101 of buying a racehorse.???

Plenty of good advice, so let me add my little bit;

Firstly 'minimizing risk' is a great idea, but not always that easy in practice; getting involved in more than one horse is a way of 'minimizing risk', but as FH says you have to pay the 'same' (depending on the trainer) keep on all the horses you buy, so if you buy one, you will pay R5k keep (example), but if you buy 4, you will pay R20k (keep) a month; so if you have a couple of mates / family that you can TRUST, it is not a bad idea to go into partnerships

Secondly, I would advise that you need to be able to go and see your 'stars' on a regular basis, so phone up a few trainers and see if you 'like' them - then arrange to go for a visit to the stables; also remember that only real desperate trainers will take you on straight away - unfortunately non-payers have made most very picky when accepting clients - but if you do find a 'good' one, the relationship should grow over the years to mutually benefit both parties - but at first it is a good idea to have a contract drawn up between yourself and the trainer you pick

Vet bills a big head-ache for most owners, so try and find out how much a trainer uses a vet - some do not use a vet for every little scratch and treat the horse themselves - others use vet's (at your expense) sort of by default

I think important to remember that the 'Virgo's Babes' are really the exception, and don't expect your 'star' to deliver dividends just because you paid a lot of money for him / her.

Be patient - some horses take longer to come to hand than others - and that's another reason you need to be able to trust your trainer.

Lastly, despite all the negatives, owning a horse (or a part of one) can be a great experience, ask those that have had the priviledge of leading in a winner - take the plunge if you can afford it (tu)

Hi 2 cents,

Buy at the ready to run sale. If you buy a yearling you pay for at least a year that the horse does not race. Plus you have a chance of running your horse in the ready to run cup.

I prefer buying shares, around 20 percent. If you buy 20% in 5 horses, the running costs are the same as for one horse, but you get five times the excitement. You get just as caught up with a horse whether you buy 20 or 100 %.

Buy horses with a partner who has been doing it for years. Really, don't try and do this on your own as a first time owner.

kzn sale coming up soon,plenty of bargains to be had,why not start another abc syndi?

Please dont buy one horse for 300k to start...if its a dud you will be out the game.....take 1 leg in 4 horses and that monthly keep is the same as one horse....you have 4 runners as against 1 and thats a better way to start. Even look to buy a horse already in training so you can get going ...then add on something from the sales....if you interested for something in training then PM me....

WESTERN EXPLORER Wrote:

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> Please dont buy one horse for 300k to start...if
> its a dud you will be out the game.....take 1 leg
> in 4 horses and that monthly keep is the same as
> one horse....you have 4 runners as against 1 and
> thats a better way to start. Even look to buy a
> horse already in training so you can get going
> ...then add on something from the sales....if you
> interested for something in training then PM
> me....

i agree - buy smaller share in two horses (SAY 50K = 1/4) take the other 200k and put in in an account that only pays for your stabling and vet bills (these can add up quickly and turn a 50k horse into a 100k one in a few "operations" and "chips" - enforced rest and recovery also costs)

The thing that sours most new owners to the game is big promises and little or no delivery - Another important thing to remember that feeding a slow horse will make you hate the game - If it shows you nothing remember that a quick divorce hurts far less than hanging on because it improved two lengths after ten starts!!

A losing horse eat as much as a world beater

TonyB ,you have my respect for courage and I hope you have lots of fun and even a break square or better as you seem to have the ideal attitude to your venture,But be very careful ..............in this game there are many looking to take advantage of any naivety and end up with your money so PLEASE get your advice and guidance from those with a successful track record.
Western Explorer has great experience and a consistent record of good runners and I would take up his offer of help and advice as I am sure you will be in good and trusted hands.

When does an owner start paying training fees? the R4k - R8k a month.. it obviously depends on when you acquire the horse, but if an owner has a young horse that isnt expected to run for quite a while, does he still pay the full training fees every month?

I train in KZN so can give u some good advice.
1 make sure you like the trainer, most first impressions are the right impression.
2 make sure he spells out all the costs,including the purchase costs and the training costs. Find out about vets bills, they can be horrendous.
3 peruse the stables he resides in. See if the horses are comfortable and the staff are courteous .
4 do get some info from the sales company about his payment record.
5 make sure he is happy to accommodate u at the stables and if u feel like going racing.
6 finally find out from him how he divulges information about his runners.
Make sure u are going to enjoy the ride as buying yearlings take time to see the ability. Remember that they might not run for a year.and the next 2 sales,sun coast and the 2yo sale in Jhb are good sales to buy horses at.
Best of luck Tony

James you get your ideas from my post??? <

Tony I think you now have the good advice to make the right decision

Flash that's why we really looking forward to having u on winning ways,birds of a feather

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Fuzzylogic Wrote:

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> When does an owner start paying training fees? the
> R4k - R8k a month.. it obviously depends on when
> you acquire the horse, but if an owner has a young
> horse that isnt expected to run for quite a while,
> does he still pay the full training fees every
> month?


Some trainers make use of 'spelling farms', where the 'training' fees are lower; others believe that they can look after the babies themselves better; I can only speak for myself, but in my stable, the charge for babies is about 75 - 80% of the charge when they are in 'full work' - again the 'trust factor' is important