In the age of the fly-on-the-wall binge-worthy documentary, Netflix and the rest of them have missed a trick to make a good Grand National one.
‘The Ramblers’ would have been quite the life-affirming story.
Six diverse characters who have found themselves dining at horse racing’s top table, all for the modest price of £3,000.
There’s the Scot living in Australia, looking to keep a connection with his homeland.
The 21-year-old student.
The Perthshire via south London widower finding himself a new purpose.
The accountant affectionately described as ‘quite wacky’ in the media information pen pics.
And the two others – as well as the breeder, who retained his share – who have been horse co-owners before so have a true appreciation of the stunning good fortune that has come their way.
Becoming part of a syndicate isn’t supposed to have this sort of plotline – not when the horse is a six-year-old with a price ticket of £17,000 and running costs that are far from eye-watering.
Safe to say, none of the owners looking their suits out for the big trip to Aintree on Saturday expected Corach Rambler to win twice at Cheltenham, to accumulate the thick end of £200,000 in prize money already and be in with a realistic chance of joining the racing immortals and picking up another half-a-million pounds.
Entering into the world of Kinross-shire’s renowned training partnership of Lucinda Russell and Peter Scudamore comes with the promise of intrigue, excellence and in-the-paddock pzazz.
But even a Grand National-winning stable closing in on a Scottish record for the season wouldn’t dare exaggerate the chances of reaching this sort of exalted status for an extraordinarily modest outlay.
As one of the syndicate seven, Gary Scott, put it: “I can remember thinking ‘it would be nice to go down to Newcastle or Hexham and have a bit of lunch and a fun day out’.
“We’re definitely having fun days out, that’s for sure, but they’re on a level we could never have imagined.
“The great thing is we all get on really well. Nobody thinks they’re above anybody else.
“We all just love racing and know how lucky we are to find ourselves in this situation.
“It’s funny, after a race we’ll all have a chat and say ‘I think he should go here next, or I think he should go there’.
“Then Lucinda will tell us where he’s actually going and it’ll be a case of ‘yeah, that’s what we were thinking all along’!
“We know that she’s the boss and, really, we know next to nothing.”
None are in this for money or even the reflected glory.
Dream-fulfilling camaraderie was the primary joint aspiration.
“My life was at a bit of a low ebb,” said Keith Garwood, who has lived in Comrie since 2014.
“My wife, Sue, died in late 2020. I just felt it was time to get out again and start meeting people and go racing.
“I got in touch with Lucinda at the start of the following year and we went through various options. Completely randomly, I chose Corach Rambler.
“I was thinking I’d be going to Hexham and Kelso, not Cheltenham and Aintree.
“The Ramblers have been like another family for me since then.
“It’s a great bunch, with such a different mix. We’ve got a 21-year-old student among us. He brings the average age of the syndicate down a bit!
“At Cheltenham we were in the parade ring with our arms around each other, watching the race (their second Ultima Handicap Chase triumph) on the big screen. It was such a special moment.
“We’ve already said that when the time comes that Corach retires, we’ll stick together and get another horse to continue the adventure.
“I’ve already invested in a younger horse in the yard who is just starting his career.
“With Lucinda and Peter we get the personal attention that you just wouldn’t get elsewhere.
“You’re made to feel a part of it. The yard is such a happy place to come to.”
Peering through a Carlisle fence
The up-close and personal experience with Corach Rambler and the elite team around him had to be put on hold after the syndicate came together, though.
In the early months it was a case of peering from a (social) distance.
“During Covid, obviously we couldn’t actually get into a racecourse,” said Keith.
“I can remember watching a race at Carlisle through a chain link fence at the edge of the course.
“Musselburgh was the same.
“We didn’t actually get into a racecourse during his novice hurdling year.
“He won a couple of races in the autumn of 2021 and Lucinda told us we were going for the Ultimate at the Cheltenham Festival. I was like ‘is that same Cheltenham Festival we watch on the TV every year?’
“The whole thing has snow-balled into such an unbelievable journey in what feels like a short space of time.
“We weren’t even thinking about the Grand National until earlier this year.
“None of us could have dreamt we’d be going to Aintree, let alone as the favourite for the race.
“We can genuinely say we’re living the dream.”
Nerves and high hopes
That Corach Rambler is a National newbie isn’t an extra obstacle to success. The exact opposite, in fact. First-time winners are the rule rather than the exception these days.
“There will be a big slice of nervousness,” said Gary
“These fences are no way near as severe as they once were but it’s always in the back of your mind that he hasn’t jumped there.
“He’s a great horse and will have a great jockey (Derek Fox).
“Lucinda thinks she’ll know within the first three or four fences whether he’s taking to them.
“He likes to come through the field.
“We say it before every race – the most important thing is he and Derek get round without any injury.
“He’s going with a favourite’s chance and if he gets round he’ll be near the front.”
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