About Martin Pipe
Martin Charles Pipe (born 29 May 1945), is an English former racehorse trainer credited with professionalising the British racehorse training industry, and as of 2021 the most successful trainer in British jump racing. The son of a West Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Somerset, near Wellington, England, at Pond House stables. Pipe is broadly credited with professionalising National Hunt racing. He made multiple simple but effective changes to what had been then the traditional methods of training racehorses, specifically those in jump racing. His training innovations included using interval training, using daily blood tests to assess fitness, and keeping horses lean during the racing season, all intended to ensure his horses were at peak fitness for races. His methods came into broad use during the period he was training. Pipe was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to horse racing. He retired in 2006. His son, David Pipe, took over as trainer with Pipe assisting. As of 2021 he was the most successful trainer in the history of British jump racing. Mark my words, Martin will never train a winner.” After Hit Parade won, Pipe's father told him "You never trained that horse. Pipe's first winner was with Hit Parade in a selling hurdle at Taunton in May 1975, jockeyed by Len Lungo. Gay Kindersley gets that winner." Fourteen seasons later Pipe was crowned champion trainer for the first time.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.