One of the great joys of racing is its enduring ability to captivate and fascinate people at any stage in their lives. An accidental spark can glow and burst into flames. That’s the way with David Howden. It’s only been four years since he bought a lot at a charity event at the Dragon School in Oxford, including a morning gallop in Newmarket and a race day at 2000 Guineas.
Howden said: “My wife, Fiona, and my daughters, Talitha, Jemima and Kitty, went with me. “We didn’t know who we met, but it turned out to be David Redvers. He showed us the galloping horses and then took us to some of the trainers’ yards in Newmarket. We were racing and were super excited to see the roaring Lions run in the 2000 Guineas.
“Having turned down racing for many years, when I talked to David Redvers, I started to think that I wanted to be in the sport. We have come up with a plan that focuses on mares and mares – buy mares and crossbreed from them, and buy mares, race them and then breed from them.
“Like all best-laid plans, it doesn’t always work out that way – people are lured into buying a pony or two – but that’s the crux of what we do. I remember the first time I went to the Tattersalls Mares sale that December, and we bought our first mares there, all ponies – one of them for Frankel. We bred our first ponies, and from there we built our mares and ponies.
“A lot of the focus this year is on the fact that I already have quite a few 2-year-olds of my own, where I have been picking and buying mares, or racing fillets before crossbreeding from them, in the works. . My whole ethos is yes, I’m passionate about racing, but in the context of wanting to breed, not just buy. I have a real passion for horses and equine sport. “
The word “passionate” comes up many times when talking to – or about – Howden. Passion and drive. His genuine enthusiasm is contagious, and his ability to inspire those who work with him means he is achieving some lofty ambitions. Horses are at the heart of it; He loves horseback riding, as do his daughters – it’s a family activity. For many, though a few throw themselves into sports that stem from a rather ardent hobby and of such a scale.
He now owns and co-owns a number of valuable mares, races their offspring, has shares in others, and his company Howden, the global insurance broker he founded in 1994, was an official partner at Ascot Racecourse and sponsored the Crown Prince Cup in Bahrain in January. Jemima and Kitty Howden are competing at the under-18 level, and the horse trials he set up in 2020 at his home, Cornbury House in Oxfordshire, have quickly become a star attraction across racetrack. There’s no dipping toe here; This is a swallow that dives into the ocean of the racing and riding world.
Howden’s parent band consists of 11 mares, which he either owns outright or jointly with Nick Wheeler (Cornthrop Bloodstock) or with Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and David Redvers under the Tweenhills banner.
Redvers said, “Sheikh Fahad and I see him as a great partner because of our shared enthusiasm and passion for racing. He and Sheikh Fahad get along very well – David is a man of serious integrity. ”
After that first meeting at Newmarket in 2018, Redvers asked Howden a few weeks later if he would like to go half way on a horse at the Arqana May Breeze-up Sale. Together they bought Reponse Exacte (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) for €85,000.
“Because of what kind of person he is, David said yes immediately. She won for the first time in two weeks – his first runner-up! ‘ said Redvers.
A gamble to run her at Albany S. at Royal Ascot didn’t work out, but the slut got his job done – Howden got caught up in owning racehorses.
The first mare he bought, for 325,000g at Tattersalls in December 2018, was Bella Nouf (GB) (Dansili {GB}). She was in the pony to Frankel (GB), and the trash she was carrying was sold a year later for 350,000gns. Named Majestic Glory (GB), she won the Group 3 Sweet Solera S.
The winner of the Gorgeous Noora (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) list just got a smart pony Kameko. Castle Hill Cassie (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) has a “cute” Zoustar (Aus) training with Hugo Palmer. Run Wild (Ger) (Amaron {GB}), winner of the Pretty Polly S. 2020 roster – whom Howden bought a part while she was racing, and a broodmare now owned by David and Nick Wheeler as Cornthrop – there is a Siyouni (Fr) the little pony at his feet, and this time was covered by the Night Of Thunder (Ire).
While it is clear that his own stock racing concept holds great appeal for Howden, who enjoys developing a project “from scratch” – at the Cornbury House Horse Trials (September 8-11, 2022), His focus is on what is best the young British talent, in the shape of horses and riders – he is determined to have fun and is willing to invest in “form” horses on the road. Go. Last year Howden and Redvers purchased Adrian Nicholls-trained sprinter Mo Celita (Ire) (Camacho {GB}), who then began to be a favorite in the Palace of Holyroodhouse S. at Royal Ascot and about Thursday. However, she did win a Deauville-listed race under the lead of Hollie Doyle in August – a day Howden added to his list of the most exciting things on the track to date. .
“It was a great day, and the other was watching Wilderness Girl (Ire) (No, never) won at Glorious Goodwood with my mother, who is 95 years old,” Howden said. “It was right before Wilderness [the music festival hosted at Cornbury each summer]; my mom loves it and Charles [the Duke of Richmond] please take us to his private box. ”
Mo Celita has returned to training this year. She ran disappointingly in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on the opening day of the Flat season, but was spotted in the off-season. She is joined by the likes of a Zoustar pony in addition to Bewitchment (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), which is also the winner dam of the Nymphadora List (GB) (No, never), who is training with Andrew Balding. Karl Burke is responsible for a Roedean Roaring Lion (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}); Hugo Palmer has 2-year-old Zoustar in Castle Hill Cassie, while 4-year-old Wren’s Breath (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), whom he owns with Peter Molony, is in Ireland with Henry de Bromhead.
While Howden’s efforts are well-founded commercially, his part in the racing world may appear to be a purely self-interested extension, that is not for the sake of his own interests. boom of the company he became one of three main partners of Ascot (along with QIPCO and Longines ). Racing is not just a hobby. Howden’s sharp brain means he sees a much bigger picture. It was a great way for his eponymous company, which already has a connection to the sport, to arrange insurance for racecourses, trainers, owners and stallions, as well as Equestrian associations and riding schools, for visibility and brand recognition, within the UK and around the world.
“You’ll get a huge profit in racing sponsorship if you place it wisely,” says Redvers. “For a global business like David’s, Ascot is a perfect fit, as it is for QIPCO.”
In June 2021, the Howden Group became an official partner of Ascot Racecourse in a five-year agreement; as well as a key presence at the Royal meeting and all Ascot races, the Hunting National meeting two days before Christmas is now Howden Christmas Racing Weekend.
Howden said, “After our first year, we’ve really had some traction and I’m very pleased with our partnership with Ascot; Our partnership aims to promote the best of the British, but both Howden Group and Ascot are businesses with very strong international influence.
“It is important that Howden – the company with a very large blood and horse sports division – can support the racing industry and what better way to do that than Ascot, which has already achieved so much. achievement to create such an amazing experience for those who love its world-class racing. Last year, we were still struggling with the Covid pandemic, and it is important for us to support racing during these difficult times. It was a great fit for us – a British company, now the leading UK-based insurance broker in the market, built on employee ownership. pellets. We are delighted with the way that the first year of our partnership is underway, in terms of the brand recognition we have received, the entertainment we are able to bring to our guests. our customers, partners and employees, and also the feedback we’ve had on enhancing our profile, at home and globally. This year, of course, is the Queen’s platinum year, and we’re thrilled to be part of Ascot’s plans around that. ”
He continued, “We are very much a people-first business – nearly 3,000 of our employees are shareholders in our business – and Howden Christmas Racing Weekend is really important to that, because it means we can invite colleagues and their families. , along with key customers, come and enjoy a great racing day and celebrate Christmas with us. ”
In January, Howden became the first international sponsor of the Crown Prince Cup in Bahrain, a venture that Howden approached with customary enthusiasm.
Howden said: “As a UK company, we are also an international business, just like racing, and I would love to help support a thriving racing nation.
In the racing scene calling for blue-chip sponsors, David Howden must seem like the manna from heaven.
“He goes into everything like a whirlwind, and people will work especially hard because he has energy, enthusiasm and passion,” said Redvers.
From zero to “hero” in four years; It will be fascinating to see Howden’s skillful interweaving of business, sports and home life take him next.
