Shaquille-less Julie Camacho out to build on record-breaking 2023 - starting with four runners on £285,000 Newcastle card

Follow that. Record-breaking trainer Julie Camacho begins the task of building on a stunning 2023 with four runners on the first All-Weather Championships Trials day at Newcastle on Monday. 

She smashed the previous best total prize-money by a female Flat trainer in Britain last year, earning just short of £1.3 million and making a Group 1 breakthrough with Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup.

The crack sprinter has been retired to stud but Camacho, who was voted trainer of the year at the Horserace Writers & Photographers Derby Awards, has a full house at her Malton yard and is looking forward to making another mark in 2024.

Shaquille: The July Cup winner (right) has now been retired to stud Credit: Alan Crowhurst

"The bar is high now but we feel fortunate because we've got some nice horses and we hope we can do well again and find another star," said Steve Brown, her husband and assistant.

"We're at our maximum, which is about 65, and we're looking forward to it. We have a solid bunch of horses, it's another year and another challenge and we're in a good situation to have some nice winners. The aim is to keep upgrading the stable."

Those left to carry the flag for a yard where Camacho took over the licence from her father Maurice in 1998 include Ayr Gold Cup winner Significantly and Badri, who landed a £45,000 handicap at Ascot in October.

"Significantly could go either way, we could look at Listed races or handicaps and I'd imagine we'll combine the two," said Brown. "He's wintered well, he's in good shape and we'll get him ready quite early because he likes cut in the ground.

Significantly: won the Ayr Gold CupCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"We'd like to get Badri ready for the six-furlong Listed race at Lingfield on February 4, and he's coming along nicely.

"We're excited about L'Ennemi, who we paid 120,000gns for out of Ralph Beckett's. He's rated in the low-80s and will be starting in handicaps but he has a decent level of form and some of it has worked out well. We know Ralph thought a bit of him."

The yard is hoping for a good start to 2024 on Monday, with four chances in £45,000 handicaps on a card worth £285,000.

"Symbol Of Light (3.45) was possibly a little bit unlucky last time as he got stopped in his run at a vital time and he wasn't beaten far," said Brown. "We like him and he clearly favours the all-weather at the moment.

"Beraz (3.10) ran well in the November Handicap and I'm quite comfortable dropping him back in trip as he'll appreciate a stronger pace. Dingle (3.10) is a good all-weather horse and although we'd have preferred to run him in the mile race, he's won over a mile and a quarter.

"Pendleton (5.15) is in the six-furlong handicap and won well over course and distance last time. This is a deeper race but he's run to a good level in the past so we hope he can be competitive."

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