Debut winner Brazil Nut – next stop Listed Dahlia Plate (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Fun, fun, fun, plenty of racing and the guarantee that no matter where your horse finishes, you are having fun.
That’s the broad philosophy of the International Racing Club, with a hoofprint in all of South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA.
The International Racing Club caters for the racing and travel enthusiast.
“If you own 5% of a horse with us in South Africa and happen to be in the UK on business then you are most welcome to visit our trainers here as if you are an owner in that yard,” explains spokesman Joao da Mata, who says that the hospitality and friendship aspect makes racing fun.
“Going racing in a foreign country and meeting and networking can be daunting. But all our members are ‘gold status’ and you have fun wherever we may have our horses,” he adds.
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The IRC membership has various options. “Our preferred option is a 2 year in advance all-inclusive payment. But we do accept the purchase of a share and then monthly expenses being paid. We are flexible and try and add the affordability angle to involve more people,” he says, adding that racing fun should not only be for the wealthy.
The IRC run their membership contracts on 2 year basis.
“It works pretty much like the UK syndication business. Purchase a horse as a yearling and evaluate your options as a 3 year old. For example, a horse that costs us R100k we will syndicate for R300k on a 2 year all-in package. So for R30k you get 10% and no bills for 2 years. And if we are lucky – and we have been – you get stakes too.”
The aspect of who gets to grab the brag with silks is also casual.
“Even if you own 5% of our horse, and if running it in your first time colours is important to you, then we have no issue with that. You will see many IRC horses not running in our colours. We believe in inclusion and making every single owner feel like they own it all.”
Joao knows that racing is a tough sport.
“In every race there is normally only one winner – joining the IRC turns it into two winners every time because no matter where our horse runs we have fun!”
Interested in chatting about the IRC? Click here – or contact Joao on email at: [email protected]
