Basher Watts turns down massive £2.2m offer for star horse ahead of Classic

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

A social media influencer who has become obsessed with horse racing has turned down a massive offer for one of his horses. Basher Watts created his own TikTok channel two years ago to document his days out on the racecourse before launching his own syndicate, made up mostly of first-time racehorse owners.
Basher Watts Racing has nine horses in training, the best of which Shes Perfect gave them an unforgettable yet frustrating day out when she was controversially demoted to second in the French 1,000 Guineas after finishing first past the post at Paris-Longchamp.
After an unsuccessful appeal against the stewards' decision, Shes Perfect has been lined up for a second Classic bid by trainer Charlie Fellowes in the £827,000 French Oaks (Prix de Diane) at Chantilly on Sunday in the hope she can continue one of the underdog stories of 2025.
The filly was originally bought privately for £42,000 and since winning on debut at Haydock last August, has finished second in the Group 3 race and runner-up, on a demotion, in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
But Watts revealed on Thursday that an offer had been received on behalf of connections in Japan for a life-changing sum.
Watts told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, "I have nothing to hide. It was £2.2 million. For me that's nowhere near enough money. You are basically asking someone to pay you to take your dream away from you.
"You get involved in horse racing with a dream of owning a horse like her. There are a lot of things in life which mean more than money. There will come a time in her racing career when the right step is for her to go to breeding but that's definitely not now.
"There's 38 owners involved in Shes Perfect and 37 of them instantly voted she's not for sale. We're all in on the dream and hopefully there is another chapter in the fairytale on Sunday."
Shes Perfect is set to face 11 opponents including Mandanaba for the same Aga Khan connections awarded victory in the French Guineas.
Watts added: "We go there with a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation. In both of her runs in France there was no expectation. There was every chance she wasn't going to be good enough and then we went back to the Pouliches. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd have a runner.
"We won it. It doesn't say that in the racecard but we know it. We won the Guineas, which is incredible to say and we go back 5-2 favourite and there is a whole heap of pressure on which gives it a different feel.
"The whole thing is a fairytale and it still doesn't feel real. She was the second horse I ever bought. It still hasn't sunk what she is doing and what we're doing. I have everything crossed and I pray she can win again in France."