Our Young Gun Trainers - A Report Card

| Thu 8 September, 2011

WA training ranks have been blessed with a number of trainers in their 20's and early 30's making a good go of the business of training winners. Below is a report card of the more prominent, young up and coming trainers since their debut into the training ranks of WA.

Adam Durrant

Must be considered a veteran trainer, despite his age. Adam took over from his father Geoff in 2006 and hit the ground running. In his first full year at the helm, Adam trained 74 winners at a strike rate of 22% winners to runners. The following two years he trained in excess of 80 winners and won the trainers premiership in 2009-10. His last year, by his own lofty standards, was well below average, training just 56 winners at a strike rate of 14.3%. This coincided with the split from the powerful Bob and Sandra Peters stable. Adam has and is going through a rebuilding stage, replacing some of those quality runners lost in the last racing season and following his Perth Cup win with Lords Ransom. His start to the current season has been fair.

Career rating 9/10
Current rating 6.5/10

Ben Pearce

Ben took the training ranks by storm back in the 2008-09 season. The son of Colin Pearce, Ben trained 5 winners from limited starters in his first year at a strike rate of 19.2% winners to runners. The 2010 racing season was phenomenal and from 111 starters, he trained 26 winners including some big races with the likes of Yabigorse (T.J Smith Trophy), Tropical Fury (placed in the Natasha and the WA Oaks), Impatient Times (multiple winner) and Lie in Wait (multiple winner). Has failed to maintain those impressive stats after the loss of form of those same horses and a rebuilding phase in the latter years. His biggest recent success was in the Batavia Sprint in 2011 where Impatient Times returned to some of her earlier career form.

Career rating 7/10
Current rating 5/10

Daniel Pearce

Unlike Ben, Daniel (also son of Colin) has had a much more steady growth to his training career. His first season in 2008-09 was, as you would expect. The 2010 season was excellent for a very young trainer, who had learned his ply pre-training for some of the Lark Hill trainers. His strike rate that year was almost 11% winners to runners and the recently completed 2011 season was improvement again with 8 winners and more than 14% winners to runners. Daniel has also had to work hard to retain clients and lost some handy horses to WA newcomer Craig Wright. Winners the likes of Flashy Doll, Lauradane and Playcidium Mint all left his stable and were probably his top liners at the time. Dan has however maintained his momentum with lesser lights Prime Knockout, Ebony Buzz and even Don't Give A Star. His biggest moment was probably the second placing of Lauradane to the outstanding Dreamaway in the Listed 1000 Guineas. Had limited runners of late, but pay to keep an eye on.

Career rating 6.5/10
Current rating 6/10

Damian Winn

Much like the Pearce boys, another very hard working young trainer trying to make a go of the game. Is well known around the traps, breaking and pre-training for some of the bigger Ascot stables. Was just starting to reap the rewards with some winners in the last few months, when a feeding mistake had him disqualified for five months. His first two seasons ending August 09 and 2010 saw a couple of winners each with strike rates under 10%. In 2011, he doubled his runners from 30 to 62 and trained 7 winners, equating to a strike rate of more than 11% winners to runners. The bombshell hit in August with a positive to caffeine, recorded via a supplement provided in error. A crying shame for a young trainer, but a lesson learned. His runners Light The Skies, Boy Mambo and Princess Grandera had all recently won races and were in good form. His biggest win was with the injury troubled Armed Response in the Tooday Cup in 2009. His career will probably hit the skids now for a while.

Career rating 5.5/10.
Current rating 5.5/10

Dion Luciani

Dion has recently gone into partnership with his father Lou after an apprenticeship as stable foreman for the stalwart of WA racing. Dion couldn't have a better pedigree for the caper or a better mentor. While too early to tell just how much skill or success Dion will have, he has certainly done a substantial "pre-season" and is ready to fire. With three winners in the month and an early strike rate of 10%, Dion can certainly make his mark, especially with Lou as a partner.

Current rating: too early to rate

Clint Price

Much like Dion, Clint took up a dual license with his father Ross in the last season. Their success has been spiked by the pick-up of many top line horses from the Bob and Sandra Peters stable. With this in mind, Clint Price has had an outstanding start to his career. Last season, together they trained 24 winners with a strike rate of almost 17% winners to runners. Success however had not been solely built on the back of the Peters empire. Ross and Clint's top liner would be Colour Correct, winner of last year's Asian Beau Stakes, CB Cox Stakes and Ascot Gold Cup. More recently, their up and coming star Like and Eagle, has taken all before him and winning is a weekly event for the pair. While not the most level of playing fields, its hard to knock the winning form of Clint Price.

Career rating 7.5/10
Current rating 8.5/10

Jeremy Easthope

Jeremy is another young bloke who started out several years back and by virtue of that, is probably considered a senior trainer these days. He started with a bang with four early wins from I Command in 2007, a horse that went on to run second for him in a Bunbury Stakes. That however was not his biggest success, that coming from an old cast off galloper by the name of Fim Maru in the 2008 Hannan's Handicap. Easthope, like most of the young guns, began his career in fine form with 8 winners from 54 runners in the 2008 season. From there on for the next few years, it became a struggle with never more than 60 runners and strike rates of between 5% and 7%. His last season was the best for a while, but still well below the lofty standards he set in 2008. Winners came in the form of Test The Angels (Apprentices Cup) and In Eden's Honour, who showed promise early on but lost form earlier this year. Jeremy has had a string of outs since February, when he won his last race with In Eden's Honour. Lack of decent stock seems to be the key issue rather than training ability.

Career rating 5/ 10
Current rating 3/10

Hana Dickson

Hana is a young lady doing an outstanding job training a small team. She began in the season ending 2009 with a couple of winners from just 25 starters and almost quadrupled her starters in 2010 with moderate results. Coming back to earth last year, she trained 3 winners from 40 runners with a strike rate of almost 8% winners to runners. Thus far this year is her best ever start with two winners already in the month to begin 2011. Hana has had success with cast-off gallopers from the Neville Parnham yard in Triple Ken and with her own horses such as Mac's Mint and most notably, stable star Northerly Gale, who won three from four starts back in December last year.

Career rating 6/10
Current rating 7/10

Brett Pope

Another who learned his trade from his well respected father, Pinjarra's Bill Pope. Brett has been training horses well beyond his years but it was two good horses by the name of Solidwickedcruel and Joey Jo Jo who put him on the right path. Joey Jo Jo had the potential to make Brett one of the first young guns of WA racing back in 2007 when she racked up a string of wins, including the Belmont Guineas, where she beat Translate. That could have set Brett on a much accelerated path but for her being sold to eastern states interests. Brett ticked over with his solid performer, Solidwickedcruel and a number of other midweek and provincial winners. His first three seasons all boasted close to 10% strike rate for winners to runners but 2011 was by far his worst year, despite having some handy youngsters in Mantango, Andraczke, Lady Ladette and Stoppit, whom all won races in that year. Brett has consistenly increased his number of runners and is a hard working provincial trainer who has struggled a little with city success without a real topliner in his stable.

Career rating 6/10
Current rating 5.5/10

Chris Gangemi

Chris has almost completed his "honeymoon" year, as most of the young guns did, in good form after taking over from his father John last racing season. Unlike most of the others, Chris was lucky enough to acquire a top liner in the process in the Hussonet seven year old Werd. Significantly, Werd was Chris' first winner as a fully fledged trainer back in October last year. Werd however has not provided his biggest success, that coming in the form of The Underworld, who won the Listed Belmont Guineas back in June, with Chris training the third placegetter Private O'Dea aswell. In 115 runners last year, Chris trained 10 winners for a strike rate of almost 9%. This season has started off with a bang with 20 starters for almost 17% strike rate. His winners have come from the likes of Private O'Dea, Werd, The Underworld, The Widder, Full Fuel, Central Park and The Entourage. This year is crunch time for Chris as the honeymoon is over.

Career rating 7/10
Current rating 7.5/10

Paige Kenney

Paige first trained horses in the racing season ending in 2009. Another young, up and coming Lark Hill trainer, her first full season saw 26 runners for two winners (both in the bush) at a strike rate of almost 8% winners. It was her next season however in 2011 that Paige billed herself as a young trainer to follow. From 48 runners, she managed eight winners with the likes of Master Marlon, Westriver Kevydon and Dante's Princess. With a strike rate of close to 17% last year, she has really placed herself among the top group of ladies training in WA.

Career rating 6/10

Current rating 6/10

Todd Harvey

Has also been around the ranks for some time and comes from a good racing background. Todd has quadrupled his number or runners over the past few years, coming from just 23 starters for one winner in 2009, to a number of 106 runners last year (2011). His improvement in stock has also been noticeable. In 2010, Todd had 75 runners for six winners and a strike rate of just 8%. Last year was his best year by far with a strike rate of almost 16%, with winners in Rouge Dior, Izademon, Global Flirt, Frenchman, Kemilee, old timer Lachino and his stable star Premardal. The latter, while knocking on the door at a couple of big races, has probably not provided the results in the last year. She did win two listed races, the Starstruck and the Jungle Dawn late last year, which were his biggest wins to date. Todd has begun the new season with a bang with newcomer Keystone Rose winning two of her four career starts.

Career rating 7/10

Current rating 7.5/10

Mark Reed

A relative newcomer to the racing scene, Mark has come from a trotting background. Only training a handful of horses in both 2008 (16) and 2009 (20) racing seasons, he took the training ranks by storm in 2010 with the incredible stats of 15 winners from just 66 runners at 22.7% strike rate. In that year he trained Gondorff to win the Kalgoorlie and Queens Cups and Whipsaw, who went from Maiden winner to Bunbury Cup winner, in the space of two weeks. Peach Tree went on to win the Belmont Classic (2200m) later that season after winning first up in the campaign at 1000m. It was a stellar season by anyone's standards. After training six winners in the 2011 season including Gondorff in the Boulder Cup, Reed was disqualified for an exessive level of bicarb in the sample of Gondorff, attempting to defend his Kalgoorlie Cup. The ban stopped Reed in his tracks, only returning in June 2011 where he took up where he left off with a strike rate of 19%  winners to runners so far in 2011, including the Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie Cups with the latest staying talent, Kincaple. His best horses have been Gondorff, Offer Me Jewels, Kincaple, Peach Tree and Whipsaw.

Career rating 8/10

Current rating 7.5/10

Simon Miller

Otherwise known as "The Grey Swallow", Simon Miller began training in the 2009 racing season after serving his apprenticeship in Victoria. Simon trains under the Aquanita brand and for a relative newcomer, has always seemed to have a top liner in his stable. Simon's biggest achievement in racing was winning the Karrakatta Plate this year with Night War and a close up fourth in the same race with Single Spice. MIller started with a small team in 2009 but trained at 21% winners to runners from only 65 starters. His next two years hit strike rates or 16% and 17% with winners from the likes of Power Princess, Auburn Streak, Black Nijinsky, Timely Queen, Sacred Crown, Gold Rocks and Coronate. His first top line horse was the trouble plagued Darntime who won him four races when he was first starting out. Miller has had a slowish start to the new season by his standards (13% winners to runners) but is due back in work horses like Single Spice, Power Princess, Night War and a number of other talented youngsters.

Career rating 8/10

Current rating 7/10