Why a share in Glen Shiel is “like winning the lottery”

Features | 4^th May 2021

Most owners can only dream of tasting Group 1 glory, but those with a share in Hambleton Racing’s giant
killer Glen Shiel found themselves living that dream on Champions’ Day at Ascot last October.

His hard-fought victory in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint was a reminder that syndicates can enjoy
success at the very highest level – and now his nine proud owners have got a taste for the big time.

“Anything he achieves in Group races this year will be a bonus for me,” says shareholder Charlie Turner, a
London based building consultant. “It’s going to be an amazing season whatever happens, with Royal
Ascot and Champions Day to look forward to.”

Charlie was lucky enough to be at Ascot on that autumn afternoon when Glen Shiel and his regular partner
Hollie Doyle fought off sprinting heavyweight Brando to get the verdict in the tightest photo-finish.

“It was all a blur,” he recalls. “I could see he was in front as they flashed past me but thought Brando had
beaten him., I cried when I heard the result. I just didn’t think it could happen. It was like winning the
lottery.”

👑 The Queen of Ascot! @HollieDoyle1 wins her first Group 1 aboard GLEN SHIEL in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes 🤩#ChampionsDay pic.twitter.com/9CBEcu55tW
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) October 17, 2020

What dreams are made of!! Huge congratulations to all connections, excellent ride by @HollieDoyle1 and of course @Archie_Watson for the teams superb handling of Glen our hero!! 🤩🏇🏼👏🏻🥇#Group1Winner #LivingTheRacingDream https://t.co/tJIU84XHsO
— Hambleton Racing (@HambletonRacing) October 17, 2020

After enjoying a long winter break, Glen Shiel is back in training with Archie Watson in Lambourn in
readiness for the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh on 22nd May – his intended warm-up for the
Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot a month later.

Remarkably, the seven-year-old began last season by finishing second in a handicap on the All-Weather at Newcastle in June but after winning a similar race back there later that month his career suddenly took off.

“The turning point was finishing second in a Group 3 in Deauville”, reflects Charlie. “The look on Hollie’s
face said everything. She just lit up. After that he won a Group race in Ireland and finished second in the
Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock.”

Champions Day success took the gelding’s earning’s to almost £450,000 – not bad for a horse who was
bought out of the great French trainer Andre Fabre’s yard for just a tenth of that amount at Goffs Spring
Sales in May 2019 for Hambleton, who have been syndicating horses for 16 years.

The chestnut son of Pivotal has won five times in their distinctive gold and navy blue silks, and it is
testament to Watson’s skills that he has improved his official rating from 96 to 117, making him one of the
best sprinters in Europe.

“Glen was the second horse I bought a share in with Hambleton,” adds Charlie, “but now I’m involved in
five thanks to his success, including Going Places with Archie who might be living up to his name in the
summer as we’re hoping to run him in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot.

“I’ve been to Archie’s yard in Lambourn several times and am always made welcome. I was also lucky enough to name the filly we have with Kevin Ryan, Stars In The Night, who has just won three in a row. To say I’m living the dream is an under-statement.”