With a surname like Peckham, one could be forgiven for thinking that Ed's assistant trainer had served his apprenticeship with Del Boy and Rodney down the Nags Head, but GEORGE PECKHAM, who is bright, intelligent and articulate, has a racing CV to die for, and, having just completed his first full season at La Grange Stables, he has quickly impressed the guv'nor as a young man going places.
George, 28, whose father Kevin is Head Lad to fellow Newmarket trainer William Haggas, is returning to his roots, having spent three years with both Andrew Balding and Mick Channon as well as two in Australia with John O'Shea and a spell increasing his knowledge on the breeding side when working at the historic Gainsborough Stud in Kentucky.
However, when George returned from Down Under he decided that it was time to put his globetrotting on ice and settle down, and, with his parents living in HQ, he put the feelers around that he was looking for a job in town.
Fortunately, Ed had a vacancy for an assistant trainer, and, reflecting on 2010, their first season together, George said:"I suppose I was spoilt, but it proved an unbelievable summer, and, though Snow Fairy was obviously the showstopper, we had a lot of other good horses, and, with everyone here pulling in the same direction, it is a great place to work and the move could not have gone better."
Asked what ambitions he had for the coming season, George replied with a smile:"Winning the $10m Dubai World Cup with Snow Fairy would be nice for starters. She is an amazing filly and what she achieved in Japan and Hong Kong was fantastic, but she just thrives on it and when she came back in after her winter break and had a week on the indoor walker she was so fresh that we had no option than to give her a couple of canters."
"There is so much to look forward to here, and I am particularly excited about Native Khan. He has done really well through the winter and has strengthened up considerably, and what he did at Sandown in the Solario Stakes was exceptional. He hated that soft ground at Doncaster but still ran a respectable race, but he is such a gorgeous mover that proper summer ground will always suit him best, and, who knows, he might be one for the Prix Jockey-Club. He is French-bred so qualifies for all the premiums, and the extended 10 furlongs at Chantilly could prove his optimum trip."
"We also have Laughing Jack, who came from Michael Bell, and plenty of promising types such as Musharakaat and Ho Ya Mal, who have thrived through the winter, while there is more quality in depth about the two-year-olds. Ed never believes in rushing the youngsters and we probably won't run any of the juveniles until around Guineas time, but Mr Araci, who owns Native Khan, has spent a lot of money at the sales and two of his colts, a Dansili and a Street Cry, both unnamed, look the part."
Turning the clock back a couple of decades, George said:"Coming from such a strong racing background, there was never anything else that I wanted to do than be involved in the sport. My grandfather ran a stud just outside Newmarket and also worked in stud farms in America, and from an early age I travelled with my father, who worked for both Mark Tompkins here in Newmarket and Liam Browne on The Curragh as well as in the US, so as soon as I left college I started riding out every day."
"I rode some good horses on the gallops when with Andrew and Mick, but I am confined to the stable hack these days, though I have no problem with that as I am enjoying the extra responsibility. Ed has his moments, but he is a great guy to work for and the camarederie in the yard is first class. People ask me what I do for hobbies, but, apart from the odd game of soccer with the lads, I don't have time for anything else outside racing. This is a 24 x 7 job, and I am loving every minute of it."