Michael Owen "chuffed" after finishing second in Ascot charity race

Watch a full replay of the Prince's Countryside Fund Charity Race won by Gold Wedding at Ascot on Friday and interviews with Michael Owen and wining jockey Tom Chatfield-Roberts.

Michael Owen could well ride in another charity race after the former England international footballer finished second aboard Calder Prince in The Prince’s Countryside Fund Charity Race won by Gold Wedding at Ascot on Friday.

It was the first time the now prominent owner had ridden in a race, having only partnered a horse for the first time earlier this year and he came in to the closing stages as if he was going to win coolly and easily.

It was not to be, however, and Tom Chatfield-Roberts chivvied home Eve Johnson-Haughton’s charge to win cosily.

Ghalib, ridden by an enterprising Sheikh Fahad, who stalked Owen on the inside for much of the race, was third.

Judging by Owen's wide grins afterwards it may not be the last time we see him in a saddle.

“I loved it, it was better than I expected,” he told Racing UK.

“We seemed to go quick really early on and I thought, ‘wow,’ nobody can keep this up – it was the fastest I had ever been on a horse. The horse slowed up in to the bend but whipped up on the inside and all of a sudden I was in front, and I thought, ‘come on!"

Owen, 37, who also starred for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United in his playing days, was one of 10 amateur riders to take part in the seven-furlong contest. Despite his background, he found the going hard work in the closing stages.

“That was a long straight and I got very tired in the last furlong," he added.

"I got a nice little seam up the inside and I found myself in front and I looked up and thought, ‘that’s a long way, I’ll try not to push too soon'.

"Even though I think I have decent legs for lifting weights or kicking a football when you start crouching down I probably have a furlong or a furlong and a half until it really starts to burn," he added.

"I was knackered, totally knackered and he [Chatfield-Roberts] was screaming at his horse. And I was talking nicely to mine, so next time I will scream down his ear.

Michael Owen and Calder Prince were ponied down to the start at Ascot on Friday (PA)

"We all watch things on the telly and you take it for granted, you look at these great jockeys and it is amazing what they can do.

"I have made a start, I feel safe on a horse and considering I hadn’t sat on a horse until six months ago to ride in a race I am pretty chuffed.

"Of course there is plenty of good to come out of it; lots of money raised for charity, I have lost a stone and half to get here, I have done something that is fulfilling and it has been a long-term ambition to sit on a horse and that was a right buzz.”

Chatfeild-Roberts has been involved with horses from an early age and recently qualified from the Royal Veterinary College.

He has a keen interest in racing, having worked in both Flat and Jump racing yards. He has point-to-pointed for the last six seasons and ridden over 20 winners and it was his first charity race on the Flat, too.

"I thought we had a reasonable chance on the ratings and he was in good form at home when I had ridden him out at times," he told Racing UK.

"The plan was to get a good start, let him bowl along and kick on from the two, get in to a rhythm and just keep kicking.

"I have ridden 25 Point-To-Point winners, so I have a reasonable amount of experience over jumps but not over the Flat."

The race day raised money for the Prince's Fund, which in turn supports British Farmers and the countryside, and Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall, presented the prizes. Between them, the 10 riders have raised in excess of £40,000.