Luke Littler buys racehorse with fellow darting star and England legend

Lewis Henderson
Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:51:28 +0000

Luke Littler has ventured into the world of horse racing, joining forces with fellow professional Stephen Bunting and ex-Manchester United forward Michael Owen to purchase a racehorse.

The teenage star, still just 19, is now part-owner of a two-year-old colt acquired for £54,000.

The horse has been given the name Bunting Mental and is currently being prepared by trainer Hugo Palmer at his Cheshire yard.

The trio's investment brings together talent from the sporting world, with Littler's meteoric rise in darts now extending his interests beyond the oche and into the racing world.

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The colt's distinctive name pays homage to a darting anthem, with "let's go Bunting mental" regularly echoing around venues whenever Stephen Bunting takes to the stage.

Littler's enthusiasm for the turf appears to have been ignited during a two-day visit to the Cheltenham Festival back in March.

Palmer, who has previously attended darts events at Alexandra Palace, shared his thoughts on the new ownership group.

"They haven't been up to the yard yet, they're due to come, but they've been busy with the Premier League darts," he told The Sun.

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"Stephen is a big racing fan, and I think everyone saw how much Luke enjoyed Cheltenham.

"He has a huge following, and he is an extraordinary talent."

Palmer expressed excitement about attracting younger owners to the sport, noting most high-profile racing figures tend to be from his generation.

Ardad, the stallion responsible for Royal Ascot victor and sprint champion Perfect Power, sires Bunting Mental.

The colt has shown encouraging signs during a recent racecourse gallop, with Palmer revealing he expects the horse to be ready for its competitive debut in June.

Palmer said: "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."

Before any racing plans can take shape, both darts players have professional commitments to fulfil.

Littler is set to face defending Premier League champion Luke Humphries in Liverpool tomorrow evening, whilst Bunting takes on Jonny Clayton.

The 19-year-old was public enemy number one in Rotterdam last week, after his bust-up with Gian van Veen.

He could be expecting a chorus of boos again, being a Manchester United fan and previously mocking the Liverpool crowd after losing 2-0 to Everton in the Merseyside derby.

Littler held two fingers up to mimic the scoreline, which could land him as the enemy again tomorrow.