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Choosing a Trainer for Your Racehorse: Is it Just about Finding the Best Track Record Possible?
Everyone looks for the best options, whether it involves finding the perfect place to park your car, or picking out the best looking yearling at an auction. It’s simply to do with the fact that spending the extra effort, and money in some instances, can pay off especially for long-term considerations. When it comes to picking out the best option for a considerably long-term investment, you can bet that you’ll be scrutinising your available options. The same can be said whether it comes to picking out a racehorse, or a qualified trainer to take care of your new horse’s racing career.
Of course you’d want a credible trainer to be in charge, when it comes to steering your racehorse towards a successful racing career. But does this option solely rely on a trainer’s track record, or is there more to keep watch for when finding the right trainer for your racehorse? As with any other option, a few variables will come to mind beyond just a good track record.
Results Do Speak for Themselves, But Consistency Also Proves A Good Bet
Punters understandably look through a racehorse’s track record when deciding where to stack their odds. As sensible as this may seem, you can bet the same for racehorse owners deciding on choosing from a list of trainers. Picking out a qualified Trainer is a bit like outsourcing the training of your racehorse. Keeping that in perspective would naturally lead you to consider more seasoned and experienced trainers with your selection — especially if they come with awards and accreditations that prove their ability.
Of course, it isn’t just the fanfare and medals that speak of training ability. Successful trainers are consistent trainers, and digging into the career history of their racehorses will turn up all the information you would need to make your decision. If consistent results show within your trainer’s racing portfolio, it’s a good sign that they’ve definitely got the experience you need to turn your new yearling into a racetrack winner.
Skills Are Important, But Keep An Eye Out for the Right Facilities Too
The fact of a marketplace is this: everyone will have skills to show, and be proud of. But will these necessarily benefit your racehorse’s career? Ultimately, you and your co-owners decide what career path would be best for your racehorse to consider. Apart from basing your decision on the kind of race experience a racehorse trainer has, it is also worth considering what facilities a trainer has access to.
Like their skill sets, having access to the appropriate facilities will place your horse trainer in the best position to develop training routines designed to improve your horse’s performance out on the track. Although a trainer’s practices may differ from one to another, many agree that exposing a racehorse to a mixture of indoor and outdoor training facilities will best allow it to develop its overall ability. Additionally, look out for interesting training methodologies that involve beneficial therapies for your racehorse, such as an equine solarium or therapy bay.
No Man is An Island, and No Good Trainer is Without A Helpful Network of Contacts
Size up your would-be horse trainer for their skills and access to facilities, by all means. It’s worth appreciating where their training grounds are located, to have an idea of how your racehorse could benefit from the depth and diversity of training on offer. However, it is also worth considering how your racehorse can benefit from a well-connected trainer, especially if they work with other syndicates and horses that have made a mark on race day.
Beyond the appeal of working with a well-connected trainer, it helps for you as a racehorse owner to keep a healthy personal relationship with your trainer as well. Some horse owners see this as a way to be more involved with the process of training a racehorse. After all, it makes perfect sense to keep up to date with your horse’s training progress — as well as on its race fixtures and results when it’s time to kick off its racing career. Sharing a healthy, on-going communicative relationship with your trainer also helps you to tune in to your trainer’s passion and perspectives on the sport as a whole, which no doubt enriches your own experience as a fan, and racehorse owner.
Of course, Budget Can Also Be an Important Consideration
We’ve mentioned in one of our earlier blogs how horserace ownership has become more and more accessible to everyday fans — especially through the different methods of syndication and co-ownership available. While anyone with means wouldn’t think twice about splurging on a trainer with the most expensive fees for their skill and qualification, your ideal budget can of course come in the way of your own selection criteria. So where would you draw the line between an option that’s ‘too expensive’, and one that’s right on the money?
As with anything with a price tag, lower fees tend to correlate to a lower quality or size of training facility. If you’re in it to win it, then your yearling deserves a higher quality of training facility and trainers to groom it for the finish line. It’s all in the details when it comes to understanding the value of what it costs your horse trainer, to train a winner. So be sure to shop around, and keep a healthy comparison in mind to see how your horse can truly benefit from a further investment in the form of a credible and capable trainer.
Nakeeta by half a length
Nakeeta
Ebor winner 2017
Nakeeta
The Ebor winner for 2017 makes this horse ideal to win the Melbourne Cup.
A nose
2leghths
Nakeeta by 3/4 of a length
0.75 lengths
1/2 length first Scottish horse to win
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1.5 lengths
I think by a photo finish
.4 length
Will win by 1.25Lengths
3 Lengths
Its a guess
Nakeeta will win by 1.75 lengths
3/4 length
A head
Nose
0.5L
1 length
Half a head
Neck