Tim Pinfield
Tim Pinfield was born in Worcestershire on 6 May, 1966. He started riding at an early age on the family farm, hunting, show jumping and eventually being introduced to the local racing scene. After completing his education at college studying art and graphics he decided that he wanted to take horse racing seriously and was given the opportunity to work for trainers Martin Tate and eventually Josh Gifford.
Tim Pinfield was born in Worcestershire on 6 May, 1966. He started riding at an early age on the family farm, hunting, show jumping and eventually being introduced to the local racing scene. After completing his education at college studying art and graphics he decided that he wanted to take horse racing seriously and was given the opportunity to work for trainers Martin Tate and eventually Josh Gifford.
He went on to enjoy a six-year riding career, achieving his first victory on Dancer In Paris in a Newton Abbot handicap hurdle on May 21, 1986 for Cheltenham trainer Jimmy Cosgrave. They followed up at Uttoxeter seven days later.
He went on to enjoy a six-year riding career, achieving his first victory on Dancer In Paris in a Newton Abbot handicap hurdle on May 21, 1986 for Cheltenham trainer Jimmy Cosgrave. They followed up at Uttoxeter seven days later.
Two of his nine wins in the 1987/88 season were gained on the Gifford-trained Pragada, at Warwick and Fontwell in December 1987. Pragada went on to win that season’s Coral Hurdle Final at Cheltenham, partnered that day by stable jockey Richard Rowe.
Two of his nine wins in the 1987/88 season were gained on the Gifford-trained Pragada, at Warwick and Fontwell in December 1987. Pragada went on to win that season’s Coral Hurdle Final at Cheltenham, partnered that day by stable jockey Richard Rowe.
Tim rode for a number of different trainers. During the 1988/89 campaign he won on Milton Bradley’s selling hurdler Home Command at Market Rasen in September, Geraldine Rees’s Maid Mariner at Market Rasen in October, and Josh Gifford’s Cops And Robbers in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in November. He scored a double at Southwell on January 12, 1989 aboard Geoff Hubbard’s novice chaser Kelsale and Philip Mitchell’s handicap hurdler Call A Truce.
Tim rode for a number of different trainers. During the 1988/89 campaign he won on Milton Bradley’s selling hurdler Home Command at Market Rasen in September, Geraldine Rees’s Maid Mariner at Market Rasen in October, and Josh Gifford’s Cops And Robbers in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in November. He scored a double at Southwell on January 12, 1989 aboard Geoff Hubbard’s novice chaser Kelsale and Philip Mitchell’s handicap hurdler Call A Truce.
He rode another Cheltenham winner on Gifford’s veteran Golden Minstrel in a conditional jockeys’ chase on New Year’s Day 1990. On Easter Monday that year he won the Silver Jubilee Handicap Chase at Fakenham on Colin Weedon’s St Andrew’s Bay.
He rode another Cheltenham winner on Gifford’s veteran Golden Minstrel in a conditional jockeys’ chase on New Year’s Day 1990. On Easter Monday that year he won the Silver Jubilee Handicap Chase at Fakenham on Colin Weedon’s St Andrew’s Bay.
Tim also rode in Flat races and steeplechases on the east coast of America before retiring from race riding due to injuries and increasing weight.
Tim also rode in Flat races and steeplechases on the east coast of America before retiring from race riding due to injuries and increasing weight.
He then pursued a training career in California, working as assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham at the time when he had the champions Sunday Silence and Ferdinand in the stable. He then worked as assistant trainer to Darrel Vienna – best remembered as the trainer of Breeders’ Cup winner Gilded Time – prior to commencing training in his own right in August 1997 with just two horses, having obtained a licence from the California Horse Racing Board.
He then pursued a training career in California, working as assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham at the time when he had the champions Sunday Silence and Ferdinand in the stable. He then worked as assistant trainer to Darrel Vienna – best remembered as the trainer of Breeders’ Cup winner Gilded Time – prior to commencing training in his own right in August 1997 with just two horses, having obtained a licence from the California Horse Racing Board.
He made a flying start. His first four runners all won and he achieved his first Group race victory with Nijinsky's Passion in the Breeders’ Champion Stakes a few months later. That horse also won the Grade 3 Santa Ynez Stakes for him at Santa Anita in 1998.
He made a flying start. His first four runners all won and he achieved his first Group race victory with Nijinsky's Passion in the Breeders’ Champion Stakes a few months later. That horse also won the Grade 3 Santa Ynez Stakes for him at Santa Anita in 1998.
That same year, 1998, Tim found the horse that put his name firmly on the map, a sprinter named Big Jag, whom he inherited from his former boss, Darrell Vienna. Having been off the track for almost two years after suffering a fractured knee, Tim produced Big Jag to win six successive races, the winning streak starting on his debut for Tim at 15/1 in a $40,000 claimer at Del Mar in August. Later at Del Mar, Big Jag moved into allowance company and won, and then in October he won the California Sprint Championship at Bay Meadows and the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. He then followed up with victory in the $100,000 On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park.
That same year, 1998, Tim found the horse that put his name firmly on the map, a sprinter named Big Jag, whom he inherited from his former boss, Darrell Vienna. Having been off the track for almost two years after suffering a fractured knee, Tim produced Big Jag to win six successive races, the winning streak starting on his debut for Tim at 15/1 in a $40,000 claimer at Del Mar in August. Later at Del Mar, Big Jag moved into allowance company and won, and then in October he won the California Sprint Championship at Bay Meadows and the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. He then followed up with victory in the $100,000 On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park.
During 1999, Big Jag won three Group 2 races for Tim, the San Carlos Handicap, the Potero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the Palos Verdos Handicap. At the end of that year he was invited to run Big Jag in the inaugural running of the Hong Kong International Sprint, in which he finished third, beaten just over two lengths, by Hong Kong’s champion sprinter Fairy King Prawn. Then, on March 25, 2000, Big Jag gave Tim his first Group 1 success, winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sprint on World Cup night.
During 1999, Big Jag won three Group 2 races for Tim, the San Carlos Handicap, the Potero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the Palos Verdos Handicap. At the end of that year he was invited to run Big Jag in the inaugural running of the Hong Kong International Sprint, in which he finished third, beaten just over two lengths, by Hong Kong’s champion sprinter Fairy King Prawn. Then, on March 25, 2000, Big Jag gave Tim his first Group 1 success, winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sprint on World Cup night.
In 2002 Tim accepted a five-year contract with the Singapore Turf Club and began training there. He celebrated his 40th birthday in May 2006 by saddling two winners at Kranji. In six seasons there he trained 74 winners including a few Group winners.
In 2002 Tim accepted a five-year contract with the Singapore Turf Club and began training there. He celebrated his 40th birthday in May 2006 by saddling two winners at Kranji. In six seasons there he trained 74 winners including a few Group winners.
He returned to America in 2008 and trained for a brief period before turning his attention to Macau. He moved there in June 2009 and opened his account two months later, with Luru scoring a dominant win in the Class 3 Handicap over 1300 metres at the Taipa track. His major wins in Macau included back-to-back renewals of the ICBC (Macau) Charity Trophy in 2009/2010 with The Gangster; and successive runnings of the Group 2 Summer Trophy in 2010/2011 with Super Alloy.
He returned to America in 2008 and trained for a brief period before turning his attention to Macau. He moved there in June 2009 and opened his account two months later, with Luru scoring a dominant win in the Class 3 Handicap over 1300 metres at the Taipa track. His major wins in Macau included back-to-back renewals of the ICBC (Macau) Charity Trophy in 2009/2010 with The Gangster; and successive runnings of the Group 2 Summer Trophy in 2010/2011 with Super Alloy.
Tim eventually returned home to England and bought the 35-box Flemington Stables in Upper Lambourn. He decided to focus on bloodstock sales, running it as a pre-training facility for his Asian clients and contacts that he had made and worked with during his time there. However, the lure of training proved hard to resists and he took out a training licence in 2017, aiming to utilise his experience aboard to forge a successful career in the UK.
Tim eventually returned home to England and bought the 35-box Flemington Stables in Upper Lambourn. He decided to focus on bloodstock sales, running it as a pre-training facility for his Asian clients and contacts that he had made and worked with during his time there. However, the lure of training proved hard to resists and he took out a training licence in 2017, aiming to utilise his experience aboard to forge a successful career in the UK.