A depth of knowledge and understanding from the master of
Hill farm situated in the beautiful grounds of Alne Park in Warwickshire is
gathered in a small, neat and tidy package for all to see.
Trainer Robin Dickin, like myself started in racing straight
from leaving school. He working for the likes of masters such and Frenchie and
David Nicholson, legends in their fields he rode at both codes, massing total
of 115 winners to boot.
Not only this he ran a livery yard looking after such
horses for horsemen and women who know what they like…. And dislike,trainers
such as Mercy Rimmel and Capt. Tom Forster.
A riding accident in 1986 at Towcester saw an end to the
saddle and the beginning of a new career in the sport of kings and queens,
training became Robins passion, first in Gloucester then to Warwickshire where
he is now settled since 2012 with his wife Claire and daughter Harriet at Alne park.
‘I’ve been lucky with my time training, and I love every
minute of it. I have no ambition of getting large, or being a champion trainer.
All I want is to look after my horses and staff and give them the best platform
to perform the best they can.’
The morning we went to see ‘Robins nest’ was an idyllic
autumn morning, trees golden and weather fair.
The yard set on a hill side
looking out in the direction of Birmingham airport, (no extra runway there) to
Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare country, no chance of horses getting board or
restless, after exercise wrapped up each have a relaxing turn out viewing the
beautiful countryside in well maintained and well sized paddocks.
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| The view looking out to the gallops from Hill Farm |
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| The Guv'nor Robin Dickin |
‘the gallops are prepared so horses can get on them at any
point and we are that self-contained I can see them work and come back to me
afterwards, so all the time I can see any niggles any of them have.’ Mentioned
the trainer who has a small but loyal string under his care.
It clearly came apparent that the trainer wears his heart on
is sleeve and is as honest as the day’s long.
‘I treat my owners and staff
alike as my friends, it’s no good feeding people ‘B.S’ but honesty counts.
Owners know how I work, and I know how their horses work and tell them so. The
horses once passing the gates are mine to worry about and mine alone.’
The horses on show looked good jumping stock, all looked
big, bold and beautiful against the golden-brown backdrop.
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| Horses before exercise |
Each took a turn around the gallops and then a few had a
piece of work, one being promising chaser Thomas Crapper, beaten to second
place in the Martin Pipe handicap hurdle at the 2014 festival by Don Poli
and has shown promise since Novice chasing last year.
Now handicapping the
nine-year-old, one mid placed run in good company at Chepstow in a grade three
event sees the horse possibly going to Ascot for the Halloween weekend meeting.
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He certainly looked well taking a good hold, and looked a
picture also. A noble head on the promising son of Tamure
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The rest of the string showed good pace and stride, the
trainer happy with what he viewed before him.
'You know, I have to pinch myself
each morning when I come out into the yard to know how lucky I am, this is a
superb place to train, all my maintenance is done for me by the landowner Avon
Estates, and I’m a hill man and to walk out each morning to this is a dream.
And praise also for his staff, a collective of young riders
who showed and talked their game eloquently throughout the visit.
‘This group of
girls are the best I have had, loyal, trustworthy and above all love the
industry and the horses, again making my job that much more enjoyable.’
The trainer oozes with respect and appreciation for the
industry he works in the enthusiasm is catching and infectious, as one of his
owners quoted on national TV. ‘When the horses hurt, so dose Robin,’ and this
is so apparent, I should reckon this flows down to the whole team, but I’m sure
when he celebrates it goes the other way to.
The yard, small, compact tidy and functional but most
important calm and peaceful, all horses interested in what's about, and that in my
mind spells happy.
The trainer, well if you were looking for someone who tells you what you need to hear, not what he thinks you need to hear, an honest
trainer with knowledge sucked out from years with legends of the game, a trainer probably not over enthused by the modern, shiny racing we are
experiencing, but a trainer that knows he must go with the flow, (just ask him
about the pace of some races nowadays.) A trainer that would not have been out of
place back in the day, and a trainer that is certainly not out of place in the
present. Then Robin Dickin is your man.
In my view, and not too sure at first, but as that enthusiasm
and passion starts to sink into your veins a definite thumbs up on the scale of
things.
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