By Emma Berry
ASCOT, UK — Six months ago David Howden was in the winner's enclosure celebrating success at Royal Ascot with his G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion). On Friday the owner-breeder was back at the racecourse to espouse his passion for sport horses, and more specifically how racehorses can be retrained for other disciplines.
Howden's principal interest in horses came through eventing. He hosts Cornbury Horse Trials at his Oxfordshire home every September and his daughter Jemima is one of the rising stars of the young rider ranks having represented Great Britain at the European Championships.
Through his family's charity The Howden Way, Howden launched at Ascot on Friday the Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme (TAP) which is aimed at helping to educate riders interested in taking on an ex-racehorse and guiding them through the retraining process from the basics and beyond.
“I'm passionate about equine sport and, as we know, there is an issue around how we get racehorses into other equine sports,” Howden said. “There are lots of great initiatives going on, with the RoR and BHA, but having had my experience from eventing, where I had a daughter who wanted to get involved but knowing nothing about eventing myself, it's not always easy to understand how you go about it. So I wanted to provide something that was properly practical and that fits around all the other initiatives that are going on.”
A noted enthusiast for the racing game since his entree, via David Redvers of Tweenhills, back in 2018, Howden's Howden Group is now a key brand partner at Ascot and is sponsoring the two-day Christmas jumps meeting this week.
He continued, “All of us involved in racing are passionate about it and want to support it, and we want everyone outside to support it. We want to promote it as something that is good for the country and good for the horses. One of the issues is the social issue around what happens to racehorses afterwards. For me, it was obvious to put some of my energy and effort – and money – into something like this.”
Howden added, “I've kickstarted this but I am a big believer in collaboration, so if anyone else wants to help me by getting behind this we'd really love to open it up to other people.”
Justine Parker, director of the TAP, outlined how the programme is tailored towards complementing existing work being undertaken by the BHA's official charity Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), which in 2025 celebrates its 25th anniversary.
“We are hoping that with our combined efforts we can continue to raise the profile of the Thoroughbred amongst the general public and equestrian industry as a tangible riding horse option,” she said.
“Raising their profile and singing about their great attributes will help educate people to be able to understand them more in the transition into their new career, whatever that may look like, whether it's an evening career or just having a lovely time doing some fun rides. If we as an industry can work together collaboratively hopefully it will give more Thoroughbreds the opportunity to have a successful career post-racing.”
The TAP will offer online content to help owners of Thoroughbreds with every facet of their care, from feeding to farriery, and will also be providing 190 subsidised clinics in 2025 with a range of coaches across the country, including international eventers Laura Collett and Izzy Taylor.
Parker continued, “The regional training opportunities are available at a reduced rate for anyone who has a Thoroughbred. We have a team of coaches running training sessions throughout the country starting in January and that's really trying to help with face-to-face practical support on the ground. All of our coaches have practical knowledge of and a passion for the Thoroughbred.”
Grand National-winning jockey and racing broadcaster Mick Fitzgerald joined the panel at Ascot, and he has his own rather special ex-racehorse at home in the form of ten-time Grade 1 winner Altior (Ire). He said, “When I started in horses I wanted to be a show jumper but then I rode a Thoroughbred when I was 13 and it changed everything. Being in control of something that powerful was something I wanted to harness and that's what inspired me to be a jockey. But, that's the scary part of it, it is powerful, it is something that has a mind of its own, and often people say 'you should have a Thoroughbred' but that could be scary thought for someone who doesn't know or understand a Thoroughbred.
“But if you can have someone to speak to you throughout the process and teach you a few basic things, you will have an unbelievable time. Because Thoroughbreds, they are powerful, but what they give you back is something very special.”
As a racehorse owner, Howden is all too aware of the importance of decent levels of prize-money and he is transferring that experience into backing a class at Cornbury Horse Trials next year. He has teamed up with fellow owner-breeder and eventing enthusiast Jayne McGivern to stage a contest solely for former racehorses with a prize fund of £50,000.
He said, “[Racing] is now getting more people from the outside looking in and asking if what we are doing in the industry is right or wrong, and I think we need to make sure we have a positive message.”
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