Spring Romance earns a win for Berkhamsted

Spring Romance (far side) with jockey Jack Duern beating the runner-up Royal Household.

The horse has a real local connection as it runs in the maroon and pink colours of the twelfth-share syndicate, Solario Racing of Berkhamsted, which is run by the 58-year-old Double.

Trained nearby by Dean Ivory at Harper Lodge Farm, in Radlett, the three-year-old gelding was having only his sixth ever race and in a thrilling finish, he just held on to beat Royal Household by a short head under jockey Jack Duern.

Going off as the 3/1 joint-favourite, Spring Romance led until the half-way stage before tucking in behind the well-backed Enzo’s Lad.

Spring Romances owners on the winning podium at Lingfield in Surrey last Friday.

Both horse and jockey took the brave route and threaded through a very narrow gap up the inside rail to take up the running.

Despite a late charge by the eventual runner-up, the pair held on to win the spoils to the delight of the thrilled owners.

Double said: “Spring Romance is still very green and inexperienced, so to win when he doesn’t know what he’s really doing bodes well for the future.

“He’s had three runs this year with two wins and a second [place].

Simon Double, above, set up his own racehorse syndication business Solario Racing in 2010.

“When the penny really drops, he’ll be a force to be reckon with in decent-quality races.”

He added: “I think he has a big future ahead of him.”

Double has been running syndicates for 23 years and started off selling syndicate shares for former trainer, Peter Harris in Tring.

He then founded Pat Eddery Racing in 2003 with the former 11-times champion jockey before setting up his own racehorse syndication business, Solario Racing, in 2010.

A resident of Berkhamsted since 1996, Double is a committee member of Berkhamsted & District Chamber of Commerce and he co-runs the Chamber’s bi-monthly networking breakfasts which are held at Berkhamsted Cricket Club with local photographer, Mikaela Morgan.

Spring Romance’s other win earlier this season came at Wolverhampton on February 2.

The bay gelding’s debut race was on May 8 last year in Windsor.

Spring Romance was taking a step-up in class at Lingfield but took it in his stride to register his second win in three starts this year, prevailing by a short head over the six-furlong race.

The son of Zebedee was one of seven runners in the 0-75 handicap race and was drawn the number one stall.

He took advantage of the good inside draw to be handy throughout under Harper Lodge stable’s apprentice rider Duern.

Duern judged when to press on and encouraged Spring Romance to go through a very narrow gap. It was the first time the horse had ever either really passed a horse and withheld the challenge of one. It was a great learning experience for the young sprinter.