Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Emma Lavelle
Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Emma Lavelle is a Grade 1-winning racehorse trainer based at Bonita Racing Stables near Marlborough in Wiltshire. She began training in her own right in 1998 after working for Toby Balding, initially as his secretary before progressing into pupil and assistant trainer roles. Her first training operation was established at Hatherden in Hampshire.
In 2016, Emma and her husband Barry Fenton moved to Bonita Racing Stables, a historic yard previously associated with Sir Gordon Richards, Bob Turnell and Peter Makin. They have since extensively refurbished and expanded the facilities while preserving the character of the original training establishment.
Emma is particularly associated with Paisley Park, whose achievements included the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and three victories in the Long Walk Hurdle. Her wider record includes Cheltenham Festival winners, major handicap chasers and successful Flat horses, reflecting experience across both racing codes.
The yard welcomes both sole owners and shared-ownership groups, with opportunities to visit Bonita, watch horses exercise on the private gallops and follow their progress from training through to the racecourse.
Emma trains from Bonita Racing Stables at Ogbourne Maizey, set in the North Wessex Downs near Marlborough. The yard combines an established training landscape with refurbished traditional stabling, an additional stable block and an American barn.
The principal exercise facilities include 150 acres of grass gallops, a four-and-a-half-furlong all-weather gallop, a round sand gallop and dedicated schooling grounds. This variety gives the team different options for conditioning, exercise and jumping preparation from the same private base.
Bonita also provides an attractive setting for owners to visit and watch their horses work. Yard visits and mornings on the private gallops form part of the ownership experience described by Emma Lavelle Racing.
Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle, 2019: Paisley Park won the championship staying hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Three Long Walk Hurdle victories: Paisley Park won the Grade 1 race in 2018, 2020 and 2022, alongside three Cleeve Hurdle victories during his career.
Further Cheltenham Festival successes: Crack Away Jack won at the Festival in 2008, followed by Pause And Clause in 2010.
Ladbrokes Trophy, 2019: De Rasher Counter won Newbury’s prestigious staying handicap chase, completing a major-race double for the yard after Paisley Park’s Long Distance Hurdle success the previous day.
Classic Chase, 2024: My Silver Lining won Warwick’s major staying handicap chase.
Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, 2026: Ma Shantou won by seven lengths at Cheltenham, adding another high-class staying hurdler to the yard’s record.
Glorious Goodwood success on the Flat: Master Milliner won the extended two-and-a-half-mile Goodwood Handicap in 2022.
Emma’s approach centres on patience and developing horses for lasting success rather than chasing immediate results. She has spoken about preferring to bring a promising horse along over time, giving it the opportunity to develop into a higher-class performer rather than rushing through a succession of early wins.
The environment around the horses is equally important. Emma and Barry have developed Bonita with the aim of providing excellent conditions for training, alongside a practical, well-designed workplace for the team responsible for the horses’ daily care. For owners, Emma believes the experience should be enjoyable as well as competitive. Drawing on the approach she learned from Toby Balding, she places importance on making people feel involved and ensuring ownership offers memorable experiences beyond the result alone. Visits to the yard, mornings watching the gallops and days at the races are all part of that connection.
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