Spencer Knight
Head Trainer of Auburn Ark Stables

His credentials:

Born and raised in Western Australia, Spencer Knight began his four-year Jockey apprenticeship at Muresk Agriculture College, Northam in 1990. Under the watchful eye of one WA’s best “Old-School” horsemen, Jack Webber, Spencer was schooled in the necessary requirements of horsemanship, and graduated from Muresk Agriculture College. From his earliest days as an apprentice, it was always obvious that Spencer did not possess the light frame and muscle mass of other competing natural light-weight jockeys. Although he achieved immediate recognition as a gifted horseman, and enjoying considerable success as a heavyweight jockey, eventually the extreme effort to keep the weight off got the better of Spencer and he was forced to retire. As much as he enjoyed competitive race riding, Spencer’s real passion has always been towards the skills and attention to detail required to be a successful horse trainer. Following his retirement from the saddle, Spencer followed his dream and in 1997 was granted his Trainer’s License from the Western Australian Turf Club.

Instant success resulted, and within a couple of months Spencer had scored fist city win “Del Frisco”, shortly followed by another winner in the form of “Insurrectionist”. However, Spencer still felt compelled to gain further knowledge and he decided he needed to travel in order to further his dream and love of horses and the training of them. Spencer spent late 2000 and the best part of 2001 in Japan and Ireland, working for a variety of noted horse trainers and conditioners.

In Hokkaido, Japan, he worked at a rehabilitation centre for horses that had “broken down”, or were physically incapacitated. The Japanese have great skills in rehabilitating horses, and every thing that Spencer learned there has been invaluable in treating horses with leg/ feet/shoulder or other biomechanical problems. More importantly, he can recognize a horse with potential problems and ease up on their training schedule to ensure the horse’s well-being and long term future as a racehorse.

On reaching Ireland, Spencer was taught about the ways of training a “stayer”. The Irish are, without a doubt, the most patient of horse-trainers and it’s no wonder they produce some of the best horses in the world. You will note that all of Spencer’s horses are as relaxed and content as they can be. A philosophy of “a happy horse is a winning horse” is prevalent in the Spencer Knight stable.

From 2001 to late 2005 Spencer was based in the USA, in the globally-recognized racing states of Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, California, Pennsylvania and Florida. From coast to coast the treatment of horses’ legs is incredibly advanced, and Spencer learned an enormous amount about this crucial aspect of racehorse training.

Whilst in the US, Spencer worked in area of “Ready to Run Sales” also known as “Two Year Old in Training Sales”, an industry that has no parallel, as yet, in the rest of the world. The concept of “Ready to Run Sales” has recently been introduced into Australia and will play a bigger part in the trade and acquisition of racing stock here in the near future.

Whilst purchasing Yearlings to be sold as “Two Year Olds” through these Two Year Old in Training sales Spencer was fortunate enough to be helped by some of the more prominent “Yearling Purchaser’s” who were only too obliging to teach him the finer art of analyzing pedigree, conformation and walking/galloping action when purchasing top-line yearlings both for commercial purposes (Ready to Run Sales) and for racing purposes.

In 2006 Spencer returned to Western Australia, to follow his dream to establish himself as one of the leading trainers in WA, and was immediately re-issued with a “Permit to Train” License by the Western Australian Turf Club. He has had to rebuild his client list from scratch and in doing so has re-established relationships with former stable clients and has a growing list of very happy and satisfied new stable clients.

Spencer has worked tirelessly at all the major yearling sales of Australia and New Zealand to gain new quality bred yearlings, all of whom are all well conformed and have exceptional pedigrees. Horses purchased at recent yearling sales and through private negotiations include Rosa De Lago, Babeica Noire, Offer Me Jewels and Snip Esprit. Spencer believes that it is an eye for a horse, hard work and attention to detail that ensures the success of a racehorse trainer. He remains committed to the success and enjoyment of all of his owners and welcomes every new inquiry from potential new stable clients with the same enthusiasm he puts into the development of every horse in his stable.