He is now awaiting approval to enter into a training partnership with his father Toby after several years as his assistant and a strong season that also handed him the opportunity to broaden horizons with an extended trip to England with former stable star Houtzen (I Am Invincible).
Edmonds, 28, was a more than handy junior tennis player and admits he wasn’t that enamoured with a trainer’s life.
“Obviously, I was born into it and to be honest I liked horses, but I didn’t like the training side of it. Once my tennis playing days were coming to an end I then became a bit more involved.
Trent and Toby Edmonds with Houtzen in Ascot
“I also went and did work experience at the Sportsman and the Telegraph and I wanted to be a journalist, but found it wasn’t for me. That’s when I decided to have a crack with the horses.”
With the paperwork complete, it’s touch and go whether Edmonds will start the new season in partnership with his father.
“It’s exciting and I’ve got permission from the Turf Club to train here with the old man.” – Trent Edmonds.
“It’s exciting and I’ve got permission from the Turf Club to train here with the old man. I’ve put my application in for a trainer’s licence and gone and sat the test,” he said.
“I hope I’ve passed and we were hoping to get it through by August 1, but it might be a bit tight so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
Edmonds has been working for his father for a number of years and has gradually assumed more responsibility.
Trent is looking forward to working and learning alongside his father
“Basically, it’s been the last seven years. I’ve been on the Gold Coast in 2012 at Easter time,” he said. “I’ve pretty much been his off-sider since then and seen the stable grow from a dozen or 15 horses to what we’ve got now – a shade under 90.”
Edmonds said he was looking forward to working and learning alongside his father, although he accepts it won’t always be entirely plain sailing.
“Fathers and sons always have disagreements, but he’s easy to get on with.”
Ascot experience
A leading light among them was the quality mare Houtzen and Edmonds spent three months in England with her in the build-up to the Royal Ascot carnival. Although she was unplaced in the G1 King’s Stand S. it was a fascinating experience.
“The whole time with her was amazing, a real highlight going over there,” he said. “I’d love to go back again, it was beautiful.
“Having the opportunity to have a different look at things was good, not that we spent a whole lot of time seeing what everyone else was doing but you notice different bits and pieces and keep your eyes open.”
Houtzen working before her start at Royal Ascot
Edmonds singled out the Group winners Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt) and Tyzone (Written Tycoon) as two of the stable’s older gallopers to follow in the coming season.
“They are both back in work and they will probably be two of our flagship performers for the spring,” he said.
“They are both back in work and they will probably be two of our flagship performers for the spring.” – Trent Edmonds.
“We probably made an error not taking Winter Bride to Adelaide for the Sangster. She beat Spright in Sydney in the Wenona Girl and Spright went out and won the Sangster so that was a bit of a regret.”
Winter Bride is a dual Group 3 winner while Tyzone has won 16 races, including the G3 BRC Sprint H. and Edmonds also has high hopes for a number of rising 3-year-olds.
Trent believes Winter Bride is a horse to follow in the coming season
“We’ve got some nice progressive horses like Ruuca, he’s a fairly well-bred Rubick colt who won a maiden last prep and we put him straight out to mature and he’s come back beautifully,” he said.
“We took Grand Zou to Sydney for a midweek race on the Kensington track, but he’d probably had enough. He’d won his first start on the Gold Coast.
“Astro Boy Toy is a horse we’ve got a lot of time for. He’s out of a very smart mare in Johan’s Toy and even though he won over 1200 metres at the Sunshine Coast, he’ll be better at 1400 metres or a mile.
“If he was to really come to hand quickly we could take him to Melbourne, we think he’s pretty smart.”
