Sink or swim could be the mantra for aspiring trainers but Sam Drinkwater got an early taste.
Five years ago he was riding at Maisemore point-to-point in Gloucestershire when he almost ended up in the River Severn.
“The horse made a bad mistake at the open ditch and my irons went,” Drinkwater said.
“I went to go left round the bend, the horse wanted to go right.
"Instead we went in a straight line headed towards the river. I ended up on the bank with my legs dangling in the water – and it’s a strong current.”
Drinkwater, 26, had ridden more than 70 winners in points and another 14 under Rules when he injured his left foot so badly it was close to being amputated, which meant the riding career had to be swapped for life as a trainer.
Bet your house on it is an old betting-shop line and Drinkwater did that and raided the bank of mum and dad too with his parents, Paul and Karen, selling up as well to all settle in the yard based at Strensham in Worcestershire.
Having got the start-up with 10 horses, Drinkwater wasted little time getting started. He received his licence in mid-December and less than a week later was in the winner’s enclosure with Working Title, ridden by his brother Joe, at Sedgefield.
The New Year arrived with a bang when Tour Des Champs, who Drinkwater had ridden as a youngster on the gallops for previous trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, won at Cheltenham at 50-1. Drinkwater had ridden three winners around Cheltenham but watching from the stands as Tour Des Champs battled up the hill to win by a short-head was a different experience.
“I was just trying to take it all in,” he said. “Shouting’s not my sort of thing. I didn’t think was a 50-1 shot, the way he was working. The plan was to be a jockey and things happen in a life but training is a lot more rewarding.”
The rewards will be even bigger if Tour Des Champs can win the £75,000 Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock today. That would take another improvement but Drinkwater said: “He’s up 8lb but I’d like to think he can do it. He’s definitely sharper and fitter then he was at Cheltenham when I ride him at home.”
Bold talk, but Drinkwater is not frightened of going in at the deep end.
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