Formerly a professional polo player and, more recently, a commissioned officer in the Army, Billy Aprahamian is, nowadays, a trainer based at his purpose-built yard, The Gallops, in the village of Adstone, near Towcester, Northamptonshire. Officially, he holds a combined, or dual-purpose, licence, but, at the time of writing, he has yet to saddle a runner, never mind a winner, on the Flat, so his emphasis is, clearly, very much on National Hunt racing.

Formerly assistant to none other than six-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson, with whom he spent three years, at Seven Barrows in Upper Lambourn, Aprahamian first took out a training licence in his own right in 2021/22. In his inaugural season, he saddled just one runner, Precious Cargo, who finished unplaced in a hunters’ chase at Leicester in March 2022, but opened his account when Conceal, who had previously troubled the judge just twice in ten previous starts under Rules, sprang a 50/1 chance in a handicap chase at Uttoxeter in October 2022.

In 2023/24 so far, Aprahamian has added three more winners to his career total, from 44 ruuners, at a modest 7% strike rate. However, as he said himself, of his fledgling training career, ‘ It’s the love of the game, that’s why it doesn’t really feel like a job.’

Website: https://billyaprahamian.racing

Social: https://twitter.com/billyapro1

Email: billy@billyaprahamian.racing