In 2020, Ian Smith, founder of The Grid Iron Company, who specialise in North Yorkshire native breed meat and charcuterie, bought some shares in a horse with trainer, Brian Ellison, fulfilling a life-long ambition to be “on the inside” of horseracing. Following that, he obtained shares in a flat horse named Gemcutter (pictured above), also trained by Brian. In 2021, Gemcutter emerged victorious in a number of races as a two-year-old before being sold at the November sales.

According to Ian, owning shares in a horse taught him a valuable lesson about the cost involved. He now understands how expensive it can be and feels fortunate that Gemcutter’s success in winning some races helped offset some of those costs.

Grid Iron Racing has a clear vision and approach to racehorse ownership. By applying a fixed cost and limiting the number of shares, it can make the ownership experience more affordable and enjoyable for everyone involved. It’s also great to have the expertise of Brian Ellison, who has a wealth of experience in training horses and can help select horses with a good chance of winning.

Following the successful sale of Gemcutter, an exciting opportunity arose for Grid Iron Racing to acquire a yearling filly with a powerful lineage: her grandfather was none other than the legendary Frankel. The decision was made to purchase the filly, who was then sent to trainer Brian Ellison’s yard. This promising young horse has since become the foundation for Grid Iron Racing’s future in the world of horse racing.

Overall, it seems like we’re on the right track towards achieving our goals.

Why not join us and get the inside track!