Philip Rowley’s tale of how he ended up owning a share in Val Dancer is both depressing and uplifting, taking him from financial peril to a landmark success in the Welsh Grand National.
Former point-to-pointer Val Dancer was identified as an exciting prospect for a group of owners and duly purchased at auction before relocating to Poplar Cottage Farm in Shropshire, the training establishment of Rowley and wife Mel, who holds the licence.
However, matters then took an unfortunate turn.
Rowley explains: “I’d been asked by some owners to buy a horse at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in January 2022. So off I went with Mel to the sale. David Minton [aka Minty], who we’ve worked with for 25 years, also came along.
“We liked Val Dancer, bought him for £60,000 and took him home. Then a few days later the people we purchased the horse for said they didn’t want him!
“The horse was in my name, which was a big worry, but I spoke to Tattersalls and they were very helpful regarding credit. We then approached a couple of big owners that have had horses with us, but they weren’t interested.
“I told Minty we’d have to put a syndicate together and take a share each. Then John Nicholson, Peter Andrews and the late Tim Leadbeater each took a 20% share, which was unbelievably helpful. So that’s how the syndicate – The Val Dancers – was formed.”
Val Dancer showed promise over hurdles, landing a novices’ contest at Bangor, but chasing was always going to be the son of Valirann’s game.
Switched to fences and staying trips last year, he recorded a trio of victories at Leicester, Wetherby and Catterick, working his way up the handicap in the process.
“Val Dancer has improved all the way through and strengthened up for his summer break,” Rowley says. “He came back a really strong horse this season.
“We popped up to Carlisle for his reappearance when I wasn’t sure the ground would be soft enough for him, yet he still won, enjoying the stiff track. Charlie Deutsch got off him and said he was made for the Welsh National.
“It wasn’t guaranteed we would run him at Chepstow but he actually got in easily having gone up to a mark of 126.”
The big race itself remains something of a mystery – the Racing Post analysis says “not a great deal was seen in the fog” – but what is certain is that Val Dancer passed the post in front of Jubilee Express under Charlie Hammond, deputising for namesake Deutsch.
Rowley, who stayed at home while Mel went to the track, comments: “I watched on TV in the office and didn’t see very much. But I noticed he was travelling well and jumping nicely when the commentator said they were coming to four out – then I started to get excited!
“It was very emotional for us and his family. I think it was just meant to be.”
“Two out, Charlie said he thought he was beat, but the horse dug deep and tried his heart out. It was a great day.
“Sadly, Tim Leadbeater died in August, but his family have taken over his share and we ran him in Tim’s colours at Chepstow, so it was very emotional for us and his family. I think it was just meant to be.”
The Rowleys train around 60 horses at present, including point-to-pointers, having started out breaking and pre-training. They also produced young horses to sell on, one graduate being Ahoy Senor, a dual Grade 1 winner for trainer Lucinda Russell.
Mel took out a full licence in 2021 and has sent out 61 winners to date, the Welsh National being the highlight for the stable so far. However, her husband has another magical moment that just about trumps that triumph.
He says: “For me, Wishing And Hoping winning the Veterans’ Final at Sandown was my best moment.
“He’d been a tricky horse for various reasons – he’d been retired and then came back to us – but won the Lady Dudley Cup in record time. When he went to Sandown, I really didn’t think he’d win. It was a massive day.”
Alongside the racing operation, the Rowleys also have a livestock farm a mile and a half away. Daughter Isabella, 17, rides out and schools while son Edward, 14, “prefers cattle, sheep and tractors”.
They are keen to remain hands-on with the horses and for that reason wouldn’t contemplate increasing the size of their string.
“I think I speak for every trainer in the industry when I say the biggest problem is getting the riders and the staff,” Rowley says. “That’s the hardest thing. If we could have 20 or 30 really good riders, the number of horses wouldn’t be an issue.
“Staffing is the number one issue, but the financial side also has to add up. We probably don’t charge enough, and we’ll likely have to increase our prices. Our priority is always to keep the horses healthy and the owners happy.”
Val Dancer has certainly kept his owners happy, his latest win pushing his career earnings over £122,000, and while he could turn out at the Cheltenham Festival granted testing going, the Grand National is off the agenda this year.
“He’s not ready for Aintree,” Rowley states. “Although we would consider the National in future.
“Val Dancer could be very nice in time so we’ll look after him and let him tell us where we go next.”
