“Bunting Mental” becomes reality as Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting join English football icon in surprise racehorse move

Luke Littler and Stephen Bunting have taken an unexpected step away from the oche, teaming up with former footballer Michael Owen to invest in a racehorse.

The pair are now co-owners of a two-year-old thoroughbred named Bunting Mental, a phrase closely associated with Bunting among fans and across social media. It marks their first serious move into horse racing.

The horse was bought for £54,000 and is trained by Hugo Palmer at Owen’s Manor House Stables. For darts followers, the speed of this move stands out as much as the crossover itself.

Littler’s growing interest in racing has been visible in recent months, particularly during his appearance at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year. That visit now looks like the moment that led to this step into ownership. "They [Littler and Bunting] haven't been up to the yard yet, they're due to come but they've been busy with the Premier League darts,” Palmer said when speaking to The Sun. "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.”

There has already been positive feedback from the yard. "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," says Palmer.

Jockey Franny Norton has also been impressed after riding the colt in training, describing it as having “all the W’s”, meaning it is expected to win when the moment comes.

There will be a short wait before that happens. A minor issue has delayed the debut by around a month. “He's just had a tiny niggle which has pushed him back a month, but we think he will prove more than worth the wait."

This kind of investment is not unusual among elite athletes, but the names involved make this one stand out. Littler’s rapid rise has made him one of the sport’s biggest draws, while Bunting remains one of its most popular figures.

Their involvement gives darts fans a clear reason to keep an eye on the project.

For now, their focus remains on the Premier League. But when Bunting Mental does reach the track, it will not just be a racing debut. It will be a moment that carries genuine interest from within the darts world.