Britain's biggest jumps owners are deserting their home country for Ireland - so we asked them why

There is no stopping Irish jump racing. From big results at Cheltenham and Aintree to a shutout of all British runners in the country’s domestic Grade 1s last season, the sound of celebration as the best horses from Ireland win the biggest jump races has become very familiar. Yet not all those cheers are necessarily Irish.

In recent years, big-spending owners in Britain have increasingly chosen Ireland as the place for their horses to be trained, accentuating the dominance of Irish trainers and leaving those in Britain fighting for scraps at the major festivals.

Those with the deepest pockets have the biggest influence and perhaps the most notable of the big owners to choose Ireland is Cheveley Park Stud, a staple of the British breeding industry on the Flat for more than 50 years. As recently as 2018, the Newmarket powerhouse set out to become a major player at jump racing’s top table and in a short period they have built up an enviable squad of horses – yet none are trained in Britain.