Retirement plan off Pat
It is 20 months since Pat Rosney handed in his licence and joined the ranks of the retired. Given the average age of Britain’s trainers, there are a significant number either approaching, or in some cases well past ‘gold watch’ time. Pat was a couple of months short of 60 when he sent out his last runner.
So does this ture lifetime dog man, who was a regular in the Trainers Championship top six, have any regrets, insights or advice to share?
He said: “I’ve loved it to be honest. I miss being around the dogs on a daily basis but I don’t miss racing or some of the aggro with the racing offices. I don’t suppose they miss me either.
“But I have kept an interest in what is going on. I continue to source a few dogs. That Antigua Kestrel, in the Derby, is one I found for Nic Jeal. I enjoy all of that involvement still. I haven’t been to a track, though that is mainly because there isn’t one anywhere near me.”
So how do you fill your time?
“Julie and I travel a lot. We are down for three days to see the Derby and Oaks at Epsom. We have a holiday in Canada booked. I play a lot of golf and enjoy some gardening.
“The one mistake I did make was retiring at the wrong time of the year, September. I went from working seven days a week to no days a week going into the winter and I was bored stiff.
“The most important piece of advice I would give though – and I would ask all trainers to seriously consider it – get a decent pension.
“Most trainers don’t plan ahead well enough. I didn’t. They expect to muddle through and leave the game in a box. But without some additional income, life can be tough.
“We had the kennel to sell which has got us through, but in hindsight, a decent pension as well would have been a massive help.
“We sold our place to become boarding kennels and it might be worth trainers with suitable kennels turning some of those over to boarders themselves. Even now.
“These boarders are charged £20 per day, with food on top, or bring your own food. They are inundated with business. If I had tried to charge £20 a day for a greyhound – and that’s before you’ve bought the vans and all the running around – I wouldn’t have had a dog in the kennel.
“I don’t regret my time in dogs. I loved it but I think I got out at just about the right time.”
Open race wins 2024
11 wins: Romeo To Victory
10 wins: Coonough Crow – Different Speed – Druids Say Go – Queen Joni – Rioja Maxi
9 wins: Ballymac Taylor – Quarteira – Quagos Jack
8 wins: Aayamza Sydney – Acomb Felix – Alright Gordy – Clairekeith Remy – Bettys Jack – Coppice Fox – Whisky Copper
OPENS
Saturday: Central Park ♦ Doncaster ♦ Monmore ♦ Oxford ♦ Towcester
