Friday 13 December 2019

Oliver Sherwood: A Powerhouse in the National Hunt Game


Based in Rhonehurst, Lambourn, Hungerford, Berkshire, Oliver Sherwood is a powerhouse in the National Hunt game and as experienced as they come. 

As with many trainers he was destined to be in the racing game with parents Nat and Heather, both successful point-to-point riders and his younger brother Simon a brilliant jockey himself who won nine times on one of my favourite horses of all time Desert Orchid including a brilliant win in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

Oliver Sherwood was named Champion Amateur Jockey in the 1979/80 seasons in what was a great season. 

Oliver rode a total of 96 winners overall as a jockey including Cheltenham Festival winners. He won the Fox Hunters Chase with Rolls Rambler and Venture to Cognac and also the Sun Alliance Novices Hurdle. 

Before venturing out as a trainer on his own Oliver learned his trade from the best, working for Arthur Moore and the great Fred Winter, so it was never in doubt he would make a great trainer and so it proved with over 1000 wins to his name including Eric's Charm, Puffin Billy and of course the 2015 Grand National winner Many Clouds. 

Oliver, how long have you been involved in horse racing? 

44 years 

If you weren't a trainer what would you have done? 

Unemployed! 

Do you feel a lot of pressure training horses or is it a relaxed career that you enjoy all the time? 

There are pressures but I do enjoy it. 

If you could train any horse in history who would it be and why? 

Bad enough training one's own racehorses but I would have loved to have Sprinter Sacre and Best Mate. 

Do you have a favourite horse in the yard? 

I love Papagana she is a real trier. 

Winning the Hennessy Gold Cup with the legendary Many Clouds in 2014 must be up there with the highlights of your career, what others stand out for you? 

Obviously the Grand National and had 2 winners on the same day at the Cheltenham Festival with The Westawake and Rebel Song for the same owner in 1988. 

A typical day in the life of Oliver Sherwood? 

In the yard at 6am, 1st lot 7.30am, finish around midday. Go racing or if not then back in the yard by 3pm, going through entries, etc. 

What do you do to relax when you get the time? 

Sleep! 

Tell us something we don't know about Oliver Sherwood? 

Chelsea supported and love cricket. 

You have some lovely looking horses for the season ahead, how are Sammy Bill, Tarada, Southern Sam and Sevarano and whats the plans for them? 

Southern Sam won’t run this season. The other 3 are climbing the ladder but no plan at present will be talking to owners over the coming weeks regarding plans for the New Year.

Do you have any dark horses for the season ahead for my readers to follow? 

Don’t give up on Wheesht (early entry 17th December) and Makety on slightly better ground. 

A big thanks to Oliver Sherwood for kindly taking the time to answer some questions and good luck for the season.

Visit Oliver Sherwood Website
Twitter: @OliverSherwood
Oliver's Latest News

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