Student gets Darley Flying Start

A dynamic range of management modules including finance, legal and marketing, combined with practical work placements in the thoroughbred industry deliver an unparalleled real world experience for those who are selected for the scholarship. Trainees travel to Ireland, UK, USA, Australia and Dubai to work and study. The programme is funded by Sheikh Mohammed who sponsors 12 students each year, providing accommodation, money for expenses, and tickets to the best race days around the world such as the Kentucky Derby and the Dubai World Cup.

Here Emma talks about the application process and why she decided to apply.

“I spoke to a friend who was chosen for the program last year and he told me that the hardest part was to get to the interview stage. They have hundreds of applicants with a lot of diverse experience in the thoroughbred industry I am only just about to graduate so my working experience, although diverse as I grew up within horseracing, seemed worryingly minimal. I was the only person on my interview day who was still at university, everyone else was working on a stud, at a horse rehabilitation centre or in a training yard. I saw it as a definite long shot but I had nothing to lose, everything to gain! I was asked to send my CV, a hand written covering letter, an application form and 3 written references. I also had to film myself on a horse, showing that I can tack-up, walk, trot and canter.

It was my first ever interview so I was petrified but I knew that the sort of person they look for is outgoing, a leader and confident so I forced myself to get into character quickly. As soon as I found out that I had an interview, I spent part of everyday reading their website, buying the racing post, searching for what some of the graduates went on to do. This was hugely advantageous because I went in feeling calmer and they actually asked me if I d been on the website (which I could nearly recite) and seen what past graduates had done. For a first interview I knew it was a grueling process so I tried to think of it as good practice as well. Our very first task was a written test on lots of areas of the industry. My parents train racehorses in Newmarket so I find myself picking up pieces of information and I felt comfortable with questions on the training side of things, such as “How much would it cost per day to keep a horse in training in Newmarket?” Normally a difficult question, especially as one candidate was from France and another from Italy, but clearly my area! Some more uncomfortable questions were “How much would it cost per day to keep a baron mare on a stud in Newmarket?” I hadn’t the foggiest and still don’t?! We also had to look at bloodlines and suggest to a hypothetical customer where to send their mare.

We were then given separate topics; mine was racing welfare, and I given 20 minutes to prepare a 5 minute presentation followed by questions from the group and the interviewers. Next we were taken to see the stallions, followed by the actual interview which lasted about 30mins. I felt that I kept getting lucky with my questions, for example, I was told by a friend to look up the horseman’s tariff and chatted to my mum about her opinion the morning of the interview. That was one of the first questions!

As stated on the website, the best way to describe it is, “it is like a masters degree in the horseracing industry.” It is very highly regarded in horseracing and the graduates go on to much sought after positions in bloodstock, not just within Darley but also at other studs, training horses themselves, working for newspapers, magazines and television. I want to be a racing manager who, in short, is the intermediary between the trainer and owner. I want to set up big syndicates for all levels of ownership. From someone who wants to experience owning a small piece of a horse for the first time to someone who wants to be a member of a syndicate with multiple horses. One of Darley Flying Start’s biggest attractions is the contacts that I will be able to make as well as acquiring the diverse knowledge that racing managers need. It ranges from finance to farriery. I am certainly not a typical farrier looking type so it is definitely going to push me out of my comfort zone but in a great way!”

Find out more about Darley Flying Start.