Metee replaces Motion as Team Valor trainer

In a press release posted today on their website, Team Valor has announced the change in stable trainers from Graham Motion to Rick Metee.

Mettee, a former Godolphin trainer, has also trained horses for Team Valor President and CEO Barry Irwin in the past. He will begin training for the stable on May 1, and will be based at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland.

"Rick has experience training horses on synthetic and dirt surfaces in America and in Dubai," said Irwin. "He did exceptional work while winning several Grade 1 races with the Godolphin runners. We are looking forward to renewing our relationship with him." 

Kentucky Derby winning trainer, Graham Motion has been with Team Valor since 2010 and saddled Animal Kingdom to victories in the Derby and the recent Dubai World Cup. He will continue to train the champion for the remainder of his career for Team Valor and Arrowfield Stud, including  a possible start at Royal Ascot this summer. 

"Graham Motion trained Team Valor's horses privately from our barn at Fair Hill Training Center as an accommodation to us. But he made it clear that he would continue to train for other owners," said Irwin. "We understood this and accepted his conditions. However, due to the unique type of operation we run with partnership-owned horses, we feel at this time it would serve our needs better to have one trainer that was exclusive to our stable. Graham agrees. He has offered to continue to train our horses through the month of April until our new trainer has set up his operation."