How did you get into racehorse ownership?

I grew up in Warwickshire and my father, who enjoyed his hunting, knew John Thorne, who bred, owned, trained and rode (aged 54) Spartan Missile to finish second to Aldaniti in the 1981 Grand National and to win the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters. My initial interest in racing grew from following the fortunes of the Thorne family in point-to-points and hunter chases.

In the mid-1980s another of my father’s hunting friends, Christopher Trietline, started to train National Hunt horses and he asked if we would be interested in leasing a horse with him. It was a dream come true when my parents supported me by taking a quarter share in a horse called More Hopeful, along with myself and Christopher and his wife Jackie.

More Hopeful won a couple of races and things developed from there, with me eventually buying my first horse with the Trietlines (Mountshannon) and then going into breeding when they stopped training and moved to Herefordshire.

What was your best day at the races and why?

I’ll never forget the day More Hopeful won his first race for me at Worcester in August 1986, because my parents were both there to share the success. But Daisy’s Gift winning the Listed Pat Walsh Memorial Mares Hurdle at Gowran Park last October has to be the best day. I bred her in partnership with the Trietlines and I was so proud of how she battled her way up the hill from the last hurdle to win from Whiteout. It was lovely to meet and share a drink with the Walsh family after the race.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

While the horses are doing what they were bred for and it’s lovely to see them develop and progress, it’s never easy when any of them are injured.

In your experience, which racecourse in Ireland treats owners the best and why?

I’ve enjoyed the facilities and hospitality at Galway and Fairyhouse, but also thought that, of the smaller courses, the owners’ room and bar at Killarney was very good.

Flat or jump racing, which do you prefer and why?

I very much prefer jump racing. The excitement of seeing horses jump at speed takes your breath away.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

One who is patient and takes their time to let the horse develop, places them well, doesn’t overface them too early and who makes me feel involved. It’s nice to see the horses work and develop at home as well as at the races. It’s also important to enjoy and celebrate the good days – Mr Mullins makes sure we take time to do that!

What improvements would you like to see racecourses in Ireland do for owners?

That’s difficult, as it will always be easier for the bigger courses and meetings to offer/afford to provide more. As a minimum, some form of owner facility where you can get a drink and something to eat in comfort, particularly on a cold or wet winter’s day.

How do you feel owners are treated when not having a winner?

I’ve not really noticed a difference between whether your horse finishes second or down the field. I don’t think I’d want it any different – the priority would be for horse and jockey to come back sound and for the course to have the best possible facilities if either were to be injured.

What significance do your colours hold?

Being born in Warwickshire, I’m a long suffering supporter of Coventry City Football Club, who were nicknamed the Sky Blues when Jimmy Hill introduced a sky blue strip when manager in the mid/late 1960s. That’s why I went for light/sky blue as the main colour.

I also have fond memories of playing football for the local electricity supply company I worked for in Leamington Spa. We played in sky blue shorts and maroon shorts which is why I selected maroon as the secondary colour.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

Daisy’s Gift and Good Thyne Tara were bred in partnership with the Trietlines, but I bought Screaming Rose from Patrick Mullins. I’d be looking for mares with reasonable pedigrees and the size and conformation to breed from longer term - hopefully after they have improved their pedigree further on the track.

Jackie Trietline and Jayne Butler deserve great credit for the hard work they put into the early development of both Daisy and Tara.

What horses do you currently have in training?

Daisy’s Gift, Good Thyne Tara and Screaming Rose – all with Willie Mullins.

What’s next on the agenda for your horses?

Daisy has won a bumper and three hurdles and is going down the beginners chase route now. Rose won her first hurdle recently at Killarney, having won two bumpers last year. Tara is back in full training and should be going novice hurdling, having won a bumper last season.

Have you any horses to look forward to? (i.e. young/unbroken horses)

I have two yearling fillies down at The Hook, Feathard-on-Sea with Ted Power, including a full-sister to Daisy. The plan is for these to progress into pre-training with Tracey Gilmore, near Borris, with a view to eventually moving into full training with Willie.

What would help to make Irish racing more competitive for the smaller owner/trainer?

One of the nicer aspects of National Hunt racing is that there are still plenty of examples of horses that have been owner-bred, or cheaply/well bought, who can win big prizes.

The rated/conditions races in Ireland are key to enabling novices to progress steadily up the ladder to graded races. While handicaps in theory create a more level playing field, the UK has gone too far down that route and the quality horses don’t get the same opportunities to develop steadily as they do in Ireland.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a racehorse owner?

Research the likely costs (websites like the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners provide information to help).

Never count on getting a return on your investment – always budget for the “worst case”, then anything else is a bonus. There will always be disappointments and down days but you need those to enjoy and appreciate the good days – so be sure to celebrate those!

Nigel King was in conversation with Olivia Hamilton. Call 01 4051149 if you would like to feature in The Owner.

The Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO) have secured agreement with the Association of Irish Racecourses for free admission to 107 race meetings in 2016 for owners who currently have a horse in training.

Details of the meetings are posted on www.irishracehorseowners.com and will also be listed in the new AIRO magazine.which will be sent to all members.