Keeneland-bound Prix de l’Abbaye winner is latest success story for Middleham Park operation, founded 27 years ago by former teacher Tim Palin to offer racehorse ownership opportunities at affordable prices – as Jon Lees reports
GB: Nearly 30 years after he established Middleham Park Racing to “reach for the skies”, former PE (physical education) teacher Tim Palin will be doing exactly that when The Platinum Queen races at the Breeders’ Cup for Britain’s most successful racehorse syndicate company.
Since China Castle became the first horse he syndicated in 1995 – the 1,000gns ($1,180) purchase went on to win a then record 25 all-weather races – the goal has been the same, according to their website motto. ‘It’s all about winners,’ they proclaim.
There have been plenty of those with Middleham Park Racing approaching 1,400 victories, of which 56 have come at Group and Listed level. Four have been G1 wins.
Middleham Park have 131 horses in training, among whom The Platinum Queen is the latest top-level performer. The Richard Fahey-trained two-year-old daughter of Cotai Glory, who originally cost 57,000gns ($67,000), will be one of the favourites for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland on November 4 after she became the first of her age to land the Prix de l’Abbaye on the Arc card at ParisLongchamp since 1978.
“I often describe this as a hobby that got out of hand,” says Palin, who taught for 30 years in Hull, Yorkshire. “I’d been in a couple of syndicates which specialised in cast-offs before but I was more interested in buying an unraced horse to try to reach for the skies.
“We approached Patrick Haslam [who trained in Middleham, Yorkshire] who had a racing club. One of the horses he had shares available in was China Castle, who we took a small share in and syndicated that alongside the then owner Jim Davis, and the rest is history. Without China Castle, we wouldn’t be here now.”
Palin, who acts as director of racing, is a partner in Middleham Park Racing with director of operations Mike Prince plus Palin's son Tom, who is in charge of the jumps team and bloodstock. There are five other members of staff.
Their horses are now instantly recognisable via their silks: Manchester City light blue with orange epaulettes. The operation has provided affordable racehorse ownership for more than 1,300 individuals.
“We have gone very well but we never really look at things overly monetarily,” says Palin, who is 57. “We’d rather make sure our service is first class, rather than cut corners, in order to give the average man or woman in the street the opportunity to get into the winners’ enclosure.”
He goes on: “I was standing on one side of the railings in the 1980s and 90s thinking how could I get to the other side to stand with Steve Cauthen and Henry Cecil. So I went and bought some shares and thought there may be an opportunity there.”
Among the 18 involved in The Platinum Queen are an ex-policeman, a retired social care worker, a builder, an accountant, a retired steel worker and retired rugby league coach, drawn from all over Britain. Most of them will be heading to Keeneland,
They have paid out between £1,000 ($1,130) and £12,000 ($13,500), depending on their percentage stake, to become owners in The Platinum Queen, who has become one of Middleham Park’s biggest success stories.
Since making a winning debut at Ripon in June, she has recorded three more victories but only came to wider prominence when, after breaking the juvenile track record to win a conditions race at Goodwood, she was supplemented for the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, where she stepped out of her age group to race against the fastest horses in Europe and beat all bar the brilliant Highfield Princess.
Emboldened by that performance, connections put her in the Prix de l’Abbaye on October 2, where she dispatched her elders to win by a short neck under Hollie Doyle, also set to ride at Keeneland.
“There is a case for saying she has been advantaged by the weight-for-age scale but other than a few tweaks, Admiral Rous’s calculations have stood the test of time, so who are we to argue?” says Palin.
“She was a bit unlucky in Flying Childers. She had her head in front three yards before the line and three yards after.”
The Platinum Queen will be Middleham Park’s second Breeders’ Cup runner – Marie’s Diamond finished 11th in the Juvenile Turf in 2018. She is their fourth G1 winner on the Flat following Toormore, G Force and Ventura Storm – not forgetting the hurdler Marie’s Rock, who won G1 races over jumps at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals this year.
“It’s going to be fascinating to see The Platinum Queen return to the two-year-old age group,” says Palin. “The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be a warm contest. Fortunately she acts on any ground.
“It’s been a fantastic year. We’ve had three G1 wins in one year, and all cost less than 100k.
“Whether you are from Bournemouth, Bristol, York or Scotland, it’s just a privilege to be involved in races like the Breeders’ Cup with a filly who cost 57,000gns.”
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