Tom Symonds' racing blog: meet the Dason Court team

I currently feel that we are in a constant state of dress rehersal – lots of practising for the real event. In As You Like It, William Shakespeare stated “All the world’s a stage; the men and women merely players”, which reduces our short, and thus important, time on this earth to theatrics!

As we continue to ready the horses for their “first night performances”, each and every member of the team works hard to get the best out of each horse prior to their races. This is where your team becomes invaluable.

Mark White is our head lad and, not unlike his namesake in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Mark came from Richard Phillips’ yard, having spent 14 years with David Nicholson. His experience is invaluable and knowledge extensive. Although a man of few words, he is reliable and also a very talented rider too. He used to ride a very popular grey horse at Jackdaws Castle called Relkeel. As you will come to learn, a few members of our staff have been associated with current and former equine stars – let us hope it remains so.

We have a cottage on the farm that houses three thoroughly diligent members of the team. Like all of us, they have their idiosyncrasies. James Nixon is a non-drinking 19-year-old Scouser (unusual?) who I met at Seven Barrows. He is a talented rider on the cusp of launching his point-to-point career. Sometimes his love of sleep can get in the way of his work, but his easy-going outlook on life is always refreshing. He used to ride out the 2011 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner Bobs Worth everyday and look after the horse – Mossley – that finished second in that race, so he has his own high standards to live up to.

Kat Sowa is another Nicky Henderson ex-pat who finds nothing too much trouble and is always smiling. She left Seven Barrows midway through last season but always promised to join us here. Owner Michael Buckley had requested that she look after his horse Spirit Son, which she did (as well as Oscar Whisky), and was sad that she left him but then delighted that she now looks after his horse here, Mirific. My problems here are quite obvious – these people have already experienced racing’s creme de la creme!

Lorna Brooke is a young lady who I met at St Richards’ Preparatory School – not the usual place to find staff but if they have passed through that academy at some point, they will be most reliable, I can assure you! Lorna came to us from Henry Daly having worked for Richard Lee and Fran §ois Doumen. She is a very accomplished point-to-point and bicycle rider. She and her friend Jane Williams recently completed the John O’Groats to Lands End challenge in aid of their injured friend Isabel Tompsett.

As the number of horses has risen, so has the number of staff. Isabel Davies came from Chris Wall’s Induna Stables in Newmarket. She recently came to Herefordshire as her boyfriend is doing a farriers’ course in Hereford. It is always reassuring when you phone a prospective member of staff’s former employer for a reference and they show much remorse in losing them. His loss is my gain as Izzy has been a good addition to the yard and is a very competent rider.

As you can see, a lot of people have put a lot of time into helping me start up. I am and will be eternally grateful for their time. Even Greg Hodder and Alan Lloyd have been taking a keen interest in the yard in their rare time off from all things shooting. Again, they have been so helpful and it is amazing to think in their limited knowledge of racing sometimes they come up with the best suggestions – something to bear in mind perhaps!

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