Michael Owen, the former professional footballer, has spoken candidly about the financial strains he has encountered since transitioning from his lucrative playing career to owning racehorses. Owen, who earned approximately £110,000 per week during his tenure at Newcastle United between 2005 and 2009, acknowledged that the horse racing business is a significant financial challenge.
"It's a bloody hard business and I can't keep haemorrhaging money," Owen stated, referring to his venture with Manor House Stables in Cheshire, where he breeds and trains racehorses. Despite an estimated net worth of £54.4 million, he admitted to needing to manage his finances carefully due to the unpredictable nature of the industry and competition from those with considerably larger financial resources.
Owen reflected on his participation in the 2022 season of "The Masked Singer," where he performed as 'Doughnuts' and was eliminated in the sixth episode. He confessed that his primary motivation for joining the show was financial. "What made me do it? I guess the money! Now I've done it I'm actually quite proud of it," he said.
His wife, Louise, also shared her perspective on his spending habits, noting a contrast between his willingness to invest in horses and his frugality regarding household expenses. "Michael is very odd about spending money. He won't think twice about spending money on a horse, but if the kids leave a light on in the house he will hit the roof!" she commented.
The details of Owen's financial considerations and family life are being documented in the upcoming reality series, "Meet The Owens." The six-part docuseries, produced by Whisper, follows Owen, his wife Louise, and their four children—Gemma, James, Emily, and Jessica—as they navigate the demands of the horse racing business alongside their family life. The series is set to stream exclusively on Prime Video starting August 28, 2026.
Owen, who purchased his first racehorse at the age of 18, initially decided to pursue horse racing as a full-time career after returning from the 1998 World Cup. He noted that bidding for horses at auction often involved competing against foreign royal families and dignitaries, with his preferred spending range for horses being between £30,000 and £100,000. On one occasion, he spent £273,000 on three horses, a purchase that his wife acknowledged with a degree of apprehension, stating she has to trust he is in control of their finances.