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Ownaracehorse Frequently Asked Questions

Our Top 10 Questions:

How much will it cost?
What am I paying for?
After the initial payment, do I have to pay training costs?
I don't know anything about horseracing - is this service for me?
Do I get a share of the horses winnings?
Can I buy as a gift?
Can I go racing?
Will I get racing tips and information?
What happens if my horse is sold?
What is 'syndication'?
Can I speak to someone at Ownaracehorse?

Choosing and Buying a Racehorse:

How many shares should I buy?
I want to involve friends - what should I do?
How do I ensure I get a horse that wins races?
What methods of payment can I use?
What happens when my share period ends?

Your Racehorse:

How long will my ownership last?
How many times will my horse run?
What happens if the horse gets injured?
What will be my colours/silks - can I pick them?
Can I get the horse to run at my local racetrack?
Can I log into my Racehorse Manager at any time?
Can I own more than one horse?
Can I contact other owners?
Can I contact the trainer?
Can I speak to the jockey?
Do I have a say in which races my horse runs?
How do I get owners badges?

How do I?:

Purchase a share in a horse
Log into my Racehorse Manager account
Find out when my horse is running
Arrange going to the races
Work out my winnings

The Ownaracehorse site:

Who are Ownaracehorse Ltd?
Is the site secure?
Are you approved?


Your question not here?

If you have a question which does not appear on this page, please don't hesitate to call us on our Helpdesk Number (top of every page).  Our helpdesk staff are highly knowledgeable regarding the horses and our service and should be able to answer any more detailed questions you may have.  At busy times, or if we are out racing or at a trainers yard, we may ask you to leave a message, but we regularly check our voicemail and will return your call as soon as possible.




How much will a share cost?

Share costs are dependent on the size of the percentage (from 0.1% to as high as 20.0%)Shares are available in racehorses range from £80.00 up to £5,000.  You may need to buy more than one share if you want to qualify to be paid any winnings or want to be more likely to receive free Owners Badges. Our Private service shares start at around £1,000. However, all our shares are a one-off cost - there is never any extra to pay.

Our lowest cost shares will always be those horses which are part way through their share period.  This means that the price of a share in a horse could cost as little as £80.00, but it may only have a month or two to run.  However, even in this short period, a horse can still realistically run 2-3 times.



What am I paying for?

You are receiving an ownership experience for yourself or a gift recipient in a real racehorse!  Your payment covers your share in the training, saddlery and silks, vets fees, insurance, travel to the races, and any gallop fees.  The cost of declarations, entries, jockey fees and trainers fees are also included. The one-off fee also includes all the services Ownaracehorse provide - access to the 'Racehorse Manager' information, our helpdesk and managing yard visits and racecourse representation.

You or your gift recipient will receive a full season of racing with your racehorse (depending on on whether you purchase the share at the start or during the share period).



After the initial payment, do I have to pay training costs?

No - once you have purchased your share there are no fees to pay.  Our fees are truly one-off. There is no requirement to renew your shareholding once your share period has finished and we will not re-charge you at the end of the share period.



I don't know anything about horseracing - is this service for me?

Certainly!  We make the participation in a racehorse simple -  we attempt to make the entire experience easy to understand and provide a great facility to keep you informed with your horse, plus a manned helpdesk. Even if you are completely new to horseracing, we present the information and updates about your horse in such a way that you will quickly become accustomed to how ownership operates.  For customers who are not internet friendly, we can also provide Text Message alerts to your mobile phone, or you can call our helpdesk at any time for help and information.



Do I get a share of the horses winnings/prize-money?

Yes - if you buy enough shares and the horse details state winnings are available, your Racehorse Manager account will be credited with winnings every time your horse earns winnings - exactly in line with the percentage of the horse you own. Our purchase process will confirm whether you have bought enough in a particular horse to qualify for winnings - usually its only one share which is required, and for a small number two shares are needed.

Prize-money is credited to your account within a month of each race. At the end of the season the total prizemoney you have earned is released and made available for you to claim. Read about prizemoney in more depth.

Can I buy as a gift?

Yes!  Our Gift Packs are very popular and provide a method of buying shares which makes our shares perfect as a Gift.



Can I go racing as an Owner?

Absolutely!  Your share entitles you to go racing as an owner.  Although we can't guarantee a free Owners badges every single time your horse runs, we have a fair method of allocation and usually satisfy all shareholders with discounted badges as a minimum.  Even if you don't get free badges, you can still go to the races and we will meet you and introduce you to the trainer and jockey in the parade ring (subject to the racecourse's dress code!).



Will I get racing tips and information?

Being a shareholder means you will get intimate information regarding your racehorse, and therefore its chances on winning.  However, the Ownaracehorse service will not provide you with information on all the horses we offer shares in - only those in which you buy a share.  You should not base your decision to buy a share from Ownaracehorse only on the availability of 'inside information' or that you will recoup your outlay through betting. We are not a tipping service.



What happens if my horse is sold during the share period?

Some of our racehorses will run in Selling Races or Claiming Races.  Therefore there is a risk that your horse may be 'claimed' or sold (if your horse finishes first it will be offered for public auction).  Either way, the ownership of the horse could change.  This is the nature of horseracing, and as such is a risk all owners take from time to time. 

To give this statement some context, we have owned over 200 racehorses since 2004 any only two have every been sold or claimed during a season. In both cases we replaced the horse with another for the remainder of the season.

There is also the small possibility that your horse may be sold by Ownaracehorse. However, this always occurs at the end of the season.



What is 'syndication'?

Syndication simply means sharing the cost and the pleasure of owning a racehorse between a group of people - and allowing each of those people involved to enjoy the thrill of ownership. The syndicate can be of any size.



Can I speak to someone at Ownaracehorse?

Certainly! Call us on our helpdesk number - see top of page! - and you will be able to discuss every detail of your horse, or ask about which shares are the best for you.  If you prefer, you can also purchase your shares over the phone, rather than through the internet - although you will have to login to your Racehorse Manager account to activate the service.



How many shares should I buy?

You may buy as many shares as you wish, but usually you would buy more than one share for three reasons - to increase your winnings, to become part of our 'Private Service' or to ensure you are more likely to receive free Owners Badges when you horse runs.

If you want to be able to claim winnings from your horse, you need to buy a minimum amount of shares to qualify.  The number of shares required to do this is clearly stated in the horse profile for each horse in the 'View The Horses' area.  Buying two or three shares in a single horse means that you are more likely to be allocated free Owners Badges when you go racing - it also allows you to apply for badges for any friends who may be going racing with you.

The way the 'Racehorse Manager' works is to allow you to have multiple horses running on your account at any one time.  This means you can ensure you have plenty of action to look forward to.  Once you have bought your first share and created your account you can then purchase as many additional shares as you wish in the same, or alternative horses.



I want to involve family and friends - what should I do?

Each shareholder can apply for up to 2 Owners badges each time their racehorse runs, and we allow up to 4 people to accompany the shareholder to our stable visits. However if you want other members of your family or a group of friends to participate, there are a number of ways of doing this - contact us and we can explain the options.



How do I ensure I get a horse that wins races?

There are absolutely no guarantees that your racehorse will win races.  We do diligently attempt to source horses which will have a high probability of winning a race, with trainers who will place them to win.  However, there is no way to ensure you will get a winner!

Horses which have already won a race before are more likely to do so again, so as a rule of thumb look for a horse which already has the 'winning way'.  We attempt to give a detailed brief on each horse so that your decision can be made with total knowledge of the type of horse and trainer you are becoming involved with.



What methods of payment can I use?

You can pay with any Mastercard, or Visa credit cards or any debit card, or you may pay via Paypal.

Please note that due to ever-increasing Credit Card costs charged to retailers, some Credit Card payments are subject to a surcharge of 2.5%.  Debit cards are free of any charge. You may contact us if you wish to organise alternative payment.



How long will my ownership last?

Your ownership in your racehorse(s) will last for the term of the share period.  All share periods last for between 5 and 10 months.  Look for the 'Share/Season End Date' in the 'Racehorse Profile' section for each horse.  We always state the start and end date, and within the horse overview we will let shareholders know how long the share will last (its season).

There are basically two seasons for our flat horses each year - All-Weather and Turf. The All-Weather season (and their share periods) last from October to April and a our turf season horses race from April to November.

We use seasonal share periods because very few horses will run all year round.  For example a flat turf horse will tend to run from April to November on the turf and then have the rest of the winter off.  By selling shares for particular seasons we are able to keep the cost of shares to a reasonable rate.

From time to time we will purchase horses mid-season.  For these horses we provide special share periods, and this is always clearly stated in the horses' overview and service information sections.



How many times will my horse run?

We always guarantee you a minimum of two runs from your racehorse during the share period. See our 'Value Guarantee' within each horse's profile to see what race guarantee we are able to provide for each individual racehorse. 

However all share purchasers and gift recipients MUST be aware that we are dealing with live animals and as such, we cannot guarantee the horse you choose will win, or that they will earn prizemoney. Past performance of racehorses is no guarantee of future performance.  Also, we cannot absolutely guarantee your horse will race at any specific racecourse or will race with an even spread through the season.  This is the nature of racehorse ownership.  No refunds are available for part-share periods where the horse does not run, whatever the reason.

Shareholders should be aware that some horses will take summer or winter breaks and may have many weeks off the track at a time - this is all part of owning a racehorse.

As with all racehorses, our horses tend to run between 3 and 10 races each per season, depending on their age and how robust they are. We try to indicate how many runs you could reasonable expect from your horse in the purchase pages, specifically in the horse's profile.  Runs from your horse may not be evenly spaced out during the share period, so we always encourage shareholders to go racing with their horse at every possible opportunity.  You can never tell when a horse may need time off due to injury or setbacks, so make the most of the runs your racehorse has!



What happens if my horse gets injured?

It is an unfortunate reality of horseracing that your horse may become injured at some stage in its racing season.  For minor injuries, shareholders just have to be patient and wait for the horse to recover.

However, If your racehorse has a season-ending injury and has not already run according to their 'Value Guarantee', we will do our best to swap you into another horse of a similar sort, so that you get value for money. If your horse has already run a number of times before becoming injured, and is then ruled out for the rest of the season/share period, we will be unable to replace it - this is the chance you take when owning a racehorse.

Racing injuries and setbacks are part of ownership and are part of the experience, so we are unable to pay winnings on any transfers.  However, you are still able to visit the yard, get Owners badges to go racing and gain all the background and racing information regarding the replacement horse.



What will be my colours/silks - can I pick them?

Because you are involved in a small share, your colours for each horse will be either the colours of Ownaracehorse.co.uk, or the colours of the major share owner.  Your 'Racehorse Manager' will give you the colours for each horse you own.  To be able to pick the colours you need to own 50% or more of the racehorse.



Can I get the horse to run at my local racetrack?

No.  We leave all racing plans to the person charged with getting the horse to win - the trainer.  He or she will decide where the horse will run and how often.  However, we would recommend choosing a trainer who trains within your locale if going racing is your reason for purchasing a share.  Your horse is then much more likely to run its races within a reasonable distance of where it is trained.



Can I log into the Racehorse Manager at any time?

Certainly, we operate the Ownaracehorse web site 24 hours a day.  Information about your horse can be added at any time of the day or night.



Can I own shares in more than one racehorse?

Absolutely!  The 'Racehorse Manager' has been created to allow you to own shares in a string of racehorses and therefore get plenty of thrills and value for money. 



Can I contact other owners?

One of the joys of racehorse ownership is meeting other owners at the races and yard visits. We have some shareholders who have developed long-term close relationships with other shareholders, and we try to promote an informal but friendly atmosphere at the races and the yard visits. Of course it is up to you whether you interact with other shareholders - but virtually all of our shareholders are with us because of a love for racing and the horses temselves - so there is always plenty to talk about!



Can I contact my trainer?

Yes.  However, we ask you do this through the 'Racehorse Manager' so that we can control the number of requests and questions.  Trainers are busy people, often rising early, travelling large distances and retiring late in the day - so 20 emails a day will be unlikely to get answered!  We ensure all questions are asked in our bi-weekly update with the trainer - and most trainers will give you a personal response via ourselves.



Can I speak to my jockey?

Yes.  When your horse runs you will be able to meet the jockey in the parade ring prior to the race. Obviously, they are there to do a job, but there will be opportunity to speak with them.



Do I have a say in which races my horse runs in?

No, that's the job of the trainer - he knows the horse and will place them with the best opportunity to win races.  However, you may certainly suggest suitable races to the trainer via the Racehorse Manager!



How do I purchase a share in a racehorse?

Simply follow the instruction on our 3 easy steps page.



How do I log into my Racehorse Manager account?

Click on the 'Login' button on the top far right-hand corner of any page, or at the bottom of the menu on a phone browser, and you will be able to log into your racehorse Manager.



How do I find out when my horse is running?

You could consult the racing press each day, however, we have made this somewhat easier - the Racehorse Manager will send you automatic email updates when your horse has been entered to run, when it has been declared, and on the day of its run.



How do I arrange to go to the races?

Your Racehorse Manager manages this process for you - including the allocation of Owners Badges for each run. You simply request a badge when the horse is entered to run and we do the rest!



Who are Ownaracehorse Ltd?

We are professional racehorse syndication managers. We attempt to make the wonderful sport of horseracing cheaper and more accessible through the internet, by increasing the information you are provided with, and also ensuring you have a great day out at the races when your horse runs or at the trainers yard during a visit. you can learn more about the team in the about us section of our public website.

If you have any doubts about buying from us, simply call our helpdesk and speak to one of our staff, we are more than happy to help.



How do I work out my winnings?

If you buy enough shares to qualify for winnings, your allocated winnings will appear in your 'Racehorse Manager' within a few days of the race.  Winnings are paid according to the position your horse finishes (generally the first three in a race will attract winnings, with the lions share to the winner).  The value of the race is stated in the racing press - but there are various costs which are deducted from winnings such as jockey and trainer percentages - which can add up to 30% of the total.

As an example, if you own 2% of a horse and the horse wins a race worth £4000 to the winner, you could expect about £55 to be added to your 'Racehorse Manager' account.  Winnings are allocated within a week of each race, but are available to be paid at the end of the share period, either via Paypal or Cheque (minimum £20.00 required).  Alternatively you may offset your winnings against another Ownaracehorse horse or if you have under £20 in winnings, choose to donate your winnings to a racing charity.



How do I get free or discounted Owners badges?

Most racecourses provide a number of free owners badges per horse.  This can vary from course to course but is usually between 6 and 8 badges per horse.

Owners badges can be collected at the racecourse from the 'Owners and Trainers' entrance and they allow you entrance to the racecourse for free or at a discounted rate.  They can be worth up to £80.00 each.

When your horse is declared for a race you may apply for a badge via your 'Racehorse Manager'.  We allocate badges according to how many shares you hold, whether you have been allocated them before, and the amount available.  You may apply for 1 FREE badge, plus a extra discounted one as well, but we cannot guarantee they will always be granted.  You are informed either way by email.

If you are not allocated badges, you may still attend the races - the average cost of entry to the Tattersalls area of a UK Racecourse is £10.00 - £30.00.



What happens when my share period ends?

Your Ownaracehorse account will stay open, but will not be updated with any further information regarding your racehorse.  With certain horses we may offer an extension to the share ownership period - if this is the case you will receive notification.  Past shareholders always have first refusal on any racehorse if we are keeping the horse in training.



Are you approved?

In order to provide this service we strictly follow the Weatherbys and British Horseracing Board's rules on co-ownership.  We are also a 'Recognised Company' with Weatherby's.

Therefore, whilst Ownaracehorse owns the horse for the share period, we do not pass any proprietary ownership rights to our account holders/shareholders.  However, we do provide all the benefits you would normally associate with racehorse ownership, including winnings, directly in line with the percentage of the horse you have purchased.



Is the Horse Manager secure?

Yes. You will notice that even our public website pages are secure. Each ownership account is secure and private, with login protected by 128 bit SSL encryption. 

The Racehorse Manager allows account holders to view the latest news on their horse, see declarations, read race reviews and race plans, watch video of past races and contact their trainers.  You can also request badges when your horse is due to run, and post questions and comments to your syndicate manager and your trainer. However, we DO NOT record any card or paypal information on our servers or databases, the only personal information is your postal address and email.

Ownaracehorse is a great way of experiencing racehorse ownership without the usual financial uncertainty and obligations - but with all the benefits you would normally associate with owning a racehorse.