Racing syndicate innovator

James Ramsden founded the Quantum Ellipsis syndicate and opened the first racehorse ownership shop in London

- Kate Johnson

My family has been involved in racing all my life; my dad, Jack, was a trainer, my brother, Jonathan, is a pedigree expert, form judge and analyst. My side is the hospitality – I’m a Swiss Hotel Management School graduate. I’ve run various syndicates over the years and I never understood why we didn’t have racehorse ownership shops, like shops that sell holidays or cars.

I have a pub in Brompton Cross, West London. We show racing and play classic commentary on a vintage radio; Dawn Run’s Gold Cup, Shergar pounding down the straight in the Derby, Peter O’Sullevan’s Red Rum Grand Nationals and our own wins.

There was an empty unit a few doors from the pub and I was told I could use the shop for our syndicate business, as long as I didn’t make it look like a bookmakers. That’s exactly what it looks like!