The World’s Greatest Racehorse Training Operations
Anyone who has ever worked at a training stable will surely testify that it is a collective effort. A training operation for horse racing can be a multi-million-dollar industry or a small-time one, but the concepts behind its success remains the same – hard work and passion.
While it is undoubtedly difficult to say with objectivity which operation is the greatest in horse racing, such is the nature of competitive sport, these six trainers are among the very best in the modern times
André Fabre – France
Fabre is the undisputed king of French horse racing, winning the champion trainer award an incredible 24 times, including 21 years in succession (1987-2007). However, his stable’s greatest achievement is training seven winners of the Prix de L’Arc De Triomphe. His star is waning somewhat in recent years, but the techniques used in Fabre’s yard made French racing what it is today.
Willie Mullins – Ireland
Many of the best horses for the last couple of decades in UK and Ireland national hunt racing have come from Willie Mullin’s stable. Nowhere has that been more apparent than at the Cheltenham Festival. Quevega, Hurricane Fly, Douvan, Un De Sceaux, the list of great winners is endless. One of the best ever from his yard, Faugheen, seems to be on course for a big comeback in 2019 and is 5/1 (888sport) to win the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Aidan O’Brien – Ireland
Regardless of the race, today horse racing odds are impacted when the name Aidan O’Brien is on the racecard. Put simply, his Ballydoyle stable is one of the greatest in history. He broke the record for the most Group 1 wins in a season, with 28 in 2017. Keep an eye on Johannes Vermeer, given odds of 28/1 by 888sport for the Melbourne Cup this year. He was runner up in 2017 to Rekindling, trained by Joseph O’Brien, Aidan’s son.
Todd Pletcher – United States
Todd Pletcher’s achievements are probably too long to list, but let’s just say he has won nearly everything there is to win in US racing, including seven Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer. Great horse trainers are consistent and patient, and those are traits that Pletcher’s team have in abundance.
John Gosden – United Kingdom
Like Aidan O’Brien mentioned above, Gosden is one of those truly international trainers, conquering all before him. His latest darling is the brilliant Stradivarius, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup among other accolades this year. It seems Gosden is reluctant to bring Stradivarius to the Melbourne Cup, but keep on any movements in that area.
Chris Waller – New Zealand/Australia
There are plenty of trainers in Australia who might be deemed ‘better’ than New Zealand-born Chris Waller, but he has something they don’t have – the current best horse in the world, Winx. Some trainers are lucky to get their hands on a horse with the talent of Winx, but it takes skill and hard work to turn that talent into greatness. Winx is just 1/2 with 888sport for the Cox Plate in November. A testament to the greatness of both horse and trainer.
A Closer Look at Famous Australian Racecourses
“Flemington racecourse” (CC BY 2.0) by PreciousBytes
If you’re on the equine staff at a top stable, the chances are a horse you look after or ride out for work every day will be heading sooner or later to one of the top tracks in Australia.
With that in mind, here are four famous Australian racecourses which attract entries from top thoroughbreds.
Flemington
As home of the Melbourne Cup, the race that stops a nation and one of the richest handicaps in the world, Flemington is usually the first answer on any horse racing or equine lover’s lips when they’re asked to name a track Down Under.
This course is pear-shaped and a full circuit is just shy of one-and-a-half miles (about 2.3km). Racing was first held here in 1840 on old Crown land next to the Maribyrnong River.
Flemington also has a six-furlong straight course as well as the round track, on which races are run anti-clockwise. It is also where the Victoria Derby, Kennedy Oaks and Australian Guineas are held. All except the latter are part of the great Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Races like the Melbourne Cup attract entries from all over the world, so finding top betting tips take on a global aspect. For example, the 14.00 (odds from Ladbrokes) favourite for this year’s Melbourne Cup, Chestnut Coat, has never raced outside of Japan. Stradivarius, who has never appeared in Australia, is also among the well-fancied at 26.00. Of course, the biggest cheer could be reserved for Rekindling (21.00), who dazzled the Flemington crowd when winning Australia’s most famous race last year.
Caulfield
Across Melbourne in the south-eastern suburbs of Victoria’s great city is another premier racing venue, Caulfield. This too plays a prominent part in the Spring Carnival.
Unlike Flemington, the track here is more triangular in shape and a circuit is shorter in distance at about 1.3 miles (roughly 2.1km) but again racing goes anti-clockwise here.
The eponymous Caulfield Cup and The Thousand Guineas for fillies are among the feature contests that take place at this track.
Caulfield racecourse is also on Crown land – this is widely accepted as belonging to the public in Commonwealth countries like Australia.
Randwick
“Randwick raceourse” (CC BY 2.0) by Simon_sees
Moving away from Melbourne to another great Australian city, Sydney, and their top track is Randwick, which is run by the Australian Turf Club.
Located in the eastern suburbs, a circuit of the course is over 2.2km and racing has taken place here since 1833 on a sandy course unlike the grass we see today.
The Australian Derby, Doncaster Handicap and Queen Elizabeth Stakes are among the big races at the end of season meeting held here in April, but Randwick has had its profile raised recently by The Everest – currently the world’s richest race contested Down Under which takes place in October.
Moonee Valley
We just can’t stay away from Melbourne, but Moonee Valley is a freehold and privately owned. Founded by W S Cox, after whom the Cox Plate is named, in 1883, the course is roughly rectangular in shape and there’s even a harness racetrack on the inside of the turf course.
Although it has the least Group 1 races of any venue listed here, Moonee Valley (which is northwest of Sydney) is best known worldwide at the scene of wonder mare Winx notching a hat-trick in the feature Cox Plate.
It’s a tight track with a circuit being just a fraction over 1.8km and the home straight is just 173m – making it the shortest in Australia!
The Five World’s Richest Horse Races
What would you do if you were working at a stable and unearthed a truly great racehorse? Perhaps you are an amateur rider who feels that your horse could go on to amazing things? Well, if you were looking to make some money you could enter into some of the most valuable horse races in the world:
(1) The Pegasus World Cup, Florida, USA, January
Unlike most big races, the Pegasus World Cup is not steeped in history, having only held its first event in 2017. The prize fund for the race last year was $12 million (AUD 15.5 million) and it is expected to be around AUD 20 million for 2018. The bad news is that it costs $1 million per horse for an owner to buy an entry to the race.
(2) The Dubai World Cup, UAE, March
The Dubai World Cup attracts some of the world’s greatest horses, jockeys and trainers, all of whom are looking a slice of the $10 million prize fund. The race takes place in late-March each year, with the 2018 win going to Thunder Snow. There are suggestions that Thunder Snow could take on the Breeders’ Cup Classic (see below) in the USA later this year, with current odds of 25/1 looking very tempting.
(3) The Everest, Sydney, Australia, October
Like the Pegasus World Cup, the Everest is recently created event, one that has surpassed the Melbourne Cup as Australia’s most valuable race. There is also a $10 million prize fund for this race, but again it costs $60,000 to enter a horse in the race. Last year’s winner Redzel is once again the favourite at 4/1 but keep a look out for the likes of In Her Time (7/1) Winx (9/1) and Vega Magic (10/1). You can get the latest AU free bets on horse racing if you would like a free shot at picking the winner of the Everest 2018.
(4) The Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA, November
Held in various locations across the United States each year, the Breeders’ Cup Classic is one of the most important races in the world. The prize fund of $6 million is not just as attractive as the Pegasus World Cup, but the Breeders’ Cup is arguably the race trainers and jockeys would prefer to win. As mentioned, Thunder Snow should contest the race, but the early favourite is the brilliant West Coast at 7/1.
(5) Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe, Longchamp, France, October
First run back in 1920, the “Arc” is Europe’s richest horse race, with a prize fund of $5.5 million. It is, of course, steeped in history, featuring some of the greatest horses to have ever raced, including the legendary Sea Bird. Enable was the 2017 winner and leads the odds this year at 7/2, but it may be worth keeping an eye on Saxon Warrior at 33/1.
(Honourable Mention) Melbourne Cup, Australia, November
With a prize fund of $4.5 million (AUD 6.2 million), the Melbourne Cup comes in around 9th place for the world’s most valuable races. However, it is worth a mention because it plays such a big role in Aussie sports culture. Last year’s winner Rekindling leads the early odds at 20/1 for the 2018 race. If you want some evidence that you are never too young to realise your dreams in horse training, consider that Rekindling’s trainer Joseph O’Brien is just 24-years-old.
Organisations involved with Equestrian Sport
There are many organisations that have been instrumental in the development of the Horse Sports insdustry as a whole, these include:
AIS Australian Institute of Sports
EFA Equestrian Federation of Australia
FEI Federation Equestre Internationale
AHRC Australian Horse Riding Centres
PCAA Pony Club Association of Australia
RDA Riding for Disabled
AIS
As Australia’s strategic high performance sport agency, the AIS is responsible and accountable for leading the delivery of Australia’s international sporting success.
EFA.
Equestrian Australia (EA) is the peak body for the administration of Equestrian Sport in Australia. The commitment to success is encouraged at every level of the sport and is reflected in world-class results at Olympic level.
FEI
The international governing body for all Olympic equestrian disciplines.
AHRC
The Australian Horse Riding Centres (AHRC) is a national organisation representing approximately 100 horse riding centres across Australia. The objective of the Australian Horse Riding Centres is to support high standards for facilities, instruction, horse welfare, supervision and safety.
Additionally, the organisation aims to provide information to the public as to where excellent riding and qualified instruction can be obtained. The AHRC is at the forefront of the push to improve industry standards. All AHRC centres are accredited. The AHRC ensures the standards of its members are maintained through thorough and regular inspection of premises, skill updates for instructors and welfare checks of horses.
PCAA
Pony Club Australia is the national governing body of Pony Club in Australia. Its Members are all of the state and territory Pony Club Associations.
RDA
Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia (RDAA) is a voluntary, nonprofit organisation which provides opportunities for anyone with a disability to enjoy safe, healthy, stimulating, therapeutic, horse-related activities in Australia.
Links
A Day in the Life of a Horse Trainer
Are you interested in knowing what the life of a horse trainer is like? Every year a lot of people opt for professional classes in horse training in various parts of the world. If you are an enthusiast then you can also go for such classes to get a taste of what the job of a trainer really is.
Of the various racing jobs known today, the job of a trainer is particularly challenging. It requires immense dedication, passion and patience. Training animals, especially horses, is not a cakewalk but if you have mastered the art of training them then you would not have a problem at all.
So, before you take the leap and choose to be a horse trainer, have a look at what it entails. Indeed it is one of the most interesting racing jobs but only if you know what you are getting into.
What a Typical Day Includes?
A typical day in the life of a horse trainer usually begins early morning. Most trainers begin their day at about 3 to 4 am in the morning and work a split shift. The beginning and ending of the day depends from trainers to trainers across the globe.
Training is not for all.
Apart from training, which is a major part of such racing jobs, trainers have to take up a lot more. They have to feed the animals, take care of them and their needs, understand them, handle them, and schedule their workout and so on. So there is a lot more to training horses than you thought.
Timings
Timing is very important in the life of horse trainers. They have to set a time table for maintaining the horses, feeding them, grooming them and training them for races. All these activities are planned out through the day with additional time given to cleaning the stalls.
Organising
An organised way of dealing with various types of horses is important. So, an expert trainer would know the difference between indoor and outdoor horses. All of them are segregated on the basis of their age and sex.
Training Depends on Event
The training that is given to the horses depends a lot on what you are training them for. For instance, training race horses would be different from show or dressage horses. So, various trainers are equipped to train horses on the basis of what the event is.
a) Racing: The horses are first fed hay for their morning meal. They are then brought out for a warm up in turns or batches. Once that is done, they are ridden them with a routine in mind. Some trainers ride or others advise track riders what to do.
b) Show: For a show versatility is the key. So a horse is trained in various fields from jumping to lunging to showmanship to halter to even equitation. Since this requires a lot of training, riding the horses and preparing them with such moves is needed with a strict routine.
So, if you want to be a horse trainer you need to learn all aspects of horse care and management, however it is a rewarding role.
Different career options are now ruling the minds of the people all over the world in order to earn a good amount of income and among these career prospects one lucrative choice is the horse job. Yes, horse jobs are quite popular in Australia and even in other countries. Horses are regarded the most friendly and sane animal therefore working with them and for them is a delight for many animal lovers.
Speaking about the horse jobs only reminds of the horse racing jobs, but the field is vaster than this and includes many other jobs like stud assistant, horse trainer and even the Race day information supporter job also comes under this category. Let’s have a look at some of the popular jobs related to stud farming and horse racing also let’s analyze the monetary benefits from them.
Horse Jobs in Australia:
- Racing Jobs: Jockeys is a popular Job for those who love horse racing. Jockey’s are responsible for riding the horse in the race. The income earned by these riders is not a whopping amount as they are hired by the stud owners. However, the prize money called ‘the Purse money’ is the major amount received by the jockey but to acquire this money he has to be really expert in winning the race. The salary of a jockey is a minimum of about $85 per race ride and varies from their depending on experience and how many race winners they have ridden.
- Stud trainer – As name suggests, this job requires the person to give training to the horses. A stud farm is a place where horses are bred In order to train them for the racing. There various types of trainers and helpers are required all day and night. A stud trainer even rides the horses and teaches them the racing skills, but he is relatively different from a horse jockey. The average salary for this job is $34,000 per annum.
- Horse veterinarian – This is the job for a medical practitioner who is trained in examining the horses. The job responsibility involves the regular medical checkup of the horses in the farm and to give them proper vaccination and medical treatments. It’s a high paying job where the veterinarian can earn up to $ 85,000 per year plus.
- Groom – It is one of the horse jobs where the person is responsible to groom the horses on daily basis. The job involves taking personal care of each and every horse and to identify any change in their health and behavior. A groom’s duty also involves informing the doctor about these changes. He can earn from about $30,000 to $55,000 Plus per year
- Bloodstock Agent – The agent is involved in evaluating the value of the horses and he even participate in horse auctions in place of their clients. It’s a commission based job where an agent can earn around $30,000 per year or sometimes a six figure income from big deals.
Among all these and many other horse jobs in horse industry in the different sectors like Dressage, Show jumping, Eventing, Polo, Show etc, the most popular are the racing jobs as those who love horse riding are always interested in sitting on the horse and speeding them to win the race!
Need a 2nd Year Visa? Many newly registered Traveling Job Seekers have expressed interest in obtaining a 2nd year visa. Having already undertaken 3 months work in a regional area of Australia and they are still under 31 they want a 2nd chance to enjoy our beautiful country. Typically they must work in a rural area and undertake a job in a specified field which includes “Horse breeding and Stud Farming” Visit The Department of Immigrations Web page for more details.
Yearling Preparation Jobs
Yearling Prep Jobs With the Yearling sales in full swing there are many temporary Jobs around for the experienced Horse Handlers. Job seekers that are confident handlers of young strong horses, reliable, and able to travel to various locations including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and the Gold Coast are ideal, so if you have previous experience and looking for Yearling Preparation horse jobs, update your profile Now.
Equine Staff Launches New Web Page Design- Free Job Advertising for a limited Time.
Equinestaff.com.au has today launched their newly designed horse and racing jobs website with even cheaper advertising options and our traditional recruitment services with our state of the art candidate database.
As part of the Global Group of Equine Staff Companies, we can provide you with local Australian or International equestrian and equine workers. Employers can now place Jobs at a Cheaper price from only $30 (FREE for a limited Time) and all Jobs run up to 90 days so ideal for hard to fill jobs and employers looking for multiple staff members.
Why are we different to the other Horse Job Boards around? As well as having features such as free Job editing or relisting Jobs, viewing our job seeker database, have our Job Placement Officer write and place your job ad online, Job alerts straight to the job seekers inbox. We also have Managed Solution where our experienced staff will per-screen, per-interview, reference check and set up interview time/ dates/ directions on your behalf
Job seekers looking for riding instructor jobs, stablehand jobs, racing Jobs or other equestrian Jobs will see many vacancies on the site to view and apply for over the coming months, you can now also create what Job alerts you want sent to you, so don’t forget to login and update your profile and Job Alerts.
As Equine Staff Australia is dedicated to help our current clients we are offering a limited time FREE and DISCOUNTED RATES to promote your horse Jobs.
Equine Staff Companies have a vast experience of running sites for horse job seekers in a number of countries, including the UK, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. Sites launching in Germany and other countries in the coming months will keep expanding our database.
Visit Equine Staff Australia and let us know what you think of our new Web site.
*NOTE- All previously registered Job seekers and Employers can still login using their old login details, you just need to update your profile from the Dashboard (Top right hand Corner, once logged in.