What's it like to be Britain's most far-flung training outfit?
For Jackie and Patrick Stephen, a four-hour round trip to Perth is shortest hop
The beautiful patchwork quilt of rivers, fields and trees of north-east Scotland is best seen from the air. And if you’re travelling from London to visit Britain’s most northerly trainer, it’s best to be in the air.
The train journey from Kings Cross to Inverurie, Jackie Stephen’s nearest station, takes seven and a half hours. The flight from Heathrow to Aberdeen is an hour and a half.
From the airport, it’s a 20-minute drive to the yard of a trainer who, when it comes to distances, knew what she was getting into when taking out a licence in 2012, in conjunction with husband Patrick, who, being the box driver, knew the score too.
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Copy- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard
- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard