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Staff Profiles
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FLINT COTTAGE STABLESSTEVE AVERY
Steve riding out and, a good few years ago, at a hunter trialJOB: Assistant trainer. FAVOURITE HORSE: Kinsya and Dazinski. YOUR BEST RACING MOMENT SO FAR: Franklin's Garden bouncing back to win the Yorkshire Cup. BACKGROUND: Born in Devonport in Devon and grew up going to the Pony Club, hunting with the Brocklesby Hounds, show jumping, eventing, hunter trialling and riding in point-to-points. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: Started as a conditional jockey for Harry Fleming. Joined Peter Taylor as head lad. Became a licensed trainer at Market Rasen. Worked for Air UK Engineering and on the oil rigs for KCA Rigs, whilst holding a permit to train at the same time. Joined Mark Wilkinson as travelling head lad. Joined MHT as assistant trainer in 1998. IAIN WILLIAMS
JOB: Travelling Head Lad. FAVOURITE HORSE: No Rules. BEST RACING MOMENT: Steenberg, winning The Duke of York Gp.2, as I used to ride him out and we had had him for years. BACKGROUND: Born in Leamington Spa but we soon moved to a village, just outside Banbury in Oxfordshire, which was where I was brought up. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: Went to work on a stud, on leaving school but the owner retired after a couple of months. Joined John Webber, as a conditional jockey, in 1976, where I stayed for about 5 years. Came to Newmarket and rode out for various people before joining MHT in 1985 as Travelling Head Lad. Still here 25 years on! DARREN DONKIN
JOB: Feedman. FAVOURITE HORSE: Astrolibra and Marvo. BEST RACING MOMENT: Doing lots of good horses like Tipsy Creek, Polish Laughter and En Attendant. BACKGROUND: I am Newmarket born and bred with my dad also working in racing. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: Started helping out at Robert Amstrong's yard when I was 10 years of age, before going to work full-time for him, after leaving school. Then went to work for Ben Hanbury and John Gosden before joining the MHT in 2001. CAROLINE DONKIN
JOB: Head Girl. FAVOURITE HORSE: Ron and Locum. BEST RACING MOMENT: Leading up winners at Royal Ascot. BACKGROUND: I was born in Cambridgeshire and started riding when I was aged 12. I then moved to Newmarket when I was 16 to work in racing. I married my husband, Colin, four years ago. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I started working in racing for Harry Thompson-Jones in 1983, as an exercise rider and doing my horses. I stayed with him for about 14 years, until he retired. Then, I spent six months in Japan over the winter of 1993 - 1994, working in a pre-training yard. Returned in 1994 to work for Ben Hanbury, where I stayed for 7 years, until he retired. Went to work for Declan Daly for 3 years, until he retired. Came to Flint Cottage in 2007. LIAM BROWNE
Favourite Horse: Akula and Rayvin Black Your Best Racing Moment So Far: Coming 4th at Plumpton on Bon Spiel Background: I was born in Bury St Edmunds and raised in Weeting - A small village outside Thetford. I have always been interested in fast sports such as Go-Karting, Motorcross and got interested in Horse Riding at the age of 15. I left school at the age of 16 and went straight to the British Racing School. Previous Work Experience: I have worked for MHT for 2 ½ years and during this time I obtained my amature licence. During the past 2 years I have also worked for Chris Gordon - Based in Morestead, Winchester and whilst with him I gained my conditional licence. I had 5 rides whilst in Winchester, 2 point-2-points and 3 races under rules. I then decided after this to return to Newmarket and continue my career with MHT. JOHN DUFFY
JOB: Work rider. FAVOURITE HORSE: Star Commander, as he feels like he has bags of potential and Cotton Grass, as she feels so brave and genuine. BEST RACING MOMENT: I was always too heavy to be a jockey but I have been lucky enough to ride some good horses like Shady Heights at Robert Armstrong's and Princely Hush, who won the Mill Reef. I loved an old horse of the boss's called Volata. BACKGROUND: I was born in Glasgow and moved to Newmarket in 1983. I was a keen boxer, representing Scotland three times and winning the stable lads' boxing seven times. Nowadays, I try to keep fit, playing golf and am married with two fantastic kids. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I have worked for several great trainers, apart from MHT, including Robert Armstrong, Geoff Wragg and Michael Bell. I was a stalls handler for Racetech for sixteen years. Also, I worked in Japan for three months, breaking-in yearlings and spent four weeks riding track work at Fairgrounds racetrack in New Orleans. LAUREN HUNTER
JOB: Exercise rider. FAVOURITE HORSE: Topamichi - He has so much character and is always full of energy. BEST RACING MOMENT: Leading up Brushing at Royal Ascot on Champions Day 2011. BACKGROUND: I grew up in a small village near Glasgow and went to the British Racing School straight from school. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: Working at Flint Cottage is my first job in racing. RHEA PENNEY
JOB: Exercise rider FAVOURITE HORSE: Cornish Quest BEST RACING MOMENT SO FAR: Graduating from the Northern Racing College and moving to Newmarket. BACKGROUND: Born and brought up in Hexham. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I have ridden all my life and had been working at a livery yard for the last couple of years. LEE McCOOL JOB: Exercise rider FAVOURITE HORSE: Cornish Quest BEST RACING MOMENT SO FAR: Leading up Hayley Turner. BACKGROUND: I was born and brought up in Huntingdon. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I started working in riding stables before coming into racing. I have worked in a few yards, including John Best's, before coming to Flint Cottage.HANNAH EDWARDS JOB: Exercise rider.
FAVOURITE HORSE: Cotton Grass, because she is such a gorgeous filly with a lovely temperament and I love riding her.
BEST RACING MOMENT: Finishing at the British Racing School and moving to Newmarket. Even though I have left my family and friends to work full-time in racing, I hope to make them proud of me.
BACKGROUND: I was born in Wrexham and have been riding since I was 4 years of age. My interest in racing came from when I was a little girl and my Mum and Dad took me racing all the time so, as soon as I left school, I went to the British Racing School in Newmarket.
PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I did 2 months' work experience before going to the British Racing School with Tom Dascombe, at Michael Owen's yard in Malpas, which is near where I live.
ABBIGAIL SAWKINS JOB: Exercise rider
FAVOURITE HORSE: Miss Wendy because she is such a lovely ride; she has such a sweet temperament and loves being cuddled.
BEST RACING MOMENT: Leaving the British Racing School and riding out for Mr. Tompkins in Newmarket. I hope to be a jockey one day.
BACKGROUND: I was born near London and grew up in Southend-on-Sea in Essex. I have been riding since I was 14 years of age but I had never been taught until I went to college when I was 16. I learnt to ride racehorses at the British Racing School and am still learning every day.
PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I was supposed to be doing work experience at William Jarvis's yard but I was sent to the British Racing School after only one day.
ELAINE WEAVER
JOB: Domestic goddess at Flint Cottage. FAVOURITE HORSE: Smokey Oakey at Flint Cottage but also Double Trigger and Mister Baileys. BEST RACING MOMENT: Double Trigger winning the Ascot Gold Cup, Smokey Oakey winning the Lincoln and Mister Baileys winning the 2000 Guineas. BACKGROUND: Born in Sandal and brought up in Sheffield. Mother of Jason Weaver. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: Have done so many and so varied jobs. Served for 4 years in the WRAF (they were good times). Trained as a telephonist with the good old GPO. Manager of the stores department for a Forklift truck company. General dog's body at Clean Machine in Newmarket. These are to name but a few but now I divide my time between being a member of the day staff at Newmarket Racecourse and Flint Cottage. DANIEL BROWN
JOB: Exercise rider. FAVOURITE HORSE: Barwick. BEST RACING MOMENT: Last year I led up my best friend, Ben Morris, when he won on Iceman George at Newbury, which was a great moment. BACKGROUND: I have lived in Newmarket all my life. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I started working for Mark Wallace, when I was twelve, at weekends and during school holidays. I also did my NVQ levels 1 &2 as part of a day release scheme during my last two years at school. I then worked for Greg Chung for a short while. I moved to Lambourn to gain some experience working as a farrier but came back in March 2009. I spent the rest of 2009 working in a bar before joining MHT in December 2009. RYAN DAVY
JOB: Maintenance. FAVOURITE HORSE: Ron, as my grandad was called Ron and I named my 7th child after him. BEST RACING MOMENT: As strange as it may seem, I am not really interested in horseracing and never have been but the best moment for me would have been when we won the jockey's weight in chocolate. My wife is a chocaholic and her eyes lit up when I arrived home with my share. BACKGROUND: I was born in Newmarket and lived all my life in Exning until five years ago, when my wife, Heidi, and our children moved to Newmarket. We have eight children, Ashley (the yard's paper boy), Lauren, Charlie, Henry, Arthur, Rosie, Ronald and Ellen. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I was a roofer for 12 years before coming to Flint Cottage. ABBY HENDERSON
JOB: Exercise rider (some might say 'passenger'). FAVOURITE HORSE: Force Group, Finger Spin and Miss Wendy. BEST RACING MOMENT : Leading up Dayia in the bumper at Aintree on Grand National day. BACKGROUND: I was born in Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon and lived in Fenstanton until the age of 16, when I came into racing. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE: I worked in a riding school from the age of 11 until I was 16, breaking-in ponies and teaching children to ride. My first job in racing was with Jeff Pearce, where I worked for two and an half years before coming to Flint Cottage. KHALED AND WAJID HUSSAIN |
