'I really enjoy trying to get the best out of the people who work here'

In the fourth part of our series on the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, Andrea O'Keeffe talks about her role as assistant trainer to husband Jedd and looks back on winning the Community Award in February. The final instalment of this series will be next week.

What do you need to be successful working at a professional stable?

You have to be committed to the industry and you must love the horses. I also think you have to be a real team player, it really is a team environment and you need to be comfortable with that, it's crucial. People can bring many different skills to the workplace and there are many aspects of working within racing which makes yards like ours successful.

What's the best thing about your job?

I still love the riding and am very lucky in that I still get the opportunity to ride out. Beyond that, I love the sales and the process of trying to source horses for our owners. Working with my team is also great as I really enjoy trying to get the best out of the people who work here.

What have you and Jedd learned from each other during your time working together?

We've been doing this for almost 30 years and when it comes to the horses he's taught me so much. He has a phenomenal eye for a horse and I'll never be as good as he is at assessing them or understanding their conformation. On the flip side, he needs me to be methodical and systematic when it comes to the office side of things. I enable him to do his job to the best of his ability.

How high can Sam Spinner fly this season?

The RSA Chase would be the obvious target for us, we're just bringing him along quietly now. We haven't challenged him too much yet but we're thrilled with his progress this season. The plan is to hopefully win a Grade 1 chase at some point.

What was it like to win the award?

I was so honoured to have been nominated in the first place and I was up against some people who are doing fantastic work in the racing community. I was totally shocked to win and it was a great experience. The most important thing was to win the £5,000, which I split equally between five charities.

Why are the awards so important?

The Godolphin organisation is so important to the racing industry and the support it gives to these awards is amazing. The awards give every individual working within racing the opportunity to be recognised for the amazing work they do. It is not about the winners on the track or the most successful yards, it's more about the work and achievements of everyone who works in the industry.

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