Kirk careers ahead

David Yates13 April 2012

Sylvester Kirk is one person unlikely to be over indulging this Christmas.

While most people relax at this time of year Kirk will be busier than ever. The 37-year-old from County Tyrone announced in the autumn that he would be moving on from his job as assistant to trainer Richard Hannon to set up on his own.

Now, with everything in place at his yard - the Cedar Lodge stables in Upper Lambourn - Kirk is preparing to send out his first runners, most likely the ex-Hannon inmates Social Contract and Waffles Of Amin, at Lingfield on Thursday week.

Kirk, who expects to double his team of 16 thoroughbreds by the time the Flat turf season starts in March, leaves Hannon's yard with fond memories. Just to emphasise the point, he married the trainer's daughter Fanny last month.

Kirk, eight years in East Everleigh after a similar period working for the Coolmore Stud and seven months with Irish trainer Mouse Morris, said: "I had a great time with Richard. It was like being a trainer and owner rolled into one, but without the buck stopping at you.

"The brilliant thing about Richard's was that everybody in the yard was happy."

To begin with Kirk will attempt to copy Hannon's expertise on the Flat, but the son of jumping trainer Syl Kirk, hasn't ruled out the possibility of training jumpers.

But what Kirk has learned from Hannon is to keep things simple. "Richard is very straightforward and doesn't complicate anything," Kirk said.

"People think he is hard on his horses but he is the opposite. He brings them along steadily and without doing much with them. He keeps the horses happy without being severe on them, and they all get fit in their own time."

Hannon's uncomplicated nature when it comes to dealing with people has also rubbed off on his prot?g?.

Kirk said: "The most important thing is to take care of the owners as well as the horses. You find that if the horses are happy then so are the owners. But Richard never talked himself into corners. You have got to keep the owners informed and show them that you are trying for them. If you can do that, that is half the battle."

Cedar Lodge, previously home to Rupert Arnold and with the capacity to house 25 horses, appealed to Kirk as the "absolutely perfect" place to begin his career.

He said: "The yard is very tidy and an easy place to work in. The minute I saw it, I knew it was perfect, and if everything doesn't go right then I can't blame the yard.

"It is a fickle game, and I want to build the foundations and make a continuing business of it. I'd love to be champion trainer one day - everybody wants to do that - but I just want to do the best I can."

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