The Big City Roller Story

One of our younger owners, and a regular contributor to Racing Weekly, Harry Beard shares his account of being a Big City Roller owner.

I’d like to take you back to April 2022, when my passion for The Sport of Kings was taken to another level. After submitting my regular Racing Weekly piece, I was made aware of the opportunity to become a part-owner in an Old Gold Racing horse for the first time, and was keen to take up the offer. The horse in question was Big City Roller.

Learning that ‘Gordon’ would be trained by Charlie Longsdon was nothing but a positive. He’s a trainer that knows how to get his new recruits running well and always seems to find winners wherever his horses travel.

My certificate of ownership came through, so I (along with many others) was officially enrolled. After a short sojourn on cloud nine, during which I told almost everyone I knew, the time finally came for Gordon to hit the track.

We’d had plenty of positive updates from Charlie and the Old Gold Racing team, so the excitement was properly building. We were off to Carlisle for his hurdling debut in what looked a relatively warm novice event. I wasn’t missing this for anything.

Three hours on a train up North is usually a tedious affair, but I just couldn’t wait to get there. A new course ticked off and the horse I part-own running… what wasn’t there to be excited about?

Horses came out for the opener and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bag of nerves. This was likely evident to anyone in my vicinity. But here comes a magnificent specimen, with piercing eyes and two white feet. I suddenly felt at ease. And then he went and won!

Click here to watch the race.

I was speechless. To call myself a winning owner was something I’d never dreamed of. If only I could bottle that feeling.

I returned home and to my fluffy pulpit. I took every opportunity I could to tell people I was a winning racehorse owner. Even the postman knows, and I’d never spoken to him before!

After coming back down to earth, I couldn’t wait for what was next. After a well-earned break, Gordon was declared for another competitive Novice Hurdle but this time all the way down in Chepstow. Side note - Charlie, can you please find Gordon a race that is somewhere relatively close? Thanks. Anyway, off to Chepstow I went.

Wales in December. I’ll let you work out the weather conditions, but we were racing and that was the main thing. After success on debut, Gordon had to carry top weight whilst also giving it away and that was always going to be a tough ask. Looking a picture and taking it all in his stride, the runners headed to post, and they were off.

They turned into the straight and nine that went to post with hopes of winning were whittled down to only three: Gordon, Paddy De Pole and the well-backed favourite, The Newest One. Jumping two out, Gordon and The Newest One went on together and the two battled it out. Unfortunately, the well-backed jolly stormed away, and both Gordon and Paddy finished second and third – a great result nonetheless.

But then, as is always the risk in this game, our beloved Gordon was faced with a setback. A tendon injury meant his 2023/24 campaign was over. On the bright side, settling in for a holiday at Sally Taylor’s yard seemed to please the big lad. Weekly updates from Sally and the Old Gold Racing team meant everybody was kept up to date on his progression. Horse or human, we all enjoy a break.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago: I had the chance to meet Sally and Gordon. In the field with his new friend, John Barbour, it took some persuading to get the pair to come over. Luckily I had sweets in my back pocket. Standing up close to these animals, you really appreciate their size, presence and personality.

I chatted with Sally and she told me he was doing well with his recovery and - the good news - ought to be heading back to Charlie’s relatively soon. His time at Sally’s seems to have really done him some good and although he still has a fair way to go to get back on a racecourse, the next outing is definitely edging closer!