommy, hunted with the Wards, and used to ride young horses from Tom when cattle were his number one business and the horses were his pleasure.
‘There were some good horses there and they were very carefully trained. They weren’t roughed up and half broken down before reaching maturity; he knew how to mind horses, and they would go on racing until they were twelve years old.’
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THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN - EUROPEAN TRAINER - ISSUE 43
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Author: Anne Holland
Jim Bolger - the master of Coolcullen
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THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN - EUROPEAN TRAINER MAGAZINE - ISSUE 42
Adrian Maguire: the ‘hands-on’ horseman
A brilliant and brave jockey, who had his fair share of misfortune with injuries – a broken neck forced him to retire from race riding – Adrian Maguire is now forging a successful career as a trainer and while laid back in personality, he has plenty to say about the state of racing in his home country.
Lissa Oliver (European Trainer - issue 24 - Winter 2008)
At home with Tom Busteed in his "nursery" for young racehorses
When I visited Audra and Tom Busteed in Cork freak gales were ravaging the coastline. Tranquil was hardly the best word to use; yet down at the bottom of the steep four furlong woodchip gallop, set within a wooded glen, was a peaceful stream in which many a Cheltenham hero had paddled as it carried its first ever rider. Slow, calm, meandering; oblivious to the storm of the outside world. This is indeed the tranquil nursery of Tom Busteed, the master tutor of the horse.
Lissa Oliver (European Trainer - issue 22 - Summer 2008)
When I visited Audra and Tom Busteed in Cork freak gales were ravaging the coastline. Tranquil was hardly the best word to use; yet down at the bottom of the steep four furlong woodchip gallop, set within a wooded glen, was a peaceful stream in which many a Cheltenham hero had paddled as it carried its first ever rider. Slow, calm, meandering; oblivious to the storm of the outside world. This is indeed the tranquil nursery of Tom Busteed, the master tutor of the horse.
There is nothing rushed about Tom's preparation of a horse. "We do a lot of driving," Tom explains, "groundwork is so important. It keeps horses balanced and they can tell you when they're ready. We take our time. We like to have them for twelve weeks and those weeks are the most important of their career. We ride them like showjumpers, improving their head carriage, which helps to keep a horse well-balanced.
"These are tried and trusted traditional methods. I was fortunate enough to work with very good horsemen such as Tommy Ryan, Eddy O'Grady's head man, Tim Finn and Fergie Sutherland. Fergie is a great man, great patience with a horse, I rode many point-to-point winners for him." Tom puts his experience and knowledge to good use. "We assess the horses and also advise the owner whether they should go straight into training or have a break. It's usually better to give a horse a rest after breaking. The whole process is very stimulating for them and to then go straight into another new environment can be stressful. They mature so much quicker if they go away for a break between here and training.
"I'll ride eight or nine myself a day. It's not like work, it's a passion. And I feel very proud to have taken such a decent part in shaping these horses. Good horses are few and far between so it's rewarding to see them and know that I helped in some way. Sizing Europe, for example, is a serious chaser in the making. People say his jumping is a problem. It's not a problem at all, he's just such a natural big jumper, he's in the air for that extra bit of time."
"We are so lucky," agrees Tom's wife, Audra, "we see them arrive as ragamuffins straight from the field and then they're transformed into glossy muscular racehorses." Keen Leader, Asian Maze and Sizing Europe are just some of the illustrious names to pass through their academy. "It's very rewarding to change a horse around, to smooth out awkward traits. We start them over trotting poles. They haven't a clue when they first start, then after four sessions they're so clever. Loose schooling is vital, they learn how to correct themselves, when to shorten and when to lengthen. It's a natural progression for them then to fences."
Tom ensures that the horse progresses at its own pace, but there is one vital factor that can make an immense difference to his work. "If a horse arrives with us very well done it stands them well. The weight falls off them when they begin to work. If they've simply been left grazing in the field they are very backward and wouldn't usually be ready to race at their best until six or seven. A two year old that has been well fed as a yearling would have been in training in September and cantering by December. If they're broken in December they've no chance of a summer run. It's easy for a backward horse to get lost in this system. By April or May they'll start to fall away and they'll be dismissed very early on the Flat. It's good to break National Hunt horses early at two and then bring them back each year to educate them further, it matures them quicker. It's a method they've always used in France."
When it comes to formative education, Tom has just as rich a pedigree. "I started in ponies and hunting; my first venture into racing was in Newmarket with Gavin Pritchard-Gordon. That same summer Eddy O'Grady was looking for an amateur to replace Mouse Morris who'd turned professional. I started riding for him in 1973 and rode my first winner at Mallow on Prolam that year. In five or six seasons I rode 60 or 70 winners " point-to-pointers and bumpers. My fondest memories are of the very nice people I was lucky enough to ride for. Your first winner is always special, but another highlight would be riding a winner at the Curragh on The Arctic. It was one of the very first bumpers to be run at the Curragh so to ride a winner there was very special."
Tom also had a couple of spins for Nicky Henderson in Britain before finally finishing up with Eddy O'Grady in 1978, when returning home to Ireland. In 1979 Tom married Avril Hitchmough, who sadly lost her battle with cancer seven years ago. "I started training point-to-pointers," Tom says of those early years, "we had our first son, Desmond, three years later. Desmond is a keen showjumper."
Tom himself is very much an all round horseman. "I did a lot of showing for Captain Tom Morgan and his wife Elsie, who have hunted with the West Waterford for thirty years. It has all helped to make me a better horseman." It's this natural skill that gradually established him in a niche market in which he has been happy to settle. "I was asked to take a lot of horses to break. I had work from J P McManus, young horses to break and quite a few in training recovering from injuries. Horses could be here for up to three months recuperating from tendon injuries. We recently started to break horses for Yorkshire owner Alan Potts. It's been widely documented how Alan travelled around the west of Ireland buying horses. His trainer, Henry de Bromhead, approached us and asked if we'd break them for him. And one morning they all arrived in a large lorry, Sizing Europe among them.
"If we built more boxes we could fill them, but I made the decision from the start that I wasn't going to pack them in and just put them on the walker," Tom says, "so we have twenty-one boxes, for pre-training and mature horses, with a maximum of nine at any one time to be broken. This week six or seven were ridden for the very first time. We had tried to cut down on the number of horses for breaking, but demand has shifted the emphasis back, with about half the horses coming in to us requiring breaking. We always have a waiting list and the business has been very busy for about eight years now. I'm happy that I've found a niche. Racing is so competitive and it's difficult to get a start in training, I've never really been tempted to go down that route."
Through his good friend, Enda Bolger, Tom met Audra six years ago and they've been married four years. Their first child together, Joshua, was born at the end of April. Audra is an accomplished horsewoman in her own right, competing in eventing and point-to-points, and has recently taken out a restricted licence, which means she can train for up to four different people. "That's useful for horses who are settled and their owners don't want them to leave here," Tom explains. Looking around, it's very easy to see why.
"Our facilities have improved a lot over the last year, we have a four furlong woodchip gallop on the hill, a sand arena and both an indoor and outdoor school. We also have a very good team working with us. Jordan Reidy from Mallow has been with us seven years and really knows the art of driving and breaking horses. Michael O'Connor and Melanie Forbes are very important to us, and Tom Drynan comes in regularly to ride for us, he is a very good horseman." In this respect Tom is lucky. "Yards are under pressure for staff and horsemanship is a quality that has become very rare. This means that the bigger yards need the young horses straight in and broken. I can see no point in this shuttle system of breaking."
Surprisingly, Tom reveals that the Flat horses are much easier to pre-train than National Hunt horses. "They don't need half the work and are much easier to handle. The National Hunt horses are strongly built, bullish and very unpredictable. We do a lot of groundwork with them to encourage calmness. When it comes to breaking in, Tom does things slowly, gently and traditionally. "Everything is devoted to care and attention and safety. I've broken over five hundred horses and I can count on the fingers of one hand the horses who have given us problems. We back them for the first time indoors. We get up on them for the first time, just lying across their backs, in the coral, which has very high rubber sides and deep sand. Safety for horse and rider is very important. We then take them down to the glen and they're ridden for the first time in the stream. It's the first time they're taken down there, so it's all new and interesting for them. The stream runs through a lovely wooded glen, so it's very peaceful and calming. They're so fascinated at watching their feet in the water that it takes their attention off the rider. They're given two or three days in the stream, then their first trot and canter is up the woodchip.
"You do sometimes ride a horse for the first time and be given a great feel. It's very exciting and it's lovely to give an owner that news, I'll often be picking up the phone just after getting off! Many live abroad and can't visit their horses, so we like to keep them involved and enable them to stay in touch. We take plenty of photos - the first time they're driven, the first time they're ridden, photos of their trips away, the ‘picnics'." Tom is a great believer in taking the horses out in the box for a change of scenery. "We take them to the sea. Fergie Sutherland calls them ‘picnics'. Pat Breen has a jumping facility at Ardmore, which is invaluable to point-to-point people, and we'll sometimes take horses there." A high priority for Tom is good head carriage in a horse. "And the first thing I do when they arrive is have their teeth checked. It's amazing the number of horses who have never had their teeth checked and they're not eating right."
Not every horse will go on to racecourse success and Tom's pre-training assessments are vital to owners. "Racing at all levels is so competitive now, you can't even expect to pick up a point-to-point with a moderate horse. It's a bad situation, with maiden races for seven year olds and up, and even they are being split into three divisions. The abolition of low grade races is a very good thing, over-production will have to end when there is no longer a market for moderate horses. It's ludicrous that owners fail to win with a filly then have a go at breeding from her instead. Lots of hopeful owners send us some poor horses and we recommend they go in a different direction.
"It's lovely to see horses successful in other roads," he says, "it's good to see owners giving them a chance elsewhere. We do a lot of restructuring for showing, it takes a lot of work. There are no shortcuts. They need to be perfectly balanced and a good ride. But it's good to see owners allowing them the time and work and channelling these horses in a new direction." And that really sums up the ethos of Tom's academy. His horses are educated not just for the racecourse, but for life.
Willie Mullins - a trainer with strong opinions
I’ve come to Willie Mullins’ yard in County Carlow, Ireland, expecting to see some strong horses and to hear some strong opinions. With Hedgehunter trotting past me up to the gallops, I’m certainly not disappointed in the first instance.
Lissa Oliver (European Trainer - issue 20 - Winter 2007)
I’ve come to Willie Mullins’ yard in County Carlow, Ireland, expecting to see some strong horses and to hear some strong opinions. With Hedgehunter trotting past me up to the gallops, I’m certainly not disappointed in the first instance. This is already second lot. Willie is behind schedule - “problems earlier on the gallops” - and should be under pressure. His phone won’t stop ringing, he’s got an interview to give and a runner in the first at Gowran Park. But Willie Mullins appears to have all the time in the world. I get the impression he’s unflappable, but in fact he simply knows how to prioritise. His horses are given all the time they need, without question.
The horses circle and he watches them for two or three circuits. You might think there’d be no evident change in condition from the previous morning, but any change is discernible to Willie. As they canter past for a third time he begins to call out instructions. “Two on the big gallop; one; one; two; two on the short; one on the short…” The lads hold up the relevant number of fingers in confirmation and exit the ring as instructed. The art of conditioning a racehorse comes right down to the minute attention to detail Willie has just exhibited, though he makes it look effortless. Perhaps, by now, it really is second nature to him. Few trainers are so deeply in tune with their horses and it shows, not only in the overcrowded trophy shelves in the kitchen, but as we walk back through the yard, the equine heads following his progress intently and ignoring, as one, the visitor.
Of course, Willie’s greatest asset is his staff. Like most yards these days he employs a very cosmopolitan mix, with men and women from Ireland, the Ukraine, Poland, England and France. “To get staff from the EU a school needs to be set up to train them and provide them with the necessary skills,” Willie points out, “whereas you could go straight to countries outside of the EU, such as Russia, South America and Pakistan, where racing has been established for a very long time and the staff have a vast experience with thoroughbreds and already possess the skills we require.”
And now, away from the horses, it’s time to hear those famous strength of opinions, to find out what really hinders Willie’s job as a trainer; what frustrates him about today’s industry regulations and what political changes he’d like to see made within the racing establishment. Willie sits back and smiles. But, like his horses, he is never going to get wound up.
“There’s been so much tinkering with the rules over the years and you’re never going to get a rule to suit everyone,” he says realistically. “I’ve got to the stage now where some days it will suit you and some days it won’t, and I don’t think there’s anything that really annoys me as much as maybe things used to. I just find you win some, you lose some. And the governing bodies are doing their best to make rules to suit the times we live in. If there is a problem then I think it’s the long delay in implementing change. With telecommunications being so fast it’s hard to understand why this should be. I often think if we have a problem and something needs changing it should be changed within six or eight weeks, but in actual fact by the time it goes forward to the governing body and it gets discussed it takes about two years. But I think HRI is better at changing things that need to be done quickly, it’s far more receptive and probably more professional than previous governing bodies.
“I think we are quite lucky in Ireland with our governing bodies. HRI has evolved from HRA, which got the running of racing from the Turf Club, and we’re also very lucky that our government views racing as such a strong Irish tradition. Consequently a lot of people in the government and the opposition have a huge interest in racing and our prize money levels have dramatically increased over the past ten years as a result.”
Asked if there is any one thing he would change about racing, Mullins seems surprisingly content. “In the general spin of things, probably harmonisation of rules in Europe and the rest of the world,” he says, after much thought. “Flat trainers travel more than National Hunt trainers, and jockeys travel all the time, so it would be better to have harmonisation within the rules, especially the rules of race-riding. That seems to cause most controversy. When punters are viewing a head-on film and stewards in different countries reach different conclusions, maybe it could be better explained to punters. But I think the Irish and English system is quite good at the moment, while the French seem to still have an old-fashioned type of view. Certainly, I would rather see more harmonisation in European rules.”
When it comes to harmonisation of rules, medication seems to be another issue at the top of the list. “I think it’s fairly right in Ireland and England, where all horses are tested, the winners and other random horses. America has a different system, but then maybe it suits their racing. I’m not too familiar with the problems of dirt racing and keeping horses sound. They seem to have a lot of problems with bursting, that may just be the barn system and the horses don’t get enough air. It’s not as big a problem certainly on this side of the world. Obviously I had trouble with morphine contamination and, you know, I was amazed at the different interpretation of the rules by different governing bodies, even though the rules appear to be the same, with zero tolerance. But some countries’ interpretation of zero differs from others. And then there’s the way the different laboratories give the results of their testing; some have a different method of testing, which can lead to a bit of confusion. But we can see things being harmonised all the time and that can only be good for racing.”
Which leads to the question of travelling. Has it got any easier? “Certainly. The bureaucracy has got easier; it’s just a matter of getting used to it. Maybe if it’s your first or second time going abroad you can get caught out with little rules and regulations and things, but it’s a matter of just setting in place the A, B and C of what you’ve got to do and it becomes second nature. When we have a horse entered in England my secretary has a particular protocol to carry out and it works out well enough. When you have things like foot and mouth and any other diseases it makes things difficult. You just need to plan in advance. It’s difficult, but once you know what you’re doing it’s not insurmountable.”
Not insurmountable, perhaps, but does it pay? “In France they have prize money down to seventh; in England and Ireland we prefer to give help to people travelling, even though our prize money’s only down to fourth,” Willie points out. “I would rather see our prize money in bigger races go down to sixth and maybe even further down. It would also help to prevent four or five runner races. You take the Irish Derby, for example: prize money goes down to tenth. That normally ensures you have at least ten runners and probably eleven. And that’s a big help for sponsors and I would prefer to see that in some of the National Hunt races. Our prize money should go down to lower places, it’s an incentive. Our top horses are the top horses in their sphere and even if they’re not in the first three they should still be getting prize money. You go through a lot of horses before you get a good one and they should be rewarded.”
“In Ireland we probably have too many owners and too many horses at the moment. We’re in a situation where we’re balloting horses and we haven’t enough races or prize money for the horses that we have in training. In order to keep our prize money levels up we can only have the amount of races that we currently have, otherwise we dilute the prize fund - and we had enough of that years ago. Everyone made an effort to get into proper prize money, which we have now. But because people now can buy a horse for three or four thousand and race for ten, we now have too many horses. Racing is all about mating the best to the best to produce the best and I don’t see why we should provide opportunities for those who don’t quite make it. Every horse is entitled to a few runs, to establish whether they’re good or bad, but I don’t think bad horses are entitled to big prize money just because someone puts them in training. There has to be a cut-off point. We just can’t keep having racing for every horse that’s produced. The onus shouldn’t be on racing to provide opportunities for him.
“We’re unique in Ireland in that we have enough owners and horses, thanks to the work HRI and Thoroughbred Marketing have done, and our government has also encouraged people, providing grants to upgrade our tracks and upgrade our racing. You always need new owners coming in, but we’ve plenty at the moment and we’ve an oversupply of horses. I don’t want to knock the breeding industry, I don’t care if they breed twenty thousand horses a year, but we can only cater for maybe six to eight thousand in Ireland. So I think we need to raise the bar a little bit, which our authorities are doing, so that horses that are good enough have a competitive chance of earning their owners prize money. Racing has to regulate its own standard and we are able to keep a standard because we’re a small country. There are plenty of other countries in the world where lesser horses can be exported to, lots of young countries starting up racing, and that’s where I see those horses going. Hopefully if China ever gets going there’ll be a huge market there.”
On a more domestic level feed merchants have been sending out alarming letters across the country and it seems feeding may have to become more cosmopolitan, too.
“This year we’ve had an extraordinary year with the harvest being so bad and very little hay being saved,” Willie explains, “a lot of trainers in Ireland are buying American and Canadian hay, and I’m told that there wasn’t a huge amount of hay saved in France either because it was such a wet summer. And our costs this winter will rise dramatically. Hopefully it’s just a blip for one year and we’ll have to ride it out, but feed costs are always rising and the cost of labour is always rising, too.
“We have found it very hard to get staff over the past few years, particularly with the Celtic Tiger causing a lot of people to go into other industries. We have had to import staff from both inside and outside the EU, and we’re constantly in consultation with the department of foreign affairs about importing non-EU staff. Horse riders, certainly work riders, is quite a specialised skill and while you can teach someone to ride a horse in maybe a matter of months, bringing them up to the level required to ride work and school is something that’s only gained after years and years of experience. Consequently we find that we’re employing people from Russia and Pakistan and South America, where there are thriving racing industries and lots of people with these skills who are quite keen to come and work in England and Ireland.
“The EU is getting bigger, but we still find that there aren’t enough skilled people. The staff are being soaked up in England and France before we get them. We’re at the end of the line, on an island out in the Atlantic! A lot of Polish and Czechoslovakian people are going to France and Germany first. That could be why we find we have to go further afield. The most difficult part is just the red tape in bringing them in. You want a person next week or the week after and find that it takes three or four months to actually get these people in. Even then, it’s constantly being changed by civil servants. At the drop of a hat they might stop importing people or they might only let a certain amount of people come in, which has to be divided among everyone. They might only let fifty to a hundred people in during a certain three-month period. I can see their point, too, because a lot of trainers were importing non-EU people as riders when maybe they weren’t riders and they were just being used as cheap labour. When that gets back to civil servants of course they say, ‘here, this is a racket!’ A lot of responsibility is with our own trainers who maybe imported people they shouldn’t have.”
Recruiting staff is all the harder these days due to a general increase in weight throughout the population. “Weight-wise in Ireland we’ve raised the minimum weight to 8st 4Ib and it’s helped, but a lot of the lightweight jockeys have been put out of business and have gone to England. You can’t just keep raising the weights, I imagine people are just going to keep getting bigger and bigger and there’s always going to be a certain amount of people who can do the weights. You’re never going to stop jockeys from wasting, if you raise the weights up to 10st then fellows who are 11st are still going to waste down to 10st, it’s just a fact of life. But what’s happened now in Ireland is that the better jockeys have the whole thing cornered and it’s harder for the younger lads to get a foot on the ladder.
“In the last few years we have given riders longer to ride out their claim, which I think has stopped the turnover of riders. Middling riders can keep a claim and keep getting rides, whereas beforehand they lost their claim at maybe forty winners and if they weren’t able to ride without their claim the younger riders got the chance. With a greater turnover you’ve a better chance of getting new stars coming up. With riders keeping a claim for a long time trainers are always willing to put them up: ‘he’s not too bad and can claim five.’ If they lost their claim quicker the jockeys who hadn’t the ability to ride without their claim would be found out quicker.”
All of which makes perfect sense and it’s easy to see why Willie Mullins is held in such respect. Feed, staff and depth of woodchip, every trainer has his own method. But it’s the minute attention to detail that sets the trophies on the shelf.
Nick Cox - an Australian trainer now based in Ireland
The damp of County Meath seems a long way from the sunshine of Melbourne, but to first season trainer Nick Cox it’s home from home. Mind you, it’s very misleading to refer to this as his first season, since Nick already has more than 180 winners to his name, back in his native Australia. So what made him decide to make the former Mitchelstown Stud here in Ireland his new base for training?
Lissa Oliver (European Trainer - issue 18 - Summer 2007)
The damp of County Meath seems a long way from the sunshine of Melbourne, but to first season trainer Nick Cox it’s home from home.
Mind you, it’s very misleading to refer to this as his first season, since Nick already has more than 180 winners to his name, back in his native Australia. So what made him decide to make the former Mitchelstown Stud here in Ireland his new base for training?
“My wife Elaine is originally from Navan,” Nick explains, “we met while we were both working in Newmarket. After six or seven years in Australia, Elaine started to get a bit homesick.” With two sons aged two and three it seemed a good time to move back home, but it was as much consideration for his horses as for his family that made Nick opt for Ireland.
“It is such a calm environment over here,” Nick says, as we stand in the peaceful and secluded stable yard of the old stud. A traditional courtyard of twenty boxes, tucked neatly behind a second yard, it would be difficult to argue otherwise. There is no noise to betray that the gates open on to the main road from Trim to Athboy.
Nick is the ideal man to ask when it comes to finding the perfect locale for training racehorses. He has spent time with some of the most renowned names in international racing and has gained from their expertise. Most recently he has been working for Emerald Bloodstock in Kilcullen, County Kildare, for the past eighteen months. It provided him with the perfect introduction to the Irish racing community. One of the great assets he feels Ireland has to offer is the lack of time restraints placed upon horses, both on and off the track.
“The great Australian racecaller, Frank O’Brien, once said to me, ‘Nick, they don’t run horseraces in the morning’!” Nick explains. “We have our own gallops here and I can take the horses out any time that suits them. There are no time limits on the gallops. In Newmarket and Chantilly the horses have to be off the gallops very early to allow for maintenance; also America and Australia, where the horses are trained on the track.”
And it isn’t only in exercise that Nick can be allowed to make time work for him. “The Irish have a greater understanding of horses and a great love for the horse,” Nick says. “They are far more prepared to give a horse time. Trainers are not under constant pressure to produce results.”
But Nick can also see an opportunity to exploit that careful time taken with maturing horses. Even as he speaks there are hints that his juveniles are going to come out early with all guns blazing. As foreman to Lee Freedman and assistant trainer to Tony Vasil and Tony Newman in Australia, and Willie Jarvis in Newmarket, Nick is the man to ask when it comes to the secret of Australian horses’ international success. He clearly has a fair idea of what that might be, but he isn’t about to reveal any trade secrets just yet.
“Something that you often see elsewhere but we don’t seem to do in Australia is train to pedigree,” Nick says. “You might get an obvious sprinter on paper who actually turns out to be a twelve furlong horse. Lee Freedman will happily admit that he bought Sub Zero to be a two-year-old. He bought him to win a Golden Slipper, but instead he won the Melbourne Cup.”
Lee Freedman is just one of the great influences on Nick. While at boarding school, at fifteen, he was lucky enough to have Tony Newman as his teacher. “I’d always had an interest in racing,” Nick recalls, “and can remember sitting up in the middle of the night to watch the European Classic races on TV. So Tony and I pretty soon got to talking about horses and I’d go and work with him at weekends and school holidays.” Most Australians have a love of racing, cricket and Australian Rules football and Nick was no exception, getting distracted from horses for a while and playing Aussie Rules professionally for three years with Carlton. “Then I went back to Tony full time. I learned so much from him.” Stints with Tony Vasil and Lee Freedman were followed by three years in Newmarket with Willie Jarvis, before returning to Australia and taking out a licence in 2000. So, what one secret has he picked up that he’s prepared to share?
“If I have to say one thing that gives a horse the edge, it would have to be education,” Nick reveals. “I think education is vital for young horses. A well educated horse will very often beat a horse of better ability but less experience. In Australia they’re trained on the racecourse. It’s good for them to see that environment, the rails, the people, the noise. They have organised trials – to all intents and purposes proper races. It gives them so much experience, which is invaluable. Over here they don’t encounter anything like that until their first race. In Newmarket, with such a large concentration of racehorses and the whole layout, it’s a little more structured, but still not quite like the racecourse. ”
Not surprisingly, if there was just one thing Nick could introduce from Australia it would be public trials, where at Cranburn, for example, 450 horses raced over a period of two days. He sees Dundalk as the perfect opportunity for such an introduction and would also like to see winter racing on the All-Weather. “It would take the pressure off the racetracks,” he points out, “and give trainers a chance to start running horses in January to get them fit. I think it would help to cut down on a lot of injuries, too. Horses pick up more injuries on the gallops than on the racecourse.”
Whatever Nick manages to introduce from Australia, it certainly won’t be the weather. But at least the forecast looks good for a bright start to the European career of Nick Cox.