The top horse racing trainers in the UK and Ireland

The UK and Ireland are both home to some of the world’s top horse racing trainers. Whether it be English or Irish, Flat or Jumps, there is no shortage of quality.

The Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot are two of the biggest racing events on the calendar and sees the top horses, trainers and jockeys go head-to-head. Below we take a look at the top trainers in the UK and Ireland, both on the Flat and over obstacles.

Willie Mullins

Willie Mullins will go down as one of the best trainers the racing world has ever seen. Mullins previously worked for his father Paddy Mullins and Jim Bolger before beginning training in 1988. He has won multiple big races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle four times and the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle seven times. His stable stars across the years have included Faugheen, Un De Sceaux, Annie Power, Tourist Attraction and Hurricane Fly. Based in Ireland, Mullins has been the driving force for the Irish at Cheltenham for a long time.

Last year of Willie Mullins in Horse Racing

So far, 2023 has seen Willie Mullins train six Cheltenham Festival winners and a further 12 Grade 1 races after the Festival.

It’s not just the top National Hunt races that Willie Mullins excels in, however, as he has also trained a Royal Ascot winner this year, in the shape of Vauban, and the Ebor Handicap winner, Absurde.

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Henry de Bromhead

Another Irishman with success aplenty at Prestbury Park is Henry de Bromhead and he has become one of the most revered trainers in the racing community. In 2000, de Bromhead took over his family’s stable in Knockeen in Ireland from his father, Harry, and has since gone on to have blinding success across the UK and Ireland, including at Cheltenham having won the Gold Cup with Minella Indo (2021), the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle (2021) and three Queen Mother Champion Chase titles with Sizing Europe (2011), Special Tiara (2017) and Put The Kettle On (2021). With Rachel Blackmore as his current stable jockey, the partnership is tearing up the racetrack.

Last year of Henry de Bromhead in Horse Racing

Three winners at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival – Honeysuckle, Maskada and Envoi Allen – followed by two winners at the Aintree Festival shortly after, ended last season very nicely for Henry de Bromhead, and the new season has started in a similar fashion, with Minella Indo returning to claim a Grade 3 chase at Punchestown.

Nicky Henderson

Nicky Henderson is one of the most well-loved trainers in the racing community. Henderson began training in 1978 and has since enjoyed an illustrious career. Based at Seven Barrows in Berkshire, Henderson’s most notable winners include See You Then, Remittance Man, Altior, Sprinter Sacre and Constitution Hill. Known for dominating the two-mile chase division, Henderson’s main players for chasing this season are Jonbon and Shishkin.

Such is Henderson’s commitment to the sport, he has received an OBE for his services to racing.

Last year of Nicky Henderson in Horse Racing

So far in 2023, Nicky Henderson has won six Grade 1 races with Shishkin, Constitution Hill and Jonbon – two per horse this side of New Year alone. This included the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival, won in formidable style by Constitution Hill and Nico de Boinville.

With these three stable stars set to return to the racecourse soon, Nicky Henderson can expect similar successes this term.

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John & Thady Gosden

Flat trainers Father and son duo John & Thady Gosden have experienced plentiful success since their combining in 2021. While John Gosden was British Champion Flat Trainer five times before teaming up with his son, Palace Pier provided the pair with their first Group 1 win, later joined by Mishriff and Inspiral. Champion Stayer and recent addition to the Hall of Fame Stradivarius is certainly high up in their list of achievements, having won 18 Group races during his racing career.

Last year of John & Thady Gosden in Horse Racing

The Gosdens have had a typically excellent year in terms of results, winning nine Group 1 races with the likes of Inspiral, Mostahdaf, Nashwa, Courage Mon Ami, Soul Sister and Lord North. They sit top of the British Championship Trainers’ table, soaring over half a million pounds ahead of the runner up in prize-money. No doubt next year will look much the same.

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Aidan O’Brien

Ballydoyle-based Aidan O’Brien’s record speaks for itself, with 39 Classic triumphs, eight English Derbys, 14 Irish Derbys and 10 2,000 Guineas. Anywhere there’s an Aidan O’Brien runner in the field, their price is likely to be short.

Among his ever-growing list of tip-top horses are the likes of super racehorse and sire of sires Galileo, Camelot, Australia and, more recently, Auguste Rodin, Paddington, Savethelastdance, Little Big Bear and City Of Troy.

Last year of Aidan O’Brien in Horse Racing

This year alone, Aidan O’Brien has added 19 Group or Grade 1 wins to his astronomical tally, thanks to horses such as Derby double winner Auguste Rodin, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Paddington won the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes. City Of Troy won the Superlative Stakes and the Dewhurst. Luxembourg won the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Savethelastdance won the Irish Oaks. It really has been a sensational year for Aidan O’Brien.

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