Understanding training can be key to both successful horses and successful punters.
"All the trainers in the world couldn't make a racehorse out of a donkey." This old proverb might be more cliché, but nevertheless its sentiments ring true among trainers; if the horse isn't armed with natural ability, the trainer will be unable to add it to the mix.
A runner won't win a marathon if he doesn't prepare properly; similarly racehorse trainers spend long hours preparing their cares for the big day. It's a slow, steady process - a soft approach to start with before gradually building up to fast work and peak fitness. To take a horse in from the field and prepare it for its first race can take anywhere from five to 12 months, with the physical well-being and fortitude of the horse dictating the rate of progress.
Trainers use many tools to help aid a horse's progress. Obvious among them are gallops on sand, wood chips, or natural grass. Lesser-known tools are "horse walkers" (machines that take the horse for a walk) and swimming pools. Stable lads, work riders, and vets are also very important tools for trainers, and should not be casually dismissed.
Skills to pay the bills
Unlike an Olympic athlete sitting in his trainer's office, a horse can't sit down over a bucket of oats and discuss the training regime that it's under. The trainer uses skills he has amassed over many years of working with horses to read the telltale signs and subtle indicators of progress. A good trainer can recognise when things are moving too fast or too slow, and adjust accordingly.
Trainers need to look for little signs along the way, such as how well the horse is eating, how its weight is fluctuating, and how its muscle tone has developed. I once asked a trainer how he knew when a horse was progressing along the right lines. "How do you know when some girl is making eyes at you across a dance floor?" he replied.
Many find it hard to articulate the nuances of their trade, but understanding the general routine is quite simple. Different trainers adopt their own preferred approach, but there are common elements in all.
Work it, baby
The first stage is what is called "road work." The trainer wants to begin a routine for the horse that will finally lead to the racecourse. A stable lad will ride the horse around the roads for a couple of hours a day. It is nothing more than a walk, but so begins the routine. The horse adapts to the habit of routine exercise and is given the opportunity to develop mentally, while all the time getting associated with its stable lad. At this stage, the horse may be asked to walk up to 14 miles a day; the distance varies according to the trainer's preference. This road work can last anywhere from six to 12 weeks.
Once the horse has done considerable road work, the trainer will move it to the next stage - slow canters. This may be a couple of six- or seven-furlong spins up the gallop every morning, gradually building to three spins and then a little more until the trainer will ask the work rider to increase the intensity of the canters. This stage is the longest part of the journey, where the trainer is laying the foundation upon which he hopes to build future success.
Within 10 to 12 weeks of the racecourse debut, the horse will have its first gallop. This is a step on from previous efforts, with intensity building to near racing pace. At this stage, the cream will begin to rise to the top. Early indicators of brilliance may be confirmed or shallow dreams of greatness are destroyed as the horse is subject to its most intense routine work.
The last furlong
The first time that a horse does this piece of work and how it reacts to it in the subsequent 24 hours will tell the trainer almost everything he needs to know about the "hardiness" of his care. The trainer wants to see his horse "lick the pot bare"; he wants a "good grubber," in general terms, a horse that can do some tough work and eat well afterward, having a good constitution along with a willingness and physical well-being to sustain intense training.
The horse will gallop intermittently up to the time of its debut, maybe every six to eight days, and will continue to canter in between, all the time getting closer to peak fitness. Often, the trainer will choose to take the horse for an away day. This is generally a trip to a racecourse on a day when it is closed to the public but remains at a trainer's disposal, to allow a training session in as close to race conditions as possible.
One oft heard phrase - "He will come on plenty for that run today" - is frequently peddled by trainers. What has gone wrong that after all of his efforts, the horse still isn't fit enough to do itself justice on its debut? It's simply a matter of style. Some trainers extend the training time period to include the first race of a horse's career. This is done to ensure that the whole training experience carries the least amount of stress possible for the animal. The away day and the actual racecourse debut are often interchanged at a trainer's discretion.
Horse sense ain't nonsense
So, what should a punter look for when examining a horse's training regime? At the simplest level, some basic analysis will identify the trainers whose horses improve for their first run and those trainers whose horses are always 100 percent fighting fit on their debut. This simple tool can often be the difference between backing a winner and a loser.
Paddock inspection is also a very important tool. Without claiming to be an expert on the physical appearance of any horse, some careful observation from the punter can help him on his way to profit. Not unlike humans, the fittest horses will be the ones that are well-toned, with good muscle definition. A tight rump and abdomen are also key indicators that a horse is ready to go.
Trainers are under the most scrutiny over the winter months, when they are preparing the antepost fancies for the guineas. This year was unusual, as the same trainer was preparing the antepost favourite for both the 1,000 and 2,000 guineas. Teofilio was the animal taking the spotlight from its stablemate Finsceal Beo. However, when the dust had settled, Finsceal Beo was the champion and Teofilio was left back home in its box, having suffered a training setback at the 11th hour.
Run like the wind
The journey from the field to the racecourse is rarely straightforward and is fraught with pitfalls, including injury and illness. Sometimes the horse is just no good. Every owner thinks his horse is a superstar; mix this with a trainer who confuses ugly ducklings for elegant swans and you have a potential recipe for disaster.
If you are an owner and your horse is healthy enough and blessed with sufficient natural ability to be a winner, how often will it run? Again, this is dictated by the horse, from which the trainer must read the subtle tells.
Some horses thrive on racing, week in and week out; it's what keeps them going. Limestone Lad is a prime example of such a horse; his name in the racecard became as common a sight as savoury delights on Pancake Tuesday! Best Mate, however, was at the other end of the scale - restricted to three or four outings a year.
In recent years, there also has been media outcry when certain horses have been over-raced due to external influences. Monkerhostein and Royal Shakespeare, in their quest for the Tote Order of Merit, raced a significant number of times over a short period of time. The media spotlight led to both owners agreeing to split the prize, and it was agreed in all quarters that common sense won out.
