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Welcome to our website - we hope you will enjoy learning about the yard, the staff and most importantly, our horses for the 2009/2010 season - our greatest number since Phil started training 3 years ago.

For the Updated daily news click on the News link above.

The beginning...Without a previous Point to Point runner to his name, Lancashire born Philip (son of well known Greyhound trainer Geoff Kirby) ended the 2007 season as Britains leading Hunter Chase Trainer, beating the likes of Jonjo and Paul Nicholls, and all with just 4 horses. These were 'Waking Ned' a £6k Donny Sales purchase -one time hurdle winner from Ireland and had never jumped a fence, 9 year old maiden, 'Thorsgill' with a top RPR of just 67 and PU or tailed off in all 4 of his outings under rules, and unplaced in points, and the former decent chasers 'Benrajah' and 'Be My Manager', both of whom had seriously lost their way in licensed yards. 'Waking Ned' won by a distance on Philip's first day as a trainer and never looked back - he won 4 out of 5 that season including the Weatherbys staying HC Final. He ended up Britains joint top scoring Hunter Chaser. Thorsgill won two, the first making all despite being 16-1 outsider of the field, and ended his season 3rd in the Novice HC Final at Stratford. Benrajah won one of the most valuable HC's of the season, the £7k Handicap HC at Aintree in incredible style by 22 lengths, and Be My Manager was placed 3 times from 4 completed starts.

It was results like these that gave Phil the kickstart to gain his NH and flat Licence, and wasting no time, in February 2008, the cheaply purchased 'Amazing King' (a legend in our yard!) became Philip's first winner over jumps as a Licensed Trainer. He was also later Phil's first winner on the flat at Wolverhampton. Starting with just 4 horses 3 years ago, the yard now has approximately 14 in training at any one time, and despite the steady rise in numbers, the attention to detail and unique atmosphere at this happy, relaxed yard hasn't been compromised. 

Earlier this year, Philip was selected by The Racing Post in the 'People to Follow' feature as 'Breakthrough Trainer' for the North of England (one of only 5 throughout England and Ireland), a welcome accolade that is not going unnoticed.

Another perfect example of Phil's ability to improve horses is the 5 year old'Agglestone Rock' - claimed for £10k as a flat maiden in 2008,  was put away for the summer and has since won 6 races for us, and has a chase rating of 135 already AS A 5 YEAR OLD. Also 'Amazing King' bought for £9.5k after winning a selling hudle - now won SIX races, rose from 103 to 133 over hurdles and contests the £160k Galway Hurdle this summer.

The Facilities At Dibble Bridge Stables

Sheltering in a valley of the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, this compact yard provides a wonderful atmosphere for the horses. We aim to make their lives here as varied and interesting as possible with daily turnout in large grass paddocks, plenty of hill hacking, long steady canters on Redcar beach (invaluable when everones gallops freeze!) and the use of Keith Reveleys superb 6 furlong all weather gallop. We have schooling fences and hurdles on site (photo on the gallery). Each horse is treated individually and the attention to detail is quite obvious when you see how superb our horses look in the paddock at the races, examples of which can be seen in the gallery section. Owners are always more than welcome to the yard, and a newsletter is provided every month with news, results and upcoming running plans.

For Pippa's (Phil's wife) Original Racing Art website, please visit   www.racing-art.net for commission enquiries,Original paintings and Limited Edition prints to buy.