Mick Burles feels ’empty’ after being sacked as trainer of The Cleaner

Horse trainer Mick Burles says he feels ’empty’ after being sacked as trainer of The Cleaner.

The horse has become a cult hero in the racing world, winning 19 of his 54 starts under Burles and winning more than $1.3 million in prize money.

So he was understandably shocked to find out he’d been sacked as trainer of the veteran galloper this week.

The Tasmanian trainer took a call from 3AW Mornings just as connections arrived to pick up the horse on Tuesday.

It’s fair to say Burles wasn’t in a hurry to go and help.

‘They’ve got two arms and two legs,’ he said.

Burles said he’d be most emotional about the ordeal tonight.

‘When I go out there to feed him and he’s not there,’ he said.

‘He’s been here a long time.

‘He’s a nice horse, he’s a good mate.’

Several of Australia’s most prominent trainers have already said they won’t take on the horse without Burles’ blessing.

‘Yeah, well, they’ll be struggling to get that,’ he said.

Click PLAY below to hear Mick Burles chat with Tony Jones on 3AW