Owner of the Month - December 2006

How did you get involved with Have Fun Racing?
I had been a member of a syndicate with Mark Bradstock near Wantage but had taken a break for a year or so when I heard that Kim was setting up near to my home in Towcester at Preston Capes.  I approached Kim and he told me about the Partnership which originally had three horses (Kelantan was the baby then) and it sounded perfect so I went in to it with three or four friends.

What was it that appealed to you about the Partnership?
I liked the idea of a relatively small syndicate combined with Kim’s high profile as a trainer.  Plus it was right on our doorstep!

What are the best bits about ownership?
Participating in all the pre-race build up is very exciting, leading up to when the horse runs.  Being an owner on the day is quite different from being an ordinary spectator, it’s a real buzz, standing in the Parade Ring and then watching the horse run and being able to use the owners facilities.  It’s also great to share the experience with the other people we’ve met in the Partnership.

What have been your most memorable experiences as an owner?
There have been lots of them.  When Dalcassian Buck gave us our first win in our first season at Towcester it was a high and a low for me as I had been away on business and couldn’t actually make it to the course to see him run.  Typical!  More recently, Kelantan’s run in a Chase at Newbury during the 2004 Hennessy meeting when he finished a closing 4^th at 33-1 was brilliant but the pinnacle was on Boxing Day in 2005 at Huntingdon when he won at 8-1.  He battled all the way to the line, it was just fantastic.

Do you have a favourite racecourse?
My home course of Towcester has always been close to my heart.  It’s a challenging track as well as being wonderfully picturesque but I suppose Cheltenham would be my top course, it is a very special place.

How do you think racing as changed for owners since you started?
I think the barriers to entry into ownership have been greatly reduced.  Over the last couple of years there have been far more opportunities to get involved through syndicates and partnerships and the investment required is no way near what it used to be which means lots more people are able to get involved.  The facilities have also improved.  Jo Punter is much better catered for although there’s still work to be done on wet and windy days when there often isn’t enough room in grandstands at racecourses.

What would you recommend about ownership in Partnerships with Kim?
It is a great way of investigating all aspects of ownership by dipping your toe in the water with the ambition of one day having your own horse (which I still hope to do).  The thrill of seeing your horse at home and on the course is just completely different from anything you could witness as a normal racegoer.

Kim has been fantastic and very welcoming to his owners.  No matter how big or small their involvement, the reception is always the same.  The communications via the website, which has to be the best in the business, are excellent too.

How does Thorndale Farm compare with Kim’s previous yard at Preston Capes?
Obviously the old yard was handy for us but there were issues with the operational side of things there.  Whilst Thorndale is not as near, we go racing regularly at Cheltenham so it’s great to be able to pop in.  The location is so beautiful and when you drive in and see the position of it, you realise how calm and settled the horses are in such a picturesque environment.  The fact that there is so much land to use means that there is more variety of things for Kim to do in the training regime as well.

What are your hopes for the season? When a horse is returning after a long lay off, the main thing is his well being.  Although he pulled a hamstring on his first run, we are hoping for a good spring campaign in the New Year.  Kelantan has a fairly unique record, finishing only once out of the top four in his 15 completed starts over fences and that’s something to be proud of.  We just hope we can get continual enjoyment from him again this season.  Also there’s dear old JP who rode many of our runners and we hope he’ll be able to make it back into the saddle at least even if he can’t race ride.

PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THE MONTH:

November 2006 - David Simkins
October 2006 - Elizabeth Kellar
September 2006 - Mark Vestey