Michael Owen and trainer Tom Dascombe go separate ways

Dascombe, who had spells with Martin Pipe, Ralph Beckett and Mike de Kock before striking out on his own, has enjoyed a successful spell at the helm.

His biggest success came through Brown Panther, winner of the Irish St Leger in 2014, while he has also tasted victory at Royal Ascot, trained popular sprinter Kachy and won the Ayr Gold Cup with Angel Alexander.

In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Owen said: “After more than 12 years as trainer, Tom Dascombe will be leaving Manor House Stables in the new year.

“We have shared many great times and races together and created memories that will last a lifetime.

“I would like to place on record my own personal thanks for all his hard work and support over the years. We part on great terms and everyone at MHS will miss him and wishes him the very best for the future.”

However, Dascombe, who saddled Skittlebomz to victory in a six-furlong nursery at Southwell just hours after the news became public, says he was blindsided at the decision made by the former England striker.

The 48-year-old Dascombe said: “I only found out two days ago. I told my family yesterday. I told my staff this morning.

“I have absolutely no plans – I have no idea what I am going to do next, but I will be training next year from somewhere and we will train winners like we have just done there (at Southwell).

“It is as simple as that – life goes on.

“The fact that they don’t want me to be here any more, that’s their choice – it is not mine.”

Dascombe has enjoyed many notable recent triumphs from the yard, including saddling Ever Given, who landed £98,000 for winning the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting in August.

He added: “It was a complete shock. But that’s it, I have had two days to think about it and I’ve just got to look after my staff, look after my owners, look after my horses and carry on the best I can.

“The fact that this news came just before Christmas is almost irrelevant, but I have tried to reassure all the staff that everybody else is fine, bar me.

“We will see what happens and I just have to carry on with life. We will get it sorted. There is no hope about it – we will get it sorted. I just don’t know how or when.”

Dascombe's top three on Timeform ratings

Kachy (peak Timeform annual rating: 124)

Kachy's front-running style and blazing speed made him especially effective around tight, turning circuits such as Lingfield, and he produced his best performance on Timeform's figures when landing the Listed Cleves Stakes there by three and a half lengths in 2019. That set him up to land a second successive Sprint Championship on All-Weather Finals Day at the same venue. Kachy was also effective on turf under the right conditions and was unbeaten in three starts around Chester, with his nine-length win in a conditions race at the 2018 May meeting rated one of the best performances of his career. The hugely popular Kachy sadly suffered a fatal injury at Lingfield on his reappearance in 2020.

Brown Panther (123)

Brown Panther, bred and part-owned by Owen, was an early flagbearer for the yard and won the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old, while he also signed off that season with an excellent second in the St Leger. Brown Panther would eventually make the breakthrough at Group 1 level in the Irish St Leger three years later, putting up the best performance of his career to run out an authoritative six-and-a-half-length winner. The tough and likeable Brown Panther won the Dubai Gold Cup on his first start the following season but met with a sad end as he suffered a fatal injury when defending his Irish St Leger crown.

Ballista (118)

Ballista enjoyed a remarkable campaign as a four-year-old in 2012, winning on five occasions, with the first victory coming in a seller and the last in Listed company. Ballista thrived on his racing during a busy summer and surged up the ranks, impressing with the speed he showed when dropped back in trip and allowed to blaze a trail. The form he showed when landing the Listed Golden Rose Stakes was bordering on very smart and represented a remarkable rise for a horse who had dropped into selling company earlier in the campaign.

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