There are few sights in sport more exciting than a horse race entering its final furlongs with two or more competitors neck and neck heading for the line.
From a low-key meeting at Chester to the ever-popular Grand National Festival at Aintree, thankfully there’s no shortage of opportunities for horse racing fans in Southport to get close to the action.
Perfect Partners
Many people with some spare cash look for fun or productive ways to invest it. From whisky and wine to stocks and shares, such personal investments are often speculative but allow the owner to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Some invest in racehorses, building up a team of sprinters, stayers, hurdlers and chasers and sending them to a training yard, before a debut on the turf as a Flat or National Hunt competitor. Often, it doesn’t take huge cash reserves to invest in the sport, as syndicate ownership allows a number of different individuals to pool their resources and buy shares in a racehorse together.
There’s a chance, no matter how slim, that owners and syndicate members will see a return on their investment if their horse goes on to win or finish in the places and land some prize money. Mind you, it will take some going to replicate the achievements of the most successful racehorse owners of all time…
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
As the ruler of Dubai, whose wealth is said to be an eye-popping £14 billion, only the very best will do for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
He invested in his own training and breeding facility, the infamous Godolphin, as a base for his horse racing investment, and the Sheikh has been repaid handsomely with a whopping 5,000+ winners over the past 30 years.
At least six of his horses have racked up close to, or more than, £1 million in prize money – including Dubai Millennium, who won the Dubai World Cup in 2000.
J.P. McManus
With more than 4,000 winners to his name – including the coveted Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup double, J.P. McManus has very much earned his place on the list of the most successful racehorse owners of all time.
The Irishman has enjoyed more than 50 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, and enjoyed many fine days with horses such as Istabraq and Baracouda, who won more than a dozen Grade One races between them.
One of McManus’ most famous days in racing came when Tony McCoy, one of the greatest jockeys of all-time, finally won the Grand National aboard Don’t Push It – also the owner’s maiden Grand National victory – in 2010.
Trevor Hemmings
A successful businessman who made his money through property and investments, Trevor Hemmings also pumped money into two of his great passions in life: Preston North End and racehorses.
He owned more than 100 racehorses across his career in the sport, including Albertas Run, although Hemmings’ legacy in racing was secured by three Grand National winners – tying the record as the joint most successful owner in the race’s history.
John Magnier
Over the years, John Magnier has benefitted from partnerships with two of the most successful trainers in Flat racing: Vincent O’Brien, who also happens to be his father-in-law, and Aidan O’Brien.
Magnier also established the Coolmore breeding operation, which has created many of his most famous winners at stud. Galileo, Montjeu, Rock of Gibraltar, High Chaparral… the list goes on.
Clearly, there are many perks to being a racehorse owner!