Dare to Dream: Magnolia cup winner ‘thrilled’ to secure ownership of ride
The winner of the 2018 Magnolia Cup said she is “absolutely thrilled” to have secured ownership of her victorious ride.
Katie Forrest, who took the title on the George Baker-trained Harry Hurricane on 2 August, launched a campaign to keep the six-year-old after the owners decided to sell him at the Tattersalls’ Autumn Horses in Training sale on 30 October.
Katie has bought Harry with her parents, Tim and Susie Forrest, and Alex Embiricos and Paul Brown. The syndicate is being managed by Dare to Dream Racing.
Katie told H&H: “We were so fortunate to pull it all together in time so Harry didn’t have to go to the sale. I am so grateful for all of the messages of support I have received during my campaign, it felt batty buying a racehorse because there is so much I don’t know about racing.
“Alex occasionally rides out at George Baker’s yard and has a huge history in racing through her late father, Nick Embirico. He owned the Grand National winner Aldaniti and they helped set up the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. Alex loves Harry and it tied in really nicely her coming on board with the charity link, with the Magnolia Cup supporting Cancer Research too.
“Paul is a really good friend who supported me through the Magnolia Cup process and is mad about horses so he said he would buy a leg. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Katie said the support from Dare to Dream Racing has been “phenomenal”.
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“Dare to Dream was introduced to me by a friend. Will Smith and Ian Sharrock, the co-owners, have been incredible and so supportive. I love the fact the syndicate is called Dare to Dream, if you had told me six months ago I would have told you how ridiculous it sounded,” said Katie. “It was the Magnolia Cup that really introduced me to racing, I’ve always followed it but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would own a racehorse and be a part of it.
“The fact they are called Dare to Dream made me think this is a sign. Any dream you have you just have to go for it, and they were huge part of making this come about. Without their support and expertise I would have been going into this blind.”
Harry will race in the Dare to Dream colours of bright orange.
“He had a great run at Lingfield on 24 November and came second. Now he’s going to have the winter off and holiday at Alex’s farm before going back to George Baker in the spring.
“George knows him so well having had him since a yearling so he is in great hands and the team there manage him brilliantly. They really get him and know how to keep him on track. We’re really excited about next year.”
Katie said she won’t rule out riding Harry in a race herself again.
“The charity race was amazing, but I definitely think Harry deserves to have a proper jockey riding him. I’ll get so much enjoyment watching him, I don’t need to be on top and can leave it to the professionals – but never say never,” she said.
“The racing world is a whole new game to me, but I’m loving it – it’s been absolutely wonderful.
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“If I’d had to look back at pictures from the Magnolia Cup knowing Harry was somewhere else I would have been so heartbroken and the day would have lost so much meaning to me. He’s going to have a great fun future with us, it just means everything. I think he is going to do us very proud next year.
“As long as Harry stays sound and happy we think he’s got a few more years racing before he retires and once he retires we’ll see what he wants to do then.”
Will Smith of Dare to Dream Racing told H&H: “It was an easy decision to become involved because Harry is a proven racehorse and with a great trainer. We could see how passionate and enthusiastic Katie is about Harry. This was a unique opportunity to let someone follow their dream of what they wanted to achieve, Katie hadn’t owned a racehorse before or even really been involved in racing so it was a case of putting our expertise together and letting Katie following her dream.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.