It’s little wonder then that so many find themselves drawn to the world of horse racing. A trip to the track is a glamorous and enjoyable way to waste both an afternoon and a little money. Yet some celebs go even further than a little flutter and become far more involved in the sport. Here are five British celebrities that own racehorses.
1. The Queen
They call horse racing the sport of kings, so it’s little wonder that it’s always fascinated the royal family. The Queen’s journey in racehorse ownership began in 1952, as she inherited a number of thoroughbreds following the death of her father King George VI. Since then her horses have won over 1300 races, including all five of the British Classics. Perhaps the Queen’s most successful horse was Dunfermline, which won the Epsom Oaks and St. Leger Stakes in the Silver Jubilee year of 1977.
2. Michael Owen
The former England striker played for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, but as his football career started to come to its end, Owen’s priorities started to move towards a different sport. It’s not unusual for footballers to turn into racehorse owners, but few have shown as much dedication as Owen. A well-known fan of horse racing, Owen has made it the primary focus of his post-football career. Owen currently owns five horses while over 100 more are trained at his Manor House Stables which are co-owned by Betfair founder, Andrew ‘Bert’ Black.
3. Ronnie Wood
Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has a real love affair with horse racing. He breeds horses at his stud in Ireland and his ex-wife Jo Wood used to own a number of flat racehorses until Ronnie started chasing after a different type of filly. Wood is as useful with a paintbrush as he is a guitar and the part-time artist has exhibited many paintings of racehorses.
4. Liz Hurley
The Austin Powers star is the owner of a sporting stallion and we don’t mean Shane Warne.
5. Lily Allen
Lily Allen has recently been complaining about how little she earns from music these days but that hasn’t stopped her from spending some of her £6m fortune on a couple of racehorses.Allen and her husband Sam Cooper invested in the racehorse ownership syndicate, De La Warr racing, back in 2012. It gave them a share in the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Ombrellino and the Richard Hannon-trained Polish Rider.Both horses came with a fine racing pedigree. Ombrellino is the son of the former Derby winner New Approach, while Polish Rider was sired by Ascot winner Dutch Art. If they fulfill their potential, then it will give Allen a reason to follow her own advice and smile.
