We are delighted to bring you an interview with dual purpose trainer Kevin Frost. The former Conditional Jockey tells us about his journey from young Jockey to Trainer Via the NRC.
We also talk BHA, tackle a few favourites & take in the race Kevin would most like to win…..
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself please?
I started in racing with Maurice Camacho at Towton, near Tadcaster. Maurice was a hard but fair man and I will always be grateful that I started out under the wing of a man who did things correctly.
I did 12 years at the Northern Racing College, firstly as Senior Training Instructor then as Training Manager.
Before jobs as Assistant Trainer/Head Lad for Ian Woods, Alan Swinbank and Ian Williams.
After which we started training on our own.
You were a former conditional Jockey, why did you stop riding?
I would have loved to have ridden for longer but always struggled with my weight.
As a former NRC Training manager, how did the job arise, what did the job entail & what did you implement that has helped future jockeys?
I applied for a job at the Northern Racing College that was advertised in the Racing Post. I was lucky enough to get the job and quickly got promoted to Senior Training Instructor and then eventually to Training Manager.
If I’m honest, dealing with the trainees riding etc was what I enjoyed and when I took the Training Manager job it took me away from that. Writing training programmes and attending meetings became the norm with very little time spent with the trainees.
At that time, NVQs were just being introduced into racing with a proper structured career path for people joining the industry. I would like to think that I played my part in that. I also went to France and Ireland to help them set up their NVQ system. Whilst I was in France we were taken to a racetrack, where before the first race there was a “training race” for apprentices.
Their yards had to supply them with a horse to ride, a senior jockey led them to the two furlong marker and then moved out of the way. The apprentice then rode a finish for the last couple of furlongs. I think at that time they had to ride in five of these races before they were given a licence.
I thought it was a great idea and tried to get it going in our country. We ran one race at Southwell but it never got taken up, I suppose pony racing has taken its place but it’s not easy for young people whose parents haven’t got the money.
You have been Assistant Trainer to Ian Woods, Alan Swainbank & Ian Williams, which of these made the biggest impression of your training career?
Alan Swinbank was a master at selling horses. Some people left the yard and didn’t even know they’d bought one till they got the bill. He could train flat horses or jumpers, it didn’t matter and everything was for sale.
At Ian Williams, again we had good flat horses and National Hunt horses alike. Ian gave me a lot more chances to go racing and deal with owners.
What was the best piece of advice they gave you?
“Keep it simple son” (Alan Swinbank)
“Don’t get carried away when things are going well and don’t get down when things aren’t going well” (Ian Williams)
You started training on your own in 2015, how many horses did you start with compared to the numbers you have in the yard today?
When we started training we had around six horses, mainly youngsters. We now have 26 in training.
The yard moved to Butterton Stables in 2017, what was the thinking behind the move & what facilities do you now have in place?
We have recently moved to Hill Top Equestrian Centre at Danethorpe Hill, Newark where we have a 1 mile 1 furlong all weather gallop, swimming pool, indoor school, lunge pens and great schooling facilities. The reason behind the move was just for better facilities.
As a Dual purpose trainer, this must mean you are constantly busy…. How did the racing shutdown affect the yard & your team?
The shutdown affected us from the point of some horse had to come out of training and the owners who had the facilities had their horses home. But, on the whole we had to keep everything ticking over and all the staff were able to keep busy. Apart from not going racing, there wasn’t too much difference.
With the new guidelines in racing for the foreseeable future, which would you like to keep & what more can the BHA do to help trainers, owners & stable staff going forward?
The one jockey, one meeting rule has worked well and I think on the whole proved popular. Jockey aren’t putting themselves under pressure to get two meetings done in a day. It also gives some jockeys more opportunities when the big boys aren’t doing two meetings.
We need to get owners back racing immediately, I know these are difficult times but the owners have propped racing up all through lockdown. Owners keep the show on the road, without their support I cannot operate as a trainer.
Have there been problems finding owners for the horses & do you think syndicates are the way forward in racing ownership?
I think it’s a very difficult time to try to attract new owners into the sport. The prize money issue rumbles on but its becoming farcical. We won a York handicap the other weekend and the winner received £7,000. It would probably cost you ten times that amount to buy a horse even good enough to run in a race like that, let alone win one.
In other countries the claiming races are running for more than some of our decent handicaps, that can’t be right???
In order to keep the best horses, we need to improve.
Syndicates are great for racing as long as there is a reputable person heading the syndicate. We have met some wonderful people through syndicates, who have gone on to have larger shares in horses.
Of all the horses you have been involved with, which one gave you the most pleasure?
When we started training we didn’t have much to run so I told the wife I’m going to the sales to buy something that will win a seller and get us started. So I raided the bank account and went to Ascot Sales and bought Surf and Turf for £3,000. He was a fantastic servant to us.
He started on a mark of 109 and ended up 144 & he won the Red Rum Chase at Aintree.
If you could train ONE horse, PAST or PRESENT, who would that be & Why?
FLAT – Frankel
Just awesome, he just didn’t look like he was ever going to get beaten.
JUMPS – Arkle
He was before my time but I’ve seen all the old footage and my dad tells me that the handicapper in those days had to make two handicaps, one for if Arkle ran and one for if he didn’t – I don’t know if this is true but if it is he was probably the first and last.
A couple of favourites…..
Meeting?
Cheltenham Festival
Course?
Aintree
Race?
Grand National
The horses have been flying so far this season, which one has impressed you the most?
I was impressed with the turn of foot Documenting produced on the turf at York. He got there too soon from quite a way back
As a trainer, which race would you most like to win?
Grand National
And finally, thank you so much for your time…..
Can you give our readers a horse to follow for the rest of the season on the flat or a Dark horse for the NH season ahead?
I’m really hoping Documenting is good enough to win either a big handicap or Listed race somewhere
We were all impressed with the way Perfect Grace handled herself on debut. She could be decent
We would like to thank Kevin for his time & Amanda for translating Kevin’s ‘ War & Peace’ for us… We wish them all the success for the future & best wishes to all the team at Danethorpe Hill.
Interview by Rich Williams
Photo’s – Kevin Frost (Twitter) Except Frankel (File)
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