#RACINGSTAFFWEEK Spotlight on Arabian racing

Debbie Burt talks to Mia Hurrion, who works for Phil Collington, former Champion Arabian jockey turned leading trainer, who has runners all over Europe and the Gulf States, including in many of the sport’s six figure prize fund races in the UAE, at the Saudi Cup and the Arc weekend in France.

Collington’s yard is on the outskirts of Newmarket with full access to the Jockey Club Estates facilities, where 20-year-old Mia Hurrion has been part of the team for four years. She says:

I started riding for Phil when I was 16, originally it was just a little weekend job to earn a bit of money, however I ended up getting the bug for it and when college finished, I went full time over two unplanned gap years, partly because of Covid.

I’d never sat on a racehorse or even heard of Arabian racing before I arrived, but from the constant advice and support from Phil and the team, my riding and understanding of the racing world grew immensely. I now participate in everything: stalls practice, travelling with horses when they run abroad and the responsibility of looking after the yard when Phil’s not around.

The days are tiring, we start at 6.15am or 5.30am on gallop mornings, usually consisting of four lots and then of course there’s evening stables, just like in thoroughbred racing. But the perks definitely outweigh the downsides.

Earlier this year I got the opportunity to ride out in Dubai for three-time Champion UAE trainer, Ernst Ortel, who is based at the Al Quoz training track in the heart of Dubai.  I was able to ride work at Meydan and found it interesting to learn how racing yards operate differently out there. The lots were much shorter to beat the heat and the training was focused more on treadmills and swimming, and of course, I met lots of new people, it was an amazing opportunity that I’d highly recommend.

I leave for university this autumn to study veterinary bioscience. I feel confident going into it having gained such a broad knowledge from following vets and other professionals around at work, something I can thank Phil for, always getting me involved. A definite advantage to beginning my studies. I’ve met fantastic people through racing and embrace the opportunities I now have all over the world because of it.