Lucy Wadham: a trainer with a dual purpose | Trainer Magazine | European Trainer Article Index

Nov 25

Nov 25 Lucy Wadham: a trainer with a dual purpose

with a band of around 25 horses, this is a yard that regularly punches above its weight and has been responsible for the Grade 1-winning hurdler United, along with talented individuals such as El Dancer and last season’s Imperial Cup winner Alarazi. “We’ve been incredibly lucky, not just with the horses who have arrived, but with the owners who have been prepared to be patient,” she says. Her patrons include Sir Percy’s owners Anthony and Victoria Pakenham, the latter an old university friend of Wadham’s sister who has been a loyal supporter since taking a share in a point-to-pointer with the trainer. Nowadays, however, the Pakenhams have had a major influence on the stable’s increasing forays into Flat racing. “There are two elements to it really,” explains Wadham. “One is that I don’t really enjoy summer jumping at all. We had a bad experience a couple of years ago when we lost three horses and it’s just not for me. Summer ground seems to have extended now, it almost starts in March and goes on to November s there’s a huge fallow period when we could have nothing to run but still have staff to pay. The fields have got much more competitive in the summer than they ever used to be, but the prize money has got worse and it’s just not worth risking the horses on fast ground. “Simultaneously we have owners, the Pakenhams, who were trying to support their stallion Sir Percy with some mares. They bought some nice fillies at the sales and wanted to try to pick up some black type with them. Almost accidentally we ended up with two or three of these and that sort of started us on the Flat.” So far, Wadham has struck for the Pakenhams with the Goodwood Listed winner Enforce, Warwickshire Oaks winner Cassique Lady, and Galileo filly Crystal Gal, a 150,000gns purchase at last year’s December Sale at Tattersalls who went on to win the Listed Dick Hern Fillies’ Stakes in August. Wadham adds: “As that went quite well I think we’ve picked up one or two other Flat horses along the way. Some of our jumping owners quite like dabbling on the Flat, so it’s been a natural progression really and it’s been great.” Richard Keeley and Stephen Kemble may not have intended to ‘dabble’ when sending Dorcas Lane to Wadham as a two-year-old with a future hurdles career in mind, but the first-crop daughter of Norse Dancer has been a revelation, winning the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket before running placed on three occasions in Group company, including the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. She was recently sold at the Tattersalls December Mares sales for 475,000gns. “I still consider myself first and foremost to be a jumps trainer but I must say I’ve really enjoyed the flat work we’ve done,” says Wadham. “It’s just been very complementary to what we do here, particularly with the dry springs and autumns we’ve been having. We turned a lot of jumpers out at the beginning of April this year.” With those horses now assembled back at Wadham’s yard after a summer at grass, the trainer’s mind is fully occupied by her team’s 2011/12 jumps season campaign. The Aga Khan-bred Alarazi, a former inmate of John Oxx’s stable in Ireland, will be to the forefront of the stable’s assault, with old favourite El Dancer returning to the steeplechasing ranks after a spell on the sidelines through injury. Dual bumper winners Baby Shine and Bevnott are two novice hurdlers for whom Wadham has high hopes this season, while one whose name must only be whispered in connection with potential engagements is The Black Baron, a beautifully-bred but fragile gelding from the family of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Call. His exquisite dark brown head, visible from the Wadham family’s kitchen window, provides an eye-catching diversion from washing-up duties. “He’s an absolutely gorgeous horse who has been a little frustrating. We’ve only been able to run him three times since he was bought as a store horse at the [Tattersalls Ireland] Derby Sale in 2006,” says Wadham. “We daren’t even mention the words ‘work’ or ‘race’ anywhere near him, but he’s bred to win a Gold Cup and we’re really looking forward to getting him back on the track this year.” When it comes to injuries and setbacks, the patience of jumps trainers must be tested even more than that of their Flat counterparts. A decent temperament is a pre-requisite for the job and it is in this sphere that Justin Wadham, like Lucy, a former point-to-point rider, believes his wife excels. “Lucy is incredibly even-tempered,” he says. “She seems to be able to cope with the ups and downs that racing throws at you very well.” According to the trainer, this can only be learnt over time. “There are far more disappointments than good moments and you have to have a little bit of self-belief that it’s all going to come right. I’ve learnt by degrees not to let things get to me too much. When we were point-to- pointing, it definitely did. We only had two horses to begin with and you could end up with both of them going wrong in November and then having nothing for the season. I’ve learned not to get too carried away with the highs and not to get too depressed by the lows.” Such an attitude is bound to stand her in good stead but Lucy credits Justin, who, as well as being a solicitor is also a director of the British Horseracing Authority and member of the Racehorse Owners Association council, as an equally vital part of her success. She says: “It’s really very much a team effort. I couldn’t do it if Justin wasn’t here and we share a lot of the workload. The most important thing is being able to discuss each horse and to make long-term plans for them, which is something we like to do, especially for the more able horses, even if things don’t always go to plan.” The Wadhams occupy the last remaining corner of the vast Moulton Paddocks estate that does not fall under the ownership of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation. It’s an idyllic spot, at the top of the Bury Hill canter but far enough away from the main hub of the thriving training centre to offer a little peace and quiet. Being next to the seemingly endless blue battalions may be intimidating for some but not for Wadham, who enjoys the proximity to the largest stable in Newmarket. “Godolphin are super neighbours. They keep the place very tidy and the security aspect is superb. We’re right next door but we just get on and do our own thing,” she says. “We’ve a great position here just on the edge with access to everything that Newmarket has to offer. There’s such a variety of gallops that if you can’t get a horse ready here first time out then you might as well just pack up.” A jumps trainer she may be at heart but if the last few years have proved anything, it’s that Lucy Wadham is more than capable of preparing racehorses under both codes.

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(European Trainer - issue 36 - Winter 2011)

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