Hi guys!
Welcome to today’s blog another exciting one to bring to you all. An interview with Julie Camacho! I thoroughly hope you all enjoy!
Me: What’s your favourite day of the racing calendar?
Julie: The York Dante meeting because it brings good horses to our local track and is an indication that the flat season is really getting going!
Me: If you could train one horse that is currently in training elsewhere, what horse would you choose and why?
Julie: Stradivarius because he is so tough and consistent and comes back year in and year out.
Me: Who do you look up to in the racing game?
Julie: There are several people but probably William Haggas because he is so successful every year and yet he is so approachable and always the first person we would ask for help if we needed it.
Me: Do you ever get any down time? What’s your favourite thing to do when you do get some spare time?
Julie: We get every other Sunday off if we don’t have runners and a bit of down time during the winter. We usually try to get away on a family holiday during the winter months although that hasn’t been possible this year, but we managed to get to the Lake District instead. Several of our horses are named after our favourite destinations! During the season downtime, we spend time with family and going on walks with the dogs.
Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?
Julie: We would welcome anyone who thinks that to come and spend a day at our yard and see how well treated the horses are!
Me: What is your ‘horse to watch’ that you train?
Julie: A mare called Separate owned by Martin Hughes who has joined us from Richard Hannon. She had a very good level of form as a two year old, getting narrowly beaten in a Group 3 at Newmarket. Her form was quieter last year as can often happen with horses who are good two year olds, but she ran with credit several times. She’s had the winter off here and we are hoping she can return to something like her earlier form.
Me: What is your favourite racecourse to visit?
Julie: York because it is our local track, only a twenty minute drive away. It has world class racing and is run by great people.
Me: What’s your favourite race to watch back over the years?
Julie: We often watch back Judicial winning the Coral Charge at Sandown. It was our first Group 3 and he has been such a star for us. The Jockey Club sent a framed video of the race which is in our living room so we get to watch it back whenever we open it!
Another one is Lorton winning the £150,000 sales race at Newmarket as a two year old. There were 29 runners that day and you don’t ever think you can win races like that!
Me: What are your opinions surrounding discussions of banning the whip?
Julie: I would support a reduction in the amount of times a jockey is permitted to strike the horse with the whip.
Me: What is your best piece of advice for a young person following their passion, whether that be in racing or something else?
Julie: Get as much advice as you can before you set your goals, but once you’ve decided on what you want to do, be totally committed to achieving it even if it doesn’t come straight away.
As always, I would like to thank Julie and her family for allowing me to speak with them as well as providing some photos for this post. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I hope my readers enjoy it also!
Thank you so much for reading and I will see you all in my next post which will be an interview with Barry Geraghty at 11am on Saturday (16/01/2021)!
zoelouisesmithx 