Classic-winning trainer Keatley relocates to England in bid to save career

Adrian Keatley, the man who gave hope to smaller trainers across the world when he landed the 2016 Irish 1,000 Guineas with Jet Setting only two years after taking out his licence, has decided to up sticks and move to the north of England in a bid to salvage his career.

Keatley, who signed off in Ireland on Thursday with a winner, has described the daily struggle of trying to keep his operation viable in Ireland as "braindead stuff", and after a year and a half of battling to keep his business afloat, decided a move to a new base in England was the only answer.

He said: "I'm going to rebase myself and start again. When you're working hard and it's costing you money it's pretty braindead stuff to keep at it.

Jet Setting won the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 2016 for KeatleyCredit: Caroline Norris

"The plan is to move to the north of England – I've sourced a small base up there and I'm lucky to have a few owners who are going to support me."

He added: "Training in Ireland hasn't been paying the bills for me for the last year and a half so I had to make a decision. I'm lucky I'm young enough that I have no commitments and I have nothing tying me down to stay in Ireland. A lot of other lads wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing."

Keatley's best year came in 2017 when he sent out 14 winners on the Flat domestically but he's had only two winners across all codes in Ireland in 2019.

Stressing there was no sentiment in his decision, the trainer added: "I love racing and I love horses, but there's no point in being poor just because you have a passion."

Keatley has since gone out on a high, winning with his final runner as an Irish-based trainer when Drumconnor Lad landed the 2m1f handicap chase at Leopardstown on Thursday.

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