Town fans hope she’ll be better than Klopp’s – and on first evidence that might well be the case.
Huddersfield Town’s racehorse Huddersfilly Town is some weeks away from her racecourse debut.
She was beaten to the track by fellow two-year-old Shelneverwalkalone – Liverpool FC’s horse – at Pontefract on Monday night.
The two horses are owned by a syndicate run by Town fan and professional gambler Richard Ward and part of a plan to have a string of football-themed horses.
While Huddersfilly Town remained tucked up in her stables near Doncaster, Shelneverwalkalone went to Ponte – and finished a distant last.
There will be much rivalry between Town and Liverpool this summer as rival bosses and best pals David Wagner and Jorgen Klopp prepare to go head-to-head for the Shankly Trophy on July 20, part of both clubs’ pre-season build-up.
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Town fans love to hail head coach Wagner with the chant ‘He’s better than Klopp’ and it may turn out that Huddersfilly Town is also better than her Liverpool stablemate.
Trainer Ivan Furtado wasn’t downhearted by the performance of Shelneverwalkalone, who was reportedly feeling a bit under the weather for her debut.
Turning to Huddersfilly Town, Ivan said: “She is progressing really well. She is quite a big filly and is still growing.
“She is still a bit backwards and I would say we will see her out in five or six weeks.
“She is moving well and we are really pleased. I am sure she will win races.”
Among the small group of syndicate members who joined Richard and Ivan in the parade ring at Pontefract was Huddersfield businessman Mark Edley, 46, who won a competition to name Huddersfilly Town.
Financial advisor Mark, of Fixby, is a Town sponsor and said he chose the name for its simplicity. “The simple ideas are always the best,” he said.
Mark won a 1% share in the horse which he donated in memory of Town fan Gavin Greig. Gavin, of Golcar, died in January from cancer. He had a heart transplant as a boy but the organ anti-rejection drugs caused the cancer which took his life.
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The racing on Monday night was themed around rugby league and players from Huddersfield Giants, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers were there.
By coincidence Shelneverwalkalone ran in the Huddersfield Giants Novice Auction Fillies’ Stakes and back row Oliver Roberts and prop Tyler Dickinson were on hand to present the trophy to the owners of the winner, 7-4 favourite Teofonic.
Oliver loves his racing but it was Tyler’s first time. Oliver said: “It’s a good night and we’ve both backed the winner.
“My agent owns a horse called Champagne Charlie so I go racing a lot.”
Oliver said the players had a couple of days off and some taken taken their families for a short break – to Skegness – before training began in earnest for Sunday’s game against Wakefield.
“I’m sure there will be some banter with the Wakefield players later,” he grinned.
