Ted Talks...

A fabulous Breeders’ Cup

SEASON draws to a close, we find ourselves lauding a new king of our sport – Charlie Appleby. He has worked from the ground up as did Aidan O’Brien. Our industry education is the core of our business and, time and time again, we see people rising through the ranks to achieve at the top table.

For those starting out, the thoroughbred world now has many entry points – from the National Stud courses in England and Ireland to the mighty Godolphin Flying Start and many in between.

I progressed through the ranks the old-fashioned way, a method which might not have changed much down the years, but is now far better structured.

Charlie Appleby’s year culminated at Del Mar with three winners all by Dubawi; it is the beginning of a new era that has taken ten years to get to this point. Godolphin has grasped the mantle and is in charge.

I have just returned from the meeting having travelled to the US in my role as a member of the board of a small, yet prolific, French stud, and I left in awe of Del Mar.

The Breeders’ Cup was the brainchild of John Gaines and was the first major self-help scheme developed on a world platform funded by breeders and stallion owners.

The racing participants have a team of organisers on hand to guide them through everything that, is or might be, needed for horse and human. During the stay the subliminal marketing and promotion was outstanding, every marketing tool and opportunity was taken advantage of.

The Horseman’s Lounge in the hotel was sponsored by Lane’s End Farm and Three Chimneys.

Breakfast on the track was branded by Fasig Tipton and Winstar, it left me thinking how well the farms in the US work together for the good of the sport or the business.

Every detail and every person couldn’t be more accommodating. Courtesy cars rolled through the front of the three Breeders’ Cup hotels from 5am to late at night. Visitors were picked up from airports, restaurants and the racetrack with effortless ease by a fleet of cars driven by one smiling driver after the next.

There was no need for coaches or buses, or even Uber.

The welcome party was mesmerising, featuring synchronised olympic swimmers, acrobatic displays and famous bands.

Participants from all over the world met one another with the elite thoroughbred as the common talking point. It’s as close as our sport can get to Formula 1.

Del Mar, for those that haven’t been there, has a Mexican / Spanish-type grandstand which holds a crowd of 45,000.

At no point do you feel crowded or cramped. Lunch is served over four floors and all with great uninterrupted views of the track. It is easy to meet people and mingle.

The track is oval with the grass track on the inside. The finishing line is halfway down the grandstand stretch.

This year Saturday was a truly international day with winners from Japan, Europe and the US. Charlie Appleby had an unbelievable treble, but also, unbelieavably, suffered two incidents in the stalls. Japan had two winners, while Coolmore had a winner supplied by Wesley Ward.

Personally, I was pleased to see Knicks Go run out the easy winner of the Classic. Mishriff beat him in the Saudi Cup, and the form clearly validates the decision to upgrade the Saudi Cup to a Group 1 after only two years.

A Del Mar racegoer getting into the swing of things

We now start the winter of international races – Japan, Hong Kong and then to the Gulf region, while the All-Weather season continues in the UK.

The Gulf region is developing an impressive winter circuit and season with incredible prize-money on offer.

I have often thought that as the carnival develops in the Gulf a bright young trainer should have a small stable based in the region and travel between Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi and Qatar.

Increasingly, five and six-yearold horses in the UK, who can be bought for under 100,000gns, can travel out to pick up large amounts of prize-money racing abroad.

A soft spot in the market maybe? Stable favourites who can journey out to enjoy some sunshine in the Middle East.

With a bright young trainer basing themselves in a central location I am sure a profitable business training over the winter could be developed.