Welcome to Racing Post readers!

A warm welcome to readers of the Racing Post from all of us at the Select Racing Club!
 
It's not too late to join the SRC and share in the excitement as we build towards Club horse Rupestrian running at Cheltenham on Gold Cup day in a couple of weeks time!
 
Membership of the Club costs just £89 for a year's membership.  You can join online now, or for further information please contact one of the team on 0845 680 9824 or by email at info@select-racing-club.co.uk 
 
 
Racing Post, Thursday March 4th 2010
 
Select Racing Club's festival tilt a victory for democracy
 
HOW many times will you read of a horse heading to thev festival with a vote of confidence?  Well, it's true in the case of Triumph Hurdle hope Rupestrian.  Literally.
 
Rupestrian is owned by the Select Racing Club, whose members, for one payment of £89, decide who trains the club's horses, who rides them and where they run.  And the club's first horse, Rupestrian - a four-time hurdle winner - is heading to Cheltenham after 300 enthusiastic members voted by a majority verdict to have a crack at the Triumph. 
 
Select Racing Club is the brainchild of manager Nathaniel Barnett, who likens the idea to that of Myfootballclub, which owns conference club Ebbsfleet United.
 
"No-one thought that members of the public could run a football club but it works.  Why not try it with racing?" says Barnett.
 
"I wanted to offer people who love racing and who may not be able to afford ownership the opportunity to be involved in a racing club.
 
The beauty of Select Racing Club is that everyone knows exactly what is happening with the horses.  Members can have the final say and it get everyone involved," says Barnett.
 
So, what does having a runner at the Festival mean and, more importantly, what chance of a Cheltenham winner in the first year of the club?
 
Barnett says: "I've been going to the Festival since I was a child and it's always the highlight of my year.  Rupestrian's journey has been brillliant, incredibly exciting and we're very lucky.
 
"The Triumph is very different from those early juvenile races but it does not look a great year and he wouldn't have been disgraced in any juvenile hurdle run in England this season.
 
"We never thought ten months ago we would be at this point, but if he could sneak into the top six I'd be delighted."