‘I never predicted that the operation would grow to the size that it has’
This week, Meath trainer Gavin Cromwell has sent his largest-ever contingent of horses to the Cheltenham Festival.
At a recent media day, Cromwell spoke to the press and gave a very honest interview about growing his operation and the difficulties that come along with it. He also detailed how he does not take too much time to enjoy the big moments because he has a mentality of always looking forward.
The conversation started with Cromwell detailing how the relaxation of the visa system in Ireland has made it a lot easier to find staff keen on working in the industry.
"Generally, we will have somewhere between 20 to 28 jockeys riding out in the morning and there are 150 horses in the yard. We have never been in as healthy a position staff-wise as we are now. We have had a few Indian guys come on board with us in the last year and their great fellas. The visa system has opened up lately in Ireland and it has relieved a lot of pressure everywhere."
Jer's Girl played a role in Gavin Cromwell's training career exponentially. The JP McManus-owned mare was active between 2015 and 2019 and in that spell, Cromwell's yearly runners grew from a total of 16 in 2014 to 227 in 2019.
That figure has doubled again since and Cromwell used Jer's Girl as an example of his logic behind never turning down a horse.
"I never predicted that the operation would grow to the size that it has. I never even thought that I would be a full-time trainer, to be honest. It just kind of happened.
"I can't really say no which probably has contributed to the size of the operation. I always try any horse. Jer's Girl was a prime example. She was a homebred filly that her owner couldn't sell at the sales. He sent her to me and she ended up giving me my first Grade One."
Gavin Cromwell recounted being stunned at the size of Noel Meade's business back in the day but today he has surpassed Meade's peak numbers.
However, Cromwell did mention that because of the mobile phone, it is probably a lot easier these days to run a sizeable training operation.
"I don't think you can get too big. I always remember years ago hearing that Noel Meade had 120 horses and thinking to myself, how can one man manage all that?
"Here I am now with a good bit more than that. I remember actually chatting to Noel about it and he made the good point that the mobile phone changed everything.
"He used to have to go in in the evening and start returning phone calls and you might be at it until half-ten at night. That day is gone now. If you're going racing and you are on the road for three hours, you can phone as many people as you want."
Cromwell furthered Meade's point by explaining how the advancements in mobile phone technology, including WhatsApp, has made his life a lot easier when it comes to dealing with owners.
"We do have a good variety of owners in the yard but the power of WhatsApp is great in that regard. We have Catherine here in the yard and she takes a lot of videos for the owners and I put a voice note along with them.
"It's probably not impossible to get too big but I think it is possible to train a lot more than we have at the moment."
Cromwell has added the recently retired Pat Martin to his staff.
He used Pat as an example of why the industry can be so frustrating for smaller trainers.
"While there is an extra layer of stress that comes with an operation of this size, I do appreciate though that I am someone who is getting winners because I have been that soldier who wasn't.
"Pat Martin has just joined us and you know he has been through that struggle over the last few years. Pat was a fantastic trainer who had some brilliant horses over the years. It's just hard though.
"It's so frustrating for the likes of those lads who have to wait so long in between winners. We are very lucky, that if we have a bad day today, we still have a chance of having a winner tomorrow."
Fortunately for Cromwell, he was able to survive the tough days of being a small operation because he didn't have to rely on training to make a living wage.
"For years, I was training horses and never took a penny out of it. It was a bit of a hobby. I didn't have to pay myself out of it because I had the farrier business and that was the bread and butter.
"I was a lot luckier than a lot of small trainers who have to survive out of their training. They could be in a position where they are holding on to a horse that they really should be getting rid of because they need that horse because they need it to survive."
Cromwell explained his mentality behind not taking too much time to celebrate winners as he always has the next runner on his mind.
"I'm always looking forward and I think maybe sometimes, I don't slow down enough to enjoy the big moments. That's just my mentality,
"I don't drink or smoke so I'm not really sure what my version of celebrating something is. Going for a meal is probably the height of the celebrations." continued Cromwell.
"Back in the day, when I would have a winner I used to always celebrate. It was fantastic to have a winner and it still is, but these days I have to have winners.
"We are in a position now where there are so many people involved here that if we are not having winners, there is something seriously wrong. That is the nature of the monster that we have built here."
When asked if he minds the attention that he is currently getting from the racing media, Cromwell simply said that it is something that he has gotten used to.
"I remember doing the press stuff after Espoir D'Allen won the Champion Hurdle and I was completely star-struck. I'm used to being in that situation now and that probably tells its own story about how far we have come even in the last few years," concluded Cromwell who won't mind a few more press interviews this week, one suspects.