IN more than 30 years as a trainer, Middleham-based George Moore has experienced plenty of highs and lows. But after saddling his final runner at Doncaster last week, the stalwart of the North Yorkshire racing scene admits he fears for the future of the sport in the North.

Moore has retired after 32 years of holding a full trainer’s licence, and has put his Warwick Lodge yard on the market as he seeks to make a clean break from racing.

He has enjoyed some notable highlights over the last three decades, claiming two Northumberland Plates with Highflying and Toldo, landing a Finale Juvenile Hurdle with Good Profile and triumphing at Royal Ascot courtesy of Regal Reform in 1990’s Queen Alexandra Stakes.

A genuine all-rounder, who was equally comfortable training six-furlong sprinters or three-mile chasers, Moore insists he has “no regrets” as he prepares to break away from the daily routine of life on the gallops.

But with the gap between North and South becoming increasingly stark, the respected handler admits he is leaving a sport that is vastly different to the one he encountered when he saddled his first runner under rules in 1984.

“The simple fact is that all the rich owners live down south and a lot of very good trainers up here have sadly passed - Gordon Richards, Arthur Stephenson and the Dickinsons,” said Moore.

“We set off as a jumping yard - ten years ago we were 50-50, but we ended up mostly Flat. That’s because people these days want instant success, they don’t want to wait for years with a store horse.

“The big shining light in the North are Sue and Harvey Smith, every year they seem to find a star and now it’s Wakanda. They’ve won at Cheltenham, won a Grand National, all on a relative shoe-string.

“I’ve been very lucky, I’ve trained for great people and it’s far from doom and gloom. But it’s a game for the youngsters now, I’ve no regrets.”

A former jockey, Moore spent a year working in Devon after moving out of the saddle, but headed north to join the North Yorkshire yard of Steve Nesbitt.

The Northern Echo:

He quickly fell in love with the region, and intends to remain close to his former base as he heads into his retirement.

“I had a year with Billy Williams (trainer, Ian Williams’ father) in 1967 before joining Steve Nesbitt in ‘68 where we trained at Newby Hall before moving to Middleham.

“We’ll be staying in Yorkshire as we’ve got grandchildren in Hartlepool and Ripon, but we don’t know where as yet.

“We decided three months ago this would be it, and the hardest part was telling the owners, as some have supported us for 30 years.

“You’ve got to have the horses to make you get up on a morning, and we’re slightly down on numbers. I didn’t want it to become a struggle and thankfully it never has been – we’ve always had good payers. When I hear some of the stories of how some owners carry on, I don’t know how people survive.”

Moore’s career took him to some of the most prestigious racing venues in the land, but two of his favourite moments took place just up the road at Gosforth Park.

“It’s hard to split the two Northumberland Plates,” he said. “When Highflying won it in 1993, the Queen presented the Trophy, I think it was the 100th running, and then when Toldo won it was worth £200,000.

“The year after Toldo won, Macorville was beaten a short head and I was convinced he’d won. That would have been nice.”

Moore’s final runner at Doncaster last Friday was Wolf Shield, but there was no fairytale ending as the hurdler faded after a bright start and eventually trailed in last of the 14 finishers behind Keith Reveley’s Night In Milan.

“It’s all done and dusted now,” he said. “We’ve been preparing for it for three months, and I feel good. Everything has worked out well, except the last couple of runners could have run a bit better. I’m looking forward to doing something else, something different now.”