Banburyshire trainer looks forward to a great season in the Sport of Queens (and Kings)

National Hunt trainer Ben Case, who is based on the historic Edgcote estate near Banbury, recently opened his stables as part of the National Racehorse week – an introduction to newcomers to the sport.

This was followed by a very successful Owners’ Day where over 150 people enjoyed a parade of horses, followed by lunch.

With the public seeing the huge enjoyment the late Queen Elizabeth II got from her horses, racing is more popular than ever - and attainable as members of the public are able to devote income to a ‘leg’ – or share – in a racehorse.

Ben Case trains around 35 horses on his yard – some owned outright and some by syndicates.

The Ben Case Racing Partnership allows individuals to share the thrills and spills of racing without having to own, keep and train a horse. They pay a contribution for the year to be part-owner of one, or more, of this string.

"It’s an economical way to see if you like racing - a taster,” said one of Case’s syndicate members. “You can have a quarter share or a half share. It could be a horse with some experience on the track or it could be a youngster who may become a big success. It’s not such a huge investment and you can see if it’s the sport for you.

"It allows part-owners to enjoy the sport and there’s a great social life around racing. You can go to the races with friends with a common sporting interest, without having to fund a horse in its entirety.”

Case was delighted to have a good start to this year when Cobblers Dream won the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and a £100,000 prize. This season Cobblers Dream will go novice chasing with the aim of doing well at Chepstow’s big jumps meeting in October. The Listed Robert Mottram Memorial Trophy over two miles and three furlongs at the two-day meeting is the target for the horse who has been schooling well over fences.

After winning a National Hunt flat race (a bumper) at Cork for his previous trainer Sean Aherne, Cobblers Dream won three times last season for Case, helping the trainer reach prize-money of £175,068, his second best in a season since taking out a licence in 1999.

Case said: "He will go novice chasing and I’m hoping he’ll run at Chepstow in October. We’re very much looking forward to going over fences."

Also set to go over fences is the consistent mare Gazette Bourgeoise, who won at Stratford and Hereford last season. Felton Bellevue also won twice last season and will be targeted at regional nationals, while The Golden Rebel could get a spin over the Grand National fences in the Grand Sefton at Aintree on November 5.

Case will use Harry Bannister, Jack Quinlan, Bryan Carver, Lily Pinchin and his amateur rider son Charlie – who has returned from a stint in New Zealand – as his jockeys throughout the season.