On Saturday, 20 September 2025, I was out on Epsom Downs early to capture the morning training sessions. The gallery covers several areas of the Downs, including the sand gallops, the bottom-mile stretch, and the poly surface.

Local trainers featured in this set include Jim Boyle, Toby Lawes, George Baker, Michael Attwaters, and Craig Benton, with their horses working across different parts of the Downs. Some strings were put through steady canters, while others were asked for stronger work depending on their training programme.

From a photography point of view, I worked with a mix of long-lens action shots to capture stride patterns and detail in motion, and wider angles to show the landscape and the scale of the gallops. The early light helped pick up both the horses’ movement and the texture of the surfaces, especially on the sand gallop.

The session was shot on Canon 6d Mk1 full-frame camera with a 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 telephoto lens, giving sharp images even in low light and allowing for both close action and wider scene-setting frames.

This gallery gives a straightforward look at the day-to-day work that goes into racehorse preparation, combining the training activity itself with the unique backdrop of Epsom Downs.

You can view the full gallery here: Epsom Downs Training – 20 Sept 2025.