Goldie looking to the future following milestone winner

Trainer still has ambitious targets.

Jim Goldie is targeting further success after notching his 1,000th winner at Ayr on Saturday.

Based at Renfrewshire, not far from Glasgow, the trainer has enjoyed multiple big-race victories under both codes during a successful career spanning almost 30 years.

His landmark winner was provided by Call Me Ginger, a son of Orientor, who Goldie trained to win five races between 2001 and 2004, including Group Three triumphs at Newcastle and Sandown.

While proud to reach the milestone, there were no big celebrations at the trainer’s yard on Saturday night.

Goldie said: “We had a wee drink, but not too much as the work still has to get done the next day.

“You get one winner and you’re just looking for the next one. It’s a big team effort – you can’t do it on your own. Over the years it’s not just been this team, it’s been loads of teams.

“Call Me Ginger has been a great horse for us. We trained the mother (Primo Heights), we trained the father and we trained the granny (Harrken Heights). He’s a homebred, he loves Ayr and won the Bronze Cup last season, so it was apt.”

While predominantly a Flat trainer these days, Goldie trained successive winners of the Grand Sefton over the Grand National fences at Aintree in Lampion Du Bost (2007) and Endless Power (2008).

Phil Kinsella and Lampion Du Bost on their way to victory at Aintree
Phil Kinsella and Lampion Du Bost on their way to victory at Aintree (John Giles/PA)

Jack Dexter was a high-class sprinter for the yard, while more recently Euchen Glen has flown the flag by winning the John Smith’s Cup and three Group Threes.

Last summer Goldie landed the Northumberland Plate with 33-1 shot Nicholas T.

He added: “It’s hard to pick one, but winning the Northumberland Plate last year was obviously a highlight and it’s fresh in the memory.

“Jack Dexter took us to Ascot, he won there and was placed a few times. He was placed in an Ayr Gold Cup under top-weight and was great wee horse.

“When I started I was a jumps trainer, so winning over the Grand National fences was a great moment. If you’ve watched enough Grand Nationals you know when they’re going to win and when they get into that rhythm it’s an amazing feeling.

“From a long way out I knew Lampion Du Bost was going to win and I’ll always remember Phil Kinsella saying it’s as near as you can get to flying.

“You’d think after that someone might send us a horse to train for the Grand National, but we ended up getting a very good sprinter in Hawkeyethenoo through it.

“I think the great thing about racing is it’s a puzzle. Every horse is a puzzle and each race is a puzzle and that’s why people love it. We try to work out the puzzle. We’re not always right, but if we were it would be too easy wouldn’t it?”

Goldie has plenty left he still wants to achieve, including winning an elusive Ayr Gold Cup.

Ben Robinson and Nicholas T after winning the Northumberland Plate
Ben Robinson and Nicholas T after winning the Northumberland Plate (Tim Goode/PA)

He said: “I’m fed up with the Ayr Gold Cup! Every race is difficult, but at Ayr it’s made more difficult because you’ve got three days of racing and it depends on the weather and the draw and where the jockeys decide to race.

“It’s a fascinating race, but you need to get lucky, so I’m not holding my breath.

“The fascinating thing about training racehorses is you learn so much about all aspects and you can’t be a one trick pony. It’s not like throwing coal on a fire and the furnace burns, it’s about what coal you put on and how much air you give it.

“Targets come up and you miss a lot of them, but you hit some of them and it’s quite satisfying when you do. We’re all bouncing today as it all came right yesterday.

“I’d like to have a runner in the Derby and it’s still love to have a runner in the Grand National, but now we’re down to about one jumper that might be a struggle!”

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