Stuart joined the team at Fences Farm at the age of 14 (20 years ago according to Stuart!). Initially he worked with show jumpers for Mr. and Mrs. Robeson. He progressed to being Assistant Trainer to Mrs. Renee Robeson when she started racing their home bred family horses in 1988. Mrs. Robeson was later granted full trainer status and became progressively successful and well known. Mrs. Robeson, supported by Stuart, amassed ninety-nine winners between 1988 and her sudden death in January 2015. Their most notable successes included:
Cetti's Warbler in the 2005 Mares Novice Chase Final at Uttoxeter.
Olney Lad in the 2006 Betfair Novice Handicap Chase at Punchestown.
Ogee in the 2009 Sefton Novice Hurdle at Aintree.
Stuart took on the reins and continued to progress the yard's success rate. His first winner as a trainer came quickly when Dawn Commander won at Warwick. Since 2015 Stuart has trained the winner of 13 "Big Races" (as defined by the British Horseracing Authority). An amazing record given the size of the yard. His biggest success came at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival when Domesday Book won the Kim Muir Handicap Chase. Other major "Big Race" winners include Maria’s Benefit (3 times), Queenohearts (3 times), Wolf of Windlesham (twice), Classic Ben, Petethepear, Cloonacool and, most recently, Rowland Ward and Hometown Boy at the 2021 Aintree Festival. Total prize money earned since 2015 is over £1.16 million and growing fast!
As of 1 May 2022, Stuart has saddled 750 runners. 119 have won and 330 have been placed resulting in a staggering 55% of all runners ending up in the Winner's Enclosure.
Paramount to Stuart's success is the welfare of the horses in his care. He spends considerable time understanding the physical and mental make-up of each horse to train them in a way to get the best out of their abilities.
Stuart is now ably supported in his training duties by his daughter, Assistant Trainer Harriet. Whilst wife Trish keeps everything moving behind the scenes to ensure many of the essential tasks and paperwork run smoothly.
The work ethic at Croft Farm is clear to see whenever you visit. But there is always an element of fun to be seen amongst the team at Croft Farm.
Harriet has been around racing all her life, watching and helping her father, Stuart, as assistant to the late Renee Robeson, before stepping in as assistant herself when Stuart took over the reins after Renee’s sudden passing. While she was growing up it was show jumping and eventing that she spent most of her time doing, ending up competing to Advanced International Eventing, becoming under-18 champion on her way up. Harriet is still showjumping to a high level on her horse Rocket. Being a jockey was never the plan, but a win in a charity race at Warwick was an added bonus and great fun. However, racing has always been her passion, and when she started working full-time assisting her father Stuart she hasn’t looked back. Horses are her passion and working with them everyday to get the best out of them is what she strives for.
My racing career really began as a fresh-faced 16-year-old when I moved to England from Wicklow, Ireland to join Philip Hobbs's yard. I did not think I would last a week without my mother’s cooking and Barry's tea but 10 years on and I think I have finally sussed the English food and taste of Yorkshire tea!
I had many fantastic days with the Hobbs team, including when winning the Grade 3 Swinton Hurdle on my first ride as a conditional jockey. It was a far cry from my first ride as an amateur where I ended up through a wing in a Point-to-point. My pointing days did eventually bear a lot of success. My first ride for Stuart was on Mrs. Robeson's Reyno who I finished second on at Southwell in March 2015 – although he was 11/8 favourite so maybe I should have done better!
Since then, I have been fortunate enough to come across such superstars as Maria’s Benefit and Queenohearts for Stuart who we had great days with. Thankfully, we have been able to continue to build the quality in the yard as seen with such exciting horses as Hometown Boy who I won on at the Aintree Festival.
Ciaran Gethings has ridden over 90 winners trained by Stuart Edmunds including 8 wins with Maria’s Benefit.