Ann Duffield's N'Golo in action at Ascot, January 2022

Slightly further north than the racing hub of Middleham lies an equally impressive training base at Sun Hill, on the outskirts of Leyburn, home to the dual purpose stable of Ann Duffield. Her surname holds a legacy in horse racing as her husband George was a top class jockey during a career in horse racing that spanned an impressive forty years from 1962 to 2005. Most recognised as the stable jockey to Newmarket trainer Sir Mark Prescott for thirty years, high class race wins as a jockey feature two Classics, the Oaks and St Leger in 1992 courtesy of User Friendly. Duffield also rode winners in the Champion Stakes, Eclipse and Nunthorpe. Historic partnerships with legendary horses such as Giant's Causeway, Pivotal and Alborada. Now settled into a much more relaxed role as assistant trainer to Ann, he is still hands on and very much involved with work riding on their horses.
Ann Duffield began her training career in a former stud farm near Darlington, but when an old settlement on Sun Hill became available, a major transformation took place and this highly impressive facility now stands. Sharing the land with trainer Phil Makin, there has been a recent upturn in quality of horse and the team are becoming increasingly supported by a wider quota of owners. A former inmate to put Duffield in the spotlight was Rosina, who won three times as a two year old, including impressively on debut at York before running well in listed races. Current stars of today are represented on the flat and over jumps. Stable star The Real Whacker made a big impression on his stable debut after a move from Ireland, he won at odds of 80-1 before a great second in a Grade Two Novice Hurdle at Doncaster before a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival was cut short on the day due a small issue. With just the three career starts, he is still very raw but has already displayed strong stamina credentials and could be a very nice type next season. Another import is the former Willie Mullins trained N'Golo, a former Grade Three winner over hurdles in 2020 and placed at Grade One level, his form dropped in recent months, but a switch to Leyburn has seen this grey horse run well without winning and suggesting his time is near. Useful handicappers Arnold and Lady Nectar ran well consistently at a moderate level, and Runninwild was a friend to bookmakers as his two career wins, both in 2021, came at monster odds of 200-1 and 50-1. 
As the quality of horse increases, it now compliments the quality of the training yard. With rehabilitation instruments such as water treadmills, solariums and gallops of all distances and circumferences, success is surely around the corner for the Duffield's. 
STAR HORSES
Arnold
Runninwild
Lady Nectar
N'Golo
The Real Whacker