Punters following Luke Dace's family-run Findon stable since the beginning of the jump season in May should be showing a handsome profit.

Dace houses seven winners from 19 runners and they have returned a handsome £60.00 to a £1 level stake.

He said: "Only three horses have been in serious action and two of these have won three races each and the other, Wee Danny, scored at Newton Abbot on Wednesday."

Dace-trained Italian Counsel won the most valuable hurdle race ever staged at Market Rasen at 33-1 two weeks ago.

Dace said: "It's a 500-mile round trip to the far corner of Lincolnshire but he is going back there on Sunday. It is a happy hunting ground."

Dace puts his burgeoning fortunes down to having a better class of horse compared to when he began training four years ago.

He said: "I was banging my head against a wall in those days, trying to win with very moderate animals. But it taught me a great deal about how to cope with adversity. I have learned not to make the same mistake twice and to keep looking forward.

"People I respect have always told me not to rush things and I think that has been good advice because the policy is paying dividends now."

One of the recent winners, Captain Zinzan, who is named after the All Blacks Rugger skipper, Zinzan Brooke, was looked after by Dace's partner Louise when she was working for Sussex trainer Amanda Perrett.

The horse had problems and the owner allowed Louise to take him when she left Coombelands to set up on her own.

Dace said: "Italian Counsel was another horse with problems. But I knew both horses had ability. They spend much of the day out in the field and that definitely makes them happy."

He is grateful to his owners, most of whom have been with him since the beginning.

"I haven't got one tricky owner. They are all lovely people who have been so loyal and now they are starting to get some return for their support."

Dace has the confidence to face facts and tell an owner if he thinks a horse should be sold on.

He said: "If I feel a horse cannot possibly win a race, I prefer to be honest about it. OK, so someone else may do better with it but that is a risk I take. An owner should not be paying trainer fees for a horse I'm struggling with and I think owners appreciate being told the truth."

Dace insists he is in training for the quality of life rather than to make a fortune.

He has a way with horses and Italian Counsel is a perfect example of his judgment and successful methods.

Dace said: "Italian Counsel was trained in Wales and had won only once in two years. The owner was prepared to sell him for a giveaway £2,000 but I persuaded him to stay and see what I could do with him.

"Italian Counsel has now won £13,000 in the last ten months and I'm sure I can win a major handicap hurdle with him. In any case, he owes us nothing."

You cannot argue with any of that.

Dace and Louise have just moved from Pulborough to Burchett Stables in Findon.

He said: "The facilities are a big improvement. I share a five-and-a-half furlong gallop with Mark Allen, who trains Arabian horses here, and the place is so isolated that it is ideal for keeping horses relaxed and happy."

Dace has put most of his 13 boxes in an existing barn.

He said: "There is space to put up more as the demand increases but I do not want to be paying rates on empty boxes in the meantime."

Louise is continuing to run her rest and recuperation stables near Pulborough while riding out for Dace every morning.

He has just taken on a full-time qualified groom and says his mum and dad, who live close by at Storrington, are a help in the yard and on the racecourse.

The Dace stable has a busy couple of days.

Besides Italian Counsel at Market Rasen on Sunday, Scenic Lady runs on the flat at either Goodwood (4.15pm) or Doncaster (3.30pm) tomorrow.

Runners from Burchett Stables are not to be overlooked.