Desert Orchid

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Pupil Assistant to Ian Williams. Biggest influence on your career? I've been lucky to get guidance and advice from many great people, Ian gave me a great chance at the start. More recently Joe Osborne and David Redvers have been great influences in different ways and I have to mention my colleague Nick Craven at Weatherbys. My family has also been very supportive of me working in racing. Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? Sea The Stars really was a huge favourite of...

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Mucking out at Guirys 1 in Coolmore Ireland on my year out from University. I think there were 20 foals in the barn - 18 by Sadler's Wells and two by Danehill. Biggest influence on your career? Ultimately, my father, who introduced both my brother William and I to racing. He loved his National Hunt and we spent many a happy afternoon at Huntingdon and Towcester. Later in life, both Richard Henry and Simon Mockridge played major roles in my experience and development. Favourite...

This is about horses and racing and Christmas, but I want to start with football. I know nothing about football. I do know, however, that it is a thing of profound passion. I sometimes wonder how people can follow their teams, week in, week out, and stand all the heartbreak. (I have a friend who is a Queen's Park Rangers supporter.)  However, this week I somehow stumbled upon a truly magnificent documentary called Welcome to Wrexham. It's about a down-on-its-luck football club which was suddenly and apparently randomly bought by...

David Elsworth, one of the greatest dual-purpose trainers of all time, has announced that he will not renew his licence next year, and thus retires after more than six decades in the sport. The news was first reported by Racing Post. Elsworth's name will forever be entwined with two of the most beloved horses of the modern era, the legendary steeplechaser Desert Orchid (GB) and the hugely popular stayer Persian Punch (Ire), and in his handling of these two durable stars Elsworth demonstrated both his innate horsemanship and versatility as...