Paul Jenkins reflects on 10 year switch from New Zealand to Corbould Park

A Group One winning trainer with decades of racing industry experience says he has no regrets on his decision to relocate from New Zealand to the Sunshine Coast.

Group One winning trainer Paul Jenkins has reflected on his move from New Zealand to the Sunshine Coast 10 years on and the success that has followed for his stable.

Jenkins, 61, said he was practically born into it after his father, Peter and two brothers, Gary and Brian were also trainers.

He trained King Keirel to the 2001 Doomben Cup and Bazelle to the 2005 Auckland Cup while his brother Brian trained Jezabeel to the 1998 Melbourne Cup.

Since closing his Matamata stable and making the move to Caloundra in 2012, he said he had “no regrets”.

“I’ve got no regrets there, the racing industry in New Zealand is dead in the water and has been like that for too long for it to ever come back,” Jenkins said.

Caloundra racing trainer Paul Jenkins with his stables leading mare Renouf. Picture: Patrick Woods.

His base at Corbould Park is a far cry from when he worked with more than 50 horses but he said he enjoyed the more “hands-on” approach.

“It’s been great and I could see the potential here and it has changed immensely since I have been here,” he said.

“These barns were virtually empty with about 100 odd horses working at the track and now there’s 450 and the club is having to expand because of the stable demand.

“Racing has just got so much better and stronger and you definitely need a fairly handy horse to win here now.

“There’s plenty of vets, farriers, physios and pre-trainer farmers along with the facilities on offer so everything you need is here now and it’s just going to continue to grow.

“The racing club itself is extremely well run and I think a lot of the other clubs could take a leaf out of their book in a lot of ways.

“I think it’s probably the jewel on Queensland racing’s crown and they probably don’t know it yet.”

Now training about 30 horses and with 99 starts in 2021-22 Jenkins holds a 16.16 per cent win rate and a 35.35 per cent place rate.

Originally published as Paul Jenkins reflects on 10 year switch from New Zealand to Corbould Park