'He'll be right at the very top and I want to be there too' - Kieran Shoemark's strong backing for new boss Ed Walker

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Kieran Shoemark believes trainer Ed Walker is on course to reach the top of British Flat racing within the next five years.

Shoemark was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday’s newspaper in which he opens up about the “brutal” blow of losing his job as number one jockey to John and Thady Gosden last year.

However, that difficult period in his career led to a successful link-up with Walker, kicking off just as he found himself caught in the eye of the storm at last year’s Royal Ascot, when he rode two winners across the last two days of the meeting having been forced to watch Field Of Gold, the horse whose defeat in the 2,000 Guineas led to the loss of his job with the Gosdens, run away with the St James’s Palace Stakes under Colin Keane.

"It was a massive week and perfect timing," he said. "I'd just started riding out for Ed Walker and then bang! Two Royal Ascot winners and that almost sealed it. I was just thrilled how that week worked out."

Since then, Walker and Shoemark have struck up a rewarding partnership. Walker is in the top ten of the trainers’ championship with 43 winners in Britain this year, 20 of whom have been ridden by Shoemark, who also steered the trainer’s Almaqam to Group 1 success in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland.

Almaqam: Group 1 winner for Ed Walker and Kieran ShoemarkCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"I spend a lot of time with Ed and he's never content. He's always striving and wanting to look forward and that rubs off on me. He's so passionate and desperate to succeed, which is great.

"He wants people to jump on his wagon and go with him. He's so ambitious and it's infectious. God, he works hard. He's on it and wants to know every little thing about every horse. He listens and he wants to know your opinion. There's a lot of dialogue, which I think is important, and I enjoy working with him."

And Shoemark is unequivocal that Walker has the hallmarks to go on and challenge the top yards in Britain over the coming years.   

"He's got a very ambitious young team and I honestly believe in the next five years he will be up there at the top," he said. "He's investing a lot in his yard and has the scope to develop a top-class operation and training centre for the horses. He's got amazing vision and ambition. He has so much belief and in five years' time I believe he will be competing right at the very top, and I want to be there too."

Read more from Kieran Shoemark in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Racing Post+ Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday.

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