TRUE OWNERSHIP BENEFITS

There are two methods of joining the Club, These are as a Club member or partnership member but both categories bring racehorse ownership with all the benefits that true ownership brings. When you become a Club member of the Group 1 Racing Club you become a joint owner in some of the horses, this is NOT just a social involvement.

RACING CLUB MEMBER

The first (and most usual) category of ownership is as a Club member. Group 1 Racing would not exist without its Club’s members whose two year subscriptions (each Club runs for 2 plus years) are used to partly buy but mostly to train the Club’s horses. In Group 1 Racing you are therefore treated entirely as owners, not one of the masses! You become a share owner in the Group 1 Racing Club which own the horses, and which all run under the banner of the G1 Racing Club Ltd which is a registered company with Companies House and the Jockey Club as the registered owner. When you join you therefore always get immediate action as you are buying a share in the existing company and the string of Club horses. You receive a share certificate for your share (or shares if you re-join) and as true ownership there is no VAT on the cost of a owners’ share.

PARTNERSHIP MEMBER VIA STATE-OF-THE-ART BLOODSTOCK INVESTMENT PACKAGE

The second category of ownership is where a horse is owned by the Club members in a partnership arrangement with the Club, termed partnership members. Club members who do this directly own a share in the equity (capital value) of the horse at COST. There is generally one partnership horse available in 1/10th share sales at a modest cost (currently Persuer GB) and the Club is usually looking to buy another more expensive purchase (typically £10k-£20k) from the H-I-T auction sales (generally in October each year) through new partnership memberships and existing Club members in a unique bloodstock investment package.

If you would like to be involved in the next acquisition , please contact Stephen Foster on 01386 871239 or via the Contact form – if you could be interested.

The Racing Club is a paid up member of the Racehorse Owners’ Association (ROA.)

The ROA members’ Public (Third Party) Liability insurance is arranged through Lycetts with the International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited per OIM Underwriting Limited, for the annual period commencing 1st January, 2012.

This liability policy provides indemnity where a member is found legally liable for injury or damage to a third party (this does not include family members or employees) or their property, caused by a ‘racehorse’ registered as the property of a member, in or out of training, but not retired.

This is essential third party liability to cover any injury (or damage) caused by the Club’s horses.

No! The Club was established as a collective ownership group in order to be able to actively participate in the Sport of Kings’s. As such it is a non-commercial society. Furthermore it is also non-profit making. The Director (Stephen) and Company Secretary (Kate) take no fees. There are no paid employees. All the partnership horses are sold at cost and the keep fees for these horses are subsidised by the Club (and its members.)

But make no mistake, though, there is, however, a highly professional approach to all aspects of the operation which contribute to its success.

Communication is taken very seriously. The members’ area is updated frequently by Dr. Foster (founding member – 1988) Club officers Gary and Dave, and Dave Hadley (partnership member and Club member) is the Partnership Horse Communications Officer. Information is imparted by Dave via email and by personal phone calls and, of course, by contact at the racecourse itself.

The organisation of the booking of owners’ badges for all members and partnership owners, plus reduced price tickets for partners and guests (where necessary – because often all the tickets are free) is currently also performed by Club Director Stephen. He takes your Owners’ badge enquires/orders over the phone and then emails a list of names through to the racecourse in advance.

Great attention is focused on the last crucial aspect of winning every horse race, that is jockey selection and the race racing instructions. This final piece of attention to detail accounts for the extremely high percentage of win and in-the-frame performances to runners which the Club and its members enjoys.

All the above mentioned functions are performed by Club members who give their time to benefit the Club free of charge.

As a Club member OR partnership member alike you are entitled to get free Owner’s badges at the racetrack whenever you want to go. This enables you to go racing as an owner with access to the parade ring, owners’ and trainers’ bar and the winner’s enclosure. You will meet and discuss the club’s runners with other members, the jockeys and trainers, giving you a real involvement in the “sport of Kings.”  Owner’s badges will be provided for you, and these are available, not on a rota basis, but at the meetings of your choice. As an owner, you are welcome to join us in the parade ring on as many occasions as you wish. When the one of the Club’s horses then wins you come into the Owners’ room at the racecourse to join the champagne celebration (after all, you are one of the owners!) and watch the DVD of the horse winning. See recent Straford celebration! (pictured right)

We also provide half price owners’ tickets for partners/guests if there are not any spare owners’ badges available free of charge.

To the best of our knowledge NO other Club provides this level of service for a Club in this price range. Some of our Club members do receive 100+ free Owner’s badges during their 3 year term of ownership!

How do we do this at the price? We are simply a small, personalised Club, not a large impersonal organisation, it’s a straightforward service for Club members.

 Overview

Club members provide the capital for the partnership horse and retain the equity in that horse (effectively own the horse.)  Persuer (GB) cost a mere £3,150 + VAT and the horse is syndicated into 1/10^th (10%) shares, so the Club members pay £378 each. And share of any sale (or claim) proceeds would be divided equally between contributors.

The 10 partnership owners only pay a fraction of the training and racing expenses costs at £70 per month, £700 x12 =£8,400 annually.  Typically total costs add up to around £15,000 per annum. The balance of upkeep is subsidised by the Club, and in exchange the partnership horse will run in the name and colours of G1 Racing Club Limited.  The monthly contribution is capped with no calls for funds from syndicate members in the event that costs overrun the anticipated budget.

Benefits

A certificate of ownership will be provided along with a framed photograph of the horse (with the owner, if possible.)

Information about the progress of the horse, schooling, fitness, racing plans etc. will be communicated directly by phone calls and text to partnership owners first.

A pair of owners’ badges will be provided to partnership horse owners whenever and wherever the horse runs.

Trophies from the racetrack will be allocated to partnership owners on a rotation basis, starting with whoever is present at the racetrack when the horse wins. To-date over 50% of the Club’s partnership horse owners have received a trophy (silver photo frame or other momentos including vases and the like.)

A gallops / yard photo will be emailed periodically.

A copy of the partnership agreement will be provided

The above benefits will be provided by a dedicated Club partnership horse liaison and communications officer, currently Dave Hadley.

Prize Money

Separate accounts are kept for Partnership horses.  Prize money will be distributed in proportion to upkeep contribution, where prize money exceeds keep plus costs.

To pay out, a partnership horse would need to win in excess of the £15,000 anticipated annual cost of upkeep (training, livery, transport, entry fees, jockey fees, blacksmith, vet etc.) – to make a net return on monthly contributions, which would then be divided according to upkeep contribution.

However, the horse only needs to earn £6,600 (i.e. £15,000 less £8,400 *) to begin a return of the monthly upkeep payments by syndicate members – a £1 return (divisible between the syndicate members) for each £1 won above £6,600.

The Club has been organising offshore racing trips since its inception in 1989.

We have raced in the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh, in Listed races at Deauville and many times at Les Landes (Jersey) and L’Ancresse (Guernsey.)

Our most recent offshore winner was Little Lotte (IRE) in 2017 twice (see 14/5/17 video below), and previously Robbmaa (Mattie Batchelor) a 10/1 winner at Les Landes on our offshore racing trip, Jersey – 12th August 2012.

In 1993 we took 3 horses to Jersey and all 3 won!

We’re due another trip!

In the last year that Lester Piggott rode (1994) we hired a private plane for Club members and Lester to fly to Deauville where Lester and Linpac West came 3rd in the Listed Prix de Reux

Group 1 Racing Club racing trip to Deauville.
Private plane hired for Club members, Lester Piggott and trainer Bill Elsey.

A rare smile from Lester in the Deauville sun!