Basher Watts lifts the lid on racing obsession as he backs top jockey after brutal snub

A social media influencer lifted the lid on his racing obsession as he prepares to take on some of the biggest names in the sport.

Basher Watts will see his syndicate horse She's Perfect line up in the Group One Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) on Sunday.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, just days after he lost the number one job at John and Thady Gosden's Newmarket stable.

Watts, who operates his racing club under his nickname, said "one man’s loss is another’s gain" when signing the rider up earlier this week.

“Kieran has done so much for us as a syndicate and it is the cherry on top of a special weekend for us to have him on board her," he said via

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“There’s so many possible fairytale stories for us on Sunday and Charlie has never won a Group One before, it will be my first-ever Group One runner with just the second horse I’ve had and Kieran has obviously had a bit of a rough week, so it could be huge for everyone – we’re nervous but also very excited.”

Previously on the channel, Watts lifted the lid on his racing obsession in an interview with top broadcaster Nick Luck, explaining how it started when he picked out a 16-1 winner of the 1,000 Guineas.

At the same Newmarket Classic fixture, then 16-year-old Watts saw superstar Frankel annihilate the 2,000 Guineas field with Tom Queally aboard.

From Norfolk, he began shooting clips of his experiences at the races and sharing them on social media two years ago, building up contacts who wanted to join the launch of the Basher Watts Racing club.

"For me it's the best sport in the ," he said.

"If you're a massive football fan, the furthest you can really go is being a season ticket holder. You can be a racing fan and stood next to the Godolphins or the Ballydoyles as an owner.

He added: "The beautiful thing about my syndicate is 80 per cent of people are having their first experience of owning a horse."

A group of 22 racing fans went to Longchamp to cheer on Shoemark and She's Perfect in their Group Three Guineas trial, where she only just came up short against big race favourite Zarigana.

Club members call the horse 'Sue' and she has her next start in loftier company still, just 366 days after they bought her.

"In a time in my life where I lost my best friend, she has been my light. To have a Group runner was a distant dream I never thought I’d achieve," Watts added on social media.

"This is all about the horse, Sue is very special and I feel extremely proud and grateful to be able to share her journey. We have a runner in the Guineas, that just doesn’t feel real."