Sheila Laxon

Sheila with Ethereal

Whiteheads creek

Whiteheads creek

Our own horse whisperer, Sheila Laxon is one of the world's most famous horse trainers. She endeared herself to thousands of horse-racing fans when Ethereal won both the Melbourne Cup and the Caulfield Cup in 2001. Sheila was Ethereal's trainer, strapper, and track rider-and her greatest fan.

If only we could claim Sheila Laxon as our own. The first female trainer to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double in 2001, with Ethereal, is national treasure material, but the Welsh-born Sheila only settled in Australia, via England and New Zealand.

Laxon is a gutsy horsewoman who embodies those qualities Australians embrace - she's game and ready, with a warm nature.

Her unorthodox methods have earned her the reputation of "horse whisperer" among those not too proud to admit that Sheila may have the upper hand in this male-dominated arena. She allows her most talented mounts their temperaments, for example. "I do believe that if you can let them think they're special, they'll always perform better - because they think they're the very best."

She has alternative attitudes to feeding, and prefers her horses in paddocks to boxes. She builds their fitness like endurance athletes, asking them only to give their maximum effort on race day.

She says she's always had a knack for dealing with "nappy" horses - those with a will beyond her own - and started working for an English trainer when she was just 12. Her chance to be a jockey finally came in New Zealand.

Classic Bloodstock Services are most impressed with the professional manner with which Sheila deals with our horse racing partnership members. Our first horse with Sheila was the hugely promising but tragically unlucky Nothin’ Leica Win, who was being touted in the press as Sheila’s next real chance at the Caulfield – Melbourne Cup double after she won over 1800m at Sandown and over 2040m at Moonee Valley so convincingly. This was the same path that Sheila took with Ethereal. Unfortunately Nothin” Leica Win suffered a leg injury shortly after and never recaptured her early form after a long lay off.

Owners love having a horse with Sheila, as she is approachable and her love of the industry and the horses under her care is so obvious to all those who cross her path.

Sheila Laxon and her partner John Symons (JSL Racing) train at their superbly appointed property at Whiteheads creek, 7 Kms outside of Seymour Victoria (see photo).