Syndicate boss Bradley withdraws Samcro free training fees offer

Syndicate operator Nick Bradley's offer to pay new owners' training fees if Cheltenham Festival banker Samcro wins next week has been withdrawn.

Bradley, who runs Nick Bradley Racing, announced the news on Twitter on Saturday, saying: "The Cheltenham offer has now been withdrawn as of 12pm today.

"The offer was meant to be a bit of fun and no more. My friends and colleagues know that I wish Gordon [Elliott] and team Gigginstown every success at the Festival."

He later tweeted: “There is no team I will be cheering for more be it Samcro or any of their horses. I haven’t asked Gordon or his team about the wellbeing of any of his horse this NH season, never mind the Cheltenham Festival.”

Bradley had pledged to cover the fees of anyone who bought a share in one of his team of horses before noon on March 14, the day the odds-on Samcro lines up for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Bradley, who has horses in training with Elliott, said he saw an opportunity in opposing Samcro to promote his business and picked the Ballymore favourite because he was "overhyped" and likely to continue to attract headlines during the festival.

The offer to new owners represented around half a year's training fees with a ten per cent share likely to have cost Bradley £2,000 in the event of a victory for Samcro.