Dual Cup-winning trainer Robert Hickmott prefers owners to do the talking

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Having had his name next to Green Moon in 2012, Hickmott added it to the record books for a second time with Almandin’s win on Tuesday.

To put that into context, the only others to achieve the feat in the past 40 years are Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman, Colin Hayes, George Hanlon and Irish wizard Dermot Weld.

As the private trainer for Lloyd and Nick Williams, Hickmott takes a back seat, with the owners the public face of the stable.

Yesterday he made a rare public speech, detailing how grateful he was to be part of Lloyd Williams’ team.

“To Lloyd, he’s been a great mentor to all of us on the farm,” Hickmott said.

“He is a wonderful man to pass on knowledge. This was a very hot horse (when he arrived), but a lot of hard work from the team got him to calm down. (Former Cup-winning jockey) Steven King also did a lot of work.”

Williams paid a huge compliment to Hickmott, who has been head trainer after the departures of Graeme Rogerson in 2008 and John Sadler in 2009.

“He has been with me 15 years. He came in as a foreman, assistant, now a trainer. He’s done a wonderful job,” Williams said.

“He’s a first-class employee and a very good fellow.”

Originally published as Trainer happy to take back seat