Nigel Hawke's Thorne Farm yard is located a few miles from Tiverton, Devon, in countryside you'd be hard pressed to beat for either beauty or training horses. The testing uphill gallop and all-weather facilities utilise the natural layout of the land perfectly for getting horses fit all year round. Nigel has over 40 years of experience in the industry firstly as a Grand National winning jockey and now successful trainer. He is renowned for having a very good eye for bloodstock, most famously spotting Tiger Roll in the sales ring snapping him up for £10,000 before going onto Grand National heroics and legendary status.
The Thorne Farm operation is a real family affair, Nigel's wife Katherine runs Hawke Barn, the yard's intimate wedding facility and luxury holiday accommodation. Name another yard where you can get married and holiday at!
Nigel is the most genial of men, even if you have never had the pleasure of meeting him before, you are immediately put at ease. He talks to you as if you are old mates, something not as common as it should be in the world of racehorse trainers, a real pleasure to be in the company of. Here's what he had to say about a selection of Thorne Farm inmates to look out for this season.
"We finished last season with 22 winners, which was our second-best season ever, we had a marvellous spring. As always, the hardest thing is that every season you want to improve on the previous one. We've got more horses in now than we've ever had but we've an awful lot of young horses. Our best time of the season is after Christmas, up until then we have a lot of young horses whom we are teaching their job, it's easier to pick their races after Christmas, it'll certainly going to be no different this season. We had a huge spending spree during the summer buying three-year-olds.
ãã®èšäºã¯ Racing Ahead ã® January 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Racing Ahead ã® January 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
Tragedy Hits Racing Family - Nick Townsend reels from shock attack on John Hunt's wife and daughters
Nick Townsend reels from shock attack on John Hunt's wife and daughters. I will be far from alone in recent days in being overcome by emotions ranging from utter disbelief to revulsion upon hearing of the unspeakable acts perpetrated upon John Hunt's family, resulting in the death of his wife Carol and daughters, Hannah and Louise.
AUDIENCE IS ERUPTING
John Anthony reveals the latest top speedsters after another Glorious Goodwood
HORSE OF A LIFETIME
Graham Buddry pays fresh tribute to track legend Sea The Stars - surely one of the greatest ever
IT'S TIME TO TAKE STOCK
Paul Jacobs looks forward to seeing some big on-track questions answered
PLAYING TO THE WHISTLE
lan Heitman flies about to keep pace with a rush of two-year-old Flat action
WINNING JOY ON A BUDGET
Richard Eagle takes a trip to Windsor to check out peoples' route into the port of kings
GIFT HORSES AND FRENCH LESSONS
Robert Cooper finds 'retirement' is keeping him busy
FEUD GETS THE PARTY ROLLING
Karl Hedley savours the Galway Festival action and picks out the summer highlights at Ballybrit
ROCKING THE MONEY BAGS
Simon Nott reveals his recent experiences from trips to Brighton and Ascot
FLYING EVE'S BORN TO WIN
Nick Townsend talks to in-form trainer Eve Johnson Houghton