Choosing a trainer

An important cog in the wheel of a racehorse’s racing career, and your ownership experience. These people are tasked with ensuring your horse has the best chance to succeed.

"They (trainers) put in so much work - blood sweat and tears - they love their horses."
- Mark Yeak (Owner)

Time for a trainer

Western Australia has more than 300 registered Thoroughbred trainers located across the state. These range from small boutique trainers (1-10 horses) to mid-range trainers (10-30 horses) and larger operations (30+ horses).

Depending on your location, lifestyle, budget or syndicate, choosing a trainer is an important step to ensure your racehorse is given every possible chance to exceed on the track.

Remember too that in most cases you can join a syndicate or purchase a horse through the trainer you choose.

  • How do you weigh up which trainer will best meet your individual needs? To be fair, there’s no easy answer, especially given the amount of variables that exist.

    That said, the following questions should provide a helpful guide when choosing the right trainer for you.

    • What are the plans for communicating with the owners (phone calls, emails, website, etc.) in relation to the racehorse?
    • When can I visit my racehorse?
    • Where will my racehorse be based when it is in work and spelling?
    • How many racehorses do you train at any given time? (1-10, 11-20, 21+)
    • What style of racehorses have you had the most success with? (eg. young, old, sprinters, stayers, etc.)
    • Where have your most successful racehorses come from in the past? (eg. Yearling sales/proven racehorses/ locally/interstate/overseas etc.)
    • Which has been your best racehorse?
    • What is the best race you have won?
  • Training a horse to win is not an exact science. Instead it involves a great deal of instinct and experience. To be a successful trainer you don’t need any formal qualifications per se. What you do need, however, is lots of experience, lots of dedication, and (forgive the pun) an unbridled amount of passion.

Use our find a trainer tool

Click below to filter through a range of West Australian trainers by name, location, and/or code.

FIND A TRAINER

Just some of our listed trainers!

Need some more help?

Contact one of the following industry organisations:

WA Racehorse Trainers Association
The Western Australian Racing Trainers’ Association is the peak body representing licensed Thoroughbred trainers in WA.

WA Racehorse Owners Association
WAROA is the official voice of racehorse owners in Western Australia.