1) Horse you are most looking forward to seeing this season?
SH: I am most looking forward to seeing our Kennet Valley syndicate horse Magical Memory (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) back in action again. He was third in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup when last seen, having won the Stewards' Cup beforehand, and he has done great physically for the extended break we gave him since.
2) A stallion who could feature prominently (doesn't have to be first season)?
SH: I am a big fan of Dandy Man (Ire) (Mozart {Ire}), who could have a big year with his strongest book of 2-year-olds to run for him, whilst a couple of underrated mile-plus horses this side of the pond are Mount Nelson (GB) and Sixties Icon (GB)–neither may be that sexy, but they are good stallions whose progeny run! For a first-season sire, Delegator (GB) has his first 2-year-olds running for him and there are some positive mutterings from trainers who know the time of day. Many of the first-season sires are over-hyped too early but Delegator is perhaps under the radar and could surprise a few. He was a superb and very versatile racehorse himself of course.
3) Positive change you would like to see for the industry in 2016?
SH: My hope is that the likes of Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill will wake up and become Authorised Betting Partners (ABPs) before their turnover in racing slumps. They need racing as much as racing needs them and, having been exempt from levy on online/telephone bets for a considerable time now, it is time they stop whingeing and wake up to reality. Longer term, Betfred's licence on pool betting expires in 2018 and the next couple of years' planning is key for racing to ensure it is in pole position to operate the new pool betting mechanism.
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