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My friend’s wife has just bought him a year’s membership for about £200. What can he expect? How many members are there and what are the ‘perks’? Is it worth the dosh? Are there any members on here? etcetc
Many thanks
Crizzy- Total Posts 17716
Put simply, Crizzy, it’s not worth £200 at all.
As a member you will receive a regular newsletter, with updates on the progress of various horses and a review of any races in which they have participated, access to a telephone-based (not free, either) information line for club runners, the chance to attend meetings as an owner (you have to apply in advance of the meeting and hope you make the shortlist) and a share of the combined prize money of the club’s horses.
It all sounds very nice, doesn’t it? The sad fact is you’re one of over 20,000 members – which renders the concept of ‘ownership’ null and void in my opinion – and aren’t guaranteed to ever experience your day as an attending owner. The yard visits which they advertise can generally be organised regardless of your status as an Elite Racing Club member, the prize money you get a share of is generally negligible and subject to deductions on the basis of mid-season purchases, and you’re not guaranteed to see it anyway.
We bought a membership package for my grandad a few years ago and, aside from the newsletters he received, he got absolutely nothing out of it. When his contract ran out it took the club three and a half years to send his share of that season’s prize money (I believe it was something in the region of £34, but they had Soviet Song winning for them then).
Some people love the Elite Racing Club and, of course, that’s their prerogative, but being one of so many members just doesn’t appeal. If you want to be one of so many followers of a group of particular horses, why pay for the privilege? And, when you think about it, the numbers don’t stack up. I’m sure they have more than 20,000 members and, though not all of them will be paying the close-to-£200 subscription fee, it’s a potential income of £4,000,000 per annum. Last year they took £74,000 in prize money, have only 16 horses in training at the moment (one unnamed) and couldn’t be described as ‘willing to buy’ despite the plentiful supply of funds.
At one stage they attempted to justify the limitation of the distribution of prize money to returning subscribers only which, for me, says everything you need to know about them. They make a hell-of-a-lot of money with very little return (quantitative or otherwise).
Hi, Yes I am a member and have been for about 9 years now and absolutely love it. It is good because they have about 20 horses in training which you get regular updates on in the weekly newsletter and also they run a breeding programme and have several broodmares so you also get updates on them and their youngsters. Soviet Song is now at stud and has just produced her first foal, a colt by Oasis Dream and has now been covered by Ravens Pass.
The club also offers trips to see yards, racecourse hospitalities and also visits to the studs to see the broodmares, foals and yearlings about to enter training. I like the fact that they breed to race so you get to follow the progress of foals from in-utero through to the racecourse. They also make sure that racehorses they own have a good retirement too. A case in point is Penzance who has just gone to a good new home.
I suppose on the negative side it does have a lot of members but I have never had problems getting on visits etc. Also if they have a runner you can phone a hotline to get a paddock place although these are obviously limited but they give priority to members who havn’t already had one that year. The prize money earned by the horses is divided at the end of each year but obviously with so many members tends to be quite low which automatically comes off your membership renewal or can be paid to you if you don’t renew. It wasn’t the prize money that inspired me to join though but more the involvement with the horses. My membership comes up for renewal next month and I will be doing so again as I love the club. Sorry about the long post but I was trying to think of as many things about it for you as I could.- Total Posts 17716
Yes, it all depends what you want out of it. If you’re looking for an easy financial return or inside betting information then Elite Racing Club is obviously a waste of time (actually, like practically everything else in racing this side of Coolmore, unless you’re a fool, an incurable optimist, or work at the form around the clock.)
But if you are interested in an ongoing breeding programme over generations, through mares such as Kalinka (Soviet Song, Penzance) or Ffestiniog (Eistedffod, Boston Lodge, Brecon Beacon etc.) very full regular newsletters with reports on those mares, their foals and the horses in training, then it is a little money very well spent. And of course the longer you are a member, the better your share of the prize money.
The Club is going through a fallow period on the racecourse, after those extraordinary glory years, but that’s true of Godolphon too. And remember that the members do actually own the horses. The managing team does precisely that: manages.
They have started sending horses to Nigel Tinkler, that tells you plenty. Remember Safebreaker in their colours for that yard? Kevin Ryan bought the horse for about 2k and the horse has won 2 and been beaten a nose in his 3 races for him.
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But how does the breeding programme affect members, Pinza?
The point of a ‘breeding operation’ is surely to build solid and, ultimately, valuable stock, but such value is only useful to the club’s management. The only time breeding is applicable as a benefit to subscribers is when the horses actually race, and even then any sale in a seller or claimer isn’t subject to the same end-of-term distribution rules as regular prize money.
In essence you’re paying £185 to peer through the Elite Racing Club’s window and the glass is, I’m afraid to say, close to frosted.
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But how does the breeding programme affect members, Pinza?
[snip]
The only time breeding is applicable as a benefit to subscribers is when the horses actually race, and even then any sale in a seller or claimer isn’t subject to the same end-of-term distribution rules as regular prize money.
You are right, if you insist on looking at these things solely from the financial point of view.
Most members don’t look at it in that way, but are interested in the workings of the breeding operation for its own sake. It is fascinating, and involving, to read week-in week-out the full and vivid accounts of Maurice Camacho, or the Kirtlington Stud team, as to how the foals are developing, how the mares are mothering them (Soviet Song has surprised everyone positively in that regard!) and how trainers such as James Fanshawe feel when the 2-y-olds finally arrive at their yards.
There is more to emotional involvement than cashback. Personally, I don’t think Sheikh Mohammed could have experienced any deeper thrill than we felt, watching Soviet Song power past Attraction in the Matron at Leopardstown. It was, quite simply, a privilege to be there as her connections. Ownership feels the same, shared or single.
Having said which, I agree that the Club’s continued patronage of Nigel Tinkler raises questions. Why on earth Safebreaker wasn’t kept with Mark Johnston rather beats me – that was a great opportunity wasted. It needs more members to stand up and be counted on such matters.
Agree very much with Pinza, above.
I think the Elite Club appeals very much to the older racegoer, mature ladies in particular, who are less bothered about betting, profit and loss but appreciate the social aspects. At a gathering you often meet the same people, don’t always know their names but say hello and discuss the horses. I’ve been to loads of stable visits with them and people are always interested in the breeding operation too.
We stayed at Julie Camacho’s stable on another occasion and she had several broodmare’s in the field there and made us very welcome.
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I remember a few years ago a group of us went to Nicky Henderson’s and had lunch with him afterwards, a Q and A session too and it was most enjoyable. The debate at the time was over Kempton doing away with it’s chase course and I remember Nicky saying ”over my dead body”…lolI don’t recall seeing many there under the age of 40, so it may not appeal greatly to the younger male, gambling orientated person I think and shows us that racing need not be all about betting and value for many of us who are not normally heard on forums.
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I’m not suggesting that anyone who is thinking about joining should be mindful that they won’t make a profit – it goes without saying in horseracing ownership that profit is an enviable commodity – but the benefits each subscription fee brings to the club’s management far outstrips the ‘facilities’ made available to members.
A club with the funds they have available to them should be doing a lot more than they are, both in terms of the trainers they use and the quality of horses they own. They should also be careful to limit the number of members, in my opinion at least, as I really don’t see the appeal of being one of an ever-increasing number.
Having just looked through their downloadable brochure (which is out of date anyway I believe), they make a point of advertising ‘confidential inside information’ and that ‘the odd bet or two adds to the enjoyment’. In my experience of their so-called betting experts, their ability to accurately appraise the chances of any Elite horse is negligible at best and the newsletter was forever full of members complaining about their failures.
But, each to their own I suppose.
I’d just like to add my agreement to much of what Pinza and Ugly Mare have said. I’m in my first year of joining Elite and I fall into that band of forty something lady who isn’t in racing for the gambling (although I spend the odd pound here and there!) but enjoys the overall package and that is what I think you get with Elite.
I like the way with Elite that you can follow the breeding programme to the racecourse, to the retirement.
Over the past year I’ve enjoyed stable visits to Alan King and Henrietta Knight, the Kirtlington Stud and the end of the line at establishments like Greatwood and Heros. I suppose if anything as a predominately NH fan their operation is 80% geared towards the flat but it has given me more of an interest in that sphere this past year.
If I had to be critical I would say some of the other events such as the hospitality at racecourses which they always claim is "Good Value" to my pocket most certainly isn’t and I’ve not been able to afford to attend any of those events.
It is highly likely though that I will continue my membership of Elite.
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A club with the funds they have available to them should be doing a lot more than they are, both in terms of the trainers they use and the quality of horses they own.
The number and quality of horses in training has been the matter of much recent debate within the Club, and the decision made to reduce numbers slightly in an attempt to up the quality.
The difficulty is that Elite do need to try and square the circle by having a spread of horses available to run at all times of the year, on all surfaces and under both codes.
Trainers of the quality of Nicky Henderson, Alan King, James Fanshawe, Paul Cole and Roger Charlton (to name only those with some current horses in training for Elite) are not to be despised. But they would not necessarily be interested in preparing claimer-class animals for the Wolverhampton all-weather, which is where Julie Camacho and (to be fair) Mr Tinkler come into the equation.
And if you’re talking quality, watch out for Eistedffod’s half-brother Border Patrol (Roger Charlton) this flat season. All being well, he should make up into a very nice colt indeed.
Whats wrong with Nigel Sugarfoot Tinkler training for Elite? In the late 80’s when I first started following the sport Nigel was a pioneer of the mass membership syndicates with Full Circle and I well remember him enjoying considerable success with hurdlers ridden by Graham McCourt.
Nigel also trained my biggest price winner ever Bank Foot at 33/s in a champion hurdle trial at Haydock so yes I’m biased.
I agree absolutely with Equitrack about Elite. I am pretty familiar with the way they do things and in my eyes too, they offer virtually nothing for their fees, nevermind value coming into it! Elite is basically a clever way of getting a bunch of people to fund your racing and breeding operation, paying for you to have your horses run in your colours all over the country.
Nevermind ownership – if you read the Ts&Cs* the members don’t actually own the horses, and Elite members who delude themselves and others into thinking they are owners are only too common I’m afraid.
*extract from said document as per their website :
"It is understood by the Member;
(a) Full legal and equitable title to the horses referred to in paragraph (i) above and all such other horses acquired by the Club from time to time remains at all times with the Club
(b) at no time does the Member have a legal or equitable interest in any one or more of the horses referred to above (or any share thereof); "I’ve never been a member of Elite but i’m not sure what more you can expect for 200 quid a year.
For that kind of money you cant expect regular owners badges and being fawned over by the trainer and syndicate manager on a personal level. Nor can you expect to be provided with a never ending supply of tips.
I suppose you can expect a few organised trips to trainers yards and the like along with a feeling of involvement to a degree and perhaps the very occasional badge.
It sounds like they deliver that.
Anything back cash wise at the end of the year is just a bonus and that holds true no matter what level of ownership your involved in so the return, (or lack of it) argument doesnt really hold water.
The only thing i could say from reading the above posts is that they look a bit light on their string when you consider their alleged turnover.
As most owners will tell you though, when your horse races, irrespective of what sort of share you own and what you might stand to gain or lose financially, the feeling is still the same when it wins or runs well – money doesnt really come into it.
So, if you can get that feeling for £4 a week as oppose to pumping millions into it, who are the suckers – the members of Elite or the Maktoums, JP et al?
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