What's it like to be part of a Quest Thoroughbreds syndicate?

In our new weekly series on racing syndicates, we meet those involved, get their take on the ownership experience and outline the key details should you wish to join. This week: Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd.

• Read the full Join The Club series

The lowdown

Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd. syndicate manager Jordan Hopkins

How much does a share typically cost? We operate on a 40-share model, and the monthly fee attributed to each 2.5 per cent share is £90. 

What does it get you? Each member receives any prize-money accrued by their horse as per their percentage owned, as well as their percentage of the sale price if their horse is sold. We arrange regular stable visits for our members, and each member is also given an owner’s badge on racedays.

Typically how many owners are there in each horse? On average we would have around 30 people involved in each horse, with the majority of people opting to take an entry level 2.5 per cent share, although we have shareholders who hold as much as 50 per cent.

How do they communicate with members? We communicate solely via WhatsApp at the moment, with individual groups for each horse. We then have a large group for all shareholders, as well as a community group whereby I will post my own thoughts on all of the syndicate (and yard’s) runners, with betting insights.

Which trainers do Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd. use? We have all of our horses with Dylan Cunha at Phantom House stables in Newmarket. We plan to diversify in the future and have horses in France and Ireland.

How often do members get to see their horses at home? With our horses in training with Dylan Cunha, shareholders can visit their horse seven days a week with his open-yard policy.

Dylan Cunha: trains all Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd. stringCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Which type of horse does the syndicate like to buy? I try to focus on the Horses In Training (HIT) sales and spend an awful lot of my time studying form and figures, to the extent that if there is anyone watching as much racing as me, particularly in France, there is probably something wrong with them! The general aim is to source young, unexposed horses whereby I have it in mind that we can get at least 10lb of improvement out of them within a 12-month period.

What success have they had? From 172 runners to date we have had 27 winners, a 15.69 per cent winning strike rate, earning well over £200,000 in prize-money, and 48.8 per cent of our runners have finished in the first four (84 from 172 runners). The statistics for the horses I have purchased for Dylan through 2024 to date from HIT sales read particularly well with 18 winners from 70 runners (25.7 per cent) The highlight would be Asgard’s Captain, who has won five races to date for Quest, improving from a mark of 63 when bought in September 2023, to now 85. Patrol’s form figures since purchase read 2312131, and he now heads to a 1m2f handicap at Sandown on April 25, which I have always felt would be a perfect track and trip for him.

How many horses and members do Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd. have at the moment? We have nine horses in training and will look to be adding to our string over the coming months at the Horses In Training sales, or sourcing horses privately. Our most exciting prospect would be Cartwheel, who heads to the Nell Gwyn at the Craven meeting next.

Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd. syndicate manager Jordan HopkinsCredit: Jamie Hales

Where is the syndicate based? I am Hertfordshire based, but travel to Newmarket regularly as all of our horses are in training there.

More information available at Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd

The experience

Quest Thoroughbreds Ltd syndicate member Archie Hesse, 24, from Egham, Surrey

When did you first get involved with Quest Thoroughbreds? Jordan Hopkins got me and a lot of friends and family involved in August 2023. I was involved in a horse called Gidwa before with Kevin Philippart de Foy's racing club. He won a few times on the all-weather. 

How many shares have you had with them? One share so far and looking at having more.

What's been the highlight on the track? Having a runner at Epsom on Derby day. We all went in top hat and tails, which was class. Mart had already won five times for us after being bought for 11,000gns, which is a just a dream story.

Mart (grey, centre): has won six races for QuestCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

What do you like about the way Quest does ownership? Quest makes ownership affordable. A lot of the more well-known syndicates don’t cater for the younger generation who are going to become the future fans of racing. Quest meant as a 23-year-old I could get involved with my 20-year-old cousin, his 19-year-old friend and my 26-year-old brother.

Read more from the Join The Club series:

So, what's it like to be part of a Ross Burdon Racing Syndicate? 

'Their engagement is outstanding' - so, what's it like to be part of RaceShare?  

So, what's it like to be part of Brownsbarn Thoroughbreds? 

So, what's it like to be part of Middleham Park Racing? 

So, what's it like to be part of Hot To Trot Racing? 

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