A FORMER jockey-turned racehorse trainer is bidding to put his new stable yard on the map with his debut runner.

Charlie Wallis and his wife, Hayley, run Benson Stud, in Harts Lane, Ardleigh, with help from Charlie’s parents Ben and Judy, who have had the farm for more than three decades.

Charlie, 28, has taken out a licence to train horses and has seven in his stable.

As an up-and-coming jockey he rode winners for champion trainers Nicky Henderson, Martin Pipe and Gary Moore, but a succession of injuries cut short his career.

Charlie said: “I ruptured my kidney, I broke my collarbone, I’ve got a plate in my left wrist, I shattered my kneecap, and I’ve done my cruciate ligament.

“I snapped my knee basically.

They had to put a plug into the bone, but it is still not right.

“But I miss it. It’s so hard to give up riding, it’s a drug and it’s some buzz. We get hurt, but the kick you get out of it is unbelievable.”

It was the cruciate injury that proved to be the final straw as it meant it was impossible for Charlie to do the exercise he needed to keep his weight down for riding.

Charlie, who had 29 winners, picked up training tips working in the yards of racing legends Pipe, Henderson and Moore, before making the move to being his own boss.

He said: “I had my first winner for Martin Pipe on Better Moment and I was with him for three years and I would say I learnt the most from him.

“As well as being with Martin Pipe for three years, I was with Gary Moore for two, and Nicky Henderson for three and with little trainers in between.

“They have all got a completely different way of training, but the one thing you’ve got to do is treat the horses as an individual.

“My aim is to make such each horse fulfills its potential and has the best career it can.”

Colourbearer runs in the 2.40 at Chelmsford City today.

Charlie said: “I was delighted they opened the race course up again because it is a lovely track and I am only 20 miles away.

“The bends are better than Wolverhampton and the prize money is excellent and, with it being so close, the transport fees are outstanding.

“Let’s just hope Colourbearer runs a nice race. He has had a big break and he will definitely come on for it. If he goes and wins I will be delighted, but I’m too busy to be nervous.”