Good staff and good horses the secret to success says high-flyer Watson

Trainer Archie Watson is vowing to build on an incredibly impressive start to his career and on Wednesday stressed that it was the quality of his staff, as well as his horses, that has allowed him to progress at such unrelenting speed.

Having started out with three horses bought on spec in the summer of 2016, Watson, 30, became just the fourth Lambourn-based trainer to saddle 100 winners in a calendar year in 2018, as well as gaining a first Royal Ascot victory with Soldier’s Call, who went on to finish third in the Prix de l’Abbaye.

Watson’s operation has mushroomed to cater for 115 horses this season – from 80 last year – and the trainer, who counts the likes of Cheveley Park Stud and The Royal Ascot Racing Club as owners for the first time this year, is keen for more if he is able to recruit enough staff to give his horses the attention he feels they require to be at their best.

Soldier's Call: represented Watson at Group 1 level last seasonCredit: Mark Cranham

Speaking at a media morning at his yard, he said: “We had 70-80 in last year and have 115 boxes now. When we started we had zero. We bought three on spec and they looked very lonely in the yard.

“It’s gone very well and it’s all to do with my staff. I’m very fortunate to have a very good team; ultimately, that’s what’s going to be the limiting factor right now, rather than the number of boxes or number of horses I want to train or people want to send here.

“We want to be able to do everything properly and give the horses the attention and individual care, but we need the staff to be able to do that. I’d love to be able to train more, but I want to do that only if we can treat the horses in the way we want to.”

Watson more than doubled his number of winners last year and has made a fast start to the year with his juveniles, with three two-year-old winners on the board including impressive Kempton winner Lady Kermit.

Archie Watson's string prepares to go out to the gallopsCredit: Getty Images

“Everyone asks what we do that’s different, what's our secret, and the answer is we don’t really do anything different,” he said.

“We've brilliant staff and extremely good work-riders who educate the horses and work with me. The likes of Eddy Greatrex, Hollie Doyle, John Fahy, Thomas Brown and Michael Murphy are in here riding work, teaching the horses and then giving me great feedback to allow me to plan the right races.

“I’ve always wanted to give people a chance and we do have a lot of younger staff here and younger jockeys too because they know how I like my horses ridden. They perhaps aren’t as stuck in their ways as people who have been around a while. It works well for us.”

He added: “My horses go to the races knowing their job. Everyone says we do well because we use barrier trials, but plenty of other trainers do as well. So all I can point to is my staff and planning the right races.

“Right now everyone’s getting overexcited about my two-year-olds, but it might just be my two-year-olds are more forward than other people's right now. I hope, and think, I’ve got some very nice young horses, but it’s very early in the season.”

Archie Watson: does particularly well with his two-year-oldsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Archie Watson is set for a busy Good Friday with runners at all three meetings. Here's what he had to say about his team . . .

Gorgeous Noora
All-Weather Fillies & Mares Final, Lingfield

She’s improved with age and might be a better horse on the all-weather too. I think she’s a seriously talented sprinter and hope she’d be hard to beat in this race if she can stay the trip well. Barring an act of God, she won’t beat Kachy in the Sprint as he’s a Group 1 horse on the all-weather, and this race is traditionally a weaker event. Hollie Doyle rides.

Silver Quartz
All-Weather Mile Final, Lingfield

He ran a very good race in the Lincoln, where he was the only horse to attempt to put it up to the winner Auxerre, and he’s going to be a Group horse. He ran a very good race when second at Wolverhampton and that form puts him in with a solid chance in this race as it isn't the strongest division this year. I think he’s up to winning a big race like this, or maybe something like the Royal Hunt Cup. Luke Morris rides.

Lady Kermit
Ladbrokes Novice Race, Newcastle

It’s the right race for her as she'll carry less of a penalty than a normal novice race. She looked very good when she won at Kempton first time and we like her. If everything went to plan at Newcastle we’d look at the Marygate Stakes at York and then hope to go for the Queen Mary.

Shumookhi
Lansdown Stakes, Bath

She’s not very big – horses by Society Rock don’t tend to be – but she was a star for us last season and I hope she’s trained on. She’s been working very well and the return to better ground and going against the fillies should help her.

For the freshest betting advice, based on latest going and market conditions, don't miss the Live Tipster every afternoon. Just click Raceday Live at racingpost.com or the mobile app