Darryl Breslin - How an apprenticeship at the British Racing School changed his life
Darryl Breslin, a young teenage from Manchester, was not dealt the best hand in life prior to arriving at the British Racing School. The son of 2 alcoholic parents he was put into foster care, and for the first time attended School, at the age of 8. Over the next years of Darryl’s life he had 5 Foster homes, 4 different care-workers and was excluded from numerous schools for his behaviour.
He left full time education unable to read or write. At 18 he was relinquished from the care system and placed in a hostel where he received excellent help and support from the Charity Barnardo’s. It was his assigned care worker from Barnardo’s that suggested he attend some free riding lessons with the Charity Urban Riderz. With ponies Darryl found a connection and his instructor encouraged him to apply for an apprenticeship with the British Racing School. Darryl received a huge amount of care and support at the British Racing School and he changed from a very shy teenager with very low self confidence to a happy, talkative and confident individual with a huge ambition to do well in the racing industry.
His story gets better, he was lucky enough to catch the interest of Henry Cecil, a well respected Trainer in Newmarket, who agreed to take Darryl under his wing when he was ready to leave the school and start in a Trainers yard. In Darryl’s own words “I am now working for Henry Cecil, one of the best trainers in the world!!” “It’s amazing here [at Henry Cecil’s], everyone has the same attitude, they are so generous.... I am so much happier now, I am now able to achieve my goals and this means I can now give myself and one day, my kids, a better life than my parents were able to give me”.
Darryl sums up his life since starting the British Racing School as “I came to the British Racing School with nothing, I left with everything”.
Visit the Training pages for more information on the British Racing School and apprenticeship in racing.
To hear Darryl's story, visit the You Tube link below:
