Tony Martin
Tony
Martin is a successful amateur Irish jockey turned trainer who is looking to
make his mark at the 2008 Grand National at Aintree.
Tony Martin earned his trainer’s license in the 1990s and since then has been making slow but steady progress in his attempts to establish himself as one of the leading trainers in National Hunt and flat racing.
Martin’s first major success came early in his career with She’s Our Mare.
She’s Our Mare had been reckoned to be, if anything, an average hurdler, yet once the young mare was placed in Martin’s hands she put in a series of scintillating performances, taking a number of titles in both Irish National Hunt racing and flat racing, including the Handicap Hurdle at the Easter Fairyhouse meeting.
Martin’s success with She’s Our Mare was based on a patient approach to grooming his charges for victory. Martin has a reputation for racing his charges infrequently, and for putting them through races that will raise their confidence gradually rather than attempt to gain rapid once-off success.
Every trainer wishing to win a major event such as the Grand National needs more than just an intelligent approach to preparing horses for the big races. More often than not a Grand National winner is a combination of a patient, calculating trainer and a talented racehorse. In Tony Martin’s case the talent comes in the form of Dun Doire.
Dun Doire failed to impress in his first few outings for Tony Martin, 2008 Grand National trainer, losing his first seven races. However, on the 14th of February 2005 Dun Doire won his first hurdle at Wetherby. From there on in Dun Doire went from strength to strength and in the 2005/2006 season achieved an incredible six wins in succession.
Believing that his horse possessed all the characteristics of a Grand National champion, Martin entered Dun Doire into the 2007 Grand National. Unfortunately Dun Doire had a bad day at Aintree and seemed to struggle with the good surface after years of racing on the soft Irish turf. The horse eventually pulled up, sending his Grand National trainer back to the drawing board.
The Grand National trainer and his charge will be back at the Grand National in 2008. With Dun Doire fit and having enjoyed almost a year’s rest since his last Grand National outing, he’s in with a real chance of becoming Tony Martin’s first Grand National winner in 2008.
Tony Martin, 2008 Grand National trainer, could finally see first place at this year’s event. For live racehorse betting we recommend William Hill, one of the world's leading bookmakers.
