'It has been nothing short of incredible' - Grace Hamilton on Godolphin Flying Start experience

Our latest Godolphin Flying Start blog comes Grace Hamilton, from Bluffton in South Carolina. Having graduated from the University of Kentucky in Equine Science and Management, she fell in love with racing following American Pharoah's Triple Crown-winning season of 2015. She has worked in multiple positions with a thoroughbred focus and became a member of the 2024 Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Management course.

The Cartier Awards just recently recognised the accomplishments of the champion stayer Kyprios. His undefeated campaign this year has been one of my highlights of the season, in large part because the final three races of his campaign, traveling from Ireland to France to Britain, mirrors the journey I and 11 others began four months ago.

In August, the 12 of us began our two years on the Godolphin Flying Start programme. From that first meeting at Kildangan Stud to now, we have been fortunate enough to experience racing at the highest level, expand our hands-on skills and meet many of the most influential people in the racing industry due to the generosity of the scholarship we were selected to represent. But, most of all, we have been able to develop as a group, not only as professionals but as friends as well.

During our time in Ireland, we completed an Anatomy and Physiology module with University College Dublin, receiving lectures from veterinary experts that taught us about the internal and external workings of the horse. Those lectures were paired with expansion in our hands-on experience with stints starting yearlings at Kildangan Stud. For many of us, including myself, this was an incredibly rewarding experience as we were each paired with two yearlings to work with during the six weeks. 

Watching the progress of my yearlings during this process was a satisfying experience, but seeing the growth in my own confidence handling young horses under the guidance of the Godolphin team in my yard was something that has had an extraordinary impact on my horsemanship skills. We also each attended the Goffs Orby Sale with agents or consignors and got to witness the sale of some of the best bloodstock in Europe.

The Irish Champions Festival was the highlight of the racing calendar during our stint in Ireland, with the two days featuring some of the greatest horses in Europe. Wins by top-class performers like Kyprios, Economics and Porta Fortuna made the weekend an unforgettable experience.

Godolphin Flying Start trainees at Laytown

The top-class racing continued with a trip to France to experience Arc weekend. Our time in Chantilly on Saturday visiting the yards of Francis Graffard, Andre Fabre and Tim Donworth provided insights into the top training yards in France. With Kyprios highlighting the racing on Saturday, and Bluestocking’s victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the crown jewel of Sunday, the weekend lived up to the billing of a spectacle. The welcoming of the French industry to our group was what cemented the weekend’s place as one of the undisputed highlights of the course thus far.

Upon return to Ireland, we worked as a team to develop our Irish Conference to close out the first phase of the programme. Each of us collaborated to create the final proposal for a training centre addressing the needs of emerging and newly licensed trainers. Following our final presentation, we departed to embark on phase two in Newmarket.

With the recent Tattersalls December Sales, we carried on having a fantastic experience during our time in Newmarket. During the course of the two weeks inspecting with agents, we were exposed to some of the best bloodstock in Europe and were able to witness electrifying results at Park Paddocks, including the crown jewel of the foal sale, Chaldean’s full-sister, and Classic winner You Got To Me leading a magnificent edition of the Sceptre Sessions.

Prior to our time at the sales, each of us completed our rotations for the UK phase of the programme. Each of the trainees spent one week in the office at Dalham Hall, and we were able to learn about various departments, including nominations, the racing office, human resources and marketing.

Godolphin Flying Start trainees with trainer and course graduate Francis Graffard

Over the course of two weeks, we each rotated through two different training yards, exposing all 12 trainees to some of the best trainers in Newmarket. For those of us with more background on the stud side, this was a wonderful opportunity to experience the training side at the highest level.

Throughout our time in Britain, we have been able to experience racing at tracks including Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, Huntingdon and Chelmsford. For myself and many of my fellow trainees, one of the highlights of the course so far was experiencing racing at a racecourse as premiere as Cheltenham. Having little previous exposure to National Hunt racing before this year, to see the spectacle of Cheltenham, from the racecourse itself to the fanfare, and appreciate the athleticism of the horses was fantastic.

As the final weeks of this second phase begin to draw to a close, I can say the first four months of our time on Godolphin Flying Start have been nothing short of incredible. And the reason for that is the people involved. The industry on the whole has been welcoming to us as a group and many of the most influential people in the industry have taken the time to speak with us, share their insights and open their doors. 

Their generosity is something we are immensely grateful for, and while we have been following a similar path to a fan-favourite horse, it is hopefully the people we have met whose paths we will follow when our time on the course comes to a close.

Applications for the 2025-2027 class are now open, and I would highly encourage anyone with an interest in growing as an individual and embarking on a unique international experience to apply. Details on the application requirements can be found on the Godolphin Flying Start website.

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