New yard and plans for Gibbs, but pointing still key element

Bradley Gibbs has moved yards ahead of gaining a full trainer’s licence, but says he will continue to ride as an amateur for the forseeable future.

He has also gained a talented new addition to his team by employing Ed Vaughan, Britain’s former national novice men’s champion. The move completes a circle of employment, for Gibbs worked for Vaughan’s father, Tim, before setting up on his own as a trainer of pointers and hunter chasers.

Gibbs and his partner Claire have purchased David Brace’s yard near Bridgend in South Wales having moved with their young son from her father’s premises in Hertfordshire. Claire’s father, Julian Sherriff, assisted the couple with the move after it became apparent that planning application delays at his home were preventing Gibbs from securing a licence to train under rules.

David Brace and his wife Dawn, who have sold their yard to Bradley Gibbs (Ce)

Sherriff and Brace have placed horses with Gibbs who grew up in South Wales not far from his new home.

Gibbs, 32, said: “We’ve bought David’s yard and gallops. We have 41 boxes and an indoor sand school in which we can put more stables. We plan to extend the gallop, and as we’re on natural sand dunes we can create a big circle on which to work the horses.

“We were struggling for planning permission at our previous yard and I couldn’t get a licence without it, so we decided to look for somewhere else. I’ve completed the training modules and have applied for a licence. Now I’m waiting on the BHA, but the majority of horses we have here will be for point-to-pointing. Gaining a licence will give me options.”

Brace has been a leading figure in Welsh racing for many years, training point-to-pointers and horses under rules. Champion point-to-point owner in 2013/14 and 2017/18 he has saddled more than 150 winners in the amateur sport over the past 20 years and been a generous sponsor of races. He trained Dunraven Doc, on whom Gibbs rode his 100^th point-to-point winner.

His sponsorship portfolio includes backing the annual Dunraven Bowl Hunters’ Chase at Chepstow which Gibbs has won twice. He scored on My Coranna – trained by his father, Dai – in 2016 and on Honey I’m Good, who Gibbs himself trained, in 2023.

Gibbs in action on Honey I’m Good who he trained and rode to victory in the Dunraven Bowl (Ce)

Brace continues to live in the main house at the yard while Gibbs and his family have moved into a bungalow on the site. Gibbs said: “I have four of David’s horses here at the moment and there will probably be a few more to come, while Julian has six in training.

“Ed Vaughan had joined me full time now and is proving a big asset.”

Vaughan rode 27 winners when taking the national novices’ title in the 2023/24 season, but added four more over the following two weekends to set a record tally for a novice. He is now establishing himself as a senior amateur, but Gibbs said he himself is not hanging up his saddle.

Champion in Wales on several occasions and twice placed in the national men’s title he has ridden 259 point-to-point winners plus 15 in hunters’ chases, the highlight being victory in the 2023 Festival Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham on Premier Magic, who carried Sherriff’s colours.

Now father to young son Hadley, Gibbs said becoming a father has given him food for thought, but said: “You do think about it [race riding] a lot more, but I’m still enjoying it and Hadley likes coming racing and watching me ride in races. I still love getting up and riding out.”