Hometown? Liverpool, England
How did you end up where you are now? I was looking for better opportunities for myself in horse racing. I was 19, and I came over to be an exercise rider. I had ridden some races in England, but soon outgrew that. My initial job as an exercise rider was for Lucien Laurin for several months, and then I switched over to Woody Stephens.
What have you found to be the major difference between racing/breeding in Australia and your home country? The major difference between racing in England and in the U.S. is the way the horses are trained–trained for speed and raced for speed. Because races are on flat, mostly one-mile ovals here, horses who lie closer to the pace have an edge, so there's a high emphasis on speed in racing, and therefore on their training as well.
Name one home comfort that you miss? Family.
Favourite sport or hobby outside of racing? I love to study ancient history, and I work on self-improvement. I'm glued to the History Channel all the time–Babylonian history, Ancient Rome, Biblical history. I can talk about it 'round the clock.
What would you say is your proudest accomplishment? On the personal front, raising my almost-17 year old son Schuyler and having a wonderful relationship with my wife of five years, Amy (the daughter of trainer Bob Dunham). On the professional front, I'm very proud that I have won a lot of good races from horses that had mediocre breeding. Also, I'm proud that in 30 years of training, I've never had a positive test. Ever.
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