Welcome to the RaceShare Times
Welcome to the first edition of the RaceShare Times, where we aim to provide our owners with a review of the past three months, including events and runners, the moments we shared with you as our valued owners and links to things you may have missed during the busy periods. As this is the first edition, we will look back slightly further than three months as it has been such an exciting and busy period for us in equal measures. 2023 began with our team of five exciting prospects, all of whom had attracted lots of owners since we launched back in November of last year. The five prospects were all yet to race in RaceSharesilksandwewerecountingdownthedaysforourfirstrunner.
In winning, he secured an automatic spot into the Ebor handicap, one of the most prestigious handicaps of the season, towards the end of August, which became a newexcitingtargetforthesonofNayef.This was RaceShare’s first winner and a memorable day for all involved, including those owners lucky enough to have won an owner’s badge for the day. One owner, Nick from York, was quoted afterwards saying it was “probably the best day of my life”, so to hearsomethinglikethatwasreallyspecial. Click the play buttontorelivethe momentDanWalsh was lost for words on his RaceTime debut, as Scampi crossed the line in front!
La Pulga registered RaceShare’s second ever winner
La Pulga returned for his third run of the season in early June at Hamilton, where he had previously run so well to finish fourth, this time for a four-runner handicap over a furlong further. He encountered quicker ground and a trio of unexposed and improving horses, so whilst it was a small field, it was not without decent competition. The Johnston team decided to remove the blinkers on this occasion, because he hadbeenalittlekeenintheearlystageslasttime out, and it proved to be a stroke of genius as La Pulga settled much better. He again led the field and made all of the running; he was joined by the favourite entering the final few furlongs, but went through the gears smoothly, saw off that challenge with impressive ease and extended his advantage all the way to the line to win by over four lengths. A truly memorable day again for us
“Community is a word thrown about plenty these days, but to be part of a community, you have to feel like you belong and you’re present in the active discussion. Since joining RaceShare and even before as a spectator, I’ve been so enthusiastic about what that word means regarding RaceShare ownership. In my personal life, I’m not a social butterfly,buttheconversationsI'vebeeninvolvedin,reador overheard on social media and on-course about our common interests, are amazing. Our hopes, joys and even anguishes are all shared. Sharing that moment of being an individual who is a connection on course of a winner for the FIRST TIME at Hamilton, not knowing what we’re supposed to do, getting giddy, talking too much, forgetting what I had plannedonlyminutesearlier…thatjustwouldn’thavefeltthe same unless it was a moment shared with my new community,peopleI’donlymetanhourbeforewerenowmy mates sharing this unique moment that is the ultimate goal of any racehorse owner. I imagined it being akin to getting a first hole-in-one as a golfer; you’re there in that moment, knowing that a core memory is forming around you that will last forever. Something rare, but to share it with someone else who’s striving for that exact same feeling, that’s just special. Whether you’re an extrovert, introvert or anything in the middle, whether you were on course, at home, at work, wherever, I’m sure we all did a fist pump at some point that evening to celebrate, because it was a win for the community.”
Dan Walsh, RaceShare’s Media Manager, was there to witness his first winner on a racecourse
RaceShare’s first ever two-year-old runner!
TreasureTimemadehisownpieceofRaceShare history when becoming our first two-year-old runner in mid-June at Newbury. We had been waxing lyrical about the successes of his half-siblings,asallfourfoalsbeforeTreasureTime (whoisthefifthfoaloutofthemare,PennyDrops) had won at least one race, with Outgate, Badri and Equality all classy horses. The latter two recently won a handicap on Derby day (the day Scampiran)andatWindsorrespectively.
Treasure Time had shown such a relaxed temperamentwhenwesawhimattheendofMay at home, so it was a surprise to see him get over-excited at Newbury in the paddock beforehand. He was very green, but stayed on well towards the end when the penny started to drop. Treasure Time has already defied his pedigree in being ready to make his debut as early as June and we saw enough to think we have a very nice horse on our hands for the future.
Click the play button opposite to watch Tom Marquand’spost-racefeedback.
Red Mirage on the racecourse
Red Mirage made his debut in RaceShare silks in mid-May at Chester’s prestigious May meeting, when he lined up for a quality Class 2 handicap over 7.5f. Luckily, our son of Showcasing had already shown a liking for a bit of cut in the ground for previous connections and he ran a solid race to finish fourth of ten runners, despite an unfavourable draw. Red Mirage is on a competitive handicap rating and, hopefully, it won't be long before he strikes in a decent contest.
Jolly Nellerie at home
Jolly Nellerie began his hurdling career in France, where he was a winner - and secondtwice-overhurdleslastsummer.
Jolly Nellerie was our first ever runner and it was great to see our silks in person and on the TV for the first time, and to write the first chapter of the RaceShare story. He finished second at Haydock in March, but was quite well beaten by the other runner, Tuddenham Green.
Jolly Nellerie put up an improved display in the driving rain at Exeter in April, jumping much better and finishing seventh of the thirteen runners. Venetia Williams’ runners were badly out of form during both months when Jolly Nellerie ran, so it’s likely that he was unable to show us what he is capable of; indeed, we feel we could have a well-handicapped horse to go tobattlewiththisautumn. Click the play button opposite to watch a video sent to owners in the morning of him loading ontothehorsebox,beforehisfirstrun.
Stable Tours
BeforetherunnersstartedtoflowinMarch, we had our first stable visit in February at JohnQuinn’syardtoseeRedMirage. We were joined by approximately 70 guests, a mixture of owners and their friends/families, which included a number of young children, so it was great to welcome such an enthusiastic bunch and hopefully the next generation in our wonderfulsport.TheQuinnteamcouldnot havebeenmorewelcomingandJohnwas in great form as RaceShare’s Oli Bell hosted the visit and encouraged some insightful thoughts from the Malton-based trainer.
Stable Tours
OurnextvisitcameinAprilwhenLa Pulga owners visited Kingsley Park on the morning of his first race in RaceShare silks, so it was a memorable bumper day of action. Sadly, the awful British weather hadn’t improved, despite the month ofMaybeingaroundthecorner,but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 50 or so owners who went to the Middleham yard and then on to Thirsk races. La Pulga ran a promising race on ground that was toosoftandhesoonputthatbehind him with some stunning performancessince.
Stable Tours
Maywasabusymonthforstablevisits,becauseinthespaceof12days,the RaceShare team visited Aramstone Stables in Hereford to see Jolly Nellerie, Scampi at the Andrew Balding yard in Kingsclere, Hampshire and Treasure
TimeatWilliamHaggas’SomervilleLodgeinNewmarket.
Thank you to you, our owners
We must take this opportunity to THANK YOU all, the owners, for your amazing support since RaceShare began last November.
We have seen so many photos from you all enjoying the races and this is just the beginningofthejourney.
Our growing community
Our Facebook group has become a real hive of activity and the interaction between owners on there has been amazing. Whether it’s general racing questions, discussion on our updates and the latest with your horses, the level of participation and positivity has been lovelytosee.
Oli Bell’s blogs and videos
Alongside a busy period of stable visits and runners, Oli has also been writing monthly blogs, sending regular videos to owners, and he and Ross Brierley have produced a monthly show for all owners. The RaceShare team has also been workingtirelesslywiththeyardstosendinformativeandvariedupdatesonourfive horses, regardless of their activity on the track. These have included Sean Quinn giving updates on targets whilst riding Red Mirage back from the gallops, insight into the feed room from Rob Shackleford at the Haggas yard, La Pulga on the scalesatKingsleyPark,ScampionthegallopsatthebeautifulParkHouseandJolly Nelleriefrolickinginthefieldwithhisstablemates.
Monthly Shows and our insightful video updates
Insight into the feed room at William Haggas’s Somerville Lodge:
La Pulga being weighed at Kingsley Park: Sean Quinn updating us from aboard Red Mirage on the gallops:
Our RaceTime Shows
OurRaceTimeshowsareauniqueoffering in the syndicate industry and they comprise a live broadcast, including footage from the racecourse, whenever wehavearunner.DanWalshcalledhome our first winner in a hilarious show, where he didn’t know what to do with himself, and then Ross Brierley was overjoyed to describetheactionasLaPulgawoneasily at Hamilton. Click the links below to catch-uponafewoftheshows.
Cheltenham and Royal Ascot Previews
We also hosted an online Cheltenham Festivalpreview,hostedbyRossBrierleyand featuring Oli Bell, Lydia Hislop and Simon Rowlands, and a Royal Ascot equivalent on the eve of one of the biggest Flat meetings oftheyear.Clicktheplaybuttonsoppositeif youwouldliketowatchthemback.
ThelatestRoyalAscotpreviewyieldedsome decent priced winners, including Oli’s selection Bradsell, who was as big as 33/1 and won the King’s Stand on the opening dayat14/1.
Our generous referral scheme
In addition to all our content, we released our referral scheme, whereby owners can earn £10 for every share bought by the friends/relatives they refer to RaceShare (and those referred get 10% off their first purchase), so we are grateful for your support of this initiative and helping RaceShare to grow.
Thank you for reading the inaugural edition of the RaceShare Times and we look forward to sharing all the wonderful events of the next three months, at the end of September.
