Katie Scott, based in Galashiels, is a canny trainer with just 21 horses. In a sport where big spending can often dominate the narrative, Scott has consistently turned modest budgets and clever race planning into memorable results, with her name becoming increasingly familiar at the bigger meetings this year. This is a story of a trainer whose reputation is travelling well beyond the Borders.
So let’s get to know a bit more about Katie.
“I did Pony Club and show jumping, and rode in a few point-to-points before going on to train a few point-to-pointers myself. I have no background in racing, so it’s not easy when you’re trying to break through without a lot of land, money or anything behind you, and I’m quite proud of what we’ve built. It’s great to get results just before the yearling sales start. You always hope that will get noticed, although it doesn’t always seem that straightforward. We always like to get a couple of yearlings in, and I think a couple of owners from the yard will reinvest after a good season.”
And were you always going to be a dual-purpose trainer?
“Not really. I started off thinking I was going to be totally National Hunt, and now we’ve gone completely the other way! I love the Flat with a passion. I think the owners get a lot more bang for their buck. I love the speed, even just riding them out at home. They’re such precocious animals. You can run them more and enjoy them more, they tend to get fewer injuries and you learn about them quicker. I just think there are a lot of positives. I still love and admire National Hunt racing and think it’s fantastic. I watch it and I’m a massive fan, but commercially, when you’re trying to run a business, Flat horses make much more sense.”
And this season has certainly made a good case for that decision?
“Numerically, it could have been better because we’ve had quite a lot of seconds, but the quality of horses we’ve had this year has made all the difference. We’re up on prize-money and on the level of races we’ve been running in. We’ve been at the big meetings, and Naana’s Shadow has been fantastic. She was bought for £20,000 from an online sale and has gone from 67 to 102 in the five months we’ve had her, so credit to her owner, Stephen McCluskey, because he bought her. She gave us a winner on Derby Day and then at Glorious Goodwood, which was our first time there. It was a 766-mile round trip for us, so to come away with a winner was a personal highlight. She’s very tough, and I think it’s really helped put us on the map.”
And there could be another big trip on the horizon?
“Yes, France was a first for us, so it was amazing to go over and win the Group 3 with Naana’s Shadow before hopefully returning three weeks later for the Prix de l’Abbaye. I’ve been to Longchamp to watch racing, but never with a horse.
I think her previous run in the heritage handicap at York was probably a career-best for her. She didn’t have the best draw and was giving 15lb to the winner, which is a lot for a small filly. She’s still only three, so we hope she can keep progressing and enjoying her racing as much as we’re enjoying it with her.
The goal now is to get a black-type winner on the board. We went close last month with Luna A Inbhir Nis, who finished second to Rumstar in the Group 3 Coral Charge. She was meant to run at York again but picked up an injury on the racecourse before the race. She’s back in full training now and, all being well, will also head to France.”
They aren’t the only two to have gone up significantly through the grades in your care. Gweedore is another who made a rapid rise in his rating — what do you put that down to?
“We do things a bit differently here. We have a lot of open land, so they spend plenty of time out in the fields, and it’s very peaceful for them. Sometimes, a change of scenery is as good as a break! But it also comes down to the owners because they’ve bought well for us. I can’t emphasise enough how good my staff are and how much I appreciate them.”
You’re also keen to support racing closer to home?
“I do try to support the Scottish tracks financially. For my owners, it’s better to be closer to home, although once they’re rated 80, you have to travel a bit further. It’s good to see horses from the north doing really well, too, with Jim Goldie winning with American Affair at Glorious Goodwood was great. As far as the racing community goes, whenever we have a winner, everyone is so nice and supportive towards us.”
Nigel Angus, in 1975 with Roman Warrior, was the last Scottish-trained winner of the Ayr Gold Cup. You have a couple of entries this year?
“Yes, there’s still plenty to look forward to. We’ve come close before — Gweedore was third in 2023, beaten just three-quarters of a length by Significantly. He loves the track, having won there five times, but he’s now nine years old. We also have Figjam in the race, although at the moment they’d both struggle to get in. It’s definitely on our to-do list, that’s for sure.”
Do you have many in for the National Hunt season?
“We only have one jumper in, and he’s only been here for a week. Andrew, one of my owners, sent him to us, but apart from that, we’re all Flat here really. The start of the jump season will be interesting after such a hot summer. It’s going to be a big job, but the ground staff are amazing and I have every faith they’ll get it sorted. They’ve done such a good job through the ongoing heatwaves. I feel sorry for the jump trainers right now. You’d be worried about when to have your horses ready to go and get them to peak, with no grass to train them on. They wouldn’t have even had much to graze on during their summer holidays!
I love where I’m based, and having the IJF’s Scottish hub, now in Melrose is something we really appreciate. It adds so much to the area, and the fact that the late Ella MacGregor’s bequest helped make it happen makes it even more special.
We’re always happy to support the IJF, whether that’s through fundraisers or a Cheltenham preview night. We really appreciate what the charity does and are very pleased to support it.”
Georgia Cox in conversation with Katie Scott