FORMER Premier League star Alan Rogers says his new passion – which just so happens to be netting him a small fortune – is 'much better than football'.
Rogers, 45, played in the top flight for Nottingham Forest and Leicester and made three appearances for England Under-21s as a defender.
But he says nothing has ever compared to the thrill of seeing one of his horses win.
And that's something Rogers, who joined Forest for £2million from Tranmere in 1997 and went onto make over 200 appearances for them, has got used to lately.
Clear The Runway recorded his sixth win in seven races at Worcester on Monday – sending Rogers' career as an owner soaring.
The horse has been an absolute sensation this season, not finishing outside the top two since a run over fences at Musselburgh back in February.
And since then, on the two occasions when he was beat, he lost by just a nose and half a length respectively.
The horse has of course rocketed up the ratings and can expect a decent hike from the handicapper having won his last race – a Class 2 contest that landed Rogers a £11,981 payday – by a whopping ten lengths.
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Clear The Runway didn't just beat rivals – he walloped them into submission.
The horse has proved a lucrative cash cow for Rogers, who also had spells at Wigan, Hull, Bradford and Accrington Stanley.
In just 13 runs for Rogers he has made a tidy £54,000.
And he could now be targeted at some of the big winter handicaps coming up should he keep improving over a trip of around two miles – and get the good ground he prefers.
But more than that, Clear The Runway, who runs in the red and white silks Rogers dedicates to Forest, has given his owner an 'amazing' new lease of life.
Rogers still has to listen to the experts, though.
He confessed to being 'stupid' after telling the six-year-old gelding's trainer Laura Morgan to sell the horse following a couple of disappointing runs.
But after his latest win, Rogers told the Racing Post: "This horse has just given me so much joy, it's just been a dream.
"I think he's been unlucky too, he's won seven but it should've been nine on the bounce.
"I remember he ran disappointingly one day and I told Laura to just get rid of him as he's not genuine but she told me 'no, you don't see what he does at home'. That's why I'm the stupid owner and she's the boss.
"This is much better than football. I'm not sure why but I enjoy it more, days like this are amazing."
Rogers also posted a short video of his runner and wrote alongside it: "Clear The Runway absolute f***ing legend. Not fully tuned, but wow."
Not to be outdone, Rogers was toasting more success when another of his horses Notlongtillmay, won at Fontwell back in January.
But it's Clear The Runway who is giving Rogers lift-off – and adding his owner to the long list of footballers to have excelled in racing.
Perhaps none has done better than Mick Channon.
The former England striker has made millions as a shrewd trainer.
While fellow former Three Lions frontman Michael Owen has his own yard and a whole host of top horses including Listed winners Flaming Rib and Ever Given.
And he even got five Liverpool stars to buy a horse they named after the club's press officer, Mr McCann.
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