Tag Archives: york

An Interview with Julie Camacho

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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!

Judicial winning the Coral Charge at Sandown (07/07/2018) – Photo provided by Julie Camacho Racing

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)!

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An Interview with Phillip Dennis

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Phillip Dennis

Hiya guys!

Today I am bringing you an interview with Phillip Dennis, I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Phillip: My favourite race that I have won so far would have to be the Epsom Dash on Ornate. To win a big handicap just 40 minutes before the Derby was great and a real buzz, he also gave me my first Group One ride in the Nunthorpe this year, which would be up there for a favourite ride that didn’t win. Hopefully he can be seriously competitive in listed or group company this season.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Phillip: If I could have ridden any horse past or present, I’d have to say Frankel as an obvious one. He was just a freak of a race horse and his Guineas win and York win stand out for me. A less obvious one would be Sole Power, he looked a real character to ride.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Phillip: I think the whip issue could go on and on but it really is an important piece of equipment that the wider public don’t really understand. I’m not sure what the best way to go is, whether it’s tighten up penalties or reduce hits, but in my opinion, banning it would be crazy.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Phillip: I’m fairly lucky with my weight that it stays quite level and I can eat relatively well, depending on what weights I have in the coming days. 48 hour declarations are definitely a help to get the weight sorted for a lighter ride. In the summer I’d watch it a bit more than in the winter. When it’s quieter you can use it as a bit of a break for the body.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Phillip: If I was to talk to someone who thought racing was cruel, I’d have to explain to them how well the horses are looked after, morning and night. People think they are forced to run, but the majority are only happy when they are out with a saddle on them. Stable staff do an unbelievable job and treat them like they are their own.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Phillip: During the odd days I get off I try to play golf… very averagely. But I’d be a fair weather player. So other than that I like to spend time with friends and family. During the lockdown I tried my hand at the odd bit of DIY and gardening.

Me: Who do you look up to in the dressing room?

Phillip: In the North, it’s a great bunch of jockeys, as people and riders, so it would be hard to single one person out that I look up to, but any advice I can get off the more senior riders is a massive help and I like to get as much as possible.

Me:What is one race you’d love to win?

Phillip: The obvious races I’d love to win would be the classics, like any jockey. But on a more personal level, I’d love to win the Nunthorpe, being my local track and I love sprinters. Another one would be the Ayr Gold Cup. My dad used to take me and my mate up every year to watch it with him, so that one would be up there. When I was young it was always the Grand National, but not sure I’d be brave enough now, unless it was an old school master.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Phillip: In the coming season or two I’d like to keep building on numbers and also the quality of horses. Last year I got to 47 with a few nicer ones in there, so to keep riding in them sort of races would be great and to get above 50 would be nice.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Phillip: A horse to watch would be Que Amoro, a filly I won on for Michael Dods in the apprentice race at the Ebor Festival. She’s a seriously fast filly that stays the 5 furlongs strongly and on fast ground I think she’d be able to go up a level into a listed / group 3 company for them.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Phillip: York would have to be my favourite track, it’s my local, has the best racing in the North and arguably, the country. Always has a great crowd and the atmosphere is unbelievable.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Phillip: My advice to any young person would be hard work can always beat talent, so as long as you want something, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t or aren’t good enough. Just make sure you work as hard as you can and harder than anyone else and you’ll get to where you want to be.

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Firstly a massive thank you to Phillip for taking the time out to speak with me. From speaking to him I think he is someone who wants to learn and continuously improve in the sport and that is a great attitude to have and he will definitely be successful with that thought process. 

I hope you enjoyed and I will see you all next Saturday for An Interview with Tom Garner.

An Interview with Ben Curtis

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Ben Curtis

Hey guys!

Today I am bringing you an interview with flat jockey Ben Curtis. I really hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Ben: I think my favourite win so far was an early one. The Irish Lincoln on Drombeg Dawn at the Curragh. It was a race that helped kick start my career on a bigger scale.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Ben: A horse I was close to working for John Oxx at the time, Sea The Stars was a horse I would have loved to have ridden in a race. He oozed class in all aspects.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Ben: I believe as a sport we have bent over backwards to co-operate with all of the bad publicity this subject receives. There is no whips in racing as it is! We are using pillows on sticks. They do not cause any pain only persuade horses through sound. Either way they are always going to be needed for safety purposes and I believe that as long as we, as jockeys, stay within the rules and guidelines that are currently set, the current situation should not be looked at again to appease anyone and we now need to stand our ground on this matter.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Ben: As a jockey I believe it’s hard for anyone to stick to a routine diet with the amount of travelling involved, logistically it is near impossible to plan. Personally I don’t eat breakfast and would often miss lunch. But I love an evening meal and I live by the philosophy once you burn more than you put in then you won’t put on weight. It’s very simple.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Ben: Anyone who considers horse racing as cruel are misinformed and uneducated on the matter. These horses receive five star treatment. They are bred to do a job and love what they do. And a visit to any racing stables will highlight the regard and love these horses receive.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Ben: It all depends on what you plan for the year. Whether it is to take some downtime in the winter, attack the all weather or focus on jobs abroad. Downtime for me is rare as I like to keep busy and competitive throughout the year. But when I do, I like to spend time with my family and love a day out with a few beers and music with friends and depending on the amount of beers a possible dance.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Ben: Mick Kinane was always my idol, but presently looking up to Ryan Moore and Frankie (Dettori) two completely different characters but both masters of their trade.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Ben: I’m not pinpointing one but there are a few, the Nunthope as I love York, the Derby or any race at Royal Ascot. 

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Ben: My main goal first and foremost is riding winners but a group one is my ultimate and what I put all the work in with a view of achieving.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Ben: I think Lord Of The Lodge is a classy animal and when the ground is soft a horse called Ainsdale could turn into a high class sprinter.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse to ride at and why?

Ben: York and Ascot are both exceptional tracks to ride and both get large crowds and have an atmosphere to boot. 

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Ben: If you are lucky enough to pursue a job or career that you love, put in the hours, do the work and don’t give up. There are a lot of downs in any career choice but once the highs outweigh them you are on the right track. Always look at where your going, not where you’ve been!

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Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to Ben for taking some time out to speak with me. He gave some brilliant answers and I really enjoyed this one, I hope you guys enjoyed it too!

I will see you all next Saturday at 11am for An Interview with Max Kendrick!