An Interview with Top Trainer John Gallagher

Nestled amongst the big-time Cotswold trainers like Jonjo O’Neill, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Ben Pauling is successful Flat trainer John Gallagher.

‘The good days are really really good. Winners give us all a lift, the girls on the yard are bouncing and the bad winter weather is forgotten,’ says John. We chatted just after he’d sent out his first winner of the season, First Encounter at Wolverhampton on January 30^th, who then followed up by winning again at Lingfield on the February 25th.

John, 59, started training in 2000 and sent out his first winner that November: Sleeting won a selling hurdle at Taunton, ridden by Richard Johnson. ‘I bought him from John Mackie for 900 Guineas and he was a little chestnut with a pin in his joint, and gave ‘Dickie’ his fastest hundredth win that season.’

Richard Johnson and John were old friends even in 2000, when they’d known each other since Dickie had started at David ‘The Duke’ Nicholson’s. ‘I gave Dickie one of his first outside rides in a bumper at Perth but it ran out. A fortnight later, they got brought down in another bumper and finally got round at Newbury. Dickie was as delighted as if he’d ridden a winner.’

John has sent out nearly over two hundred and fifty winners from his base at Grove Farm in Chastleton, and has an impressive strike rate of winners from the stable that runs between ten and twenty each summer. Hollybell was an early flagbearer, leading to big days when Green Power won the Shergar Cup at Ascot, Majestic Moon won competitive handicaps at Newmarket and Ascot and Quench Dolly gave the yard a Glorious Goodwood success.

John credits the team around him, praising his loyal, long-term staff members Jayde Sleaford and Millie Loveridge. ‘They have been with been with me a long time and are brilliant,’ he says. ‘After all, as you know, it’s the riders that make the horses.’

Growing up in a non-horsey family in Houghton-le-Spring, between Durham and Sunderland, John followed his dream of going into racing. ‘I consider myself very lucky because there aren’t many people doing a job that they wanted to do from childhood. Racing is what I wanted to do, I’m still doing it and I’m still enjoying it.’

Married to Becky in 2001, they have two sons. Ollie, 21, who does a ‘bit of everything’ including working at The Bull in Charlbury, Forestry and rolling the gallops, and Tom, who is studying for A-Levels. Plus, they own two dogs, Bruno and Poppet.

Did you have a horsey childhood? No, not as such. None of my family had anything to do with horses. Because I was quite small, I gave a chap a hand breaking in ponies, and I also helped him with his pigeons and chickens on his allotment. That’s how it started.

How did you get into racing? On a Saturday afternoon, after we’d done all the animals, I would go back, cook lunch and watch the racing on the TV. Whilst watching it one day, I thought, I could do that. So, I did.

Were you a jockey? I was an amateur, I didn’t have too many rides but did have a winner.

Trainers worked for: My first job was in Scotland for Harry Bell for eight months. My second job was at Peter Harris’ in Tring, where I went to be conditional jockey. Then, I went to Kevin Ivory’s as second head lad. From there, I was head lad at John Mackie, worked for John White and I was head lad at Karl Burke’s before going to Dursley as Assistant Trainer to Lord Tyrone before I started to train.

Has racing taken you abroad? I went to Australia for six months, work riding on the track for Gai Waterhouse and Bart Cummins. Since then, I ran Mac Gillie Eoin in Dubai.

How did you start training? I didn’t always have training in mind. When we came back to Gloucestershire, we were doing the point-to-pointers and Rebecca had a permit. Our point-to-point owner said he wanted us to get our full licence so his could run over hurdles and on the Flat. I said I wouldn’t really be up for training – it was expensive to do the modules - but he persuaded me. Back then, one of the conditions were you had to have a minimum of ten horses in training, so I said I’d do it if he’d guarantee me those ten. He agreed so I said I’d do it! That’s who we bought Sleeting for, as well as Moon Glow, who won plenty for him.

So, I basically started training by being hoodwinked into it! But it was the best thing I have ever done.

How did you start concentrating on training on the Flat? It wasn’t a conscious decision. A friend of a friend had a yearling that they’d bred at Witney Stud, and we got her to break and to see how we got on with her. She turned out to be Hollybell – she was tiny, not big at all and the owner was advised to give her away. After we eventually broke her in – she was a bit wild – she was rapid and so quick, and won us lots of races. As we’re in in jumping country, her success was more of a novelty, so people started to send me Flat horses.

After Hollybell retired, we bought her and she had lots of babies. All of her progeny did well and we’ve still got some now. Her daughter Quench Dolly won at Glorious Goodwood for us – all from one little yearling.

Favourite racehorse: Hollybell – even though she was quite tricky, she was lovely.

Another we trained, Major Pusey was so gorgeous in every way. His mum Pusey Street Lady won for us; he won for us and his sister Havana Pusey is now rated 94 for us.

Favourite racecourse: I have two. My favourite big course is Goodwood and my favourite little track is Brighton – we have lots of winners there. It’s a great racecourse – in the summer, it’s a really lovely place to go.

Pusey Street Lady winning at Windsor in May 2007 - one of a successful family that John is still training now

Best days so far: When Quench Dolly won at Glorious Goodwood and when she won at Goodwood first time out as a two-year-old, which was a special day. She was unbelievable. Plus, when we won the Shergar Cup with Green Power.

How has racing changed for the worse? There’s too much racing, whereas before the jump boys had their break in the summer and the Flat boys had theirs in the winter, so everyone had a break during the year. Now, there’s racing nearly every day. It’s hard to keep going if you don’t have the horses to race throughout the year.

How has racing changed for the better? I’m not sure racing has changed for the better but the staff are looked after so much better than they used to be, including welfare and increased wages.

Which trainer do you admire? On the Flat, Sir Mark Prescott is a genius, and Karl Burke has gone from a small yard to be huge and who taught me a lot.

Over jumps, I’ve always admired Jonjo O’Neill. Years ago, he sold us Granny’s Prayer, who went on to win the final Hunter Chase of the year when Towcester was still operating. Jonjo has always been good to us and always has spoken kindly of us. If we see each other st the races, we always have a chat and he’s a top man.

How secure is the future of the smaller trainer? I think that the days of small trainers maybe numbered and it is such a shame as owners will miss out on that more personal experience for themselves and their horses.

What are the positives of a smaller training establishment? The fairy-tale element of the small trainer is good for racing – it’s good for the sport and gives everyone hope. It’s always a great buzz to rub shoulders with the big boys and beat them. Racing is better off with the small trainers than without them.

What do you love about racing? Strangely enough, I love getting up nice early and I love watching the horses on the gallops. When it’s quiet at home, it’s nice to walk round the yard and see the horses – it’s relaxing.

By breeding a few, there is nothing better than watching a horse from conception through to the racecourse and the winner’s enclosure. We do well with our home-breds and it’s like watching your children grow up, go to school and do well.

If you weren’t a trainer, what job would you have done? When I was at school, my careers officer asked, ‘So, what do you want to do when you leave?’ I answered that I wanted to be a jockey. There was a sudden intake of breath and the answer, ‘There’s not much need for those in the north-east, do you have a second choice?’ I didn’t – I only wanted to be a jockey. She said, ‘I will put you down as a lorry driver’. Ironically, before I started training, I did pass my HGV Class 1 and drove a lorry for a while. That careers officer wasn’t completely wrong, and I do enjoy driving.

Favourite meal: I love a seafood linguine.

Favourite drink: A glass of Merlot.

Favourite holiday destination: In this country, I love going down to Dorset. One of my favourite places abroad that Bec and I visited is Australia. If I was to train anywhere else in the world, I’d train there – it’s clean with warm weather and friendly people.

Favourite music: I used to love reggae and I still like it, but I’ve got massively into country now. The modern country is great. My eldest Ollie and I saw Warren Zeiders last year and it was brilliant. This year, we’ve got tickets to Luke Coombs. The girls probably are less keen on my music choice because I put on my playlist in the lorry when we go racing.

Favourite TV program: I like a quiz and watch The Chase if I’m in the house on time.

Favourite film: Christmas Vacation. We rewatch it lots every Christmas.

Favourite book: I get too impatient and can’t concentrate long enough to finish a book.

Other hobbies: I love going sea fishing in Dorset and attempt to play golf with Ollie.