THE Godolphin Flying Start class of 2022-2024 began their final phase of the course at the start of February in Kildangan Stud after returning from a three-week stint in Dubai.

In Dubai, we were fortunate enough to get to see top class racing in Al Ain, Jebel Ali and Meydan, where Charlie Appleby is currently leading the trainers’ championship.

We got exposed to some top-class training facilities such as Al Quoz Stables where Saeed bin Suroor trains and Zabeel Stables where Bhupat Seemar trains.

Racing is truly unique in Dubai with such strong fields competing in their dirt and turf races but also that each trainer has a combination of both elite horses to run on each surface.

We also got to witness Purebred Arabian racing during our time there, which was fascinating to see, especially because it was most of the trainee’s first time being exposed to this racing discipline. The highlight of our time in Dubai was when we got to meet His Highness Sheikh Mohammad and he talked about his love for the industry and the future for Dubai.

Leading trainers

We left the heat of Dubai in the middle of February and returned back to the cooler climate of Ireland, but we hit the ground running with trips to some of Ireland’s leading trainers such as Jessica Harrington and Johnny Murtagh.

These were exceptional visits where they talked through their strings for the coming year and took us through their training regimes and how they incorporate their younger horses into the programme. We got to see the incredible facilities of Ross O’Sullivan’s who is experiencing great results at the minute and is continuing to build on his success.

We then looked at Katie Walsh’s barn where she is preparing a very impressive draft for the upcoming breeze up sales. She talked us through how she prepares them for the sale and the importance for these horses to go on and become good racehorses.

As we are at the beginning of the breeding season, we have been getting exposure to some of the best stud farms in the country and will continue to visit more over the next few months.

Our first stud visit was to Westmeath and to the O’Callaghan family’s Tally-Ho Stud, where we got to see all of their stallions including the new resident, Good Guess.

He is an incredibly well put together horse with a very athletic walk and it’s not hard to imagine that he is at the top of Irish breeders’ minds when doing up their mating plans this year.

Caoimhe Doherty also brought us around Forenaughts Stud and talked us through their mating plans for the upcoming breeding season. We talked through the challenges facing smaller breeders in Ireland and the issues surrounding lower class stallions covering large books of mares.

Business plan

As our time on the programme is in its final phase, we are underway with our business plan assignment, where in pairs or individually, we look at an issue in the industry in which we look to resolve.

This is the biggest project undertaken on the course as it tests us to come up with an innovative product or service which we can successfully market and sell. From conducting over 40 interviews, preparing financial statements and developing or building our concept, this is an exciting challenge as it gets you to start thinking like an entrepreneur but also exposes you to the work involved in starting up a business.

For the next several weeks, we will be taking part in rotations across Kildare, working on various breaking, pre-training and training yards. It should be an incredible experience for all trainees watching how pre-trainers and trainers are operating as the racing season is just about to commence. I am fortunate enough to get to spend my time at Johnny Murtagh’s yard over the next month, a trainer who is consistently in the top five trainers in Ireland.

All trainees have had a social first couple of weeks back in Ireland, which included attending the ITBA Next Gen table quiz. It was a brilliant event where some trainees were fortunate enough to be on the winning team with the prize of four tickets to the Punchestown Festival.

A couple of trainees also went for a days’ hunting with the Tipperary Foxhounds with one trainee taking a tumble when she encountered her first drain.

As the flat season fast approaches, anticipation is building especially with everyone’s eyes fixed on those classic contenders.

For details: www.godolphinflyingstart.com