Michael Owen splashed out nearly £500,000 in one day on racehorses to take his ‘flying’ stables into the big league.
The ex-Liverpool, Manchester United and England football star snapped up five of the most promising young thoroughbreds at a sale in Ireland.
The former striker - who has just enjoyed his biggest win on the track - said the sport of kings was his ‘little baby’ and he wants to target the top races and largest festivals.
Two decades of development
Owen, 46, has devoted two decades into turning an old arable farm in Cheshire into a top racing yard. It produced 70 winners last year netting prize money totalling £1.5m.
Owen achieved his most lucrative victory last month when Glacius - under the guidance of trainer Hugo Palmer - triumphed in the £550,000 Saratoga Derby in America.
‘My little baby’
Now Owen wants to kick on to racing’s highest level. “It's been a long time in the making,” he said.
“I bought it as an old arable farm about 23 years ago, put in a gallop, a little trotting ring and 20 boxes, and off we went.
“It's unrecognisable compared to back then. We've got all kinds now and are still wanting to develop, still wanting to make it bigger and better. It's my passion, it's my little baby and I want to keep going.”
Biggest purchase at sale
Owen dominated Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale buying five horses to add to his 135-strong Manor House Stables. His haul included the session's most expensive purchase - a colt sired by 2,000 Guineas champion Chaldean which cost £180,000.
He also bought two colts by Mehmas, one by New Bay and a filly by Starman.
Owen said: “We feel that we can buy the horses we think are the best. We are coming here with a good chance.
“We've been flying along. It's nice. We are up on prize money more so than the winners, which is obviously good.
“We have tried to target the festivals a little bit more and some bigger races and everything's going nicely. Every season we sort of try to make another step so we are already preparing for next season now.”
Hugo, who trained 44 winners in Britain this year earning £1.3m, added: “I love the fact that we can come here and feel that we can buy any horse in the ring which we can't really do at any other sale.
“It means we feel that we can buy the horses we think are the best.”
In July Owen saw his TV personality daughter Gemma, 23, finish fourth in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood - her debut race as a jockey.
