Godolphin revamp: responsibility shift for pre-training operation

Godolphin's vast pre-training operation in Newmarket is to be restructured in the coming months in a move that will shift the responsibility of breaking in yearlings to their respective trainers.

Since its inception around 20 years ago, the former Darley pre-training sites on the Hamilton Road which include Ed Dunlop's former base at Gainsborough Stables, have been used to prepare yearlings for Godolphin trainers and other Maktoum associates.

The Hamilton Hill operation also covers neighbouring Craven Stables as well as Charlcombe Lodge which houses a Seawalker, one of only a handful in Newmarket.

From this autumn, Godolphin's flagship trainers such as Charlie Appleby and Saeed Bin Suroor will have to break their own stock in on site at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin Stables with some of the staff from the Hamilton Hill yards joining them.

Although there are facilities to do so around Newmarket, many of the big trainers choose to have their yearlings broken in and ridden away by specialists such as Malcolm Bastard and Ed Peate away from headquarters.

Although it is to be scaled back, the Godolphin pre-training operation will not be closing any properties and will continue as a recovery centre for horses with injuries or those on a break like Breeders' Cup Turf hero Talismanic who is currently in residence.

Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin, said: "There are to be some changes to the pre-training set up with most of the yearlings going straight to the trainers to be broken in and many of the staff from Hamilton Road joining the wider Godolphin operation."

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