SEAN WOODS

Following a young career as a National Hunt Jockey, at the grand age of 26, Sean was the youngest trainer in Newmarket, having purchased the historic La Grange Stables.  Spending a successful decade training a sting of over 100 horses each year in the headquarters of Horseracing, with the likes of MISTLE CAT & ATLANTIS PRINCE.  Sean then received an offer to train in Hong Kong.  Over the next 16 years further success came his way, but an eye on returning home to Newmarket was always the plan.  At the start of 2021, having waited several years for the right yard to become available, Sean purchased another historic stables, Shalfleet on the famous Bury Road.  Spending some time transforming the yard in to what it is today, Sean’s first winner back on UK soil came on 4th April 2021, GENERAL PANIC winning at Southwell.  Each season since has increased in number of horses in training, number of runners and number of winners.  Each season the plan will be to achieve more than the one before.

THE WOODS FAMILY

Today, all sides of the Woods family are steeped in racing history.  Sean and his brothers were born and raised in India, where their father Barney was a leading flat Jockey and their grandfather a champion Trainer.  All three boys followed their father in to the saddle.  On returning to England, their parents owned Thormanby Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket, which was eventually sold when Sean sold La Grange to go to Hong Kong, and the family together acquired a prime stud in Cheveley, Brook Stud, just 5 miles from Newmarket which Sean's brothers, Dwayne and Wendyll successfully run today.  On Sean's return to England, once again the brothers are working alongside one another.  From planning the matings, to foaling and rearing the young thoroughbreds that some one day will be trained by Sean.  The stud provides a wonderful location for the horses in training to have breaks out of training when required.  Dwayne and Sean also work very closely at all sales to hunt for the best within owners budgets.  It is not just Sean's family that has been guided by Horseracing through generations, but the same can be said of his wife Lucie and her family.  Lucie grew up at Machell Place in Newmarket where generations of her family trained, including her father, Tony Hide.  Lucie's uncle was the hugely successful, Derby winning Jockey, Edward Hide.  Also her brother is Phillip Hide, former Jockey and now a Clerk Of The Course and Tim Hide, former assistant Trainer to Chris Dwyer and now Stud Manager.  Sean and Lucie have two sons, Guy, who is currently learning the art of training, working as assistant trainer to various trainers around the world and Max, their youngest will be studying at University to become a Vet.

SHALFLEET STABLES

Shalfleet Stables has a rich history dating back over two centuries when Shalfleet Stables and Highfield were a part of the vast Bedford Lodge Stables which, in 1820, were owned by the 6th Duke of Bedford.  Harvey Leader named the stables Shalfleet after his champion sprinter of 1935.  Shalfleet has been home to a vast list of exceptional thoroughbreds, winning multiple Group & Stakes races in the UK and around the world.

Those that have trained from Shalfleet Stables are:

1931 - 1958 Harvey Leader

1959 - 1963 Paddy O'Gorman

1963 - 1971 Harvey Leader

1972-1976 Gavin Pritchard-Gordon

1977-1997 Paul Kelleway

1997- 2019 Jeremy Noseda

SPCW purchased Shalfleet in 2021 . . . So the story of Shalfleet continues . .  .

SEAN WOODS RACING PRESS

Click on the links below to read all the articles featuring Sean Woods and Shalfleet Stables.