13 January 2010 Trainer Feature - Will Kinsey
by Arthur Shone
Peel Hall is set in some two hundred and fifty acres of scenic Cheshire countryside in Ashton, and is home to Point-to-Point trainer and rider Will Kinsey.
The facilities at the yard are very impressive. There is an all-weather two furlong gallop and an abundance of grass gallops, and all twenty boxes in the yard are full.
Will, an all-round sportsman who plays football for Liverpool Ramblers, rode his first winner for Wolverhampton trainer Paul Jones on Master Jock in 2000 and with over 30 winners already under his belt, he is very much enjoying the training side as well as riding winners. He currently has a 100% record in the current season, having ridden a double at the Northern Area Club meeting at Alnwick aboard My Final Bid in the Maiden and Lord Who in the Mens Open.
The day-to-day running of the yard is very much a family business. There was a time when Will's mother Julie, the former master of the Cheshire Forest, used to train the family's own Pointers (the best of which was Fibreguide Tech), as a hobby. However all that changed when she handed over the reins to her son in 2006, and he has since expanded the yard to include a lot of outside owners.
After twelve months of training and riding between the flags, Will went to work as assistant trainer at to Donald McCain and describes that experience as invaluable and a great learning curve. Last season he once again took over the training from his mother Julie, and Flashy Boy ridden by his sister Hannah Burton provided the icing on the cake when crowned the champion pointer in the North Western area. Hannah is currently expecting her first child with husband Richard Burton, so Kinsey will be taking over the reins on Flashy Boy this season.
Will's father Richard has a permit to train under Rules and was very instrumental in expanding the family's equestrian business. This is proving to be very successful as they buy young horses and bring them on to sell at the sales later, while they also graze horses for Goldford Stud, which is owned by Bangor and Chester racecourse director Richard Aston.
Will feels that in the not too distant future he too would like to take out a full licence to train under rules. He has passed all the exams, and in his own words it is just a case of getting the timing right. However, he is now firmly focused on the new 2009/10 Point-to-Point season, and his comments on his inmates at Peel Hall are well worth noting.
ALPHA VICTOR
David Wesley Yates, who owns Monet's Garden, has a quarter share in this horse. He is in full work, is going really well on the gallops, and will act on any ground. He is a nice horse to have in the yard.
ECHO INDIA
Peter Monteith recommended him to us, and we liked him as soon as we saw him. He is working really well at home, and he is my dark horse selection from the yard. He is everybody's favourite at home, he won his Maiden in Ireland well, and looks more than capable of winning a Restricted. He wants good ground.
FLASHY BOY
He did the yard proud last season, winning the champion horse award in the area. He gallops and stays all day, the softer the ground the better. I am looking forward to riding him this season, as he has always been my sister's horse in Ladies Opens.
GLENAROUSKE
He missed last season through injury. We bought him from Jimmy Mangan in Ireland and he had useful form between the flags there. I could not believe it when we were beaten by my brother-in-law on Darnil at Whittington, the judge gave it to Burtie by a head. I was astonished as I thought we had won, but that's racing. He is working well at home and needs good ground.
SATCH
He is a nice young horse by Shahrastani, who we bought as a two year old. He has been schooling well a home and we will run him in a young horse Maiden. I think he would probably want a bit of cut in the ground.
STRIKE FAST
I think a lot of him, he is a nice type by Portrait Gallery and was placed in his Maiden in Ireland at Dromahane. Has been working nicely at home and will need a bit of cut in the ground.
THE DISCO KID
He used to be trained in Ireland by Thomas Cooper, and is a half-brother to the useful Sweet Citizen. He should win a Maiden and he is also for sale.
WILLIE WONG
He will start off in Point-to-Points before going Hunter Chasing. He ran a cracking race at Worcester in a bumper when losing out very narrowly in a photo. He is working well and would want good ground.
WOULD WOULDNT
He clearly has ability as he proved when dead-heating in a Hunter Chase at Huntingdon. However, he can be a bit quirky as he proved when he refused to race at Tabley. The plan is to start him off in Point-to-Points and see how he goes, then hopefully run him later on back in Hunter Chases. He acts on most ground.
