HIGH END HIGH ABOVE LAMBOURN A VISIT TO OWEN BURROWS YARD

Nestled just a stone’s throw from the Membury services M4, and overlooking the Lambourn Valley lies Kingswood House Stables. 

Trainer Owen Burrows, one time National Hunt jockey to the likes of David Nicholson and Josh Gifford,more recently assistant trainer to Sir Michael Stoute, in his first season on his own has been entrusted to train for one of the prolific owners of the racing game Hamdan Al Maktoum.

With the sad loss of John Hills, not only to his family,but also the sport of Kings, has meant this young first season trainer has been pushed to the forefront with 70 horses in his care, all capable of winning somewhere in the country, some capable of picking up the top races.

 Aged 26, serving just under half his life with the master of Freemason Lodge a small, a select group including yours truly, were given the time and patience from this knowledgeable young gun.

Some fine two year olds on display as we watched the horses work a steady canter up the self-contained all weather, the trainer having all that he needs to take things forward. ‘we are self-sufficient here which is nice, you can hear the hum of the M4 but otherwise peaceful, and that’s how we like it.’

On a 16% strike rate for the season. 14 winners from 85 runners, the trainer is honest enough to know how lucky he has been, ‘Michael Hills and Sir Michael Stoute have to be greatly respected for bringing me to the attention of the owner.’ Or the ‘boss’ as he affectionately calls him.
‘They spoke to Angus Gold, and from that to Hamdan Al Maktoum and here we are, I wake up most mornings feeling incredibly lucky.’

All horse looked well, the youngsters on the gallops looked sharp but calm, the trainer mentioning that on Monday mornings he would be worried if some were not bucking and squealing. ‘It’s sad to hear Newmarket has some sort of virus hovering around, I would know straight away if mine were quiet, touch wood at present all is fine.’

Horses cantered, and described passionately by the trainer. Owen mentioned how lucky he was to have a good team behind him, ‘Some were here when I arrived, so I inherited quality which was half the battle.’ The staff worked quietly, but efficiently around the yard as the trainer walked us by each and every box in both his older horse and younger horses yards.

On the gallops with the two year olds

Each Sheikh Hamdan's owned horses have a purpose, each well selected to pick up races and classics, ‘the majority are sourced by the owner and Angus, I can choose a couple a year from my list, but again the boss and Angus have the final say.’

The occupants looked calm and content in the smart, modern surroundings, nothing is left unturned.

Owen Burrows explains about his horses

‘My new addition is the salt chamber,’ Salt being a natural ingredient is ground by a machine into a fine powder and like an air conditioner the power is gently put into the air, the horse ingests it and it settles on their coats. ‘It helps the horse get rid of any bad mucus in the lungs and also is good for the skin, three horses can stand in here at a time and they don’t seem to mind it.’
The brain child of Tom Taaffe, son of Arkle legend Pat, the ‘salt chamber’ seems to be a positive and growing trend, Sheikh Hamdan setting up a few throughout his racing empire.

How fortunate to be shown individually around such fine horses, could possibly we have been graced with a few of a classic winner  as we went from box to box?
 some horse shown were.

Markaz 4yo By Dark Angle Out of Folga, By Atraf 

Mezel 5yo By Tamayuz out of Mumayeza By Indian Ridge

Okool 2yo By Cape Cross out of Seschat By Sinndar

Owen Burrows seems to have a likeable and intelligent nature,you can see why the great and the good of the industry like him, he gives you time.
 And by this I should reckon this would transmit into his training. Patience is need with this game, too rushed and things will break, to slow and things will pass you by. Well you can say for this trainer at Kingswood House he certainly hasn’t let this opportunity pass, gabbed it firmly with both hand and steering it positively forward.

Is Owen Burrows the new kid on the block for the big time flat trainers crown, well with the experienced owners behind him who knows, a possibility I would say, the proof being shown in the pudding, that would put even Mary Berry to shame.

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