MEET THE TEAM

CLAIRE ELLISON

Racing Club Founder & Manager

Claire is responsible for the smooth running of the Club and is always ready to answer any questions and welcome new members. Wherever possible she attends the race meetings when the Club horses are running and will keep Members up to date with regular news updates in the members area of the website.

Claire is also very much hands-on with the running of Brian Ellison Racing, assisting Brian with the day-to-day running of a busy racing yard. And it is Claire and Brian who are up at the crack of dawn every day to feed their 100 plus horses breakfast. Whether it’s confirming declarations at deadline or cooking breakfast for visiting owners in their warm and welcoming spacious kitchen, Claire is constantly involved.

Brian Ellison and Rcaing Club Manager
  • Birthplace: Consett, Co. Durham
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? April 2001
  • Favourite Horse/s: It’s like having children, you can’t have favourites but outside of ours: Best Mate, Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and the awesome Frankel – they all gave me goosebumps!
  • LikesFood, Christmas, Hugs from the grandkids
  • Dislikessmell of cigarettes, small children walking down a road behind the adult or the adult not watching
  • Superstitions? Single magpie, Breaking mirrors, Walking under ladders
  • Hobbies: Martial Arts, Gardening, Cooking
  • Favourite Film: Cinderella Man (same as Brian)
  • TV: Any wildlife program, The New Dallas, Mr Selfridge
  • Music: Any 80’s Food: Everything except sauerkraut, marmalade & jellied eels

JESSICA ROBINSON

ASSISTANT TRAINER

Jessica is Brian’s stepdaughter and was brought up around the horses. She is hard working, dedicated, reliable and conscientious and from a very young age has been assisting Brian with the training of the horses. She takes over the reins in Brian’s absence and does a cracking job. In December 2021 Jessica married our stable jockey, Ben Robinson.

  • Birthplace: Consett, Co. Durham
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? 2008
  • Favourite Horse/s: Pendragon, Baraweez, Titus Titan, Top Notch Tonto
  • Likes: My job
  • Dislikes: Disorganisation
  • Superstitions? Single Magpies
  • Hobbies: Don’t have time
  • Favourite Film: Secretariat
    TV: The Soaps
    Music: All Music
    Food: Steak and mash with peppercorn sauce
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LAURA ROBERTSON

Head Girl

Laura joined the team in January 2014 and is reliable, conscientious and dedicated. Laura was promoted to Head Girl in October 2016 and does a great job. She also holds an  Amateur Riders Licence.

  • Birthplace: Beverley
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? January 2014
  • Favourite Horse/sWebbow, Top Of The Glas, Vodka Wells, Baraweez, Silver Glaze
  • Likes: My job, race-riding, Been happy, pleasing people, having fun!
  • Dislikes: Creepy crawleys, Lazy people, Fighting
  • Superstitions? Black cats, Magpies, Ladders
  • Hobbies: Keeping fit, Zumba, Socialising
  • Favourite Film: Fifty Shades Of Grey, Dumb And Dumber, War Horse, Twilight, Hunger Games
    TV: Jeremy Kyle, Hollyoaks, The 100, Talent shows
    Music: All Music
    Food: Roast dinner, Steak, Cheese
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ANDY ROBERTSON

Travelling Head Lad

Andy has been with us since November 2004 and is like part of the furniture! A familiar face at the races, he’s responsible, reliable and completely professional. His horses are turned out immaculately at the track and we have lost count of how many best-turned out prizes he has won! He puts in numerous hours travelling up and down the country and also travelled to Australia with our runners in 2006 and 2011.

When he’s not away racing he rides out and takes care of the racing tack and colours. 

  • Birthplace: Hull
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? November 2004
  • Favourite Horse/s: Saptapadi, Baraweez, Tilt, Carte Diamond, Top Notch Tonto
  • Likes: Going to the pub!
  • Dislikes: Poor time keepers
  • Superstitions? Always salute single magpies
  • Hobbies: None
  • Favourite Film: Wolf Of Wall Street, American Sniper
  • TV: Soaps
  • Music: Anything from late 90’s to recent charts
  • Food: Roast dinner, KFC
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MANDY CORNER

OFFICE MANAGER

Mandy worked for us for five months during the 2014/15 winter and, following a short break, started back working full time in the office in July 2015. Mandy oversees the day-to-day running of the office including Decs & Entries and all correspondence in relation to horse racing in addition to all the accounts and everything else in between!

Very professional with a great attitude, she is highly experienced in the running of a busy racing office and is an adept multi-tasker. She is more than likely the friendly voice on the end of the phone and keeps our office stocked up with cakes and chocolate!! Her talents by no means end there though and if anyone has a query Mandy is the person to contact.

  • Birthplace: Westow
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? July 2015
  • Favourite Horse/s: Top Notch Tonto
  • Likes: Pimms
  • Dislikes: Cruelty to animals, cups of Tea
  • Superstitions? Go out of the same door as you came in, Walking under ladders, Touch wood
  • Hobbies: Watching my daughter Emma & her horses compete, help look after the horses, Dog walking
  • Favourite Film: Pretty Woman, Mrs Doubtfire
  • TV: Hollyoaks
  • Music: Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart
  • Food: Gammon, cakes and more cakes!
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SHELLEY BROWN

SECRETARY

Shelley has been part of the team since 2013 and in January 2021 started assisting Mandy in the office three days a week. Shelley is responsible for wages, monthly reports and filing in addition to keeping other admin up to date.

Shelley loves her horses and continues to ride out one or two lots in the morning before heading into the office.

In October 2023 Shelley married Matt Brown.

  • Birthplace: Malton
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? January 2013
  • Favourite Horse/s: Explorers Way, The Dancing Poet, Hardy Bloke
  • Likes: Being with my family, Prosecco, Christmas, Organisation, Animals
  • Dislikes: Not having things organised, Animal Cruelty, Mushrooms
  • Superstitions? Touching wood
  • Hobbies: Don’t have a lot of time for hobbies but dog walking & Cleaning!
  • Favourite Film: All the Harry Potter films
    TV: Eastenders
    Music: Anything other than heavy metal
    Food: Roast dinner, Seafood

ALLY MORRIS

Yard Manager

Ally has been with us since March 2007. Ally takes care of the horses in the open-air stables and does a fantastic job. She loves the horses and misses nothing!

  • Birthplace: Norton On Derwent
  • When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? March 2007
  • Favourite Horse/s: I love them all!
  • Likes: My Family, they are very important to me, my horses and my dog
  • Dislikes: People telling lies
  • Superstitions? Everything including never bet on horses I look after
  • Hobbies: My horse Global Village and my Rottweiler, Princess
  • Favourite Film: Black Beauty
  • TV: NCIS, Two and a Half Men
  • Music: Rock Music
  • Food: Pasta’s – Lasagne & Bolognese
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