Trainer Talk: David Phelan

David Phelan – from Middleton in County Cork – has been based in Britain for nearly 20 years, originally working for Brendan Powell, to whom he was assistant trainer.

He has been training pointers himself since 2003, firstly near Petersfield in Hampshire and now in the village of Brook, near Ashford in Kent. David’s main role is breaking and pre-training youngsters, including for Gary Moore, and he is also a respected bloodstock agent – being the principal source of new horses to Tom Ellis’ powerful pointing yard. Not only that, he has a well-deserved reputation as a mentor to aspiring jockeys, including Tom Cannon, Rex Dingle and Brendan Powell Jr. I went to meet him for a pre-season chat to find out how he juggles his responsibilities.

David and wife Vicki – daughter of former trainer Tom Kemp – have been based at Brook since 2008. On a filthy morning, Vicky and I watch David – on new recruit Kilmaley – lead half his string of ten pointers up his straight carpet gallop and round his all-weather canter. Following the trainer are former pointing jockey Patrick Smith on a four-year-old Sans Frontieres gelding, Luke Roberts – who has worked in the yard since he was 14 and is hoping to have his first pointing mounts this year on seasoned campaigner West Lake – on stable stalwart Generous Ransom, conditional Tom Cheesman aboard Wang Si, and Eleanor Wheeler riding Full Irish.

Bringing up the rear is David and Vicki’s 12-year-old daughter Lily, riding stable star Sedghill Talisman, a seven-year-old Shetland pony (!) who has qualified to race in nine events at the Shetland Grand National at Olympia next month. Despite her pointing background, Lily admits, “I’d like to do pony racing and ride in at least one Point-to-Point, but it’s not the career for me. I’d rather be a showjumper… or a journalist!” Not present, but also essential to the team, is Vicki’s sister Trish who, despite a full-time job as a maths teacher, comes in to muck out seven days a week!

As he dries off, David tells me how he got involved in Point-to-Pointing back home. “None of my family rode, so I learnt on a friend’s pony. Then I started riding out for Pat Healy – a top amateur rider and Paul Townend’s uncle – when I was about 11. When I left school, I went to Jim Bolger’s as I had illusions of becoming a Flat jockey, but I got too tall and heavy so I rode in points for Pat instead, starting on Luciano The Yuppi in 1995.” David reckons to have had about 100 rides without success before a broken elbow turned into a lucky break.

“I had nothing to do that summer,” explained David, “and had friends in Lambourn, so I rode out for John Hills. I was going to go home but Pat told me that Jenny Pitman wanted me, so I went to work for her and Mark in 1999.” Despite his experience, David found it hard to get pointing rides initially and, following a bad fall at Maisemore Park in which he broke three vertebrae and cracked his pelvis, he went back to Ireland to ride out for Pat Healy again. But then came another call from a friend in England. “Brendan Powell said he was giving up riding to train and would I come and work for him,” he recalls.

David took on his role at Brendan’s and had his first (and only) success under Rules for him on Verrazano Bridge at Huntingdon on Easter Monday 2001. His first pointing winner – Sue Widdicombe’s Wood Buzzard – came a year later, shortly followed by a move into training between the flags. “I met Anthony Ward-Thomas when I was working for Brendan and he asked me to train a couple of pointers for him to ride. He was terrible, and you can write that I said that!” laughs David.

David’s operation soon expanded – “I started taking Brendan’s pre-trainers, I was his crash test dummy (!) and had up to 25 horses at Anthony’s place” at which time Vicki put her foot down. “Pointing was fun, but breaking and pre-training was a business and, if David were to get injured riding, people would say, ‘What an idiot. What about your business?” she explains. David agrees. “You need time to ride in points and I wanted to do it 100% or not at all,” and he retired after partnering Tellem Noting to victory at Hackwood Park in 2005 to concentrate on his new career.

While he has been breaking and pre-training for over 15 years, buying and selling horses is a newer passion. “I love it,” David beams. “Tom and Gina are very good trainers, which makes my job easier, and I also buy for the likes of Richard Bandey and Tabitha Worsley’s mum Georgina Howell, who says I’m an awful trainer but a good bloodstock agent!” He cites the best horses he has bought as Alan King’s Montbazon and Cheltenham Hunter Chase winners Kalabaloo and Woodfleet.

“I’ve no ambition to train professionally,” David says unsurprisingly. “I want to buy and sell more horses, including three-year-olds, although doing what Tom and Gina – and Fran Nimmo and Charlie Poste – do isn’t where I want to be (both yards are well-known for racing, and then selling, young horses). For one thing, I don’t have a stable jockey and you need to have someone who knows the youngsters. But I might have the occasional young horse,” he smiles, “And if money were no object, I’d have loads…”

David may describe training pointers as a sideline, but good horses have passed through Terrys Wood Farm, including Flowersoftherarest. The 16-year-old, now in contented retirement on the farm and who gave both Brendan Powell Jr and Patrick Smith their first winner, cost just €500 and David admits, “I got him because he was out of a brilliant Irish pointer called What Thing. Vicky told me off for buying him!”

Another is He’s On His Way who, in David’s words, “Taught Tom Cannon to ride!” He laughs again as I ask about his mentoring of novice riders, “What, by shouting and screaming at them?” “He made Freddie Mitchell cry once,” adds Vicki (dis)loyally.

“It’s very easy to keep using older jockeys,” David turns serious for a moment. “But they retire and you end up with nobody, so you have to bring on the youngsters, like Luke Roberts. And with ten pointers, I could do with another novice rider. But it’s not just about race riding, discipline’s important. Take Tom Cannon. He’s the most determined lad I’ve come across. But he used to be more forceful and we would have words about his use of the stick. Now he’s a polished jockey – he’s a good lad who’s done well for himself.”

As we talk about the issues facing pointing – and the solutions – an obvious place to start is how Britain compares to Ireland. David doesn’t hold back. “I think Irish pointing’s terrible,” he admits. “Yes, the horses are making big money, but most of it is based in Wexford and you have handlers with over 100 in training, half of whom are three-year-olds with none over five. When I was growing up, there were about half-a-dozen studs near me with stallions standing for as low as £200. Now a nomination costs at least £5,000, so farmers aren’t breeding any more. So horses are scarcer, which makes them expensive. One leads to the other – at Kinsale recently, the older-horse maiden was a walkover.”

One area where David concedes Ireland does have the advantage over Britain is prize money. “Sam Curling’s Longhouse Music won 13 races and over £15,000 last year,” he tells me. “Most races are worth £1,500. I know prize money will never cover the cost of a horse but Brian Homewood, one of my main owners, says having a winner actually costs him money and owners should get enough to have a proper night out! Opens should be worth £500 or £1,000 – the winner was getting £150 when I first came to Britain.”

Another topic close to home for David, Vicki and Tom is the perceived decline of Point-to-Pointing in the South East of England. For Vicki, part of the problem is that, while pointing is a rural sport, Kent is becoming increasingly urbanised, while David is more pragmatic. “Race planning should ensure that the South East doesn’t clash with East Anglia – there just aren’t enough horses to go round.”

Entrenched views are a problem according to Tom, the elder statesman of the group. “People are set in their ways and some egos need to be squashed,” he says firmly. “The meetings round here should be divorced from the Hunts and run by committees. We should have four or five courses that share fences and facilities, with two or more meetings each and all the funds should go into a pot and be split among the hunts. That way you’d still get the volunteers.” David agrees with his father-in-law, remembering his Irish experiences. “In Ireland, each area owns their marquees and portable fences. One man and his son used to prepare all the courses in County Cork!”

Despite these concerns, David is optimistic about the sport. “I think pointing’s in a good place,” he confirms. “I go to the sales a lot and see good young people like Ed Bailey, Chris Barber and Martin McIntyre buying horses. They need to be encouraged. And I think Weatherbys’ systems have improved,” he adds. “The entries and the centralisation of Hunter Certificates. It’s fairer – before, some hunts were charging £300… and others just £30! If I had time, I’d hunt mine more often – some, like Full Irish, could do with it.”

The skies are brightening as I leave David’s yard and ask him for a final word. He ponders for a moment before concluding, “Training winners is a real adrenalin rush.”

DAVID PHELAN’S FIVE TO FOLLOW

Full Irish

Bought privately from Emma Lavelle for Anthony Ward-Thomas but the owner and him didn’t get on (!) so I’ve taken him back and will have a bit of fun with him in points. He’s probably the worst-handicapped horse in England but is a real gent who’ll make a lovely Novice Riders horse.

Generous Ransom

A funny old horse who’s got his own mind. Came to us from Philip Hobbs, who said he’d struggle to win and it took us a while to get the hang of him. Won three in 2018 but didn’t get his head in front last year, so can run in Conditions races again. Jack Andrews is the key to him.

Kilmaley

I bought him from Tom Keating – who also sold me Woodfleet – and he’s run three times in Ireland. By Gold Well, he needs time but he jumps well and I think he’ll go through the ranks. He’ll probably start at Ampton.

Peggy’s Venture

Ex-Alan King and only just arrived, she’s related to Generous Ransom. Won over hurdles but lost her way a bit under Rules so owner Christopher Wates has sent her to me to go pointing. She wants quick ground, so will be out later in the season and should make a nice Ladies’ horse.

Wang Si

Bought at Doncaster for horse transporter David Brightling, who owns him in partnership. German-bred, by Nicaron, he’ll be out in a 4-5 year-old Maiden or a Bumper in February.