Two-time Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Jamie Snowden gives an insight into what it’s like to train a 4,000-share syndicate horse for the Festival.
Speaking about Albert Bartlett hopeful Wendigo, on behalf of BetVictor Casino, Snowden said: “Having a horse like Wendigo – who is split into 4,000 shares – running in a Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival is very special for the owners.
“A lot of people ask what our ownership model in the yard looks like and I can honestly say that we have owners from our postman to the King! It goes to show that anybody can get involved in horse racing and have a share in a horse.
“Syndicates like the Racing Club are a wonderful way of opening up ownership to anybody and it’s really exciting to have one of their horses in the yard. We’ve got a lovely bunch of owners and the yard isn’t dominated by one big owner. Every big winner is a special one – we’ve got a really good team.
“The brainchild of the Racing Club was set up by my old Corporal in the army and his friend in the RAF. They set it up and it’s really thrived. Wendigo was obviously the first horse they had, and what a horse he is to have!
“I think Wendigo goes to Cheltenham with every chance. We’re absolutely buzzing to run him! He’s certainly capable of running into a place and I think he’s got a genuine chance in the race.”
Snowden also lifted the lid on his other main hopes heading to this year’s Festival, including Hollygrove Cha Cha, Ga Law and Marche d’Aligre.
Having won the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle with You Wear It Well in 2023, Snowden is plotting a similar route with Holly Grove Cha Cha.
“Hollygrove Cha Cha is charting a very similar path to You Wear It Well, heading to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle off the back of winning the Grade 2 Jane Seymour at Sandown, switching from 2m4f right-handed to 2m1f going left-handed,” Snowden said.
“One thing I would say is the New Course is more of a stamina test than the Old Course, which I think will suit her. I can see her turning the tables on Jubilee Alpha and she’s one of the shortest-price British runners. Hopefully she goes there with a decent chance.
Ga Law is no stranger to success at Cheltenham, having won big handicaps at the course in 2022 and 2024, but is seeking a first win at the Festival having run in the Ryanair Chase for the last two years.
Snowden said: “It looks like we’re going to get good ground and that will certainly benefit Ga Law. He likes to go forward in his races and be in the hurley burley of it – that brings out the best in him. He doesn’t want too much space around him and I think Cheltenham suits him.
“He tends to run really well at Cheltenham. It seems to light him up and excite him. Hopefully the good ground can bring about the positives in him and he can run a big race.”
The Fred Winter, for juvenile handicappers, is usually a ferociously competitive race but Snowden could have a nice candidate this year in Marche d’Aligre.
“Marche d’Aligre is a good horse and he goes in the Fred Winter,” Snowden said. “He’s a big, scopey, rangy type. He looks an absolute picture of good health at the moment. He won first time out and we chanced our arm down at Chepstow in the Grade 2 where he ran a mighty race, finishing a few lengths behind Nietzsche Has who was rated 148 – we’re only rated 121. On that form he’s incredibly well-handicapped.
“He needed his third run to qualify and we ran him at Haydock on ground that was definitely too quick for him. He made a bad mistake and never really got back into it. It was a bit disappointing but, on the face of it, Haydock is a sharp track on good ground and I think I can put a line through that one.
“I think he’ll cope well in the hurley burley of the Fred Winter and hopefully he’s got an each-way chance.”
With the final bits of work done, everything is now aimed at success next week and securing another Cheltenham Festival winner for Snowden and his band of owners.
He said: “We had a good schooling session on Thursday and Hollygrove Cha Cha and Wendigo were brilliant; Wendigo in particular looked a class apart. He stood out as a properly classy horse. I’d also give a mention to Super Survivor who runs in the Pertemps. He looks a picture and he’s going really well at home. Those three, as well as Marche d’Aligre at a bigger price, would be my ones to note.”