THE GREAT SEASON OF THE TRAINER OF THE YEAR 2021

THE GREAT SEASON

OF THE TRAINER OF THE YEAR 2021

AUTHOR: ANNAMARIA SOBIERAJSKA, PAULINA MAZUREK PHOTOS: SŁUŻEWIEC RACECOURSE Interview with Krzysztof Ziemiański

What was 2021 like for you? When starting this season you knew you had good horses, that’s for sure. But did you know, did you expect it to be so successful?

I definitely had high expectations for this season. It also meant a lot of work because in order to fulfil your plans you have to be very committed and devoted to it. And that is exactly what happened; this season turned out to be very successful in terms of results. But it didn’t come easy. I had to put in a lot of work so this season was very hard for me. I had to give it 120%. Nevertheless, the work has been enjoyable, it brought success and I am not complaining that I had to work so much. We won many significant races. We could say that we managed to win all the scheduled races outside the group that were held at home this season. On top of that there were also starts abroad, where we were successful as well. Night Tornado started three times and Timemaster twice. Except for Timemaster’s weaker performance in Paris, all the other results were really good. It’s good that the season is coming to an end. I must admit that I feel it a bit because of the number of horses that I prepared this season. Now I have to prepare for the upcoming one. I consider the whole season successful as it ended really well.

You said it takes strong commitment. What does it take from the trainer and what do you mean by commitment?

For me personally, it took a lot of focus and it required planning for every single month of the competitions and the work of the horses, but it also took commitment from the crew. I think our success is largely a result of our team that worked very well together and gave more than they should have without me forcing them to do so. Everyone knew that we were working for our common success. My master of the horse, who has been with us since last year, made a huge contribution to this season. He is the one who lets me sleep well because I know that everything will be taken care of. Marianna helped me a lot in terms of logistics as she took care of planning all the trips. It is important that the team is harmonious and that everyone works with pleasure for common success.

You talk about your and your crew’s efforts, but there are many more people that contribute to your success. The rider who rides the horse and the owners who have to trust you and cooperate with you.

It is very important that the owners trust me and entrust their horses to me. It is also important that there are no misunderstandings between us and that they let me carry out the plan that I set forth. The jockeys are as important too. They are the ones who ride the horses and they have to do their job in line with the plan. It is also a matter of choosing horses and riders - they have to be harmonious. You can easily notice the need for a proper rider if you consider Petit, Timemaster and Night Tornado.

You mentioned Night Tornado. That horse draws a lot of attention. What is he like? What is it like working with him on a daily basis?

He didn’t run much this season but he ran in all the most-subsidized races. In my understanding, if you have such an outstanding horse, you have to respect him very much and save him, because you only have one. If he starts, it should be in significant races so that we don’t force him in the ones that are less important for his career. Night Tornado ran only six times this season. Three times in Poland - in the Totalizator Sportowy President’s Stakes, in the Golejewko Stakes - as a warm up and in the Wielka Warszawska. He won these three races. He also took part

in three races abroad, where he finished first, second and third. These were very prestigious races. Tornado is the first thoroughbred trained in Poland that won a Listed race in France. In Bratislava he lost by an inch, but it was my mistake because I didn’t know him very well. I didn’t know how he would take the journey, which affected the result. Tornado likes to travel alone, he is an individualist who does not like to be disturbed.

Timemaster, on the other hand, took part in more competitions. He raced 7 times, out of which he won 5. He was first in the Scottish Rifle race in Bratislava, but in Paris we overestimated his abilities a bit, even though he felt really well. He had an unfavorable starting number, which made it difficult to choose a suitable strategy. In addition, he faced very strong competitors. Despite all that, he deserved this trip because he performed very well all season. Now he has some rest and time off.

Night Tornado has brought you success that you haven’t achieved before. How do you feel about it?

Everybody likes Tornado very much because, besides being a good horse, he is nice, beautiful and has a wonderful character. Everyone who stays with him feels the same way. When Stefano came to ride him, he said he was an amazing horse. So does the rider who rides him every day. This horse does what a man asks. He doesn’t misbehave, he doesn’t rush, he agrees to everything. Additionally, he has a great background. He is very valuable, not only as a race horse, but because he is our national treasure thanks to his blood. We don’t have a colt with such a pedigree in Poland. And even if there is one, he has not had a successful career. I hope that in the future he will be used for breeding. It is a horse of great value and sometimes I worry about letting a horse like him enter the box (laughs). On a daily basis I treat him like any other horse. He is easy to handle, I never let anyone distort his character.

How long have you been a trainer?

Well, a very long time (laughs), more than 30 years. I’ve been working as a trainer for 30 years, but I’ve been training horses for 37. Before I became a trainer there was a period of apprenticeship and during the 7 years I had a chance to learn from the best trainers who had very good horses. Sometimes I also had a chance to train these horses because my role was to substitute the trainer when he left. Winning races was not to my credit, but I had the opportunity to learn from my own mistakes.

As such a senior trainer, what is your dream right now?

I would like to experience as many wonderful moments with the two horses I currently own as possible. They are European class horses and I would like to see what it will be like to travel with them and to compete in big races. As

for Timemaster, his performance in Paris was a little unsuccessful, but we are not giving up and next year we will plan his starts better. Maybe not for a mile, but for a little longer distance to avoid competing against true milers. As far as Tornado is concerned, the G category races are very prestigious, not only for a trainer from Poland. It is my dream to prepare this horse and to take part in such a race. I mentioned back in the spring and in the summer that he is an immature horse, which is why, for example, the Derby was not very successful for him. But he is constantly developing and I am convinced that he will be even better next season. You don’t know how far his career will go and how great his potential is. He is a horse from Poland but he has the same blood as horses that compete in the biggest races in Europe.

Do you feel you are a winner?

I feel fulfilled. I have really experienced lots of joy this season thanks to entering competitions with many horses, not just these two. I know that we can try our best anywhere. It is not that our horses, our training, our abilities are worse than those of the people in the west. It is a matter of money and horses. They have more financial possibilities, they buy more expensive horses, but it doesn’t always translate into results. Their horses often lose against ours. As the saying goes, a horse has no idea how much it costs (laughs).