'It's the right time to step back' - Victor Dartnall quits training after 30-year career

Victor Dartnall is retiring from training after 30 years to spend more time with his family and “take things a bit easier”.

Dartnall, 75, began training pointers in 1994 from his base in Brayford, near the Exmoor National Park in Devon, before taking out a full licence in 1998. 

The trainer’s most recent runner was pulled up at Uttoxeter on May 26 with his last winner being Pride Of Paris at Fontwell in January.  

During his career he saddled 354 winners under rules in Britain, plus one in Ireland, and was most closely associated with talented staying chasers including the likes of Giles Cross, Russian Trigger and Exmoor Ranger as well as high-class novice Lord Sam.

Dartnall said: “It was always going to come to an end this year, but my last few runners haven't gone so well so I decided now was the right time. The horses had been running really well for about 18 months up until January, and I had my best-ever season on the Flat, but it's the right time to step back from it now.

“After 25 years in farm management, racing was my second career, but it is now the time to take things a bit easier and spend time with my family. I have five children and 11 grandchildren and I need to get myself organised, really. I own my place here and it's my children's inheritance, and my pension, so there are things I need to see to.”

Dartnall’s most prosperous years as a trainer came between 2005 and 2015, with a personal best of 31 winners over jumps during the 2007-08 season. 

It was also during the period that he enjoyed many of his biggest successes, with Russian Trigger winning the 2009 Midlands Grand National, Exmoor Ranger landing the 2011 Grade 3 United House Gold Cup at Ascot and Giles Cross coming home first in the 2012 Grade 3 Haydock Grand National Trial having finished second in the Welsh Grand National beforehand.

Lord Sam: finished third to Hardy Eustace at the 2003 Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dartnall also handled the high-class Lord Sam, a Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner over fences as a novice after finishing third to Hardy Eustace in the 2003 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

"We consistently found good horses to train, but Lord Sam was always the best of them," Dartnall said. "We had some brilliant days and you need those ups to cope with the many lows that come with this game. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed in so many ways over the years and all the owners who have supported the yard.”

As well as seeking to spend more time with his family, Dartnall cited the changing nature of racing in Britain with a greater concentration of equine talent in a small number of yards, plus rising costs and issues attracting staff.

“Racing has changed and it's harder for the smaller yards, especially against the larger ones,"  he said. "When you get smaller and smaller you have to do more and more of the work yourself. I work every Sunday all winter, I do all the feeding and if you're away racing you come back and do the late feeds too.

"There's a real problem with labour as well. I don't think the people are there anymore and anyone you can find only wants to work two or three mornings a week as they are riding out and working elsewhere. When you have someone different coming in each day to ride the horses I think it's impossible to train them effectively as it is better when the people are bonded with the horses."

Victor Dartnall: three of his best

Lord Sam

On figures and race record, Lord Sam was the best horse Dartnall trained. He won nine of his first ten races in bumpers, over hurdles and over fences with his sole defeat coming when third to Hardy Eustace in the 2003 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. A sinus infection at the end of his novice chase season derailed his subsequent career.

Giles Cross

A lover of heavy ground and long distances, Giles Cross was a slogger with his biggest success coming in the 2012 Grand National Trial at Haydock when beating that season's Aintree hero Neptune Collonges. Dartnall said: "Denis O'Regan, who used to ride him, said he'd never sat on a horse who accelerated out of heavy ground like him."

Russian Trigger

Five wins from 12 starts over fences and hurdles showed the talent Russian Trigger possessed, and it seemed he was only just getting started as a chaser of note when winning the 2009 Midlands Grand National. He sustained a fatal injury in the London National in December of that year.

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