Thoroughbred racing is without doubt the Formula One of equine disciplines, fast, bold, colourful and for some, spectacularly rewarding. Plenty of other similarities can be found between top end equine and brake horsepower displays, but they part company in one very important aspect - participation.

Whilst motorsport fans can only watch from their seats and buy a t-shirt to bring them closer to the stars, with its huge range of potential entry levels, horse racing brings an extra dimension, ownership, for all to enjoy.

In fact we can get you involved in Racing Club Membership right now by joining one of free racing teams with Radio Hauraki, ZM or Huffer over at www.socialracing.co.nz

Seriously get over there sign up and get involved! 

But if you want to know more about creating your own experience keep reading.

If ever an advertisement was needed to publicise the potential benefits of thoroughbred ownership, the creators need look no further than to the retired Kiwi queen of the track, Sunline. At the close of her 48-start career, Sunline had won a staggering $13.8 million for her connections. And making the story even more of a fairy tale, Sunline, the second highest winning racemare in the world, cost her owners just $40,000.

Sunline was originally leased by her breeders to trainer Trevor McKee along with two partners, Thayne Green and Helen Lusty, with the trio exercising a pre-negotiated right of purchase when it became evident their filly was more than a little special. Being unbeaten in her 10 starts in New Zealand and out of the first three just 4 times in her 38 starts in Australia and further a field is indeed special.

The Sunline tale represents the sharp end of everyone's dreams and of course most racehorse owners are not lucky enough to have this sort of success. However they are guaranteed plenty of excitement and lots of fun and there is certainly no harm in hoping that with a little bit of luck, a bunch of mates could end up with a Cup winner on their hands.

So how do we make the dream come true? In this Ownership section, we take you through the steps to becoming an owner and bringing the dream a little closer. Firstly we look at some of the basic questions surrounding buying a racehorse.