In his day, he was a respected jump jockey with 680 wins over a career that spanned the best part of two decades, with the occasional media appearance. Now, he’s a respected trainer on the rise.
Having retired in April of this year, having pulled up on Monbeg Genius in the Grand National, Nick Scholfield has now turned his attention to training.
Very much a new yard, his location could not be any more serene. Situated in Lambourn, Berkshire surrounded by stunning scenery; the rolling downs especially, make this perfect for morning gallops.
A New Routine But The Same Passion
Following his retirement, it seemed obvious that Scholfield wanted to stay in horse racing and the former Grade 1 winning jockey has been very humble about his progress, while staying grounded about his ambitions.
Like many new trainers; a lot of them being recently retired jockeys, it seems his motivation lies behind still being around horses but also helping to nurture young jockeys. It was also his desire to pass on “the feeling of the big day” to new owners and help develop talented horses.
Following his retirement as a jockey, he revealed his grounded intentions, stating: “”I’ll stay within the industry and hopefully will be back to some of these meetings again. It won’t be until the end of the year and I’ll start from the bottom and hopefully work my way up the ladder.”
Day-To-Day Now Somewhat Different
Of course, he is still finding his feet as a trainer, though he is an early riser, making the most of each and every minute. His day starts with a daybreak ride on the downs – often with first-time riders which he says, is more about bonding between jockey and horse, than purely fitness.
A lot of his day is spent monitoring the health and fitness of the horses in his yard and talking with vets, tweaking each horse’s routine based on the feedback he receives and his own observations to how they move and respond.
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Scholfield has an interesting approach. He very much promotes an open and educational stable policy where riders, grooms, stablehands and assistants are encouraged to provide honest feedback, based around a “no detail too small” approach.
His first ever job having been a ‘stable lad’, this very much gives him an appreciation as a trainer for how a successful yard should be run, carrying knowledge of every aspect. He’s essentially come full circle.
The atmosphere in his yard is rooted in camaraderie – every achievement is celebrated as a step up for the whole team, while he also encourages all-things equine education which mirrors the traditions of Lambourn.
A Tight Knit Team In Place
Scholfield is blessed with a small team, all of whom are on the same page about the direction that they want the yard to go in. His assistant, Harrison is his trusted right hand for horsemanship and all-things logistics, while he maintains relationships with local jockeys, always on the look out for young talent to help nurture.
In this spectacular slice of English countryside, Scholfield can certainly build something special. There is a calmness and tranquillity about his location, in addition to being a perfect training ground. He has all the right ingredients in place to make it work.