A number of factors determine whether a horse enjoys a successful career or not and, alongside their ability to stand up to training and racing by staying sound, by far the biggest factor is the person who trains them. As such we have carefully selected our trainers and believe they are among the most talented and trustworthy in the business with a proven track record of delivering success. We have extremely good relationships with the trainers we work with meaning we are in regular contact and are perfectly-positioned to be able to keep you up to date with the health and well-being of our horses.

Mick has been The Horse Watchers’ trainer of choice since the start. Indeed, it was the success that Mick brought us with horses under different guises that saw us increase our ownership involvement and led to The Horse Watchers forming.

After spells working for various trainers, Mick, who had long since had his mind set on a training career, initially took out a license in 2004. Operating from a base with limited facilities, he achieved some success but the opportunity to join Andrew Balding as Head Lad at Kingsclere in 2008 was too good to miss and he left the training ranks. In 2010 he returned and has since forged a reputation as one of the shrewdest handlers around and has been crowned Champion Trainer on the All-Weather in three of the past five seasons, finishing second on the other two occasions.

Known for his amazing ability to bring about improvement in horses picked up from other yards, Mick built his name by picking up very cheap horses and winning races. His association with The Horse Watchers has been a fruitful one for all concerned and we are Mick’s most successful owners and with his help we look to continue sourcing future winners at value prices. 

Mick is based in the Midlands at his own purpose-built facility with private gallops in Langham, near Oakham, Rutland.

The planned expansion of our syndicate calls for an additional trainer and the clear choice was David O’Meara.

A former National Hunt jockey, Dave was taking a keen interest in training facilities and techniques before he’d ever ridden in a race so it’s no surprise he embarked on a career as a trainer not long after retirement from the saddle.

What followed was a remarkable rise through the training ranks as he quickly gained a reputation as a man able to transform horses picked up from others yards. That reputation is backed up by hard facts as his 8 Group 1 victories have been achieved with 6 individual horses who had all previously been trained elsewhere. In recent seasons a greater number of 2yo’s have been added to his string, with significant success and highlighting Dave’s adaptability with all types of horse.

With over 100 winners a season chalked up in each of the last seven years, Dave managed to reach 1000 British winners in the second quickest period ever and has won many of the most prestigious handicaps in the sport along the way.

Dave is based at his own purpose-built yard with private gallops at Willow Farm in Upper Helmsley near York.