Featherstone Rovers are hoping that a lifelong supporter who is also a renowned horse racing tipster and thoroughbred spotter can identify another success story and carry on bolstering the club’s Squad Builder fund, which supports new signings.
Hugh Taylor is part of the team and a syndicate member at Nick Bradley Racing, who have just sold a trio of fillies that originally cost a combined £62,000 for a total of more than £2 million.
Among them is three-year-old Fev Rover, who has been bought by an American owner for 695,000 guineas (£730,000).
The horse, selected with his help and named by him as a thank you from Bradley, was bought for £20,000 at Doncaster in August 2019 and, under the training of Richard Fahey from Malton, North Yorkshire, it performed impressively.
In August 2020, Fev Rover won the Prix Du Calvados, the Group 2 (second-highest in terms of quality) flat race over seven furlongs (0.87 miles) at Deauville in Normandy, France.
And in May, she was third in the 1,000 Guineas, the Group 1 one-mile flat race at Newmarket.
Taylor, a long-time friend of Bradley, has donated a portion of his winnings – the amount runs into five figures – from Fev Rover and other horses to the Rugby League club’s Squad Builder fund, which it set up in 2019.
The filly will now pursue a career in the USA after being bought by Lincoln Collins, a thoroughbred expert acting on behalf of owner Tracy Farmer, who is based in Kentucky and who has spent four decades as an owner and breeder.
Fev Rover, who turns four in February, will head to Florida to be trained by the highly-successful Mark Casse.
“There are lots of opportunities for her in America and if she’s as good as she was here, she’ll give her connections a lot of fun next year,” said Collins.
Taylor, who tips for At The Races, the digital partner of Sky Sports, added: “Nick and I both thought she had potential and he invited me to name her, so I went for Fev Rover.
“It seemed to go down well with the supporters, and maybe a fair few of them have made something by backing her.
“It’s a great feeling to have played a small part in her success. Hopefully she’ll do well in the States, where the ground will be faster and there will be more races that suit her.”
While now based in Guildford, Surrey, the 57-year-old grew up in Featherstone and along with his brother Mark he watched in 1973 Challenge Cup Final win over Bradford and has been at Wembley for Rovers’ subsequent visits.
“Mark is still a regular, and I get to as many games as possible,” he explained. “We talk most days, and Rovers almost always come up in the conversation.
“It’s nice to have been able to help the club with a small contribution to getting players on the pitch and hopefully I can carry on.”
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