It shouldn’t be a surprise that Ross Burdon has made a successful start to his training career after learning his trade from some of the best in the business.
Spells with a host of top trainers, including the late Sir Henry Cecil, Roger Varian, Andrew Balding and Australian ace Chris Waller, have shaped the 38-year-old’s meticulous approach to producing winners from his base at Sackville House Stables in Newmarket.
Burdon, who only took out his licence last year, enters Season 14 of the All-Weather Championships with 20 winners to his name and the promise of plenty more to follow this winter. “I won’t have a big team but the horses I will run have been carefully chosen with the All-Weather in mind,” said the Yorkshireman, whose love for racing blossomed at an early age from trips with his father to Pontefract races.
“I wanted to be a jockey, but a combination of weight, lack of ability and dedication scuppered that dream. I hadn’t ridden when I started at Richard Fahey’s but learned so much from top northern riders like Paul Hanagan, Robert Winston and Barry McHugh.”
Burdon moved to Newmarket at the age of 17 to join the legendary Mick Ryan before pursuing his desire to work up close with class horses at Jeremy Noseda’s. “He had stars like St Leger winner Sixties Icon and Soldier’s Tale, so it was an exciting time in my development,” he recalled.
However, the chance to work for Sir Henry at Warren Place during the Frankel era offered him a priceless insight into his future career. “I don’t think any of us realised how lucky we were during those Frankel years, but I really appreciate it now,” he continued.
Two seasons with Roger Varian followed after Sir Henry passed away, and on turning 30, Burdon - who is godfather to jockey Jack Mitchell’s son Olly - boarded a plane to join Waller in Melbourne, opening his mind to a “new way of training.”
On returning to Britain, Burdon began a six-year spell with Balding at Kingsclere. “I loved my time there, getting involved in race planning meetings and overseeing a lot of the veterinary work. It was another amazing learning curve.”
Burdon was destined to head back to Newmarket, where he became assistant to Kevin Philippart de Foy before being encouraged by friends, including trainer Simon Pearce, to take the plunge and join the training ranks himself.
“Simon was a great help to me before I secured my own yard at Henry Spiller’s Sackville House,” he recalled.
“ was my first runner and has been a star for me,” added Burdon. “He finished fifth, but as a new face in the Newmarket training ranks it was great to start with a runner at the Craven meeting. “He’s gone on to win five races for me and will continue on the All-Weather.”
Speaking to Simon Mapletoft, Ross Burdon nominated 10 horses to follow this winter…
