Michael Owen, once a celebrated striker for England and top football clubs, has found a new passion in horse racing, transforming his Manor House Stables in Cheshire into a significant business. The former footballer, aware of perceptions of him being 'boring' in retirement, passionately discusses his deep engagement with the sport, a transformation that has become a central focus in the new Amazon series "Meet the Owens."
His daughter, Gemma Owen, who gained fame on the reality show Love Island, is now pursuing a career as a professional jockey. She has been training as a dressage rider and recently achieved a fourth-place finish in the Magnolia Cup, a charity flat race at Glorious Goodwood. "I've just fallen in love with the sport," Gemma stated, expressing her commitment to continue. "I don't want to give it up."
Manor House Stables, owned by Michael for over two decades, now operates with trainer Hugo Palmer and employs over 50 staff, managing more than 130 horses. Michael describes the operation as his "pride and joy" and "my little baby," admitting to being a "geek" who knows every horse, owner, and upcoming race. Despite the demanding nature of the business, he wakes up each morning "excited to come here."
The stables boast high-end facilities aimed at optimizing horse welfare and performance. These include stables with windows on both sides to satisfy the horses' curiosity, a swimming pool for recovery, and an ice bath. Among the horses is Box To Box, owned by a consortium including former footballers Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves.
A variety of well-known figures from football and other sports are owners at Michael's yard, including Anthony Gordon, Andy Robertson, Paul Scholes, Steve McManaman, Owen Hargreaves, Sir Alex Ferguson, members of the Brighton Premier League squad, and darts stars Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting. Michael also humorously noted James Milner as the "luckiest owner ever."
Gemma, who juggles racing and dressage, has found a deeper connection with horse racing. "It's nice that we share that passion," she said, noting how the shared interest has brought the family closer. "The dream would be to win a race. That's going to be the target."
With 1.6 million followers on Instagram, Gemma's involvement is seen as a valuable opportunity to attract a younger demographic to the sport. She aims to showcase the racing world to her followers, bridging her interests in fashion and horses with the sport. "Racing is trying to attract younger people," Gemma observed. "It has a fashion element to it which does that."
Michael, who retired from football in 2013, has applied the same dedication to horse racing as he did to his playing career. "If I get my teeth into something, I'm all in. It's just how I am," he explained. He sees the stables as a long-term commitment, stating, "I'd like to think this would be something I die doing."
The business involves managing, owning, and trading top flat horses, alongside the daily operational costs. Michael's son, James, who is clinically blind, also contributes behind the scenes. Gemma looks up to female jockeys like Hollie Doyle and Saffie Osborne, acknowledging the significant strength and fitness required for the sport. She aspires to compete at a higher level in dressage as well.
All six episodes of "Meet the Owens" are set to be available on Amazon Prime Video starting August 28.