Cover image courtesy of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia
Awarded the Leadership Award and the Thoroughbred Excellence Award, Reid has been a member of the Godolphin team since they first set up in Australia, making his way up from stable hand to foreman to his current position of Assistant Trainer and Manager at Osborne Park.
Living on the Agnes Banks property, Reid lives a busy life but loves what he does, noting that, “the awards are great but you don't set out to to achieve those, though it is really nice to be recognised.”
“The awards are great but you don't set out to to achieve those, though it is really nice to be recognised.” - Paul Reid
“It was a nice evening,” he said.
“Last year it was at The Star, it was in a smaller room at the QT Hotel this time but that worked well, everyone was close together and it was a good atmosphere.”
At work by 4am each morning, going through the work sheets before a stroll through the property's four barns, checking on the horses and chatting with staff, Reid then supervises trackwork.
Also overseeing Osborne Park's staff, Reid laughed as he said that looking after people tends to be more challenging than caring for the horses!
But he loves that Godolphin always has staff welfare in mind.
“The priority here has always been to look after people, if everyone is happy then they are going to be doing a good job with the horses.”
“The priority here (Godolphin) has always been to look after people, if everyone is happy then they are going to be doing a good job with the horses.” - Paul Reid
“Godolphin's OH&S team has always been proactive and there is always someone to talk to if anyone is having a bad day.”
Not just a number at Godolphin
“People get treated really, really well at Godolphin, we are not just a number here.”
It's that attitude to staff that has seen a tight knit team work well together at Obsorne Park with Reid loving seeing people make their way in the industry.
“I really like seeing people stand up, to start off on the ground and progress to being a foreman, it is great to see them progress.”
Godolphin team | Image courtesy of Godolphin
Of course he also enjoys his time with the horses, noting that the stable stalwarts, those who race on over several seasons, have the ability to bring staff together and keep morale high.
“When a horse retires they are often down in our lovely back paddocks here before they move on and it's amazing how much the staff go down there, spending time with the horses, taking photos.”
Reid has several favourites amongst such horses, highlighting the high-class imported gallopers Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) as “lovely horses" who captured everyone's hearts.
Gallery: Some of Paul Reid's favourite horses, images courtesy of Godolphin
And who he knew were something special from the time they arrived at Osborne Park.
Proper horses
“From the first time we worked them up, we knew that they were both proper horses,” he recalled.
The nine-time Group 1 winner Anamoe is the most recent star to have spent time at Osborne Park and Reid has been watching on as his first foals have been making their way through the sales ring.
Anamoe | Standing at Darley
“They have great temperaments like him which will make them popular,” he said.
Reid has worked with not only wonderful horses, Lonhro in work when he first started, but with people who he has admired and learned from.
John Hawkes, Peter Snowden, John O'Shea and James Cummings have been the Godolphin trainers and Reid has taken in much from them, watching how they work.
“It has been such a privilege to work with trainers of that calibre,” he said.
Paul Reid | Image courtesy of Godolphin
Reid was born into racing, his father and grandfather both trainers.
“As soon as I could walk I was working with the horses,” he said. “There were not really any options for me, this was always where I was going to end up.”
“As soon as I could walk I was working with the horses, There were not really any options for me, this was always where I was going to end up.” - Paul Reid
He still appreciates his time spent with horses, “I just love working with them, checking on them, seeing them progress.”
Whilst the future of Osborne Park is not clear, Reid is in relaxed mode.
“I have been well looked after here,” he said, happy to take his time should the need for a change of direction arise. “I can just take my time and see what pops up.”
