RESIDENT WINCHESTER RESIDENT OCT NOV 19 WEB - Page 22

Character
his summer holidays at Pony
Club camp, and having won on
Warmwell Lizzie at Cheltenham
Pony Race, is clearly exhibiting the
family talent.
So who are the owners of these
beautiful equine supercars, and
how do you finance a racehorse?
Richard Cheshire, CEO of Krispy
Kreme UK and Ireland, who has
seen his brand expand massively,
has seven horses with Chris, one
of which is in a syndicate. The rest
he owns outright with wife Carol,
including Baddesley Knight, a horse
Chris views as having a tremendous
future for the 2019-20 season.
Much of the Gordons’ success
has come with inexpensive horses,
which Chris puts down to years of
judging show hunters at shows such
as Horse of the Year Show, Royal
International and Royal Windsor. He
has bought horses for £1,000 and
turned them into winners.
Age is no barrier to ownership;
91-year-old Betty Chantler, from
Ashford, Kent, owns Really Radical,
bought for £22,000, placed in
novice hurdles last season and now
looking forward to a career over
fences this season.
Horses in National Hunt Racing
generally start in bumpers (flat races
for National Hunt Bred horses) then
progress to hurdles and follow on to
steeplechase fences.
“Highway One O One is a real
favourite, he’s a dark bay owned
by former amateur jockey Anthony
Ward Thomas of the London-based
removals company. Anthony’s horse
ran at Cheltenham this year, he’s
been with me since day one, a friend
as well as an owner, as is Les Gilbert,
of AW Jeffreys (Southampton) steel
fabrication, who is also passionate
about racing and has been with
me since I started. The great thing
about these two owners is they
enjoy drinking as much as the trainer
whilst at the races – in fact most of
my owners do!
“Sole ownership is one option
which appeals to most people; it
costs approximately £19,000 to
keep the horse for the year and
that includes all costs. Syndication
is the other option which people
go for and syndicates can vary
from three to 20 people, or
even more in some cases, which
obviously makes it more accessible
cost-wise.
“I only have the one Winchester
owner but I would love to see
more local people get involved
in supporting what we are
developing here as we try to
upgrade the horses to the best
that we can afford, upgrade the
yard, gallops and fencing across
what comprises 120 acres.”
Chris is known as quite a
character on the racing scene
and when you meet him you
ABOVE: Chris Gordon’s team relax following the Owners’
Owners’ Day at Chris Gordon Racing.
22 Resident
www.residentmagazine.co.uk