David’s ownership experience day with sports4causes

Features | 20^th December 2024

"I was extremely fortunate to win two badges to Ascot Racecourse last month through In The Paddock and Sports4Causes."

Despite being a long-term racing enthusiast and avid follower, I hadn’t ever heard of Sports4Causes so wasn’t sure what to expect from my ‘owners experience’ day.

Ahead of the raceday, communications from the Sports4Causes team were clear and efficient. Our meeting point was arranged for where my brother Andrew and I would meet our host, Rupert.

Flash forward to the raceday and we arrived at Ascot’s breathtaking racecourse. From the moment you arrive it is difficult not to be overawed by the incredible grandstand which stands before you, no matter how many times you visit.

We met Rupert who explained all that was in store for the day which immediately sparked excitement for what was to come. Rupert pointed out many of the main points of interest around the course and explained we had access to all owners’ facilities throughout the day. We were spoilt for choice on the cold November’s day as the indoor facilities included a bar above the pre-parade ring, a trackside facility where afternoon tea would be served and the main owners lunchroom.

Most exciting of all, our authentic ownership experience day would incorporate a designated runner which we would have full access to in the preliminaries, as though it was our own!

We were informed ‘Our runner’ would line up in the last race – the Dan Skelton trained TOP TIER GOSSIP ridden by Harry Skelton. We would meet Rupert later in the day to enter the pre-parade and parade ring ahead of the race, as well as gain the opportunity to meet Dan and Harry Skelton and ask some questions about the runner and her chances ahead of the race.

Having arrived nearly an hour before the first race, we had plenty of time to enjoy the entirety of the race day before the thrill of the last.

We headed for a delicious three-course lunch in the owners dining room where there were many well-known faces also in sheltering from the chilly day. Trainers and owners gathered on shared tables which provided a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and hear about which horses they were connected to as well as their hopes for the day.

The days racing flew by and before we knew it, the time had come for us to head to the pre-parade accompanied by Rupert who we arranged to meet just outside.

We saw TOP TIER GOSSIP get saddled and paraded before we all headed for the parade ring. We were next introduced to trainer Dan Skelton who couldn’t have been more forthcoming in sharing what we could expect from our runner who undeniably had her work could out in the competitive field.

When Harry Skelton emerged from the weighing room, he too reiterated that the day was going to prove more of a fact-finding mission and an opportunity to gain valuable experience which would contribute to future success. The insight and opportunity to be right in the middle of the preliminary discussion was a real privilege, we were extremely grateful for Dan and Harry’s generosity with their time and attention.

The race, as expected, did not provide TOP TIER GOSSP with a debut win, however it was a promising effort which provided high hopes for the future. We will most certainly be following her career and future career closely.

The Sports4Causes ownership experience provided an incredibly memorable race day for my brother and I who came away feeling like VIPS.

Ownership is more accessible than ever, and I will certainly be looking into affordable options to have more days like that in the future. I would recommend the experience to any racing fan who has ever wondered what it is like to own a racehorse and get that first hand interaction with the people at the heart of the sport.

Thank to all those who made our day as pleasurable as it was. One of the best parts of the Sports4Causes initiative which stood out to me is the fact 50% of badge revenue goes straight to the deserving industry charity, Racing Welfare. I will be telling all my fellow racing fans about Sports4Causes’ offering as I know so many who would enjoy the experience just as much as I did. – Sports4Causes, In The Paddock and all at Ascot racecourse, we’ll be back.

David’s ownership experience day with sports4causes

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