Seamus Durack has been named as the employed trainer of Principle Racing and will train out of Newlands Stables in Upper Lambourn. Durack, who rode 500 winners during his career in the saddle, first took out a licence in 2011. Principle Racing's Ritchie Fiddes recently purchased Newlands. Principle Racing was formed earlier in 2021 by Ritchie and his fiancé Hazel. Durack will have a dual-purpose licence, and will begin with around 30 horses in training with the long-term aim to build up to 50 head. The Newlands property already has 76 stables on site.
“Due to our use of data and marginal gains it was crucial for us to find either a new trainer or existing trainer who bought into or already used modern methods to maximise performance and welfare,” said Fiddes, who sold his share of an IT company in 2013. “Seamus actually approached us about working together on the same day we were planning on approaching him.
“In addition to Seamus being a successful jump jockey and achieving very good results under both codes with a relatively small string, he uses the same technology as ourselves to monitor all training and has exactly the same methods of managing diets and nutrition as we do.
“We plan on growing to 40 to 50 horses in a controlled way which allows us to focus on individual care and training programmes whilst helping our owners to trade up by increasing the quality of their horses, which will in turn increase the quality of horses we are able to train.
“The key advantages are that myself, Hazel and Seamus can work as a team spreading the workload using our skills and experience to ensure the horses receive the best possible care and our owners receive a great service which is also value for money.”
Durack said, “I am happy to be teaming up with Ritchie and Hazel at Principle Racing and returning to Newlands Stables where I started training.
“Ritchie and Hazel have great ambitions and an enthusiastic, methodical approach. I like the fact that they are focussed on providing owners with as rewarding and enjoyable an experience as possible.
“It's a great opportunity and it will be nice to be involved as part of a team effort which hopefully will benefit all involved, including the horses, owners and staff.
“I'm looking forward to starting next week with a small team of horses and adding to the numbers over the next few months. There are several horses in line to be sent to us and the plan is to be active at sales through the early part of 2022 and going forward.”
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