Pointing People: Jeremy Hill
- pporacommittee
- Feb 20
- 8 min read
Jeremy Hill has been a regular on the point-to-point scene since his teenage years and has increased his involvement in recent years, both as owner and – through his Hare Management Group – as sponsor. Having helped support the West Mercian Awards in the previous three seasons, he moved into race sponsorship this year at Lower Machen and has now taken his first steps into racehorse ownership himself, with two pointers with Will Biddick and one with Alan Hill.
Jeremy’s grey and green silks have yet to taste success – he’s been knocking on the door with three seconds and a third from just four starts this season – but he is hoping his luck will change soon, as his whole string will be in action at Brocklesby Park on Saturday and Badbury Rings on Sunday. Jake Exelby went to meet him in advance of what he hopes will be a big weekend, to find out what fuels his passion for the amateur sport.
Where are you from and where are you based now?
I’m Gloucestershire born and bred, having grown up in the village of Gretton, near Cheltenham, and gone to school in Winchcombe, the same one as jockeys Lily Pinchin and Tom Marquand. I hated school, apart from maths and sport – I was county level at cricket, football and rugby. I now live at Puckrup, near Tewkesbury.
How did you get into racing in the first place? And point-to-pointing? How long have you been going pointing?
I got into racing, and gambling – massively and badly (!) – through my Dad. I was always into hunting – I didn’t ride but used to be a foot follower for packs like the Cotswold, and Cotswold Vale Farmers. I got into pointing as a youngster – Maisemore Park was my local track – and, because I have an addictive personality, I started getting involved, helping with things like the car parking. I used to go with Scott Joynes and Tony Evans, who both became jockeys, and particularly enjoyed the social side, and seeing youngsters coming through. I used to love watching Julian Pritchard – he was like a dream professional.
Tell me about The Hare Management Group. Why did you decide to go into this line of business and how long has it been going?
I didn’t know what to do when I left school, so started doing a bit of gardening. It got to the stage – before Covid – where I was lead gardening contractor for Cotswold Inns. I then set up the company, which I named because I love hares – I have lots of pictures of them in my house. I manage teams of tradesmen, and we specialise in Renovation and Property Maintenance and Garden Design and Landscaping. Most of our work is for a leading national brewery.
How did you come to sponsor the West Mercian Area Awards?
My first sponsorship was a rider in one of the Larkhill charity races. I did the West Mercian Awards both to promote my business in my local area and to put something back into a sport I love.
And you sponsored the first race of the season at Lower Machen (which I won!) Again, how did you get into that and why choose Lower Machen (rather than a West Mercian course)?
I’m a huge fan of Welsh pointing and don’t want to see it disappear – we need to cross the bridge to support it. I remember going to Lower Machen before it closed and loved it. I went to visit the course when it was being prepared for this season and got talking to Tim Jones and his wife Cathy. They really went out of their way to look after their sponsors – no sport can survive without them.
I’m not aware of you having pointers before this season. Is this your first year as an owner?
It’s my first season as a sole owner. I was in a syndicate with Kelly Morgan that owned Due Reward – he won, with Gina Andrews, at Mollington but I was at Eyton-on-Severn that day! Kelly’s brilliant and I met some great people.
Tell me about your three horses, Illico De Cotte, Dollanstown and Drayton Flyer. How did you come by them and what are your hopes for the season?
Last season, at Larkhill, I had a large bet in a match on the outsider of two, but the jockey rode a finish too early. Will Biddick was parked next to me and introduced himself when I showed him my losing betting slip! We got chatting, I said I’d be interested in buying a horse and – in the summer – he rang me and said he’d bought four at Doncaster. He must have caught me on a good day, as I bought two of them – Illico De Cotte and Dollanstown!
Will’s got a good team, led by head girl Georgie Lock. We targeted Lower Machen with Illico De Cotte as I wanted a runner there. I didn’t know what to expect but he ran a blinder to finish second. He then went to Dunsmore, where he was odds-on, and was second again – the race may have come too soon – then was third in a Hunter Chase at Wincanton. It was a great day out and I can’t fault their hospitality. He runs in the Ladies Open at Badbury Rings with Molly Armytage. I like giving young jockeys a chance, and she’ll claim 5lb.
Dollanstown also went to Dunsmore and ran well to finish second. He’s going for one of the Maidens – I hope it’s the weakest (!) – at Badbury Rings, but I don’t know who’ll ride.
It’s a shame Will’s no longer riding – I had a big bet with Mark Hill for him to win the title so, when he announced his retirement, I told him he owes me more than a winner! Mark’s one of the best bookies to bet with, and probably the fairest on the circuit.
As for Drayton Flyer, I’m a massive fan of the way the Hills train, and that they travel to support pointing nationally. I said to Joe Hill at Lower Machen that I’d be interested in having a horse with them and he mentioned Drayton Flyer. I’d seen him run under rules and he’s a nice big horse, a real chasing type. He runs at Brocklesby Park with James King.
It’s an expensive hobby having three, but I’m not married and don’t have kids, so why shouldn’t I enjoy it?
Why do you have pointers, when the prize money and owner benefits are minimal compared to rules?
If I had a choice between, say, Stratford-upon-Avon and Kingston Blount, I’d be at the latter all day long. It’s informal, sociable, and the grass roots of racing, both for stars of the future and horses who no longer have a career under rules. You’re in the middle of the countryside, with all types of people. You can have a picnic, have a drink and it’s a relaxing day out.
I’ve got to meet people like Phil Harris and Dai Davies from Wales, and I love having a drink with the legend Len Vickery. He’s generous with the whisky and a great guy to be around!
Which other pointing trainers do you admire along with Will Biddick and Alan Hill?
Josh Newman and Bradley Gibbs, both of whom combine training and riding really well. There are a lot of younger ones coming through, like Hannah Marshall, Luca Morgan and Justin Brotherton. I really rate him – he knows how to get a horse ready.
I also admire Max Comley, who started training pointers and - to me - was as good as anyone. Now he's training under rules and is a name for the future - with the right ammunition, he'll train a lot of winners.
Which jockeys do you admire?
There are loads! Among the men, Charlie Marshall, Josh Newman, James King, Paddy Barlow, Huw Edwards, Darren Andrews, Ed Vaughan and Zac Baker. And Will wasn’t too bad before he retired! Of the up-and-coming ones, Fred Philipson-Stow and Lucas Murphy.
Gina Andrews’ record speaks for itself – as both jockey and trainer. Izzie Marshall’s very talented, as is Ellie Callwood. I’m a massive fan of Megan Bevan – she’s strong, rides a race well and could be a future star. Amber Jackson-Fennell is another one to watch.
Which current pointer (not one of your own) would you most like to own?
Follow The Dream and Woodstock Octo, both of whom are nice, progressive horses.
What are your favourite courses?
I love Lower Machen. I also really like Dunsmore – the viewing is great and I enjoy racing in Devon & Cornwall. Maisemore Park, my local track, is a good day out and Chaddesley Corbett is fantastic for horses and well looked after by Jim Squires and his team.
What are your ambitions in pointing and racing?
My dream would be to have runners in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. And my big dream would be to win one of them!
As an owner, what would you like to see point-to-point fixtures offer you and what would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
I’m a massive fan of the way that Lawney Hill presents from the paddock and Kingston Blount and Kimble, and Carl Evans at Chaddesley Corbett – I don’t know why more West Mercian meetings don’t use him. All point-to-points should have presenters like them.
And I’m a big believer in better hospitality for sponsors and owners. You go to somewhere like Eyton-on-Severn and it’s unbelievable – if one fixture can do it, then everyone should be able to. You need to make it extra-special for sponsors and owners.
I appreciate that it costs about £25,000 to run a meeting but, as I’ve said, no sport can survive without sponsors. So, if I was to run a point-to-point myself, I’d pay someone a commission to find 100+ sponsors and supporters contributing £250 each – some would pay more – which would cover all the costs of the meeting, including decent hospitality. You could then look at reducing the gate price to bring in more people.
I’m also a big fan of after-parties – they do it really well at Bitterley. You’ve got to look at it from a business point of view and – like under rules – you need to encourage a younger audience. If you target Young Farmers Clubs, and give them an after-party and entertainment they like, you’d bring in a couple of hundred people, and it takes some of the hassle away as you know money’s coming in.
I think what they’re doing with GB pointing is good – the sport needs to think out of the box to get new people involved – but it needs to be promoted right. You can’t have tunnel vision, and you need to move with the times and do things differently. The days of putting out a few boards on the road are gone!
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