A Day at Newbury Races
SOLARIO RACING today celebrates its tenth anniversary and would like to thank the many owners who have helped us reach this milestone.
Yours truly has been very fortunate to work in an industry I have loved for 26 years, the last ten of which have been running Solario Racing, a racehorse syndication and hospitality company based in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
We have our horses in training with Dean Ivory, a Group One-winning trainer whose 115-acre private stables are up the road in nearby Radlett, Hertfordshire. Dean has been very supportive since we first put horses with him in 2013 and we have enjoyed plenty of success on the racecourse during recent years.
Don’t Look Down on his Naming Day
As any trainer will tell you, it’s teamwork which brings about success. In my case, I’d like to thank not only Dean Ivory but the horses and owners who have helped Solario Racing get to the ripe old age of ten, without me losing any more hair!
There have been ups and downs along the way but the ups have always more than made up for the downs. The biggest disappointment has been Don’t Look Down, who showed so much promise on the track but whose racing career was sadly curtailed by injury. The good news is that he is alive and very much kicking, enjoying an active life as an aspiring dressage horse at Welwyn Equestrian Centre.
Dancinginthewoods – 1st at Newmarket
As for the highlights, while one is reluctant to single out a particular event, Dancinginthewoods winning on his debut at Newmarket as a 2yo at 50/1 would have to be right up there!
I should also thank Peter Harris, with whom I cut my teeth in syndication from 1994-2003. Peter may have hung up his distinctive racing silks but it was lovely to see his daughter, Alison Swinburn enjoy Group One success at the Breeders Cup over the week end in Peter’s old colours, courtesy of Audarya, a 4yo filly by sire of the moment, Wootton Bassett. Hope this bodes well for our very own Wootton Bassett, Royal Dollar!
If we were living in normal times, Solario Racing would have been celebrating its 10th anniversary in style with owners but given the current restrictions, I’ll content myself with raising a glass of red and say “Cheers and thank you to everyone who’s contributed to Solario Racing making it ten….not out!”
