IN HIS own quiet way, Noel Ennevor has been impacting on racing at Caymanas Park for some time, despite never having won a championship.
The veteran trainer is enjoying his best season and only last Saturday, saddled his 19th winner of the campaign when the little fancied SCOTCHONTHEROCKS won the overnight allowance feature for the G.A. "Sarge" Bucknor Memorial Cup at odds of 13-1.
Ennevor, 56, is so respected by his peers that a much accomplished trainer once declared publicly "never underrate Ennevor" after losing a valuable 'A1' trophy race to him.
In recent weeks he has sent out winners such as MOLTEN LAVA, NO TEAR, SCOTCHONTHEROCKS and 35-1 outsider APACHE BRAVE, a shock winner on his debut over the straight five course on September 27 when ridden by the sparingly used Kingsley Beckford.
GROWING REPUTATION
It is NO TEAR, in particular, who symbolises Ennevor's growing reputation to condition horses to win back to back races and his patience in bringing on his charges in general.
NO TEAR has won four races over varied distances (including a hat-trick) since the five-year-old mare was claimed by the trainer (for himself) on April 5.
Indeed, Ennevor is ranked as one of the best conditioners at Caymanas over the past 20 years. Yet, according to the trainer, he has never figured in a title race due largely to his philosophy on training.
"It's more fun than work and because of this I have never gone out of my way to train a large string of horses.
"I would not want to train more than 20 horses at any one time and in keeping with this approach, has turned down the request of many owners to train for them", said Ennevor, whose string currently stands at 16.
Among his better horses are the three-year-old colts SCOTCHONTHEROCKS and JOHNNY'S KING, both unsuccessful classic contenders earlier this season.
A past student of Campion College, Ennevor took up training shortly after leaving school in the late 60s. He recalled that Bobby Alexander wanted to send him to England but he elected to stay in Jamaica and got his early education on the care and conditioning of horses from trainers Benjamin Barrett and Eileen Cliggott.
He saddled his first winner, MOUNTAIN BOY with a young Vassel Najair in the saddle before his 21st birthday.
As the years progressed he eventually made his mark with the 'A1' campaigners JACK HORNER and MR. JACQUES, both owned by his cousin, Norman Ennevor. A notable stayer, MR. JACQUES was once the top rated horse in the country during the late 80s.
Other winning horses conditioned by Ennevor include FLY A KITE, MINISTER'S BOY, STEVEDORE'S DEB, VILLAGE ROCKET, DELTA LIMA, BLUE CRUSADER, GENEVIEVE and DANCING FLAMES with whom he won three races before she was claimed by Michael Beecham for current owner Louis Phillips back in June.
FAVOURITE JOCKEY
Ennevor is credited with giving jockeys Hubert "Chinna" Bartley (St. Bruno Kid) and Tensang Chung (Village Rocket) their first winning rides over 20 years ago. He singled out Bartley as his favourite jockey, fondly recalling his whirlwind finishes aboard FLY A KITE and MINISTER'S BOY as a young apprentice.
He described leading all-time jockey Winston Griffiths as "a gentleman", Emilio Rodriquez as the strongest jockey he has seen in a finish and his current apprentice Paul Francis as a "talented young rider who only needs to think more".
In addition, he had high praises for 13-time champion trainer Philip Feanny who, he says, has set high standards for others to emulate and also the veteran Charles "Toddy" Morrissey, who has done well over the years with a small string of horses.
With over 35 years training experience, Ennevor says he will continue as long as he is physically able to withstand the rigours of training.
"I enjoy being around horses", said the easy going trainer. "I can look at them and pick up things that nobody knows. I wouldn't want it any other way."
- Orville Clarke
