Robin Oakley

The trainer who sings opera to her racehorses

One of them, the grey Polar Cloud, tries to join in

[Photo: rterry126] 
issue 03 October 2020

Wetumpka Racing? When your yard is running at a handsome strike rate of 40 per cent wins to runs you can perhaps afford to name your racing partnership after a natural disaster. After all, it was 85 million years ago when a massive meteorite smashed into Alabama at Wetumpka. Trainer Heather Main, based in 90 acres of rural idyll at Kingston Lisle, near Lambourn, explains that Wetumpka is in fact an Indian word describing the bubbling waters of the river that resulted, and you have to agree that ‘Wetumpka Racing’ has a greater impact than something more traditional like H. Main Racing.

Located around a grand wisteria-clad 1718 farmhouse with ancient yew sentinels, the yard, which Heather runs with her popular vet husband James, has lately been among the winners. Island Brave scooped a handsome Ascot handicap prize, Mostawaa won impressively at Haydock, Island Nation took a mile and a half race at Kempton and Island Warrior scored over six furlongs after a 369-day break.

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