So, what's it like to be part of the Sam England Racing Club?
In our new weekly series on racing syndicates, we meet those involved, get their take on the ownership experience and outline the key details should you wish to join. This week: Sam England Racing Club
The lowdown
How much does a share typically cost? £300 for 12 months membership, with no further costs involved. Some members move on to the separate Pink and Purple syndicate.
What does it get you? A guarantee that at least one horse will be racing for the club and usually two, to give people more of a chance of a day out.
Typically how many owners are there in each horse? It varies. At the moment there are "about a dozen".
Do syndicate members get tickets every time their horse runs? Organiser Terry Davis guarantees members a badge whenever either of the horses runs and says he has never let anybody down.
How do you communicate with members? Some members come from far afield, including one in Australia, and Davis contacts them via WhatsApp, or by personal phone call or email if they don't have that app. Members get photos and videos, and a preview of any runner as soon as possible after declarations so they can assess their horse's chance to decide whether they want to go racing.
How often do members see their horses at home? Sam England holds various open days through the year but any member can arrange to see their horse at the yard by calling Davis.
Which type of horse does the syndicate like to buy? Mainly jumpers. The club looks for sound horses who can run quite frequently so that members get days out. It may have one summer jumper and another who needs soft ground, to allow racing all year round.
What success have they had? Going Mobile won a Racing Post Go North series final at Carlisle last year and Manwell, the club's first horse, won four times and finished third in the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree in 2021.
Is there any chance of a return on investment? No, but costs are kept to a minimum with no advertising or glossy brochures.
How many horses and members does the Sam England Racing Club have at the moment? Two horses: Zain Farhh and Liffeydale Dreamer with 13 or 14 members.
Where is the syndicate based? Guiseley, between Bradford and Leeds in West Yorkshire.
Which trainers do the club use? Sam England
More information is available from Terry Davis (email: terrydavis40@hotmail.co.uk)
The experience
Sam England Racing Club members Laraine Hague from Scarborough and John Allen from Guiseley
When did you first get involved with the Sam England Racing Club?
Hague: I knew Terry and I joined about three years ago.
Allen: Three months ago. My dad was a bookie's clerk, I've been involved in racing at all sorts of levels and I was looking for something else. I met Terry at an open day and thought this sounded good.
What's been the highlight on the track?
Hague: When Going Mobile won at Hexham in June and I led him back to the winner's enclosure. That was absolutely fantastic.
And biggest disappointment?
Hague: There hasn't been one. I'm glad to say there have been no negatives at all.
What do you like about the way the Sam England Racing Club do ownership?
Hague: Having a good front man is the key and the communication is excellent. We get badges, we get involved and I even wash off the horses when they come in.
Allen: It's really well run by Terry and he makes the future look good. I've been involved in other clubs and syndicates and they can be a bit cliquey, but Terry has created a good group of people who love racing.
How do you find sharing ownership with strangers?
Hague: I find the new friends that I've made an enormous asset.
Allen: It's really good because everyone comes from different backgrounds and you come together to enjoy the sport.
How can racecourses improve the experience for syndicate members?
Hague: Perhaps one or two of the courses could be a bit more generous with their badge allocation, but apart from that they're fine.
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