'You've got to have the Gold Cup as the pinnacle this season - but there are lots of nice races before then'
It is all well and good saying success breeds more success but that old adage fails to take into account rising handicap marks.
After a barnstorming 2021-22 season, life was always going to be a little trickier for Venetia Williams and her team last term. Winners were ultimately down year on year but the stable still picked up more than £1 million in prize-money in Britain and landed prestigious races such as the Game Spirit and Rehearsal Chase, so it was by no means an unsuccessful campaign.
"We had an amazing time the season before with several good horses going chasing for the first time and they can usually make hay when they're heading up the ladder, so the following season is always much tougher," says Williams. "We still finished ninth in the trainers' table among the British-based stables and any time you're in the top ten, you've got to say it was a good season."
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
- Richard Hannon: 'He's in the Derby and we were extremely impressed with his win this month - that was no fluke'
- Roger Varian: 'I still think he's unexposed over a mile and a half - but we want to try to win the Prince of Wales's first'
- Jessica Harrington: 'She was second in a Group 1 last year - and it would be fantastic to win one with her'
- Joseph O'Brien: 'He's looked a bit special at home - and it could be straight to Royal Ascot now'
- Tim Easterby: 'He's well handicapped and I'm looking forward to him - we like him a lot'
- Richard Hannon: 'He's in the Derby and we were extremely impressed with his win this month - that was no fluke'
- Roger Varian: 'I still think he's unexposed over a mile and a half - but we want to try to win the Prince of Wales's first'
- Jessica Harrington: 'She was second in a Group 1 last year - and it would be fantastic to win one with her'
- Joseph O'Brien: 'He's looked a bit special at home - and it could be straight to Royal Ascot now'
- Tim Easterby: 'He's well handicapped and I'm looking forward to him - we like him a lot'