ITB_February 2024

gaming and Japanese racing working in tandem

Uma Musume

£10,000

No other active British-based stallion standing for £30,000 or less, has sired more blacktype horses in the last 5 years*

*NH-born progeny, 30.01.19 to 30.01.24

2023 yearlings in demand

Filly out of Lady Aquitaine sold for 260,000gns to Avenue Bloodstock for M V Magnier

Filly out of Vegas Valentine sold for €240,000 to SAS Sumbe

Colt out of The Begum sold for 160,000gns to Shadwell Estate Company

Filly out of Wonderworld sold for 150,000gns to EDC Agency

A consistent source of Group Winners and Performers

STARSPANGLEDBANNER’s first 8 crops averaged just 50 runners each, bred from fees of €10,000 to €22,500 but have still yielded the winners of the following Gr.1 & Gr.2 races!

Cheveley Park Stakes-Gr.1 (6f)

Prix Morny-Gr.1 (6f)

Prince Of Wales's Stakes-Gr.1 (10f)

Prix Jean Romanet-Gr.1 (10f)

Hong Kong Mile-Gr.1 (8f)

American Oaks-Gr.1 (10f)

Cox Plate-Gr.1 (10f)

Prix Ganay-Gr.1 (10½f)

Saratoga Derby-Gr.1 (9½f)

Coventry Stakes-Gr.2 (6f)

Queen Mary Stakes-Gr.2 (5f)

Appalachian Stakes-Gr.2 (8f)

Rockfel Stakes-Gr.2 (7f)

Airlie Stud Stakes-Gr.2 (6f)

Theo Marks Stakes-Gr.2 (6½f)

Sha Tin Trophy-Gr.2 (8f)

Chairman's Trophy-Gr.2 (8f)

Progeny have won over distances from 4½f to 12f

Sire of the top-priced colt foal at Tattersalls, bought by M V Magnier for 450,000gns and destined for Ballydoyle. His foal average of 155,750gns was bettered only by Kingman and Wootton Bassett (2 or more sold).

Looking ahead… His biggest and best-bred crops by far are yearlings and foals of 2024

Won 7 races from 5f-8f and £367,467

“Marie’s Diamond has the perfect blend of precocity and progression and showed a special constitution that is rare in the modern thoroughbred.”

Mark Johnston, Trainer

Ask about our €25,000 Diamond Breeders’ Bonus

diamondstudbellewstown.ie info@diamondstudbellewstown.ie

20

10 It’s Leo

Leo enjoys a weekend of jumping action at the Dublin Racing Festival and in the Fairyhouse sale ring

16 Ted talks

Ted’s been on his travels again, this time to the ever-popular Route des Etalons, and ticks off visits to see the three Jockey-Club winners all starting their stud careers this spring

18 Girls Aloud

Cathy Grassick remembers much missed friends

20 Eight is great

Mullins: 8, French-bred: 7, British-trained winners: 1

26 NH stallion statistics

Walk In The Park is at the head of affairs

30 Boom!

The victory of Abbes in Qatar’s HH The Amir Sword was a catalyst for the unprecedented European spring enjoyed by Wathnan Racing, currently undergoing an expansion programme. We chat with advisor Olly Tait

36 Full Circle

Jocelyn de Moubray talks with Olivier Delloye, who, after spending eight successful years as France Galop’s chief executive is returning to his roots as Arqana’s CEO

42 Let the games begin

Uma Musume is an exciting Japanese horseracing game – the nation is going crazy about it, and racing is riding on the back of its success.

David Morgan tells us more.

48 Fast track

Kevin Philippart de Foy started training in lockdown, but that proved to be no hindrance to his progress. The young trainer is looking forward to a busy summer season in 2024 with his largest string yet, writes James Thomas

58 No one hit wonder

Roderic Kavanagh’s breeze-up operation Glending Stables produced one of the leading two-year-olds of 2023 in Vandeek. Ronan Groome chats with him and finds out that Kavanagh is hoping to do more of the same

60 Rising in the East

Alan Porter’s bloodstock perspective on the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings which sees Japanese horses consolidate their ever-growing presence amongst the world’s best equine athletes

74 Winning sires in the Middle East

Successful sires in the Middle East, 2023

82 Photo finish

Horse festival in China celebrating the Tibetan hNew Year

20

Uma Musume Japanese video game

the team

editor sally duckett

publisher declan rickatson photography trevor jones design thoroughbred publishing

advertising declan rickatson

00 44 (0)7767 310381

declan.rickatson@btinternet.com

subscriptions tracey glaysher itsubs@btinternet.com

the photographers press association debbie burt courtesy of stud farms tattersalls

laura green arqana suzanna lupa the printers micropress press

the writers

leo powell

jocelyn de moubray alan porter

ronan groome david morgan james thomas

amy bennett

ted voute

cathy grassick

the stats weatherbys accounts annie jones

plestor house, farnham road, liss, hampshire, gu33 6jq

tel: 00 44 (0) 1428 724063

info@internationalthoroughbred.net

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

subscriptions: email or call as on the left, or log on to www.facebook.com/internationalthoroughbred

Jumping action

Leo witnessed two days of Festival racing and an afternoon of sale ring theatre

THE DUBLIN RACING FESTIVAL (DRF), first staged in 2018 came of age very quickly with Irish trainers embracing the concept enthusiastically –eight Grade 1 races among 15 run over the two days have, as supporting acts, a pair of Grade 2 contests, a Grade 3 race and four Listed events.

Along with an immense prize pot worth more than €2.1 million, there is every reason for trainers to have the DRF as a focus, strategically run five and a half weeks before NH racing’s annual version of the Olympics, the Cheltenham Festival.

The importance of this weekend of top-class sport is

“38 per cent of the 36,000 in attendance at DRF were racing fans from across the Irish Sea

recognised by British racegoers, who are attending it in growing numbers year on year.

This year, 38 per cent of the 36,000 in attendance at DRF were racing fans, who had travelled from across the Irish Sea.

One area, though, that does need some focus is that of the participation of runners trained in Britain.

Trainer Sophie Leech despatched one of just three runners from Britain at this year’s DRF, and she was rewarded with Madara’s comfortable victory in the Listed Ryanair Handicap Chase. The five-year-old gelding is owned by Bryan Drew and friends, and he netted connections €59,000, double and more than what he

French-breds dominated at the DRF

AS I WRITE A WEEKLY PEDIGREE column, and love to extol the virtues of Irish breeding, there are times when readers must grimace as I fill the pages with the latest big race success over jumps for French-breds.

While big meetings such as the DRF can distort the overall picture for the season, these Festivals get the most media attention, and therefore are the best shop window for the horses produced by any country.

The DRF turned out to be an overwhelming advertisement for French-breds, as horses bred there won seven of the eight Grade 1 races.

This success cannot be divorced from the fact that every one of the Willie Mullins-trained winners over the two days, with the notable exception of Ballyburn, were bred in France.

That success extended to the rest of the cards and, when the final results were tallied, 11 of the weekend’s 15 winners were French-breds, three were Irish and one, Brucio, was bred in England.

The growing popularity of horses bred in France, and the increasing numbers of them being sourced and populating the store sales in Ireland and Britain, is now a common talking point, and was to the fore among discussions at a recent Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA) seminar titled “Jumping Into The Future – the challenges facing Irish National Hunt breeding”.

This enlightening evening, under the chairmanship of Lorna Fowler, heard contributions from a home team of Walter Connors. Peter Molony, Richard Pugh and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing’s\ Charles O’Neill.

All provided stimulating views on matters ranging from the hot topic of French-bred domination, the importance of mares’ races at the Cheltenham Festival, the polarisation of stallions, and the selective nature of the NH market.

On many of these issues the packed attendance was keen to hear the views and insights of Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony

Bromley and French bloodstock agent and racing advisor Bertrand Le Metayer.

The discussions on the evening brought to mind for me a theory proposed some two decades ago by the late George Mernagh of Tattersalls Ireland.

Anyone who has ever had anything to do with NH racing and sales will recall Mernagh with great affection. However, he faced opposition from almost every quarter when he suggested that breeders and store horse vendors in Ireland and Britain should be starting their horses at a younger age, citing the French methods.

He found little support.

Roll on 20 years and we now hear a growing call for the “French system” to be introduced, and Horse Racing Ireland has publicly suggested that they are open to acting on this, namely introducing a programme of bumper and hurdle races for NH-bred three-year-olds, if that is what the industry wants.

I suggest that no more time be wasted on lots of consultation, and that this process be expedited.

There will be those who oppose it, as they did with the idea of supporting and widening

had earned for any of his previous triumphs at Auteuil, Compiegne, Pau and Cheltenham.

Significantly, the French-bred son of Doctor Dino was competing in a handicap, was allotted a fair racing weight of 10st10lb, and won with something in hand.

It was noteworthy that Leech and her owners engaged the services of the French-based James Reveley, a move that is rarely employed by trainers in Ireland and Britain.

Leech would be well aware of the rider’s style and ability as she often races her horses in France.

The paucity of British-trained runners can be down to many reasons. A key one that is put forward is the dominance of Irish-trained horses over jumps, and this is even narrowed down to the strength of the Willie Mullins yard. This argument not only applies to horses trained in Britain, but is also often cited in Ireland as a negative for racing.

Already champion trainer in Ireland on 17 occasions, and well on his way to another title, Mullins won all eight Grade 1 races at the DRF, and had a ninth success in a Grade 2 bumper.

Only one of Mullins’ owners, Marie Donnelly, struck twice, with State Man and Dancing City, and this spread of owner profiles is a notable feature.

When Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House made

a scheme to promote mares’ races, but we only have to look at how successful the fillies’ scheme has been to know that those who don’t support change will be left behind.

Peter Molony, of Rathmore Stud, Goffs and Honeysuckle fame, pointed to one of the main reasons that French-breds have come to the fore, and that is that they have a long tradition of racing mares before sending them to stud.

Most pedigrees of French-bred winners that I review show that at least two, if not all, of the first four dams will have enjoyed success on the track.

Stallion owners are also looking to France for inspiration, and the acquisition of Jeu St Eloi, a son of Saint Des Saints, is quite a seminal moment in NH breeding in Ireland.

He is, to be frank, a horse who would not have been given a chance at stud in Ireland or Britain. From the family of the leading French sire Balko, Jeu St Eloi did not win a race in six starts over hurdles and fences, but this half-brother to the Grade 1-winning chaser Oculi was given an opportunity in France, and boy did he grab it.

The Cashman family in Glenview Stud

“Only one of Mullins’ owners, Marie Donnelly, struck twice, with State Man and Dancing City, and this spread of owner profiles is a notable feature

the decision in 2016 to take 60 horses out of the care of Mullins, many observers felt that this would be a serious blow to the trainer, and probably herald an end to his hold on the trainers’ championship. How wrong they were. It has been business as usual since, and while Gordon Elliott has continued to press forward, and run Mullins close on occasions, he has so far failed to topple him.

Though the Gigginstown House involvement in ownership is not as great as it once was it is still one of the most important in Irish racing, and the astute O’Leary realised some six years after he spilt with Mullins that he was the one to lose out, resulting in a reversal of policy. The pair have teamed up for a number of wins since, victories that are contributing to another record-breaking season for the trainer.

Mullins has saddled more than 200 winners this season in Ireland – and just four in Britain – and by many weeks he has bettered the fastest time ever taken to reach this landmark. This is the fifth time that he has reached a double-century figure, and he is long odds-on to smash last season’s record total of 237 winners in Ireland.

When I hear people questioning the health of jumps racing, and while acknowledging that it does face

Jeu St Eloi

Belardo

EUROPEAN CHAMPION 2YO

26 Stakes winners/performers (12 in 2023) inc...

GOLD PHOENIX

Won Gr.1 Frank E Kilroe Mile Stakes (2023)

Won Gr.2 Del Mar Handicap (2023 & 2022)

Won Gr.2 Eddie Read Stakes (2023)

4th Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2023 to Auguste Rodin)

Bearstone Stud

The source of speed

Won Gr.1 Dewhurst & Gr.1 Lockinge

58% 3yo winners/runners

Only Frankel (£350,000) & Siyouni (€200,000) ranked higher 2023 yearlings sold for €100,000, €80,000, €60,000, 45,000gns, 45,000gns, 40,000gns, €40,000, etc.

challenges, I cannot accept that it is all down to one trainer’s domination.

It was ever thus since I was born.

When Vincent O’Brien made the move from training jumpers to focusing on the Flat, it must have been a relief to both Tom Dreaper and Paddy Sleator, and for many years they battled it out to be champion trainer.

When Arkle’s handler passed the reins to his son Jim, the latter enjoyed a number of years as the champion trainer, overtaken in due course by Paddy Mullins. While others did win a single title, since then the leader board has been headed on multiple occasions by Edward O’Grady, Aidan O’Brien and Noel Meade.

If racing has survived and thrived since the 1950s with a handful of trainers in control of the championships, then it can do so into the future. The day will surely come when Gordon Elliott finally dethrones Mullins, while others will also be eyeing that possibility in the future.

After all, Willie spent many years aiming to overtake Noel Meade.

British trainer Nicky Henderson, who was present at Leopardstown but without a runner, jokingly called the DRF the “Willie Mullins Racing Festival”, expressing a

“Mullins has saddled more than 200 winners this season in Ireland – and just four in Britain –and by many weeks he has bettered the fastest time ever taken to reach this landmark

sentiment many others might well concur with.

Henderson and his fellow trainers are the only people who can change that – perhaps it is time for more of them to take on the master of Closutton.

Shock exit from racing

Eleven days after their shock decision to quite racehorse ownership, Andy and Gemma Brown had quite the dispersal sale of their 29 horses at Tattersalls Ireland, benefitting from the presence in Ireland of many of the jumping game’s key players for the Dublin Racing Festival.

The couple, who latterly raced their horses under the Caldwell Construction banner, enjoyed their first big race success with Grand Paradis in February 2021, and in the short period since have won black-type races with dual Grade 1 winner Mighty Potter, Fil Dor, Pied Piper, the Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty, Sa Fureur, Imagine, and at Christmas they won a Grade 1 at Leopardstown with the exciting Caldwell Potter.

Joey Logan was the man who masterminded the acquisition of almost every one of these horses, and

Willie Mullins (far right): his dominance in NH racing is pretty complete at the moment and the Closutton trainer is breaking his own records this season

he was centre stage at the ringside in Fairyhouse as he watched the dispersal sale unfold.

Given the short lead-in time to the sale, great credit must go to the Tattersalls Ireland team for producing the informative catalogue, promoting the sale to the widest audience possible, and having the sales complex fully decked out for the occasion.

No less admirable were the efforts of the Gordon Elliott team at Cullentra, which presented the horses so professionally on what was a public holiday in Ireland.

It was a bittersweet occasion for Cullentra as the team said goodbye to the star of the draft, Caldwell Potter, but the team also welcomed back a number of key horses.

Caldwell Potter, who misses Cheltenham but whose new owners hope he will be there one day to win the Gold Cup, sold for a record €740,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley, and has joined Paul Nicholls.

Andy and Gemma Brown sadly lost a couple of horses racing, and it was in the immediate aftermath of the most recent death that they made their decision to quit the sport, though many hope it will not be a permanent exit.

The strength of the demand for their horses, who cumulatively realised €5,290,000, shows that there is no shortage of people willing to invest at the top level in NH racing, and we can only hope that the Caldwell Construction silks will once again grace the Turf.

“It was a bittersweet occasion for Cullentra as the team said goodbye to the star of the draft, Caldwell Potter, but the yard also welcomed back a number of key horses

Una will never be forgotten

THE past month has provided many ups and downs on the racing and breeding front, but these were as nothing to the news that the CEO of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA), Una Tormey, died after a short illness at the age of just 41. She is survived by her husband Joe McElroy, her infant son Eoin, and her mother Pauline.

Una was appointed chief executive on December 1, 2022, two years after she joined the ITBA as a membership coordinator rising to the role of operations manager. She was brought into the organisation by its previous chief executive Shane O’Dwyer.

At the time of her appointment to the CEO role Una said: “I am really looking forward to working with Irish breeders and with the members of the ITBA Council. The Association has many exciting plans for 2023 and beyond and I will endeavour to deliver these successfully to the benefit of Irish breeders.”

Una made an immediate impact, proving herself to be an able and affable administrator, and her sudden death was met by a huge wave of sadness within the industry.

Una, though on maternity leave, was in constant touch with her colleagues as they organised the ITBA awards in late January. Her death, just days before the event, led to its postponement for a month.

Caldwell Potter: the handsome grey set a new record price for a NH horse in training after fetching €740,000 in front of a packed Fairyhouse sale ring

THE DUBAWI DYNASTY

Too Darn Hot

It’s rare for a stallion to sire two juveniles in Europe’s official top 10. War Front and Wootton Bassett have done it, as have Justify and Scat Daddy.

Some have even had three on the list – Dubawi and Shamardal among the select few.

But only one stallion this century has had a colt and a filly in the top 10 from his first crop. Yes, that’s right: think darn hot two-year-olds.

TED TALKS...

Ted Voute takes the opportunity to see three new Jockey-Club winners at stud

JANUARY IS OFTEN the lull before the storm on a stud – everything geared up for the foaling and tracking the maidens and barren mares before they depart to visit stallions of choice in France or Ireland.

I had never before taken part in the Route des Etalons and, with three Prix du Jockey-Club winners all heading to stud in the same year, I took the opportunity to join in this year, not least to check that Mishriff was ready for his delayed first season.

I decided to go by car, which meant that if I left on the Friday I could call in at Chantilly for evening stables with Monsieur Fabre to see some of the horses that I manage on behalf of Prince Faisal.

And I was mightily impressed. The Prince has a colt by Make Believe named Sajir. He won nicely at the end of last year and was amongst the top two-year-olds in France.

He will be aimed at this spring’s good races, as will a nice Kingman filly called Teeran.

Hopefully, this will be of use to those readers searching for horses to put in their ten to follow lists!

I was armed with an Emovis motorway tag, a must-have when driving alone on French motorways, and luckily then driving was still possible – the farmers hadn’t then started their siege on Paris.

The only challenge was the freezing weather at -1c, the ice trees and snow either side of the roads.

My aim was to stay overnight at Haras de Saint Pair, which is neatly

Ace Impact has started to let down, walks for fun and looks to have a great temperament

positioned amongst most of the Normandy farms, but a last-minute call to Germany left me diverting to the ever-faithful Le Normandy Hotel in Deauville.

I arrived in town at 7pm just in time for a nice meal at Le Drakkar and took an early night so that I could pack in the farms I needed to see, with a visit to Mishriff at Haras de Montfort and Preaux being the first port of call.

The trail starts at 10am in typically relaxed French style, but after the plentiful Normandy Hotel buffet breakfast, I ventured out to temperatures of -8c!

However, the hour-drive from Deauville to Monfort was better than expected with nobody on the roads and, having left at 8am, I arrived an hour early!

Mishriff

Every visit to the stud sees improvements and with the challenging task of standing three new stallions for this spring, there are now smart new stallion paddocks.

Mathieu Le Forestier was first to arrive with Tim Richardson and Tony Fry, who was on crutches having been injured when slipping on ice when gallantly warming up his wife’s car early one morning.

A marquee, in addition to the permanent offices, with coffees and croissants, was awaiting the visitors and I was looked after really well, and was given a private show to see Mishriff. His box now boasts triple thick padding for the boisterous athlete, an obvious improvement to the already well-lined stallion boxes

I also got to see the treadmill, which was bought to aid his recovery.

Mishriff has let down into the most wonderful beast.

We have sent his full-brother to pre-train with Malcolm Bastard and, ultimately, he will go into training

with John and Thady Gosden.

Their dam Contradict was rested last year, but is heading stateside this spring to visit Justify and she will board at Imad Al Sagar’s 2023-acquired Stonereath Farm.

Meanwhile, her yearling filly, the first female the mare has produced, remains at the Eydon Hall.

As the first show started, I was able to jump back into the car and get to Haras de Bonneval in time for its second show of the day.

My aim of the trip was to see the three Prix Jockey-Club winners, who have retired to stud in the same year. It is quite possibly a feat that will never be repeated!

I remembered Vadeni from his run at Sandown in the Eclipse when he beat Mishrifff.

Maybe because Mishriff was beaten I had it in for him, but I was pleased to see a stallion who has broadened and thickened and was more substantial than I remembered.

The reception in Bonneval’s covering yard was full with lots

of people chatting and grabbing breakfasts of coffee and pastries.

It was fun to catch up on the winter’s French gossip with a mixture of sports fans and industry professionals all enjoying the weekend looking at stallions.

We got to see Erevann, who even then was already close to a full book. He appeals to the vast majority of smaller-scale French breeders, all hoping for a repeat of Zarak and a swift rise to stardom as a stallion.

Judging by the number of hats bought adorning his name (funds donated to charity), he certainly commanded the most attention.

I was spoilt and allowed a swift look at Siyouni in his box as the stallion was only showing once a day. He looks younger and younger and I duly signed two contracts on behalf of Blue Diamond Stud

The third, and by no means the least Jockey-Club winner I got to see, was the most recent –Ace Impact having retired to Haras de Beaumont, which is 30 minutes

further on from Bonneval and on route back to Deauville.

I arrived at noon and was greeted by the ever-energetic Mathieu Alex and his wife Emilie.

I was really impressed with the most recent Arc winner.

He has started to let down, walks for fun and looks to have a great temperament. He is a little behind the previous two but that is understandable – while they where already being let down at stud, he was winning an Arc.

Judging by the investment and enthusiasm of connections, this new stud will be a force to be reckoned with in the not-too-distant future.

All three Jockey-Club winners were champions and all three by stallions unproven as sires of sires

Two hail from decent famillies and one also won the most prestigious race in Europe. It’s hard to predict which of the trio will end up the best in their second careers – maybe all three will be major influences in the years to come.

Erevann was popular on the Route Des Etalons – by all accounts the French breeders have really got behind the Group 2-winning son of Dubawi

....Girls aloud

FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, January

and February are quieter months. The post-Christmas lull allows time to take stock, reflect and regenerate, especially in the gloomier weather in this part of the world. This is most definitely not the case, however, for breeders of thoroughbred horses. The New Year will have barely passed when the pitter-patter of four tiny hooves start to echo around the foaling yards.

In Ireland this season has been particularly busy with lots of additional events to support breeders, as well as the excellent Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Stallion Trail and the usual breeding stock sales in UK, Ireland, and France. Interspersed with all this activity was the new annual, highly successful and very well attended Dublin Racing Festival.

Sadly, for those of us involved in the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA), and especially those who are on council or working in the office, this has also been a time of great loss.

Una Tormey, our chief executive and a vital part of the Irish breeding sector, passed away suddenly after a short illness. For anyone who knew Una, but especially for her family and friends, this has been a tragic and unthinkable loss, and our deepest sympathies go to those who loved her especially her husband Joe McElroy and her gorgeous young son Eoin. Una was a fantastic colleague and an even better friend, and her loss will be sorely felt by the entire breeding community in Ireland.

This spring the ITBA has hosted major seminars to allow discussion between breeders and industry stakeholders on the current state of the market for both Flat and NH horses.

The first to take place was an excellent NH seminar held in The Lord Bagenal that featured a stellar panel of industry experts, including trainer and breeder Lorna Fowler, who hosted the event, Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock, vet and consignor Walter Connors, racing advisor & French bloodstock agent Bertand le Metayer, breeder, consignor and Goffs representative Peter Molony, Charles O’Neill of ITM, and Richard Pugh of Tattersalls Ireland and Irish Point to Point Services.

The feedback from this seminar has been excellent and has led to further debate and discussion in the media and between industry stakeholders as how best to develop Irish NH breeding and racing for the future.

The second ITBA seminar, a joint initiative with the ITBA Next Generation, was aimed at Flat breeders and was held at Goffs on the eve of its February breeding stock sale.

The panel featured a number of bloodstock experts such as Dermot Cantillon of Tinnakill Stud, Cathal Beale of the Irish National Stud, Barry Mahon of Juddmonte Farms, Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman

Cathy Grassick, chairman of the Irish Breeders’ Association, remembers lost friends

Bloodstock, and Helena Burns of Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital. The seminar was expertly hosted by Kevin Blake of ITV and Racing UK.

It was a fantastic evening with a huge range of topics covered and many questions asked and answered by breeders young, and not so young, for the expert panel. There was plenty of food for thought, with many ideas things to work on and to build for the future.

It is very heartening to see so many Irish breeders come out to support and show their concern for the future of the respective codes, with nearly 300 people in attendance at each of the seminars. It is vitally important for a healthy bloodstock and breeding industry that breeders, both young as well as established, are willing and able to have these discussions and share ideas on how to improve and develop for the future.

In between the two seminars the excellent ITM Stallion Trail saw visitors from Ireland, alongside many from abroad, visit a wide array of Irish stud farms around the country.

In its tenth year the highly successful event allowed visitors to access many of the world’s best stallions in their home surroundings and to see real racing legends who are now retired to stud. It was a well-attended event with both breeders and enthusiasts participating, and we look forward to another successful event next year.

Following on from this was the highly anticipated Dublin Racing Festival, which has quickly imposed itself as an important racing date in the annual calendar of NH race goers. Huge kudos goes to racing operations manager Jane Hedley and her team at Leopardstown for putting on such a great festival.

While I was writing this article we learned of the sad passing of 94-year-old Maureen Mullins and the deepest sympathies and condolences go to the entire Mullins family at this sad time. She was a wonderful lady, a talented horsewoman, a huge supporter and influence on many generations of the Mullins family. She will be greatly missed by the Irish jumping community.

Una Tormey: will be much missed

“ Lanwades Stud’s BOBBY’S KITTEN is another who has shown he can get a good one in the form of Gr.1-placed SANDRINE . . . he had some exciting youngsters in 2023, including champion juveniles in Saudi Arabia (ALMOTAHED) and Hungary (DARK BLUE SKY) meaning his progeny have resale value to other jurisdictions ”

Racing Post 08/02/2024

SEA THE MOON SIRE OF 4 GROUP 1 WINNERS • CHAMPION SIRE IN GERMANY

“ From six crops to race he is the sire of 32 black-type winners, which gives him a stakes winners to runners return of a very healthy 8.36 per cent, bearing scrutiny with stallions who have commanded fees much higher than the £15,000 SEA THE MOON stood at for the first six years . . . those 32 stakes winners comprise four Gr.1 winners from a total of 18 Group winners ”

Aisling Crowe, Racing Post 13/01/2024 Fee:

“ One of the best-bred stallions in Europe, STUDY OF MAN made a really promising start with his first two-year-olds last year . . . a Classic prospect from his nine winners at a strike-rate of 35% is DEEPONE, winner of the Gr.2 Beresford Stakes . . . expect his stock to be progressive and a number of well-bred youngsters have yet to make an appearance ” – Emma Berry, TDN 17/01/2024

How it started: Dancing Bay winning the opening Grade 1 hurdle over DRF weekend

How it ended up: all eight Grade 1 winners trained by Willie Mullins (opposite from top left to right, row by row)

Eight is great

Amy Bennett reviews a Dublin Racing Festival dominated by Willie Mullins

WE CAN LAMENT LONG AND OFTEN that there is too much focus on the Cheltenham Festival in jump racing. However, the road to Prestbury Park is crowded with top-class racing and plenty of stars have shone since Christmas.

The Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) may be a mini Cheltenham Festival, but this year’s two-day event turned into a one-man show, as Willie Mullins saddled all eight of the Grade 1 winners on the two cards.

One point of note from the Willie Mullins Show however is that while seven of his eight Grade 1 winners bear the FR suffix, they were all by different sires.

Even more of a novelty is that some of those sires even stand outside of France!

Dancing City got the ball rolling for

One point of note from the Willie Mullins Show –while seven of his eight Grade 1 winners bear the FR suffix, they were all by different sires

Mullins with success in the opening race of the meeting, the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (G1), when sent off the outsider of his trainer’s quartet of runners.

Successful in his sole point-to-point in 2021, the seven-year-old also landed one of his three bumpers starts and got off the mark over hurdles at the second attempt, when winning at Navan in December.

Bred by Julian, Laurent and Vincent Moutel, and a mere €28,000 purchase at the 2020 Goffs Land Rover Sale, he is a son of Feels Like Dancing, who began his stud career in France at Haras du Lion before relocating to Whytemount Stud in 2020.

He now stands at a fee of just €2,000.

The lightly raced Grade 3-winning son of Galileo is a half-brother to the top-class Indian Ink (Indian Ridge), and although he

1. Dancing City, 2. Kargese, 3. Il Etait Temps, 4. Galopin Des Champs, 5. Fact To File, 6. Ballyburn, 7. El Fabiolo, 8. State Man

The Willie Mullins DRF Grade 1 eight

covered only a small book last year, it will not be surprising if his harem is significantly increased this year.

Half an hour after Dancing City’s success, Kargese gave her sire Jeu St Eloi the best possible start to his new career in Ireland when triumphing in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle (G1).

A Grade 3 winner in her native France last May, the four-year-old filly was Grade 2-placed over course and distance on St Stephen’s Day behind Kala Conti (Karaktar), who finished fifth in the return match at the DRF.

Kargese’s sire Jeu St Eloi was himself placed over fences in France, and the son of Saint Des Saints embarked on his stud career at Haras de l’Abbaye in 2016, at an initial fee of €1,200.

He then moved on to Haras de Cercy, before transferring to the Cashman family’s Glenview Stud this year, where his fee is listed as private.

Although he already has 11 black-type performers, Karagese is Jeu St Eloi’s first top-level winner, and a first graded winner in Ireland, although his son Blueking D’Oroux won the Ascot Hurdle (G2) for Paul Nicholls in November.

As well as being by a champion sire in Saint Des Saints, Jeu St Eloi is a half-brother to Oculi (Denham Red), a dual Grade 1 winner over fences in France, and is closely related to the Grade 1-placed chaser Argentique (Saint Des Saints), as well as being from the immediate family of the leading jumps sire Balko.

Beaten a length and a quarter into second by Kargese was Storm Heart, himself a son of another recruit to Ireland from the French-based National Hunt sire ranks.

Storm The Stars, sire of another Mullins inmate in Storm Heart, arrived at Coolagown Stud for 2023 having stood in France since 2018. The Great Voltigeur (G2) victor commands a fee of €3,000 this season.

Former Coolagown resident Solskjaer came close to siring the winner of the following Grade 1 contest, the Irish Arkle Novice Chase, only for Found A Fifty to be pipped in the final strides by Il Etait Temps.

Having made his Grade 1 breakthrough at the same meeting 12 months earlier over hurdles, Il Est Temps was again the less-fancied Mullins runner but deserved the plaudits.

He is a son of Burgage Stud resident Jukebox Jury, who began his stud career in Germany but has been resident in Ireland since 2018 – the same year that the French-bred Il Etait Temps was foaled.

One to watch?

While Poliglote, Spanish Moon, Doctor Dino and Timos (and the deceased Flemensfirth) accounted for the other Grade 1 winners at the DRF, it was interesting to note the success of Heart Wood in the Grade 3

Elixir De Nutz (grey) with Freddie Gingell about to overcome hotpot Jonbon in the Grade 1 Clarence House for a first top level win over fences

handicap chase on the second day of the meeting.

A Listed winner in his native France, the six-year-old, trained by Henry de Bromhead, hacked up by 14l in the extended 2m5f contest, his first attempt at graded company since moving to Ireland in 2022.

He is a son of Choeur Du Nord, who recently celebrated his first Grade 2 winner when Jeriko Du Reponet triumphed in the Rossington Main Novice Hurdle at Doncaster in late January.

The pair are the first graded winners by their 12-year-old sire, who began his stud innings at Elevage Lassaussaye Guillaume, and has since moved to Haras de Ligneres, where his fee this year is €6,500.

The son of Voix Du Nord ran only three times himself, winning two Auteuil hurdles as a three-year-old, before embarking on his stud career.

He has proved a hit with breeders recently, and covered 130 mares last year at an advertised fee of €5,500.

Although he already has 11 black-type performers, Karagese is Jeu St Eloi’s first top-level winner, and a first graded winner in Ireland

Power up

A little piece of history was made at Punchestown on January 14 when Mystical Power landed the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (G2). The son of Galileo became the first winner out of the top-class Annie Power (Shirocco)

when winning a bumper at Ballinrobe last May, and then his dam’s first winner over hurdles when successful at Galway in July, before maintaining his unbeaten record to score by 7l in the Moscow Flyer.

He is now short odds for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (G1) at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

Mystic Power is the first foal out of the great Annie Power, whose 17 victories included three at the highest level, among them the 2016 Champion Hurdle (G1).

After foaling Mystic Power, she returned to Galileo in 2020, producing another son, before twice visiting Camelot with the result another pair of colts.

In 2023, she visited the court of Walk In The Park.

Stars shining at Cheltenham

January may feel like the longest month of the year, but we got a real treat for making it through – Cheltenham Trials Day.

Noble Yeats (6): his Cleeve Hurdle win set him up for a tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle before return to Aintree and a hoped-for second Grand National success

With the Clarence House Chase (G1) moved to the card after the cancellation of racing at Ascot a week earlier, the eight-race card was both informative for the Festival and a brilliant day of sport in itself.

In the Clarence House, Elixir De Nutz, a son of Al Namix, punctured a big reputation when overturning the hot favourite Jonbon (Walk In The Park).

It was the ten-year-old’s biggest prize since landing the Tolworth Hurdle (G1) five years ago.

Bred by Tangi Saliou and Jocelyne Ventrou, out of the Turgeon mare Nutz, he is a half-brother to Calnutz (Balko), a Listed winner over fences in France, and Friandise Girl (Hurricane Cat), who was Grade 3-placed in AQPS company.

The German Group 2 winner It’s Gino (Perugino), who was also Group 1-placed three times, including behind Zarkava in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, looks to have another very smart performer in Sir Gino, who landed the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle by 10l.

Bred by Jean-Paul and Marie-Odile Deshayes, the gelding was a Listed winner at Auteuil last April and made a winning debut in Britain on December 27 at Kempton.

His sire, who currently stands for €3,800 at Haras de la Barbottiere, was also responsible for the high-class Datsalrightgino, who was sadly killed in the Cotswold Chase (G2) less than two hours after the success of his paternal half-brother.

Coolmore’s National Hunt arm was well represented at the meeting with its champion sire Yeats, who stands at Castlehyde Stud, represented by the Cleeve Hurdle (G2) victor Noble Yeats, as well as Ginny’s Destiny, who landed the novices’ handicap chase.

Grange Stud resident Walk In the Park has another exciting prospect on his hands with Gidleigh Park, who landed the Grade 2 novices’ hurdle.

Bred by Richard and Lizzie KelvinHughes, out of the Presenting mare Lindeman, the six-year-old is now unbeaten in four starts.

Scoping out the future

While celebrating successful jumps sires in France and Ireland, it was also good to note a recent Listed success for Telescope, who stands at the Hockenhulls’ Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire.

The son of Galileo celebrated his first graded winner in December when Slade Steel won in Grade 2 company at Navan, and that performer finished runner-up to Ballyburn (Flemensfirth) in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle (G1) at the DRF.

In January, the British-bred Harvard Guy gave his sire another stakes success when scoring at Navan (perhaps it pays to keep a close eye on Telescope runners in County Meath?!), his second Listed win at that venue.

Successful in the Hardwick Stakes (G2) and Great Voltigeur (G2), Telescope retired to Shade Oak in 2016.

With his oldest crop now seven, there is surely much more to come from the sire in the coming seasons.

Sir Gino heading to his 10l Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial victory: the son of It’s Gino is now favourite for the four-year-old hurdle at The Festival

Leading NH Sires 2023-24 (by prize-money earned to February 12, 2024)

Courtesy of Weatherbys

Winner of three races at two years including:

1st Group 2 Richmond Stakes, Goodwood 6f

1st Listed Tipperary Stakes, Tipperary 5f

1st Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stakes, Curragh 5f

3rd Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, Royal Ascot 5f

3rd Listed Marble Hill Stakes, Curragh 6f

4th Group 1 Prix Morny, Deauville 6f

Off to a great start at stud with his first runners in 2023 19 first-crop winners of 23 races and 40 places including Serried Ranks, winner at Glorious Goodwood.

Covered 130 mares in 2023

Consistent six-figure sales of €250,000, 180,000gns, 135,000gns, 120,000gns, €120,000, etc.

By sire sensation No Nay Never (Scat Daddy)

himself Champion 2YO in France and sire of Group One winners and sires TEN SOVEREIGNS, BLACKBEARD, LITTLE BIG BEAR, ARIZONE plus the Group One winners Alcohol Free and Meditate.

Dam Theann (Rock Of Gibraltar)

winner of two races at two and three years incl. Group 3 Summer Stakes at York, 3rd Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial Group 3.

Dam of two winners including Photo Call (Galileo), dual Group 1 winner of First Lady Stakes, Keeneland G1, Rodeo Drive Stakes, Santa Anita G1.

Boom!

The huge start made by Wathnan Racing in 2023 essentially originated with success in Qatar’s HH The Amir Sword, a catalyst for its superb European season and current ongoing expansion plans

We chat with Wathnan’s advisor Olly Tait

The one who really started it all off for Wathnan: the Arabian racehorse Abbes winning Qatar’s HH The Amir Sword in 2023

INCOMPARABLE. It is the only way to describe the start made last year by by Wathnan Racing.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar’s newly created racing stable, opened with a seismic impact both in Qatar and on the international racing scene with several high-profile successes in 2023, race victories that usually take even the most eminent of owners many years to achieve, if ever at all.

With so many big and important races already on the winning sheet, it is difficult to remember that Wathnan Racing is only just a year old – the Amir’s first runners hit the racetrack in Doha last season and in Europe last summer, results that included victories at the pinnacle of the sport with success in Qatar in the HH The Amir Sword and then with a double at Royal Ascot with King

Charles III in attendance.

And HH Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani’s Wathnan Racing ended the 2022-23 Qatar season as the champion owner with 55 winners and prize-money earnings of over 12,000,000QR. As of writing, this season Wathnan has already gathered 33 winners and earnings of nearly 5,000,000QR.

In the UK, from just 20 runners and four winners, Wathnan finished 13th in the 2023 owners’ championship, the horses achieving a 20 per cent strike rate and picking up over £800,000 in prize-money.

One man involved in this hugely successful development of Wathnan Racing from its origins as Umm Qarn into a racing stable for the Amir’s new involvement is Australian horseman Olly Tait, who has been particularly busy working to upgrade

the thoroughbred division.

Now based in New South Wales and at his own stud farm Twin Hills Stud, Tait cut his teeth in the industry with Darley when working for Sheikh Mohammed’s stallion and breeding operation. During his 15 years with the farm, then going through its developmental stage, Tait was responsible for establishing the organisation in Australia, expanding it to Japan, developing in the United States before he relocated to the UK in 2010 when then responsible for the Darley operations globally.

With a return to his homeland, he now stands five stallions and at this time of year Tait is busy juggling international timelines as he focuses his attention on the height of Qatar’s racing season, on yearling sales in Australia and on the European Flat racing as it emerges from its winter slumber.

Tait, on a zoom call from his office in Australia in the middle of his southern hemisphere night, explained how Wathnan came about.

“Umm Qarn Farm, which had been such a successful stable for so long in Qatar and had been owned by Sheikh Abdullah, was transferred into the ownership of the Amir and with that came the change in name to reflect the new direction,” he explains.

“I was asked by an associate of HH Sheikh Tamin to give a hand as an advisor and help with the project. It was initially to ensure that the stable was successful through Qatar’s 2022-23 season and that the thoroughbred string could be developed to match the strength of the Arabian division.

“So, in 2022, we went to the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale and the Arqana Arc Sale in Paris to purchase thoroughbreds to bolster the stable in Qatar. That exercise was successful – Bolthole, for instance, came out of those purchases.”

THE SON OF FREE EAGLE was certainly an inspired acquisition for Wathnan Racing. Purchased in Newmarket for 130,000gns from Michael Bell’s Fitzroy House rated 92 and the winner of one race, Bolthole built on his Qatar debut second in the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle with a good third placing in the HH The Amir Trophy (QA G1) to Russian Emperor. He went on to finish third again in the Qatar Gold Cup (QA G2) before returning to Europe for four runs in France, outings which yielded two Listed victories and two Group 2 second placings.

This season in Qatar the now five-yearold has run twice and last time out won the Umm Qarn Trophy.

Tait, in his role as advisor, was actively involved in a precise strategy regarding decisions on thoroughbred purchases.

“We were looking for horses who could win and would be suitable for a number of targets in Qatar such as the Qatar Derby, the HH The Amir Trophy, and the Al Rayyan Stakes, we were looking for horses to suit those different divisions,” he says.

“My role was to help put it all together

Frankie Dettori enjoying Wathnan’s second visit to the Royal Ascot winners’ enclosure

Like most things you have to gain momentum and then confidence, at all levels, in the direction in which you are going

success, which we have been lucky enough to have. I think the role I had with Darley helps me to understand the type of horse required for the level of success we are aiming for. We

Brown, who has a real handle on the horses continued, in fine fettle, and in the end the efforts of the division proved a catalyst to been well handled by Alban, success was ready

made and part of what was inherited.”

The talented Abbes read the script correctly for last year’s HH The Amir Sword (G1 PA) – the race went to plan in Doha and he won the main event by over 2l.

The day in February proved to be a pivotal race day and Tait goes onto explain that last spring’s run of form in Qatar had a major influence on the ongoing early development for Wathnan, which, to an extent, has been something of an evolving process.

“Like most things you have to gain momentum and then confidence, at all levels, in the direction in which you are going in,” he outlines. “So, certainly, since the transfer of ownership, there have been a number of steps along the way that have taken us to this point, public steps such as buying those first horses at auction in 2022.”

After the successes in Qatar, the team pushed forward in Europe in the spring

Below, Olly Tait on a first buying mission for Wathnan at Tattersalls, and, above, Courage Mon Ami heading to Royal Ascot Group 1 Gold Cup glory

Photo: Tattersalls | Laura Green

James Doyle appointed stable jockey

“The horses that we have purchased are very valuable, the difference between winning and losing is acute and you want to give yourselves the best chance of winning races. James Doyle is a world-class jockey and we felt that, if we can call on his services, then he can give us the best opportunity to win our targets.

“James is a great guy, and he will be very much the face of Wathnan – we are lucky that was part of the decision when trying to engage him that he would be that right person.

“Alongside his undoubted capabilities as a jockey he is a good person and will be a great part of the team, and the public face of the team. It has to work for both parties, but he is a very ambitious guy which is fantastic and what we want.

“As we still only have a relatively small but high-quality stable in Europe, he will get lots of opportunities in Britain and Europe outside of Wathnan and that should suit him at this stage of his career.

“Hopefully, over time, Wathnan will grow and evolve and he will be riding for the stable a lot more, in a lot of races and on a lot of days. In the meantime, it gives him opportunities to try and chase the success that he wants to achieve alongside Wathnan.”

of 2023 perhaps a little less openly with a private purchasing policy put in place in order to acquire horses-in-training who could compete at the highest level; as Tait recognises Brown’s help was invaluable then to the Wathnan team.

This second stage of Wathnan Racing could not have been more successful, and ended up very public on European racecourses, and the bar has now been set high for the future.

“There are no downsides to that!” laughs Tait. “It was a fantastic for Abbes to have the success that he did last season and continues to have, and that led to the decision to buy horses in Europe.

“The first runner we had was Isaac Shelby who got beaten a length in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, which was great but heart breaking.

“He was also our second runner when he was fourth in Royal Ascot’s St James’s Palace, the third was Gregory, who won the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, and the fourth was Courage Mon Ami, who famously won the Group 1 Gold Cup on the Thursday of the Royal meeting.

“It was a dream start and we could not have anticipated that, although we had targeted those horses thinking they gave us a good shot at success. What is lovely going forward is that those horses will be racing this season, too. Hopefully, there is more to come from them, alongside the others, both horses in training and yearlings, whom we have bought along the way.”

NTERNATIONAL RACING

was such a rapid and important feature of Wathnan Racing’s development through 2023, with that trio of days at Royal Ascot, but Tait explains that international racing and racing in Qatar are on an equal footing for Wathnan.

“All races and all divisions are important,” he outlines. “I am sure it was a great thrill winning on the home track for all of the Wathnan Racing, but, equally, it was a great achievement winning at Royal Ascot – both important stages for different reasons.

“There is no preference, but there are targets – we try to buy the appropriate resources and make good decisions to give

the best chances of success.

“Horses who could suit Qatar will be different horses than those who could win at Royal Ascot or the Arc meeting. There can be some crossover as with Bolthole and, hopefully, with a type such as Simca Mille, who is a horse who has done well in Europe and can hopefully do so again. That is lovely if it can exist like that, but as we know that is not always the case.”

The Qatar-based string has expanded to 95, and significant yearling purchases were made in Europe last autumn, alongside some strategic acquisitions in the US.

The emergence and success of Wathnan Racing has been nothing but a positive influence for the sport of horseracing in Qatar, as the official handicapper Marcus Weedon says: “Wathnan Racing took over a strong group of mostly Arabian horses from Umm Qarn Farm and has added some exciting thoroughbreds to create a team – it has raised the bar in Qatar.

“As Wathnan is taking things to a world stage the sport is now realising that we have good horses and a thriving industry here.”

And with colts and fillies purchased with pedigrees and profiles to compete at the highest level, there might be the opportunity to develop stallion careers and produce a broodmare band – and while all of this certainly is not factored out of the equation, Tait and Wathnan Racing will only move in those directions if the opportunity arises.

Despite so much achieved already the team is not sitting back and is keen to continue to press forward, as ever, if and as circumstances allow.

Of the future Tait concludes: “It is the team’s role to see how big Wathnan could scale, and we have got to see how that unfolds.

“A lot of that will be associated with the momentum we can create and the opportunities that will present themselves, we just have to approach those, assess and then act as we see fit.

“It is passion for the Amir and Wathnan Racing is an operation in which he can enjoying racing horses, and in which he can take great pride.

“Naturally, I feel that it will grow, but it will only do that if we make good decisions.”

Fantastic Moon

Spring Breeze Up Sale: 31st May 2024

HIT August Online-Sale: 16th August 2024

Premier Yearling Sale: 30th August 2024

October Mixed Sales: 18th and 19th October 2024

Winner IDEE 154. Deutsches Derby, Gr.1

Winner 165. Henkelpreis der Diana, Gr.1

Muskoka

OLIVIER DELLOYE returned to Arqana at the beginning of 2024 and from the end of March will take over the management of the Deauville-based auction company after spending eight years at France Galop.

By any standards he is now a seasoned

professional of the racing and bloodstock business some 18 years after he first arrived at the Deauville sales in 2006, having completed the first part of his career in the private sector via business school.

French racing, breeding and bloodstock sales have come a long way in the meantime and, now, the country plays a far more significant role in each of these domains.

Delloye is not one of those who vaunts their own achievements, but his dynamism and quiet efficiency at Arqana, and then as director of France Galop, has surely played a major role in this transformation.

Edouard de Rothschild appointed Delloye as France Galop’s chief executive after his election as president of the institution in December 2015.

Full Circle

Jocelyn de Moubray talks with Olivier Delloye:

after eight successful years as France Galop’s chief executive, he is returning to his roots as Arqana’s CEO

Eight years and two full terms later Rothschild decided not to stand for election in December 2023 and, soon afterwards, Delloye announced his intention to return to Arqana and take over as its CEO when Eric Hoyeau retires next month.

France Galop is a huge organisation with multiple tasks and responsibilities.

It is the official body which licenses all

French racing and breeding professionals, somewhere between 11,000 -12,000, and is responsible for the 6,900 or so thoroughbred races run in France every year.

It manages the principle racecourses in Paris, as well as Deauville, and the training centres of Chantilly, Maisons-Laffitte and Deauville. It oversees the PMU, still the

largest betting organisation in France, and Equidia, the French racing channel. It is responsible for the racing programme, the French rules of racing and application, the distribution of prize-money and premiums, the marketing of racing and much more besides – nearly every other aspect of the French racing business.

It is, as Delloye explained on his

Last year all the Thursday evening dates were sold out in advance with an average attendance of 11,000

appointment, “France Galop is a huge machine, which is running every day of the year from January 1 to December 31”.

Eight years on the machine is still in place and running, but it is now a streamlined and more efficient version of the earlier model.

Before his election in 2015, Rothschild said that his three principle objectives as president would be to return the PMU to growth, to grow the number of racehorse owners in France, and to improve the image of racing in France, as well as the standard of the best races.

Remarkably, despite coming close to a catastrophic long shut down during the covid year of 2020, the duo of Rothschild and Delloye more or less achieved their objectives.

The PMU’s turnover in 2023 was, for the first time since 2013, more than €10 billion, 10 per cent higher than 2015 and 40 per cent higher than it had been in 2020.

In 2023, there were 4,755 registered owners of Flat horses and 2,656 of jump horses, both up by around 17 per cent since 2015, with this growth coming almost entirely through partnerships and syndicates.

The image of racing in France is a more abstract concept and, if 2023 was the best year for the quality of French-raced and trained horses for more than a decade, it has become obvious that there is no short cut or gimmick which is going to change the French public’s perception of racing quickly.

Some of the proposed solutions did not work, such as the EpiqE series. Devised by his predecessors but put into place by Delloye it did not catch on, though others initiatives, such as Thursday evening racing at ParisLongchamp, have proved to be lasting successes.

“Thursday evening at ParisLongchamp was,” Delloye explains, “a new idea which started in 2016.

“Last year all the Thursday evening dates were sold out in advance with an average

attendance of 11,000.

“We decided to limit the numbers to ensure everybody has a good experience and that all of the mainly young crowd would go away at the end of the evening with a positive impression.

“On July 14, France’s National Day when the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris is run, we went up to 20,000 people on the course.”

In 2023, racecourse attendances in France were for the first time higher than they had been in 2019 before covid.

In this respect, as is the case with nearly every other indicator of the racing business, many of those who were not in the control room then have forgotten how close racing and breeding came to a complete disaster.

RACECOURSE ATTENDANCES

in 2020 were 75 per cent lower than they had been the year before. France Galop’s income from betting was down by 18 per cent, there were 10 per cent fewer races in France than there had been the year before – in every case it could quite easily have been far, far worse.

“Just a few days before the government announced it was enforcing a lockdown in March 2020,” remembers Delloye, “we had not even envisaged this as a possibility.

“When it started on March 17 the first emergency, which we worked on with the French Breeders’ Association and the Ministry of Agriculture, was to ensure that broodmares were still allowed to travel and go to stallions.

“It is hard to imagine what the consequences would have been if we had lost an entire generation of racehorses.

“During the whole covid period,” he continues, “we were obviously helped by France’s centralised structure.

“Once we were given the go-ahead to restart racing on May 11, long before most other sports, it was far easier to organise

a new programme with changes in prizemoney and where the big races were to be held than it would have been in a system where everything was not under France Galop’s responsibility.

“Our other concern at the time was that, even with racing restarted, the PMU’s turnover would plummet as its cafes and bars, there are now 14,000 of them all over the country were, of course, still closed.”

The digital part of the PMU’s turnover is growing, indeed it was up by five per cent in 2023, but that still represents only

15 per cent of the total.

The covid period was obviously difficult in different ways for every part of society and the economy, but for the French racing business it was an achievement to lose only 18 per cent of its revenue, and a great success for many of the most important indicators to surpass their pre-covid level in 2023, just three years later.

Digital is obviously vital for the future of France Galop and much of its marketing strategy is now focused on this aspect.

The number of views on France Galop’s

website, which offers immediate free access to replays of every race, as well as videos of all races in recent years and its social media is now over ten million a year, compared with fewer than two million in 2016.

“Obviously,” Delloye adds, “the task is to convert those who watch these videos and who follow France Galop on social media into people who buy tickets and who come racing in person.”

The decision to invest some €140 million to develop ParisLongchamp was taken by the previous management team, but the new

racecourse re-opened in 2018 and ever since exploiting to the maximum the new facilities has been a priority for France Galop.

“There are now concerts, fashion shows, including amongst others Hermes and Dior, and many other commercial events at ParisLongchamp aside from the racing,” outlines Delloye.

“In total there are some 150 days a year when the site is being used, in addition to the 27 days racing.”

At the beginning of Delloye’s tenure the first imperative was balance the books.

In 2023, racecourse attendances were above 2019’s pre-covid levels, while the new ParisLongchamp facilities are now used for many other events, too

“In 2016, France Galop lost €45 million,” he explains. “And at the time future projections were no better and we had to make efforts to change this while still continuing to provide some €290 million a year in prize-money and premiums to support French breeding.”

During the eight years that Delloye was in charge France Galop reduced its work force by 20 per cent to 372, a third of whom are based at the new headquarters with the remainder working on the racecourses, training centres and other parts of the activities.

The old headquarters in the Boulogne suburb of Paris was sold and last year France Galop moved to its new building in the 17th district of Paris, a building its shares with the Trotting Administration and the PMU.

The racecourse at Maisons-Laffitte was closed and the training centre reorganised.

ALL THESE important transformations were carried through without any major contestations or social problems, during the eight Delloye years there were only two strikes which is a testament to his management style.

Though the costs were significantly reduced there was also vital work to be done to increase revenue not only from the PMU, but also from aspects such as selling the rights to show French racing abroad.

“France Galop has invested and worked a great deal on its use of data,” Delloye points out. “Pierre Laperdrix, the director responsible for the programme of both Flat and jump racing, is now able to use business intelligence in order to build a programme, which avoids potential clashes of opportunities.

“The aim is, of course, is to avoid putting on races which attract fewer than eight runners.”

The number of races a year has been reduced by 10 per cent over the last eight years, while generating a larger betting turnover.

Delloye is only too happy to bring up other success stories.

“Under the direction of the late and much missed Matthieu Vincent, who was director

of the racecourses and training centres,” he adds, “huge progress was made in the quality of the Turf and All-Weather courses themselves.”

And for himself the variety of the role offered much to Delloye on a personal level.

“The position involved so many different aspects of the racing business and many it so interesting.

“On a regular basis I was dealing with other international racing authorities, France has an important role to play in that regard, as well as talking to experts about the management of the Turf tracks at ParisLongchamp, or to the teams at the PMU or AFASEC, the French jockeys school, or consulting with those involved on how best to recruit staff to work in racing stables.”

France Galop has its problems, but its future development is no longer Delloye’s responsibility.

Guillaume de Saint Seine was elected president in December 2023 and his management team is headed by Elie Hennau and his deputy Henri Pouret.

However, now back wearing his Arqana baseball hat, Delloye believes that his overall objectives are not too different to those of France Galop.

“During the time I was away Arqana’s team has grown and many of its members have equally progressed in experience and stature,” he says.

“We have to inspire the confidence of our vendors and buyers who come from all over Europe and further afield.

“However, I am convinced that, in the long term, putting aside the periods of growth and of consolidation, the only way for Arqana to progress is to help improve the quality of the broodmares and stallions based in France.

“It is our role to encourage people to invest in France, to use France’s stallions and its trainers and training centres.

“Arqana’s yearling sales are on a positive trend and its two-year -old in training sale and breeding stock sales have more or less doubled their turnover since I left it because of this dynamic in French racing and breeding.”

Delloye believes that the best way for Arqana to maintain progress is if the whole of the French bloodstock industry can continue on the upward arc of improvement that it has enjoyed recently

Let the games BEGIN

Uma

Musume’s game Pretty Derby key to the development of a new racing fan base in Japan, writes David Morgan

“RUN FOR THE FAN AND FUN!!”

says the banner motto for Kochi Racecourse. If ever a tagline summed up the Japanese racing industry’s approach to promoting the sport, that could be the one.

It was 20 years ago this spring that 3,000 fans waited five hours for Kochi’s gates to open. Ten thousand more joined them later at the provincial second tier NAR (National Association of Racing) circuit to see one of Japan’s greatest sporting icons in tandem with one of its most popular anti-heroes: Yutaka Take riding Haru Urara.

That would have been something like a peak Lester Piggott landing at a midweek Newcastle All-Weather fixture to ride an eternal no-hoper in a seller. Of course, under the new premier racing model in Britain, current prize-money being as it is, it wouldn’t be worth him making the journey if he were around nowadays.

Good luck finding anyone watching it anyway: at Gosforth Park in late January this year, spotting a paying customer was like looking for Shergar.

Those eager fans at Kochi, though, wagered ¥121,751,200 (about £611,000 at the time) on a Haru Urara to win at her 106th attempt, yet not even Take’s magic could conjure up that trick. The mare finished 10th, a non-winner just as she was in all her 113 races.

Haru Urara was Japan’s Quixall Crossett

But whereas North Yorkshire trainer

Ted Caine was chided in Britain for putting his steeplechaser through a 103-loss career, Haru Urara was celebrated for her “nevergive-up” example.

She was the subject of a film, a book, a song, and a whole load of connected merchandise, from stuffed toys to tee shirts, even bras. And then, 10 years after retirement, Haru Urara starred in a manga serialisation under the now popular Uma Musume franchise.

Uma Musume, the Pretty Horse Derby, is the power play of horseracing spin-offs.

“People are crazy about it,” says Mirco Demuro, one of only two expatriate jockeys licensed to ride full-time on the JRA (Japan Racing Association) and a man immersed in Japanese society and culture.

“The young generation love it, but even the older ones are playing these games.

“I don’t quite understand why people like this so much, but a lot of Japanese people like games and this one is popular.”

There’s nothing like Uma Musume in any other horseracing orbit, and, along with the JRA’s own promotional efforts, the franchise (it is independent of the horseracing industry) is taking the sport to a new group, which includes urbanite young women.

Uma Musume or “Pretty Derby” is an alternative universe produced by Cygames – a subsidiary of racehorse owner Susumu Fujita’s Cyber-Agent company – in which real racehorses (male and female) are fantastically

A SALE ON THE UP

Record Breaking at every level:

Turnover, Average and Median

4 lots made over €200,000

Record 18 lots sold for €100,000

23 -

The JRA is giving everything to secure the future, to try to get young people to the racetrack

Cristian Demuro’s career in Japan gives him a great outlook and the jockey sees exactly what is being done right

markedly down on the 13 million each year in the heady mid-1990s.

The JRA’s marketing endeavours arrested the dip until the pandemic hit in 2020: Covid-free 2023 recovered to 4.6 million attendees from a restricted 2.7 million in 2022; 2023’s total JRA customers betting online and on and off-course was down by 101,255 on 2022 to 196,701,238.

Both the JRA and NAR have been working hard to attract new fans. Since Covid, the shift in the on-track demographic at a major JRA racecourse such as Tokyo seems different to pre-Covid. The aging hardcore is still there –that likely will always be the biggest segment anywhere – but it looks and feels like there are more young people.

“JRA is giving everything to secure the future, to try to get young people to the racetrack,” Demuro continues. “The JRA wants to change things because it used to be only old people, smoking, gambling, so JRA has done things to change the image.”

THOSE WHO HAVE been hooked in recent times have not been drawn in by free-flowing alcohol and hen-dos or after-racing pop acts. They are there to connect with sporting idols, and some are there as a direct result of pop culture gamification via Uma Musume.

A few carry little clues, such as keyrings or ribbons of their favourite Uma Musume characters; others stand out unmissably in their “Pretty Derby” cosplay. Through the anime, the manga, and especially the game, some young people are finding a route into horseracing and discovering its myriad elements: they support their heroes and their heroes’ families, buy merchandise, and back their chosen favourites, not in the betting sense – although they, of course, place bets, helping last year’s JRA turnover to ¥3,275,467,900,700 (£17.5 billion) – but really in the emotional sense.

Yet Uma Musume is only one aspect. The powerful tool of connecting fans emotionally with heroes is something the JRA has utilised via a series of marketing campaigns.

It has a jra-fun.jp website for newbies, and a team at JRA HQ works on projects to attract women, placing lifestyle articles in fashion

There are rooms where women can feel comfortable and enjoy the races together, you see more young women at the races now.”

magazines, and notably through its Umajo campaign (umajo is derived from the words for horse and woman).

The umajo.jra.jp website has soft tones and something of a “crafting” hobbyist feel. It resonates with a different segment than the more youthful and subversively sexualised Uma Musume might hook.

“They have made areas at the racetracks where women go and they can relax,” Demuro says. “There are rooms where women can feel comfortable and enjoy the races together, you see more young women at the races now.”

About 15 years ago the HKJC went big on “customer segmentation,” carrying out in-depth surveys to understand what each segment of its customers wants from a race day experience: one result was different areas and venues within Happy Valley and Sha Tin to cater to those groups, be they the young executive class or the grizzled “uncles” poring over the newspaper, a cigarette on the lip; there’s a place for everyone.

Market research forms JRA strategy, too, but that data is guarded closely.

One outcome, though, is embodied in the JRA slogan “Hero is coming,” so visible whenever a Group 1 race is imminent. It might feel clumsy to anglophones but it works.

In Japan, champion horses and jockeys are still mainstream sports stars - Take is to Japan what Michael Jordan is to the US – and the fans yearn connection.

But worldwide the sport is in a tight spot: Macau racing will close in April, racing will shut down in Singapore in October; South Korea promises so much but is at the mercy of political winds; Australia is a mix of boom and underlying concerns, state to state; the US is seeing too many track closures for comfort; racing in Europe is struggling for relevance and funding, and Britain is at a critical juncture as “Premierisation” comes to town. We could go on.

Frankel transmuted into a pretty girl might not be the answer to British racing’s waning customer base and cultural relevance, but with a worldwide English language launch of Uma Musume Pretty Derby – Party Dash game whispered for some time in 2024 (perhaps), then it’s something British racing’s marketing arm, Great British Racing (GBR) should be across.

Rod Street, GBR’s chief executive, was

unavailable when approached for comment as to what British racing’s plans are for promoting the sport in 2024 and beyond. The fragmented industry’s Commercial Committee is scheduled to meet in late February to formalise strategy for this year.

Whereas Japan and Hong Kong benefit from a centralised industry, Britain’s disparate elements vie for their slices.

GBR’s Premier Racing marketing outline issued in late 2023 states that it does “not seek to homogenise the customer experience.” No overarching theme then? No British version of “Hero is coming”?

GBR’s website states one of its aims as “maintaining British racing’s position internationally as the best in the world.” Well, that bird might already have flown.

THE SPORT IN BRITAIN

still has plenty of great elements to it, some of which might well be “the best,” but if the sport in Britain is to move forward it’s probably time to let go of such shibboleths. Anyone who has spent time working in the industry overseas would struggle to argue Britain is the overall “best” racing package, despite its deep heritage.

Sydney would be right in the mix, but it’s difficult to look past Japan and its overall offering, of which Demuro says, “I think racing in Japan is the healthiest in the world.”

Big turnover going through Pari-mutuel pools and back into the sport, centrally administered by government-affiliated departments, makes certain things less complicated in Japan, but beyond that, some things they do are just obvious.

Racegoers are fans, not just punters, and are respected as being vital to the whole show.

Entry is ¥100 (55 pence), rising to ¥500 (£2.70) on a Group 1 day or ¥1000 (£5.35) for the Arima Kinen Grand Prix; there is no segregation of the haves and have nots down at ground level; there are plenty of affordable food options; playgrounds for kids; and merchandise is available everywhere, plushies, figurines, books, hats, posters, towels, mugs, keyrings, you name it.

And everything revolves around the greatest marketing tool the sport has, the horses plus their riders: the heroes.

FAST track

Kevin Philippart de Foy set up training through Covid in 2020, but that proved no hindrance and he is a young trainer going places, writes James Thomas

Photography courtesy of Tattersalls | Laura Green

KEVIN PHILIPPART DE

FOY’S training career has come a long way in a short space of time. He set out with just three horses at the end of 2020, but has progressed at such a rate that he has saddled well over half a century of winners during each of the last two campaigns.

With a new base, the support of increasingly powerful owners and a higher calibre of ammunition, this year promises to be his biggest yet.

De Foy has also come a long way in literal terms. Before arriving in Newmarket the Belgian native spent time learning his craft in France, Ireland and the US.

And you could say racing was in his blood as his mother, Brigitte Jacques, rode professionally for 30 years. However, De Foy’s parents initially tried to steer their son away from the sport and towards a more lucrative line of work.

“My parents always kept me away from racing because you can’t really make a living out of it back home,” he says. “I only got into the industry when I was 18, which is quite late. My mum said racing in Belgium is quite poor and that if I wanted to follow this as a career then I needed to be around the best people.

“Once I showed that it’s what I really wanted to do, we did things properly and I moved to Chantilly to work with Criquette Head. She was like a second mum to me and guided me through my career. She was the one who sent me to America to work with Christophe Clement and then to Ireland to work for John Oxx.”

Although De Foy gained an international grounding, the former assistant to James Fanshawe says Newmarket is the only place he could imagine training.

“I really felt at home in Newmarket and really had the confidence that I could train here,” says the 32-year-old. “I think Newmarket is a wonderful place. Obviously it is extremely competitive and there are a lot of trainers here and lots of young people setting up.

“But you have the best facilities you can find and the best vets, the best farriers. You have everything you could need to train a horse to its optimum level. I don’t see myself training anywhere else.”

De Foy was granted his licence in November 2020, just as Britain was in the grip of another Covid-enforced lockdown.

While those circumstances might have caused others to apply the brakes, De Foy pressed on. Even as he reflects on the early days with the benefit of hindsight, his understated determination is evident.

“I started just after the second lockdown, which was a bit of a sticky time,” he says. “But I just felt that when the ball is rolling and you have your licence, it’d be very hard to put all of that on hold. I just put my head down and got going. That’s always been my approach: if I’m trying my best for my horses and my owners on a daily basis, then things should fall into place and I can sleep at night without having any regrets.

“Starting when I did actually might have been a positive because on the back of Covid people wanted to be involved in syndicates and racing clubs and to get out of the house.

“Being a younger trainer just starting around then probably ended up putting me in the right place at the right time.”

De Foy sent out his first winner when Sealed Offer struck in a fillies’ novice at Lingfield on December 16, 2020. Less than a fortnight later he tripled his tally with a Newcastle double courtesy of Hint Of Stars and Greek Kodiac. Those early successes set De Foy on a steep upward curve that is still being maintained.

He hit 30 winners during his first full season in 2021 and doubled that figure the following year. He rounded out 2023 with 61 winners, a number that included twice as many black-type successes as the season before.

He also gained a first Pattern race victory when Inquisitively made all in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes.

While quantity remains important, De Foy is keen to up the quality.

“We started with three horses and after two and a half months we had 16,” he says. “I hoped to reach 20 or 25 winners in the first year and we got to 30. We’re still aiming for more and more winners, but we’re trying

to find that higher level of horse and those better quality winners.

“That’s what the last year has been about. In 2022 we had our first Listed winner.

“Last year we had three Listed winners and a first Group winner, and that was with a two-year-old as well, which was important.

“The aim this year will be to compete at the top level.”

But up-and-coming trainers in Britain face something of a quandary. Every yard needs its flagship horses to reach the next level, but inevitably those horses are going to be worth so much that the pressure to sell can be hard to withstand, particularly given the meagre prize-money available on these shores.

This is something De Foy has experienced first hand, including with Anisette, whom he saddled to success at Wolverhampton before she went on to win two Grade 1s in America for Leonard Powell.

He also heads into 2024 without Inquisitively, whose owner Wee Sean Gan bought the colt with a career in Hong Kong in mind.

ALTHOUGH DE FOY acknowledges the challenge this harsh reality presents, he offers a pragmatic assessment of the situation. He certainly isn’t inclined to indulge in any special pleading.

“Of course, it’s frustrating but it’s part of the game,” he says. “When I started training in England I knew that would happen.

“We sold Anisette, who went on and won two Grade 1s in America and was probably the best three-year-old filly on the west coast. That’s life, though. The owners got paid, they reinvested in the yard and we moved on.

“You want to keep your flag bearers and keep those high-quality horses, but, unfortunately, money talks. Near enough 85 or 90 per cent of the horses in the yard are for sale at the right price. Unfortunately you have to keep that in mind when you’re training in this country.”

He says the overseas talent drain not only provides added incentive to be proactive about finding new owners, but also brings

You want to keep your flag bearers and keep those high-quality horses, but, unfortunately, money talks

the importance of the sales into sharp focus.

“We work hard at attracting new owners and you always need to have something for sale in your yard,” he says. “I never realised until I started training how hard you have to work the sales, looking at every horse and speaking to everyone.

“Working the sales really is paramount. Every time there’s a sale in Newmarket you need to make sure you’re there and sharp enough to speak to the right people at the right time.”

De Foy’s results suggest he is a natural when it comes to training winners. However, while he may have conditioning and placing his horses down to a fine art, he concedes that one particular aspect of the job has proved more of a challenge – and it is not what you would expect given his affable manner.

“There’s a lot of client relations, probably 20 times more than I’d expected,” he says. “That’s probably the most difficult aspect of the job and the thing I’ve had to work on the most.

“Dealing with horses is a more natural thing for me. I like to keep myself to myself

and I’ve probably always been a bit shy, but unfortunately when you’re a racehorse trainer that’s exactly the opposite of what you have to do.

“I had to work on myself and take myself out of my comfort zone a lot more than I thought I’d have to before that became more natural.”

Several of De Foy’s early success stories came with horses he improved from other stables. Hint Of Stars won four times having been bought from Jessica Harrington for just 7,000gns, while Vafortino came from Joseph O’Brien’s all-conquering stable.

De Foy pinpoints the latter’s Victoria Cup win as a pivotal moment in his progression.

“We won two races at Ascot that day and I felt that triggered something,” he says.

b“We were competing at one level and we got to the next level that day. After that, I think peoples’ opinions changed. When you win a decent race, you just have to hope that the kind of owner who is competing at a higher level will recognise you and support you.”

That is precisely what happened in 2023 when De Foy’s talents caught the attention

of Sheika Hissa, which saw the trainer receive four two-year-olds from the powerful Shadwell operation.

“It was a very simple phone call from Angus Gold one Saturday morning,” he says as he recalls receiving the news that he had been added to Shadwell’s roster. “I had Angus’s number saved on my phone and when I saw his name flash up I wondered why he was ringing me.

“I was on the gallops in Newmarket at the time and I was looking around thinking I must have lost something! When he said could we meet in the yard in ten minutes’ time, that’s when I knew what was coming.

“I had no idea beforehand and obviously it was a very good surprise. It’s great to have the support of Sheika Hissa.

“Shadwell is the kind of operation you want to train for because its target is to compete at the higher level.”

De Foy has seven Shadwell horses under his care for the 2024 season, including three two-year-olds, while the Shadwell-owned juveniles De Foy ran last year look poised for exciting three-year-old campaigns.

The latter group includes Raabihah’s half-sister Alshinfarah, who won novices at Doncaster and Haydock before being beaten half a length into third in the Group 3 Prix d’Aumale.

Arguably more exciting still is the Blue Point colt Mukaafah, who ran out an impressive all-the-way winner at Kempton

Vafortino: his success at Ascot in 2022 was “pivotal” to the yard’s progression; in December the gelding won a Listed race at Meydan for the team

Shadwell is the kind of operation you want to train for because its target is to compete at the higher level

on his second outing. Although it is too early to nominate key targets, De Foy says he will be disappointed if this pair aren’t competing in stakes races this year.

“Alshinfarah wintered well,” he says. “She wouldn’t be the biggest filly but the family improves with time. Mukaafah is a completely different individual. He’s a Blue Point colt who’s very strong, a very sharp, quick horse.

“We gave him plenty of time to mature as a two-year-old then just ran him at the back end. We gave him plenty more time over the winter with the aim of having him reach his potential as a three-year-old. He’s a horse I’ve always liked and I hold him in high esteem.”

THE SHADWELL HORSES are part of De Foy’s biggest – and potentially best – squad to date. He will have around 85 horses in training for 2024, almost half of which are two-year-olds.

“We bought more yearlings last year than in previous years,” he says. “I’ve been a bit bolder than before because it felt like we had that bit of momentum behind us. We had a few nice new owners involved and more people supporting us. We created a few partnerships as well.

“I gained a bit of confidence to think that people might get together and buy a horse with us. The average value of the two-yearolds we have in training this year is higher than in any previous season, so we hope the quality increases in turn.”

De Foy had operated out of Machell Place Stables close to Warren Hill since he began training in 2020, and last year added a second yard at Egerton Stud owing to his increased numbers. However, his operation and its 28 full-time staff will be centralised for the upcoming campaign

De Foy says that

training has demanded that he move out of his “comfort zone”

GROUP 1 WINNER AT 3

Won the Gr.1 QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES defeating Breeders’ Cup winners

MODERN GAMES and INSPIRAL

Covered the highest proportion of BLACKTYPE MARES of any First Season Sire in Ireland last year!

MORE than a one-hit WONDER

Roderic Kavanagh: believes that producing breeze-up horses suits his personality

Photography courtesy of Tattersalls | Laura Green

Roderic Kavanagh’s breeze-up operation Glending Stables produced one of the leading two-year-olds of 2023 in Vandeek.

The busy consignor is looking forward to achieving more of the same, writes Ronan Groome

RODERIC KAVANAGH is a hard man to nail down for a half hour this time of year,

different things, but nearly always ended up coming back home, keen to get their shoulders back behind a very successful wheel. It was a way of life that never left them.

G Force, Jukebox Jury, Frozen Fire, Glencadam Gold, Mr Medici, Ransom O’War and Native Trail have won Group 1 races around the world having initially been nurtured at Kildaragh Stud, based in the heart of County Kildare, the racing and breeding epicenter of Ireland.

Sophie now works in London in PR for JSC Communications, but still manages the digital marketing for the stud, while Alice looks after the broodmares on the farm, and has her own foal consigning business (AK Thoroughbreds), which has enjoyed its own decent touches.

Roderic has stepped into the breeze-up world, with his Glending Stables acting as another branch of the Kildaragh operation and, in a relatively short time, he has made a huge impact in the seriously competitive sector. The Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Gis A Sub passed through his hands, as did the Listed scorer Shadow Hunter, but those achievements, as notable as they are, were blown out of the water by Vandeek last season.

Kavanagh acquired the Havana Grey colt with partner Cormac O’Flynn for just 42,000gns at the Tattersalls December Sale and sold him five months later at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale for 625,000gns.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford for KHK Racing, Vandeek won two Group 1 races in an unbeaten juvenile season last term – bursting onto the big-time scene by taking a crack renewal of the Prix Morny and confirming his class with a facile score in the Middle Park Stakes. Any breeze-up consignor will tell

you, it’s one thing getting the big sale but as important for your own reputation is that said horse goes on and lives up to their potential. Vandeek has certainly done that for the 31-year-old, lighting up a fledgling career, and Kavanagh can take us to the beginning of the journey now.

“He was a beautiful stamp of a horse, but he had a very unusual fore leg,” he recalls. “It just took imagination, a bit of bravery and we had some very good veterinary advice that it wasn’t going to affect his ability to perform.

“We all just really liked him and couldn’t get away from the fact that he looked like an athlete. When he was in motion, he was a beauty and that is what it is all about.

“One of our riders, Gordon ‘Flash’ Power, was the first to ride him and he hopped off and said, ‘this is a real racehorse’.

“I didn’t do the studies on stride length, but I can only imagine in the Craven that he probably had the biggest action. The other beautiful part of him is his mentality –Simon Crisford waxes lyrical about that. He is like a pet lamb but he would go anywhere for you.

“He had a great constitution and even though we only had him from December to April, we were never in a rush with him because everything you introduced him to, he could do it so easily.

“Obviously, to see him go and do it on the track has been amazing. I remember watching him make his debut – we were all in the kitchen, it was in the middle of yearling prep so all the family was around.

“As soon as the stalls opened, he reared up and hit his head, and we were just thinking, ‘Oh god, this wasn’t in the script’, but he went away and won easily.

“From that moment we felt that whatever he went on to do, at least he showed he was

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“Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser pays for and has control over the message.”

It’s a competitive market place: be in control of your stallion’s profile

It’s quick and you have to instantly be having an effect on the horse, I love the speed of it

a good horse, it wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

“In fairness to the Crisfords, they gave him a bit of time after the sale, it would have been easy to go to Royal Ascot, but they resisted and have done an amazing job with him.”

At the start of his career Kavanagh followed in the footsteps of his father and spent plenty of time in France spending time with trainers Richard Gibson and Mikel Delzangles in Chantilly, and then with Guy Cherel at Maisons-Laffitte, where he had a particularly enjoyable time schooling horses.

THAT LIT A FIRE in him to ride as an amateur and handle a few pointers, with a goal to get to Aintree for the Foxhunters, but due to a couple of injuries here and there, it didn’t happen.

At the same time, he found himself gravitating towards the breeze-up sector, which seems to attract a quite particular personality.

“I think it naturally suits me – it is kind of the way I am programmed,” Kavanagh says. “I’d be someone who gets bored easily. I don’t think I could do the same thing for 12 months of the year.

“I love the cyclical way of the season. We’re fortunate that, after the breeze-up sales, then we have another month of covering mares and then we nearly have down time for two months and then we’re straight into yearlings. So as much as it is relentless, it’s always changing so you’re never getting bored.

“Take Vandeek, I bought him in December, turned him around in April, and I love that short term. You kind of know your fate early, it’s not monotonous that’s

for sure. It’s quick and you have to instantly be having an effect on the horse, I love the speed of it.

“Even financially it’s a very quick way for a turnaround. One hit in the year selling yearlings is great and all, but twice a year it kind of keeps cash flow going.”

Glending has come a fair way in a short space of time. What started with a new barn

this, that and the other and he has a much more clear vision on a situation because he is looking in from afar. That’s a big help.”

It is obvious that the other big influence on Kavanagh has been his dad. Emma Berry wrote an excellent feature on Kavanagh senior for Thoroughbred Daily News in which he talked about the importance of keeping things simple with horses, focusing

Vandeek: winning the Middle Park Stakes (G1)

That has clearly rubbed off because you can hear it in how his son approaches the game.

“Learning on the job is everything,” Kavanagh jnr asserts. “There’s a horse this year I can’t get sound, and he’s presenting so many challenges but you’re constantly learning. Every horse you’ve got to approach differently, especially with these young horses – it only takes one or two bad experiences to make them not want to do it again or knock their confidence.

“You’ve got to try and taper it for each individual and not overface them too early. At the end of the day it probably all comes down to natural ability, but you’ve got to harness it in the right direction.

“A big part of what we do is flat work, we’ll do a day with them in the arena, generally on a Friday, and that just keeps teaching them the basics, using their backs right, because I think if they get the technique of galloping right, it gives them every chance to get to the best of their ability.

“Dad would have had a huge influence in what we do. In fairness he doesn’t get too involved in the breeze-ups and yet he could be filling up some feed to go to his paddocks and, at a glance, he could make an observation, and that just

We have a Calyx colt going to the Craven Sale. He doesn’t take much imagination, he looks like a Royal Ascot two-year-old, he’s a real sports car

constantly keeps us on our toes.

“Of course, you’d have your agreements and disagreements, but he and my mother, who does all the paperwork for us in the office which is another huge help, have allowed us to pursue something we love doing.

“It’s an amazing way of life. I’m delighted to be doing it. I am very tall, so I don’t know

how much longer I’ll be able to sit on poor two-year-old fillies, but I do really enjoy it.”

As much as Vandeek will be seriously exciting for Kavanagh this season, the focus now is finding the next one.

The dual Group 1 winner has set a serious standard, but should also allow for further investment in the operation. That said, Kavanagh doesn’t see himself bringing in a larger group of horses, and would prefer to keep the quality high.

“I think it’s kind of unrealistic to try and grow from where we are,” he says. “If I could just keep the quality up, I’d be happy.

“I’m very happy with the bunch I have this year, and if we can land a couple who can go on and do good things on the track, it will only encourage more.

“I don’t think I would want to grow it any more, there’s a lot of work involved with them and finding the people who are able to do the job is getting harder and harder.

“I’m very lucky in that regard. I have a guy, Rory Scott Fox, and he is very seasoned with breeze-up horses, and he still only mid-20s. He is afraid of nothing which can be necessary when you’re educating young horses and we often have great chats coming back in from the gallops and making plans.

“He has come on as a shareholder on a couple now as well.”

No doubt, after Vandeek’s exploits, the Glending consignment at the various sales will attract more interest.

“We have a Galileo going to the Craven,” Kavanagh says. “

“He seems to be a very nice horse, we bought him from Coolmore, he came from the same sale as Vandeek.

“He cost 125,000gns and he seems to be a very nice horse. He’s doing everything fairly easy at the minute but I haven’t asked any questions of him yet.

“We have a Calyx colt going to the Craven Sale, as well. He doesn’t take much imagination, he looks like a Royal Ascot two-year-old, he’s a real sports car.

“And we’ve two very nice fillies for the Craven - a Bernardini and a Showcasing.

“On the whole, we’ve also a nice bunch going to France, but they are bigger sized horses who are going to take time but we’re still very excited by them.”

Busy, excited and enjoying every minute.

The Galileo colt bought by Glending Stables at the Tattersalls December Sale 2023 for 125,000gns

Japan’s stars on top

Few surprises amongst the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, writes

Alan Porter

ONE THREAD that has been consistently running through the review of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR) over the years has been the inexorable rise of the Japanese racing and breeding industry. Just how strong that development have been was unmistakable this year both in terms of quality and quantity.

The Japanese star Equinox has headed the rankings since the start of the year and, after holding a rating of 129 since the spring, his final figure revealed a jump to 135.

This marks the second time that a Japanese horse has topped the rankings – the last was Just A Way in 2014 – and Equinox’s number also makes him the highest-rated Japanese-trained horse since that year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) runner-up El Condor Pasa – beaten a halflength by Montjeu at Longchamp – earned a figure of 134 in 1999.

In addition, 57 horses from Japan were rated above 115 second only to the 59 from the US, and above the 51 from Britain.

The Japan Cup (G1) was, for the first time, the highest-rated race of the year.

Last year, Equinox was rated 126 – best three-year-old and top horse in the Long category – but 14 points below top-rated Flightline.

Two-for-two as a juvenile Equinox was runner-up in his first two starts at three, both Group 1s races, then ended the year with scores in the Autumn Tenno Shot (G1) and Arima Kinen (G1). This term, Equinox extended the winning streak to six, going undefeated in four starts.

In addition, 57 horses from Japan were rated above 115 second only to the 59 from the US, and above the 51 from Britain

An impressive opening to the year was made in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) in which Equinox made most of the running to score comfortably by three-and-a-half lengths from Westover, setting a new in track record in the process.

Three months later it was a closer call as Equinox only had a neck to spare in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1), after coming late and wide to catch the mare Through Seven Seas.

It was a far more impressive Equinox who returned in the fall, dropping down from 2400m to 2000m to claim the Autumn Tenno Sho (G1) by over 2l from Justin Palace, while setting a new course and Japanese record of 1:55.2 (for 2000m, about 12m short of 1m2f).

If anything he was even better on his final outing, a race which saw him capture the Japan Cup (G1) by 4l from the crack filly Liberty Island in a staggering time of 2:21.8 for the 2400m (about 15m short of 1m4f).

To give a little contest to clocking, we’ll observe that Secretariat’s epic 31l Belmont Stakes (G1) triumph saw him cover 1m4f in 2:24.0, and that is still an American record. Had it not been for Flightline’s 140 last year, the rating of 135 achieved by Equinox would have been the highest figure since Frankel in 2012, one point above the 134 achieved by Arrogate in 2016 and 2017 and the US Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor American Pharoah in 2017.

Looking further back it’s also the same figure earned by Harbinger in 2010, and just a point lower than Sea The Stars in 2009 and the three-year-old version of Frankel in 2011.

Equinox is from the Sunday Silence line, but not via one of that horse’s most illustrious sons.

His sire Kitasan Black is by the Sunday Silence horse Black Tide. He produced his most notable performance to defeat Daiwa Major – subsequently a multiple Group 1 winner and very successful sire – in the Fuji TV Sho Spring Stakes (G2) as a three-yearold. That, however, was to be his only blacktype success even through he continued to race until the age of seven, making a total of 22 starts.

Black Tide probably wouldn’t have been given a shot at stud had it not been for the deeds of his exceptionally talented brother Deep Impact, who had retired to begin what would be a stellar stud career a year before Black Tide finished racing.

Black Tide has sired 11 stakes winners from 12 crops, and Kitisan Black is his one real standout.

Successful in the Kikua Sho (G1) at three, he was also Horse of the Year in Japan at

four and five. Kitasan Black’s oldest runners are five-year-olds this year and, in addition to Equinox, he’s represented by four other graded scorers, including Sol Oriens, who took the 2023 edition of the Sasuki Sho (G1), and is rated at 119 on this year’s rankings.

Equinox’s dam Chateau Blanche was a Group 3 winner in Japan and is also dam of the graded winner Weiss Meteor.

Her sire King Halo was, like Black Tide, a modestly performed runner with an illustrious pedigree. In this case his parents

similar background to Halo.

Much of Japan’s rise in the bloodstock world has been driven by the relentless acquisition of some of the world’s most desirable broodmares and broodmare prospects, alongside stallions who proved themselves top class-performers on the track, but were deemed uncommercial stud prospects for the US or Europe because unfashionable pedigrees or race-records showed them to be best over a distance of ground. Indeed, the

really began with Sunday Silence, a great racehorse who was rejected by American breeders due to what was deemed unattractive conformation, combined with distinctly unfashionable distaff pedigree.

With that in mind it’s interesting to note that the third and joint-fourth older horses in the world Hukum (127) and Westover (126) – second and third to Equinox in the Long category – are heading to Japan to start their stud careers.

Hukum, a son of Sea The Stars and a

The superstar of 2023 Equinox

By Frankel

out of a stakes-winning Dubawi mare,

Mostahdaf won over as far 1m4f, but he “redeemed” himself in commercial terms

in 2023

Hukum and Westover beginning their careers in Japan, and Golden Sixty being a gelding the only one in the top five older horses retiring to stud in Europe for the 2024 breeding season is Mostahdaf.

By Frankel out of a stakes-winning Dubawi mare, Mostahdaf won over as far 1m4f, but “redeemed” himself in commercial terms in 2023 as his three wins – a Grade 3 in Saudi Arabia, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) and Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) in Europe – all came around 1m2f.

The Frankel 18

In 2012, Frankel’s historic level of performance during the third season of his undefeated 14-race career brought about a recalibration of the World Rankings, and he’s on his way to becoming an equally distinguished sire (in fact of the 18 horses rated 123 of higher, four were by Frankel or a son).

Last year, Frankel passed another landmark, this time as a sire of sires with Ace Impact, who is from the first crop of the super sire’s son Cracksman, himself joint-

leader with Winx on the rankings in 2018, honoured as top three-year-old.

Now retired to stud, Ace Impact only started six time, but he won all six races, and he produced an electrifying finish burst from the rear of the field to claim the Prix du Jockey-Club (G1) in record time, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).

Incidentally, the Arc offered a couple of useful further form lines to the merits of Equinox as Westover finished second a length and a quarter back, with Through Seven Seas fourth, beaten 3l.

The Big Rock

The horse who had looked likely to win the Prix du Jockey-Club with a dashing front-running performance until Ace Impact unleashed his devastating finish burst was Big Rock.

Big Rock: the son of Rock Of Gibraltar was the highest-rated miler in 2023, and after a constitent year, enjoyed top level in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Coming into the Classic, Big Rock had won four straight races, including the Prix La Force (G3) and the Prix La Guiche (G3).

Following his second at Chantilly, Big Rock dropped back to a mile and, after good seconds in the Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) and Prix du Moulin (G1), he ended the year with another superb front-running display in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Ascot.

On soft ground, he had most of his opponents off the bridle well before halfway, then galloped on strongly for a 6l-victory over a field that included Paddington, Chaldean, Nashwa, Tahiyra and Angel Bleu. That effort earned him a rating of 127, making him the world’s top miler of 2023.

Big Rock is from the penultimate crop of 14 foals sired by miler Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill), himself a World Champion. Big Rock’s dam, the unraced Sea The Stars mare Hardiyna, is a three-quarters sister to the dual Derby (G1) winner Harzand.

Auguste: the Derby winner rated 125 Other high-rated three-year-old colts were Auguste Rodin (125), Paddington (124) and King Of Steel (122), all European-trained. Successful in the Leopardstown Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) and Futurity Trophy (G1) at two, Auguste Rodin suffered highprofile flops in the 2,000 Guineas (G1) and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), but was excellent on his other four starts, winning the Epsom Derby (G1), the Irish Derby (G1), the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

He remains in training with his first target being Dubai.

We looked at Auguste Rodin’s pedigree in detail following his Breeders’ Cup triumph, but he is Japanese-conceived, from the last crop of Deep Impact, out the three-time Group 1-winning and twice Classic-placed

Auguste Rodin: rated 125 and seen here heading the field in the Irish Champions Stakes

No horse from the US rated higher than 124

WE’VE YET TO MENTION any horses from North America, and that’s because the country’s top two, White Abarrio and Cody’s Wish, came in no higher than joint tenth on the ratings at 124, 16 points less than Flightline in 2023.

White Abarrio was one of the better North American three-yearolds of 2022 winning the Florida Derby (G1) in the spring.

His form then tailed off somewhat but, late in 2023, he was switched to the barn of the controversial trainer Dick Dutrow –newly returned from a ten-year suspension – and he bounced back with a vengeance taking the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga by over 6l, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in which he held on by a length from the Japanese three-year-old Derma Sotogake.

White Abarrio is the only graded stakes winner for his sire Race Day, a Grade 2-winning son of Tapit now at stud in South Korea. His broodmare sire Into Mischief earned his fifth-consecutive US leading sires’ title in 2023, while the dam of White Abarrio is a three-quarters sister to Into Mischief’s Grade 2 winner Mutasaabeq.

The five-year-old Cody’s Wish, who was voted Horse of the Year, was undefeated in his four starts at mile or less and ended the year with a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). He’s by Curlin and out of Dance Card, a Grade 1-winning daughter of Tapit.

Two other US-trained horses were rated 122 – Up To The Mark and Elite Power.

The Turf runner Up To The Mark was an unknown at the start of the year having won just a maiden in five starts at three.

On grass last year Up To The Mark proved an extremely talented and versatile individual taking the Turf Mile (G1), the Turf Classic (G1) at 1m1f, and the 1m2f Manhattan Stakes (G1).

On his final outing, he was beaten just a half-ength by Auguste Rodin in the 1m4f Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

The champion US Turf horse of 2023 Up To The Mark is by the fast-rising young Giant’s Causeway horse Not This Time and is out of a mare by Ghostzapper (from the Deputy Minister line for which Not This Time seems to have a considerable affinity).

The 2022 US champion sprinter Elite Power repeated in 2023 winning four of five races, and avenging his only defeat in that sequence in the Forego Stakes (G1), and won his second Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

He’s another by Curlin and is out of the Vindication mare Broadway’s Alibi, a multiple graded winner who suffered her only defeat in four starts when second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Classic colts far from an outstanding bunch

It was a modest year among the American Classic colts with the top two Arcangelo and National Treasure tied on 121.

Arcangelo, who was voted the champion US three-year-old colt, captured the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1).

Galileo mare Rhododendron, and bred on the same cross as Saxon Warrior.

His dam is a sister to multiple champion Magical, both of out Pivotal’s 1,000 Guineaswinning daughter Halfway To Heaven.

Paddington was a maiden winner on the second of two starts at two, and put to together a string of outstanding performances in the spring and summer at three, with six consecutive wins that included the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1), the St. James’s Palace Stakes (G1), the Eclipse Stakes (G1) and the Sussex Stakes (G1). He was probably beginning to feel the cumulative effects of those efforts when third in the Juddmonte International (G1) and was then off the board in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1).

Now retired to stud Paddington is by Siyouni and out of the stakes-winning Montjeu mare Modern Eagle. This is a Wildenstein family that goes back via the Prix Saint-Alary (G1) heroine Moonlight

He is by the late Arrogate, who was twice top of these rankings, and out of a Tapit mares from the Better Than Honour family.

National Treasure, a son of Quality Road out of a Medaglia D’Oro mare, went wire-to-wire to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and nearly repeated in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) before being caught on the line by Cody’s Wish.

The Kentucky Derby went to Mage, who is from the first crop of Curlin’s champion two-year-old colt Good Magic, who produced a near last-to-first effort. He had only won a maiden race before that, and failed to add to his laurels afterwards.

The older ladies led the way in the female division in the US Four individuals shared honours as top female in the US, all were older mares and all on 117.

They were Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), who won her second Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) and who repeated as champion US sprint female, Echo Zulu, the champion US two-yearold filly of 2021, and a winner over Goodnight Olive before suffering a career-ending injury, and the Curlin duo – Idiomatic, who won five straight graded stakes, three Grade 1 races, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on her way to honours as the champion older mare in the US, and Clairiere. She won the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) and Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) in her summer, before her form tailed off later in the year.

No North American three-year-old filly made the rankings, but the best were the Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine and champion Pretty Michievous, and the Alabama Stakes (G1) heroine Randomized.

Dance to her dam Madelia, who was undefeated in four races, including the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (G1), the Prix de Diane (G1) and the Prix Saint-Alary (G1).

A veritable giant King Of Steel nearly pulled off a shock in the Derby when in only the third start of his life and the first of the season he lost out by a just a halflength to Auguste Rodin, He subsequently demonstrated that performance was no fluke with wins in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) and Champion Stakes (G1).

King Of Steel remains in training in 2024, is by the continually upwardly mobile sire Wootton Bassett and is out of a Verglas mare.

The girls were lacking in Europe last year

The females were somewhat short of the best males this year with join-top position shared by Emily Upjohn and the Japanese star, Liberty Island.

Emily Upjohn, a daughter of Sea The

Arcangelo

Stars and out of a Barathea mare from the same Aga Khan family as Big Rock to whose dam she is closely related, only ran three times but won the Coronation Cup (G1) from Westover and ran Paddington to a halflength in the Eclipse Stakes (G1).

Liberty Island, the champion Japanese two-year-old filly of 2022, proved almost unbeatable in her own division winning five of six starts against females.

This year she took her first three starts –the Japan Filly Triple Tiara which is made up of the Oka Sho (G1), the Yushun Himba (G1) and the Shuka Sho (G1) – before ending the campaign with a second to Equinox in the Japan Cup (G1).

Liberty Island is by the late Duramente, who is by Kngmambo’s son King Kamehameha, and is out of the Australian champion two and three-year-old filly Yankee Rose, a daughter of All American, a son of Red Ransom. Her fourth dam, Condessa, won the Yorkshire Oaks (G1).

The top spot amongst the three-year-old fillies in Europe was shared by Blue Rose Cen and Mawj.

Blue Rose Cen, a champion two-year-old filly in France in 2022, won four of six starts at three, all Group races, including the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (G1), the Prix de Diane (G1), and when against her elders, the Prix de l’Opera (G1).

She was also the high-weighted European female in the Intermediate category.

Blue Rose Cen is from the second crop of Churchill, who had a dual French Classic winner Vadeni is his first crop, and is the first foal out of Queen Blossom (by Jeremy, a son of Danehill Dancer), a Group 3 winner in Ireland and the U.S.

Mawj started the year in Dubai where she scored twice, her wins including the local 1,000 Guineas. She parlayed that fitness into a half-length win over Tahiyra in the 1,000 Guineas (G1). She reappeared in October to take the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, before missing by just a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).

By one of Danehill’s most successful sons Exceed and Excel, Mawj is out of the New Approach mare Modern Ideals. She is also the dam of Modern Games, winner of five Group/Grade 1 races, and the stakes winner Modern News.

winners, six graded, in his first three crops.

Golden Sixty

is now the world’s highest-ever earning thoroughbred

Hong Kong heads up the sprint division

The sprinters are led by the Hong Kongtrained Lucky Sweynesse on 125.

Rated 10 points higher than in 2022, Sweynesse won eight of ten starts in 2023, all graded stakes, including the Centenary Sprint (G1), the Queen’s Jubilee Cup (G1), the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1) and the Hong Kong Sprint (G1).

Bred in New Zealand, Lucky Sweynesse is a son of the two-time graded-winning and the Grade 1-placed miler Sweynesse. He is by the Australian Horse of the Year Lonhro, who goes back via Octagonal and Zabeel, to the outstanding Sir Ivor stallion, Sir Tristram.

Standing at a modest fee, at the time of writing Sweynesse has had 14 stakes

Lucky Sweynesse is out of the stakeswinning Red Clubs (Red Ransom) mare Madonna Mia. The second dam is by Danehill and is closely related to the champions Rose Of Danehill and Fashions Afield, and to the second dam of New Zealand’s Filly of the Year, Imelda Mary. They are all by Danehill line stallions.

Golden Sixty not to be toppled

Despite topping his division, Lucky Sweynesse wasn’t the top-rated horse in Hong Kong.

That honour went to Golden Sixty, the remarkable Australia-bred Medaglia D’Oro gelding, who remained as formidable as ever despite turning eight-years-old in 2023.

Golden Sixty is now the world’s highestever earning thoroughbred and boasts a record of 26 wins in 30 starts. Last year he won the Stewards’ Cup (G1), the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1), the Champions Mile (G1) and the Hong Kong Mile (G1) in four starts in and attained his highest year end raking at 126 just one point below Big Rock in the miling category.

The previously mentioned Elite Power on

Golden Sixty: the eight-year-old has won 26 races and has earnings over £16,000,000

122 was the leading Dirt sprinter, equal with Australian-trained Turf speedsters Think About It (by the High Chaparral horse, So You Think) on 122, and I Wish I Win (by New Zealand’s stallion star, Savabeel, and inbred 3x4 to Sir Tristram) at 121.

Shaquille takes three-year-old speed honours

The leading three-year-old sprinter is the July Cup (G1) and Commonwealth Cup (G1) victor Shaquille rated 120.

By some way the best offspring of his sire, Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) and out of a Galileo mare, Shaquille has Danzig 4x4 and Sadler’s Wells 4x3.

The top-ranked sprint female on 119, one point above the American duo of Echo Zulu and Goodnight Olive, was the prolific Australian mare Imperatrize, a winner of eight Grade 1s in Australia and New Zealand. She is by the highly-successful I Am Invincible (Invincible Sprit) out of a Shamardal mare.

Although it didn’t supply the top ranked horse this year, Australia overall remains the leading region for the production of top-class sprinters with 22 of 56 horses in the speed category.

Son of Teofilo heads up the extended category What is more of a surprise is to find that the leader of the Extended category was also Australian-trained.

The Irish-bred Without A Fight (121) had useful form in England winning the York Silver Cup (G3) before travelling to Australia for the 2022 VRC Melbourne Cup (G1).

In 2023, Without A Fight won four of five starts, including the MRC Caulfield Cup (G1) and the VRC Melbourne Cup (G1), his only start at an extended distance.

Without A Fight is by veteran sire Teofilo out of the Dubawi mare Khor Sheed, a Group winner in Italy, and is one of eight stakes winners from 39 starters bred on that cross.

Without A Fight is one point clear of the Japanese runner Durezza, the top three-yearold and winner of the Japanese St. Leger (G1). He is by Duramente (King Kamehameha) out of the New Zealand Oaks (G1) heroine More Than Sacred, a daughter of More Than Ready.

Frankel’s Courage Mon Ami the top stayer

Top honours amongst the European distance horses was shared by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Courage Mon Ami and

Christophe Ferland’s Double Major.

Courage Mon Ami won just one black-type race in four starts, but that one was the Ascot Gold Cup (G1). He is a Frankel half-brother to the black-type winners Astronoms, Crimson Rosette and Lion’s Pride, and is out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare who is a sister to the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) and Jockey Club Stakes (G2) scorer Bronze Cannon.

The three-year-old Double Major improved steadily with time and distance and ended the year winning the Prix Chaudenay (G2) and Prix Royal-Oak (G1) the latter by over 7l. He looks likely to be a major force in the staying ranks in 2024, especially when there is give in the ground.

The Irish-foaled, but Japanese-conceived Double Major is by the very successful Sunday Silence stallion Daiwa Major.

A half-brother to Group winner Flop Shot, Double Major is out of stakesplaced Dancequest, a Dansili daughter of Featherquest from whom also descend such as Plumania and Plumatic.

Representatives from South America

There were 10 horses from South Africa ranked with the top on 119 being the fouryear-old miler Charles Dickens. He is a son of the imported stallion Trippi, from the Forty Niner branch of Mr. Prospector, and is out of a mare by Dynasty, by the Sadler’s Wells stallion Fort Wood.

The best of the four German horses, all in the Long category, was Fantastic Moon (Sea The Moon), winner of the Deutsches Derby (G1) and the Prix Niel (G2) and ranked 118.

Nine horses from Argentina made the grade headed on 116 by the Carlos Pellegrini International (G1) – a South American version of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – winner El Encinal, who is by the Chilieanbred Sact Daddy son Il Campione.,

Brazil’s trio is headed by London Moon, a three-time Grade 1 winner by Agnes Gold (a son of Sunday Silence imported to South America) on 116.

The sole Chilean-trained horse is Kay Army, rated 115 on Dirt and Turf. He is in the Intermediate and Long divisions after going undefeated in nine starts, eight graded and three Grade 1. He’s by Katmai, another Chilean son of Scat Daddy.

Without A Fight: a dual Group 1 winner in 2023 with Melbourne and Caulfield Cup success

Leading World’s Best Racehorse Rankings 2023: to horses rated 118

135 L T Equinox (JPN)

128 I T Equinox (JPN)

128 L T Ace Impact (IRE)

125 I T Ace Impact (IRE)

128 I T Mostahdaf (IRE)

127 M T Big Rock (FR)

127 L T Hukum (IRE) 2017

126 M T Golden Sixty (AUS)

126 L T Westover (GB)

125 L T Auguste Rodin (IRE)

Kitasan Black Chateau Blanche King Halo Northern Farm Silk Racing Co Ltd

Frankel Absolutly Me Anabaa Blue Mrs Waltraut Spanner Gousserie Racing & Serge Stempniak

Frankel Handassa Dubawi Shadwell Estate Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

Rock Of Gibraltar Hardiyna Sea The Stars Yeguada Centurion Yeguada Centurion SL

Sea The Stars Aghareed Kingmambo Shadwell Estate Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

Medaglia D’Oro Gaudeamus Distorted Humor Asco International Pty Stanley Chan Ka Leung

Frankel Mirabilis Lear Fan Juddmonte Farms Ltd Juddmonte

Deep Impact Rhododendron Galileo Coolmore Tabor, Smith, Magnier & Westerberg

125 S T Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) 2018 G Sweynesse Madonna Mia Red Clubs Dombroski, Explosive Breeding, Sharrock Leung, Tung, Cheng, Mei Mei & Wai

124 M D Cody’s Wish (USA) 2018 H Curlin Dance Card Tapit Godolphin Godolphin Racing LLC

124 L T Do Deuce (JPN) 2019 C Heart’s Cry Dust And Diamonds Vindication Northern Farm Kieffers Co Ltd

124 I T Paddington (GB) 2020 C Siyouni Modern Eagle Montjeu Dayton Investments Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg & Brant

124 L T Titleholder (JPN) 2018 H Duramente Mowen Motivator Okada Stud Hiroshi Yamada

124 M D White Abarrio (USA) 2019 C Race Day Cstching Diamonds Into Mischief Spendthrift Farm C Two Racing Stable & Antonio Pagnano

122 I D White Abarrio (USA)

123 M T California Spangle (IRE) 2018 G Starspangledbanner Pearlitas Passion High Chaparral M Enright Howard Liang Yum Shing

123 I T Luxembourg (IRE) 2019 C Camelot Attire Danehill Dancer B V Sangster Westerberg, Magnier, Tabor & Smith

123 L T Onesto (IRE)

123 M, I T Romantic Warrior (IRE)

122 S D Elite Power (USA)

122 I T King of Steel (USA)

Acclamation

Melody Street Cry Corduff Stud & T J Rooney Peter Lau Pak Fai

Curlin Broadway’s Alibi Vindication Alpha Delta Stables Juddmonte

121

119

121

Barathea Lordship & Sunderland Holding Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance & S. Roden 121

121

121

120

120

120

120

120

120

120

120

120

119

119

Europe’s leading juveniles

THE COMING OF age through 2023 of the Ashford Stud-based sire Justify as a two-year-old sire of importance is identifiable in the European 2YO Classifications (overleaf)– the stallion is represented by three horses in the top ranked juveniles of the year, with his son, the undefeated City Of Troy, crowned the champion juvenile of 2023 following is outstanding three-race two-year-old career.

A brilliant winner of the Group 1 Native Trail Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October, City Of Troy has been billed by many as the most exciting three-year-old since the great Frankel, who ended his debut campaign rated 126.

Following a debut win at the Curragh in July, City Of Troy confirmed his promise with a six-and-a-half length victory in the bet365 Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July Festival prior to his season-concluding Dewhurst success.

With a rating of 125, the colt becomes the 13th European champion juvenile trained by Aidan O’Brien and is also the first son of the US Triple Crown hero Justify to achieve the honour.

Reflecting on City Of Troy’s achievements, IHRB handicapper Mark Bird said: “City Of Troy proved himself the cream of the twoyear-old crop in Europe this year with three impressive performances between July and October.

Ones to watch in 2024: by BHA handicappers

NIGHT RAIDER (Dark Angel-Dorraar (Shamardal))

Trainer: Karl Burke

Breeder: Linden Bloodstock

Steve Parkin and Karl Burke have a lot to look forward to this year with proven pattern performers Fallen Angel, Flight Plan and Dorothy Lawrence, but they’ll also be excited about the lesser-known Night Raider if his Southwell success in December

“His rating of 125 places him alongside high-class horses such as Zafonic and Fasliyev at the same stage of their careers and behind only four-time Group 1-winning juvenile Johannesburg (126) among his own stable’s illustrious roll call of European champion two-year-olds.”

City Of Troy finished clear of his rivals in the final classification with AMO Racing’s Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte second best on 120. City Of Troy’s stablemate Henry Longfellow, who defeated Bucanero Fuerte to land the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stake, achieved a mark of 119 to take joint-third placed honours.

Sharing that spot with Henry Longfellow is the highest-rated British-trained juvenile, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Vandeek.

A son of Havana Grey, Vandeek was undefeated in four starts in his debut campaign, culminating with a win in the

is any guide. It was by no means a strong race, but the time was respectable given how inefficiently it was run, and the most striking thing was how quickly he drew 9l clear in a sprint finish without turning a hair.

By Dark Angel, Night Raider is a half-brother to the Palace House winner and sire Far Above and out of a 7f winner.

That, coupled with the speed he has shown, suggests he’s not guaranteed to stay the 2,000 Guineas mile, but he looks an exciting prospect.

Devoted Queen winning on her only start in 2023, taking a maiden at Newmarket

Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes on the Rowley Mile in September.

Graeme Smith, the BHA’s handicapping team leader for two-year-olds, said: “Vandeek posted the best two performances by a British-trained juvenile in 2023.

“His narrow defeat of the excellent French filly Ramatuelle came in one of the strongest renewals of the Sumbe Group 1 Prix Morny (118) in recent years and he was marginally better again when winning the Juddmonte Group 1 Middle Park on his final start (119).”

Too Darn Hot enjoyed a fine season with his first crop and is represented by the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes winner Fallen Angel and the Owen Burrows-trained Alyanaabi.

Wootton Bassett maintained his relentless march forwards, and his four juveniles ranked 110 and over, including the Adrian Murray-trained Amo Racing-owned Bucanero Fuerte, purchased at the Arqana August Sale in 2022 and retained rather than

taking up an entry in the Craven Sale.

Stallions from the Sadler’s Wells line and that of Galileo keep a stranglehold

DEVOTED QUEEN (Kingman-Fintry (Shamardal))

Trainer: Charlie Appleby

Breeder: Godolphin

Last season was a quiet year at the top level for Charlie Appleby’s two-year-olds with only one inclusion in the classifications, but it’s hard to imagine there isn’t a host of talent bubbling still to show its hand.

Devoted Queen looked a potential Pattern winner when scoring at Newmarket in October on her only start to date.

A half-sister to the Group 1 Vertem Trophy runner-up One Ruler out of a Group 1 Sun Chariot third, Devoted Queen was the paddock pick physically and needed only hand riding to draw away. The field was well strung out considering the modest gallop they’d gone, and she looked to have enough left in her at the line to suggest she can make her mark in significantly better company.

KALEIDOSCOPE

(Kingman-Lightening Pearl (Marju))

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

Breeder: Qatar Bloodstock

Another impressive winner of a falsely run race, Kaleidoscope looks another exciting dark horse for 2024. She was always well placed close when justifying favouritism at Lingfield in early December by 3l from her 78-rated stablemate Sea Ice, but her closing sectionals were fast and there was no sign of her stopping at the line.

Kaleidoscope is by Kingman out of a Cheveley Park winner, and she could be the type to test her credentials in a race like the Nell Gwyn in the opening weeks of the season.

on the broodmare sire ranks – 12 of the broodmare sires listed are by him, Galileo or a descendant.

PORTERS PLACE (Make Believe-Shreyas (Dalakhani))

Trainer: Paddy Twomey

Breeder: Hamwood Stud Unlimited Company

Porters Place, who showed an impressive turn of foot when landing the odds on her only start to date in a 7f Curragh maiden in October, is a filly to follow.

She settled nicely on debut before quickening smartly for a 4l success in a 16-runner field.

One of ten individual two-year-old winners last season for the Paddy Twomey stable, she is a filly out of Shreyas, a Group 3-winning half-sister to Group 1 winners Youmzain and Creachadoir, and has the potential to rate highly in 2024.

ILLINOIS (Galileo-Danedrop (Danehill))

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Breeder: Coolmore

Aidan O’Brien dominated the two-year-old scene in Ireland in 2023 and among the stable’s 40 individual two-year-old winners were four from the penultimate crop of super-sire Galileo.

This quartet included Illinois, who narrowly missed out on inclusion in the European Two-Year-Old Classification following a fine effort when a close third in the Group 1 Criterium De Saint Cloud just 15 days after landing a Curragh maiden impressively on his debut.

Bred on the renowned Galileo-Danehill cross, he is a half-brother to the Arc winner Danedream and has the potential to rate very highly among the best middle-distance horses in 2024.

City Of Troy winning the July Stakes (G2). The colt is currently a 10/11 favourite for the 2,000 Guineas

European 2yo Classifications

2021: through to horses rated 110

Rating Horse Sex Trainer Sire Dam Dam sire Breeder

125 City Of Troy C Aidan O’Brien Justify Together Forever Galileo Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt

120 Bucanero Fuerte C Adrian Murray Wootton Bassett Frida La Blonde Elusive City Gestut Zur Kuste Ag

119 Henry Longfellow C Aidan O’Brien Dubawi Minding Galileo Coolmore

119 Vandeek C Simon & Ed Crisford Havana Grey Mosa Mine Exceed And Excel Maywood Stud

118 Opera Singer F Aidan O’Brien Justify Liscanna Sadler’s Wells Mrs E Stockwell

117 Rosallion C Richard Hannon Blue Point Rosaline New Approach Sheikh Mohammed Obadi Al Maktoum

116 Fallen Angel F Karl Burke Too Darn Hot Agnes Stewart Lawman Branton Court Stud

115 Ancient Wisdom C Charlie Appleby Dubawi Golden Valentine Dalakhani Ecurie Des Monceaux/LNJ Foxwoods SC

114 Alyanaabi C Owen Burrows Too Darn Hot Alyamaama Kitten’s Joy Shadwell Estate Company Limited

114 Ramatuelle F Christopher Head Justify Raven’s Lady Raven’s Pass Yeguada Centurion Sl

114 Unquestionable C Aidan O’Brien Wootton Bassett Strawberry Lace Sea The Stars C Porin, A Vitse, V Vitse & G Vitse

113 Big Evs

112

middle east-winning sires

ON FEBRUARY 12, the third day of the Tibetan New Year, in Lhasa, which is found in the southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, an equestrian team staged a display of traditional horseracing.

In front of a large crowd, the riders dressed in colourful Tibetan clothes and galloped around the racecourse in the northern suburbs

of Lhasa performing feats of skill and daring.

Apparently an old Tibetan saying (as reported on the The State Council of the People’s Republic Of China website) goes: “Feed the horses on Tibetan New Year’s Eve, race them on Tibetan New Year’s Day.”

FIRST YEARLINGS 2024

UBETTABELIEVEIT

KODIAC – LADY LISHANDRA (MUJADIL)

Fee: £5,000 1st Oct S.L.F

By KODIAC - World Record Holder for 2-y-o winners, Champion European Sire of 2-y-os 2020, Sire of emerging young sires Ardad, Prince of Lir, Coulsty and Kodi Bear, all Gr.1 producers

UBETTABELIEVEIT – winner of three races and £116,503 all over 5f including: EBF Novice Stakes Doncaster, LR National S. Sandown, Gr.2 Flying Childers S. Doncaster. Also 3rd Gr.2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, all at 2.

MASSAAT

TEOFILO - MADANY (ACCLAMATION)

Fee: £3,000 1st Oct S.L.F

By Teofilo, sire of 15 Gr.1 winners Brother to Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup winner EQTIDAAR

Gr.1 placed at 2, 3 and 4, Gr.2 winner over 7f Off to a great start at stud, multiple winners include LR Pat Eddery Stakes Placed Mascapone, US Stakes-Performer Mas Rapido, Docklands (Royal Ascot winner), Coco Jamboo (3 wins), Granny Budgie (3 wins) Yearlings sold for £45,000, £44,000, £43,000, etc.

MASCAPONE

UBETTABELIEVEIT

First foals receive rave reviews!

Bay filly out of Loquace bred by Rosetown Bloodstock

“I’m very happy with her, she’s a very strong first foal with great bone; correct and very sharp looking. She’s the spitting image of her sire.”

David Cox, Baroda Stud

“I’m very happy with him. He is a great size, well put together and a good stylish foal. I’m absolutely thrilled with him!”

William Pilkington on his bay colt out of Miss Azeza

“She’s an absolutely stunning filly, just pure class, with great strength and depth. This speedy looking filly is one for the future.”

Paschal Kellaghan on his and Brian Gravin’s bay filly out of Dilawara

Standing at Derrinstown Stud, Ireland

Contact Stephen Collins, Joe Behan and Kay Skehan

+353 (0) 1 6286228 | nominations@derrinstown.com

View our stallion roster: www.shadwellstud.com

“He’s an absolute belter of a foal! He really is something else. He’s exactly what we hoped for: big, strong and compact, with great width and bone. He’s very correct and a lot like his sire.”

Mark Dreeling on his bay colt out of Laciredeski

“Our filly out of Group winning Sparkling Beam is a stunner. She oozes quality and class. Probably the best we’ve foaled down at Stonehall Paddocks thus far!”

Micheål Orlandi on his bay filly out of Sparkling Beam

“She’s a big strong foal, and a lovely bay colour. She’s very correct, with great bone. She looks very much like her sire. We’re absolutely thrilled with her.”

Derek Veitch of Ringfort Stud on his bay filly out of Shenoya

161 mares covered in his first book

€15,000 January 1st SLF