RACEHORSE ownership is a family affair for Phil Evans, his wife Lesley and their teenage son Roy from Kidnal.

'Our horses are all part of the family, it's the way we are, they fit in with us,' reflected Lesley.

The unique approach of selecting one horse with the right name and another at the right price provided two winners.

Phil is a regular sight on the lanes around Horton Green and Tilston as his horses' fitness campaign begins by walking for six weeks before they go into training.

This came about following heart surgery and a change of life focus for Phil.

He begins with a one-mile walk and gradually builds up to six miles. Phil explained: 'I go through a pair of trainers in six weeks. It keeps me fit, too.'

Major Oakey was Phil's first venture into owning racehorses. The horse was trained by Richard Francis and fell at the last obstacle when in third place at Bangor-on-Dee back in 1988. More recently, Trusted Mole had the right name for Phil who asked trainer Mark Brisbourne from Nesscliffe near Shrewsbury to look at the gelding because he is a molecatcher.

The gelding beat 17 other runners back in April 2003 at Ripon when coming from behind to score at a bookie-bashing price of 20-1.

Six furlongs from home, Mole was in the rear before showing a great turn of foot to pass the field and quickly open up an impressive lead. This advantage provided jockey Mark Flynn with the time to win easing down.

Phil remembered: 'I thought he'd gone too soon, I just couldn't believe it. It doesn't happen, and it's happened twice to us. Two winners first time out.'

On his last outing at Warwick, Trusted Mole slipped when leaving the starting stalls and only lost by four lengths.

'Mole chooses his own walking route when at home, he usually turns left one day and right another,' said Phil. Plans are to reappear on the course in the next few weeks.

Royal Indulgence is called 'Chocolate' at home. Lesley explained: 'Chocolate is the most indulgent thing you can get.'

The gelding came to the Evans family from Ascot sales two years ago.

'He's a big upstanding horse and ran 17 times as a two and three-year-old. He's sharp with potential and he was the right price,' remarked Phil.

Son Roy collected the prize when 'Chocolate' romped home last year at Ayr, while mum and dad celebrated a rewarding 33-1 victory. 'I was walking around like John Wayne with my winnings, we won rather a lot on him that evening!' said Phil.

Immediate plans for Royal Indulgence are to have shoes fitted in early October to begin his walking before progressing slowly through the winter in time for a spring campaign.

Phil said: 'We'd like to run at Chester next year in a one-mile two-furlong race.'

Mole and Chocolate both have a loyal band of followers, including neighbours Derek Jones, Erwin Rogers and Andrew Shone who all enjoy an outing to the races.

'We've had a lot of fun and been very lucky, there's nothing else that creates the buzz of a winner!' said Phil.