Britain’s youngest trainer, Chelsea Banham, had her first runner on Wednesday night and insisted there is no reason for anyone to worry about the troubled disciplinary past of her father, Gary, who was at one stage given an indefinite ban from the sport. “I had absolutely nothing to do with that,” the 20-year-old said as she prepared to saddle Makambe, who finished an encouraging fourth in a Yarmouth handicap.
Banham Sr was found to have threatened investigators from the British Horseracing Authority who wanted to question him about bets against Sabre Light when that horse was beaten at Lingfield. He was given a six-month ban for conduct prejudicial to the sport and an additional, indefinite ban for failing to answer questions related to the case, but has more recently persuaded the BHA to lift that ban and has since bought a stable near Newmarket for his daughter.
Banham Jr pointed out that the events which led to her father’s ban took place nine years ago. “That’s been left now for several years,” she said. “At the time of this, I was very young. Obviously, he’s financially backing me all the way but any involvement with the horses is left to me. It’s my licence.”
Training horses has proved a tough life for many but Banham Jr is undaunted and insists she has had plenty of relevant experience. “I’ve been involved with horses most of my life, been to the British Racing School under the ‘flexible learning’ programme while I was at school, I was there for two years.
“I’ve had a couple of jobs where I learnt all the basics, went back and did my training modules and then I was assistant to Alan Bailey for a year.” For the past year, she has assisted at her present stable while Paul Howling held the licence but she is now ready to strike out on her own.
“Obviously, it’s a lot of responsibility. I’m fairly laid back, I feel confident enough. I know I’m young and I’m very lucky to have the backing from my family and Paul. It’s a great opportunity and I’m grateful.”
She starts out with 17 horses in the stable and room for more if she is able to attract some new owners. “The facilities are great, we’ve got a five-furlong straight gallop, a four-furlong Wexford sand round canter. We have schooling facilities, grazing paddocks for the horses. It’s absolutely brilliant.”
Banham Jr’s partner is the jockey Joey Haynes, who rides out at the yard most mornings and will be aboard most of her runners.
Haydock
2.00 Arletta Star 2.30 Embolden 3.00 Goodnight Girl 3.30 Fancy Flyer 4.00 Throne Hall 4.30 Celestial Force 5.00 Blue Medici
Brighton
2.10 Tarrzan 2.40 Moorland Spirit 3.10 De Vegas Kid 3.40 Mister Chiang 4.10 Multamis 4.40 Confrerie 5.10 Enthaar
Yarmouth
2.20 Praxedis 2.50 Mr Kiki 3.20 Dame Freya Stark 3.50 All Right 4.20 Yimou 4.50 Dutch Story 5.20 Trulee Scrumptious (nb)
Newcastle
5.30 Melgate Majeure 6.00 Blazing Dreams 6.30 St Ives 7.05 Pinarella 7.35 Scheme 8.05 Huraiz 8.35 Tarnhelm
Sandown
5.40 Steeve 6.10 Vasari 6.45 Native Tribe 7.15 Just The Man 7.45 Golden Force 8.15 Rock The Cradle
Thursday’s best bets
If you’re going to back a Tom Dascombe horse, Haydock is the place to do it and I’m hoping the Merseyside track dries out today for his Celestial Force (4.30). The fitting of a visor and the commitment to front-running tactics has done a lot for this four-year-old, who made all at Beverley in June and couldn’t quite turn the same trick over a longer distance at Ascot last month.
He’s back down to a mile and a half here at a track that can help a front-runner. Odds of 11-2 are fine.
I’m hoping De Vegas Kid (3.10) turns up again at Brighton, where he scored yesterday, as a 5lb penalty is less than he’s going to get for that emphatic success, his third from four runs this year. Elisha Whittington rides him in this Silk Series race and she is looking good value for her claim these days. He’s 5-1.
I fancied one of Clive Cox’s yesterday but Swiss Chill didn’t get much support from the market and fared disappointingly. There is evidently more optimism about Just The Man (7.15), who is 4-1 from 7-1 for a Sandown handicap.
This three-year-old finished strongly to get his first win at Newbury last time, looking as though something had clicked. The step up to 10 furlongs has been good for him and the stiff finish at this track may help.
At the end of the card, Oisin Murphy is an interesting booking for the improving Rock The Cradle (8.15), previously partnered by Shane Kelly. The chestnut travelled well but didn’t get home over 10 furlongs last time and is 11-4 to make amends.