'You can't go on forever' - Dai Burchell readies for retirement with a winner

Dai Burchell, who quit working in his local steelworks to train racehorses on the side of a mountain in Wales, will saddle the last runner of a colourful career when Adherence tackles the 2m5½f handicap hurdle (3.20) at Fontwell on Sunday.

Burchell has mainly operated towards the bottom end of racing's food chain during a career that stretches back to the 1950s when he first saddled horses in flapping races and has long been a trainer to be feared in sellers and claimers.

With a keen eye for a bargain, he had particular success at Ascot Sales, picking up horses discarded by others for little money before working some magic at his yard in Ebbw Vale, South Wales.

Win, lose or draw on Sunday, the trainer is going out on a winning note after Good Impression, snapped up for £5,000 from Ascot, landed the 2m handicap hurdle for conditional riders at Uttoxeter on Saturday, much to the delight of Burchell, who watched the race from home with his wife Ruth.

Watch Good Impression earn Dai Burchell victory on his last weekend as a trainer

"We cheered him on and we're delighted to have a winner on our last weekend," said Burchell. "Ellis Collier gave him a great ride and everything about the race was perfect – he only carried 9st 9lb."

Dai and Ruth Burchell at their home in Ebbw ValeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Burchell has battled ill health in recent years and his business has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. With just six horses at his yard and a few days before his 85th birthday, he has decided not to renew his licence when it expires at the close of play on Monday.

"It's been brilliant but things are not so easy as they were five or ten years ago," said the trainer, who looks back on his career in an entertaining interview in Monday's Racing Post.

"You're on a shoestring budget and you've got to have money to replace and to repair. If I could still ride out and do all those jobs it would be no problem but now we've got to pay people to do it. You can't go on forever."

Dai Burchell career stats

Much loved by all bar the local bookmakers in Ebbw Vale and the surrounding communities, he memorably landed a touch one February day at Southwell in 1987 when Bold Pearl, Brown Rifle and John Feather all scored on the same card.

He repeated the trick at Perth in 1989 when Hot Company, Carrolls Grove and Gay Ruffian did the business under his son David.

He picks out Kilsyth, who won six times having cost him £500 at Doncaster, as his most impressive bargain buy and Castle Secret, who won over hurdles and on the Flat for Burchell as well as finishing fifth in the 1991 Queen Alexandra Stakes, among the best he has trained.

Working alongside his wife since he swapped his permit for a full licence in 1983, the father of five reckons he has saddled 436 winners in all and hopes there might be one more victory to come at Fontwell.

He added: "With luck in running, Adherence won't be far away. Our top jockey, Ben Jones, will be on him and it looks the right race."

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