I first met Graeme McPherson QC, co-owner of Martins Hill Racing with his wife Seanin at a drinks party back in August. They are unusual in as much as they have been able to combine successful careers as barristers, Graeme took silk back in 2008, with training race horses in an idyllic spot just outside Stow. Prior to receiving their license to train under rules last year the McPhersons trained a number of point to pointers and they are both active with the Cotswold Hunt so it would be wrong to call them complete novices in this regard, far from it, they've already trained four winners this season, most recently last weekend with The Good Guy at Fontwell. So Graeme is already well on his way to achieving his target of 10 winners in his first season and my suspicion is that they will do better than that in the final reckoning.
Martins Hill has got it all. Recently developed stable boxes, a tightly knit team, its own gallops, walker and nursery fences all neatly nestled on the side of one of those fabled Laurie Lee type Cotswold slopes with far reaching views over to Wick Hill and mellow hued Maugersbury. The McPhersons have 28 horses in their yard and they have also already attracted a yard sponsor in the shape of Nailsworth Mill Estate who have, amongst other things, helped finance the smart navy blue Martins Hill Racing yard apparel and branded the jockeys' silks to help cover the costs borne by the owners for their raceday services (currently around £140 per ride).
As Graeme showed me round the yard I got the magical impression that they will ultimately be very successful as trainers too. He has a refreshingly straight forward and realistic approach to his racing ambitions. There is an eclectic but predominantly local owner base, from the butcher in Stow to the owner of a local estate agency to a small syndicate of four friends who live nearby, one of whom actually rides out for Graeme. Owning racehorses can be expensive, of course, but ultimately the cost much depends on where you set your sights and how well you are advised. I would feel totally comfortable being advised by Graeme and his team if I wanted to realise one of my ambitions and become an owner - they are in this game for the long term and I like his approach immensely. The yard is big enough to attract high calibre staff and owners yet still small enough to preserve the personal touch; this is the way the McPhersons want it to remain.
So, after coffee and a few quick fire introductions (it's a bustling, busy place at 7.45am as the gallops beckon) to Graeme's yard manager Mick Finn, head jockey Jodie Mogford and the delightful Ollie Curl, one of Jodie's assistants, I was taken on a fascinating tour of the stable to meet some of the horses (see pictures). Then only a stroll to the end of the drive to access the gallops located the other side of the Kingham road (no need for 4x4 access here) to watch the second lot go through their paces blowing their way up a 900m ascent. Then, after a final goodbye yap from Molly the yard's miniature Dachshund, I headed home for some breakfast all the while dreaming that one day, hopefully in the not too distant future, I would return as a proud and extremely welcome owner to Martins Hill.
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