IMPERIAL Racing, whose livery has become more and more familiar on British racecourses over the past decade, is a natural evolution of the Our Friends In The North partnership started by Ian Robinson, which hit the jackpot when Imperial Commander won the 2009 Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival, and went on to a fabled success in the following year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Our Friends In The North comprised partnerships of four to eight people, but when Ian joined forces with Paul Costello at around the time of Imperial Commander’s Gold Cup win, he decided that the future would entail changing to a syndicate model which would open up the experience to more new owners.