Kim Bailey’s flag-bearer recently retired at the grand old age of 13 having made dreams come true for the May We Never Be Found Out Partnership.
Trained by the experienced Kim Bailey and Matt Nicholls at their Cotswolds base just a dozen miles from Cheltenham Racecourse, he took his owners to some of jump racing’s biggest days.
The original partnership had enjoyed plenty of success with 2014 Sky Bet Chase winner The Rainbow Hunter, a runner in three Grand Nationals.
Seeing how much joy he brought, the original quartet of Dermot Clancy, Kevin Clancy, Stephen Cannon and Oli Bell doubled in size with extended family members keen to join in for their next horse. That horse was Two For Gold.
In more than eight years, he won 11 races, finished runner-up in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase and took part in the Grand National.
ITV Racing presenter Oli said: “We had so much fun. He wasn’t an expensive horse but always punched above his weight. He always tried so hard and was just a joy to own.
“The fact he was able to take us to the very best races and be more than competitive was just incredible.
“When he won the first ever Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield he beat Dashel Drasher and Bristol De Mai.”
For Oli, the experience was made all the more enjoyable by sharing the victories – and the not so successful days – with his co-owners.
He added: “We had a big mix of ages from 70-odd right down to 22-years-old.
“Some of the guys had young kids. They took them racing for the first time when Two For Gold ran and you could almost see, right in front of your eyes, them getting the racing bug. That’s what it’s all about.
“It’s way more fun to own horses with other people. You revel in the success – or down your sorrows – together. Shared ownership takes way a bit of the burden of cost, as well.
“There’s not many things in life that bring people together like it. Most people are caught up in their own lives but shared ownership allows you to keep in close touch with your mates.
“The walls of my office are just covered in pictures of The Rainbow Hunter and Two For Gold.
“They bring back some many great memories of friendship, camaraderie and some wonderful days. I feel very lucky have been a part of it all.
“I genuinely couldn’t recommend syndicates and shared ownership enough. I’ve seen people in other syndicates who were alone and maybe struggling a bit. The syndicates gave them a community of friends that they hadn’t had for a long time.”
Two For Gold has gone off to enjoy his well-deserved retirement but that’s not the end of the May We Never Be Found Out Partnership.
Oli revealed: “One of our original members, Dermot, always wanted to own a grey horse as he had snowy white hair. Sadly, he passed away about six years ago, but our next horse, Amazing Cleni, who won at Leicester just before Christmas, is a grey, so the partnership continues.”
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