Horse belonging to Bez from the Happy Mondays makes Redcar debut

The Happy Mondays star came to Redcar Races to see his horse Mystic Moonshadow run in the first race at the picturesque coastal course.

Bez, left, standing next to Mystic Moonshadow

However, the filly refused to enter the stalls and didn’t race.

The maraca-shaking dancer, 56, famed for his onstage antics as part of the Madchester-era band, has launched his own horse-racing club.

He has been inviting fans to buy into the thoroughbred filly, which was having her first run for him today.

Bez, real name Mark Berry, arrived at the course early to see his horse, trained by Jedd O’Keeffe, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, make her debut.

But Mystic Moonshadow was unable to delight her enthusiastic new owner, failing to get going.

Mystic Moonshadow

Bez was philosophical afterwards saying: “It looked like she was being a bit of a diva. We just have to hope for next time.

“I think it’s part of her character, but once she gets used to coming out for the day I think she’ll get better.”

Putting on a brave face, Bez added: “It all a bit disappointing. That said, it’s all about the experience and, hopefully, she’ll learn from it.

“I suppose it’s turned out to be an Unhappy Monday but that’s how it goes.”

The horse races in “United red and City blue” in tribute to Manchester’s two largest football clubs.

Bez said the name Mystic Moonshadow had come to him in a dream.

“With my youngest son, every time there is a full moon we are always dancing in the garden in the moon shadow,” he said.

“I woke up one morning screaming. I had been dreaming about horses and horse racing and I was screaming ‘Moonshadow’ at the top of my voice – that name came in a dream.

“Because we couldn’t have Moonshadow my girlfriend came up with the mystic bit so we stuck mystic on the front of it and came up with Mystic Moonshadow.”

Bez preparing for his first riding lesson

The racing club was conceived by Bez in partnership with Racing4Business and its founder Phil Hawthorne.

Winnings from Mystic Moonshadow will be donated to Manchester-based homelessness charity, Coffee 4 Craig, of which Bez is a long-standing supporter after spending time sleeping rough as a young man.