Michael Owen makes horse racing debut

From Anfield to Ascot, the former footballer finishes second

Michael Owen
(Image credit: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Former Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Michael Owen today made his debut as a jockey at Ascot.

Owen, who had “never even sat on a horse before agreeing to take part”, according to the Daily Express, took part in the seven-furlong Prince’s Countryside Fund race this afternoon, finishing second aboard Calder Prince.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

“As the race gets closer I'm getting both nervous and excited about it,” Owen had told Racing UK earlier in the week. “It's been a massive learning curve for me and having thought initially that this would be quite easy, I've come to the realisation that that couldn't be any further from the truth.”

His trainer, Tom Dascombe, said he had “come a long way in a short space of time, having gone from never having ridden a horse to riding at one of the best venues in the world”.

Owen reportedly needed to lose nearly two stone in order to fall under the maximum weight.

Twitter users reacted with confusion and amusement to the announcement and today’s race:

Some complained that his technique was poor:

But others were more complimentary:

Explore More