Jim Reynolds announces his retirement from training
Central Park Trainer Jim Reynolds announces his retirement, and having worked with him for seven years, I take a look back at his career
Jim Reynolds announces his retirement from training
Jim Reynolds, currently attached at Central Park following the closure of Crayford back in January, has announced his retirement from training having spent over 40 years in the industry due to ill health.
Reynolds started off his training career in his native Scotland when attached to Shawfield back in 1984 before then moving down south to join Rye House. Over the years, he then raced at Canterbury, Ramsgate, Crayford, Romford, Wimbledon and Towcester before returning back to Crayford in 2018.
Having worked with Reynolds at Crayford for seven years over two periods, there was always the thought at the Stadium that his daughter Donna may take over his licence when the time came to call it a day, but Donna has since trained to become a driving instructor and also runs an online travel business.
Reynolds enjoyed numerous big race wins over the years, with a first Category One competition arriving in 2000 when Fat Boy Slim won the Arc at Walthamstow. Horseshoe Ping won the Trafalgar Cup at Oxford in 2006, the Scurry Gold Cup at Perry Barr and the Ladbrokes Guys and Dolls in 2007, resulting in being named 2007 Sprinter of the Year, and the National Sprint at Nottingham in 2008. You Never Listen was also the winner of the Coral Golden Sprint Final at Romford in 2015
His final big race success came in 2022 when Rising Coco provided one of the bigger shocks in a Crayford Final when making all the running to land the Jay & Kay Coach Tours Kent St Leger Final over 714m at 10/1. Not only did she beat the reigning Golden Jacket winner Bellmore Sally in the Final, but she also beat her again in the Semi Final, making all the running again at a massive 50/1.
On a personal level, I always found Jim to be pleasant and polite and very well spoken, and even though there were occasions where we may not have seen eye to eye on things, you couldn’t question his passion and commitment to the care of his Greyhounds and hopefully he and his wife Sue can enjoy a long and happy retirement together.
