Trainer (BBC-1 1991-1992, Mark Greenstreet, Nigel Davenport)

Drama series Trainer focused on Mike Hardy who is given the chance by horse owner James Brant to start his own racing stables. Against all the odds and setbacks Mike slowly makes his way to the top.

Mike is divorced and a heavy drinker and working as second in command to the vile Hugo Latimer when the series begins but cleans his act up when Brant shows enough faith in him to let him go it alone. Also lending a helping hand to Mike’s ambitions are the wealthy Rachel Ware and well-to-do gambler John Grey.

This was Gerard Glaister’s follow up to Howard’s Way and us cut very much from the same cloth. There is a bit more story of the week aspect to it than the serialised Howard’s Way but it is an entertaining enough series with strong performances all round.

production details
UK / BBC1 / 20×50 minute episodes / 1 September 1991 – 2 December 1992

Creator/Producer: Gerard Glaister / Theme Music: Mike Read Sung by Cliff Richard

cast
MARK GREENSTREET as Mike Hardy
NIGEL DAVENPORT as James Brant
DAVID McCALLUM as John Grey
SUSANNAH YORK as Rachel Ware
NICOLA KING as Frances Ross (Season one
CLAIRE OBERMAN as Alex Farrell(Season Two)
PATRICK RYECART as Hugo Latimer
DES McALEER as Joe Hogan

SEASON ONE 1 September – 24 November 1991
1. A RACING CERTAINTY (1 Sep 91)
2. ALL I NEED IS ONE GOOD HORSE (8 Sep 91)
3. ON THE CARPET (15 Sep 91)
4. PERFECT TIMING (22 Sep 91)
5. A JUST WEIGHT (29 Sep 91)
6. FIGHT NIGHT (6 Oct 91)
7. HORSE TRAINING (13 Oct 91)
8. A QUESTION OF LOYALTY (20 Oct 91)
9. BUSINESS OR PLEASURE (27 Oct 91)
10. A LITTLE TOUCH OF MAGIC IN THE NIGHT (3 Nov 91)
11. ACE IN THE PACK (10 Nov 91)
12. THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH (17 Nov 91)
13. NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY (24 Nov 91)

SEASON TWO 30 September – 2 December 1992
1. EPISODE ONE (30 Sep 92)
2. EPISODE TWO (7 Oct 92)
3. EPISODE THREE (14 Oct 92)
4. EPISODE FOUR (21 Oct 92)
5. EPISODE FIVE (28 Oct 92)
6. EPISODE SIX (4 Nov 92)
7. EPISODE SEVEN (11 Nov 92)
8. EPISODE EIGHT (18 Nov 92)
9. EPISODE NINE (25 Nov 92)
10. EPISODE TEN (2 Dec 92)