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Monday September 14 2026
Trainer profile: Nick Gifford
Nick comes from a family steeped not just in racing but equestrianism at large. Since taking over from his father in 2003, he has continued a centuries-long tradition of racehorse training on the South Downs at Findon. Here we profile Findon's leading yard, and highlight some horses to watch from Downs House.
Downs House - Steeped in racing
Training from Downs House in Findon means filling big shoes. This is a yard that sent out big winners as of right throughout the Victorian and post-war period. And whilst Sussex's trainers are a little thinner on the ground than at any time since the 1950s, the area carries a solid reputation for both flat and Jump horses. Plumpton and Fontwell Park fly the flag for country Jump racing within the county, Goodwood for the flat.
Back in the Victorian era, the famous John Porter trained from Downs House. His tally of 6 Epsom Derbies began with Blu Gown in 1868, extending through luminairies like Ormonde (1886).
The yard became home to one Ryan Price, master of the coup, and champion NH trainer no less than five times from 1954-67, a period that encompassed 4 Champion Hurdles and a Grand National in 1962 with Kilmore. He signed off Jump racing with What A Myth winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1969 before switching largely to the flat, and enabling the recently retired Josh Gifford to take over at Downs House.
An immensely successful trainer, Gifford maintained Downs House on the Jump racing map, notably through Aldaniti's memorable comeback from injury under the recovered cancer patient Bob Champion in the 1981 Grand National and 10 Festival winners. A string of good horses passed through the yard until his retirement in 2002, and the passing of the baton to son, Nick.
Continuing a long tradition of steeplechase winners
Trainer under his own name of some 250 winners, Nick and wife Ruth have continued Nick's father's legacy, although inevitably, this has required some renewal as owners of his father's generation have disappeared.
Christmas and Fighting Fifth winner Straw Bear highlighted the first decade of the millennium, whilst more recently,
Aworkinprogress and Touquet have flown the flag for Findon in handicaps, including the Surrey National at Lingfield (below).
Some old favourites...
The summer months are a time of renewal for Jumps yards, where they replenish their stock and offload horses that are fully exposed, or whom have lost their speed, or appetite for the sport.
Here are a few horses to look out for over the next few months.
AWorkinprogress
One of several in the ownership of the sport's leading patron, J P McManus, staying chaser Aworkinprogress is a winner of 7 of his 13 starts to date, all bar one in chases. A winner twice last season over distances in excess of 3m, including at Uttoxeter and Lingfield, he concluded his season pulled up behind Isaac des Obeaux in the Midlands Grand National where the ground wasn't soft enough for him. Rising 8, he is, as yet, a few pounds off making the cut for the Grand National, but expect to see him in the better staying chases where he can earn his keep. He's a more likely candidate for mid-winter long distance chases given the quicker conditions that tend to prevail at Aintree in the Spring.
... And some largely untried horses
Low Expectations
Six year old hurdler Low Expectations (picture below) confounded his owners and his name by running up a hat-trick last season at novice level, with wins at Fontwell, Windsor and Plumpton in the space of a month in November. With a summer under his belt to fill out, he too will earn his keep in lowish grade handicaps.
Home des Obeaux (FR)
Stocky juvenile Home des Obeaux is an April foal so little more than 3 1/2 so far, and has yet to visit a racecourse. At 16:2hh, he's already a fine-looking horse which hopefully will translate into some form first in bumpers than over hurdles.
Safari (IRE)
A solitary run at Warwick in soft ground isn't enough to evaluate this 6 year old mare's scope. She should have matured over the summer, ready to go hurdling.
Soldier Poet (IRE)
This son of Soldier of Fortune was touched off in a Plumpton bumper by a length back in December, and saw out his bumper career witha 14l fourth here back in March. Again, he looks a type who will have matured over the summer, and will be watchable in novice hurdles.
