What can I tell you about Martin that you don't already know?
We all know about his career thus far and the horses he's ridden and trained, but what makes Martin tick? I visited him to try and find out more.
In Newmarket, we have 70 odd yards and some would argue some of the best trainers and facilities in the country, if not the world, but sometimes some of the smaller yards have to work twice as hard, for twice as long just to keep the yard gates open.
I wanted to see what goes on behind the scenes at Martin Smith Racing and see how he goes about his business and what sets him apart.
Martin has been fortunate enough to have trained horses and worked at yards across the UK, Florida, Dubai, Bahrain, and Belgium. He's worked with some of horse racing's big names and ridden some truly great horses, none-more-so than KingsGate Native.
Having worked with Nicky Henderson, John Best, Josh Gifford, and Richard Hannon.
Martin grew up in Belgium and began his career at 15, notching up some winners. As he got older he moved back to the UK to continue his riding career over the jumps. Martin told me he found it quite difficult to get rides at the time as everyone seemed to want Irish Jockey's, regardless of their ability to ride.
After Martin's riding career he took about training horses and following in his father's footsteps.
Training horses across the globe with his wife Michelle, moving from Florida, Dubai, and Bahrain they eventually found their way back to the UK.
Martin talked about how hard it was for them to get a license over here and even now cannot understand why the BHA makes it so difficult for people to take up the reins.
"It's always been easy for someone with plenty of cash to and no idea of how to train horses to get a license, but not so easy for those who don't have stacks of cash."
While Martin was back in the UK and trying to get approved he worked for John Best and ran the yard of around 40 horses. I can only imagine the organisation required to do this but Martin simply took it all in his stride.
Not only is Martin an accomplished Jockey, trainer, Yard Manager and former 'Clark of the Course' he is also an entrepreneur (And he makes a half decent cup of tea).
Horse safety is at the top of EVERY trainer's list, but few have gone as far as this man to ensure a horse safety. Clearly, a man who enjoys being kept busy, he's even responsible for Equi-ping.
Equi-ping is a device that's used to securely tie a horse when in its box. Unlike simply tying it with role or tack, this revolutionary product is designed to release when put under excessive pressure. You could loosely tie the horse but this isn't ideal.
Equi-ping gives enough resistance so the horse can't simply walk away, but not so much that should the horse become distressed or upset that it won't cause the horse any injuries or worse.
Martin told me that he spends many a night sat in front of the TV with his wife Michelle packing the product in the bags ready to be shipped worldwide.This truly is a testament to his dedication and if nothing else provides them with an income that means the yard can continue to function without the worry of paying the bills. Martin explained that he sees so many trainers who are simply working 'bill-to-bill' and it's not conducive to running a successful business.
I asked Martin for a few of his favourite horses he's worked with.
1. The first he smiled and simply pointed to his notice board above his computer and you could really see the joy on his face. A horse that clearly means a lot to Martin and he made reference to Kingsgate Native several times in the short time I spent with him. "I wouldn't be where I am told had it not been for Kingsgate."
2.Topsham Bay. Martin worked with Topsham Bay when with Josh Gifford and even though they didn't record a winner a close 2nd in the Bagshot Chase at Ascot Martin remembers this with fond memories.
3. Go Ballistic. Another horse that Martin holds in the highest regard and tells me "I was lucky enough to have worked with some of the best jumps horses the sports has ever seen".
I asked Martin about Hillbilly Boy and no sooner had the words left my lips, Martin Smiled and simply said "Superstar".
A horse he loved and worked with and was sad to see him go, but understood that sometimes things aren't meant to be.
I asked about the next 'Superstar' and Martin believe he may well have one in 'In the red', one defiantly worth keep an eye out for.
Martins focus and knowledge of the sport is never in question and he went on to talk about buying horses. This is a very tricky part of the business and one that most of us have no experience of.
"Anyone can go out and spend £100k on a 2-year-old and chances are it'll be a decent horse, it's finding those horses at lower prices that'll work well that I'm interested in."
Spending £100k on a horse doesn't mean you'll have a good one and I could list 100's of horses that cost 'next to nothing' that have won some great races.
Even though I only spent a few hours with Martin, it was clear that he had a different way of approaching it. "It's all about attitude, everything we do, from feeding to working out and training, it's pretty much the same. The difference between trainers, in attitude."
I found this really interesting and wasn't something that I'd really considered before. Martin believes that getting a horse ready mentally for a race is as, if not more important than if it's trained well or physically strong enough to cope with the race. Give or take, most horses are strong enough to win a race, but if they don't fancy it then you may as well stay at home. The trick is knowing when your horse is 'ready'. Not today, not tomorrow, but on race day. Every horse is different and knows when the time is right is right isn't easy. As I've never ridden a horse, I've no idea but Martin tells me that when you ride a horse after it has won a race it's clear that the horse knows.
Martin also believes that some older horses who've been around the block a few times can benefit from a different Jockey or different routine.
The will to win is the only difference between some horses. Those who are really impressive at home, can at times be no good when at the track. We often forget that it's a sport that deals with living breathing animals. If they wake up on the morning of the race and can't be arsed, there's very little anyone can do about it.
We went on to talk about his plans for 2017 and it became clear that 'My Mate Mark' features very highly in his plans for the next few months. His run at Newbury showed plenty of promise and given he finished 2nd having been caught only a few strikes from the line, the future looks bright.He now looks forward to a day out at the Cheltenham festival and all being well, hopes to get him entered in the bumper, at a huge 66/1 (currently with PaddyPower). He looked well and I for one will be cheering him up the hill, carrying the burden of my hard earned cash.
The yard has a few other horses with entries in a few other races and it's certainly
worth keeping an eye out for his runners this year.
Currently having 16 in the yard with room for one or two more Martin is happy with the current crop and staff.
"Having a small team means everyone knows every horse and they're able to concentrate their efforts." More quality over quantity you might say.
I think it's fair to say that Martin Smith Racing is one of the up and coming yards in Newmarket and his dedication to the horse's welfare is second to none. Promoting responsible rehoming when a horse retires, to Equi-ping, to focusing on the horse's mental wellbeing.
Martin and his team prove there's more to training winners than just buying the most expensive horses, feeding them right and working them hard.
IT'S ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE...
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