Happy Mondays’ Bez to shake up new Racing Club in support of homeless charity

“Mystic Moonshadow is the most magical, beautiful horse I’ve ever set eyes on. She’s got these deep wise eyes, wizard whiskers and a really distinctive looking white blaze on her face. As soon as I met her I felt a strong connection. I think we’re kindred spirits.” 

Those are the words of maracas-shaking legend that is Bez – aka Mark Berry – is immersing himself in the thrilling world of horse racing, and he wants the UK to saddle up and join him on the ride by becoming of a member of Bez’s Racing Club, which launched on Thursday March 25th. The initiative is in support of Manchester-based homeless charity, Coffee 4 Craig.

Bez’s Racing Club is a unique way for people to buy membership into a brilliant thoroughbred racehorse, a striking looking young filly that Bez has called Mystic Moonshadow, after the name came to him in a dream.

The brand-new racing club gives members a shared experience of racehorse ownership, alongside regular entertainment from Bez. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a safe new hobby that they can enjoy from the comfort of their home, or for anyone who fancies learning more about the fascinating and exciting world of horseracing.

For Bez – a self-confessed racing novice –  it’s an opportunity to throw himself into something completely new.  He’s only ever sat on a donkey before, placed a single bet (which he lost) and can’t tell a blinker from a bridle, but in true Bez style he’s massively up for the challenge and ready to throw himself in the deep end to go from racing amateur to race day winner.

Any winnings from Mystic Moonshadow will be donated to Manchester-based homeless charity, Coffee 4 Craig, which Bez has long supported due to his own experiences of being homeless when he was younger.

Now Bez is calling on fans, old and new, and anybody with an interest in horses and horseracing, to join him on what will be an entertaining, but bumpy and often hilarious ride, by becoming an exclusive member of his club. Membership can be purchased for £59 from www.bezracingclub.com.

Members will see Bez as they’ve never seen him before, when he throws himself into the exclusive, thrill-packed world of horseracing. We’ll follow Bez as he learns to commentate, masters the art of placing a bet and hones his own riding skills. Covid-permitting, there will even be the chance to win tickets and join Bez to watch Mystic Moonshadow race from the owner’s enclosure and visit her at the training yard with the Happy Monday himself.

In addition, members will receive a welcome pack with a hand-written postcard from Bez, a certificate of membership, car window sticker, monthly newsletter updates on how the horse is developing, and the chance to win regular Bez’s Racing Club merchandise. 

Bez will also take to social media where members will see him interview bookies, train with the jockeys and even provide Mystic Predictions with Moonshadow on the big questions of the day.

Commenting on his new adventure, Bez said:  “Growing up in Salford I never dreamed I would part-own a thoroughbred racehorse. The closest I ever got to racing action was a Dick Francis novel. To have the opportunity now to launch my own racing club and throw myself into this new adventure is amazing – unexpected, but very amazing.

“I’m launching the club for anyone that fancies being involved in racing but who’s never been able to afford a horse, or for people that think that racing is too posh or exclusive for them. If the sport will let me in, it’s open for everyone!”

Selected by the team behind Burrow Seven, Mystic Moonshadow will be trained by Jedd O’Keeffe who has trained many winners over the flat, hurdles and fences.

Jedd said:  “Mystic Moonshadow is an enormously exciting horse and she comes from a fantastic pedigree. Her father has a great track record of siring Group One winning fillies and her mother is an impressive sprinter too, so there’s a lot of speed in both parents.

“She will race on the flat over quite short distances as she’s bred to be a sprinter. We expect her first race to be in April or May 2021 and we could expect to see her race around five or six times each year.”

Bez’s Racing Club was conceived by Bez in partnership with Racing4Business and its founder Phil Hawthorne. Phil launched the hugely popular Burrow Seven Racing Club in November 2020 which was launched to raise money for Rugby League legend Rob Burrow. To date it has donated £100,000 to the MND Association.

Visit www.bezracingclub.com to find out more.