Tom King had never owned a share in a racehorse until he invested in the four-year-old sprinter, who is trained in Lambourn by Owen Burrows and runs in the colours of Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds.

But together with his fellow stakeholders, Chippenham-based Tom hopes he’ll be raising a glass at the end of one of the most famous handicaps in world racing on Saturday, 3^rd August.

“It’s fantastic to have a runner with a good chance in a race as important as the Stewards’ Cup,” he says. “Fair Wind has already taken us to the winner’s enclosure in a £100,000 handicap at Ascot so this is an amazing bonus.

“Now I’m retired I can indulge myself in my racing and I’m enjoying every bit of the experience, from being at the races as an owner to visiting the stables as often as I can.”

Tom honed his interest in racing as a young man living in Sydney, Australia, back in the Seventies, when he would regularly visit Randwick racecourse at the weekends.

“When I came back to Britain I developed a stronger interest in jumps racing and have been a member at Cheltenham for many years,” he recalls.

“Despite my love of jumping, I got involved with the Hot To Trot racing club a few years ago by sheer chance and had so much fun I decided to increase my involvement and buy a proper share in a horse.

“Sam Hoskins, who runs Hot To Trot, introduced me to his Kennet Valley syndicate and soon I was a part-owner of a Tasleet colt who went on to become Fair Wind. I’ve had so much fun with him that I now have a share in two other Kennet Valley horses, Dragon Leader and Conscript, who are both in training with Clive Cox.

“Dragon Leader gave us some wonderful days out last year, winning the big sales race at York and then the Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar,” recalls Tom. “Conscript is a two-year-old colt by Soldier’s Call who ran very well on debut at Haydock.”