Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey reflects on why it’s important to remain positive – even when you find yourself training just two horses instead of the normal 70...
It is hard to believe what we are all going through at the moment, with all sport cancelled for the foreseeable future – although there is talk of Flat racing starting on 15 May behind closed doors. There has never been a time in my training career when it is so important to remain positive and hopeful for the future of both my business and the sport.
I am currently training two horses instead of 70, which is not an ideal situation for any business model.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
Credit: Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse
‘Ascot Racecourse will come through this crisis and we look forward to being able to welcome racegoers back when it
Credit: Getty Images
‘Very sadly these are exceptional times and this is the responsible thing to do’
Library image.
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
A decision on the Grand National will be announced ‘as soon as possible’
Credit: RACINGFOTOS.COM
The young jockey got into trouble after embracing when celebrating his Group One win
Credit: PA
Gordon and Su Hall fell into being owners, but the experience has brought them so much joy already
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
