Littler, Bunting & Owen Back a Winner: Darts Stars Team Up With Football Legend to Buy Racehorse Named ‘Bunting Mental’

Luke Littler is used to hitting the bullseye on the oche — but now the two-time world darts champion has set his sights on a very different kind of target, joining forces with fellow darts star Stephen Bunting and former England striker Michael Owen to purchase a racehorse.

The unlikely trio have splashed out £54,000 on a two-year-old colt named Bunting Mental — a title that will raise a smile from any darts fan. The name is taken directly from one of the sport’s most beloved crowd chants, with “Let’s go Bunting mental!” a familiar roar at venues whenever The Bullet steps up to the oche. It is a fitting tribute to a player whose fanbase has helped transform darts into one of the most vibrant live sports in the country.

The horse is currently stabled in Cheshire under the care of trainer Hugo Palmer, and early signs could hardly be more encouraging. Palmer — who has previously attended darts events at Alexandra Palace — spoke glowingly about the colt’s potential, saying: “I think they have a really nice horse on their hands. He has pleased us in everything that he’s done; he won’t be ready to run for a couple of months, but he is a horse we are high on.”

A competitive debut is pencilled in for June, and the ownership group will be hoping their investment can mirror the success both darts stars have enjoyed on the stage.

How It All Began

It was Bunting who first stumbled into the world of horse racing ownership, and the story of how it happened is as charming as the name of the horse itself. The St Helens-born thrower, a lifelong Liverpool supporter and passionate racing fan who has attended the Grand National on multiple occasions, found himself at Chester Racecourse last year and struck up a conversation with Owen — a man who knows a thing or two about high-performing athletes.

“It was just by chance I went to Chester last year,” Bunting revealed. “I got speaking to Michael Owen and he invited me down to his yard — and he said ‘I can’t promise you’ll leave without owning a horse.’ And here we are.”

Owen, who enjoyed a storied career at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United before retiring, has long been involved in the racing world. His breeding operation has produced some notable horses over the years, and he has clearly not lost his ability to spot a winning team.

Littler’s involvement, meanwhile, comes off the back of his growing love affair with horse racing. The 19-year-old from Warrington was spotted thoroughly enjoying himself during a two-day visit to the Cheltenham Festival in March, and it appears the bug has well and truly bitten.

Palmer was quick to highlight the significance of having Littler — sport’s most talked-about young talent — involved in the sport. “Stephen is a big racing fan and I think everyone saw how much Luke enjoyed Cheltenham,” he said. “He has a huge following and he is an extraordinary talent. It’s great to have a young guy involved — most of our high-profile sportsmen in horse ownership are of my generation, so it’s great to have people of the next generation.”

Darts First, Racing Second

For now, though, both Littler and Bunting have more immediate business to attend to. The Premier League Darts season is deep into its run, and neither man has yet made the trip to Palmer’s Cheshire yard to see their investment in the flesh.

“They haven’t been up to the yard yet — they’re due to come, but they’ve been busy with the Premier League darts,” Palmer told The Sun, with more than a hint of understanding.

Littler is tonight in action in Liverpool, where he faces defending Premier League champion Luke Humphries in a crucial clash that could define his playoff hopes. Bunting, meanwhile, takes on league leader Jonny Clayton on his beloved home turf — a night that promises to be deeply emotional for the popular St Helens man.

Racing, for the time being, will have to wait.

A New Chapter

The purchase of Bunting Mental represents something of a landmark moment — not just for the individuals involved, but for darts as a sport. The idea of professional darts players buying racehorses alongside Premier League legends would once have seemed far-fetched. Today, with the sport riding a wave of popularity driven largely by Littler’s meteoric rise, it feels entirely natural.

Littler, still only 19, has already won back-to-back World Championships, attracted a global fanbase and now counts racehorse ownership among his ventures. Bunting, at 39, is enjoying perhaps the most high-profile period of his long career. And Owen, never far from the sporting spotlight, has found two ready-made partners in a sport whose audience is only going in one direction.

If Bunting Mental runs anything like its namesake plays darts, those June race meetings could be very exciting indeed.