An Interview with Top Owner Chris Coley

Stories are similar to the warp and weft of wool – weaving, creating, linking and no more so than the stories of racehorse owner Chris Coley.

A gentleman of the game, his involvement in racing started as a boy. Born in Solihull, Birmingham, Chris spent his childhood in the Cotswolds when his parents took over The Highwayman pub in 1951. It is still there today, situated between Birdlip and Cirencester on the A417: ‘Back then, it was the only road from Lambourn to all west country racecourses, like Cheltenham, Stratford, Chepstow, Hereford and Ludlow,’ reflected Chris. ‘All the racing folk called in on their way past.’ These included jockeys like Johnny Hayne and Jeff King, bookmakers like Dick Selby from Cirencester and trainers like Bruce Hobbs, who trained Battleship to win the 1938 Aintree Grand National. Many took the young Chris racing in school holidays, planting a seed that would blossom into a sporting love affair.

Chris claims that racing was also in his blood. ‘My mother's father was a bookmaker in Birmingham at the time of the real Peaky Blinders. Mum remembered attending dancing classes in the Bullring and then going to her dad’s office where men would come in, emptying satchels of cash onto the table.’ He adds, ‘On my dad's side, my grandfather was a professional punter.’

Chris was fundamental in bringing corporate hospitality to racing, putting up his first tent at Cheltenham in 1982, growing over the years to cater for thousands of racegoers, including many high-profile owners. Somehow, this naturally led Chris to become an owner himself. At the same time, to maintain his own fitness having played sport for so much of his life, he used to referee rugby at Cheltenham College where Tom and Michael Scudamore were working their way up through the age groups. ‘I reffed them regularly and after the matches, I’d have tea in the dining hall, chatting to their father Peter, who was then assistant trainer to Nigel Twiston-Davies. Peter persuaded me to buy my first horse.’

‘The first horse led to others and when Nigel and Peter parted ways, I divided my six horses between Nigel and Peter, who was in Herefordshire. Peter then moved to Scotland, so that left Michael, the one-time schoolboy I knew on the rugby field, to train. At the same time, Fergal O’Brien was proving his training ability by sending out winners in point-to-points. After twenty great years with Nigel, Fergal was confident about setting upon his own. He caught me at the right time as I was about to retire and he suggested that I might like to back him… Ha ha, I thought but why not…?’

Chris chuckled, ‘I might be a lot better off if Fergal hadn't asked that question. However, I'm very proud to be closely associated with the business, albeit I jokingly tell people that my main role is the tea boy serving visitors a mug of builder’s tea! More seriously perhaps, in an article in the Racing Post, Peter Thomas actually described me as the ‘psychological safety net’ and thinking about it, he's spot on! Yes, to be honest, I'm there just in case…’

Rewinding the clock, that first racehorse was Long Room Lady, so-called because women had just been allowed into the members’ pavilion at Lord's. (Chris, a decent cricketer himself, had been a playing member of MCC since he’d left school.) ‘The horse was an unnamed mare and the name seemed perfect.’

This also marked the start of Chris’s private racing club, the Yes No Wait Sorries (a cricketing term for when you're getting confused in the middle of the wicket during a run out.) ‘Some cricket friends once owned a horse called Yes No Wait Sorry trained by Oliver Sherwood, and that gave me the inspiration for the name.’ Unlike a normal syndicate, the members contribute to the running of the horses, not to the purchase. ‘People join by private invitation, and on many occasions when someone asks how to join the club, I have to apologise and politely turn them down.’

As mentioned above, Chris was a talented amateur cricketer and the cricketing passion influenced his choice of horses’ names. These included Nudge N Nurdle, The Wicket Keeper, Miss Maiden Over, Duckworth Lewis, Caught In The Slips, Silly Miss Off and Nervous Nineties. His striped red and yellow silks are the same colours of ‘the scrambled egg’ of the MCC!

In May 1999 at Uttoxeter, Long Room Lady was the first winner in those colours. There’s an anecdote from that evening. The odds-on Auetaler was owned by Liverpool footballers Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler in the Macca and Growler Partnership, trained by Martin Pipe. Robbie Fowler's father had died that day so the horse was taken out on compassionate grounds, and Long Room Lady became the favourite. She duly won the final race but a lengthy stewards’ inquiry took place and the racecourse was totally desolate and dark when Chris left.

The Yes No Wait Sorries have clocked up 165 winners, with a few standout days. ‘The 49th and 50th wins came on the same day,’ explained Chris. ‘At Wincanton, with Amber Brook and, twenty minutes later, with Nudge N Nurdle at Sandown, which was very special.’

Jarvey's Plate, the 150th winner for the Yes No Wait Sorries

He also owned the first Grade 1 winner that Fergal O'Brien trained when Poetic Rhythm won the 2017 Challow Hurdle. The hundredth winner was Jenny’s Surprise at Plumpton, and she also became the only mare in history to win the Royal Artillery and Grand Military Gold Cups in the same year.

Other victories have created more bittersweet memories. A favourite of Chris’s was Ambrose Princess for being the only one to win on the Flat, over Hurdles and Fences. ‘She sadly suffered a fatal injury at Cheltenham when coming down the hill, looking like the winner,’ he said.

There was another talented mare called Amber Brook, who won five hurdle races and finished fourth to Quevaga in the Mares’ Hurdle at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. ‘At £6000, she was the cheapest horse I had bought and the highest rated horse I'd ever had. She sadly broke her leg on the Monday of the 2011 Festival week when having a routine pop over hurdles. It was absolutely manic in the office as I took a most tearful call from Fergal to inform me of the sad news.’

Of all the racecourses, Market Rasen tops Chris’s favourites. As well as having had nine winners there, racing is always such fun. ‘I got to know the ex-chairman, Bud Booth and indeed, the current chair, Sue Lucas. And last month, I chose to sponsor a race at Market Rasen because we've so enjoyed our days there.’

Chris sponsored that race because, in the New Year’s Honours list, he was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to Sports Administration and to the Community in Gloucestershire. As well as being instrumental in organising the Cheltenham Cricket Festival, Chris has raised thousands for the Injured Jockeys Fund, including, in the past, holding charity football matches at Cheltenham Town FC. He was presented with the British Empire Medal by his close friend Edward Gillespie, now the Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and formally managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse.

An author of many sporting quiz books, Chris, in particular wearing his racing hat, co-wrote Under Starter’s Orders with Steve Jones. So far, it has raised over £25000 for the Injured Jockey’s Fund.

Racing has also taken Chris aboard on a handful of fun trips. He's visited Killarney three times. ‘Surely the most beautiful racecourse in the UK and Ireland with the magnificent backdrop of the mountains? You have the most wonderful ‘craic’ in Killarney with the Guinness flowing and the music playing, and there is the Ring of Kerry to explore. Killarney is a magical place.’

There has also been visits to the White Turf in Saint Moritz on the ice. ‘Quite the most expensive place in the world I’ve visited!’ said Chris. ‘We had a second with Sword Of The Lord, ridden by Ally Stirling, who will not forget the experience as she shared the jockeys’ changing room with her male counterparts!’ remembered Chris.

Sword Of The Lord after finishing 2nd on the White Turf

When asked why he’s so passionate about racing, Chris doesn't hesitate: ‘It’s the buzz and excitement, and the thrill of the odd winner.’ He stresses that the horse welfare is second to none and that grooms care implicitly for the horses, and details how racecourses, from the biggest to the smallest, have vastly improved the overall experience for racegoers and, in particularly, for owners.

Yet, there's always room for improvement. ‘You hear, especially on the telly, that large syndicates are the lifeblood of racing and have become increasingly popular, but those individual owners who have been in racing for years should not be forgotten. At one racecourse last year, in Owners’ and Trainers’, the late John Hales and his wife could not find a seat but thirty people from a big syndicate had three tables pushed together. It was a sad example of a prominent owner being unable to sit down for a meal.’

Jennys Surrpise winning at Sandown, after Poetic Rhythm's win in the 2017 Persian War and the Yes No Wait Sorries

On the issue of the low prize money, Chris joked, ‘Just swim across the Channel and bring France back with you! I’ve had a couple of horses trained in France and can’t believe how much prize money I won compared to England.’ He speaks of the need to distribute prize money more evenly; that the money at the top could be spread downwards, meaning lesser races would be worth more.

Fergal O'Brien and Chris (photo credit: Racing Post)

As well as being involved in racehorse ownership and corporate hospitality, Chris also once sponsored Nigel Twiston-Davies’ yard. There lies another story that Chris told ruefully about the yard's biggest day: ‘After Imperial Commander won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, someone gave the jockey, Paddy Brennan, a black and white scarf. He put it round his neck and it dangled over my name on the front of the silks. I never had any publicity; nothing could be seen on the front pages of the newspapers the next day. Going forwards, the jockey’s actions actually had a positive change for yard sponsors as afterwards the British Horseracing Authority made it illegal for jockeys to wear any scarves as they walk back into the winner’s enclosure. I did not complain officially but the sponsor has definitely benefitted thereafter.’

Despite his maturing years, Chris is determined to continue his relationship with racing. And, indeed this very morning, up at Fergal’s, he was planning arrangements for the yard’s annual golf day. ‘I like making things happen and I get a kick out of seeing how Fergal is progressing. Yes, I am very proud…’

Chris receiving his BEM and with the quiz books he co-writes in aid of charity

Favourite meal: Toad in the Hole, mashed potato and baked beans.

Favourite drink: Non-alcoholic ginger beer.

Favourite music: Earlier in the month, I went to see Andre Bocelli at the O2. I love his music and I enjoy Enya too.

Favourite film: Kes – there's a little bit of horseracing in it.

Favourite book: Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack (I have a full set!).

Best racing party: The 100th winner party, but the 50th winner party was pretty good too. They were both held at The Hollow Bottom in Naunton.

Advice about owning racehorses: Take a deep breath and treat it as a hobby. Anything you spend must be recognised as a luxury and its money that’s so easily could disappear down the drain.