Ken King Thoroughbreds understands that if you are planning to become a member in a syndicate you must have many questions you would like answered.

The purchase of a thoroughbred can be a significant commitment for some individuals and each individual must carefully consider whether they should undertake such a commitment.

Some commonly asked questions together with our answers are outlined below to assist you in your decision.

Why Ken King Thoroughbreds?

Unlike many of our competitors we will only syndicate thoroughbreds that we wish to retain a share in. We are partners with you in the financial responsibilty and hopefuly friends together enjoying the thrill of racing. We are your eyes and ears keeping a close watch on the progress of our horse and provide this service free of charge.

Our communication with our partners is second to none.

We have a great range of finance packages available that make it easier for you to own a quality thoroughbred.

We accept Mastercard, Visa and Amex credit cards. 

What are the ongoing costs after my initial purchase of share?

Your major ongoing monthly cost is that of training fees. These vary according to the trainer and their location and are a range of between $55 per day and $85 per day. Whilst the horse is in training you will be responsible for transport to and from race meetings, veterinary expenses, farrier, dentist, track fees, race nominations and acceptances and other general costs. When the horse is not in training you are resonsible for your share of spelling and agistment costs.

Based upon our experience you should budget on a 10% share of a racehorse costing you between $50 and $250 per month on average (inclusive of all the costs mentioned above).

These costs will be invoiced to you directly by the individuals providing the service.

What happens to prizemoney?

All prizemoney is distributed in proportion to your share in the syndicate after deducting standard trainer, jockey and stable percentages. You can expect a cheque to be received about 30 days after successful race day performance.

Do existing owners get a discount on future purchases?

Absolutely. We have the following discount structure in place to reward your loyalty. Our discount structure is based upon 10% share syndicates and does not apply to our Combo packages.

1 share - 0% discount

2 - 4 shares 10% discount

5 - 9 shares 15% discount

10 or more shares 17.5% discount

We appreciate and value your custom and look to maintain a long and lasting relationship with you.

Do I need to insure my racehorse?

We insure the racehorse whilst syndication is being completed, however once this has been done and all shares have been sold it then becomes each syndicate member's resonsibility to insure their share of the racehorse.

We can refer you to an insurance agent who specialises in racehorses and current rates are in the order of 3.5% of the insured value. You should be aware however that insuring your racehorse only covers destruction by death and will not protect you from non fatal injuries which prevent ongoing racing.

Who manages the syndicate?

As we select and take an interest in all the thoroughbreds we syndicate we prefer to manage them through their racing career.

We will keep you informed through our exclusive clients only area of our website of your horses progress weekly when it is in training and monthly whilst it is spelling. 

Ken King makes a point of having personal contact with every partner and can be contacted 24/7 on 1300 657 987.

What happens when the horse's racing career is over?

The thoroughbred is sold without reserve through a bloodstock auction with the sale proceeds distributed to syndicate members pro rata to there share.

What happens if I want to exit the syndicate prior to horse's completion of racing career?

You can exit the syndicate at any time, however what you can sell your share in the horse for will depend upon its performance at the time.

Your share will be offered to the other syndicate members in the first instance at a price to be agreed between the parties. If no agreement can be reached then you are free to sell your share to any other party. This will be your responsibility however we will try to assist in the matter if possible.

You will be responsible for your share of monthly expenses until such time as someone takes over your share.

Whose racing colours will the horse race in?

In most cases we race in Ken King Thoroughbred's colours which are maroon body, lime green spot sleeves and cap.

What happens if the thoroughbred does not perform?

We regularly assess the performance of our syndicated horses on an ongoing basis. If they are struggling to win, we develop a set of alternative strategies which are communicated to all syndicate members and a majority vote is taken as to the next appropriate course of action.

In formulating a strategy we work closely with the horses trainer to find an outcome that benefits all partners.

Even though we use best practices to select our horses it may be that they just can't run. In this circumstance we would recommend that the syndicate be dissolved and the horse sold.

What if we get an offer for the horse whilst it is still racing?

If a racehorse is performing well it often leads to unsolicited offers to purchase.

In this case Ken King in consultation with the trainer of the horse would form a view as to the offer's reasonableness and then circulate the offer and his view to the partners. A decision to sell would then be based upon the majority wishes.

Do I have access to the horse?

We encourage all syndicate members to take an active interest in the thoroughbred including visiting the stables or track where it is being trained or the property where it is being spelled.

We will provide you with all the appropriate telephone numbers so that you can make your own arrangements.

If you have any queries in this regard you are invited to contact Ken King directly.