A successful career as an amateur rider gave Tim Vaughan the platform to build on when he entered the training ranks. Vaughan rode 117 point-to-point winners and, as part of his success, was the champion point-to-point jockey in Wales at one point.
But after that, training became the big focus, and where Vaughan would really make a name for himself, doing so in rapid fashion. In 2012, he became the youngest national hunt trainer ever to record 100 winners in a season, proving himself as a great trainer for horse placement, finding races for any horses to win, regardless of ability.
But it wasn’t just about low-grade wins for the Welsh handler, he has won at Grade One level in both the UK and Ireland to show that he is capable of getting winners at the top level of racing and getting one ready for a big day.
Vaughan would make his Grand National debut in 2012, with the horse Postmaster running in the race for him and Dougie Costello taking the mount. The pair were pulled up at the 22nd fence in the race, struggling to keep up with the pace as it really began to hot up.
The yard continues to succeed at every level, with many lower-grade wins alongside a few big races. Horse placement is a theme still, Vaughan and the team have a great ability to place horses in the right races for them to be successful, and as far as race planning goes, there are not too many better than him.
Tim Vaughan Grand National Wins
Tim Vaughan has never trained a horse that has won the Grand National.
Their best finish to date was in 2013 with Saint Are ridden by Dougie Costello who came 9th.
Full Results
| Year | Horse | Result | Prize Money | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Eva's Oscar | Fence 21 - Unseated Rider | - | Alan Johns |
| 2014 | Golan Way | Fence 8 - Fell | - | Michael Byrne |
| 2013 | Saint Are | 9 | £1,950 | Dougie Costello |
| 2012 | Postmaster | Fence 22 - Pulled Up | - | Dougie Costello |
Shooting to Stardom in 2011
If there is a moment to really pinpoint where the career of Tim Vaughan took off, then it has to be the period of a few weeks in April and May 2011. During this period, Vaughan would land three big race wins, including his first Grade One success and also his first National win.
In April 2011, Vaughan would land his first Grade One success at the Aintree Grand National meeting, with Saint Are winning the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle under Richard Johnson. This was a real highlight for the yard, but there was more to come and further indication that Vaughan was capable of training horses, even if he wasn’t getting too many big-money horses.
A week later, Vaughan would land another big race, this time, a big staying handicap as he was successful in the Scottish Grand National with Beshabar. Again, Richard Johnson did the steering, and this race win was all about Vaughan getting a horse well enough handicapped to win at the top level while also being high enough quality to get in the race.
Lastly, in early May, it would be a second Grade One success for Vaughan, this time in Ireland. Spirit Of Adjisa would win the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown to round off an incredible few weeks, a period when Tim Vaughan really came to the fore and made a name for himself.