Marcus Tregoning recognises difficulties facing young trainers

ONCE more a keen wind is swirling around his lower yard and once more it’s accompanied by a squall. “Never known anything like it,” Marcus Tregoning declares as rain splatters his kitchen windows. “And I have been here for 11 years.”

His youngsters have been restricted to the all-weather surface and only done two spins on his well renowned grass gallops. The Derby winning trainer, whose optimism would make Mr Micawber resemble the ultra pessimist, is far from perturbed. Early season winners and precocious two-year-olds are not a hallmark of his trade.

But what does worry him is the highly controversial affordability checks which professionals fear will have a detrimental affect on prize money and drive better horses abroad. “The government must sort this out as soon as possible. We must not undermine our pattern races, particularly the Derby which is the greatest race in the world. We have a great quality of races and it’s important to keep this structure.”

Should the level of money fall, he is sure the elite will survive. “They will be ok but the middle tier and the lower tier - no. We must not lose our smaller trainers. They have a lot to offer and we must look after them.”

Tregoning, who has held a licence for almost 20 years, recognises the difficulties facing young trainers in a competitive profession trying to cope with increased overheads, conscious of the immense backing he constantly enjoyed from Hamdam Al Maktoum.

And that link is being maintained this year with six yearlings from Shadwell Stud which help compliment his string of some 40 horses for the 2024 season, with more expected to follow. He is also buoyed with the arrival of new syndicate owners and having great staff of young people. “They are learning and will go places.”

The same, he hopes, will be said of Mawayed who was too backward to see a racecourse last year. A half sister to Sea The Stars who won the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in 2009, she will naturally start off in a maiden, probably at either Salisbury or Newbury over 10 furlongs. “She has the asset of a good temperament.”

Of his older stock, he promotes Skysail who won on his debut as a three-year-old at Goodwood and later took a good class race at Newbury. “He’s had a wind operation and I hope that will improve him further. He doesn’t like it too soft but when it finally dries up, he will be fit and raring to go.”

Tregoning is eyeing either a £9,500 race at Bath on April 28 or a £20,000 handicap at Ascot on May 1 for the chestnut who will probably be confined to a mile.

It’s a virtually a case of keeping it in the family with Secret Solace, Tregoning having trained her dam Secret Pursuit. The four-year-old filly was listed class last season and will have her first outing in 2024 at Nottingham next month. “She will run in pattern races over 10 furlongs, though she might get further in time.”

Another that should pay his way is the gelding Spanish Blaze, a winner of two of his six races, initially at Newbury and then at Sandown. “He’s ready to go and goes on any ground.”

Of the younger contingent, Tregoning mentions Well Received and the Irish bred Ashen who have been entered in valuable sales races, as well as Moonjib, whose sire, the top class performer, Mohaather was trained by Tregoning to win the Sussex Stakes.