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McJannet set to saddle first runner at Chelmsford

Luke McJannet: 'I never really wanted to be a jockey – I always wanted to be a trainer'
Luke McJannet: 'I never really wanted to be a jockey – I always wanted to be a trainer'

Luke McJannet sets out to make his mark as a trainer when Free To Roam becomes his first runner at Chelmsford on Thursday.

The 27-year-old is not especially optimistic about his filly's chance but he is excited about his new career based at the brand-new Heath View Stables on Newmarket's Hamilton Road.

McJannet had a handful of rides as an apprentice with Rae Guest, but training has always been his ambition and he has picked up a good deal of experience.

Chelmsford card

He said: "I didn't do any good on my few rides for Rae, but I never really wanted to be a jockey – I always wanted to be a trainer.

"I had three years with David Lanigan, who is a great guy and a great trainer, then two more as pupil assistant to James Tate. I learned a lot there because he's another fantastic trainer and one of the best vets in horseracing.

"I then had a year in Blackpool with John David Riches, where we had quite a few winners and did well with Gambino, before returning to Newmarket to work as head lad for George Margarson."

McJannet's opportunity to train has come via wealthy Bahraini businessman Jaber Ramadhan.

He explained: "Jaber had his horses all over the place – with Martin Smith, Marco Botti and so on – but he wanted them all in one yard and said he wanted me to train them. Of the 12 I have in now, ten belong to Jaber and two to Ivor Collier."

McJannet describes Free To Roam, a dual winner for Charlie McBride, as "moderate and probably the worst in the yard," but while he has no obvious flagbearers he picked out two of whom he is particularly hopeful.

He said: "I've got an unraced Invincible Spirit three-year-old called St James's Park who has come from one of the top stables and goes well. Ex-Godolphin three-year-old Amherst Park is rated only 64 but goes very nicely and might have a few pounds in hand off that mark."

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