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So where did your interest in racing
originally come from?
I had ponies and hunted a little bit as a teenager so have
always loved horses. My husband has an amazing old aunt who had
been a member at Newbury racecourse since the war so we went
along with her and preferred the Jumping so much more than the
Flat which we’d been to at Newmarket.
How did you make the leap then into
ownership?
I met Philip Bland on a riding holiday in Spain and we are
now good friends. He mentioned he had just joined the
Predestine Partnership and said why don’t I join. Really on the
off chance, we went up to Northamptonshire to see the horse; he
really was the most beautiful looking animal and we decided to
go ahead and it has been so much fun.
How would you describe your experience so
far?
Well initially things didn’t go too well and I did spend my
time half hoping for something nice to happen but also terrified
that something awful would happen. Last season he managed to
lose his jockey, fall and pull up but he still came through it
all with a smile on his face!
This season has started so well and his win at
Haydock was amazing. We’d got up early, slogged all the way up
there and to see him win really was a transforming experience.
Even if he doesn’t do another thing, that has made it all worth
while. It has put me in a good mood for the rest of the year!
Dougie Costello’s ride was a good one as
well wasn’t it?
Yes, he first rode him at Bangor. We were there and I
remember it was getting dark, it was nearly half past three and
poor Lou had to rush into the jockey’s room to find us a jockey
(Jimmy McCarthy had been stopped by the police for speeding in a
bid to make it there from Hereford). I find the courage of
these jockeys remarkable to get on a horse they’ve never ridden
before and with a few scant instructions, give the horse such a
good ride.
It always interests me as well how observant
they are; rather than just hanging on for dear life they’re so
observant whilst they’re riding and Dougie came back commenting
that when he landed he was choking slightly and not getting a
good lungful of air and suggested we try a tongue tie which we
did at Haydock and he won.
What would you say to someone working in
London like you, who is considering racehorse ownership?
Well, nothing beats winning! One thing I’ve really enjoyed
is that, by travelling the length and breadth of the country to
the races, you discover places you wouldn’t have been to
otherwise and some of these racecourses are such lovely places.
They have a great atmosphere and as an owner
there’s always a good place to watch the horses run which gives
you an edge you just can’t get if you to the races normally.
A syndicate like this is a great scheme, you
can go into it without making a serious investment. It’s a bit
of fun, you spend the money and the dividends have been very
rewarding.
It can be difficult fitting in your social
diary with your professional one especially when decisions about
where to run are quite last minute but so far I’ve been lucky
and gone to most that I’ve wanted to. I tend to find if you
really want to do something you can especially when it’s such an
absorbing hobby! |
