Perhaps you should try and get in touch with them. They have 1,000 members, apparently, which is very impressive. Here's a bit more info:
http://www.universitytimes.ie/?p=6638
http://www.universitytimes.ie/?p=6638
Local Celebrity runs in a maiden hurdle at Cork today in the colours of "TCD Racing Society Club". Presumably the TCD stands for Trinity College Dublin, and it would appear they have leased the horse, because it had been running until now in the colours of the trainer's wife.
Is this not a bit like the Young ITBA syndicate which Willie trains for too. Horses that are running in his own name and he decides to let these guys have it for free. I'm not sure any winnings go to the racing club. For example, the Young ITBA crew leased the Deegan winner of the Fairyhouse sales race last season, but I doubt they saw much return, nor would I say they had to pay a penny. Some of this is just done for the promotional side, to get young people involved.
There is a bit of admin stuff to get out the way, like registering yourself as the syndicate manager, perhaps finding sponsorship for your silks (colours) - notice how so many jockeys' britches and shirt collars have promotional tags on them - and so on.
If you find you do get a general interest from your target group and aren't sure of how to proceed, you'll find the ROA (Racehorse Owners' Association) tel. 020 71520 200 and Weatherbys (which does all the banking/payment of prize monies, registering of colours, etc.) 01933 440077 very helpful in walking you through the stages of set-up. And, of course, there's this forum!
CJ - any idea if French vets are as expensive as British ones? How about race entry fees - about the same as here? I think one's got to look at like-for-like costs overall. Although the French prize monies are much better than here, is it more difficult to get into races in France? I don't know what their rating system is like, if it's the same as the UK's, for example, and what Classes they go to, do you? What might concern me is having to spend a lot more on buying a French horse (i.e. the initial capital outlay) with no more guarantee of it winning there than one winning here.