A well respected name...
Reg Hollinshead is an iconic name in racing, famous for training two thousand winners under both codes and establishing a world-famous apprentice jockey academy. This has produced over fifty jockeys including champions Kevin Darley and Walter Swinburn.
Midlands horse racing history is littered with mentions of “Hollinshead Racing” ranging from visits to the gallops by royalty (Prince Edward VIII), to successes for many well-known personalities in the midlands area.
The book “When Birmingham Went Racing” mentions for the final meeting in 1965 of the then Bromford Bridge track that “There was also a double for Wordsley-born apprentice Geoff Baxter, completed by Ledsam Lad, trained by Reg Hollinshead for the City’s former Lord Mayor, Dr. Louis Glass.”
Reg, himself, was a farmer’s son, who took up jump race riding very successfully and this was the basis for Hollinshead Racing development. Having realised how hard it could be for a youngster to gain an apprentice jockey position, Reg has been committed throughout his career to give promising youngsters “a fair chance”.
Frankie Dettori remembers that during a difficult time with Luca Cumani that Luca “threatened me with all sorts of dire punishment... including a move to the Midlands trainer, Reg Hollinshead, who had a reputation for being an even sterner disciplinarian”. He follows up, however, by saying that when he had a hard time in his early career “Reg Hollinshead was another supporter for me”.
Over the years our stable has had impressive successes at all levels of racing, but the one that stands out in all our memories is Remainder Man who was second in the Guineas and third in the Derby. Our current horses are fulfilling their early promise and we have a number of progressive individuals who we are training to reach their full potential. To win a race at any level is very competitive, but we have a reputation and the skill of being able to place our horses in races where they can travel fully equipped to do their best.
