'We'll raise the roof' - Highclere boss targets Lincoln success but sounds warning over affordability checks

Harry Herbert said "the roof will be raised" if Atrium wins Saturday's Lincoln for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing but conceded the impact of affordability checks was casting a cloud over the coming Flat season.

Atrium is the first big runner of the new turf campaign for the Highclere syndicate, which celebrated Cachet's 1,000 Guineas win at Newmarket last May.

“It’s very exciting to get going and he’s in great shape,” said Herbert about the Charlie Fellowes-trained four-year-old, who is a top-priced 12-1 for the Doncaster contest.  “Charlie couldn’t be happier with him and this race has always been the plan. 

“It’ll be competitive but physically he's progressed from three to four, so we’d love to think there’s more improvement to come this year. Winning any race at any level is a great buzz, but if we can win the Lincoln on Saturday the roof will be raised.”

Cachet: landed the 1,000 Guineas for George Boughey and the Highclere teamCredit: Edward Whitaker

Landing one of the British Classics was a moment to savour for the Highclere team and Herbert said: “To win a domestic Classic in our silks was really special. We’ve been placed in them before but we’d never won one. It’s hard to do so it’s lovely to prove to people that it can be done.

"Jake Warren bought Cachet for 60,000gns at the sales and for her to go on and win the race was a testament to everyone involved. We were so spoiled with her last year and I’m not sure we’ll achieve that again this year, but we have a lovely group of three-year-old fillies.”

He added: “Right now they all seem sound and well, and we’re as optimistic as ever. Believing will probably run in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket. She nearly won the Group race at Ayr and she’s a very smart filly on her day. Eximious won impressively at Salisbury but was disappointing in the Rockfel at the end of the season. The race was a mess and she’s way better than that so we’re hoping she’ll do well on summer ground. 

“Pastiche won well at Southwell and we have a filly with Andrew Balding called Charitable, so we have a very nice group. Hebrides is in great shape and will run in the Victoria Cup all being well, while we hope Sea Eagle can develop into a possible candidate for the Britannia.”

Harry Herbert is concerned about the impact affordability checks may have on ownershipCredit: Edward Whitaker

Despite the sense of excitement heading into the new campaign, Herbert fears the government’s long-delayed gambling review white paper and its stance on affordability checks for punters will heavily impact the future of racing.

Herbert said: “I think it’s dreadful and I just can’t see how it’ll work. I know I put my head above the parapet a few weeks ago but it is terrible. It isn’t easy because a lot of owners love to have a bet and the idea of providing personal financial details to bookmakers feels wrong. I hope it can be sorted, but in the meantime the industry will have to ride out a pretty rocky patch because it could lead to people not wanting to reinvest in racehorses.”

The publication of the white paper has been increasingly delayed and Herbert said: "It’s all dragging on and I’m not sure the bookmakers know how to handle it all. It’s not what we need because it’s hard enough already with prize-money and the costs of training a racehorse.

“As shareowners, our prices have to go up accordingly. Like any business you have to run a tight ship but it’s the same for everyone. We love the sport and we know how immersed our shareowners are when they get involved. We have to do our best to retain them while making a massive effort to find new ones too.”

Read these next:

Highclere boss: British racing could be 'ripped to pieces' by intrusive affordability checks  

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