Footballers Who Cannot Get Enough of the Long Noses

Ever since professional footballers began receiving eye-watering weekly paychecks, those based in English and Scottish leagues have always had something of an affinity for horse racing, whether they are simply watching or feeling proud with some of their horses regularly being tipped to win, this relationship between these two sports is something we need to address.

However, that is not enough for many of football’s biggest stars, with plenty of managers and players alike deciding to take the leap into the world of being owners or even trainers.

Here are just some of the top-level pros who love nothing more than to swap their footy boots for shiny shoes and a top hat instead, as they cheer their trusty steeds across the finishing line.

Max Allegri

The Juventus manager, currently on a hiatus, is a longtime fan of horse racing, an interest sparked by his grandfather taking him to the races when he was a kid growing up in Livorno. Such is his passion that he will frequently use it as a metaphor and compare his own players to horses. His equine anecdotes have become sort of a meme among football fans in Italy.

He also owns a mare named Ossun Set, who recently started competing.

John Terry

Of course, when it comes to equestrianism there are many different strands that people can follow. In the case of John Terry, he has more of an interest in dressage than the racecourse, because his wife is a serious competitor on the dressage circuit.

While Terry was busier keeping Aston Villa in the Premier League this season, he always has one eye on the prancing and preening of the dressage arena.

Many pro footballers and managers know the racing form guide like the back of their hand

Wayne Rooney

This Manchester United and England legend would have done better copying the approach of John Terry, watching from the sidelines, rather than getting too involved in the ownership side of things.

His ill-fated jaunt into equestrianism began in 2012 when he bought not one but two thoroughbred racehorses.

Unfortunately for the striker he never saw much of a return on his investment, with neither horse bringing in anywhere near enough prize money to cover its price tag and spiraling maintenance costs.

At least Rooney could wallow in defeat with his long-suffering wife Coleen, as the pair co-owned the two horses, meaning they could screech together in the stands as Coleen held onto her hat and tried to remain upright on her 7-inch heels.

Not to be deterred by the loss of a few grand, Rooney even invested heavily in his own stable complex, although that too was recently sold off, with many of the horses being sold on to members of the public.

Footballers have had varying levels of success with the horses they own

Michael Owen

He may rival Rooney when it comes to being a monotone tv pundit and international underachiever, but in the world of horse racing Owen is head and shoulders above his fellow striker and indeed any other footballer involved with horses.

Owen’s success stems mainly from his purchase of the revered Manor House Stable in Cheshire that is situated near to where the footballer lives.

In 2010 horses from the stables managed to net Owen no less than £400,000 thanks to their stellar performances and in 2019 the stables were the winner of the Lycetts’ Team Champion Award.

As Owen and his business partners look to expand their racing operation, it is clear that this former striker has taken his eye off the ball and now firmly has it on the winning post.

Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman

With Aintree just round the corner, it perhaps comes as no surprise that Liverpool players feature heavily on this list, and these two men who took the business world by storm when their respective playing careers ended, were no exception.

Their investment group, rather amusingly named The Macca and Growler Partnership, mainly invests in property, owning large swathes of real estate in Liverpool and further afield. However, they have also dabbled in horse racing, although their horse naming skills leave something to be desired.

Their first two purchases were rather lazily named A Horse and Another Horse. That said, they do also own horses that have gone on to be big stars, such as Samon and Seebald.

Alex Ferguson

Never one to allow anyone connected to Liverpool to steal his spotlight, Sir Alex Ferguson has long held vested interests in the racing game and even owned a stake in one of the greatest horses of all time, The Rock of Gibraltar.

As competitive as ever, the former Man Utd manager is still on the hunt for a Grand National winner, but unfortunately, Give Me A Copper failed to bring home the bacon in the race’s 2020 edition.

No doubt Ferguson will be back to try again.

Mick Channon

Few people have lived as fuller sporting life as ex-England and Southampton striking legend Mick Channon.

Not content with having banged in over 250 career goals for club and country, upon his retirement from the beautiful game he re-invented himself as a trainer of racehorses, going on to become one of the most revered trainers in the game.

In the last five seasons alone, Channon’s stable of thoroughbreds has amassed a staggering £3.5 million, meaning that he well and truly blows Michael Owen and Alex Ferguson out of the racing water.

Joey Barton

Horses are renowned for being overly temperamental beasts, prone to lashing out if they are spooked or whinnying at the top of their lungs for no apparent reason.

For these reasons and so many more, it is perhaps no surprise that the worst French accent in professional football has an active interest in horse racing.

Whereas Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman opted for comic turns when naming the horses they owned, Barton tried instead to look as cool as Leighton Baines, by naming his horses after Arctic Monkeys song titles.

These days Barton is busy trying to get Fleetwood Town into the Championship rather than leaning on the rail at local race meets, but he still owns numerous strong runners such as My Propeller and She Looks Like Fun.

Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan would love it (“would just love it!”) when one of the horses he co-owned with Mick Channon came home a winner.

Keegan’s love for racing stemmed from his father, who if legend is to be believed was only able to afford his son’s first pair of football boots after a fruitful trip to the races.