Amy Murphy, who trains at Southgate Stables in Newmarket, has reserved the name 'Southgate' with the BHA; Murphy: "We're always trying to be inventive and think of different ways to attract owners into the yard"
Monday 5 July 2021 20:08, UK
England manager Gareth Southgate could have a racehorse named in his honour after Euro 2020.
Trainer Amy Murphy, whose dual purpose yard in Newmarket is called Southgate Stables, has reserved the name 'Southgate' with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and is urging fans of both football and racing to get involved as potential owners.
After England's run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, Southgate underground station in north London was renamed 'Gareth Southgate' for 48 hours by Transport for London (TfL).
"We're always trying to be inventive and think of different ways to attract owners into the yard," Murphy said.
"The yard is called Southgate Stables, so as soon as they got through the group round it made sense to go and reserve it.
"In this game, you've got to always be looking for new ideas and new ways to move forward, that one connection with somebody new or existing can only be good.
"There are lots of links (with racing and football), there's obviously Michael Owen and other owners, the links are already there."
On Thursday, two days before scoring in England's Euro 2020 quarter-final win over Ukraine, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson celebrated as a winning horse owner - along with fellow stars Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Adam Lallana - after Mr McCann's win at Haydock.
Mr McCann - named after Liverpool's press officer, Matt McCann - is trained by Tom Dascombe at Michael Owen's Manor House Stables.
Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton was also a winning owner on Thursday as Electric Love won the QuinnBet Acca Bonus Handicap at Yarmouth.
