An Interview with Amy Martin, Stable Manager at Aintree Racecourse
- Jo O'Neill
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Whilst growing up in Ashton-in-Makerfield, near Wigan, Amy Martin reflects how she hovered on the edge of the very animals she yearned to learn about. ‘I was never allowed to ride a horse until I was fourteen and I used to watch the Pony Club camp held at Haydock racecourse every summer, which backed onto where I lived,’ says Amy Martin wistfully. ‘I really wanted to join in.’
Despite learning to ride at an older age than many children, Amy, 46, didn’t let anything hold her back. Horses led her to work at, ironically, Haydock Racecourse and subsequently Aintree, where she is now Stable Manager.
Being employed by the Jockey Club-owned racehorses has also opened other doors. One year, Dominic Toole, a fellow stable manager based at Epsom Downs and Sandown, asked colleagues at the Jockey Club if he could visit the stables at Aintree, meeting Amy in the process. ‘We then took it on ourselves to say, “I’ll come and help you, so you must come and help me.” It works really well, because I know that I’ve got someone in Dom who knows exactly what he’s doing and it’s the same for Dom – he knows I can step in if he’s tied up elsewhere.’ Hence, why they will go and work at each other’s racecourses for their biggest meetings, the Grand National and the Derby.
Racing hasn’t only given Amy her career but she also met her partner Mike at Aintree. He worked there until April 2025 and now works at Haydock as Operations Manager. They have two children, Erin, 19, and Ben, 18 and live in a little town called Simonswood, which is a mere ten minutes from Aintree racecourse. A menagerie of beloved pets adds to the busy work schedule.
‘Two years ago, I inherited an ex-racehorse through my job – I was offered the chance to take on Off Your Rocco, nicknamed Rocky, after he had catastrophically injured his leg. We also have two little Welsh ponies called Jaxson and Ella, known as the ‘Fat Club’ because they literally live on fresh air,’ laughs Amy. Her and Mike also own Billy the border collie, Ginny the Yorkshire terrier cross Chihuahua, who is described as a ‘cheeky little black fluffy dog’ and Molly the cat, who stays in their bedroom most of the time!
Amy is an undenieably cheery member of the Aintree team, warmly welcoming horses and humans alike with a big smile and lots of merriment. She works hard to ensure everyone has all they all the need and the best stay possible: the embodiment of any racecourse stable manager.
Did you have a horsey childhood? The first horse I went to try in view to buy, threw me off, fractured my skull and put me in hospital for a week. So, my horsey career didn't start well… but I wasn’t put off.
How did you get into racing? A girl, who kept her horse at the same livery yard as I did, was a horse catcher at Haydock and they needed an extra pair of hands. I was literally in the right place at the right time.
What have been your roles in racing? At Haydock racecourse, I did the horse catching and then when COVID struck, we didn't race at Aintree but we still raced at Haydock. At the time, Pam, the stable manager at Haydock, had just retired so I did twelve months at Haydock as stable manager. At Aintree, I've done horse catching, mucking out and stable manager.
How to do start as stable manager at Aintree? After Derek ‘Dec’ Thompson retired, Steve Elms did a year as stable manager. I helped him muck out for that one year. He left shortly after the Grand National. I was talking Andrew Tulloch who was clerk of the course at the time, and I knew I could prove I could do it. I stepped in in 2015, making the 2016 Grand National my first in charge, which was won by Rule The World.
Describe your job: I make sure the racecourse stables are clean and fit for the racehorses; that they're up to British Horseracing Authority standards and I maintain them throughout the year. At Aintree, we have a lot of showjumping shows so we can have up to four hundred horses on site for those. I also make sure these run smoothly, whilst keeping up the integrity of the racing stables. The best way to put it is that two days are never the same.
Describe your daily routine on a non-race day: I get to Aintree about 7:00, and it's great to get in early because it's quiet. After racing, there’s a lot of mucking out and tidying up. Some stables might need to be washed out and re-bedded. The yard always needs to be cleaned, and I make sure there's enough bedding in stock. There's also a lot of work outside the stables at the arena, keeping that tidy and correct, and moving the show jumps and dressage arenas as needed.
Describe your daily routine on a race day: Race days are amazing! I get there at 5:30 just to make sure everything is right and set up for the day. That hour of quiet gives me peace of mind, before it gets busy. If we've had overnighters, they go out on the gallops at 7:00 so I make sure they're alright. We then start to get day runners arriving. So, I work along with the BHA to get those all stables allocated, solving any problems they might have, give them extra bedding or anything else they need. Once racing has started, it's a case of keeping an eye on the horses coming back in and if it's hot, making sure they get plenty of water to put over them in the yard itself, not just over on the course. I also oversee if the vets need anything for the vet box.
Have you had any strange requests off trainers? I've not had so much funny or strange requests, but I find them very superstitious, specially the Irish. If they've had a winner in a certain stable, then they want that stable for ever more. We have a lot of random soft toys tied to stable doors for the horses to play with. A lot of goats come in as companions for horses, which is probably the strangest thing to see coming onto a racecourse.
What do you love about Aintree? It’s the history behind the race and being part of the biggest race of the year. The buildup starts in January and even then, there’s a tingling that the Grand National is coming. It’s being centre stage for that one day with the whole word watching.
Aintree is a magic place – you get it for all it’s worth or you don’t.
What do you love about racing? The excitement, the whole sport… I especially love the care and attention that goes into the horses and how well they are looked after. I see firsthand how well they are cared for; that they’re treated like royalty. Having never grown up in racing, I thought I wouldn’t be hooked by racing but once I got into it, racing truly got me in every way.
Favourite Grand National winner: I think it has to be Rule The World as he won the Grand National that first year I was stable manager. In the morning, when it was still very early, I was talking to his lad by their stable. He casually turned round and said, ‘This’ll win the National.’ It was such a magical moment: standing there and hearing that, and for it then to happen.
Racing hero: I’ve always admired Katie Walsh. She’s a brilliant rider and such a genuinely nice person as well. I always wanted her to be the first woman to win the National. She did brilliantly to finish third on Seabass in 2012.
Which Grand National meeting has been very special to you personally? This year felt special. In terms of runners, it was very busy, but everything all fitted successfully together. At the end of the Saturday, I reflected, ‘Wow, that a challenge but everything went so well.’
What makes the Grand National meeting special? The absolutely insaneness of it. We live on two hours of sleep. The whole racecourse and racing community comes together. Everyone is in a fabulous mood and bouncing – the whole of Liverpool is the same. It’s all everyone is talking about. I go home in my Jockey Club uniform, and I always get stopped for tips.
The whole of the meeting is special. That magic is indescribable unless you are there, and you witness it unfolding. You also can’t beat that feeling on the Saturday night when everyone has finished and gone but you’ve done it: you’ve put that show on again. I’m exhausted but buzzing.
What are your biggest challenges over the three days? Fitting in everyone and the horses. I have 159 stables that I must put over 350 horses in over three days. I couldn’t describe how to do it – it’s like the most complicated and weird jigsaw, especially fitting trainers in where they like to be, which adds an extra twist to the challenge.
Do you have any other favourite meeting at Aintree? Becher Chase day is really good but, after thinking I’d hate it, I loved the new Boxing Day fixture. It was brilliant. Everyone was in a festive mood because it was Christmas and the racing was great. I never thought I’d say it, but I really enjoyed that day.
Favourite meal: Cheesy nachos.
Favourite drink: Cool, icy, crisp cider.
Favourite snack: Crisps, which are my absolute weakness.
Favourite holiday destination: The Dominican Republic. We spent two weeks there last year for our anniversary and it was an amazing place.
Other hobbies/interests: (Chuckling.) I don't have time for much more but I go riding, dog walking and look after our pets. I took our ex-racehorse to the ROR championship last year and I'd love to go again so I plan to do a lot more ROR classes this year.
Favourite music: Classic 1980s cheese.
Favourite film: 10 Things I Hate About You.
Ideal day off: Riding, sunshine and that cool cider in a pub beer garden.
Style Award Winners - with a jokey twist!
Amy is a lovely young lady. The stable yard is in great hands and she is great asset to the racecourse. Aintree racecourse is a special place and it is a great honour for anyone to have the job as stable manager and she is well aware of the buzz one gets from working there.