Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2016 | Page 39

Interview
“It’s what our syndicate
is all about, days out
on the racecourse with
like-minded people
who enjoy the thrill of
racing, eating nice food
and having a drink with
friends.”

the horse comes in.”
So, how much will this cost you? “I go and
buy the horses” says Glenn “and normally
the budget is around £5,000 minimum,
which will buy a potential decent
racehorse nowadays. Of course they’re not
going to be the calibre of Red Rum!
“The horse is stabled with our trainer
Daniel Steele at his yard in Henfield, and
he trains them daily on the gallops to build
up experience and stamina. Once he
thinks the horse has reached peak fitness
it’s then entered for certain race days
throughout the year at racecourses such as
Fontwell, Plumpton, Goodwood, Lingfield
and as far away as Wolverhampton.”
The total cost of purchasing the racehorse

is divided up into 20x 5% shares, so for a
horse costing £5,000, a 5% share will come
in at an initial one-off payment of £250,
and you’re free to buy as many shares as
you wish in multiples of five. In addition to
the initial investment there’s an ongoing
monthly maintenance cost of around £75
per month (per 5% share) which covers
expenses such as transport, jockey fees, vet
bills and trainer fees.
In return, each syndicate receives
up to 12 free passes to attend a day’s
racing which include free entry to the
course, complimentary hot food or
buffet, owners/trainers bar, entry into
the paddock enclosure to meet the
jockey and discuss tactics with the trainer
Daniel Steele. If you’re lucky enough to
win, you will get a complimentary bottle
of champagne to share between the
owners and a DVD of the successful day.
Additional passes can be purchased for
half price, for friends and family.
If you’re unsure but would like to dip
your toe in the water, then you do have
the option of leasing a 5% share for a
year. This way you do not have to fork out
the initial £250, although you do have to
pay the monthly costs (approx. £75 per
month), but can decide at the end of the
year and then drop out if you decide it’s
not for you.
 Buying a horse is a complete gamble, of

course. You could be really lucky and buy a
horse that goes well, or you could end up
with an expensive lawnmower. There have
been Grand National winners in the past
that have been bought for 2000 guineas it’s the luck of the draw.
There are many things that can go wrong
with horses, so it can be unpredictable to
say the least. However, if you’re looking for
a fascinating hobby that involves horses
and the chance to get involved in a great
social scene, then this could be an option
worth looking at.

www.visitilife.com

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