English on a High in Ireland

“I really don't want 2016 to end,” says Damien English, as he reflects on a year that has seen the young trainer saddle 14 winners from as many individual runners sent out from his small base in north county Dublin. His rich vein of form has been maintained over a 12-month period, beginning with a victory for stable star Tribal Path (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) at Dundalk in January. It continued right through to December when the 30-year-old registered his first double courtesy of Geological (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Dance Alone (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) also on the Polytrack. In fact, if one were to have had a euro on each one of English's runners this year, it would have yielded a healthy €43 return.

Neither English nor his horses are household names just yet, but his current flagbearer Tribal Path did achieve a notable feat for the trainer by winning six Flat handicaps in the space of six months, a rare achievement in Ireland and one that serves to showcase the talents of his trainer who is making his way quietly through the ranks without the use of many modern facilities taken for granted by most. He doesn't have a horse walker, currently has room for only a dozen horses and utilises the most natural of all-weather gallops, his local beach. These simple methods certainly didn't hinder the incredibly tough 6-year-old Tribal Path this year, as he elevated his rating from 53 to 87, running 15 times for the trainer who says he just concentrates on “keeping his horses fresh and healthy” at home. Another notable feature of his success is the raw material English is winning with. His team is made up predominantly of cast offs from UK trainers, the majority bought cheaply at the sales at Tattersalls, and they seem to thrive for the change in routine, often rediscovering a unique zest for racing that has been especially evident this year.

Although English also invested in a few yearlings this autumn, he has decided to concentrate on a niche that has proved so successful for him thus far.

“I have two yearlings, one by Dandy Man (Ire) the other by Zoffany (Ire), they're with Ian McCarthy on The Curragh at the moment. He is pre-training them and will continue to do so until April. They'll come back to me then when the all-weather horses will be taking a short break and hopefully we can kick on with them and get them to the track.”

He continued, “However, I can't see myself going back for more yearlings next autumn. It's just too difficult to compete for the nicer ones at the sales and we've done so well buying out of the horses-in-training sales that I think we'll concentrate on that approach for the time being. I've built up a good relationship with David Spratt and Philip Burns of Gaelic Bloodstock, they put a lot of research into the sales and everything they have advised me to buy has won, so I think I will pursue that strategy while it is yielding such success.”

English is certainly not exaggerating when he elaborates on the fruitful results he has enjoyed from the HIT sales. He bought his warrior Tribal Path out of the Mark Johnston stable for 3,000gns and although it took English a while to find the key to him, once he did the floodgates opened. He has also found favour sourcing stock from the Richard Hannon stable. Two of his winners this year, Bluesbreaker (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Geological, were both unearthed from the Hannon draft at the Tattersalls October Horses-in-Training Sale for the princely sum of 800gns each. Bluesbreaker won three times this season and Geological make his breakthrough for English this month, netting over €14,000 for his efforts.

Continued English, “The horses-in-training sales are a different ball-game altogether–you're buying horses that have already shown ability but have lost their way for whatever reason. We seem to have developed an ability to restore these types of horses to their former selves, so I think I will stick to what I'm good at for the time being.”

Normally when a trainer arrives home with a horse that cost 800gns, a litany of physical afflictions are waiting in the wings. However, English seems to have been either extremely lucky or else has made wise, calculated decisions over most of his cheap acquisitions.

“With Bluesbreaker, I was told he had problems with his knees,” he commented. “When I got him home I gelded him, got his wind done and let him out for a month. He hasn't given a moment's trouble since and has turned into a decent horse who I think can progress further. Geological had a problem with a hind joint that kept him on the sidelines for a while after I got him but that has been ironed out and his last win suggests he can also progress into a smart horse next year. I actually couldn't believe it took me a year to win with him after his first run for me.”

Another prime example is Red Avenger (War Front), who is two from two for English since being bought in October for 14,000gns, a price English admits is the highest he has ever paid for a horse. It was a shrewd investment, however, given that the 6-year-old won the valuable Betfred Mile H. at Glorious Goodwood in 2014 off a rating of 96 when trained by Ed Dunlop. His two wins for English have recouped his purchase price and see him currently rated 86, a mark which English still believes provides scope for further success. The trainer is eyeing the valuable All-Weather Finals at Lingfield on Good Friday for which he must first qualify, hopefully at Dundalk in the New Year.

So what does he think has been the secret to unlocking Red Avenger's appetite for competition since his departure from previous trainer Gary Moore?

“Well there was no point replicating his previous routine, even if I wanted to I couldn't as I don't have the facilities or the set up, so it's just a case of him fitting into our routine and hoping he thrives off it,” said English.

Explaining the system that he has implemented English continues, “We box them to Mornington beach around three times a week and we also bring them to the equine swimming pool in The Curragh maybe once a week. I also like them to spend as much time out in paddocks as possible, even in winter. We certainly don't over-gallop them.”

English took out his trainer's licence in 2011 at the age of 25. He had been a student at RACE and had a short and inglorious career as an amateur jockey which was brought to an end after a serious knee injury. He learned the rudimentary basics of training from a five-year stint with neighbouring trainer Peter Casey, and he admits that it was basically trial and error at the beginning of his own career. He also counts himself fortunate that his main patron is his father Joseph, whose judgment in backing his son in a notoriously competitive career is now being justified.

“My dad has been brilliant. He loves the game and I'm delighted that I've repaid him with all the winners this year as I literally couldn't have done it without his backing,” he says. “My younger brother Craig is also a great asset, I can count on him to keep things ticking over if I'm away racing or at the sales, so it's really a tight family run business. Though my father has his own adhesives company so I need him to keep working hard, so he can keep paying those training fees.”

Looking back on his early days with a licence, English recognises that he had a relatively easy introduction to training.

“I was lucky to come by Cash Or Casualty (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) in my first year. He was a star for us winning nine races, so he ended up teaching me a lot. We also got lucky with a few cheap yearlings, but in a way that ended up spoiling us a bit as we thought the game was easy. We soon found out the pitfalls and after a few promising years we got a bit derailed in 2014 when we only had the one winner and that didn't come until November. We discovered we had aspergillus in the yard and since then I've learned that you can't cut corners when it comes to things like bedding, feed, hay and water, etc. These are simple things, but if they aren't put right you can't train the horses properly.”

English is constantly looking for an edge to keep improving his results and added, “Most trainers can get a horse to win once, but the good trainers seem to be able to keep horses improving and winning and that's something I've tried to learn how to do. How to keep a horse consistent for six or eight months, that's the edge I'm seeking to gain. I think to achieve that you have to train their minds as much as their bodies, to me keeping them fresh and happy seems to be the basic element of success.”

A now recognisable trademark of the English runners is their ability to bounce out smartly from the stalls and gain a prominent early position, even if they are poorly drawn. When quizzed about whether intensive gate training is part of his regime he replied in the negative.

“I've been asked a few times about this but I honestly don't put any emphasis on stalls training, in fact I don't even have a set at home. The only thing I can put it down to is that I like to have them fresh and keen before a race, so maybe that has something to do with it.”

The year 2017 will be an important and challenging one for English as he tries to maintain and build on the progress made this season, and he is well aware that the competitive scene in Ireland means you have to be constantly driving forward to stay in business.

“We're planning on investing in the yard next year, building a few more boxes, but taking it a step at a time,” English concluded. “I'd like to develop a few more syndicates also, but again the main objective will be to get better at what we are doing. I'm just happy to have had a successful year and I'm grateful for everyone that has helped make it happen and hopefully we can keep up the momentum.”