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HORSEPOWER

Who’s got

2014Tatler tells you who really cracks the whip –

the 50 most important people in racing, as voted for and ranked by the industry’s most influential insiders

In as sociation

with

The Queen’s racehorse Carlton House, which ran in both the Investec Derby and at Royal AscotP

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3 SHEIKH HAMDAN, DEPUTY RULER OF DUBAI Sheikh Mohammed’s older brother is the

mastermind behind Shadwell – the breeding empire with eight stud farms (six UK-based) – and, like his brother, is big in racing, both in the UK and abroad. His best horse, Mukhadram, finished runner-up – behind Sheikh Mohammed’s African Story – in the Dubai World Cup in March. It’s said the 68-year-old’s ‘game face’ hides a sunny nature.

6 JOHN MAGNIERKnown as ‘the Boss’, Magnier, 66, owns the

world’s top breeding farm at Coolmore Stud in Ireland (Frankel’s first foal was born there in January). It’s a slick, ruthlessly efficient racing machine, which Magnier runs with business partners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Trainer Aidan O’Brien oversees Ballydoyle, Coolmore’s racing arm, with 150 Group One winners – including all five British Classics – in the past decade.

7 PRINCE KHALID ABDULLAH OF SAUDI ARABIA

There are tribes in remotest Patagonia who still wear loincloths, and yet they’ve heard of Frankel. Owner-breeder Prince Khalid, 77, owns the £100m horse, the most successful nag in racing history, although he’s now been retired to stud at Juddmonte (Frankel, that is, not the prince). Douglas Erskine-Crum runs the ship as chief exec, Lord ‘Teddy’ Grimthorpe is racing manager.

2 THE QUEENIt’s the sport of Queens too. The fervour Her Majesty, 88, feels for racing was wonderfully evident during last year’s Royal Ascot Gold Cup, when

the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Estimate won. She beamed and the nation beamed with her. The Queen, an owner and breeder, supposedly never bets but studies The Racing Post over breakfast every morning. She has around 25 horses in training and properly knows her stuff – she never wears scent when she visits her various yards because she knows it can excite young colts. It’s a racing legacy that the Queen inherited from her father George VI, so will the Prince of Wales one day take up the reins?

10 JOHNNY WEATHERBYJohnny, 54, is

chairman of the eponymous family-owned company that, since 1791, has been British racing’s administrator, banker and guardian of the thoroughbred General Stud Book. But that’s not all: he’s also chairman of Ascot racecourse, taking over from the Duke of Devonshire as the Queen’s representative there three years ago. Unbelievably charming.

5SHEIKH JOAAN OF QATARThe Al Thanis’

28-year-old cousin Sheikh Joaan is the deeply determined brain behind Al Shaqab racing, and last year appointed Highclere syndicate boss Harry Herbert as his racing manager and Frankie Dettori as his retained jockey. The rivalry between the Qatari factions will be interesting to watch. After Sheikh Joaan won last year’s Arc de Triomphe, Sheikh Fahad announced they had a ‘different strategy’.

1 SHEIKH MOHAMMED, RULER OF DUBAIRemains the most powerful figure in British racing despite the doping scandal that tarnished his racing kingdom, Godolphin, last year. The sheikh, 64, and his

children have around 1,000 horses in the UK. He himself has two principal trainers, Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor, who’s been at Godolphin for 20 years. Both train from lavish stables in in Newmarket, where the sheikh owns numerous other properties that house his young horses. He also has 7,000 acres of paddocks under his Darley breeding banner, which is run by John Ferguson. He made nearly £21m in prize money last season, with 228 winners worldwide. You’ll usually see him at all the big British race meetings in the summer, with his ravishing Jordanian wife Princess Haya by his side.

4 SHEIKHS HAMAD, SUHAIM & FAHAD OF QATAR Otherwise known as the Al Thanis. These ambitious brothers are

behind Qatar Racing and form the rising new ‘superpower’ in British racing. The cash-rich owner breeders sponsor the QIPCO British Champions Series and had top-flight success last year with 1,000 Guineas heroine Just The Judge. Sheikh Hamad, 32, centre, controls the cash, Sheikh Fahad, 24, right, heads operations with racing manager David Redvers, and Sheikh Suhaim, 28, left, is a linchpin behind the scenes.

8 HARRY HERBERTMany fingers, many pies. Easy-going Harry, the 55-year-old brother of the Earl of

Carnarvon, is not only the successful founder of swanky syndicate Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and a director of Newbury racecourse, he’s also been appointed as adviser to Sheikh Joaan, which many took as a sign of the Qatari’s vaulting ambition. A sublimely entertaining dinner guest and ace mimic.

9 DAVID REDVERSThe dashing 44-year-old bloodstock-agent is the Al Thanis’ racing manager and right-hand man. Also

renowned for being one of the pro-hunt protesters who stormed the House of Commons alongside Otis Ferry in 2004.

11ROGER WEATHERBYAs busy as his big brother

Johnny, Roger, 52, is CEO of the family company, Weatherbys, and takes over from Nicholas Wrigley as the Jockey Club’s senior steward this July. An adventurer, he once retraced Scott’s South Pole route wearing the same gear Scott did – woolly long johns and all.

12 CLARE BALDINGThe 43-year-old face of Channel 4’s racing coverage, former jockey Balding hails from serious racing stock:

her father and uncle have trained Classic and Grand National winners, and her grandmother was one of the first women elected to membership of the Jockey Club. She loves her Tibetan terrier Archie but hates tomatoes.

THE POWER LIST: FLAT

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20 ANDREAS JACOBSBremen-born breeder Jacobs – 49 and known as AJ to his friends – has stud

farms in Germany, Britain and South Africa. Julian Dollar manages his British stud, Newsells Park, which was responsible for a record-breaking sale at Tattersalls last October when they sold a Galileo colt for 3.6m guineas.16 CHARLIE GORDON-WATSON

This 54-year-old, football-mad bloodstock adviser has purchased close to 50 Group One

winners, including an Epsom Derby winner and an English 2,000 Guineas winner (which is very impressive). But full disclosure: he is married to Tatler’s editor, so we’re letting someone else speak for us. ‘Charlie is a horseman with great knowledge. We have had some great successes,’ says Sir Michael Stoute. So there.

29 SIR ROBERT OGDENYorkshire-born farmer’s son, 78, who made millions developing London’s Docklands

and now funnels some of that cash into buying horses. Catch him on his superyacht La Masquerade when he’s not overseeing his Sickling Hall Stud.

13 JOHN WARRENThe first man without a title or military rank to

become the Queen’s official racing manager, straight-talking Warren – Harry Herbert’s brother-in-law – is one of the world’s leading bloodstock advisers. As well as advising HM, the 57-year-old has also bought prize-winning yearlings for Prince Khalid Abdullah.

14DAVID & PATRICIA THOMPSON

David, 78, started life as a meat trader at Smithfield market before co-founding the successful food manufacturing company Hillsdown Holdings. Along with his lovely wife Patricia, he now owns Newmarket’s oldest stud, Cheveley Park. Notable stallions include Pivotal and Intello, the son of Galileo (who won the Epsom Derby in 2001).

23 DAVID & SIMON REUBEN

Through their joint company Reuben Brothers, billionaire brothers David, 72, and Simon, 69, own Britain’s largest racecourse group, Arena Racing Company. In total they own or manage 15 racecourses in the UK, accounting for almost half of the UK’s racing fixtures. They’re very on track.

24 DR JIM HAYScottish billionaire racehorse-owner

Dr Hay, 65, is a close pal of Michael and Carole Middleton – you might spot him sitting with them in the Queen’s carriage procession at Royal Ascot, along with his glamorous wife Fitri. They live in Harold Macmillan’s former pile, Birch Grove, in Sussex. He has about 40 horses in training and was tickled when Fame And Glory, which he owned in partnership, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2011. 17 PAUL BITTAR

Bittar faced some major issues over

financing and whip rules when he took over as chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority two years ago, but the 44-year-old Aussie has since proved himself more than worthy of a leading role. Spends a lot of time daydreaming about the weather in Australia, though.

30 EDMOND MAHONYThe debonair

53-year-old chairman of Tattersalls conducts the all-important October Yearling sale. He trains his auction voice as joint master of the Louth Foxhounds in Ireland and is a key figure in the fight to prevent Newmarket’s development. Rarely seen out of a double-breasted suit.

21 SIMON BAZALGETTEBazalgette, 52, is chief

executive of the Jockey Club and chairman of Jockey Club Racecourses. The great-great-grandson of Sir Joseph Bazalgette (who designed London’s sewer system), he’s an avid Brentford FC supporter.

27 BERNARD KANTORCo-founder of Investec

Bank and long-term sponsor of the Derby and Oaks at Epsom, he owns horses in the UK, Singapore and on his home turf of South Africa. An incorrigible bon viveur, the 65-year-old loves Bell’s whisky and Portuguese restaurants. His many pals call him Benji.

28 FRED DONEThe Salford-born tycoon co-founded

bookmakers Betfred after a punt on the 1966 World Cup. Now 71, he has 1,400 betting shops taking £4bn a year. He bought the Tote when it was privatised in 2011. Worth gazillions but still drinks instant coffee.

25 HELEN GRANTA former judo champion, Tory MP

Grant, 52, replaced Hugh Robertson as Sports Minister at the end of last year. It’ll be her job to find a way of bringing bookmakers and the racing industry together over finances. Good luck with that, Helen.

18 JOHN GOSDEN & RACHEL HOOD

Cambridge-educated Gosden has trained more than 2,500 winners and his brilliant lawyer wife Rachel is chairwoman of the Racehorse Owners’ Association. Both 63, they have four beautiful children and live in Newmarket.

15 KIRSTEN RAUSINGThe eldest child of

Swedish billionaire industrialist Gad Rausing, Kirsten, 61, has run studs since she was 15, when her grandfather Ruben left her in charge of his Swedish set-up. She has bred or raised winners of more than 1,000 races on her Newmarket farm Lanwades.

19 SIR MICHAEL STOUTEBarbadian-born trainer Sir Michael, 68, has had so many wins we’ve lost count, and he’s

been champion trainer a whopping 10 times. It was thanks to him that the Queen was so smiley last year at Ascot – he trained her horse, Estimate, to win the Gold Cup.

26 MARK JOHNSTONTop Yorkshire-based

trainer, 54, who has notched up more than 100 winners for 19 consecutive seasons. Keep him sweet or he’ll happily dish it up with both barrels on his must-read blog, which he calls Bletherings.

22 STEVE HARMANThe 57-year-old was

appointed British Horseracing Authority chairman last March, and used his December keynote speech to declare that the industry is ‘not well’, with a falling horse population and fewer financial incentives for owners, courses and jockeys. So he’s busy working on it.P

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40 NICK LUCKSince debuting on Racing UK 10

years ago, the Old Harrovian ex-actor has been a solid part of Channel 4’s front-of-house team. Authoritative and well-informed, the 35-year-old has been named broadcaster of the year five times by the Horserace Writers’ and Photographers’ Association.

39 THE NIARCHOS FAMILY Flaxman Holdings, the

racing empire built up by shipping tycoon Stavros over 25 years, is now run by his children. Philip, 60, and Spyros, 59, are involved, but it’s Maria, 61, who oversees day-to-day decisions. They keep 70-odd horses in training between the UK, France and US, and last year won three Group One races at Longchamp.

36 LORD & LADY LLOYD-WEBBER

Lady Lloyd-Webber founded Watership Down Stud near Newbury in 1992, with Simon Marsh overseeing the day-to-day running of it. But his lordship takes a close interest: he named the Fugue, which had notable wins in Ireland and York last year.

38 RICHARD HUGHESThe 41-year-old

Dublin-born son of trainer Dessie Hughes was British flat-racing champion jockey in 2012 and 2013, riding more than 200 winners last season, including several for Sheikh Joaan. Much liked by owners and trainers for his ‘nursing’ style of riding horses – coaxing them along without appearing to ride them too hard.

32 ANTHONY OPPENHEIMERThe late Sir Philip,

head of the diamond-mining dynasty, named his 290-acre Newmarket stud Hascombe & Valiant, after his children, Valerie and Anthony, in 1965. It’s now run by Anthony, 76; recent highlights include an outstanding 2011, when two Hascombe & Valiant- bred horses won at Royal Ascot.

33 PHILIP FREEDMANThe 52-year-old

ex-banker son of legendary breeder Louis Freedman ran the influential Cliveden Stud for 18 years. Key racing posts include chairman of the BHB’s Flat Race Advisory Panel and director of the British Horseracing Board. He is now chairman of the Horsemen’s Group. A numbers whizz.

31 LADY ROTHSCHILDThe Rothschild colours

have been romping home to victory at Ascot and Epsom for 170 years. Lady Rothschild, 79, oversees the Waddesdon Stud, is a determined buyer at Tattersalls and gets results – witness top- class filly Thistle Bird last year.

35 LADY BAMFORD Everything Lady B does, she does properly, and breeding thoroughbreds

is no exception. Top horses from the Daylesford stud include Shantaram and Sariska, a past winner of the Oaks and Irish Oaks. She loves watching the racing on TV.

37 CHARLES BARNETT After seven years as

chief executive of Ascot, 65-year-old Barnett is stepping down after the Royal Meeting this year to spend more time with his family in Wrexham. Don’t panic – he’s assured everyone he’ll still be heavily involved with Ascot one way or another.

34 MICHAEL OWENThe ex-England striker, 34, owns Manor House yard in Cheshire,

which has shown impressive form on the flat since opening in 2007. Investment from Betfair co-founder Andrew Black brought Tom Dascombe on board as trainer, and over 100 horses in training. Highlights include three wins at Royal Ascot.

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Three of these chaps inherited their licences from their fathers, having served as their underlings. Clare Balding’s buff brother Andrew Balding, 41, took over from their dad Ian in 2003 and trains horses for the Qataris and the Lloyd-Webbers.

Richard Hannon, 38, has dropped the ‘Jr’ from his name, having taken over from Richard Hannon Sr and, in his first season, is already training for Sheikh Joaan and John Magnier. Charles Hills, 36, took over from his father,

Barry, in 2011 after eight years as his assistant and now trains for the Qataris, among others. Roger Varian, 34, loved racing as a boy, and – after a stint pizza-making – started training. His 89 wins last season made £1.3m. Kerching!

F O U R T R A I N E R S T O W A T C H

THE POWER LIST: JUMP

10DAI WALTERSThe 68-year-old businessman and

owner was the driving force behind the opening of Ffos Las in 2009, Britain’s first new National Hunt racecourse in 80 years. He’s known as the godfather of Welsh racing, but is also called things like ‘dynamic’, ‘determined’ and even – wait for it – ‘combustible’..

5 RUBY WALSHThe jockey, 34, won the Grand National at his first

ever attempt, aged 20, in 2000. Since then he’s ridden some 2,000 winners, although he announced last May that he was parting ways with Paul Nicholls and slowing down ever so slightly, to concentrate on riding in Ireland for Willie Mullins.

2 AP McCOYCommonly called Tony (his initials stand for Anthony Peter), McCoy,

another Irishman, has been champion jockey for 18 consecutive years. The 39-year-old has had over 4,000 wins – he’s also fallen around 1,000 times, notching up broken collarbones, ribs, legs and shoulder blades. Has been JP McManus’s retained jockey for the past 10 years. He is married to the beautiful, sparky Chanelle.

4 NICKY HENDERSONAs the godson of Field

Marshal Montgomery, the jovial Berkshire-based trainer nearly ended up in the Army. Instead, after leaving Eton, the 63-year-old became an amateur jockey before moving into training. He’s Cheltenham’s most successful trainer ever with 51 festival winners.

6 WILLIE MULLINSThe 57-year-old trainer is the son of the late, legendary

trainer Paddy Mullins. Hit a high last year when Blackstairmountain, ridden by Ruby Walsh, won the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan. Hedgehunter’s victory in the 2005 Grand National was another sublime moment. Rarely seen without his trilby.

7 TREVOR HEMMINGSThe publicity-shy business tycoon and philanthropist, 78,

has been a passionately involved owner for more than 40 years. He has landed two Grand National victories – with Hedgehunter in 2005 and Ballabriggs in 2011 – but longs to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He is obsessed with Shire horses and Suffolk Punches.

3 PAUL NICHOLLSThe most successful jump trainer of his

generation. Paul, 52, is an avid fan of Manchester United, which is fortunate as he trains horses for Sir Alex Ferguson. The 2008 Gold Cup was a peak – he trained the first-, second- and third-placed horses Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges.

8 THE WALEY-COHEN FAMILYRobert, 65, is chairman of

Cheltenham racecourse and an owner – he’s had most success with his horse Long Run. Sam, 32, is his charming son. Sam’s day job is chief exec of his dentistry chain, Portman Healthcare, but he’s some jockey too, riding Long Run to glory in the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

1 JP MCMANUSThe Irish owner, 63, started out with a betting

stand on a dog track in Limerick. JP (John Patrick) is now one of Ireland’s richest men (though resident in Switzerland) with several hundred horses in training. Had a brilliant Cheltenham in 2006, when he backed two of his horses to win their races and they did – with JP taking £925,000 from bookie ‘Fearless’ Freddie Williams.

9 DAVID MINTON & ANTHONY BROMLEY

The two founded Highflyer Bloodstock in 2001, responsible for some of the biggest names in racing, including Kauto Star, Big Buck’s and Long Run. Known as Minty, David, 64, is never without his flat cap. Anthony, 45, is his protégé turned business partner.

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