SYNDICATION as a form of racehorse ownership hit the headlines in April when Corach Rambler, owned by an eclectic bunch of seven Scots, including a 21-year-old business student from Heriot-Watt University in Edin- burgh, won the Grand National. Cameron Sword, whose interest in racing developed during covid to alleviate the boredom, had paid less than £4,000 for his share on trainer Lucinda Russell’s recommendation—wonderfully undersold, as it turned out—that the slow-burning point-to-pointer would be a ‘good starter horse’. He became the youngest winning owner in the race’s history.
Corach Rambler originally cost £17,000, so none of the ‘Ramblers’ have had to dip into their pockets for training fees yet. On top of £500,000 for the National, the Irish-bred gelding has also won the Ultima Chase twice at the Cheltenham Festival and, looking ahead, he should not look out of place in next March’s Gold Cup.
Syndicates, as a form of ownership, have really only been in operation since the mid 1980s, when it was rare to ride for anyone other than a sole owner. However, I do remember riding an old chaser called Dargai (named after a regimental battle honour at which four Victoria Crosses were awarded), owned by a group of then-middle-aged ex-army officers. They were informally organised by former Gurkha Maj John Urquhart and the horse was usually ridden by Lt-Col Bobby Faulkner, a Grand Military race veteran.
Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
