History
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Over the next two years Bryan's success as a flat trainer continued and in March 2000 Bryan and his team moved to Berkeley House Stables in Upper Lambourn where he increased the size and quality of his string. He enjoyed a very successful couple of seasons culminating in a total of 27 winners in 2001 and 2002 the highlight being winning The Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood with Bond Boy in August 2002.
During the summer of 2002 it became clear that Bryan would need to expand his facilties once again and at the end of October the Smart team moved north to take over historic Hambleton House in North Yorkshire.
The former base of Les Eyre, who in his hey day trained over 70 winners in one season, Hambleton has been associated with racing since the early part of the 17th century.
During the summer of 2002 it became clear that Bryan would need to expand his facilties once again and at the end of October the Smart team moved north to take over historic Hambleton House in North Yorkshire.
The former base of Les Eyre, who in his hey day trained over 70 winners in one season, Hambleton has been associated with racing since the early part of the 17th century.
Situated at the top of Sutton Bank on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, with no immediate neighbours, the 40 horses that moved from Lambourn were quickly joined by others and the yard was soon filled to capacity, new owners and existing ones putting their faith in Bryan's ability to train winners and get the best possible results from each indivual horse.
In 2004 Bryan won the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh and the Group 2 Duke of York stakes at York with Monsieur Bond who is himself now a stallion with his first crop of 2 year olds due to run in 2008.
In 2005 Bryan and his team had another high profile year, particularly with the 2 year olds. Titus Alone won The Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot at York, Sir Xaar won The Ripon Champion 2 yo Trophy and was second in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, and Misu Bond won the valuable Redcar 2yo Trophy (Listed).
Bryan has proved he is equally good at getting the best out of his older horses and at the age of 8 yo Bond Boy won 2 more races including Musselburgh's richest race of the year The Scottish Sprint Cup bringing the prize money earned by this grand old servant to over £186,000.
2006 saw the upward trend in quality of horses trained at Hambleton continue and this was highlighted by the win of Hellvelyn in The Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for H E Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed. Hellvelyn was the first horse to enter the winner's enclosure at the 'new' Royal Ascot.
In 2004 Bryan won the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh and the Group 2 Duke of York stakes at York with Monsieur Bond who is himself now a stallion with his first crop of 2 year olds due to run in 2008.
In 2005 Bryan and his team had another high profile year, particularly with the 2 year olds. Titus Alone won The Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot at York, Sir Xaar won The Ripon Champion 2 yo Trophy and was second in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, and Misu Bond won the valuable Redcar 2yo Trophy (Listed).
Bryan has proved he is equally good at getting the best out of his older horses and at the age of 8 yo Bond Boy won 2 more races including Musselburgh's richest race of the year The Scottish Sprint Cup bringing the prize money earned by this grand old servant to over £186,000.
2006 saw the upward trend in quality of horses trained at Hambleton continue and this was highlighted by the win of Hellvelyn in The Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for H E Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed. Hellvelyn was the first horse to enter the winner's enclosure at the 'new' Royal Ascot.
2007 was another fantastic year for 2 yo winners and Bryan's Royal Ascot record continued when he trained his third 2 year old winner at the Royal meeting in consecutive years when Maze won the Chesham Stakes(Listed). The roar from his enthusiastic owners, all members of Pinnacle Racing, could be heard for miles around!!
Other high profile wins in 2007 include The Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh with Aegean Dancer (again for owners Pinnacle Racing); The King George Stakes(Gp 3) at Goodwood with Moorhouse Lad; The Harry Roseberry Stakes at Ayr and The Roses Stakes at York (both Listed Races) with Captain Gerrard; The Firth of Clyde Stakes(Gp 3) at Ayr with Unilateral; The Beverley Bullet (Listed) with Hellvelyn.
2008 saw the Smart team set a new record by training 57 winners for the year. There were a number of high profile wins including Moorhouse Lad and Captain Gerrard winning Group races. Moorhouse Lad then finished second to European Champion Sprinter, Marchant d'Or which earned him an invitation to the World Turf Championships in Hong Kong.
Stable jockey Tom Eaves added real value to the team and equalled his best ever score for winners. He works hard and rides out twice a week all season.
The professionalism and quality of the team is backed up by excellent farriers from Londonderry Forge in Northallerton and Rainbow Veterinary Hospital in Malton. In addition, Veterinary Surgeon Sue Armstrong from The Balanced Being Group in Wetherby, provides invaluable support using Homeopathy in harmony with conventional medicine from Rainbow Vets.
The Smart team are looking forward to 2009 with a full yard and a strong team of horses, which in these uncertain times is something which they are extremely grateful for.
When making the move North in 2002, the aim was to create a top class, professional training facility where attention to detail is paramount and each horse is treated as an individual. High in the Hambleton hills surrounded by peace and tranquility, Bryan and Vicky believe they were meant to be here. They have a strong Christian faith and know that their move here was not just a material one.
"We are truly blessed to be living here in God's own country and we know that with His help we can bring this place back to its former glory.''
"We are truly blessed to be living here in God's own country and we know that with His help we can bring this place back to its former glory.''
Bryan and Vicky work as a great team and their skills complement each other. Their daughter Beth looks like following in their footsteps and loves going up the gallops or pottering around the yard on her pony.
With a good team of staff who share his enthusiasm and committment Bryan Smart is making a name for himself as one of the leading racehorse trainers in the country.
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