'British breeders need to work together to promote and support our industry'

Owner-breeder Simon Cox was recently appointed to the board of the Professional Jockeys Association, and to the Thoroughbred Breeders Association's board of trustees. Here he tells us about his involvement in the sport.

Are you looking forward to becoming involved in the racing industry in a different way via your PJA board position?

Very much so. I think our jockeys are a truly remarkable group of sportspeople and I look forward to supporting them via the PJA. I've got to know a few of them quite well over the past decade or so, and it's gratifying to be able to support them and their colleagues.

How did it come about?

I believe Ian Williams mentioned me to the chair Jon Holmes. I spoke with Jon and [chief executive] Paul Struthers and we thought we could work well together, along with the wider PJA team, and hopefully use my knowledge of racing and business to good effect.

If you had a magic wand and could immediately do one thing to improve a jockey’s lot, what would that be and why?

In general, jockeys deserve far more recognition and respect than they get, so it's hard to pick just one issue. If forced, I'd say bringing all racecourse jockey facilities up to a bare minimum standard with real urgency would be an obvious area. I think people would be shocked to see what they have to put up with at some venues.

Tell us a bit about the day job with Molson Coors.

I'm retiring at the end of the year as I want to devote more time to family and my passions, primary of which is racing. The part of Molson Coors that I run is a brewing/beverage business that covers everything outside the Americas. I've been a brewer for 32 years and I will really miss it, especially the people, but I'm excited about my next chapter too.

How did the connection with Ian Williams begin?

My wife Louise and I had been discussing buying our first racehorse, and as we were at Newbury for the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup we decided to attend the post-racing auction. The DBS sales desk team asked for a reference so I gave Ian's name as I'd provisionally decided I'd like him to be our trainer. Unfortunately, I hadn't actually told Ian or met him, so I quickly contacted him. Fortunately, he was also at Newbury, we met up and while we didn't fancy anything at the sales, I bought a store horse that was in the yard six weeks later. We called him Ghost Of A Smile and we had a lot of fun with him.

Tell us about the horses you have in training, and how long have you been an owner?

I've been a National Hunt owner for a decade now. I currently have three horses in training and they have all been multiple winners, albeit at a fairly modest level. I am hopeful though that Sometimes Always will make a decent novice chaser this season.

Sometimes Always: seen here winning for Cox at WetherbyCredit: Pool

And on to what we’re really interested in – can you fill us in on your broodmares, where they are, who they are, etc?

I have three mares and they all reside at Peter and Emma Hockenhull's Shade Oak Stud. I took initial, very valuable, advice on breeding from Bryan Mayoh and have tried to concentrate on starting with 'elite' National Hunt mares. All of them were really good steeplechasing racemares - Mia's Storm, Got Away and Oscar Rose.

Have you bred any runners yet and, if so, any success stories?

No runners yet, and won't be for a while as my oldest is still only a yearling.

What’s the thinking when it comes to picking a stallion, and what do you make of the choice for mare owners in Britain?

I am going to have to declare some bias when answering this question as I am part of the small syndicate that recently bought Logician. In simple terms, as a jumps breeder, I think you look for an elite performer over middle/staying distances that has a strong physical presence and a good racing attitude/temperament. I'm very excited about Logician as I think he has all these attributes, and that's where my mares will be going next year. As a general point, I think we need to work together as British breeders to promote and support our industry, which is under pressure.

As a TBA National Hunt Committee member, do you feel breeders deserve a louder voice in the conversations that shape fixtures, prize-money, race programme and the like?

I do believe that breeders need to be fully considered and consulted as we shape a healthy racing industry. There are some knowledgeable and passionate people at the TBA and I know they have a thoughtful and long-term view of racing and breeding. I do expect that the TBA, as part of the Horsemen's Group, will have, and should have, an influential voice.

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