WHILE days at York, Epsom and Ascot dominate the summer season on the Flat, those for whom winter National Hunt racing pay the bills are not sitting idly by.

It’s easy to think jumps handlers relax and watch the world go by during the warm weather – with the odd runner on the level or hurdler keeping things ticking over until the focus falls once again on fences in the autumn.

For trainers like Andy Crook, who doesn’t indulge too much in the summer season jumping and has around two dozen horses in his care at Middleham, you might think this to be even more the case.

You would be wrong.

“We are always planning and learning and I am bringing a lot of young horses on,” said Crook, who trains from the historic Ashgill Stables – home to the famous Osborne brothers in the 19th century.

“That’s where you spend your time. That’s the making or breaking of those young horses. You need time to bring them on.

“It’s good – the jumpers are turned out and they are out for three months. Then they come back and you are getting on with roadwork again. We have got one or two Flat horses which helps you ticking over.

“There is always something. There are not enough hours in the day really – I wish there were more.”

Crook fell into training by accident. A former jockey, he was head lad to Micky Hammond at Tupgill. But when the latter temporarily packed in, Crook found himself pitched in at the deep end.

He also found he loved training.

“I came from Leeds – a family of 14,” he explained. “I was always small and always liked the outside life. I took a chance, came into racing, and had my first ride after about eight months.

“I wasn’t a great jockey but managed to ride a few winners. Starting training was more by accident. Micky Hammond packed in and I took over from him. I was his head lad.

“I had the chance to take over the yard and did so. Then Micky came back and I moved out. I could have stayed and continued as his head lad but I’d had a taste of it by then.

“So I thought I would try and carry on. We moved up to Ashgill. A few of the owners said they would come with me. We got the Scottish National winner in the yard the first year we were here.”

Ryalux, who took the Scottish showpiece in 2003, has a home for life at Ashgill and gave the yard a big early boost. But though he would like to repeat that success, Crook, who saddled six winners in the last National Hunt season, has no enormous ambitions.

As long as his horses are happy, so is he. Most importantly, he sees himself as a trainer for the “little man”.

Crook continued: “My aim is to train nice horses.

“I haven’t got any ambitions to win a Gold Cup or a Champion Hurdle but just to win nice races – and try and get every horse to win.

“We have a lot of syndicates and we do train for the little man. I do spend time with the smaller owner. If an owner has five per cent, ten per cent or 100 per cent, we treat them all the same.

“Anyone who has an interest, I feel they have the right to come and visit the stables, go on the gallops – otherwise I don’t think it is worth doing it.

“You do need the animals. If they haven’t got the ability you can’t give it to them.

“Our horses are always happy. Up here, we have a number of scenic routes on which to take them.

“We’re spoilt, really. We’ve got the High Moor, the Low Moor. We have roadwork, the park. They don’t do the same routine every day. We have a paddock to turn them out and we’ve also got a woodchip pen for that as well.”

You will have noticed a couple of Crook’s horses on the Flat tracks. Insolenceofoffice, who won four times for Constable Burton trainer Ann Duffield last season before taking the short trip to Middleham, ran recently at York.

But it is the lure of the jumper that really enthrals the trainer – and ensures he loves his job.

“I have one or two Flat horses but I do like to prepare jumpers,” he said. “I think the gallops on the High Moor are ideal for training that kind of horse.

“When you have got nice horses, it is nice to get up on a morning when they are running well. It is a downer when they aren’t and you are scratching your head.

“It is a tough game but it is a nice game. We are not going to be millionaires but it is a way of life. If you can pay your bills, what more do you need?”