Amanda and Mark work alongside a team of 26 dedicated staff members including a highly experienced vet located close to the yard. The whole team are extremely passionate about racehorses and all offer a wealth of industry knowledge and experience that allows them to deliver the highest quality of training. Many members of the team have worked at Coombelands Racing Stables since the days when Guy Harwood trained.
Partners
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Amanda Perrett - Trainer
With her father Guy Harwood being one of the great racehorse trainers of the 20th century, Amanda Perrett 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. She won the three day event at Punchestown Racecourse in Ireland and has represented her country in Italy as a successful three day event rider.
With a wealth of race horse knowledge and experience as well as a passion for training race horses in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, Amanda Perrett has what it takes to win at the highest level. Here you can find out everything you need to know about Amanda and her staff as well as take a look at horses in training and horses for sale.
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Mark Perrett - Assistant Trainer
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. Mark has been at Coombelands Stables since he was 17 and is an experienced trainer and jockey.
Head Lads
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Dean Angell - Head Lad
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
33 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
40 yearsFavourite 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 -
Kevin Clarke - Assistant Travelling Head Lad
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
35 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
40 yearsYour favourite horse in the yard
KasbahYour favourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Group 2 winner Raft at Deauville for Guy HarwoodHorses you look after
Kasbah, Cottingham, Dagian -
Neal Tucker - Assistant Head Lad
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
15 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
24 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
CogitalFavourite 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
Spirit Ridge, Astromachia, Cogital
Barn Leaders
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Nigel Dunger - Barn Leader
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
15 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
46 yearsFavourite 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 1977Horses you look after
Desert Path, Zhui Feng, Azets -
Barry Smith - Barn Leader
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
14 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
22 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
Camps BayFavourite racing experience/memory
Riding a winner at Wolverhampton for Clive Drew on Roffey Spinney in 1999Horses you look after
Sing a Rainbow, Seeing Red, Eltezam -
Charlene Smith - Barn Leader
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
17 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
Since I started at Coombelands in 2001Favourite horse in the yard
Elysian FieldsFavourite racing experience/memory
When Elysian Fields won five races in a row!Horses you look after
Flirtare, Platitude -
Tim Taylor - Barn Leader
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
4 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
40 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
The WarriorFavourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Lavinia Fontana when she won the GR 1 Haydock Park Sprint in 1994 with Jason Weaver onboard.Horses you look after
The Warrior, Roc Astrale, Barrenjoey
Grooms & Riders
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Louise Beasley - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
5 monthsHow long have you worked in racing?
Since joining the Newmarket Racing School in October 2017Favourite horse in the yard
WordismybondFavourite racing experience/memory
Graduating from the Racing SchoolHorses you look after
Sing a Rainbow, Seeing Red, Eltezam -
Steve Donoghue - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
4 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
30 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
SalutiFavourite 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
Sensible Friend, Zzoro, Barb’s Prince -
Angel Goble - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
1 yearHow long have you worked in racing?
2 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
Count OttoFavourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Count Otto when he won his first race at Kempton in NovemberHorses you look after
Count Otto, Parnassian, Saluti -
Eric Keane - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
17 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
33 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
Arch VillainFavourite racing experience/memory
Leading up Westmoreland Road for Amanda with Pat Eddery onboard when he won at Newmarket.Horses you look after
Manucci, Wordismybond, Dutch Story -
Martina Polzerova - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
11 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
25 yearsFavourite 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
Lightening Dance, Annie Angel, Procure -
Marion Ripoll - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
3 monthsHow long have you worked in racing?
8 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
All the horses I have ridden so far have been lovelyFavourite racing experience/memory
When I worked for F. Vermeulen in France, I looked after a horse called Prophets Pride who won 9 times in one season!Horses you look after
Sash, Paseo -
Danielle Smith - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
2 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
9 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
TapdanceallthewayFavourite racing experience/memory
When I rode in a charity race on Archangel Raphael at Lingfield and finished second.Horses you look after in the yard
Bossy Boots, Tapdancealltheway, Gather -
Gaynor Stevens - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
Since November 2017How long have you worked in racing?
I started riding out on Saturday’s for Amanda in Jan 2017 before joining the British Racing School in August 2017 and returning to work full time here at Coombelands in November.Favourite horse in the yard
Birthday GirlFavourite racing experience/memory
Graduating from the British Racing SchoolHorses you look after
Thresholdofadream, Birthday Girl, Pour Moi filly -
Mark Treadwell - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
4 yearsHow long have you worked in racing?
40 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
Open WideFavourite racing experience/memory
Leading in Guineas Winner Shadayid, ridden by Willie CarsonHorses you look after
Open Wide, Lightening Charlie, Arch Villain -
Quentin Vau - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
3 monthsHow long have you worked in racing?
5 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
AstromachiaFavourite racing experience/memory
I rode a horse called River Frost in France for three years for K Borgel, he was sold to Alan King for 100,000. He has since won 3 times over fences in the UK.Horses you look after
Double Legend, Rock on Rodney, Aegus -
Chris Waterlow - Rider
Read MoreHow long have you been working at Coombelands?
10 monthsHow long have you worked in racing?
16 yearsFavourite horse in the yard
ZubaFavourite racing experience/memory
Lion Sands winning a Group 3 race at Newmarket for Luca CumaniHorses you look after
Port of Call, Zuba, Maykir
Administration
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Julie Cooper - Racing Secretary
Read MoreJulie 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 Perrett - Marketing, PR and Communications
Read MoreCamilla has recently joined the team and will be responsible for filming and owner reports, the upkeep of our new website and updating our social media platforms.
Veterinary
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Rob Van Pelt - Vet
Read MoreRob 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.
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Mary Garland - Lab Technician
Read MoreMary is a Laboratory Technician at Sussex Equine Hospital and has been a regular visitor to Coombelands since.
Coombelands boasts an on-site veterinary laboratory and Mary is responsible for
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.
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Nick Lammas - Groundsman
Read MoreNick, known by all as Zeddie has been working at Coombelands for 42 years. He has played an important role in shaping the gallops 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.
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Stuart Packham - Farrier
Read MoreStuart 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.
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Stephanie Brighton - Physiotherapist
Read MoreStephanie qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2008 with an MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy and specialises in the treatment of racehorses.
