How an invite to Guineas day led a business giant into becoming an owner-breeder

A picture of Hyperion that hangs in David Howden's London insurance office does not specifically represent his interest in racing. Instead, the pint-sized Derby winner of 1933 who went on to become a truly exceptional stallion has a far more important connotation.

"When we originally started the business it was called Howden Pangborn and with a great friend of mine, Luis Munoz-Rojas, who is Spanish and mad keen on showjumping and eventing, we were trying to think of a name," he begins.

"We had a logo with an 'h' and 'p' for Howden Pangborn and we didn't want to spend any more money redesigning a logo as we were very small, there were only about 30 people in the firm in those days and we were taking on much bigger competitors.