US jumps trainer Keri Brion, who achieved her first National Hunt winner in Ireland with Scorpion’s Revenge at Cork Racecourse on Sunday is currently organising an owners syndicate for a horse she has sourced in Ireland called Howya Tuppence.
“The main goal of this would obviously be to bring many different owners from all over the world together with this one horse” explains Keri Brion.
“I will draw up contracts. My thought would be to have everyone tied in for a year and after a year you have the ability to opt out,” she says.
The five-year-old 16-hands high National Hunt gelding will be trained in the US by Brion. He could potentially be owned by different people around the world, with various share options available to prospective owners.
The Pennsylvania-native explains how the idea came about:
“He was first brought to my attention as I have been on the lookout for a horse that may just not suit Ireland. It may be that they do not like the ground or do not stay long enough trip to make them valuable over here. I have been looking for the last two months for a horse that could be improved upon in America. After seeing “Larry” (Howya Tuppence’s stable name) I believe he is the one.”
Howya Tuppence will be trained in the USA
Describing the horse that would be trained by Brion and her team at Fair Hills, Maryland, the US handler says:
“He is not overly big, which is perfect for America as they train and run over much firmer ground than Europe. You want a horse that does not hit the ground too hard or is too heavy to put more strain on their legs than necessary. Not only is “Larry” not overly big, he is strong with good bone but most importantly he absolutely glides over the ground.”
Disclosing why she chose this particular horse to form an owners’ syndicate with, the former assistant to US Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard says:
“I first galloped him on the deep sand where he did his job, but I could tell he was just not that comfortable. I then galloped him on the grass on good ground and he just floated effortlessly across it. I knew then that he would definitely do a job in America and he would essentially be cheap at 30,000 Euro with what he will be able to accomplish across the ocean. I also schooled him over hurdles, and he is sharp, accurate, and very clever to his fences. He is a maiden which leaves him with all of his conditions which I love when buying a horse!”
Well bred chestnut gelding
The chestnut gelding by Champs Elysees out of the Brief Truce mare, Cradle Brief, has an impressive breeding page with the dam having produced five winners from 10 runners.
“He is also a horse with a good pedigree to him, being a brother to four different black type winners. He has a bit of class bred into him, which is evident with the way he carries himself and his demeanour in the stable. He has had one run in a Point-to-Point in soft ground going 3 miles and he pulled up. I strongly feel that he was run over ground that did not suit him. On better ground, and potentially a shorter trip, he is a different horse.”
The cost of buying a share starts at €400 for a 1% share. The monthly costs for the 1% share are €22. Larger shares can be purchased with the monthly cost increasing with the size of share.
For people interested in this exciting affordable opportunity of joining the Howya Tuppence syndicate, Keri Brion can be contacted on Twitter @Keri145 or on her email address kbracingstable@gmail.com.
