This month we catch up with Jo Stockdale, a former MJR employee who is now carving out a career for herself in the art world. A kind and always helpful girl, Jo used to be Mark & Deirdre’s housekeeper until we discovered that she had such a fantastic talent. Mikaelle asked her to paint Mark and Deirdre’s five Group 1 winners of the twentieth century as a Christmas present and that got the ball rolling.
What is your background, Jo?
I was born in Oxford, but moved North with the family when I was nine. We
eventually settled in Yorkshire. I have lived here long enough to consider
myself a Yorkshire lass. I have been in Middleham for about eight years. I
live in the village, on the way to the gallops, with my two adorable teenagers,
Ben (15) and Amy (13), who both go to school in Leyburn.
When did you start painting?
I would draw or paint occasionally as a hobby when the children were small
but never had time to consider it as anything more than a hobby. It was a
passion which was always contained within the realms of reality and was never
pushed until I got to the age when I found the motivation and confidence to
want to do more. At the time I was lucky enough to be surrounded by the type
of people and friends who are optimistic and pro-active in their lives. They
made me believe I could give it a go.
How did you start?
I threw myself in the deep end. The very day I gave my notice in at the yard,
I booked the Middleham Gallery for an exhibition. I then approached John Atkins
(also based in Middleham) and asked him if he would share the exhibition with
me. Looking back it was a bold thing to do but it proved a turning point.
I then spent the next two years exhibiting and selling at every agricultural
and county show I could afford to take part in. This helped me greatly in
getting feedback from people to see if I was heading in the right direction.
Since then, I have kept my head down and worked solidly, trying to find my
niche market and also where to go next. It has all been a worthwhile learning
curve. I have now reached a level where the knowledge gained over the last
few years can be put to practical use to guide my career the way I’d
like it to.
What’s your favourite subject?
Anything that moves! I like movement and find it challenging to capture an
animal (Bird, horse, dog, etc...) correctly. Being able to capture the flow
is the essence of a painting. It’s easy to try and copy something that
is moving and make it look static..the movement is the challenge. When it
all works out, it’s very exciting! Character, emotions, energy….
all are part of the movement.
Living in Middleham, do you find yourself influenced by the racing
background?
The racing scenes are a daily stimulus. It would be hard to see all these
horses and not be moved in some way. It makes me smile everyday. The horses
send out an energy and I feel very emotional watching the strings. Every morning,
I walk Ziggy, my dog, on the gallops and witness the atmosphere around all
these horses.
What are you asked to paint the most?
Dogs! I would say around this area, dogs and hounds are the most in demand.
There is a lot of shooting and people (mostly men) like a picture on the wall
of a gun dog to be proud of. Hounds are very popular too as Yorkshire is big
on hunting.
People know what makes the individual animal’s character. They are all
individuals and I like to show their individuality in the paintings. They
have human-like characteristics; the picture will become more personal for
its owner if those expressions are taken into account.
What are the two things you are most passionate about in life?
My children and my art. Both get me up every morning. If I were allowed a
third one, I would say my morning walks with Ziggy. I try to keep up with
the horses, which is a good way to keep fit!
What does the future hold?
I would like to have my own art publishing business and be able to have the
freedom of painting all my work the way I choose.
From next year, I will only have one exhibition per year. This will be one
collection each time. Producing for galleries, as I do at the moment, is very
difficult and limits me from improving my work the way I would like to.
Jo’s new website will be up and running this Spring. Her existing site,
with samples of her work, can be accessed at
www.jostockdale.co.uk
Following up on our interview with Mark last month, our victim in this month’s
issue is Deirdre Johnston. Deirdre’s position in the MJR success story
is a multi-faceted one. Wife, mother, director, work-rider, racecourse representative,
hostess, singer and sounding-board are just a few of the roles that come to
mind! Her influence permeates every aspect of the business. Amazingly, Deirdre
found the time to answer our questions.
When did you start riding?
It took me until I was five to persuade my parents to let me have riding lessons.
I continued to have lessons until I was thirteen when they bought a pony for
my sister and me to share. They have no idea where this passion of mine came
from as they were not horsey at all. They are now avid followers of our horses
and have been a great support to Mark and I both emotionally and financially.
I would like to say a big thank you to them.
How often do you ride out with the string?
I ride out with the string every day. I ride every lot I can manage to squeeze
in before I go racing.
Does riding out offer you an insight into the wellbeing of the string generally,
and if so is this information used when considering entries and the like?
Yes, it’s great to be in amongst the horses. You notice things, you
hear things and you can change things. You can see how the horses are moving
and if they are feeling well. I think it is a vital part of the training process
and it means that Mark & I see the horses from different angles and then
we can put our thoughts together.
Have you ridden any of this year's juveniles as yet, and if so have
any impressed you?
I am gradually working my way round the two-year-olds now. I have ridden three
different fillies this morning. It’s early days yet and it’s difficult
to say what ability they have, but at the moment they are going nicely and
I think my favourite is Ex Dream Ticket.
How do the Park Farm gallops compare with the facilities on the Moor
itself?
The Park Farm (PF) gallops are going to be absolutely fantastic once they
are all finished. The addition of an AW this year will mean that we have a
huge amount of facilities at our disposal. It’s nice to have the use
of both Park Farm and the Moor at the moment so that we can make sure we have
the correct facilities at PF before we choose not to use the Moor.
How do you juggle the demands of the job (riding out, going racing,etc)
with being a mother to Charlie and Angus?
Obviously it gets easier as they get older! My juggling is helped greatly
by the assistance of Mikaelle. The boys love to come racing and during the
holidays it’s lovely for the whole family to go racing together. Sometimes
I have to put the children first when they are doing competitions or special
school activities. The boys both enjoy other equestrian activities so I am
their groom and box driver. Charlie events with me and competes for the Pony
Club in eventing and tetrathlons. Angus has taken up polo and spent a week
last summer with Markus & Irene Graff in Switzerland, advancing his skills.
I try to have a nice balance between work and family life.
Quite apart from racing, you are a keen horsewoman. Do you have plans to compete
in any events this year?
My most favourite place to be is sat on the back of a horse. I love riding
out with the string and get great satisfaction when horses that I have been
riding go out and win. My hobbies include hunting with the Bedale Hunt in
winter, with whom I try to hunt Wednesdays and Saturdays. In the summer I
like to take part in British Eventing, which is a dressage test, a round of
Show Jumping and then a round of Cross Country. I hope to actively compete
on three different horses this summer. I try and confine my competition days
to fit in with the racing which is difficult now with seven days a week racing.
So I tend to compete only on Sundays. I have one retrained racehorse called
Saint Clements, so I am also continuing my racing enthusiasm with my Eventing.
Also this winter I have trained two Point-To-Pointers for Charlie to ride
and we had our first runner at Newark on Sunday which was very exciting.
How much training does it take to prepare for British Eventing?
Ideally, I should be riding my event horses everyday but this is not practical.
I will always try to fit in dressage and jump training whenever I can and
you will often find me schooling at Park Farm in the evenings, after coming
home from racing. I compete at a level that fits with the amount of work I
can give the horses.
How have your personal goals and ambitions changed over the years as MJR has
progressed?
I am very lucky to be able to have what I would call my hobby as my job. If
we can keep training winners and enjoying a lovely home life, I will continue
to be very happy.
What is your favourite racing memory?
Very difficult! There has to be more than one! Mister Baileys winning the
Guineas, as this was our first Classic. The thrill of Double Trigger winning
the Ascot Gold Cup will always be very special. I had a great association
with Fruits Of Love as I rode him every day for nearly four years. All his
races were emotional for me. And, of course, Attraction who was a complete
phenomenon. She gave us many great days.
Talking about Royal Ascot, where do you shop for the Royal Meeting?
I have to make a huge effort to plan a shopping trip to Harrogate to buy a
couple of new outfits ready for Royal Ascot every year. I like to go to Emma
Sommerset and buy the outfit, bag and shoes and then have a hat made to match
by Clare Workman in Scotland. It is nice to feel well dressed at Ascot but
I only enjoy it if the horses run well!
Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
Hopefully doing the same as I am now! I hope I am still fit enough to ride
out and go hunting. I hope we are still training lots of winners and that
I still get just as excited!
This month the subject of our Klarion interview is none other than Mark himself. We caught up with Mark in Glasgow recently after he had attended a Board meeting at Hamilton Park. After another successful campaign in 2007, Mark is, as ever, focused firmly on the future.
After another record year, with yet another century of winners, a record number of wins and six Group races won, how do you assess this year’s campaign?
Of course I’m delighted with the statistics, but it’s not all about the number of winners. I’m a great believer in the saying ‘if you stand still you’ll get run over’; it’s imperative to keep moving forward. Our number one goal has to be to give the customer what the customer wants.
Are your targets for the year ahead likely to be similar to last year’s?
I think there has to be more and more emphasis on prize-money. With arguments over the levy and reduced levels of prize-money within the industry the whole team has to focus on our owners’ earnings. We also have to acknowledge now that we have different owners who can and do give us very different briefs. For instance, our biggest owner, Sheikh Mohammed, wants us to find young horses good enough to transfer to Godolphin; this year, we’ve uncovered McCartney, Gothenburg and Screen Star for him, and their joining Godolphin has always been part of the plan. Other owners might want us to train a winner for them on their favourite track, or some might just want to have lots of runners. To some extent, a numerical target of wins is too simple in that context.
I am concerned about the number of Group winners, but I also feel that it’s not something I can influence directly, in the sense that who lines up in these races is in the lap of the gods. For next year we should have Road To Love and Soapy Danger back from injury to compete in these races, and Zaham has been gelded to keep him more focused. It would be nice to see the number of Group wins start to rise again.
Who were the stars of the show in 2007 in your opinion?
Among the horses you would have to say Boscobel and McCartney. They have both now joined Godolphin. McCartney was a real star of the show, winning the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in great style.
Perhaps the biggest star of the show turned out to be Greg Fairley. After
Joe was injured he got the bulk of the opportunities, and the impressive thing
was his riding really improved as he clocked up the wins. I think he should
have his eyes on the real prize. He’s only 19 and, I think, six years
younger than the likes of Ryan Moore. He’s just got to keep working
at it and to keep up the professionalism he has shown. He’s also lucky
in that his parents are a major influence on him.
Charlie is a great believer in a good measure of a jockey being his return
to a £1 level stake on all his rides. He was telling me recently that
Jamie Spencer, Ryan Moore, Greg and Liam Jones had the best stats, and that’s
impressive company.
I also have to mention Yard Manager Andy Larnach and his team who deserve a lot of credit as Team of the Year – they really worked hard and were really proactive in looking at ways to improve the performance of the horses in their care.
One unforgettable moment of the year was provided by Crockett (Ian Knights) at the July course. The moment when he caught the loose horse as all around him fled for their lives was priceless. Well done to him!
Talking of jockeys, is your long established system for jockey bookings likely to be changed?
The system is tried and tested and will remain. We need good jockeys to be available at all times – and more than one, too. There will be plenty of rides for Greg and Joe. You also need to assess confidence as well. One of the great things about Greg’s run is that his confidence has grown too. That’s an important factor for a jockey.
What has changed or may change? Are the Park Farm gallops making a difference?
The jockeys like them – there are two and a half miles of gallops and we’re laying a one mile all-weather gallop and will probably choose Michael Dickinson’s Tapeta surface. Godolphin have a similar gallop in Newmarket.
We’re looking, too, at the possibility of racing on the all-weather at Deauville this winter.
How did you find the Yearling Sales season this year?
Despite the huge downturn in racing’s economy, there were surprisingly high prices having to be paid. It was tough. That said, we have a major new owner in the yard, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed, second son of Sheikh Mohammed, and I bought a Hernando colt out of Alouette for him at Tattersalls for 380,000 guineas.
Are you happy with your purchases?
I think so. I remember last year that once I had a chance to look at all the yearlings I had an overall impression that there were a lot of small horses among them. Size matters. This year I’m very positive about them, just on size and shape. There are lots who seem as big as the two-year-olds, but of course it’s class in the pedigree that is the key.
How about racing politics? We’ve heard your voice strongly in the 48 hour decs debate this year. Are you likely to be as vocal as in the past?
To be honest I’m fed up with it and I plan to take a back seat. I’m sick and tired of talking shop meetings, of being invited along as an expert and then being ignored. Until trainers have a voting seat on the BHA I can’t see my view changing.
That all said, someone told me the other day that James Underwood had named me “Journalist of the Year” in his Review of 2007!
Finally, of the 2007 vintage of two-year-olds are there any potential improvers for us to look out for?
At the moment I would say Robby Bobby, Endless Luck, Yes Mr President, and Missioner.
Joe Fanning: On The Mend
Racing has always had the capacity to produce heart-stopping moments. There is nothing quite like the experience of watching, heart in mouth, a high class field flash towards the finish of a big race, as the noise builds to a crescendo and the horse which you have backed noses towards the lead. The finishing stretch at Goodwood throws up such moments more than most, especially during Glorious Goodwood; but this year’s summer highlight produced a heart-stopping moment of quite a different kind. Joe Fanning, aboard Drumfire in the Totesport Mile, suddenly found himself with nowhere to go as the field tightened around him. Racegoers and a huge television audience watched aghast as the popular Irish jockey was catapulted into the turf in as bad a fall as flat racing has to offer.
Fortunately Joe survived the fall and he is now on the mend. Almost three months on from the accident, we caught up with Joe at the yard recently and put the following questions to him.
What do you remember of the moments leading up to the accident?
I remember the horse coming across and pushing me into the heels of the one
in front. I also remember hitting the ground and that’s it, really.
I have no idea of how I got from the track to the hospital, but I do remember
being at the hospital.
What was the full extent of your injuries?
I sustained a wedged fracture compressed T4 vertebrae.
How has your recovery been going?
At first, I needed lots of rest. It was very painful. Now I can manage to
do a little in the gym, swim and jog. I’ve been x-rayed six times already
with the next set of plates due to be taken on 8th January.
What was the worst aspect of the injury?
It was the worst time of the year to get injured. It shattered the whole season
for me (editor’s note: typical jockey’s answer – always
thinking about missed rides!)
How have you been passing your time while on the sidelines?
I’ve been at MJR every morning since the second week in September. I
get to Kingsley House at breakfast time and sit in the kitchen with Mark,
Deirdre, Jock and Nicky during ‘decision time’ for declarations
and entries. Then I go up onto the gallops and watch the horses cantering.
There always has to be someone up on the gallops during exercise in case one
of the riders has a problem, and it’s nice to bring my experience to
cope in these circumstances.
How did you get into race-riding originally?
As a child I always had ponies and I did a bit of show jumping. However, I
became a jockey because I wanted to race for a living and not show jump. I
got into racing at age 15. I spent ten months at the Irish Apprentice School
and spent two months at the Army Equestrian section, where I rode horses which
were retired international show jumpers.
My first job was with Mick Connolly at the Curragh. I stayed two years before moving on to Liam Browne for a year. I then came over to Tommy Fairhurst’s yard and rode over hurdles for three months. The jumping career came to an abrupt halt when I fell in a conditional hurdle race at Newcastle, breaking two vertebrae in my neck. Funnily enough, Andy Larnach won that race....his horse was a steering job, anyone could have won on it! After recovering from that I stayed with Tommy for another five years, and when I lost my claim I became a freelance jockey.
When do you expect to return to riding?
As I have said, I’m due to have another x-ray on 8th January. I’m
hoping to get the all-clear to return to riding then.
No-one is more pleased to hear of Joe’s progress than Mark. “Joe is very lucky to be walking and that’s the main thing,” Mark told us. “We have missed him terribly, especially in the period before Greg started firing on all cylinders. It will be a relief to have him back next year and, along with Greg, it will give us two first class jockeys to head up our riding team.”
Joe’s counting his blessings, and, for that matter, the days between now and January 8th. Coincidentally, that date is Elvis Presley’s birthday; now there’s a man who could tell us a thing or two about comebacks!
November Interview
Fairley In The Spotlight
The injuries sustained by Joe Fanning in his horrific fall at Glorious Goodwood have resulted in a vast increase in the opportunities afforded to the talented young jockey, Greg Fairley. Greg has grabbed this chance with both hands, to such an extent that he has now ridden forty winners for the yard this term and has overtaken the talented William Buick in the hunt for the title of Champion Apprentice. We at the Klarion thought it was time to find out a little more about Greg and how he sees things progressing.
How old are you and how did you first get into racing?
I’m eighteen at the moment. I got into racing through my dad, who has
been champion jockey on the flapping tracks nine times and who has ridden
over five hundred winners. He started riding at thirteen and I was much the
same. In fact, for a while I got sick of riding horses and turned my attention
to motocross. Halfway through a season I was on my way to becoming schoolboy
champion in the 85cc class (I was fourteen at the time). Then one morning
I went to ride work with my dad and I was hooked on horses again.
You started riding on the pony racing circuit in the Scottish Borders.
What was that like and has that experience been of use to you in your early
race-riding career?
The pony racing was good. Racing was well-organised, with strict rules, stewards
and officials. Distances ranged from six furlongs to a mile and a half. My
home track in Hawick, known as ‘The Mare’, is only six furlongs
round. Generally, the racing involved small fields of maybe four or five runners.
I got fifty rides and chalked up nine wins. The owners pay the jockey directly
and there’s no going rate; the better you are, the more you are paid!
Flapping is still popular in Scotland and Ireland. I raced on other Scottish
tracks and enjoyed the whole experience. Usually I raced against the same
group of about six jockeys. I got my first ride at fourteen, which was ‘pure
quality’ (editor’s note: Scottish slang for ‘spiffing’).
I rode against my dad just once….he won!
The pony racing has given me invaluable experience and has helped me so much.
I realised this when my first ride in public as an apprentice came round,
as I knew what to expect to some extent.
Who have been the biggest influences on your career? Have the other
MJR jockeys helped you out?
Mum and Dad have been fantastic throughout; as well as starting me into riding,
they have packed up and moved down to Yorkshire to support me. Dad now works
for Mark and it’s great to ride out together. I try to do them proud,
hopefully. Royston Ffrench is also a great help. He calls me every day, sometimes
to tell me what I’m doing wrong and sometimes to tell me what I’ve
done right! Joe (Fanning) has been very good to me. If he has ridden a horse
before, he’ll give me advice. Kevin (Darley) has been great too.
You are a graduate of the British Racing School in Newmarket? Was
this an experience you would recommend?
Definitely. It provides a nice and easy introduction to the industry. Having
said that, my time there was limited as I was on the fast track course due
to my previous riding experience.
How have you found the additional pressure of the extra rides you
have been receiving since Joe’s fall?
The pressure has actually been a good thing. Joe’s bad luck means that
things have fallen well for me. I consider myself very lucky to be getting
the chance of these extra rides. I wasn’t looking forward to losing
my claim. To be honest I thought I would struggle. With Joe off, I have been
able to get more rides from MJR than I could have expected. That said, outside
rides have dried up a bit.
Your fellow borderer Keith Dalgleish was forced to give up a highly
promising riding career after battling with his weight. What is your normal
riding weight and how hard a task is it to maintain it?
I’m pretty lucky with my weight. I weigh 8st 3 ½ lbs everyday
and I’m not struggling with it. I can do under that weight, but I must
admit I don’t like sweating. It is a drain and a horrible sensation.
Which horses have been your favourite rides for MJR so far?
McCartney. I have won twice on him, including a Listed race. Ryan Moore rode
him in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and he won really well. He would
be my pick as Mark’s best two-year-old. There are three older horses
I would pick – Hearthstead Maison, who has given me my best win on an
older horse to date, Golden Quest, my first winner for MJR, and McEldowney,
who has carried me to six wins so far!
How do you relax from your busy schedule?
My girlfriend Aimee (also an MJR employee) and I try to go away whenever we
can. It’s difficult with the racing schedule but we’re used to
that. Hopefully we’ll manage a little holiday away this winter.
Lastly, have you set yourself any goals?
I am hoping to become Champion Apprentice this season. I want to keep on progressing
with racing, always trying to improve and, hopefully, to become Champion Jockey
one day.