A Different Kind of Syndicate – Emris Racing’s Long Game from Foal to Fence
For most syndicate members, ownership starts once a horse is cantering on the gallops and edging towards its first entry. By that point, the groundwork is done and the horse’s early education is largely behind it.
Emris Racing takes a different view. It places owners much earlier in the story.
The idea comes from Chris Howse, a lifelong National Hunt fan who grew up around Cheltenham and later lived close to Aintree. His aim is to give syndicate members a clear view of how a racehorse is shaped from the very start. The thinking is simple. When people see the full process, they gain a deeper respect for what the horse goes on to achieve.
Rather than selling shares in horses already close to the racecourse, Emris is built around the full National Hunt process. From foal or yearling, through breaking and early schooling, into training, racing, and later life. It takes more time, but it allows owners to see how a racehorse is shaped, managed, and cared for at every stage.
This is not a finished offer being presented at the end point. It is an introduction to a way of thinking about ownership.
Ownership Before the Racecard
Most syndicates buy in close to the finished article. Emris chooses to start much earlier, with horses at the very beginning.
Members are involved from the first stages, well before names, entries, handicap marks, or race plans are even discussed. They watch the horse grow and learn, following its physical progress, handling, and early schooling. Along the way, they see how temperament, soundness, and daily routine help shape a future hurdler or chaser.
There is no rush to get a horse onto the racecourse. The focus stays on education, giving horses time to develop properly rather than chasing quick results.
That patient outlook also influences how the ownership model itself is set up.
A Structure Built for Accessibility
Shares are free-leased, removing the usual upfront costs of ownership.
Instead, members pay a monthly fee, starting from £60 per 5% share during the early stages before full training begins. Multiple shares can be held, but costs are designed to remain transparent and predictable.
It lowers the barrier to entry while still offering a genuine ownership experience.
A Schooling System, Not a Shortcut
Breaking-in is planned to begin at around 18 months, following a French-influenced approach that prioritises balance, confidence, and understanding.
Emris Racing divides development into three stages. Infant school, junior school, senior school. Early work focuses on handling, tack familiarity, and routine. That gradually progresses into more structured exercise and strengthening, long before competitive training becomes a consideration.
Members receive detailed school and progress reports throughout, offering context rather than just updates. It is an education for owners too, showing precisely what goes into preparing a National Hunt horse.
While the focus is on developing young horses, Emris may occasionally acquire older, race-ready individuals when the opportunity is right. The principle remains the same. Education, transparency, and suitability come first.
A Base That Encourages Involvement
Emris Racing operates from Cambridgeshire, within easy reach of both Huntingdon and Newmarket.
The Cambridgeshire base makes that hands-on involvement possible. Members are encouraged to visit, see horses at work on the gallops, and remain close to their development rather than watching from a distance.
That proximity helps build familiarity long before race days arrive.
Community From the Start
Communication is central to how Emris plans to operate.
Members are connected through WhatsApp groups, sharing updates, videos, and discussions as horses progress. Syndicate days at the yard and stud form part of the experience, allowing owners to meet their horses and one another.
National Hunt at the Core
Emris Racing is firmly rooted in National Hunt racing.
Founded by a lifelong jumps enthusiast shaped by Cheltenham and Aintree, the syndicate reflects the rhythms of the jumps game. Patience, soundness, and longevity are prioritised over speed or early returns.
The ambition is to guide horses through their careers properly, whether over hurdles or towards fences, and to support them beyond racing when the time comes.
Beyond the Finish Line
Retirement planning forms part of that thinking.
When a horse’s racing career concludes, Emris Racing looks to place it carefully, whether in breeding, another equestrian discipline, or a quieter life away from competition. Welfare is treated as a responsibility, not an afterthought.
Ownership, in this model, does not end at the final run.
Setting the Foundations
Emris Racing is still in its formative phase, with plans to acquire horses at upcoming sales. That timing is deliberate. This is a syndicate being assembled methodically, not launched around ready-made runners.
For now, this piece serves as an introduction. A chance to outline the approach, the structure, and the thinking behind the project.
The racing will come later. When it does, the groundwork will already be in place.
And when those colours go to post, every member will know exactly how they got there.
Q&A
Q1. For someone thinking about getting involved in ownership, why do you think this model will appeal compared to the usual syndicate route?
Our model lets you connect with a horse throughout its journey from foal/yearling to retirement. All syndicates are National Hunt, so you follow the horse from an early stage without the higher costs of breeding syndicates.
Shares are leased—no upfront payment, just a monthly fee. Before full training, it’s £60 per 5% share, and you can choose multiple shares. Horses are broken in at around 18 months following the French method, progressing through stages we call “infant school,” “junior school,” and “senior school.” You’ll receive detailed reports, enjoy syndicate days at the stud, and can visit your horse anytime.
Transparency and communication are central: you’ll join general and syndicate WhatsApp groups for updates and interaction with fellow members and managers. We aim to foster community and shared experiences. We are also in discussions with an IT firm to bring even more interaction and information to syndicate members. Watch this space for more news on that.
Q2. Looking ahead over the next couple of years, how do you see the syndicate developing once you are up and running?
In a couple of years, we will be looking at our first runners on the track, giving our syndicate members great days out at the races enjoying the owners and trainers facilities alongside them and hopefully getting plenty of trips to the winners enclosure, seeing the horses journey come to fruition.
