This year’s new group of Godolphin Flying Start trainees arrived at Kildangan Stud on Monday, August 15th. The twelve trainees represent six countries: New Zealand, China, Ireland, UK, Sweden and USA. The group were welcomed by Godolphin Flying Start and Kildangan Stud management at a lunch in the Cape Cross Centre, on their first day.
The first week on the programme has focused on induction training. In addition to a stallion show and tour of the stud they visited Godolphin’s Ragusa, Old Connell and Blackhall Studs and had a presentation on HH Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock interests. They will shortly commence IT and Communications training as well as their Equine Anatomy and Physiology module at University College Dublin. They will commence practical work experience assisting with breaking yearlings at Kildangan in early September. The group are looking forward to their first taste of Irish racing at the Irish Champions Weekend Trials at the Curragh this Saturday and will take to the track themselves on Sunday morning running in the Jog For Jockeys 5km and 10km events which is then followed by G2 Galileo Futurity Stakes.
Trainee Luke Morgan from County Waterford is looking forward to hosting his international classmates on the Ireland phase of the program. “’I’m really excited about showcasing our renowned industry here in Ireland to my fellow trainees. We all come from different disciplines throughout the international thoroughbred industry which is fantastic as we can learn so much from each other.”
Lectures, visits, assignments and practical experience will continue for the ten week Irish phase of the program until the end of October when they will travel to Newmarket to commence the UK phase of the programme. The trainees will attend the Goffs yearling sales and racing at Dundalk, Laytown, the Curragh and Leopardstown.
Check out all their profiles on the website here