'You have to earn their trust and that can take a bit of time' - Newsells Park Stud's David Porter-Mackrell

David Porter-Mackrell from Newsells Park Stud collected the employee of the year and stud staff prizes at last month’s Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. Here, he tells us about his journey to that summit . . .  

You worked at Whitsbury Manor and Banstead Manor before joining Newsells in 2009, what were your positive takeaways from those previous experiences?

Whitsbury was the making of me. I was about 22 when I started there as a stud hand and I was surrounded by people with a wealth of knowledge and experience. A job came up to assist with the stallions, so I put my hand up and they gave me a chance. 

I was privileged to be working with stallions like Cadeaux Genereux, Compton Place and Mister Baileys, but most importantly to have a great mentor in Mick Keegan, who was an incredible stallion man. I learnt so much from him and have a lot to thank him for. To this day, if faced with a challenge, I ask myself, 'What would Mick do?'

Three Valleys: "He was a tricky character but I slowly gained his trust and that was especially rewarding"Credit: Edward Whitaker

I was at Banstead Manor only for a short time but it was a brilliant experience working alongside so many outstanding professionals. 

With the expert help of the hugely experienced stallion team around me, what I learned most was from looking after Three Valleys during his first year at stud. He was a tricky character but I slowly gained his trust and that was especially rewarding. 

You might make it look easy but we’re sure it’s not – what characteristics would you say a stallion manager needs to do the job well? 

Patience and more patience. You have to earn their trust and that can take a bit of time. Listen to what they are trying to tell you, they all have good and not so good days and they will tell you about it. Be adaptable and find a way to keep them happy.

How many sires have you worked with at Newsells, and, of the current trio, readers would know them only as racehorses so describe their personalities for us . . . 

Not as many as we’d have liked, it’s hard to find the right horses to stand. I've worked with the current trio, plus Mount Nelson and Equiano. Mount Nelson was as hard as nails and enjoyed testing me, but once I got him on side he was easy enough. 

Equiano just wanted to eat and sleep – they were chalk and cheese really. Mount Nelson demanded you bring your A-game, whereas Equiano just wanted to chill. 

Nathaniel: top sire is highly intelligent and a true grafterCredit: Edward Whitaker

A’Ali is a typical sprinter, much the same as Equiano, happy and relaxed – eat, sleep and when it’s time to work, 100 per cent committed with a happy-go-lucky swagger. 

Nathaniel is very, very clever, he doesn’t miss a thing and is a true grafter as he loves to work. As he gets older his personality shines through and people are drawn to him. He’s a joy to be around and makes you smile. 

Without Parole has a great attitude, he wants to get on with whatever you ask him. When you fetch him from the paddock he always comes to the gate and is eager to please. 

I must also give a shout out to the teasers past and present – Gerry, Alfie, Alan, Sparrow and Dave. They’re unsung heroes who all have interesting characters and deserve a mention.  

If you had to narrow down aspects of your job you enjoy to just one thing, what would that be and why? 

Professionally speaking, it's always a pleasure showing the horses to clients and welcoming their mare to the breeding shed. Then, all being well, seeing the winners. Ultimately that’s what it’s all about – breeding winners and helping our clients do the same. 

Personally speaking, dinner time! At the end of the day when you give the horses dinner and they tuck in with their ears pricked happy and healthy, it makes me happy too. 

Moving on to the TIEA Awards, what are your reflections on the evening at Ascot and do you feel any sense of collective pride on behalf of stud staff everywhere, as well as personal satisfaction? 

The whole occasion was magic: meeting the judges, the tour of the Royal Mews, Ascot's exceptional hospitality, Ed Chamberlin's presenting, meeting the other finalists, but most of all meeting her Royal Highness Princess Anne and especially to receive the main prize from her is a precious memory. 

The atmosphere was amazing, there was a real sense of appreciation for one another, the horses and the fantastic industry all of us are part of, and I think we can all be proud of it. 

The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards winnersCredit: Dan Abraham

Some time has since passed and I’m still stunned. The nicest thing is how happy everyone has been for me, from the other finalists cheering me on the coach back to the hotel, to all the messages of congratulations from colleagues and clients. It seems there really is a collective pride, which makes it even more rewarding.

A massive thank you to Godolphin for their generous sponsorship, and to the BHA and everyone involved for working so hard to make it such a memorable occasion.

You’ll be on the 2025 judging panel – is that something you’ll look forward to, or be a little nervous about? 

I'm nervous, it is a little daunting and no doubt a difficult task, but one I'll look forward to. Hopefully there will be more nominations than ever to work through. It will be a privilege to hear people's stories and get an insight into so many different job roles within our industry. There are so many brilliant and deserving people in our line of work.

Have you done anything with or made any plans for putting your £15,000 prize-money to good use yet? 

What money? The tax man might be reading this! My wife Miranda wants a new car, as does my eldest son Joseph. My second son Elliot thinks I should buy Bitcoin, while my eldest daughter Phoebe wants a horse and my youngest daughter Amber wants 101 Dalmatians. Not the film, but 101 actual Dalmatians, so I guess the money's spent! I will try to squeeze a holiday out of it too.  

David Porter-Mackrell and Julian Dollar at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee AwardsCredit: Dan Abraham

You must have been the toast of colleagues too as the stud also benefited in terms of prize-money – has that been spent yet?

Everyone at Newsells was really supporting my nomination and also congratulating me after winning, so I’m really pleased they get a piece of the pie. It's a team effort, we all rely on each other to help us achieve our best, but as the breeding season is in full flow at the moment I don’t think anyone’s had the chance to spend.

It’s said you don’t hold favourites but can you give us one or two young Newsells-bred stock you are particularly looking forward to seeing on the racecourse? 

It’s a rather obvious choice but I can’t wait to see the Shastye colt by Dubawi run as he could be a champion. It’s also a big year for Without Parole with his first crop hitting the track, and I’m confident we’ll be celebrating his first winners soon.

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'You don't really expect to get anything more from what you do and love' - David Porter-Mackrell's pride at Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards honour