Kelli Windebank takes over the licence from Jason Bloomfield

Windebank to concentrate fully on Yarmouth as new licensee

Kelli Windebank is a new name on racecards having taken over the trainer’s licence from longtime partner Jason Bloomfield in December - and is looking forward to a hatful of winners at Yarmouth and elsewhere in 2026.

“It made sense from a business point of view,” explained Windebank, whose kennels are based at March in Cambridgeshire and who is now solely contracted to Yarmouth after a spell supplying runners also to Romford, an arrangement which came to an end last year.

“Jason’s been working more and more on the building side of things. We’ve got five acres here and there’s plenty going on, and I’m very much the one concentrating on the day-to-day running of the kennel now.

“I actually had a licence many years ago. I’d been working on the re-homing side and had a dog come in to me called Linwood Blueboy.

“Drake was such a lovely boy and clearly loved his racing - always dashing around - so once he was good to go again, I just said to his then owner I’d take out a licence to race him myself which I did at Henlow.

“So it’s been something I’ve always wanted to do again and, having bought a smallholding here, the new arrangement ties in with that. 

“I’ve brought in a full-time member of staff for the kennels and someone to help with the racing, just to give us even more time to work with the dogs.

“Jason is assistant trainer and very much involved in the racing side of things - and enjoying that even more now I think!

“We had some great times a few years back with the likes of Russelena Reggie and Savana Donie and it’d be nice to get in and amongst the bigger competitions moving forward - and maybe we’ve now got time to have a go at that. We’ll see.

“Romford were fantastic with us. Like most people connected to Henlow we felt the uncertainty of the situation and Romford really helped us and it was only the logistics in the end that forced our hand. We were pretty much racing every day and it took its toll.

“Concentrating fully on Yarmouth is still a commitment but works really well for us and improving the overall quality will be an ambition in 2026.

“Jason is building a new gallop, plus we’re just about to complete another phase of improvements, and things like that maintains the focus of what we’re trying to achieve.

“We now have room for more dogs - and more owners too!

“I’m also working with the Yarmouth Homefinders. We have space here designated for the retired dogs which remains a passion of mine.”