'People spend millions to be in our position' - the 3,500gns buy who is a Group 1 winner and has Royal Ascot and Breeders' Cup aims

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Regional has taken the Future Champions Racing Syndicate on the journey of a lifetime and now connections are dreaming about a Breeders' Cup trip with the 3,500gns purchase – with Royal Ascot first on the horizon.

Long-time racing fans Byron Hubbard and Danny Clark set up the syndicate four years ago and were eager to place their trust in Middleham-based trainer Ed Bethell, having long admired the methods of his father James. 

Their first purchase was Regional.

“When we approached Ed, he did think it was a little strange to start with, as we’re based down in Brighton, but we soon went to Tattersalls together," Hubbard said. "We had ten horses on our list and £40,000 of our customers’ money.

“We were outbid on nine of them, and the tenth was Regional. We thought maybe we’d ended up with a horse with three legs.

“I spoke to people who wanted to be part of it, and many backed out because they thought it was too good to be true. A lot of the people involved with Regional had never owned a horse before and ended up spending £500 for a ten per cent share – and he’s now earned £826,134.”

Regional (white cap) was beaten by Asfoora at Royal Ascot in 2024Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Regional reached a peak in 2023 when winning the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup and has been competing in top company since. He has been placed in his two previous Group 1 appearances at Royal Ascot and will return to the meeting for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on June 20.

Hubbard said: “When he won that Group 1, it changed mine and Danny’s lives forever. Certain tables in the area were looking across at us like we shouldn’t be there. Their tables were dead – the people were about 70 or 80 and hadn’t said a word to each other all afternoon – yet they were owning horses in Group 1 races. You think to yourself, flipping heck, if you can’t celebrate the good days, then when can you ever?

“It’s been a real rags-to-riches story. We’ve been within a metre of the King at Royal Ascot and you think, how have we bought a horse for this amount of money? People spend millions of pounds to be in our position, so at times you almost feel like you shouldn’t be there.

“Regional loves Ascot and I think he’ll go there with a live chance this year.”

Ed Bethell and Regional's rider Callum Rodriguez embrace after Sprint Cup successCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

In 2025, the sprinter took syndicate members to Meydan and Deauville, where he finished third and fourth, and a trip to Keeneland is on the list at the end of this year.

“On more than one occasion, I’ve cried on course because this horse has taken us around the world and to the top,” said Clark.

“We’re branching out to do more international trips because one thing Byron and I want to do is make it bloody good fun, whether we finish last or first.

“If we get enough money in the pot, we’d love to go to the Breeders’ Cup with him. That would be unbelievable – I don’t know if my heart would be able to take it!”

Future Champions Racing Syndicate members at EpsomCredit: Byron Hubbard

The experience of the syndicate members has been considered a priority as part of the Regional story.

“We want to use young, hungry trainers – the ones who don’t mind spending time with the syndicate,” Hubbard said. “There are certain trainers out there who wouldn’t do that for you. They won’t even speak to Danny and me, and we like to think we’ve put a bit into the sport."

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