Run Free

Aldbourne

Millyant riden by Rae
at the Breeders Cup

My Emma winning her
maiden at Newmarket

Sir Desmond

Rae's Training Career

Rae first took out a licence in 1988 from the 18 box Chestnut Tree Stables, Exeter Road and trained his first winner in Run Free on 10 March 1989 at Market Rasen, fittingly ridden by younger brother Richard.

Some of the highlights of Rae's training career are:

Aldbourne

Rae's best horse in year one was the filly Aldbourne, owned initially by John Smith and then top Indian owner Vijay Mallya. Aldbourne won two Listed races and was placed in both the English and Irish Guineas. Aldbourne went on to win a $250,000 race on the Breeders Cup card at Atlantic City in the U.S while in Rae's care.

Millyant

The next really good filly Rae trained was Millyant. A shrewd purchase for only 18,000 gn, she was a half sister to sprint sire Prince Sabo by Primo Dominie. Millyant was Rae's first Group winner, landing the Molecomb (Group 3) at Goodwood for owner Chris Mills.

Millyant was very fast indeed. She covered herself in glory on the racecourse winning numerous Group races - often in France - the Prix Hampton (Listed); the Prix de Petit Couvert (Group 3) twice; and the Prix du Gros-Chene (Group 2). Rae rode Millyant himself at home and she was ridden on the track by South African Michael Roberts and American Cash Asmussen. She is now at Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud and some of her progeny are in training with Rae, one being the Listed placed Millybaa.

My Emma

Rae trained star middle distance filly My Emma for owners Matthews Breeding and Racing from the summer of her two year old career. She was lightly raced, running only once at two before being placed fifth in the Lancashire Oaks (Group 3) first time out as a three year old at 50-1. She went on to win the Prix Vermeille in 1996 to Rae his first Group 1 winner.

My Emma went on to crown that achievement in the Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) the following year, beating the Oaks winner, Reams of Verse and Whitewater Affair, another exceptional filly. She ran in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe that year but was injured before the race and did not run to form.

She is now at Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud and her first foal to race
is the high class stayer Moments of Joy, also trained by Rae at the yard.

Moments of Joy

Moments of Joy warrents special mention as she won her first two races, the second being the Listed Gladness Stakes at Goodwood and finished a creditable fifth in the 2003 St Leger, Englands oldest Classic.

Miss Anabaa

Rae trained star sprinter Miss Anabaa for owner Chris Mills as he had her dam, Midnight Shift. Miss Anabaa came into her own as a four year old when she won the Listed Naas Sprint Stakes, and followed up in the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes at Cork.

Marakabei

Marakabei was a cheap buy for owner Jane Poulter. She was not easy to train because of her conformation and she spent a lot of her time in the swimming pool. Rae was careful only to run her when the ground was soft, and that patience was rewarded when she won a mile and a half Listed race at the age of five and the rewarding price at 66-1.

In Rae's yard the emphasis is usually on fillies since Rae thinks they represent better value and are cheaper to buy. By way of illustration, this policy has yielded seven Group wins, six Listed wins, two Classic places and numerous Group and Listed places; all of which add tremendous value to the fillies concerned (and their progeny) when they go to stud.

That said, the exploits of such hardy perennials as Montecristo (winner of 18 races over a mile and a half), Gallery Artist (six races), Mousehole (winner of 13 races over 5 and 6 furlongs) and Sir Desmond (eight races) are hard to match, and give huge satisfaction to the owners and everyone in the yard.

In an expanding yard, Rae can train whatever type of horse his owners send him. Rae's record shows that he takes pride in getting the best out of every horse, whatever their talents.