Amanda and Mark work alongside a team of 27 dedicated staff members including a highly experienced vet located close to the yard. The whole team are extremely passionate and all offer a wealth of industry knowledge and experience that allows them to deliver the highest quality of care. Many members of the team have worked at Coombelands Racing Stables since the days when Guy Harwood trained.
With her father Guy Harwood being one of the great racehorse trainers of the 20th century, Amanda was brought up around racehorses. She was a successful amateur jockey winning 90 races and became the first lady to ride in the Champion Hurdle at the 1990 Cheltenham Festival. Amanda was also a successful three day event rider and won numerous events and represented her country in Italy.
Mark Perrett, son of jockey Phil Perrett and the grandson of racehorse trainer Major Champneys, was a successful National Hunt jockey who rode over 900 winners including enjoying success with seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival and both the Scottish and Welsh Grand Nationals. Laterlery he rode successfully as a flat jockey winning on one of his Cheltenham Festival winners Balasani at Royal Ascot for Martin Pipe.
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
34 years
How long have you worked in racing?
40 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Bangalore (At Coombelands from 1999 – 2004)
Favourite racing experience/memory
Vagador winning Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival in 1988. He was trained by Guy Harwood, owned by Amanda and ridden by Mark.
Horses you look after
You’re Hired
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
36 years
How long have you worked in racing?
40 years
Your favourite horse in the yard
Kasbah
Your favourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Group 2 winner Raft at Deauville for Guy Harwood
Horses you look after
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
16 years
How long have you worked in racing?
25 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Cogital
Favourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Astronereus when he won the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes at Newbury in May 2016. He was trained by Amanda, ridden by Pat Dobbs and owned by John Connolly and Odile Griffith.
Horses you look after
Astromachia, Rebel Territory, Eagle One
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
16 years
How long have you worked in racing?
47 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Saborido (Retired in 2017)
Favourite racing experience/memory
Riding a winner over hurdles at Lingfield on a horse called Merry Maker for Captain Richard Head in 1977
Horses you look after
Zhui Feng, Frontispiece, Zuba
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
15 years
How long have you worked in racing?
23 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Camps Bay
Favourite racing experience/memory
Riding a winner at Wolverhampton for Clive Drew on Roffey Spinney in 1999
Horses you look after
Vernier, Moomba, Transition
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
18 years
How long have you worked in racing?
Since I started at Coombelands in 2001
Favourite horse in the yard
Elysian Fields
Favourite racing experience/memory
When Elysian Fields won five races in a row!
Horses you look after
Platitude, Lavender's Blue, Saucy Encore,
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
5 years
How long have you worked in racing?
40 years
Favourite horse in the yard
The Warrior
Favourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Lavinia Fontana when she won the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint in 1994 with Jason Weaver onboard.
Horses you look after;
Count Otto, Feldspar, Harzand colt
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
Since January 2018
How long have you worked in racing?
Since joining the Newmarket Racing School in October 2017
Favourite horse in the yard
Wordismybond
Favourite racing experience/memory
Graduating from the Racing School
Horses you look after
Penny Diamond, Ahorsecalledwanda, Populaire
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
5 years
How long have you worked in racing?
31 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Saluti
Favourite racing experience/memory
In 2013 when I lead up ‘Times Up’ and he won the Doncaster Cup for Ed Dunlop with Ryan Moore Onboard.
Horses you look after in the yard
Suns Up Guns Up, Zzoro, Alfie Solomons
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
18 years
How long have you worked in racing?
34 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Arch Villain
Favourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Westmoreland Road for Amanda with Pat Eddery onboard when he won at Newmarket.
Horses you look after
Manucci, Dutch Story, Saaheq
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
12 years
How long have you worked in racing?
26 years
Favourite horse in the yard
All of them!
Favourite racing experience/memory
When I was working for Charles Egerton and Shamayoun won the Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival at 40/1.
Horses you look after
Rovera, Best Address, Sayifyouwill
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
5 years
How long have you worked in racing?
40 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Open Wide
Favourite racing experience/memory
Leading in Guineas Winner Shadayid ridden by Willie Carson
Horses you look after
Art For Art's Sake, Open Wide
How long have you been working at Coombelands?
Since August 2018
How long have you worked in racing?
24 years
Favourite horse in the yard
Cozone
Favourite racing experience/memory
Schooling with Tony McCoy when I worked at Martin Pipe's
Horses you look after
Tinto, Cozone, Zellerate
How long have you worked in racing:
I started working at Coombelands in January 2020 having completed my training at the British Racing School.
Horses you look after:
Double Legend and Percy's Prince
Julie has worked for Amanda for 8 years and in racing for a number of years. Julie manages the day-to-day running of the office at Coombelands including race entries and declarations, jockey bookings and liaison with owners.
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Camilla will be responsible for the upkeep of our website, producing our brochures and promotional literature, filming our owner reports and updating our social media platforms.
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Rob is a Director at Sussex Equine Hospital and has made daily routine visits to Coombelands since 1997.
Rob is Chairman of the Association of Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons, and has recently been appointed as an ‘Advocate For Racing’ which involves dealing with the press and giving Q&A sessions at the races.
Rob is also a member of the Veterinary Advisory Panel for the Horserace Betting Levy Board.
Mary is a Laboratory Technician at Sussex Equine Hospital and is a regular visitor at Coombelands.
Coombelands boasts an on-site veterinary laboratory and Mary is responsible for analysing our blood tests.
Mary has vast experience and worked in various NHS hospital pathology laboratories for 40 years! She is a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science.
Nick, known by all as Zeddie has been working at Coombelands for 42 years. He has played an important role in shaping the gallops in to what they are today. In particular, Zeddie maintains the underground irrigation systems which enables us to have suitable ground conditions to train the horses on a daily basis.
Stuart has been working at Coombelands for 15 years and is responsible for the care and management of our racehorses’ feet. This includes shoeing, fitting racing plates and remedial farriery. Stuart has use of our onsite forge.
Stephanie qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2008 with an MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy and specialises in the treatment of racehorses.
