Course news June 15th - 19th
First Year Trainees
The trainees completed week four of their training placements in the USA, Japan and Argentina. Gary has been developing his eye for yearling evaluation with the Keeneland bloodstock team, while Michael has been gaining office experience and developing his business skills at Fasig-Tipton with Flying Start graduate, Duncan Hinkle.
Charlie, Melanie, Sorrel and Billy have been keeping a close watch on the horses at the various training facilities of their placements in the USA, developing their skills for identifying signs of fitness, health and soundness and discussing race selection and horse progress with the trainers. They are also putting their time management and organisational skills to good use. Charlie had the opportunity to manage Shireff’s horses for a day’s racing at Santa Anita and Melanie is currently taking responsibility for the day-to-day running of Miacomet Farm.
Meagan has been processing claims, interviewing jockeys and assisting with marketing events at Arlington Park. In Argentina, Chance has been to the races at San Isidro and Palermo and attended the La Biznage Yearling Sale. His Spanish is coming on well and he has been gaining an insight into the auction process in South America.
Second Year Trainees
On Tuesday the second year trainees had a talk with Kevin Corley, MRCVS at Kildangan about the interpretation of blood and enzyme analyses for racehorses. They discussed topics such as which blood components are important problem indicators and the best time to take blood samples.
The trainees visited Ballyhane Stud, met the owner/manager, Joe Foley and saw the stallions and facilities there. They very much enjoyed meeting Joe and gained a lot of useful entrepreneurial tips from the informal and open discussion they had with him.
Clodagh Kavanagh met with the trainees to discuss personal development planning. They will produce their own personal development plans before graduation. Work on the business plans continues at a fast and furious pace, with some trainees nearing completion of this final project, and others still correlating information and pulling together the various strands of the plan.
There is rumoured to have been an ‘Alternative 2000 Guineas’ with the trainees on the Kildangan Stud gallop with hot favourite Ian Tapp coming out on top.