Former England striker Michael Owen is opening up about the financial volatility he faces after moving from professional football to the horse racing industry. The 46-year-old, who once earned roughly £110,000 per week, now manages Manor House Stables in Cheshire.
The shift from £110,000 weekly wages to Cheshire stables
Michael Owen's transition from the football pitch to the racing track represents a massive shift in financial stability. after his peak years in professional football, where he commanded weekly salaries of roughly £110,000, Owen has pivoted to the high-stakes world of breeding and training racehorses. This journey began much earlier than his retirement, as Owen purchased his first racehorse at age 18 following the 1998 World Cup.
According to the report, Owen’s current focus is centered on Manor House Stables in Cheshire. While his football career provided a predictable, lucrative income, the horse racing industry is characterized by its extreme unpredictability.. This move highlighs a common trend among retired athletes who attempt to leverage their capital into high-risk, passion-driven industries that lack the steady paycheck of professional sports.
Competing against owners with much bigger pockets
The financial reality of running a horse racing business involves constant, heavy investment with no guaranteed return. Michael Owen has admitted that the business is "bloody hard" and requires him to compete against individuals with significantly more capital. As the report notes, Owen has expressed the difficulty of going up against competitors who have "much bigger pockets" than he does.
This struggle is not just about the cost of the horses themselves, but the ongoing overhead of maintaining a professional training facility.. The unpredictable nature of racing means that even a successful stable can face periods of intense financial strain, making the management of Manor House Stables a constant balancing act of investment and risk.
A six-part look at the Owen family on Prime Video
To document these challenges, Whisper has produced a six-part docuseries titled Meet The Owens. The series is scheduled to stream exclusively on Prime Video starting August 28, 2026. The show will follow Michael Owen, his wife Louise, and their four children as they navigate the complexities of their home life and the demands of the stables.
The series will also highlight the individual ambitions of the Owen children. for instance, daughter Emily is working toward becoming the first member of the family to attend university, while the youngest, Jessica, is pursuing dreams of becoming an Olympic showjumping champion. The production aims to showcase the "chaotic home life" that comes with managing a high-profile business while preparing for the family to become empty nesters.
Can reality TV revenue brdige the gap for Manor House Stables?
While the docuseries provides a platform, it remains unclear how much the media revenue will actually contribute to the long-term viability of the racing business. The report mentions Owen's 2022 appearance on The Masked Singer, where he performed as 'Doughnuts,' noting he participated primarily for the financial incentive.. This raises the question of whether Owen will increasingly rely on entertainment contracts to subsidize his sporting interests.
Furthermore, the source does not specify the exact scale of the current financial deficit at Manor House Stables or how much of Owen's personal wealth remains dedicated to the venture. It is also unverified how the transition to an "empty nester" lifestyle will impact the family's financial planning or the business's operational focus in the years to come.
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