Chloe Boxall is a young trainer with an impressive strike rate, with three winners and three placings from just seven runners in the previous two seasons. After a successful riding career in Britain which resulted in 11 winners between the flags and the South Midlands Ladies area title in 2008, and eight under rules, including a Taunton Hunter Chase on Armoury House, she moved to America to ride there before re-entering the pointing arena in 2018. Having saddled just three horses in the past two campaigns, she has expanded her string to six at her Lambourn yard this year, so I decided to find out more about a lady who is clearly going places.
Chloe has lined up an impressive string of work riders when I arrive at Coppington Stables before going up to the gallops. "I moved here in the close season having had a smaller yard before," she explains. "I've got the best of both worlds because, although I train in Lambourn, I'm at the other end of the village to most of the yards. So it's quiet and away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to use the excellent facilities!"
Chloe is on board Always On The Ball and I'm also greeted by professional jockey Mark Grant (Enjoy Responsibly), former Oliver Sherwood conditional turned amateur again Harry Beswick (Rock N Bell), Sherwood's assistant trainer Andy Llewellyn (Draft Pick) and "my head girl" Janine Hamilton (Chicoria). Janine – who has worked mostly in flat racing, travelling horses round the world – is keen to play down her role in the yard, claiming, "I'm just a friend of Chloe's who drives her to the races and helps out when needed."
"I'm not from a horse-y family, but was interested in horses from a young age and it wasn't just a passing fad," Chloe – who grew up in Lincolnshire – tells me of her background. "Steve Gollings was advertising for a weekend girl when I was 15, then I joined him full-time when I left school – I had no interest in anything else." Chloe's introduction to pointing came through the legendary Jill Dawson, for whom she also worked. "Jill taught me a lot," confirms Chloe." I joined her around the time of Upham Lord and had my first ride for her on Thunderpoint in 2005. He was an old schoolmaster who I bought for just £500, but he broke down, which wasn't a great start."
When Chloe left Lincolnshire, she went to work for David Gandolfo, for whom she eventually became head girl. "I went to David's for experience," she explains. "He had pointing contacts and also gave me the chance to ride under rules." Indeed, Chloe had more rides on professional tracks than she did between the flags and cites her win on Kings Troop, owned by Henry Ponsonby and trained by Alan King, at Newbury in 2012 as her career highlight."
"It took me a long time to ride my first winner," Chloe smiles. "I think I was at the top of the Racing Post 'cold jockeys' list!" Her debut success came on Candarli, a former inmate of the Gandolfo yard at Black Forest Lodge in December 2007 and the pair won three races that season. "He was tiny, but brilliant," recalls Chloe. "He really got me going."
Chloe's Category B licence enabled her to ride against professionals and she had two winners in that arena. "It was a good buzz," she smiles. "I liked riding under rules – it was more professional. In points, you might have 18 runners with 17 wanting to make it and you could more or less do what you want. Having said that, a nice ride in a Ladies Open is better than a yak under rules!"
Successful associations with Geoffrey Deacon and Kate Buckett – trainer of Armoury House – followed, before Chloe moved to Oliver Sherwood's (hence the link with Harry Beswick and Andy Llewellyn) as pupil assistant. She obviously got the hang of training quickly, as her first winner came back in 2012, Bellosguardo at Chaddesley Corbett. "He was a fun horse who was also placed in a couple of Hunter Chases," says Chloe. "I enjoyed training, but was focusing more on riding at the time."
Which was why she waited nearly six years to have her next runner, Santa's Secret. "He was ex-Oliver Sherwood and was given to me," Chloe explains. "Having him got me the training bug back, then Andy got It's A Sting and decided he wanted to be a jockey. "I got the bug too," he laughs. "And now I'm assistant to Chloe as well as Oliver!" "Andy comes to ride out every day," she confirms. "I couldn't do it without him."
Chloe is definitely making the most of her Sherwood connections. "Harry's cousin Bart Ryan-Beswick bought Net Work Rouge from Kim Bailey," continues Chloe, "And he's a superstar – he won at Larkhill and Kingston Blount. Bart's got four with me and Harry's Dad John owns Enjoy Responsibly." I talked to Harry about his decision to revert to amateur status. "It felt like the right thing to do," he explained
"With 22 winners, I was close to the watershed of 25 (after which you have to stay conditional). I thought there would be more opportunities as an amateur – the chance to ride at places like Cheltenham – and I've already ridden for lots of different trainers."
Like Harry, Chloe has an eye on greater opportunities. "While I don't want to train under rules," she admits, "I love training pointers, taking older horses like Net Work Rouge and getting them to enjoy racing again, and I'd also like to have Hunter Chase winners. I wouldn't mind having 20 horses and it would be nice to have more owners. Syndicates are a good experience if you don't want a full horse, although it's difficult to convert people from interest into actually taking part!" Chloe is also keen on the increasing presence of young horses in point-to-points. "It's good for pointing," she affirms. "Before, some Maidens could be terrible races. I'd like to have the odd young one – maybe for Bart…"
She admires the strides that fellow young trainers are making in the above directions, laughing, "If I could be anywhere near as good as Tom and Gina (Ellis) and Fran and Charlie (Poste), I'd be happy." Talking of happy, Chloe reveals her secret to keeping her horses sweet. "We treat them as individuals," she advises. "We turn them out, do different things every day, canter them on grass verges, pop them over logs…"
Chloe's love of the amateur side of pointing clearly influences her first priority, should she be in a position of power in the sport. "I'd have more of the Grassroots Hunter Chases restricted to point-to-point keepers. It's so hard to win them – and the likes of Paul Nicholls have so many other races they can win!" However, she's not against former useful horses – examples this year include Art Mauresque, Don Poli and Thomas Campbell – gracing the pointing arena with their presence. "Pointing gives a chance to older horses who are too high in the handicap to win under rules – it's nice to see them."
We move next to the often vexatious issue of the declining link between hunting and pointing. "When I was with Jill Dawson," remembers Chloe, "We'd hunt every week and the horses would all qualify properly. Now, Always On The Ball hunts – owner Sheena Pilkington, who I've always been friends with, loves her hunting and that's how her horses get fit. And I hunt my pony, but not the racehorses – I'd hate them to get injured and I've seen horses with their feet in holes, with barbed wire wrapped round their legs… It's easier to wrap them in cotton wool now."
Chloe is a big fan of the allowance for novice riders in Opens, and the increase in Novice Riders races, although one innovation she would like to see is more Mares races, while another bugbear is entry fees. "They can be ridiculously expensive and, although it's good to win a nice trophy, prize money hasn't changed. It cost me £80 to enter Chicoria in two races at Barbury," she says, raising her eyes. "And you often have to enter at multiple meetings in search of the right ground. Cocklebarrow is good – you just pay £25 to enter, then another £20 to declare to run."
"Mind you," she concludes. "We don't do it for the money. I come in here at 5.30 every morning and the horses all greet me by whinnying and neighing. There's nothing better!"
Chloe's Six Stars
Always On The Ball
An ex-Irish pointer who was second twice in Maidens then went to Charlie Longsdon's, but lost his way. Ran at Bangor-on-Dee at the weekend and should come on for that run and be able to win.
Chicoria
Won three hurdles and a chase and, unusually for a Presenting, he's a mud lover, so will run where it's soft. He's a perfect Novice Riders horse – I like to give young lads a chance – and ran well enough at Barbury and Bangor-on-Dee.
Draft Pick
He is one! (Clue: it's a spoonerism). He's got a high cruising speed but doesn't quicken and is a bit of a monkey. He's like a teenage boy – you have to kid him not beat him! Bought at Ascot Sales, as Bart wanted another one. Coming from James Ridley's yard, I'm not going to improve him but he's sound and, while he's no world-beater, he should win a Restricted. Made his debut for me at Larkhill.
Enjoy Responsibly
Ex-Oliver Sherwood and rated over 130. Andy will ride him early in the season and we'll try to qualify for Aintree – Harry would ride him there. Has won over two-and-a-half miles and been placed over three, is very handsome and jumps for fun.
Net Work Rouge
Injured after his second win but has come back in now and should be ready to run at Easter. He'll run in Novice Riders races and hopefully qualify for the series final at Edgcote, which was the original plan last year.
Rock N Bell
An unraced eight-year-old who's been in training but is very fragile and has had all sorts of problems. By Laverock and another owned by Bart. He's got a nice attitude and we just want to get him to the races in one piece.