Rhoscolyn Out To Give Horse Watchers Group Success

Features | 25th August 2021

Since they formed six years ago, The Horse Watchers have built a reputation for winning with shrewdly bought horses from some of the biggest yards.

Experts in bloodstock and form analysis, the Horse Watchers have been able to identify and purchase fast-improving horses in recent seasons; earning themselves a reputation as shrewd judges in the sales ring. 

The next target for the upwardly mobile syndicate is to achieve a first domestic Group victory with latest star Rhoscolyn. A 23,000gns purchase from the Charlie Hills stable who has the Supreme Stakes at Goodwood this weekend as the first of a series of exciting top-level targets.

“He’s never stopped improving,” says Racing TV pundit Chris Dixon, who runs The Horse Watchers with brother Martin and fellow racing professionals Matt Taylor and Richard O’Brien.

“David O’Meara has done a great job with him and he deserves to take his chance at Group level now,” he adds. “He’s in the Group 3 Supreme Stakes and the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood – a track that brings the best out of him.

“After that we may go for the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster and also have him in the Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown, but have plenty of options in the autumn. We’re also considering the Group 3 Superior Mile at Haydock Park and have one eye on the Mile Championships on the All-Weather this winter, as well as possibly flying him out to Dubai.

“Big Country was out flagship horse – we loved him to bits – but Rhoscolyn has the potential to be even better and it’s exciting to think where he might take us in the next few months,” says Chris.

Since they bought the Territories gelding at the Horses in Training Sale at Newmarket last October, he has rattled up three consecutive wins in handicaps and has been second in Listed company at Pontefract and the valuable Golden Mile at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Champion All-Weather trainer Mick Appleby has been their principal trainer from the start, but following his relocation to Rutland in Leicestershire The Horse Watchers were keen to enlist a trainer in the north, and O’Meara fitted the bill.

Whilst the Irishman plots top level targets for Rhoscolyn and French recruit Tiger Touch, Appleby is carefully developing promising young horses such as Liberation Point – a 16,000 gns purchase who made a winning start at Ripon this week – and Chelmsford City scorer Saatty.

With over 50 winners on the board, including Big Country’s Listed Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract, Hakam’s Group 3 triumph in Norway and Saaheq’s Scottish Sprint Cup, The Horse Watchers are now taking their operation to a new level by inviting racing enthusiasts to join them in part ownership of a string of promising
horses.

“We took the decision last year to run it on a more commercial basis and sell shares in our horses, as we were getting so many enquiries,” explains Chris. “Our combined expertise in bloodstock, form analysis and race planning help us to identify horses with significant potential, buy them at the right price and campaign them in the right races.

“Now we have shareholders from a variety of backgrounds. Some are already owners in their own right but others are experiencing ownership for the first time.

“We do retain shares in all the horses so we feel the disappointment when things don’t go well. Racing is all about the highs and lows but we’ve enjoyed some fantastic moments and it’s great to be able to celebrate and enjoy them with other enthusiastic people,” adds Chris.

 

For more information visit thehorsewatchers.com