Remember the Name: Givemefive

Trainer Harry Derham has been operating on his own steam for just over a year and is doing well, but even he must be chuffed at the exposure unbeaten hurdler Givemefive is bringing his operation.

A winner on the Flat in Ireland for Johnny Murtagh, Givemefive is bringing a sprinkling of stardust – certainly in terms of ownership – to Derham's yard.

He's bound for Kempton this weekend and will be looking to continue the perfect start to his jumping career – while his owners continue to 'LIV the dream' on the golfing circuit. 

Givemefive Trainer/Connections 

Harry Derham is based at Upper Farm Stables, a wonderful state-of-the-art facility nestling among 90 acres of Berkshire countryside. 

Derham started his career as a jockey enjoying three years in the saddle, riding 50 winners, including a winner at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Salubrious.

After giving up on the idea of being a rider, he worked at Paul Nicholls' yard in Ditcheat where he climbed the ranks and became assistant trainer to the 14-time champion handler for some six years.

With a relentless work ethic and desire to succeed, alongside a deep and widening knowledge of racing, Derham elected to go solo in late 2022 and is now amongst the brightest of Britain's young trainers at the tender age of 28.

Givemefive races in the silks of Smash Racing – the brainchild of major-winning golfers Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell, with the name taking from the LIV Golf team skippered by the American.

Derham played alongside McDowell at a Pro-Am tournament and, from there, the notion of getting the Northern Irishman involved in ownership was born.

McDowell won the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2010 and, later that same year, sank the winning putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Koepka won five major titles from 2017-2023, including back-to-back US Opens and has tasted Ryder Cup glory with the USA in 2016 and 2021.

Givemefive Cost

Givemefive fetched €75,000 at the Goffs Sales in September 2021 when he was bought by Johnny Murtagh and Eddie Linehan.

McDowell challenged Derham at a Pro-Am last summer to hit it close on a par three and Derham told the pro golfer that, if he did, he'd have to agree to buy a horse for him to train and the rest, as they say, is history after the trainer fired his shot to four feet.

"He said, 'All right, deal', and I got it nearer the pin. He hit his to about eight foot and by some complete miracle I got hit mine to about four foot. In fairness to him he was a man of his word," Derham told the Mirror. 

Givemefive Breeding 

Givemefive was sired by Holy Roman Emperor out of the mare Girl Of The Hour. He is a half-brother to winners Create Belief and Star Girls Aalmal; his dam was a 1m1f winner and half-sister to very useful Flat winner Make It Up out of a half-sister to Epsom Derby winner Authorized.

Givemefive Achievements 

He ran on 10 occasions on the Flat in Ireland for Murtagh, opening his account on the final start at Roscommon (1m3½f, yielding) in September 2023 off a handicap rating of 64.

Though modest in that code, he has made a more than bright start to his jumping career since moving to Derham.

He won at Market Rasen in December over an extended two miles on soft ground and was eye-catching next time at Warwick (2m, soft) when cruising clear by 18-lengths in a juvenile hurdle in January.

Givemefive Future Aspirations 

The Cheltenham Festival is on the agenda for Givemefive. He's earned a quote of 66/1 for the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle in the Cotswolds on 15th March, while he also has the option of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, for which he's 20/1.

Which of those contests is the target could be much clearer following this Saturday at Kempton. 

The four-year-old is set to contest either the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (3/1) or Dovecote Novices' Hurdle (12/1) in front of at least one half of the golfing partnership.

"He'll go there and have a real good crack at it. I think Graeme's definitely coming along on Saturday and I'm not sure about Brooks yet, but it's fantastic to have them involved."

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.