Middleham Park breaks winners record - and gives lockdown the credit!

The UK government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has not won universal praise, but lockdown and the introduction of the furlough scheme have been credited with Middleham Park Racing setting a record number of winners this year.

The leading racehorse syndication group beat its previous best tally of 103 winners on the Flat and over jumps, set in 2014, last weekend and has since moved on to 107.

Middleham Park, which was founded in 1995, won just 75 races in a truncated 2020, yet racing manager Tim Palin believes the government's furlough scheme and the implementation of working from home helped sow the seeds for its triumphant year, as potential members had money to spend.

Reflecting on Middleham Park's new record, he said: "Success breeds success so having winners helps, but getting beneath the surface the government were brilliant in paying people to stay at home.

"Nobody could book holidays, and I remember when I was a teacher I spent £200 a month getting to work.

"So there was a period of time in 2020 when people couldn't spend their disposable income in the normal way. Many thought 'even if I can't get to the races or the yard, I can follow my horse'. Trainers were fabulous in sending photos and videos through."

Tim Palin: 'The government were brilliant in paying people to stay at home'Credit: David Carr

Racing resumed after a ten-week shutdown in June 2020, and Palin said: "When it was back up and running people could sit in their living rooms and watch their horse running.

"They were looking for something to do. They weren't spending money on other luxury items because they couldn't, and they had the time on their hands to surf the internet and find Middleham Park."

Kayfast Warrior, who progressed from selling company to win five handicaps and rose 30lb in the BHA ratings, was one of the major contributors to the group's Flat tally, with Scottish Triumph Hurdle winner Fiveandtwenty among the success stories over jumps.

Kayfast Warrior ridden by Kieran Schofield (far side) wins at HamiltonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"Every month this year we've been beating our previous record totals, so we knew there was a massive momentum," Palin said.

"It's down to an awful lot of hard work from our team and the trainers' teams, but it's also due to the support of our fantastic owners to get 131 horses in training.”

Palin picked out Ventura Diamond and Dubai Station plus new recruit Atalis Bay as Middleham Park’s highest hopes for 2022, and said: "They’re exciting and you'd like to think they're all Group horses."

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