The Part-Timers of Jackdaws Castle - Part 1

As well our team of full time staff, the yard has a small band of part-timers who ride out, either at weekends or in the week. They all have other careers or jobs but have become a much loved part of the mornings...

Carley Chutter grew up in Dorset and after a pony-filled childhood, she worked as a groom for five years. Yet, despite loving this time within the racing industry, bigger challenges beckoned. ‘Wanting to be an equine vet, I studied for a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science and Psychology at Nottingham Trent University,’ explains Carley. ‘Yet, I soon found out you get zero funding for a second degree and I wouldn’t have qualified until I was thirty so I had to change tact quickly.’ She still made her career within the veterinary medicine sector.

Six years ago, a move brought Carley, 42, to Cheltenham and she started riding out at Jonjo O’Neill’s at weekends and in her holidays, even on Christmas Day in the past. A cheerful member of the team, Carley is a talented rider, who is a Senior Brand Manager at MSD Animal Health in her ‘proper’ job. In 2022, Carley was a finalist in Formula Woman, one of fifty women chosen from over eight hundred entries to compete for the chance to drive a McLaren in the GT Cup.

A great change is coming into Carley’s life when she soon moves from Cheltenham to New York City. ‘I’ve been successful in applying for a job managing the small animal vaccine brand at MSD Animal Health in the US. I am so excited to be moving to NYC and for what lies ahead. I am sad to be leaving my friends, family and Jackdaws Castle, but hopefully I will still be able to ride out when I am home.’ The move portrays Carley’s gutsy attitude and we wish her lots of luck for the future.

Did you have a horsey childhood? I was lucky to have a horsey father who sat me on as many horses as soon as I could crawl. I had some brilliant ponies (all on loan), but Stan was my Connemara cross Thoroughbred Irish BSJA pony, who gave me all of my bottle when I was younger.  I tried my hand at all Pony Club disciplines, team chasing, show jumping, hunting with the South Dorset and attending as many point-to-points as I could. 

How did you get into racing? I begged my dad for a point-to-pointer, which we got on loan. He was a pure old rascal called Blakington and he got me round in our races. This gave me the bug to stick with racing.

What trainers have you worked for? I started my career at Seven Barrows for the 1999/2000 season, which was a good one for the guvnor Nicky Henderson. I have also been lucky enough to work for Luca Cumani and I had a brief stint working for Bart Cummings in Sydney. I hope I might get to ride out at Belmont Park when I land in NYC.

Were you ever a jockey? I was not a proper jockey, but I hung on in a rather unstylish way for four point-to-point races.

What are your best memories in racing? I didn’t lead up any big winners, but as head girl at the British Racing School in Newmarket, I was lucky enough to ride Decorated Hero (who was one of Frankie Dettori’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ winners) in the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday celebration in London. Having a mounted police escort was really something.

How was racing different when you worked in it? It was so different. To see the progression in veterinary, science of managing horses and the benefits afforded to stable staff is more available and comprehensive than when I was a stable lass.

How has working in a yard changed for the better ? I’d say there is much more safety, which is always a good thing. Plus, the technology for both riders and horses has improved a hundred-fold since I was full time.

Favourite racecourse: I love Sandown and you can’t not love Cheltenham.

Favourite jockey: Mick Fitzgerald. He was Nicky’s stable jockey when I was kid and he was always kind to me.

Why did you leave racing? I loved my time in racing, but I always knew that I’d wanted to work in the veterinary sector. So, I left to go to university, but racing was never far away as my campus was in Southwell.

Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to leave racing? Yes, find your why! What is your interest and research the hell out of it. Look for what qualifications you would need to become whatever it is that you want to be, look at how much it pays and then what you need to do to become it. Always ask for advice, people are always more than happy to help.

How did you start riding out for O’Neill Racing? I moved to Cheltenham from Edinburgh in the summer of 2019 and my lifelong friend Lee Moulson put me in touch with Jonjo and Jacqui. I have been riding out ever since.

What is the best aspect to riding out for O’Neill Racing? Catching up with all of the lads and lasses each week, seeing all the horses and catching up with what we call the ‘Old Gits Club’, which consists of Phil Johnson, Ryan Newhook and myself.

What is the worst bit about riding out for O’Neill Racing? I can’t think of a single thing other than trying to find my number cloth each week.

Which are your favourite rides? I am so soft with all of them, but Iscorate, Montmartin and Broughshane to name a few.

Favourite meal: Anything Vietnamese.

Favourite drink: Dirty martini.

Favourite snack: Baba Ganoush.

Favourite music: Maggie Rogers.

Favourite book: War Horse by Micheal Morpurgo.

Favourite film: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Ideal night out: Dinner out with friends and maybe some live music.

Ideal celebrity date: Theo James or the Greek singer Sakis Rouvas.

Hopes for the future: To be healthy, happy and always close to a beach!

In June 2000, Carley and lstudents at the BRS, paraded in celebration of the Queen Mother's 100th birthday Photo Credit: The British Racing School