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DOCTOR KINGSLEY: Hoping to build on a hat-trick last season
photo: Jackie Oliver

Carolyn Tanner visits Pauline and Doug Harkin at the beginning of what looks set to be a busy season.

The term "falling for somebody" took on a whole new meaning for Pauline Adams in 2000, the year in which she invited a fellow Nuffield Scholar, Australian Doug Harkin, to attend a Point-to-Point at Guilsborough where she was riding Supreme Dream, but the impression she was determined to make on her companion was not quite what she had in mind. "I was thinking about him instead of concentrating, and I fell off," she laughed.

The impression can't have been that bad, as they have been together ever since, getting married in 2007. They are embarking on their fourth season at Blackgrounds Farm, near Chipping Warden, where they have assembled a string of 15 Pointers for the coming season.

Doug's grandmother bred flat horses in Australia, but Doug's own involvement was much more hands-on. Brought up on a sheep and cattle station in outback Queensland, he was riding and breaking in horses every day. There were no farriers or vets to call upon, and so those were skills which also had to be learned.

"I think the only reason Pauline wanted me to stay was so I could shoe her horses," he grinned. "My first birthday present from her was an anvil and shoeing hammer!"

Pauline rode her first winner on Money From America in 1992, having progressed to the faster pace of racing from the hunting field - "I was totally out of control" - and then team chasing, where she got fed up with waiting for her fellow members to catch her up!

"A happy team makes for happy horses" has always been Doug's motto, and there is certainly an air of contentment among both humans and equines at Blackgrounds. Apart from the Pointers there are assorted terriers and chickens in residence, while the atmosphere obviously suits Prudence and Matilda the pigs who, no doubt fortified by the fallen apples in the orchard, have long outlived their allotted lifespan.

An integral part of the Harkins' team is Will Telfer, whose +1 handicap at the age of 15 could have opened doors in the golfing world but who opted for a life in racing instead. He will partner the majority of the string, although he will doubtless be extremely grateful that he is unable to fit into the set of blue and white colours recently brought back by Doug from Australia. "They were my grandmother's," Doug explained, "and they're really old-fashioned, with frilly bits on the collar and sleeve. They'd make Will look a right pansy!"

Also based at the yard full-time are Laura Horsfall, who formerly worked for Bill Warner, and event rider Amy Harper, who is due to make her debut at Barbury this weekend on Haunted House. Lucy Higgs comes in three days a week, and Toby Betambeau rides out three mornings.

Blackgrounds is situated on David Allen's Edgcote estate, and the facilities, shared with licensed trainers Ben Case and Alex Hales, are second to none. "That's the only problem," smiled Pauline, "we've got no excuses."

There are seven furlong uphill and round all-weather gallops, plus a mile round grass gallop and 2,000 acres of grass margins, while the Harkins also have access to a huge indoor school if working outside is not possible. The gallops are open to the public after midday, so Doug, who does all the maintenance, including the fences, occasionally gets the chance to see what some of the opposition are up to.

More boxes than those already in situ were needed to accommodate their new influx, so Doug has converted what were once pigsties into stables, and he has also built a spacious tack room, complete with shower facilities for the staff.

In addition he has put in an outdoor schooling ring, in which all the young horses learn to pop over tyres and a small brush obstacle before progressing to the fences proper. All have a thorough jumping education before being allowed onto a course.

Two of the youngsters have an entry at Barbury. Sally Norris's Cloudy Moon, who ran a couple of times for Simon Gilmore in 2010, is in the Mares' Maiden, and Velvet Shadow, whose only run has been in a Towcester Bumper, could take her chance in the Brightwells 4&5yo Maiden. The latter is one of a batch of five purchased in Ireland - "I only went to buy one!" confessed Pauline - and is somewhat of a Houdini, as she has no problem in letting herself out of her box when she feels like it, and wandering round the yard visiting her stablemates. She has overcome her ‘ugly duckling' status, having grown into her large head which was originally out of proportion to the rest of her!

Other maidens in the yard include We Never Give Up, who was seventh on her sole outing in an Irish Point, and will hopefully be a contender for the Mares' Maiden series. The Harkins, who always have horses for sale or to syndicate or lease, are looking for an owner for her, to stay in the yard. Quand Je Reve De Toi was second on her debut in 2010 but disappointed in Bumpers due to a virus, and Miss Mills has a home-bred pair in Blue Monoaka and Mon Romier. This duo stem back to a mare who was so well-thought of that connections managed to keep her hidden away instead of allowing her to go into service during the war, as so many thoroughbreds did.

The aforementioned Haunted House won two Chases for Henry Daly when running for current owner Emma Hawthorne's late father Barry Gibson. He has not run since June 2008 and has "legs like china," but should give Amy some fun if all goes well.

Emma also owns The Irish RM, who won his Maiden in Ireland and would appear to like some cut in the ground.

Amy is not the only novice rider in the yard, as another making his bow will be Essex farmer Christopher Padfield, who has purchased Phairy Storm, five times successful between the flags, as his schoolmaster. The Burton fixture at the end of January has been earmarked for the partnership's debut, and, said Doug, "If he can get round we'll all need a week off to celebrate!"

Christopher also has a share in the maiden Intimate Whisper, who had a run on the flat for Henry Candy and whose breeder Caroline McPhail has retained part ownership.

Doctor Kingsley's three victories last term mean that he goes into Intermediate class this time, as does Unoitmakessense, who has plenty of ability but whose jumping frailties ensure continued employment for the fence builders.

Colin and Darren Hall and Steve McSaddles sent Maiden winner Laverty to Doug and Pauline last year. He arrived at the yard with a leg problem and "looking like a hat rack," said his trainer. Very keen on the schooling ground, he tends at the moment to jump a bit flat. He would prefer heavy ground, and will start his campaign at Whitfield.

Jo Thame's Coeur de Lionne, who has four flat victories to his name, has an excellent pedigree for racing on the level, being half-brother to several winners produced by his dam, who herself is a half-sister to Derby winner Sir Percy. "He's a monkey," pronounced Doug, "but if he used just half his ability you wouldn't see which way he went." He goes to Cottenham on New Year's Eve.

The Harkins' passion for the sport is evident - "If it wasn't fun we wouldn't do it," they say - and Doug believes in putting something back. He is no longer involved at Guilsborough, where he and Gerald Bailey were guaranteed to produce an excellent racing surface, but this season it is his local track, the resurrected course at Mollington, which will reap the benefit of his experience.

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