Brighton’s dark horse: How past and present stars of Premier League side could pocket an extra £37,000 just hours after Arsenal clash – with players looking to emulate the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson by making millions in racing

This weekend, Brighton travel to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal in a clash which if they win, would take them top of the Premier League table momentarily.

For some players featuring in Saturday’s top of the table clash, the game isn’t the only thing they have high stakes in this weekend.

Some players will be eagerly tuning into the 3:35pm horse race at Sandown as they stand a chance to win £36,862 in prize money.

Eleven current and ex-Brighton players are the registered owners of a racehorse called Seagulls Eleven who will feature on the track in the blue and white colours of the coastal team in Esher.

The Two Plus Three Two Plus group who own the promising thoroughbred colt include current players James Milner and Danny Welbeck.

The horse runs this weekend at Sandown just hours after their clash with Arsenal

Seagulls Eleven (pictured) is one of three horses owned by the syndicate 

Seagulls Eleven, trained by Hugo Palmer and resides in former Liverpool and Real Madrid player Michael Owen‘s Manor House Stables has only run three times.

But the two-year-old has a promising career moving forward and looks set to be a stellar investment for the Brighton group, having paid only 50,000gns for the colt when he was a yearling.

The son of Galileo Gold, who was also trained by Palmer and went on to win 215 races including the 2,000 Guineas in 2016, Seagulls Eleven is already a winner on the flats. 

Out of the three races he has ran, he has won once, finishing second on the two other occasions. Most recently behind Godolphin’s Ancient Time in a Group 2 at Newmarket.

Speaking about this weekend’s race, trainer Palmer said ‘the race has been the target since Newmarket.

‘He’s a very big horse and I thought six weeks before his fourth run would do him a lot of good and I think it has.

‘The last horse I had that was second in the Superlative who we ran in the Solario was Aktabantay and he managed to win. 

‘We’ll see if lightning can strike twice.’

The horse’s name is a notable nod to Brighton’s nickname in football, The Seagulls 

Renowned trainer Hugo Palmer trains Seagulls Eleven

Former Liverpool player Michael Owen is also involved, his stable keeps care of the horse

Horse racing seems to be all the rage lately in the sporting world, with many of the top performing footballers having a connection with horses in some way or another.

Whether it is watching them, betting on them or owning them.

However the latter is becoming the far more common with Sir Alex Ferguson, Wayne Rooney, John Terry and Sergio Ramos all own stakes with a racehorse at one stage in time.

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson involvement in horse racing was probably the catalyst for many footballers to realise the lucrative opportunity in the sport.

His part-ownership of Rock of Gibraltar, the 2002 Horse of the Year, is arguably the best and worst example of mixing the two sports.

Ferguson earned £2.5m from his part ownership of the thoroughbred which he co-owned with J.P. McManus. However the lucrative affair quickly turned sour when it came to breeding the horse. 

Sir Alex Ferguson is probably the most prolific football icon who is involved with horse racing

Trainer Palmer revealed it was James Milner who set up the syndicate

Brighton’s ownership of Seagulls Eleven seems to be the next best example of mixing the two sports.

In total the syndicate named Two Plus Three Two Plus own three juveniles in Michael Owen’s Manor House Stable.

The other two are called The Flying Seagull and Seagolazo.

Speaking about how Brighton’s syndicate arose, Trainer Hugo Palmer revealed that it was all thanks to veteran James Milner.

‘Seagulls Eleven is owned by 11 Brighton players and it is headed up by James Milner,’ Palmer said to Racing TV.

‘James had some horses here from his time at Liverpool and when he moved to Brighton, he managed to sow the seed in another dressing room.

‘They have three horses – this horse, The Flying Seagull who is already a winner and Seagolazo who is yet to win but I don’t think it will be long.’