David Barron teams up with daughter Nic for new joint-licence venture

Nic Barron has her sights on All-Weather Championships Finals day after joining her Group 1-winning father David on the training licence at Maunby House in Thirsk.

David Barron has trained for more than 50 years, sending out his first winner at Hexham in 1969 before making his name landing big prizes with cheap purchases, such as Ayr Gold Cup and Nunthorpe winner Coastal Bluff, who cost just 2,700gns.

He sent out the last of more than 1,000 winners in his name when Otto Oyl scored at Southwell earlier this month and has now entered a training partnership with his daughter.

Barron, 76, said: "As far as the business is concerned, it's far better with somebody a bit younger up there taking more of a role to be seen, rather than me – I've been about quite a long time now. Put it this way, if they haven't come to me by now the chances are they're not coming at all!

Coastal Bluff (near) dead-heated for the Nunthorpe in 1997 despite a broken bridleCredit: Smith Phil

"If it had been my choice, Nic would have taken over totally but she still has quite a young family and she'd rather not take it on solely at this stage – I'd think that will be the natural thing to do, we wouldn't stay like this forever.

"So long as I'm able to I'll still get up in the morning and feed them and I'll probably watch everything that works. Things aren't going to change but the name at the top would be far better being hers than mine now."

Barron, a former farmer whose father bred Grand National winner Aldaniti, also won the Lincoln, Temple Stakes, John Smith's Cup and landed the Stewards' Cup twice.

"We've been very lucky," he said. "For a fairly small yard which has never had the luxury of having a fortune to spend, we've come up with a good horse or two.

"I've enjoyed every minute, though I enjoyed it more in the early days than I do now. I don't get the same buzz going to a race meeting that I did. There were a lot more characters about and people I knew.

"We have about 50 horses this year, in the past it was 70 or 80 but the way things are with staff I'm not too worried, I'd rather have something we can cope with."

Nic Barron: 'We've been doing this together for a long time anyway'Credit: David Carr

Nic Barron, 51, has accompanied her father to the sales since before she left school and has always been a part of the yard, bar a spell spent working in the USA.

"We've been doing this together for a long time anyway and I've probably been on a racecourse more often than my dad has in the last few years, so it will be much the same," she said.

The pair sent out their first runner together when Another Batt finished 11th in the Lincoln and Barron is looking forward to returning to Newcastle with five-time course winner Venturous next month.

Outlining hopes for the yard, she said: "Our first big day is going to be Good Friday with Venturous in the Sprint Final. It's a tough race but he's earned his place.

"Laurence O'Kane also bought a nice horse called Persuasion from Charlie Hills at the sales last year and fingers crossed he can do some good in a big handicap."

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