In the red corner was White Moonlight, a racehorse owned by a Godolphin enterprise that has made at least £2 million in prize money every single season since 2008. In the blue corner was Heredia, a horse owned by a St Albans Bloodstock operation that is yet to make £2 million in prize money, in total, since launching in 2016.
This was David vs Goliath stuff in the Queen of Scots Fillies’ Stakes on June 3rd. This event is renowned as one of the flagship Flat races to be held on Scottish soil at Musselburgh. However, sadly for fans of a good underdog story, this was one sporting occasion that failed to deliver. In fact, a giant killing was only narrowly avoided.
Own It
There’s a sense that success breeds success – particularly when well-connected ownership groups partner up with the finest trainers and jockeys. The Godolphin connection, as well as other prominent owners in the sport like John Magnier, J.P. McManus and Michael O’Leary, continue to be some of racing’s most prolific winners. Nonetheless, that’s not to say that owners or syndicates running a smaller operation can’t be successful, too. For example, a racing group that had invested in Corach Rambler enjoyed a remarkable day out at the Grand National in April.
That said, whilst the sport may accommodate the elite and well-connected trainers and jockeys, the world of horse race betting is far more inclusive. You don’t have to be well-versed in the historic records of horse racing events to place a wager – you just have to have a basic interest and a nose for sniffing out value, where odds are concerned.
Not only this, but horse racing ownership is accessible to everyone too. Regardless of whether you’re a newbie on the scene or an avid fan of horse racing, you can get involved in numerous ways e.g. via syndicates offering buy-in options or a racehorse shares gift for friends or family. These methods mean that anyone can enjoy a chance to own a winning horse or two. You can invest as little (the minimum is as low as £10) or as much as you want, before following your horse’s progress as it competes up and down the land. With Group 1 winning trainers like William Haggas and Andrew Balding involved in syndicates, owners know that their investment is getting the best possible preparation.
Not all investments will yield a handsome return in prize money, of course, but having a stake in a racehorse will provide plenty of excitement come race day – Musselburgh’s festival of Flat racing in June is a perfect case in point.
White Moonlight
Unfortunately for those seeking a Hollywood ending, the betting favourite Heredia fluffed her lines in the Listed one-mile renewal.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>HEREIDA takes the Sandringham Stakes! <a href=”https://t.co/sJfAeujbHS”>pic.twitter.com/sJfAeujbHS</a></p>— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Ascot/status/1537832617407614977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
The four-year-old, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden on the day by Sean Levey, won the Sandringham Stakes on the firm ground of Ascot in June 2022, and so the filly was expected to prevail once again despite taking a step up in class to Listed company.
White Moonlight, a more experienced campaigner at the age of six, hadn’t won a race since 2019 – the mare hadn’t even placed on UK soil since a low-key third place at Chelmsford City a year prior. However, she upset the formbook under a patient ride, tracking the leader Classic Puzzle before enforcing her class in the final two furlongs with a powerful staying-on finish. Heredia, in contrast, didn’t show anything like the turn of speed of her previous victories. Despite closing in on White Moonlight at the business end of the race, she could not close the gap to less than a length.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>White Moonlight eclipses Heredia under <a href=”https://twitter.com/Lsteward4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Lsteward4</a> <br>in the <a href=”https://twitter.com/Edinburgh_Gin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Edinburgh_Gin</a> Queen of Scots Fillies' Stakes ?<a href=”https://twitter.com/godolphin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@godolphin</a>'s lightly-raced mare, who holds an entry in the Duke Of Cambridge at Royal Ascot, was winning for the first time since her juvenile days? <a href=”https://t.co/t21IiOEakK”>pic.twitter.com/t21IiOEakK</a></p>— Musselburgh Racecourse (@MusselburghRace) <a href=”https://twitter.com/MusselburghRace/status/1664999728256352257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
The win added around £27,000 to the Godolphin’s mammoth yearly earnings, with the race undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of a fine day of action at Musselburgh. All eyes will now be on September’s Musselburgh Gold Cup and Flat season finale.
Will those racecards offer a chance for an underdog racehorse owner to thrive, or will the biggest names in the sport continue to dominate?
