ITB_June-July 2021

JUNE-JULY 2021

JUNE-JULY 2021

£4.95 • ISSUE 104

ROYAL ASCOT REVIEW

A superb week of racing action with success for a wide range of sires, breeders and connections

WELFARE SPECIAL 2021 Martin Stevens chats to Andrew and Jane Black of Chasemore Farm regarding their innovative and community approach to staff welfare Ireland’s newly created organisation Treo Eile provides assistance for the rehoming of racehorses Racing Welfare gives vital industry support and was a crucial helpline for many through the last 12 months. It is time for us to give that support back ... fancy getting on a bike?

www.facebook.com/internationalthoroughbred

>>The greatness of predominant stallions, the first instalment in a series

Horse Racing Ireland is continuing to develop its Industry Assistance Programme providing assistance for all in Irish racing and bloodstock

Frankel 2008 Galileo - Kind (Danehill) 2021 Fee £175,000 October 1st SLF

A month to remember...

In June Frankel sired Epsom Derby winner Adayar, Australian 2YO Gr.1 winner Converge and was leading sire at Royal Ascot for the second time. #withoutequal

Contact Shane Horan, Claire Curry or Henry Bletsoe +44 (0)1638 731115 | nominations@juddmonte.co.uk

www.juddmonte.com

THE AGA KHAN STUDS Success Breeds Success

HIS LEGACY CONFIRMED

SEA THE STARS 14

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136

Group 1 Winners

Group Winners

Stakes Performers

The Leading European Sire in 2021 by Winners to Runners

THE SIRE SENSATION

SIYOUNI 5

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94

Classic Winners

Stakes Winners

Stakes Performers

The Leading French Sire in 2021 by Prize Money All statistics to 20/06/21

contents june-july

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First Word

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News

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Newsells Park Stud changes ownership as Graham Smith-Bernal invests in the 1,200-acre commercial stud farm

62 It’s never been more important

Racing Welfare plays a crucial role for our industry and Sally Duckett discovers how the organisation has coped through the last 18 months

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Developing a community spirit

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When things aren’t going so well

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Photo of the month

Voute eats his words

Our Ted recognises just how important breeders’ incentives have been

Further work to do says Cathy

The post-Brexit transport of horses to Europe poses animal welfare concerns

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Pier-less

It was a fantastic Royal Ascot for a range of sires, broodmare sires and breeders, writes Aisling Crowe

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Path to the Pattern

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Stallion statistics

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Snow arrived in June

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Global horseracing needs to be vigilant to the threat of corruption and the issue of horse welfare

Jocelyn de Moubray reviews the European early-season Classic form and reckons, at the moment, St Mark’s Basilica is the best of his generation

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It was a US Triple Crown season like no other and the results aren’t finalised yet, writes Melissa Bauer-Herzog

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Stallion predominance

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The shape of things to come

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Another direction

Tom Wilson reviews the statistical performance of Royal Ascot runners through the remaining Flat Turf season Leading sires’ list provided by Weatherbys

Spirited away

Martin Stevens talks with Andrew and Jane Black of Chasemore Farm who have adopted a staff management approach putting welfare at the centre Aisling Crowe speaks to Elaine Burke of HRI and Equipp, which operates HRI’s Industry Assistance Programme Joan Of Arc’s pedigree

Truly great sires haven’t always needed large books of mares. We republish a Pacemaker article written in 1981 by Peter Willett discussing the influence of the most important sires over the centuries Dr Annik Gmel outlines the latest research that reveals how genetics can affect conformation Aisling Crowe chats to Sarah Sands and Caoimhe Doherty about Ireland’s new racehorse rehoming programme Treo Eile

Poetic Flare by Debbie Burt

follow us on twitter @tbredpublishing

contents june-july

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This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or part without permission of the publisher. The views expressed in International Thoroughbred are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. While every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the content herein, or any consequences arising from them.

the team

the photographers

editor sally duckett publisher declan rickatson photography trevor jones design thoroughbred publishing

thoroughbred photography press association equine creative media courtesy of stud farms tattersalls laura green arqana goffs and goffs uk laragh de burgh

advertising declan rickatson 00 44 (0)7767 310381 declan.rickatson@btinternet.com subscriptions tracey glaysher itsubs@btinternet.com

the printers micropress press

the writers

jocelyn de moubray aisling crowe sally duckett martin stevens melissa bauer-herzog cathy grassick ted voute tom wilson

the stats weatherbys

accounts annie jones itaccounts@

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

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first word

Questions racing must face

From ensuring that organised crime can not gain a foothold in racing, to maintaining strong global equine welfare and drug rulings in order to ensure the public’s trust in our sport is retained... the stakes are high

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T WAS A difficult month, on the back of a very difficult year to date... that was the line we were going to use in our NH issue after the Gordon Elliott photo created a pre-Cheltenham Festival week of intense discussion, rumour, conjecture, social media opinion, division and scrutiny.

Sadly, for global racing, it has continued to be a year in which the sport has to ask itself questions regarding the activities of its high-profile participants, as well as the influences they may be facing from certain unwelcome parties.

The press release issued by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board [IHRA] after its referral with Elliott on March 5, 2021 wrote that there were “sinister” aspects to the case and “the Committee are satisfied that the publication of this photograph is part of a concerted attack upon Mr Elliott, the full circumstances of which are unknown.”

One story made it to main stream press written up by Jonathan Buck in a column in the Mail On Sunday on March 7. Buck reported that his sources claimed that the photo was made public by individuals connected to Irish organised crime, that it was produced to ruin Elliott’s career after he refused to train for a Mr John Boylan, a criminal described by Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) as “a leading and directing member of an organised crime group based in the West Dublin area specifically involved in armed robbery and the sale and supply of controlled drugs”.

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Racing, with its intrinsic betting product, has always been attractive to criminals wishing to launder and legitimatise illegal earnings

Whether this is correct or not is beyond the scope of this bloodstock publication to discover, but it does focus thoughts on the threat posed by organised crime to sport in general and to horseracing in particular; with subsequent news from France bringing the issues into even further examination.

In mid-March the French-based trainer Andrea Marcialis was one of nine people arraigned before a judicial tribunal to face criminal indictments on grounds of doping horses, organised crime and forgery.

Marcialis was already facing a series of suspensions as both a trainer and owner after being found guilty

by France Galop stewards on three counts of doping and two further cases of running a shadow training operation.

The Italian-born trainer was one of 14 people taken to a police station in the Paris suburb of Nanterre following raids led by the Police des Jeux (gaming police), which resulted in the seizure of doping products, €8,800 in cash and the removal of three racehorses.

Racing, with its intrinsic betting product, has always been attractive to criminals wishing to launder and legitimatise illegal earnings.

The sport’s history is full of stories that were once viewed as romantic escapades involving “dodgy” types paying off jockeys and stable lads in order to gain a betting edge, but now, with the global fortunes washing around an interconnected international human drugs

first word business, and with accessible online sports betting availability, and access to dope horses, the stakes are now much higher, and far more dangerous.

The size of the global sports betting market is estimated to be €1.69 trillion per year.

According to the organisation Europol, which is based in The Hague and was set up to support the EU in its fight against terrorism, cyber crime and organised forms of crime, in its publication “The involvement of organised crime groups in sports corruption” the global annual criminal proceeds from betting-related match-fixing is estimated to be €120 million.

Europol wrote: “Sports corruption is a serious crime involving organised crime groups operating transnationally, these gangs are often poly-criminal and can well serve as a platform for organised crime groups to further high-scale money laundering schemes.”

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T GOES ONTO say that “online betting is increasingly used by organised crime groups to manipulate sports competitions and criminals usually target lower-level competitions across different sports, with football and tennis the most targeted sports by criminal networks.”

These large groups targets sports in two ways.

“Europol’s analysis has identified links between the individuals involved in the manipulation of sports competitions at a lower level for merely financial gain, and other more sophisticated criminal networks that lay behind the scenes.

“These criminal networks are often the ‘engine’ behind sports corruption, and often use this criminal activity to launder their illicitly obtained assets.”

Asian criminal syndicates are reported to frequently be behind match-fixing with approximately 65 per cent of the worldwide betting market in Asia, in both regulated and unregulated or illegal sectors (the latter apparently ten times larger than the first).

Football is one of the most targeted sports with its large betting market; corruption in tennis (especially low-tier competitions) is an area of increasing concern.

The report does not mention horseracing and thank God for that; everything must be done by every global racing authority to ensure that such large-scale criminals do not start to see our sport as a suitable vehicle for their needs.

In March 2016, the British Horseracing Authority produced an Integrity Review and it wrote quite frankly “the economics of the sport continue to present challenges at certain levels and exert pressure on participants. There are also still individuals seeking to corrupt the sport’s participants as has been seen in recent Disciplinary Panel cases.

The sport’s history is full of stories that were once viewed as romantic escapades involving “dodgy” types paying off jockeys and stable lads in order to gain a betting edge, but now, with the global fortunes washing around an interconnected international drugs business, and with accessible online sports betting availability, the stakes are much higher and far more dangerous

“Sadly, this is inevitable when the sport is so inextricably linked to betting and there is money involved. Therefore the BHA and the sport as a whole must remain vigilant, not be complacent, and ensure that there is an appropriate strategy in place to address such threats.”

Trainers and jockeys at the top of our sport have the financial strength to withstand undesired approaches.

But some capable trainers, jockeys, stable lads perhaps having to deal difficult cash burdens, particularly due to “economics of the sport” are likely targets.

The sport has to be resilient in its approach and governance, in all countries, to ensure that horseracing’s participants are not perceived to be easy targets for those wishing to money launder or seek competitive advantage by drugging horses to win or lose.

But sports participants also need protection to ensure that, if they are approached by such types, there is the back up to support them if they refuse to be involved, while on the other hand the punishments if they do get themselves involved are tough.

The threat is real.

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INCE the spring further negative stories have emerged. There has been the sad case of Stephen Mahon, a trainer recently given a four-year ban by the IRHB for four years for the neglect of racehorses in his care.

It is the second occasion that Mahon has been punished regarding unsatisfactory practices with his horses having had his licence suspended for four months and fined €1,000 for the case involving eight-year-old mare Pike Bridge in 2008. As we went to press it was revealed that Mahon is to appeal the most recent ban.

Also in Ireland there Bob Baffert

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first word has been the further Jim Bolger comments to the press regarding the possible wide-spread use of performanceenhancing drugs in Irish racing.

In the US, trainer Bob Baffert and owner Zedan Racing Stables are filing a law suit against the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission seeking further testing of their Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s urine sample. In the filing, the attorneys write that further testing will provide evidence that the positive test for the corticosteroid betamethasone is linked to an ointment as opposed to an injection i.e. administered for a skin complaint and used for theraputic purposes rather than as a steroid and performance related.

The cases on both sides of the Atlantic reveal the need for a strong consistent and central ruling body to deal with welfare and doping issues.

Racing needs to ensure that it continues to ask itself questions and analyse data regarding training techniques and breeding methods to ensure we are always doing what is actually right for the horse

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UITE PLAINLY the IHRB did not deal strongly enough with Mahon in 2008, and I would argue has failed to do so again. The guy obviously has little understanding, or desire, to look after a horse correctly. He has been given a second chance once already, and should not be allowed to hold a licence again.

As for the US, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act recognising the need for a national authority to deal with these drug issues and maintain a consistency across all states has not come a moment too soon.

The use of drugs and race day medications in the US had meant racing had literally a wild west show run by those who have been able to take advantage of the lack of central control, the muddled interstate rules in the US, and the lack of drug use restrictions without a zero tolerance policy as has been enforced in the UK for years.

Trainers and vets in the US range from those who make the most of the lax policies to run horses on medications such as lasix and bute, to highly unsavory types such as the 27 alleged to be involved in and around the Jason Servis doping scandal.

If Baffert were training in the UK, his claim that the betamethasone was introduced to Medina Spirit’s system via a topical cream and not injected, would not make any difference to any drug result and subsequent race outcome. The UK’s zero tolerance regime is just that – no prohibited substance, even if administered for therapeutic reasons or even accidentally via contaimination, should be found in a post-race urine sample.

British trainers are aware of these rulings, and while on occasions are caught out, everyone knows that if their horses test positive to a prohibited substance – however it might have accessed their

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We train horses to win races, and to win races they need to be on good terms with themselves, but do we really know that we are doing best for them....

systems – the race win will be taken away.

All these issues have focused minds on the fact that racing exists due to what is now, possibly, a tenuous public trust that the sport is managed correctly as regards equine wellbeing.

This trust is not guaranteed and more certainly needs to be done to ensure it survives and is strengthened.

As reported by Lee Mottershead in the Racing Post, the BHA’s chief executive Julia Harrington was actually asked ahead of the Cheltenham Festival how she was planning to stop the sport going out of existence.

Many have said that the industry needs to be transparent – we need to show the public inside our businesses to reveal how much we love and care for our horses.

In reality, we need to do far more than put a few photos on social media showing stable staff kissing their charges, foals frolicking in fields or jockeys riding into the sunset.

Detailed on course and off-course fatality and injury data needs to be analysed and published, there needs to be more scientific evaluation of training techniques and methods; are we actually training horses well?

We train horses to win races, and to win races they need to be on good terms with themselves, but do

first word In reality, we need to do far more than put a few photos on social media showing stable staff kissing their charges, foals frolicking in fields...

understanding, trust, creativity and, quite frankly, can lead to love.

The physical and mental benefits, as well as the social skills, children gain from having a pony, or going to a riding school, becoming competitive on that pony, riding around the countryside, or just from enthusiastically following the sport and having jockeys as sporting heros, is immeasurable.

The same applies for disadvantaged adults, people or children with learning difficulties or who have suffered tragedy in their lives.

If racing, in particular NH racing, has an uncertain future and there can’t be a legitimate argument for using the horse in the sport, then by extension it follows that any level of sports horse competition, or in fact riding at all, should not exist.

Horses are asked to do a job for us whenever we put a saddle on that broad hairy back.

We have to ensure that the legitimate arguments to use the horse to expand the richness of our lives are not diminished by our industry itself. The public trust we are given to race horses can not be taken for granted.

Humans gain many benefits from interaction with equines and it is up to us all to maintain the public trust that allows us all to put a saddle on a horse’s back

we really know that we are doing best for them as intrinsically individuals?

Horses are trained in a multitude of different ways, what actually is best?

We need a far greater examination and understanding as to how horses grow and are produced on stud farms. We need to ensure that everything is done from the birth to strengthen bone structure so that our horses as future athletes are given the best chances of coping with the rigors of training.

What actual data is there out there to understand the successful production of racehorses? And can a breeder, who has an urge to understand and improve his methods, find this content with ease?

All needs greater investigation and publication, whether we like the answers or not. At least we will then have a database from which to build.

The equine wellbeing issue is developing into a broader question as to whether we actually have a right to use a horse for sport.

I believe that we gain much from horseracing that is beneficial to the human experience – it is sociable, it is active, it is outdoors, it is encompassing, it offers competitive action even if human participants are not athletic themselves, builds bonds between humans and humans, between animal and human, it fosters

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the news

Newsells Park Stud has a new owner Britain’s leading commercial stud farm is bought by British entrepreneur and owner-breeder Graham Smith-Bernal Graham Smith-Bernal with wife Marcela and stallion Nathaniel.

Smith-Bernal is the founder of the awardwinning global Opus 2 “Magnum” platform, a Cloud-based application enabling collaboration between litigation team members, law firms and corporate clients

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N A lock, stock and barrel acquisition, Newsells Park Stud, home to stallions Nathaniel and Without Parole and co-breeder of the 2019 Arc winner and stallion Waldgeist, has been bought

by British tech entrepreneur and businessman Graham Smith-Bernal from Jacobs Holding AG. The 1,200 acre, Royston-based operation was bought by the late Klaus J. Jacobs in 2000. Since then, the stud has developed into a leading commercial nursery, breeding and rearing numerous Group 1 winners as well as the Classic winners, Legatissimo, Masked Marvel and the 2019 Arc winner, Waldgeist.

Since 2013, Newsells Park Stud has sold 15 million plus lots, with a top price of 3,600,000gns given in 2013 by MV Magnier for the yearling colt by Galileo out of Shastye.

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I consider it a huge honour and a privilege to have acquired Newsells Park and look forward to building on the legacy of Klaus J. Jacobs and previous owners

He was subsequently named Sir Isaac Newton and went on to win at Group 3 level and be Group 1 placed. He is a full-brother to the Oaks runner-up Secret Gesture, and the Group 1-winning pair of Mogul and Japan.

Smith-Bernal, 63, a leading figure in legal technology, revolutionised the operation of law courts, tribunals and arbitrations through the introduction of Opus 2 International, which operates a method of paperless trials.

He already owns and breeds racehorses and has been a client of Newsells Park for the last six years.

Newsells Park Stud was established in 1926 by Sir Humphrey de Trafford and owned by his family until 1972. The 1959 Derby winner Parthia was bred at Newsells as was Alcide, winner of the 1958 St Leger.

On buying the farm, Jacobs carried

the news out an extensive renovation and building programme. Following his death in 2008, stewardship of the stud passed to his family.

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MITH-BERNAL said: “Newsells Park Stud dates back almost a century and is part of the fabric of British and international horseracing.

“As an existing client, I have had the pleasure of witnessing at first hand the meticulous professionalism, attention to detail and service provided by Julian Dollar and his team, both in preparing horses for racing and yearlings for the sales ring.

“I consider it a huge honour and a privilege to have acquired Newsells Park and look forward to building on the legacy of Klaus J. Jacobs and the previous owners, to ensure that the stud remains at the pinnacle of breeding and racing.”

Leading trainer William Haggas, who trains a number of horses for Smith-Bernal, said: “I have known and trained for Graham for some years. His enthusiasm for this business is unrelenting and he has proved it by his purchase of Newsells Park Stud.

“It is fabulous to see an Englishman take on the mantle of such an iconic stud.”

Nathalie Albin-Jacobs, the youngest daughter of the late Jacobs, took over as a chairperson of Newsells Park Stud in 2019 from her brother Andreas.

She said: “Newsells was a passion of my late father’s. He would have taken great

Newsells Park Stud in figures 15 lots sold at Tattersalls for seven figures since 2013 Three horses sold for over 3 million guineas Aggregate of yearlings sold out of Shastye at Tattersalls = 14,200,000gns Leading consignor at the Tattersalls Book 1 for five of the last eight years including the last three A record Book 1 aggregate of 11 million guineas in 2018 with a total October yearling sales aggregate of 15 million guineas 12 Group 1 winners raised or bred at Newsells Park since 2010 13 Group 2 winners and 26 Group 3 winners bred and raised since 2010

pleasure and pride in the stud’s many successes and especially Waldgeist’s win in the Arc in 2019, which would have been the culmination of his ambitions as a breeder.

“The time has come now for my family to focus on our other businesses and we know that with Graham the stud will find a passionate and successful custodian and owner of Newsells Park.”

Julian Dollar, general manager of Newsells Park Stud since 2006, added: “The team and I are grateful for the vision and investment made by the Jacobs’ family to

Two more British stud farms for sale THE SUMMER has seen two further significant British stud farms put up for sale: Soulcombe, the Oxfordshire farm on which Chris Budgett has bred numerous top-class horses as part of Kirtlington Stud, including the outstanding Harbinger and the Derby winner Sir Percy, as well as the historic Lavington Stud in West Sussex Lavington Stud, founded by Lord Woolavington at the turn

of the 19th century and in family ownership since, is to be sold as a whole or in seven lots and includes 340 acres, a number of houses and cottages, a range of substantially sized stable yards circa 100 boxes, ancillary stud facilities, as well as one yard with planning permission for change of use to build 10 dwellings.

The 1916 St Leger winner, subsequent champion and Classic sire Hurry On was bred

date, which has seen the stud grow to be one of Europe’s foremost commercial stud farms.

“We now look forward to working for Graham and making the most of this excellent opportunity to further develop Newsells Park Stud as a leader in its field worldwide.

“We will continue not only breeding, raising and selling exceptional racehorses, but also offering domestic and international clients professional boarding services, sales preparation and top-class stallions.”

on the farm, and leading lights in recent years include the four-time Group winner and champion European filly In The Groove, Sans Frontieres, Rosinka and Move Up. Kirtlington Stud consists of 388 acres on limestone land and three different stable yard complexes.

There is a main seven-bedroom house and five cottages.

Budgett said: “The time has come to move on, but we will continue trading as Kirtlington Stud with our own horses.

“It would be nice to find a

buyer to continue with the success that we have had, but I accept that the property has much to offer for so many different uses.”

George Windsor Clive of Windsor Clive International added: “The flexibility of Soulcombe is remarkable – breeding, competing or polo, it covers the whole spectrum.” www.knightfrank.co.uk www.windsorclive.co.uk

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ted talks

TED TALKS...

The Hampton Court Stakes winner Mohaafeth.

He is by Frankel, Royal Ascot’s leading sire for 2021, and although the three-year-old sports an IRE-suffix, he was bred by the British-based Normandie Stud and was one of a host of successes for British breeders at this year’s Royal meeting

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Our Ted has to eat his words regarding breeders’ schemes

T MUST BE SAID I have never been a fan of breeders’ incentive schemes.

I think such strategies tends to reward mediocrity, stifles growth and generally makes breeders think “inside the box”, instead of outside it.

Without owners prepared to buy mares from abroad and invest in other countries’ bloodlines it can lead to a stifling of the breed – a similar situation and fate that faces Germany.

Germany has amazingly tough families and sire lines with stamina, but is a declining country when it comes to racing and breeding.

This is an international business

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with prize-money that can be won

by British horses all over the world – just look at Mishriff!

He has won all his major races overseas, plundering the massive prize-money put up to attract foreign horses.

In two of the jurisdictions there is no betting Levy; the funds are solely put up by a desire to attract the best horses in the world to those countries in order to showcase what the country has to offer visitors and tourism.

However, I have to eat my words.

The results at Royal Ascot have softened my stance and opinion – not particularly because British incentives have worked, it is too

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early for that evidence to be seen, but because British breeders are gaining momentum – as proved by the achievements at Ascot for Team GB. And looking at the sires in isolation – the British-based stallion Frankel heads the list with three first placings, two seconds, and one third, while Dubawi was third on the list and Mayson fifth.

Kingman and Nathaniel figure in the top 10.

A massive 50 per cent of the successful sires stand in the UK. Newmarket and it’s vicinity, never really regarded as the land to raise horses, has defied critics and notably Blue Diamond Stud,

Cheveley Park Stud, Fittocks Stud, Godolphin, Lanwades Stud, Lordship Stud and New England all bred a Royal Ascot winner this year.

Lanwades and Godolphin probably made use of their Irish farms through the rearing process, but still it’s a great result.

Outside of Newmarket, Highclere Stud, Rockcliffe Stud, Whitsbury Manor Stud and Normandie Stud join the top ten breeders (if excluding Juddmonte and Shadwell Stud).

I would say the British are coming!

The wave began to turn over three years ago, and look at the results compared to this

“

The elephant in the room is prize-money, which is where incentive schemes have made a difference and eventually will help keep owners in the UK...

“

year’s Cheltenham results.

The British-based trainers have excelled, too – John and Thady Gosden, Sir Micheal Stoute, Andrew Balding, Mark Johnston, Archie Watson Charlie Appleby make up 70 per cent of the top ten trainers.

The future for British breeding is strong, with many quality mares residing in England, while our stallion roster is strengthening all the time. Frankel could easily take over Galileo’s mantel as the sire to get you stamina, and a Derby winner.

The elephant in the room is prize-money, which is where incentive schemes have made a difference and eventually will help keep owners in the UK instead of the country just becoming a nursery producing horses for other racing jurisdications.

It will take many intelligent people to go to government and re-negotiate the mechanism and the current tariffs from bookmakers.

With Royal Ascot behind us and the last chance of black-type pedigree catalogue updates from the best week’s racing in Europe for the Goffs Premier Sale and Arqana August Select Sale books, we find

ourselves readying for the yearling sales.

Traditionally, both Arqana and Goffs UK make their choices for acceptance to their premier sales through Ascot week or a few days preceding.

Preparation for both sales starts soon, and with the weather as wet as it is I should think the yearlings will thrive inside, warm and well fed.

It’s been hard this year to think outside the box regarding sale planning – Tattersalls had it all their own way in 2020.

The company managed to keep all its the sales dates and continued with “live” sales right the way through the season.

If your yearling gets into Book 1 or Book 2 it’s a no-brainer, and it is hard to argue against selling at Tattersalls, especially if you are based in the UK. The reviving of the Goffs Million Sale adds interest to breeders to be part of another incentive scheme, again financed by the sports’ participants but it does provide a massive reward.

It also produces the catalyst for agents and trainers to put

syndicates together to stimulate new owners or existing owners.

This year will see the docket system increase in use for Irish, French and German vendors.

For years we have had to use this system for horses coming in from America.

The complication had always been if the horse failed to sell and the negotiations that followed with HMRC, but at least the return transport back to Europe is not as daunting as a return flight to the US. Much of this article proclaims that the business is holding its own or increasing, but it is worth mentioning that, since 1990, around 60 per cent of British studs have disappeared.

Not only do the farms not breed horses anymore, but many have changed the use of the land.

Yes, we have seen the newly estblished Rockcliffe Stud and a re-envigorated Old Mill Stud, as well as a few others enter the business, but not in the numbers needed to stem the exodus.

It is refreshing to hear Newsells Park retained as an ongoing business to an English businessman, but on the flip side sad to see Lavington and Kirtlington up for sale. Let’s hope the farms are not lost from the bloodstock industry.

It was good to see some smaller scale breeders win at Royal Ascot – Lady Blyth, The Hearns and Lordship Stud.

They all have small broodmare bands and are families who enjoy breeding racehorse – it important that such can continue and enjoy success.

The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Loving Dream was bred by Newmarket-based Lordship Stud. While British breeders had a good time of it at Royal Ascot, Ted warns against thinking all is rosy – British stud farms are disappearing at an alarming rate

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girls aloud

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....Girls aloud

ORMALLY AT THIS time of year I would be hailing the glorious results after spending a week at Royal Ascot watching the host of international stars on display from around the world. I am usually in attendance to enjoy the pomp and pageantry that goes hand-in-hand with top-class racing action.

Sadly this year due to my own recent surgeries on a leg injury and the current difficulties with international travel I have had to be content with watching from home. Despite excellent TV coverage it is just not the same as enjoying the atmosphere and experience of being there, there was no after-racing picnics in our garden instead of the car parks.

There were many incredible performances through the week from such amazing colts as Palace Pier, Perfect Power and Poetic Flare and fantastic fillies on show such as Love, Quick Suzy and Alcohol Free.

This year the usual international aspect to the meeting was somewhat lacking and clearly COVID has had a part to play in this as it has prevented both people and horses from travelling freely from across the globe to the hallowed Turf of Royal Ascot.

COVID aside, there has been a definite change to the number of horses competing in foreign jurisdictions across Europe post-Brexit and it is not just travelling into UK that has become more complicated.

It is now as difficult to travel from the UK into Europe as it is to travel from Europe into the UK. This can be seen in decreased numbers of horses, particularly travelling from the UK to France.

There needs to be a continued concerted and co-ordinated effort made by the bodies governing racing in the UK and the EU. They have been struggling to resolve these issues since the start of the year, but the respective governments and Departments of

Cathy Grassick didn’t make it to Royal Ascot this year, argues that post-Brexit transport problems need to be addressed as a matter of urgency, and pays tribute to young Tiggy Hancock

Agriculture need to work on the industry’s behalf to tackle the many difficulties currently faced when transporting horses.

These are not just monetary or administrative issues, although the costs and paperwork for transporting horses has increased exponentially, there are also serious welfare issues at stake.

Delays in transporting horses due to increased customs paperwork, and general delays for all transport in and out of UK and Europe, has led to long queues, particularly undesirable given the summer months.

Shippers are currently experiencing challenges with export documentation, in addition to there being significant increase in delays at ports on arrival. Anyone shipping a horse must also be prepared to see an increase in fees as a result of the increased documentation required and time taken to process.

The issue of VAT has also become a difficult one to handle as now the UK’s VAT system is separate to Europe this has created increased problems regarding the movement of horses between countries.

This particularly effects breeding mares who are travelling between countries to be covered.

Work needs to be done to try and arrange a reciprocal agreement allowing horses to enter and exit the EU and UK for a number of months, without large sums of money needing to be lodged with respective governments.

This damages breeders’ cash flow and holds up large amounts of money for long months unnecessarily.

As an industry we need to ensure that we can continue to thrive and that the diversity of the thoroughbred breed can continue.

We also need to be able to compete against each other freely to maintain the high standard of athletic talent within the whole breed.

It should be remembered that British and Irish thoroughbreds are recorded in a combined stud book.

IT HAS BEEN A VERY emotional time here in Ireland due to the untimely death of young eventing superstar Tiggy Hancock in a training accident.

Her tragic loss has affected the whole equestrian community in Ireland and further afield.

Tiggy was only 15 years old, but had already won European eventing medals and was an accomplished rider in every discipline.

She was also such a wonderful person, who left her mark on all who knew her.

My deepest sympathies to her devastated family and to the many friends both young and old who knew her.

Horse Sport Ireland have a designated support person to assist anyone affected, and is encouraging them or their parents to come forward to seek support.

RIP Tiggy Hancock

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Photo from Irish Eventing Times

Far out ahead Europe’s leading sire by Group winners and Stakes winners?

Dubawi — of course!

European stallions by 2021 Stakes winners (with Group winners) 1 Dubawi 21 (12) 2 Frankel 14 (6) 3 Fastnet Rock 12 (6) Lope de Vega 12 (5) 5 Kingman 11 (9) Galileo 11 (8) Sea The Stars 11 (5)

DATA: 21/6/21

28 35 races of the

at

ROYAL ASCOT 2021 were won by

trainers based in BRITAIN STRENGTH IN DEPTH

28 winners in the care of 20 different trainers

INCLUDING WINNERS OF FIVE OF THE EIGHT GROUP 1 RACES

ALCOHOL FREE

Group 1 Coronation Stakes Andrew Balding

OXTED

Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes Roger Teal

PALACE PIER

Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes John & Thady Gosden

SUBJECTIVIST Group 1 Gold Cup Mark Johnston

DREAM OF DREAMS

Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes Sir Michael Stoute

Great British Racing International is British horseracing’s dedicated service provider, committed to helping international parties to navigate the esteemed networks that make up this world-leading industry.

International investors can feel secure that GBRI is an impartial, not-for-profit organisation, which is recognised by British racing’s industry bodies. They can trust that the organisation will guide and arm them with the knowledge, introductions and experiences to support their passion investment.

greatbritishracinginternational.com

royal ascot

Royal Ascot 2021 provided success for a broad range of sires and broodmare sires, but one mare rose above all others, writes Aisling Crowe

Pier-less Rafha’s sons and grandsons

Prince Faisal’s diminutive Prix de Diane heroine Rafha was the matriarch who reigned over the 2021 Royal meeting – 13 races across the five days featured her name in the pedigrees of at least one of the first three home.

At Group 1 level she appears in the pedigrees of the winners of three of the meeting’s eight top level races through her stallion sons Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.

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Invincible Spirit had a head-start over his half-brother Kodiac in establishing a sire line, which he has successfully achieved in both hemispheres.

His Group 1-winning son Kingman is one of the best young stallions in Europe and the Juddmonte sire has the top-class miler Palace Pier from his second crop.

Palace Pier gave the newly-formed father and son training team of John and Thady Gosden their first Royal Ascot winner in the

first race of the meeting – the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.

It was at the 2020 Royal meeting when Palace Pier announced himself as a miler of distinction with his first Group 1 win in the St James’s Palace Stakes and his victory on Tuesday was his fourth Group 1 success in the silver silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum.

Post-race jockey Frankie Dettori reported that he believed his mount is “one of the best

royal ascot Mayson making ground

Cheveley Park Stud’s Mayson may not have garnered as many sire accolades as some of Invincible Spirit’s other stallion sons, but the Group 1 July Cup winner had an excellent Royal Ascot.

His best son Oxted added a second Group 1 to his CV in the King’s Stand Stakes, while his three-year-old son Rohaan, denied the opportunity to prove he is a bona fide Group 1 sprinter in the Commonwealth Cup because he lacks a crucial part of the male anatomy, took the Wokingham by storm.

Mayson also added a winner as a broodmare sire, even though his daughters have had just five runners so far.

The 2020 July Cup winner Oxted returned to form after a down-the-field run in Saudi Arabia and placed efforts in a Group 3 and a Group 2 at Newmarket and York.

Oxted was bred by Homestead Wealth Racing out of the Choisir mare Charlotte Rosina, one of two Group winners during the meeting for the recently retired stallion as a broodmare sire.

Charlotte Rosina has a three-year-old fullCieren Fallon celebrating winning the King’s Stand Stakes on Oxted (Mayson)

Frankie Dettori: “Palace Pier [centre] is one of the best horses in the world and everything went right. Thirty-one years ago I rode my first Royal Ascot winner on Markofdistinction in the Queen Anne. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then!”

horses in the world”.

The four-year-old colt was bred by Highclere Stud and Floors Farming out of the Nayef mare Beach Frolic, who was sold for 2.2m guineas at the 2020 Tattersalls December to MV Magnier following the untimely death of the tenth Duke of Roxburghe.

Beach Frolic has a three-year-old Camelot colt named Tiger Beetle, who has been placed on his three most recent starts for

trainer Sir Michael Stoute and owner King Power Racing, who paid 300,000gns for him through SackvilleDonald at Tattersalls October Book 2.

Her two-year-old colt from the first crop of Highland Reel was sold for 320,000gns to Jamie McCalmont at Book 1 last October and she has a yearling colt from the second crop of Almanzor.

She was amongst the elite first book of mares covered by Blue Point in 2020.

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royal ascot brother to Oxted named Chipstead, her most recent foal.

She was bought for £45,000 by Tom Malone at the 2019 Ascot November Sale and was covered by Cable Bay in 2020 and Blue Point this year.

Rohaan: a future Group 1 winner for Mayson?

Wokingham Stakes winner Rohaan looks to be a Group 1 winner in waiting for Mayson; his nose victory in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes over Dragon Symbol, first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup (G1), one of the best pieces of early sprinting form in 2021.

Amazingly, the 112-rated Rohaan started his handicapping career off a mark of just 55.

He was bought by David Evans and Martin Wanless for 20,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale after he been given two runs as a two-year-old by George Scott. With 12 further runs under his belt since October he is now rated 112.

He is out of the Acclamation mare Vive Les Rouges.

Amazingly, the 112-rated Rohaan started his handicapping career off a mark of just 55 Significantly, who is out of Rosebride by Mayson, is one of three winners from the five runners (so far) out of Mayson’s daughters and he took the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes for Karl Burke.

Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, one of a number of British breeders to enjoy Royal meeting success, he is by Garswood and is line bred 4x4 to the great Pivotal. He is also linebred 5x5 to Storm Bird and to Danzig.

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First-season sire one-two: the Profitable filly Quick Suzy (right) beats Twilight Gleaming (National Defense) in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes

The Invincible Spirit line also produced a 1-2 in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes through his first-season sire sons Profitable and National Defense.

Brazen Beau, a son of Invincible Spirit’s leading southern-hemisphere stallion son I Am Invincible, failed to ignite when shuttled to Dalham Hall by Darley for four seasons, but is enjoying something of a renaissance this year, led by the dual Listed winner Logo Hunter.

At Royal Ascot he sired the Group 3 Jersey Stakes third Vadream and the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes third Boonie, both out of Shamardal mares.

Commonwealth Cup: a family affair

Kodiac’s sons are helping him make up for lost time as a progenitor of stallions through the emergence of Kodi Bear last season and the lightning quick start made to his career in 2021 by Ardad.

Kodiac himself got on the Royal Ascot Group 1 score-sheet with the assistance of the stewards. They promoted Campanelle to first place in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over Dragon Symbol, who would have been a first Group 1 winner for Invincible

Spirit’s son Cable Bay. The Johnny Murtagh-trained Measure Of Magic took third place and she is from the first crop of Kodi Bear.

Campanelle was winning at a second successive Royal Ascot for Wesley Ward and Stonestreet Stables. Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, who have guided Kodiac from humble beginnings to the top table, Campanelle is out of the Namid mare Janina and was bought for 190,000gns by Ben McElroy at Book 1 in 2019.

Janina has not produced a foal since Campanelle, having been covered by Mehmas in 2019 and Galileo Gold last year.

Emulating his older half-brother Kodiac also had stallion sons sire a 1-2 in one of the meeting’s two-year-old Group contests.

First-season sire Ardad broke his Group race duck in the Norfolk Stakes – Perfect Power leading home Go Bears Go, who is from the second crop of Kodi Bear, in the 5f contest.

Young stallions emerge

The juvenile Group races gave younger stallions an opportunity to showcase their progeny and the first and season sires

royal ascot grabbed the chances afforded them.

As already mentioned Invincible Spirit’s sons Profitable and National Defense sired the first two home in the Queen Mary Stakes with Profitable’s daughter Quick Suzy providing her sire and her trainer Gavin Cromwell with first Royal Ascot winners.

Quick Suzy was bred by Oghill House Stud out of the Marju mare Snooze, a winner at three in Italy and a half-sister to Italian Listed winner Aria Di Festa.

The half-sisters have both provided firstseason sires with their first Group winners – Aria Di Festa is the dam of Aria Importante, a multiple Group winner at two and three by Twilight Son. Quick Suzy was sold by Cloney Stud to Aoife Dunphy at the Goffs Autumn Online Sale for just €20,000 and was sold privately to Eclipse Thoroughbreds following her success in a 6f Curragh maiden in May. Snooze has a yearling full-brother to Quick Suzy, a colt foal by Belardo and returned to Profitable this spring.

Profitable, himself a Royal Ascot winner courtesy of his success in the 2016 Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, has had eight winners at the time of writing.

Wesley Ward and Barbara Banke’s Twilight Gleaming, runner-up in the Queen Mary, was the most expensive yearling from the first crop of her sire, the Irish National Stud’s National Defense, winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at two.

The filly was bred by the Morrin brothers and sold by their Pier House Stud to Ben McElroy at Goffs Orby Sale at Doncaster for £75,000, she is the out of the Dansili mare Thames Pageant.

She bred by the Queen and is a half-sister to Reach For The Moon, who finished second in the Listed Chesham Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot 2021 for Her Majesty.

Ardad building on fast start

Kodiac’s son Ardad, himself winner of the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes in 2016, leads the European first-season sires’ table at the time of writing with 12 winners from 29 runners.

One of that dozen is the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes winner Perfect Power, another successful graduate bred by Tally-Ho Stud.

He was sold at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up in April for £110,000 to Blandford Bloodstock,

The result of the Commonwealth Cup was decided in the stewards’ room: the Cable Bay colt Dragon Symbol (right) was demoted from first place after causing interference to Campanelle

having failed to find a buyer at Book 2 last October.

He is the first foal out of Sagely by Frozen Power, an Oasis Dream half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Finsceal Beo. Sagely won over 1m2f at three and is out of Saga Celebre, a Peintre Celebre grand-daughter of Saga D’Ouilly, a Linamix full-sister to Group 1 Arc winner and sire Sagamix and to Sage Et Jolie, the Group 2 winning dam of Sageburg.

Sagely has a yearling filly by Ardad’s sire Kodiac.

Like his father before him, Ardad appears to be imparting speed into stouter pedigrees.

He also sired the Group 2 Coventry Stakes third Vintage Clarets for Perfect Power’s trainer Richard Fahey.

Ardad’s paternal half-sibling Kodi Bear is a year further into his stud career. His Norfolk Stakes runner-up Go Bears Go was bred by Finsceal Beo’s owner Micheal Ryan.

Kodi Bear also got the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes third Measure Of Magic from his first crop.

Havana Gold: Royal Ascot glory topping a fine season

Havana Gold’s biggest and best crop are two-year-olds of 2021 and they are certainly making their mark with 11 winners to date, just one fewer than Mehmas and Ardad.

Chipotle, winner of the Brocklesby for Eve Johnson-Houghton, took Royal Ascot’s Listed Windsor Castle Stakes for the Tweenhills Stud’s Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner.

Bred by Theakston Stud, Chipotle is the second successive winner of the race out of a mare by Makfi following Tactical in 2020.

He was bought for just 10,000gns as a yearling by his trainer and Highflyer Bloodstock having been bought back at 4,500gns as a foal by his breeders.

Chipotle is the second foal out of Lightsome, whose dam Aunty Mary is a Common Ground half-sister to Attraction, winner of five Group 1 races. Lightsome was covered by Havana Gold again in 2020.

Cotai Glory, second to Ardad in the firstseason sires’ table, was a Group 1 runner-up himself at Royal Ascot, and two of his sons gained second placings this year.

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royal ascot

Perfect Power (yellow, left) gave the first-season sire Ardad his first Group winner and first Royal Ascot success in the Norfolk Stakes (G2)

Eldrickjones was second to Berkshire Shadow in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, while Dig Two, who shares his broodmare sire with Perfect Power, filled the silver medal position in the Windsor Castle.

Second season sire success

Second-season sires Bobby’s Kitten, Awtaad and New Bay also registered their first Royal Ascot winners in 2021.

Awtaad and New Bay struck in threeyear-old handicaps – New Bay’s son Perotto upheld the family form by winning the Britannia Stakes for Marcus Tregoning and Halcyon Thoroughbreds.

Bred by China Horse Club he is the first foal out of Tschierschen, an Acclamation half-sister to Roodeye, the dam of last season’s Group 1 Sussex Stakes winner Mohaather and the second dam of Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Accidental Agent.

Halcyon Thoroughbreds and Tregoning, who had obviously liked what they had seen by last September of Perotto, reinvested into the next of Tschierschen progeny, a 2019-born colt by Showcasing. He cost for 30,000gns at the Goffs UK Premier Sale.

Awtaad’s daughter Create Belief won the Sandringham Stakes over a mile to give Johnny Murtagh his first Royal Ascot winner as a trainer.

Bred by Laurence Kennedy and sold

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by Moyfinn Stud at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to her trainer, Create Belief is the first foal out of Girl Of The Hour, a winning daughter of Makfi.

Her second dam American Spirit is a Rock Of Gibraltar half-sister to the Derby, Racing Post Trophy and Juddmonte International winner and sire Authorized.

Bred in Britain

Bobby’s Kitten, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner by Kitten’s Joy, stands at Lanwades Stud and recorded a notable victory in the Group 3 Albany Stakes. The winner Sandrine is from his second crop and is the first Group winner sired by him, and remarkably is the first Royal Ascot winner bred by Kirsten Rausing.

“I bought this filly’s fifth or sixth dam as a yearling at Goffs in 1976 and the family has been with me ever since,” she said. “Everything on her

catalogue page from top to bottom, we have bred at Lanwades.

“All my animals are homebred, so it gives me tremendous pleasure to keep the continuity. I also tend to support my own stallions, and this filly is Bobby’s Kitten’s first stakes winner, first Group winner, so we are thrilled with that.”

Sandrine is the second foal out of Seychelloise, a winning daughter of Pivotal and Starlit Sands, who was successful in the David Probart and Sandrine

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royal ascot Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg and second in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes.

Starlit Sands is by Oasis Dream and out of the Group 3-placed Shimmering Sea, a half-sister to the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Petoski.

Seychelloise has a yearling colt from the only crop of the ill-fated Roaring Lion and has a colt from the first crop of Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man, a stud mate of Bobby’s Kitten at Lanwades.

A good week for Cheveley Park

During an excellent meeting for British owners and breeders, Cheveley Park Stud enjoyed success in all facets of their business.

As owners the red, white and blue silks were carried to success in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes by Indie Angel, a daughter of Dark Angel and Listed winner Indigo Lady, a daughter of Sir Percy, an another Lanwades-based stallion.

Bred by Ringfort Stud and Paul Hancock Indie Angel was bought by Capital Bloodstock for 600,000gns at the 2017 Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

Indigo Lady has a two-year-old Churchill half-sister named Miss Clementine, who cost Ed Dunlop and BBA Ireland 90,000gns at Book 2 and a half-sister from the first crop of Blue Point.

Cheveley Park also bred the Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner Berkshire Shadow,

another one of the three winners by Dark Angel at the meeting.

Berkshire Shadow is the second foal out of Angel Vision, a winning Oasis Dream daughter of the brilliant racemare Islington.

She was purchased by Cheveley Park Stud for 600,000gns from the Ballymacoll dispersal in 2017.

Andrew Balding bought Berkshire Shadow for 40,000gns from Cheveley Park Stud at Book 1. Angel Vision was covered by Iffraaj this spring.

The Cheveley Park stallions past and present also brought much glory to the farm.

We have already reviewed Mayson’s exploits, but Pivotal, who was retired this spring at the age of 28, was the meeting’s

Breeders enjoy great week with broodmare sire Danehill Dancer

D

ANEHILL DANCER’s reputation as a broodmare sire of note predated this year’s Royal Ascot meeting as the 15 individual Group 1 winners out of his daughters indicates.

Almost half of those are by Galileo and the pair’s rapport with each other is long established – the cross has produced a ratio of 25 per cent winners to runners.

At Royal Ascot 2021, Danehill Dancer’s success as a broodmare sire was facilitated by sons of Galileo – the Group 1 winners Australia and Gleneagles, who stand alongside their father at Coolmore, and the wins came in successive races.

First up for Danehill Dancer’s daughters was Loving Dream in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, a first homebred Royal Ascot winner for Trevor and Libby Harris of Lordship Stud.

“We’ve never had a homebred Royal Ascot winner before,” explained Libby Harris. “It has taken

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a long time to come so this is a very, very special moment. It really is. It was unbelievable really, the way she battled on, galloped, always quickened when the other horse came to her, she was so game and genuine, it’s just fantastic to see that.”

Loving Dream is a half-sister to the Grade 1 American Oaks third Amandine (Shamardal) and they are out of Kissable, who was a Listed winner and placed in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

She is from a fine Juddmonte family as a daughter of Kitty O’Shea, herself a Listed winner and a full-sister to the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy and St Leger winner Brian Boru and to Soviet Moon, the unraced dam of Derby and Arc hero Workforce by King’s Best.

Another of her full-sisters Kushnarenkova is the dam of the triple Group 1 winner Best Solution, a son of Kodiac, who stands at Gestüt Auenquelle following successes which included a win in

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The Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup winner Subjectivist and groom David Hickin

the Caulfield Cup. Kissable is a three-parts sister to the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes winner and young Burgage Stud sire Sea Moon.

Kissable cost 180,000gns at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale and has a two-year-old Sea The Stars filly named Five Star, who was bought by Mark Johnston for 48,000gns from New England Stud at Tattersalls October Book 2.

She foaled a full-brother to Five Star this spring and her yearling is

by Camelot.

Subjectivist dethroned Stradivarius and derailed his bid to join Yeats with a record-equalling four Ascot Gold Cup victories.

The four-year-old son of Teofilo was backing up success in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak last year and the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in March for owner Dr Jim

royal ascot most successful broodmare sire with his daughters producing the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Love, the Group 2 Queen’s Vase Kemari, and the one-two in the Group 3 Albany Stakes as Sandrine and Hello You are out of Pivotal mares.

Garswood now stands in France at Haras de la Huderie, but began his stud career at his birthplace of Cheveley Park Stud. He is sire of the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes winner Significantly, who has Cheveley Park’s Mayson as his broodmare sire.

Significantly was the second winner of the week bred by the Thompsons.

Saturday’s Wokingham Stakes also produced a 1,2,3 success for the Newmarket farm’s stallions as winner Rohaan, already

Walker and trainer Johnston.

Bred by Susan Hearn at Mascalls Stud in Essex, he is also out of the Danehill Dancer mare Reckoning, who was bought at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

Hearn paid 160,000gns for the mare, who is from the family of the Eclipse and Irish Derby runnerup and now successful NH sire Sholokov, and Soldier Of Fortune.

She won over a mile as a twoyear-old, and was second once and third twice in three 1m2f Listed races for trainer Jeremy Noseda.

Reckoning has produced three black-type performers from four runners with the 2016-born Sir Ron Priestley, by Australia and still an entire, also with Group 1 form to his name. He finished third in the Group 1 St Leger in 2019, and this season has won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes and Listed Further Flight Stakes, also for Johnston. He beat three home in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes behind Wonderful Tonight.

Reckoning’s three-year-old Muhaarar filly Alba Rose races in the same silks as Subjectivist and is a third sibling trained by Johnston, who bought her for 100,000gns at

During an excellent meeting for British owners and breeders, Cheveley Park Stud enjoyed success in all facets of their business

Book 2 in 2019.

She was third in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes last season and holds an entry in the Irish Oaks.

Susan Hearn bought back Reckoning’s two-year-old Ulysses filly for 140,000gns at Book 2 and she has joined her half-siblings in Yorkshire.

Reckoning has a yearling colt from the only crop of Roaring Lion and was covered by Too Darn Hot in 2020.

Hearn’s husband Barry, who runs events such as the World Snooker Championship, spoke afterwards of his pride in his wife’s achievements.

“To have the character to stand your ground and say, ‘I love this business, I love the horses I breed,’ is fantastic. Susan has had the nerve to stick with a very tough game and days like today make it worthwhile.

I am very proud of her.”

D

ANEHILL DANCER’S son Choisir, the first Australian horse to win the King’s Stand Stakes, then a Group 2, and the Group 1 Golden (now Diamond Jubilee) Stakes was also the broodmare sire

a Group 2 and 3 winner in 2020, is a son of Mayson, while the second and third – Fresh and King’s Lynn – have Kyllachy as their damsires.

A Wonderful Hardwicke Stakes

Chris Wright did not breed his Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes winner Wonderful Tonight at his Stratford Place Stud, but the Le Havre filly, a dual Group 1 winner last season, will join the music mogul’s broodmare band when her racing days are over.

Her owner was another prominent British breeder seeing his silks carried to victory for the first time at the Royal meeting and

of two Group winners at Royal Ascot 2021: fellow King’s Stand winner Oxted and Jersey Stakes winner Creative Force.

Choisir was retired at the end of the 2020 southern-hemisphere breeding season.

Choisir shuttled for eight seasons to Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud, more than enough time to leave an important legacy.

Oxted is one of four individual Group 1 winners so far out of Choisir’s daughters and they include the four-time Group 1-winning miler Winter. Three of those four winners have emulated their damsire by winning a Group 1 at Royal Ascot.

Choisir’s daughter Choose Me has proven herself a producer of note for John Tuthill’s Owenstown Stud and this year’s Group 3 Jersey Stakes winner Creative Force (Dubawi) is the third stakes winner that she has produced so far.

Choose Me was bred by Tuthill’s late Aunt Averil Power out of the Hector Protector mare Hecuba (Hector Protector), a purchase from Juddmonte, who won the Listed Fairy Bridge Stakes over 7f at Tipperary and was placed at

Group 2 and Group 3 level for the family.

Retired back to her birthplace outside Maynooth, she has produced six winners from six runners to date.

Her best performer so far is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Persuasive, a daughter of Dark Angel, who was bought by Cheveley Park Stud at the 2014 Goffs Orby Sale for €140,000.

She is also the dam of Listed Sandown Distaff Stakes winner Tisbutadream (Dream Ahead).

On the back of Persuasive’s exploits in Group 1 company Choose Me was sent to Dubawi in 2017.

The resulting foal is Creative Force, who was sold by Owenstown to Godolphin for €400,000 at Goffs’ Orby Sale in 2019.

Tuthill sent Choose Me back to Dark Angel in 2018 and she has a two-year-old colt by him who was bought for 100,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale by Sackville Donald.

Her final foal is a yearling fullsister to Persuasive, who may be retained by Tuthill for Owenstown’s broodmare band.

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royal ascot Wright was overwhelmed by the magnitude of Wonderful Tonight’s success.

“I have been running horses here for 40 years, almost every year at least one, sometimes several,” he recalled. “I’ve never ever had a winner at Royal Ascot – lots of seconds, lots of very good horses.

“Culture Vulture, who won a Classic, was second twice, but I’ve never had a winner here. I almost can’t believe it!

“It means everything, actually. There are winners and winners, but a Royal Ascot winner… I’ve won a lot of very good races, but to win at Royal Ascot is like I’ve died and gone to heaven!”

Wonderful Tonight was bred by Ecurie la Cauviniere and sold by Anna Sundstrom’s Coulonces Sales to trainer David Menuisier and Crispin de Moubray for €40,000 at Arqana’s 2018 August Yearling Sale.

She is out of Salvation, a winning daughter of Montjeu and the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Birdie, who is an Alhaarth halfsister to Fickle, the second dam of the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Derby winner Camelot (Montjeu).

Salvation is also the dam of the Listed Forever Together Stakes winner Penjade (Air Chief Marshall) and has a three-yearold full-sister to Wonderful Tonight named Chuppy, who has made just one start so far for Fabrice Chappet.

Her two-year-old and yearlings are both

by Recorder with the juvenile colt named Ak Ishan, also in training with Fabrice Chappet.

Acclamation: broodmare laurels

Rathbarry Stud’s stalwart has enjoyed an excellent spell recently with his sons and grandsons adding to their success and the old man getting in on the act too.

At Royal Ascot he added another string to his bow, as a broodmare sire, matching the outstanding Pivotal on three winners.

He looks to have an exciting prospect in Point Lonsdale, who gave Australia his 19th individual stakes winner when justifying favouritism in the Listed Chesham Stakes.

Bred by the Brosnan’s Epona Bloodstock and sold by their Croom House Stud to MV Magnier at Book 1 last year for 575,000gns he is a full-brother to Broome, who chased Wonderful Tonight home in

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the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.

The five-year-old Broome is from Australia’s first crop and was placed in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at two.

As a three-year-old he won the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and was fourth to Anthony Van Dyck in the Derby.

Both he and Point Lonsdale are the best two performers from the five winners produced so far by Sweepstake, a daughter of Acclamation who won the Listed National Stakes at Sandown, was second in the Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland and third in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes.

Her dam Dust Flicker is a Suave Dancer full-sister to Group 3 Prix de la Nonette winner Dust Dancer, the second dam of Group 1 winner and stallion Zoffany.

Point Lonsdale is the 22nd stakes winner out of Acclamation’s daughters, who have three black-type winners from six runners by Australia.

Dark Angel tied at the top

Acclamation’s son Dark Angel has surpassed his Dad’s achievements as a stallion with more Group 1 winners than him and he

ended Royal Ascot 2021 tied with Frankel with three winners through the week.

A pair of Dark Angel Group 2 winners, including in the highly influential Coventry Stakes, was supplemented by the victory in the Royal Hunt Cup of Real World.

All three horses were notable also for their connections to major breeding operations.

Indie Angel is owed by Cheveley Park Stud and Berkshire Shadow was bred by Newmarket farm, while the four-year-old Real World is owned and bred by Godolphin.

He is out of Nafura, a Dubawi half-sister to the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner and sire Dubai Destination and Librettist, who won the Group 1 Prix du Moulin and Prix Jacques le Marois.

Nafura is the dam of this season’s Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Dubai Fountain (Teofilo). She has a two-year-old Profitable colt named Home City, who has made two starts for Saeed Bin Suroor, including in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.

Art Power was once again knocking on the door in a big sprint with King Power’s four-year-old Dark Angel colt finishing third in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, less than 2l behind Dream Of Dreams.

The tough filly Love won one of the races of the week, the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes

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INDEX Wins Against Replacement: looks at the performance vs an average performance expected by a horse, jockey or trainer based on the field sizes of the races they have been running in. For example, based on field size a horse in a 10 runner field has a 1/10 chance or 10% win probability Wins Against Expectation: calculated the win expectancy of horses based on their Betfair starting price. For example a horse sent off Evens or 2.0 has a 50% win probability based on market price. %Rivals Beaten: looks at the % rivals beaten in a race. It is a better measurement of racing performance as it looks across all positions in a race and as such gives more depth than traditional metrics like Win % or Place %

Finding a path through the Pattern after Royal Ascot Tom Wilson takes a look at the stats to see how horses and trainers fare with older horses and juveniles as the Flat Turf season rolls on after the Royal meeting

I

N MANY WAYS, Royal Ascot signifies the start of a new chapter in the UK and Irish Flat season.

It’s reveals the emergence of the juvenile crop from infancy into something more. The vitality of youth in equine form.

Raw speed, energy and precocity becomes harnessed into the first etchings of greatness via the fields of the Norfolk, the Coventry, the Albany.

It also turns the page from three-year-old Classic competition into open battle.

Onwards then to the heaths of Newmarket, the July Cup on the Bunbury Mile, a meeting place for the best sprinters, young and old, gelded or entires.

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The colours of Ascot winners Rohaan, Creative Force, Alcohol Free, Oxted will be seen in a frantic gallop down the July Course; each race a chance to write a new story, one for the ages, into the journals of the Pattern.

And so post-Ascot, where do the stories begin?

Out of darkness and into light

The Eclipse meeting at Sandown attracts the highest proportion of runners from the Royal Ascot meeting.

The Eclipse is framed by the outline of Royal Ascot and it is Berkshire rather than Surrey that provides the lineage towards Sandown’s finest Flat meeting.

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We’ve seen 15 of the last 24 winners of the Eclipse coming directly from Royal Ascot, compared to five from 24 coming from the Epsom Derby.

Nine winners have eminated from the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, three from the Queen Anne Stakes, two from the St James’ Palace and one winner from the Hardwicke Stakes.

Then onwards to York and the Juddmonte International where 10/22 Eclipse winners have run subsequently, or back to Ascot for the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Eclipse meeting at Sandown of all the major Festival meetings attracts the most post-Royal Ascot runners.

In total, 6.8 per cent of all Royal Ascot runners since 2010

have gone on to run at the Eclipse meeting on their next start, followed by 6.4 per cent of runners following up at Glorious Goodwood and 5.4 per cent heading to the John Smiths Cup meeting at York.

Performance review

Let’s take a look at how Royal Ascot runners perform at the subsequent large Flat racing Festival meetings over the course of the season.

It may be the smallest sample, but runners heading to the Galway Festival have the best performance on the figures – 14.7 per cent winners across all runners, but a nice over-performance of +7.31 wins against replacement (WAR)

post-Royal Ascot stats 1st start after running at Royal Ascot Meeting Non-major festival

Runs

% of total runs

3,030

67.3

Sandown Eclipse

306

6.8

Glorious Goodwood

287

6.4

York John Smiths Cup

243

5.4

Ascot King George

193

4.3

York Ebor

157

3.5

Newmarket July

65

1.4

Doncaster St Leger

51

1.1

Newmarket Cambridgeshire

47

1

Galway Festival

39

0.9

Haydock Rose of Lancaster

32

0.7

Ascot Champions Day

22

0.5

Ary Scottish Gold Cup

19

0.4

Newbury Dubai Duty Free

13

0.3

and +1.31 wins above market expectations (WAX) per 100 runners.

Willie Mullins boasts a strong record with his dual Royal Ascot and Galway Festival performers.

Holding a 30.3 per cent win record with all runners since 2010, for a 4/13 record overall.

On that basis, his runners could be worth noting and any Galway entries for his Royal Ascot cohort this year – Stratum, M C Muldoon, Saldier, Rayapour and Royal Illusion.

A special note to avoid the Ballydoyle runners that are doing the Ascot-Galway double header.

O’Brien’s runners are 0/15 since 2010 (-1.54 WAX), whilst Joseph O’Brien is faring little better with his charges starting off with a 0/5 return.

Dermot Weld is the perennial “man of Galway Festival” so there should be no surprise if he boasts an impressive record.

His Ascot runners are 3/5 when pitching up at the Galway

Festival following a run at Royal Ascot – Ghimaar won in 2008 and 2009, followed by Stunning View winning the Galway Mile Handicap in 2011.

Check the chances of Falcon Eight and Dalton Highway if they end up running down th Connacht in July.

Tiggy Wiggy (above) and Happy Romance both went on from Royal Ascot to Weatherbys Super Sprint success

Carrying the Royal Ascot form to Newbury?

Of all the summer Flat racing festivals it’s the Dubai Duty Free meeting at Newbury in July that appears to be the most influenced by Royal Ascot form.

In 2020 we saw sparkling performances from Happy Romance when winning the Super Sprint following a fifth place in the Queen Mary.

It was a path previously taken

by Richard Hannon Jnr with Tiggy Wiggy, who followed up her second place in the Queen Mary with a win in the Super Sprint in 2014.

Back to 2020 we saw the

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post-Royal Ascot stats William Haggas-trained Naharr win the bet365 Handicap following a third in the Wokingham.

And right back in 2016 we saw The Tin Man saunter down that well-trodden path winning the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes, following a fifth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

At Newbury, it’s the two-yearolds who do the real damage here, with post-Ascot juveniles holding a 7/36 19.44 per cent Win SR, 44.1 per cent Rivals Beaten^2 record when following on.

They’re +2.31 wins above market expectation since 2010, with seven wins compared to 4.69 expected by the market (based on Betfair’s starting price).

How do the Royal Ascot 2yos fare?

Let’s take a look at how the younger crop from the Royal meeting progresses over the season, based on their postAscot runs.

Perhaps, unsurprisingly, it is the Ballydoyle juveniles who showcase the most impressive post-Royal Ascot performance on official ratings.

We analysed the proportion of Ascot-entered juveniles who subsequently went on to achieve ratings above thresholds of 80, 90 and 100.

Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old roster includes such luminaries as Churchill and Caravaggio, but across the entire Ascot crop the horses show impressive performance levels.

Of his 71 two-year-olds who have run at Royal Ascot since 2010, 30 have gone on to be rated 100+ in their juvenile season (42.25 per cent), 42 have gone on to be rated above 90

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(59.20 per cent), with 44 rated above 80 (62%).

Haggas Ascot 2yos win all at York

Trainer Simon Crisford boasts an 83 per cent winners to runners ratio with Royal Ascot juveniles in their subsequent outings

Royal Ascot 2-y-os: winners-to-runners by trainer post Royal Ascot Trainer

Wnrs

Rnrs

Wnrs to Rnrs

Simon Crisford

6

5

83.3

James Tate

9

7

77.7

Keith Dalgleish

10

7

70.0

Roger Varian

13

9

69.2

Archie Watson

19

13

68.4

Aidan O’Brien

71

46

64.7

Alan Bailey Saeed Bin Suroor

7

4

57.1

16

9

56.2

Richard Fahey

42

23

54.7

Andrew Balding

13

7

53.8

David O’Meara

13

7

53.8

John Gosden

15

8

53.3

William Haggas

19

10

52.6

Charles Hills

22

11

50.0

James Given

14

7

50.0

Paul Cole

16

6

50.0

David Brown

8

4

50.0

Ralph Beckett

6

3

50.0

Mrs John Harrington Mick Channon

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6

3

50.0

39

19

48.7

It is worth paying special attention to the William Haggas two-year-olds who are sent north to York subsequent to a Royal Ascot entry.

They boast a 7/11 record, performing with astonishing returns of 2/2 at York’s John Smith’s Cup meeting and 5/9 at the York Ebor meeting.

It’s a trick we saw Haggas employing when sending Royal Mezhan to win a maiden at York after finishing fifth in the Norfolk in 2013.

The same path from the Norfolk to a York maiden was plotted for Ajaya in 2015, and we also saw Mubtaghaa win the Premier Yearling Stakes at the Ebor meeting for Haggas after a third place in the Windsor Castle two runs prior.

But perhaps the finest example of Haggas’ race planning from Royal Ascot to York was the winning performance of Approve, winner of the 2010 Gimcrack Stakes after success in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot two races prior.

Casting the net wider

Charlie Appleby does well with the younger horses that he sends both to Royal Ascot and the Newmarket Cambridgeshire meeting, they’re 3/5 and have a 68 per cent %RB^2 record at the Suffolk track.

Andrew Balding’s post-Ascot juveniles are worth considering, if you see them entered outside of the larger tracks or big festival meetings.

Those running in lower key events have a 7/18, 38.89 per

post-Royal Ascot stats cent record since 2010.

Also worth noting are the charges of Simon Crisford who are 5/8 62.5 per cent, 85.2 %RB^2 . +6.35pts when entered in lower-key contests.

Fahey’s two-year-olds are always worth following postRoyal Ascot, even if it is an aspect that is well known by the market.

Fahey’s younger horses have a 21/93 22.5 per cent, 53.9 per cent RB^2, +33.07pts record when entered outside of big festival meetings over the rest of the Flat season that year.

The Newmarket-based George Margarson has an impressive record with his two-year-olds post-Royal Ascot, and these may go under the radar.

He’s 3/9 33 per cent, 55.2 per cent RB^2, +26.10pts with juveniles going on to be entered in non-major races post Ascot.

Northern trainer Kevin Ryan is an impressive trainer with the younger horses overall and his record stacks up with an 8/34 record in non-major races for juveniles post Royal Ascot.

Charlie Appleby does well with the younger horses that he sends both to Royal Ascot and the Newmarket Cambridgeshire meeting

Trainer seasonal records with their Royal Ascot horses

To conclude let’s bring together the entire post-season records of trainers with their Royal Ascot runners.

The data included is from 2010 and is taken from all trainers runners from Royal

Ascot up to the end of the Flat season at Doncaster in late October / early November.

Sir Mark Prescott’s Royal Ascot runners stand out with a record of 15/49 30.61 per cent +37.58 Betfair SP and 5.89 Wins Above Market Expectation (WAX).

A high profile example of Sir Mark’s would be that of the 2015 Nunthorpe winner Marsha, winning by a nose in the famous finish with Lady Aurelia, three runs after a third in the King’s Stand Stakes.

Also keep an eye on the runners of Marcus Tregoning (10/44 22.73 per cent), Dean Ivory (16/75 21.33per cent) over the course of the rest of the season.

Royal Ascot: 2yo runners and their subsequent achieved official ratings in their 2yo season Trainer

2-y-o runners

Rated > 100

% >100

Rated > 90

% > 90

Rated > 80

% > 80

Aidan O’Brien

71

30

42.2

42

59.2

44

62.0

Mark Johnston

67

14

20.9

34

50.7

48

71.6

Richard Hannon

48

11

22.9

25

52.1

33

68.8

Richard Hannon (Jr)

47

12

25.5

24

51.1

34

72.3

Richard Fahey

42

7

16.6

15

35.7

27

64.3

Mick Channon

39

8

20.5

18

46.2

28

71.8

Tom Dascombe

27

4

14.8

13

48.1

16

59.3

Charles Hills

22

4

18.1

8

36.4

17

77.3

Charlie Appleby

21

7

33.3

12

57.1

14

66.7

William Haggas

19

7

36.8

10

52.6

13

68.4

Archie Watson

19

3

15.7

8

42.1

14

73.7

Kevin Ryan

18

5

27.7

8

44.4

12

66.7

Brian Meehan

16

2

12.5

4

25.0

9

56.3

Saeed Bin Suroor

16

5

31.2

8

50.0

8

50.0

Clive Cox

15

2

13.3

6

40.0

6

40.0

John Gosden

15

3

20.0

9

6.00

13

86.7

James Given

14

1

7.1

3

21.4

6

42.9

Stan Moore

14

0

0

1

7.1

3

21.4

Andrew Balding

13

1

7.6

2

15.4

3

23.1

David Evans

13

1

7.6

3

23.1

5

38.5

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stallion stats Leading European Flat sires 2021: (by prize-money earned to June 21, 2021) Stallion

Breeding

Galileo Frankel Siyouni Lope de Vega Dubawi Sea The Stars Dark Angel Kendargent Kingman Zoffany Le Havre Wootton Bassett Australia Mayson Kodiac Invincible Spirit Dandy Man Dream Ahead Dawn Approach Gleneagles Iffraaj Acclamation Camelot No Nay Never Footstepsinthesand Showcasing Dabirsim Anodin Rajsaman Oasis Dream Night of Thunder Cable Bay Intello Mastercraftsman Exceed And Excel Mehmas Teofilo Shamardal Rio de La Plata Galiway Toronado Bated Breath Nathaniel Charm Spirit Olympic Glory New Approach Elusive City Penny’s Picnic

Sadler’s Wells-Urban Sea (Miswaki) 2002 150 Galileo-Kind (Danehill) 2013 165 Pivotal-Sichilla (Danehill) 2011 199 Shamardal-Lady Vettori (Vettori) 2011 207 Dubai Millennium-Zomaradah (Deploy) 2006 154 Cape Cross-Urban Sea (Miswaki) 2010 148 Acclamation-Midnight Angel (Machiavellian) 2008 267 Kendor-Pax Bella (Linamix) 2008 139 Invincible Spirit-Zenda (Zamindar) 2015 135 Dansili-Tyranny (Machiavellian) 2012 237 Noverre-Marie Rheinberg (Surako) 2010 145 Iffraaj-Balladonia (Primo Dominie) 2012 112 Galileo-Ouija Board (Cape Cross) 2015 109 Invincible Spirit-Mayleaf (Pivotal) 2013 141 Danehill-Rafha (Kris) 2007 303 Green Desert-Rafha (Kris) 2003 155 Mozart-Lady Alexander (Night Shift) 2010 198 Diktat-Land of Dreams (Cadeaux Genereux) 2012 112 New Approach-Hymn of the Dawn (Phone Trick) 2014 104 Galileo-You’resothrilling (Storm Cat) 2016 107 Zafonic-Pastorale (Nureyev) 2007 166 Royal Applause-Princess Athena (Ahonoora) 2004 153 Montjeu-Tarfah (Kingmambo) 2014 167 Scat Daddy-Cat’s Eye Witness (Elusive Quality) 2015 113 Giant’s Causeway-Glatisant (Rainbow Quest) 2006 171 Oasis Dream-Arabesque (Zafonic) 2011 175 Hat Trick-Rumored (Royal Academy) 2014 176 Anabaa-Born Gold (Blushing Groom) 2015 95 Linamix-Rose Quartz (Lammtarra) 2013 138 Green Desert-Hope (Dancing Brave) 2004 146 Dubawi-Forest Storm (Galileo) 2016 85 Invincible Spirit-Rose de France (Diktat) 2016 78 Galileo-Impressionnante (Danehill) 2014 120 Danehill Dancer-Starlight Dreams (Black Tie Affair) 2010 144 Danehill-Patrona (Lomond) 2005 139 Acclamation-Lucina (Machiavellian) 2017 137 Galileo-Speirbhean (Danehill) 2008 100 Giant’s Causeway-Helsinki (Machiavellian) 2005 92 Rahy-Express Way (Ahmad) 2013 75 Galileo-Danzigaway (Danehill) 2016 29 High Chaparral-Wana Doo (Grand Slam) 2015 108 Dansili-Tantina (Distant View) 2013 134 Galileo-Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk) 2013 100 Invincible Spirit-L’Enjoleuse (Montjeu) 2015 106 Choisir-Acidanthera (Alzao) 2015 102 Galileo-Park Express (Ahonoora) 2009 91 Elusive Quality-Star of Paris (Dayjur) 2005 93 Kheleyf-Zerky (Kingmambo) 2014 80

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To Stud

Courtesy of Weatherbys Rnrs

Runs 366 429 580 640 414 414 880 546 350 715 455 377 324 524 985 541 752 326 322 297 539 549 476 308 567 543 587 421 576 513 232 270 351 443 529 386 269 273 339 105 395 449 294 417 343 276 381 304

Wnrs 40 61 49 70 60 61 78 48 42 62 45 44 31 46 69 47 58 30 25 41 45 47 42 32 38 47 39 36 33 42 26 23 28 38 50 46 23 34 23 10 35 45 27 32 28 23 21 17

Wins 48 88 59 87 92 82 97 65 53 72 52 57 52 63 84 63 79 37 31 50 57 61 47 40 58 65 46 42 43 55 40 32 37 47 64 58 28 39 36 12 43 55 32 40 36 29 26 26

Wnrs/Rnrs% SWnrs SWs 26.66 36.96 24.62 33.81 38.96 41.21 29.21 34.53 31.11 26.16 31.03 39.28 28.44 32.62 22.77 30.32 29.29 26.78 24.03 38.31 27.10 30.71 25.14 28.31 22.22 26.85 22.15 37.89 23.91 28.76 30.58 29.48 23.33 26.38 35.97 33.57 23.00 36.95 30.66 34.48 32.40 33.58 27.00 30.18 27.45 25.27 22.58 21.25

£

10 12 2,521,594 11 12 2,321,493 5 7 2,115,780 8 8 1,806,063 11 12 1,728,204 10 11 1,716,435 6 6 1,713,874 3 6 1,565,292 7 9 1,337,610 5 5 1,321,253 3 3 1,193,532 2 2 1,154,521 7 11 1,081,847 3 4 935,190 1 1 929,804 1 1 871,768 4 4 841,896 1 2 800,479 2 4 797,107 5 5 770,759 4 4 759,168 3 4 732,944 4 4 727,588 3 4 725,821 2 3 720,706 1 1 694,418 0 0 690,892 0 0 686,611 0 0 681,017 2 3 678,308 3 4 671,778 4 4 663,905 2 2 660,878 1 1 646,547 2 3 643,274 5 5 637,730 3 3 635,740 4 4 634,286 3 4 630,848 2 2 606,765 2 2 602,956 2 2 586,733 3 3 567,909 1 1 565,070 1 1 556,005 1 1 513,372 0 0 505,920 1 1 495,894

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ZAAKI winner of Doomben Cup, Gr. 1 purchased as a horse in training at Tattersalls for 150,000 gns

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classic review

Snow arrived in June Jocelyn de Moubray reviews the early Classics and while he rates Snowfall as a brilliant winner of the Oaks and St Mark’s Basilica the best colt in Europe, for now, he is reserving judgement on the quality of Adayar’s Derby win mainly due to the dearth of British middle-distance form

I

RISH-TRAINED HORSES have dominated Europe’s major Classic races in 2021. Of the nine run in England, Ireland and France, at the time of writing, seven have been won

by Irish-trained horses, and five of these by Aidan O’Brien.

The official handicappers may not yet agree, but Coolmore’s St Mark’s Basilica has established himself as the leader of the Classic generation.

The son of Siyouni has won three Group 1s on his three latest starts following up his victory in the Dewhurst last autumn by completing the French Classic double of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and the Prix du Jockey-Club and becoming the fourth horse to do the spring double after Shamardal, Lope De Vega and Brametot.

At Chantilly, St Mark Basilica, the best two-year-old in Britain and Ireland, defeated Sealiway, France’s champion two-year-old, with the improving and very promising Millebosc and Saiydabad following them home in a result which fits easily into a pattern established by the best Classic races.

Siyouni, who stands at the Aga Khan Studs at Bonneval in Normandy, has become the clear leader among the Classic sires of the younger generation.

St Mark’s Basilica is his fifth Classic

38

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The official handicappers may not yet agree, but Coolmore’s St Mark’s Basilica has established himself as the leader of the Classic generation winner from only seven crops of three-yearolds to race, the first four of which were conceived at a €7,000 covering fee.

The colts who chased home St Mark’s Basilica in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains were not those the market had predicted, but the winner more than proved his quality when completing his Classic double at Chantilly.

If the hierarchy among Europe’s colts is yet to be fully established, anyone who has been paying attention would agree that Coolmore’s Snowfall is the best filly of her generation.

If her win in the Muisdora Stakes was difficult to judge at the time, Snowfall’s brilliant 16l victory in the Oaks at Epsom made it clear that the O’Brien-trained daughter of Deep Impact is a champion and in all likelihood a great champion – Snowfall’s final sectional time splits as she raced clear of the field were remarkable.

Equally surprising is Deep Impact’s success in Europe as Snowfall is the Shadai stallion’s fourth European Classic winner from fewer than 40 three-year-old runners in Europe.

Juddmonte’s Frankel sired his third Classic winner when Ayadar won the Derby, from his first five crops to race.

The Derby was an exception among this year’s Classic races for colts, and in reality its result presents a puzzle.

The other colts’ Classics featured some of the leading two-year-olds of 2020 as the juvenile Group winners Poetic Flare, Master Of The Seas and Lucky Vega had finished in a line in the 2,000 Guineas, while the two-year-old Group 1 winner Mac Swinney defeated Poetic Flare and another Group 1

After a pre-Epsom week of old-fashioned jockey swapping, Adam Kirby, who got back on Adayar having lost his intended ride on John Leeper to Frankie Dettori, gave the son of Frankel a brilliant ride to win the Epsom Derby

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39

classic review If the hierarchy among Europe’s colts is yet to be fully established anyone who has been paying attention would agree that Coolmore’s Snowfall is the best filly of her generation. If her win in the Muisdora Stakes was difficult to judge at the time, her brilliant 16l victory in the Oaks at Epsom made it clear that the O’Brien-trained daughter of Deep Impact is a champion and in all likelihood a great champion – her final sectional time splits as she raced clear of the field were remarkable.

Equally surprising is Deep Impact’s success in Europe as Snowfall is the Shadai stallion’s fourth European Classic winner from less than 40 three-year-old runners in Europe.

The Derby was an exception among this year’s Classic races for colts, and in reality its result presents a puzzle.

The other colts’ Classics featured some of the leading two-year-olds of 2020 as the juvenile Group winners Poetic Flare,

A delighted Dettori winning the Oaks on Snowfall. The grand-daughter of Red Evie was Deep Impact’s third European Classic winner after Saxon Warrior and Beauty Parlour

40

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Snowfall’s brilliant 16l victory in the Oaks at Epsom made it clear that the O’Brien-trained daughter of Deep Impact is a champion and in all likelihood a great champion

Master of the Seas and Lucky Vega finished in a in line in the 2.000 Guineas, while the two-year-old Group 1 winner Mac Swiney defeated Poetic Flare and another Group 1 winner and another group 1 winner Van Gogh in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Godolphin’s Adayar won the Derby very impressively giving his breeder and trainer Charlie Appleby their second Derby in the last four years.

The son of Frankel was travelling almost the best of all of the runners from the start.

When Adam Kirby asked him to quicken past the early leader Gear Up at the beginning of the straight the race was over as a contest, within a 100yds or so the pair were clear of their rivals.

T

HE TWICE-RACED maiden Mojo Star came through to take second, four and a half lengths behind Adayar, with Godolphin’s Hurricane Lane finishing third a further three and a quarter lengths behind.

None of the other runners ever looked like mounting a challenge and Bolshoi Ballet, the short-priced favourite and the only O’Brientrained contender, was one the first beaten.

Some commentators saw this as a brilliant performance from a future middle-distance star, an assessment the official handicappers appear to share.

However, neither the winner nor the second were expected to perform to this level beforehand; both were available to be backed at 50-1 on the morning of the race.

No handicap or rating system is of much interest if it is not predictive as well as explanatory and a high-rating for Adayar has to be speculative at this stage of his career.

The problem with the Derby in England, as well, of course, with the Irish Derby, is that so very few of those who breed, sell, train and race thoroughbreds are in reality trying to win the race.

In North America, even if there are many fewer middle-distance races now than was the case 20 or 30 years ago, all of those spending the money still dream of finding a two-turn horse.

Those US-based sires, sales, breeders and trainers who produce top-class two-turn

classic review horses, capable of running over further than a mile on Dirt, are rewarded not by just one of two big prizes and clients, but by a sustained demand for their horses.

In Britain and Ireland this is simply not the case.

As UK and Irish breeders and the commercial market is ever more focused on speed and precocity it is hardly surprising that middle-distance races are less competitive.

There are simply fewer and fewer horses in Britain and Ireland capable of competing over 1m2f and further before the beginning of June as three-year-olds.

It is not the ambition of British and Irish breeders, nor the aim of most trainers... and it shows.

Throughout the spring in England any maiden or allowance race over 1m2f or further attracts a small and more often than not uncompetitive field.

The depth of competition is not there which means that the trial races are rarely a test and horses arrive at Epsom lacking in experience, and in many cases untested.

In the circumstances it is hardly surprising that recent years have seen plenty of longpriced winners, as well as finishes with wide margins as it is the nature of Epsom’s track to magnify the differences in ability other courses can hide or camouflage.

Classic races are Classic races because they are the races that, supposedly, breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys want to win, and the winners of these races are then logically selected to produce future generations.

The moment the desire to win these races is no longer there, the rest of the equation fails to add up, and the races themselves will sooner or later lose their appeal and interest as a spectacle.

Adayar certainly has the type of pedigree you could expect from a high-rated Derby winner.

It has been obvious for a few years now that Frankel is not only a top-class sire, but also a sire of middle-distance horses. In this respect Frankel’s record is very close to his sire’s as currently around 64 per cent of his progeny’s three-year-old wins have come over 1m2f or further, against 68 per cent for Galileo.

There are simply fewer and fewer horses in Britain and Ireland capable of competing over 1m2f and further before the beginning of June as three-year-olds

A

DAYAR’S DAM ANNA SALAI was a high-class daughter of Dubawi from the famous middle-distance family Sheikh Mohammed has created since, towards the beginning of his involvement in racing, buying Alydar’s fifth dam Anna Paola from Gestüt Röttgen.

The 1,000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook was the most recent Classic winner from the family.

Anna Salai was trained initially by André Fabre and after being narrowly beaten by the Grade 1 winner Zagora on her debut in Deauville at two, she went on to win the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte over a mile impressively before being transferred to Godolphin’s trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

After finishing second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her first start for her new trainer Anna Salai lost her form completely.

She comes from the first crop of Dubawi and Adayar is her third foal and first winner.

St Mark Basilica’s dam Cabaret was a fast and precocious daughter of Galileo whose best performance came over 7f at two in July when winning a Group 3 race.

St Mark’s Basilica: a 1,300,000gns yearling sold by Norelands Stud. His two-year-old full-brother was a vendor buy-back last autumn, he has been named Paris Lights and is in training with Jessica Harrington. Cabaret did not have a foal in 2020, but produced a Kingman colt this January

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classic review By the time she was sent to Siyouni to be covered at a €45,000 fee in 2017 she was looking a little exposed as none of her first three foals had come close to competing in stakes company.

Her fourth foal was a non-winner, but everything changed when her next foal, the Invincible Spirit colt Magna Grecia, won the Group 1 Vertem Futurity at two and the 2,000 Guineas the following year.

As a result John Magnier had to go to 1,300,000gns to buy St Mark’s Basilica Frankie Dettori: a man for all seasons.

The jockey was wrapped up against the elements on Oaks day at Epsom

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as a yearling when he was presented by Norelands Stud at the Tattersalls October 1 sale.

St Mark’s Basilica was the highest-rated colt in Britain and Ireland in 2020 after defeating his stable companion Wembley to win the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on very soft ground.

He had been due to contest the Prix Jean Luc Lagardère at the Arc weekend, but was one of those who had to withdrawn following a feed contamination.

A

T THREE, ST MARK’S BASILICA’S only two runs to date have been in the French Classic races, and although he probably got the run of the race on both occasions his two comfortable victories were more than anything else due to his superior tactical speed.

If the lack of stamina is undermining English racing, or at least diminishing the range of its successes, then French racing’s weak point is the lack of pace in so many of its better quality races.

The Poulains was run at a reasonable pace by French standards with the first three furlongs being run in just under 40secs.

St Mark’s Basilica won the race with his acceleration between the two and one furlong pole, a split he ran in 11.14secs, the fastest split any horse in the race achieved and which put him into a comfortable lead.

He ran the final furlong some six per cent faster than the race average to win by a length and three-quarters.

Jim Bolger’s Poetic Flare tried to complete a rare double after his victory in the 2,000 Guineas in Newmarket, but was caught out by the sudden acceleration and lost his place before running on in the final furlong to take sixth.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was the obvious favourite for the 1m2f Prix du Jockey-Club, even though, as is more often than not the case, the race attracted a large competitive field of 19, including three English-trained runners, who travelled over despite the COVID complications.

The 1m2f Jockey-Club has proved to be an excellent race for selecting top stallions, and has often than not a great spectacle.

However, for those aiming to compete in the race, year after year the draw plays a huge part in the result.

St Mark’s Basilica was once again an impressive winner making the most of a strongly run race and given a perfect tactical

classic review ride by Ioritz Mendizabal to win by a length and three-quarters from Sealiway, a son of Galiway who needs a truly run race to show his true value.

He is a son of Le Havre who finished a fine third on only his fourth career start for his young Deauville-based trainer Stephanie Nigge.

St Mark’s Basilica was settled just behind the early leaders and was able to use his speed to take a decisive lead between the two and one furlong mark, a split he covered faster than his rivals in 11.77secs.

The son of Siyouni covered the last 400m in 24.2secs, the same as the race average, which shows that the race was run at a decent pace although Chantilly is a testing track where the final split is usually not the fastest of any race.

However, in a big field over this course there will also be bad luck stories and the first three had the advantage of being drawn two, four and one respectively.

The runners who had the worst of the draw, horses such as Cheshire Academy, Derab and Makaloun, who came out of stalls 19, 14 and 18, covered at least five metres more than the first three and lost their winning chance long before the final stages of the race.

The fourth horse Saiydabad, a son of

Rouget had earlier maintained his exceptional record in the French Classic races when taking the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with Coeursamba Blame trained by Jean Claude Rouget for the Aga Khan, didn’t have to cover extra ground as he came with a late run through the field, but his draw in 11 meant that he was never going to be able to present a real challenge.

Rouget cannot have enjoyed anything about the Jockey-Club from the moment his three runners Saiydabad, Makaloun and

Novemba (Gleneagles) bred by Gestűt Brummerhof out of the Dubai Destination mare Nevada,

Cheshire Academy were given the stalls 11, 18 and 19.

However, Rouget had earlier maintained his exceptional record in the French Classic races when taking the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with Coeursamba, a daughter of The Wow Signal who had been purchased by Adullah Fahad Ah Al-Attiyah at the Arqana Arc Sale in 2020.

C

OEURSAMBA had run with credit in the best two-yearold races for fillies, but had appeared to be a few pounds behind the best of her generation when fifth in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and third in two Group 3s.

Third again on her seasonal reappearance behind the subsequent Group 2 winner Tahlie, Coeursamba stepped forward on the day which mattered and showed plenty of speed to beat the 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth.

The form of the race looks sound as the third as well as Kennella and See The Rose repeated their form when placed behind Tahlie in the Group 2 Prix Sandringham at Chantilly.

If there is little between Coeursamba, Mother Earth and Tahlie, a daughter of Rio De La Plata trained by Pascal Bary, Novemba, the 7l winner of the German 1,000 Guineas for Gestüt Brummerhof’s trainer Peter Schiergen and jockey Sibylle Vogt, could be the best of her generation over a mile.

In a similar way to Coeursamba the daughter of Gleneagles had competed with credit in the good two-year-old races in Germany without looking capable of a performance like this.

On good ground in Dusseldorf, Vogt took Novemba straight into the lead and set a strong pace, so strong that most of her rivals were beaten before the field reached the straight at which point she quickened right away from them again.

The Godolphin-owned filly Sky Angel was second and she had shown form in good races in France, although not races run at this sort of early pace, suggesting this was a high-class performance and Novemba has an official rating of 116.

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us racing

Spirited away It has been a US Triple Crown season like no other, and it still isn’t finalised yet, reports Melissa Bauer-Herzog

I

T WAS A TUMULTUOUS Triple Crown season in the US this spring between a potential disqualification and a record-breaking final leg of the series.

Medina Spirit was the only horse Bob Baffert sent to this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1), was given the lead and never seriously pushed by other runners in the race to give his trainer a record-tying seventh Kentucky Derby victory.

The success was also notable for his second-season sire Protonico with Medina Spirit becoming the first winner by a second season sire since Always Dreaming won for Bodemeister in 2017.

Protonico is a son of Giant’s Causeway, and Medina Spirit was conceived off an advertised fee of $6,500, just one of 19 foals in that crop.

Medina Spirit was sold for just $1,000 as a short yearling at the Ocala Winter Sale when going through the ring with no reserve.

A $35,000 OBS 2-Year-Old Sale graduate last June, Medina Spirit made national news as the “$1,000 Kentucky Derby winner.”

Sadly, that story changed drastically just eight days later when trainer Bob Baffert

called a press conference after learning Medina Spirit had tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone – a drug with a zero tolerance threshold on race day in Kentucky.

The trainer initially said he didn’t know how the corticosteroid got into the horse’s system, but later announced that the horse had been treated with a skin cream to fight a fungal infection on the horse’s hindquarters, and the product included betamethasone.

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us racing

Far left, Essential Quality, Godolphin’s good-looking son of Tapit, and, above, the Brad Cox-trained three-year-old put the “Juvenile Curse” to rest when winning the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, after a thrilling stretch dual with Hot Rod Charlie

Medina Spirit was allowed to continue on the Triple Crown trail – the Pimlico authorities testing the horse multiple times before he took part in the Preakness Stakes (G1). He tested clean on those Preakness week tests as racing waited for the Kentucky Derby split sample to come back.

Medina Spirit’s Triple Crown trail ended with a third-place finish in the Preakness behind Rombauer after he was pushed throughout the race by Midnight Bourbon

(Tiznow) on the lead.

Hopes harboured by connections of running the horse in the Belmont Stakes were ended when, just days after the Preakness, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) banned Baffert indefinitely from running his horses at its tracks.

The results of Medina Spirit’s split sample were returned on the Wednesday of Belmont Stakes (G1) week, and when they came back with a result of 25 picograms of

betamethasone, Churchill Downs Inc (CDI) quickly took action suspending Baffert from racing or stabling at its tracks for two years.

The ban was also extended to any employee of Bob Baffert Racing from stabling or running at CDI tracks as well.

If the suspension isn’t overturned, Baffert won’t be able to run horses in the next two Kentucky Derbys with CDI also reserving the right to lengthen the suspension if his horses test positive in the future.

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us racing

How they crossed the line in the Kentucky Derby, with Medina Spirit first, Mandaloun second, Hot Rod Charlie in third and Essential Quality fourth

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not yet said if Baffert will be suspended from the two Kentucky racetracks not owned

by CDI. If Medina Spirit is disqualified from the Derby, then the Juddmonte Farms-owned Mandaloun (Into Mischief) will be awarded the race to give trainer Brad Cox two wins in this year’s Triple Crown after Essential Quality (Tapit) subsequently won the Belmont.

While one California-based horse is waiting to see if he keeps his Triple Crown race victory, another California-based horse made a huge statement with a three and a half length win in the Preakness.

Rombauer was Grade 1-placed as a juvenile and had earned a run in the Kentucky Derby, partially due to his El Camino Real Derby victory.

However, his connections opted to skip

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that race for a run in the Preakness Stakes.

An April-born colt by Twirling Candy, Rombauer was bred by John and Diane Fradkin.

They had planned on selling him after a debut win at Del Mar last summer, but when no offers came in he stayed in their stable.

Trained by Michael McCarthy the colt quietly ticked away on the Triple Crown trail and was sent to Pimlico off the back of a third-place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2).

Rallying from mid-pack late in the Preakness, Rombauer bolted past the dueling duo of Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit for a convincing win that made him one of the favourites for the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Just like Medina Spirit, whose sire is a son of the late Giant’s Causeway, Rombauer also finds that stallion in his pedigree.

A Triple Crown race win has eluded

Giant’s Causeway as a sire and broodmare sire over the years; the stallion’s previous best was Creative Cause’s third in the Preakness, while his grandson Gun Runner was best finisher as a damsire when third in the Kentucky Derby.

His sons had suffered the same fate as both sires and broodmare sires before taking out the first two legs of the Triple Crown this year in a unique double for Giant’s Causeway.

Dramatic story lines had been the theme throughout this season’s Triple Crown, and the Belmont Stakes was no exception.

Godolphin’s homebred champion twoyear-old Essential Quality was out to make history in the race as the only horse to win both the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and this Classic.

Bettors weren’t deterred by the “Juvenile Curse” and made Essential Quality the

us racing

Tapit became only the second stallion in history to sire four Belmont Stakes winners joining the 16-time champion sire Lexington at the top of the list favourite ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up and Kentucky Derby third Hot Rod Charlie.

The pair put on a show for viewers with Hot Rod Charlie blazing through early fractions of 22.78secs and 46.49secs to register the fastest quarter in Belmont Stakes history and the fastest half since Secretariat’s 31l triumph.

As those who had tried to stick with him started to fade, Essential Quality joined the fight for the lead and the duel began.

Essential Quality was even with the leader as they raced through the far turn, but Hot Rod Charlie refused to give in. The pair entered the stretch over 5l ahead of the rest of the field, Hot Rod Charlie glued to Essential Quality’s side even as Cox’s horse started to take the lead.

Hot Rod Charlie grudgingly gave way inside the final furlong with Essential Quality drawing away to win by a length and quarter with the rest of the field over 11l back.

Essential Quality’s victory also made history for his sire Tapit, who isn’t a stranger to breaking records.

Tapit became only the second stallion in history to sire four Belmont Stakes winners joining the 16-time champion sire Lexington at the top of the list.

The Belmont Stakes has certainly proven to be Tapit’s playground since he sired his first Belmont Stakes winner in 2014. In addition to his four winners, the stallion has also sired three placers in the past seven years and was the grandsire of last year’s winner.

While there was no Triple Crown on the line in 2021, that didn’t keep bettors from spending money.

A card that included eight Grade 1 races saw record handle for the day on a nonTriple Crown year with NYRA reporting an all-sources handle of $112,725,278 – up over 10 per cent from the previous record of $102,163,280 in 2019.

From hero to zero: Baffert and Zedan Racing have filed a law suit against the KHRC seeking to prove that the presence of betamethasone in Medina Spirit’s sample was from an ointment

No whip races at Monmouth Park

A

CONTROVERSIAL RULING passed by the New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) last September banning jockeys from using their whips except for safety went into effect in late May when the 2021 Monmouth Park meet opened.

Horsemen and bettors voiced their concerns over safety issues and the Jockeys’ Guild filed an appeal with the Superior Court of the New Jersey Appellate Division to reverse the rule.

However, the appeal won’t be heard until later in the year with the rule staying in place until then.

A boycott of the track has ensued with both regular Monmouth Park riders and normal visitors both saying they won’t ride with the whip ban in place. Among those boycotting the track is 13-time Monmouth Park leading jockey Joe Bravo, who has moved his tack to southern California.

Before the opening card of the meet, Monmouth Park’s director of racing and racing secretary John Heims told the BloodHorse that regular Monmouth Park riders who refused mounts on opening day would be banned from riding the whole meet.

However, this ban hasn’t extended to jockeys who ship in to ride in stakes with multiple out-of-town jockeys having rides in the first few weeks’ stakes at the track.

The biggest indication as to how jockeys feel about the whip rule will be seen in midJuly when the track holds its two biggest races of the year – the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) and United Nations Stakes (G1). Those races often attract out-of-town jockeys who ship in for the card.

On the betting side, bettors seem to be speaking with their wallets – the handle for the track’s opening card was $1,528,236 with a similar card in 2019 handling $2,798,394.

However, the big races on this card were rained off in 2021 and the 2019 meet opened on Kentucky Derby day, traditionally a bigger day of betting for tracks around the country.

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stallion predominance: a discussion

ARTICLE REPRINTED FROM PACEMAKER 1981 BY PETER WILLETT

The predominance of the great stallions We have reprinted an article first produced in Pacemaker magazine, December 1981 written by the late Peter Willett explaining how the few truly great sires defy the most enormous odds.

Over the next two issues of International Thoroughbred, Alan Porter will be picking up Willett's mantle to discuss how things have changed today with the influence of large stallion books and new developed research in to genetics and pedigrees

I

T IS REMARKABLE how individual stallions are able to dominate whole areas of activity, even the huge thoroughbred populations of the final quarter of the 20th century. A case in point is the near monopoly of the leading places in the list of the 1981 firstseason sires’ list in the British Isles claimed

by Northern Dancer sons, Be My Guest, The Minstrel and Far North of whom the latter pair, of course, are full-brothers.

Of these three eminently successful firstseason sires only Be My Guest, who stands at the Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary is stationed in the British Isles, though Be My Guest, like The Minstrel, Far North and Northern Dancer himself was bred in North America.

The odds against this kind of domination being realised are enormous, in purely numerical terms. The greatest number of foals by Northern Dancer born in a single year is 42, which, with more than 30,000 foals born in North America annually during most of his stud career means that he has

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The greatest number of foals by Northern Dancer born in a single year is 42.... it means that he has never accounted for more than about 01.14 per cent of total foalings

never accounted for more than about 01.14 per cent of total foalings on that continent.

If the achievements of Northern Dancer as a sire of first-season sires are extraordinary, confounding all reasonable predictions, then it is true that the most potent stallions have been beating the odds, all throughout thoroughbred history, and thereby making the most essential contributions to the evolution of the breed.

Research by Valerie Bowden in Volume 38 of the General Stud Book, and described in her paper “Inbreeding in Thoroughbred horses” written in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Msc (Animal Breeding) at Edinburgh University revealed that Northern Dancer’s grandsire Nearco contributed 7.25 per cent of the genetic makeup of the thoroughbred in the British Isles, that Nearco’s sire Phalaris contributed 6.125 per cent and that Pharos’s sire Phalaris contributed 7.275 per cent, the highest contribution of any stallion coming within the scope of Miss Bowden’s research.

St. Simon held similar sway at the

stallion predominance: a discussion Be My Guest by the great Northern Dancer with Lester Piggott going to post. The colt’s three most important wins came in the Waterford Crystal Mile (1977), the Blue Riband Trial Stakes (1977) and the Desmond Stakes (1977). Syndicated for £800,000, he was second leading firstseason sire of 1981 (see table overleaf) and leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1982.

All told he sired 78 stakes winners , the best of which included the dual Derby winner Assert, the 2,000 Guineas winner On The House, who was was from his first crop, the filly Luth Enchantee, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winner Go And Go and the three-time Group 1 winner, Pentire

I

N 1803 PICK wrote in his Turf Register “Every superior horse of the present day partakes of his valuable blood”.

Highflyer provided an excellent example of the truth of this assertion.

Although he was by Herod, a male line descendant of the first of the founding

fathers the Byerly Turk, he was out of Rachel, a mare inbred to the Godolphin Arabian in the second and third removes of her pedigree.

Rachel was by one son of the Godolphin Arabian. Blank, and her dam was by another son, Regulus.

Highflyer, foaled in 1774, was never beaten. His last race as a five-year-old was the Kings Purse at Litchfield on September 14 when he started at 9-1 on to beat his two

opponents in three heats of three miles each.

Although Highflyer was described as “lame and much out of condition”, he won easily. He then retired to start at Ely in Cambridge, at a fee of 15 guineas, though the fee was increased by stages to 50 guineas as evidence of a superlative breeding value accumulated. He was the founder of the fortunes of the Tattersall family.

Highflyer was leading sire of winners a record 12 times – twice more than his son Sir

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stallion predominance: a discussion turn of the century. As I pointed out in a previous article (Pacemaker International, September 1981), 19 individual sons of St. Simon made 87 appearances in the list of the top 20 sires of winners in Britain.

However, Mr. E .J. C. Blackwood of Edinburgh, one of the most industrious researchers in thoroughbred history, has exhorted me not to overpraise St. Simon, but to direct my attention to the superior record of the Godolphin Arabian, who had no fewer than 30 individual sons in the top 20 sires of winners in the vital formative period of thoroughbred evolution in the middle of the 18th century.

The Godolphin Arabian, whose lifespan was from about 1724 to 1753, was one of the three celebrated founding fathers of the breed from whom all modern thoroughbred horses trace their descent in the male As far as is known, none of this trio ever ran in a race. The story of the Godolphin

Arabian’s life is encrusted with legends, none of which has been authenticated. One legend is that he was discovered in Paris pulling a water-cart.

Pick’s Turf Register, published 50 years after his death, stated that no pedigree was brought to England, because it was genuinely believed at the time that he had been stolen.

Modern research has attributed him to the Jilfan blood of the Yemen, and placed him in a batch of Arab horses, presented by the Bey of Tunis to the King of France.

It seems that he was imported by Edward Coke of Longford Hall, and later became the property of Lord Dawson of Gogmagog, in Cambridgeshire.

The General Stud Book states that in 1731 the Arabian was teaser to the stallion Hobgoblin, and that when Hobgoblin refused to cover the mare, the Arabian was put on her. The produce of the meeting was the colt Lath, and when the meeting was

repeated two years later, the produce was another colt, Cade.

The early volumes of the Stud Book were more generous with incidental information than later volumes and Volume 1 recorded that Roxanna died within a fortnight foaling Cade, who was reared with cow’s milk.

Despite her untimely death, Roxanna’s sons by the Godolphin Arabian achieved sufficient distinction.

Lath was acclaimed as one of the best horses to run at Newmarket in the first half of the 18th century, but covered few mares, except for those of his owner, the Duke of Devonshire, and made little mark is a stallion.

His brother Cade, on the other hand, was relatively unsuccessful on the racecourse, and gained his only victory in a King’s Plate at Newmarket, but he became a stallion of the most potent influence. He was leading sire of winners five times between 1752 and

First crop sires with winners 1981 Stallion, year, foaled, sire, standing

Foals of '79 Rnrs

Wnrs

Races won

Earnings

Chief Earner

Red Regent, 72, Prince Regent (Kild, Ire)

13

7

2

3

65,000

Cajun

Be My Guest (USA), 74, Northern Dancer (Tipp, Ire)

42

18

8

14

59,589

On The House

Far North (CAN), 73, Northern Dancer (Ky, USA)

44

6

3

7

48,880

Norwick

Godswalk (USA), 74, Dancer’s Image (Cork, Ire)

48

31

10

14

48,418

Celestial City

Full Out (USA), 73, Never Bend (Ky, US)

33

3

2

5

48,122

Full Extent

Artaius (USA), 74, Round Table (Dubl, Ire)

36

14

6

10

45,721

Day Is Done

The Minstrel (CAN), 74, Northern Dancer (Mary, US)

27

10

7

9

42,768

Peterhof

Tachypous, 74, Hotfoot (Suss, Eng)

24

16

4

8

38,755

Travel On

He Loves Me, 74, Sovereign Path (kild, Ire)

32

21

5

7

26,671

Hello Cuddles

Pampapaul, 74, Yellow God (*, Ire)

22

17

7

10

24,685

Sandhurst prince

Malinowski (USA), 73, Sir Ivor (Kild, Ire)

33

19

4

8

24,366

Codrington

Nebbiolo, 74, Yelllow God (*, Ire)

22

6

3

5

24,121

Santella Man

Blushing Groom (FR), 74, Red God (Ky, US)

29

7

4

9

20,872

Jalmood

Majestic Light (USA), 73, Majestic Prince (Ky, US)

29

1

1

1

17,567

Stratospheric

Cawston’s Clown, 74, Comedy Star (Leics, Eng)

38

20

7

7

16,375

Master Cawston

Wolverlife, 73, Wolver Hollow (Meath, Ire)

21

14

4

6

13,354

Pass No Remarks

Radetsky, 73, Huntercombe (Nkt, Eng)

3

1

1

2

13,208

Lobkowiez

Garda’s Revenge (USA), 73, Dancer’s Image (Carl, Ire)

11

5

3

4

11,051

Crimson Court

Dance In Time (CAN), 74, Northern Dancer (Nkt, Eng)

33

11

2

3

10,852

Lavender Dance

Relkino, 73, Relko (Nkt, Eng)

27

12

3

5

10,471

Cassley River

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stallion predominance: a discussion Eclipse, who was out of Spilletta, a grand-daughter of the Godolphin Arabian, was “a great racehorse and played a distinctive role in the in the transition of the thoroughbred from the slow-maturing, long-distance performer to the speedy, precocious racehorse of modern times”

1760, and his son Matchem was one of the greatest stallions in the second half of the century.

Regulus, the Godolphin Arabian son out of Grey Robinson by the Bald Galloway, combined the racing ability of Lath with a prepotency of Cade. Foaled in 1739, he was unbeaten and far superior to any horse of his day, and afterwards headed the list of sires of winners eight times.

He exerted a particularly strong influence through his daughters, who included the dam of Eclipse, the grand-dam of Highflyer, and the great grand-dam of Sir Peter.

Eclipse, Highflyer and Sir Peter were not only great racehorses, but also stallions who played distinctive roles in the transition of the thoroughbred from the slow-maturing, long-distance performer to the speedy, precocious racehorse of modern times.

Blank, one year younger than Regulus, was another son of the Godolphin Arabian who left an indelible mark on the evolution of the breed. Though unsuccessful on the racecourse, he became a leading sire of winners three times and was the maternal grandsire of many good horses, most notably Highflyer.

E.J.C. Blackwood’s meticulously compiled

tables of the leading stallions of the 18th century show that the sons of the Godolphin Arabian were the most numerous in the upper reaches of the list of sires of winners, for 17 sons figured in the top 10 sires at one time and another.

By contrast, only six individual sons of another of the founding fathers of the thoroughbred in the male line, the Darley Arabian, ever appeared in the top 10 sires of winners.

The two most important sons of the Darley Arabian were the brothers Flying Childers, who was the leading sire in 1730 and 1736, and Bartlet’s Childers, who was the leading sire in 1742.

The Godolphin Arabian was a persuasive influence in the racehorse pedigree by the end of the 18th century.

In 1803 Pick wrote in his Turf Register “Every superior horse of the present day partakes of his valuable blood”.

Highflyer provided an excellent example of the truth of this assertion. Although he was by Herod, a male line descendant of the first of the founding fathers the Byerly Turk, he was out of Rachel, a mare inbred to the Godolphin Arabian in the second and third removes of her pedigree.

Rachel was by one son of the Godolphin Arabian. Blank, and her dam was by another son, Regulus.

Highflyer, foaled in 1774, was never beaten. His last race as a five-year-old was the Kings Purse at Litchfield on September 14 when he started at 9-1 on to beat his two opponents in three heats of three miles each.

Although Highflyer was described as “lame and much out of condition”, he won easily. He then retired to stud at Ely in Cambridge, at a fee of 15 guineas, though the fee was increased by stages to 50 guineas as evidence of a superlative breeding value accumulated. He was the founder of the fortunes of the Tattersall family.

Highflyer was leading sire of winners a record 12 times – twice more than his son Sir Peter, and three times more than St. Simon.

He sired three winners of the Derby (Noble, Sir Peter and Skyscraper), four winners of the St Leger (Omphale, Cowslip, Spadille and Young Flora), and one winner of the Oaks (Volante).

The 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas were not founded in time to be contested by his progeny, who won a total of 470 races and £170,407. He was leading sire every year except one from 1785 to 1798.

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stallion predominance: a discussion

The Darley Arabian

On the other hand, it is necessary, in order to see the achievements of stallions from different eras in perspective, to appreciate that Highflyer was operating in a thoroughbred population that was a minute in comparison with the days of Northern Dancer or even St. Simon, so that a pretty potent stallion would tend to attain a degree of dominance, beyond the reach of stallions in larger populations.

I

N 1787 when Highflyer’s progeny Sir Peter and Spadille won the Derby and the St Leger respectively only 79 individual stallions sired winners, whereas in 1900, when St. Simon’s progeny Diamond Jubilee (winner of the Triple Crown), Winiferda and La Roche monopolised victory in the five Classic races, no fewer than 374 individual stallions sired at least one winner each in Great Britain, and were in competition with St. Simon.

The contrast becomes even more striking when the number of foals by influential stallions is expressed a percentage of total foalings.

We have seen that Northern Dancer has accounted for no more than 0.14 per cent of the total Northern American foalings in any season since he went to stud.

In 1897, the year Diamond Jubilee,

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Winifreda and La Roche were born, St. Simon accounted for 32 or 0.9 per cent of the 3,358 foals registered in the General Stud Book.

But in 1781, exactly 100 years before the birth of St. Simon, Highflyer accounted for 32 or 17.7 per cent of the 180 foals reported for that year in Volume 1 of the General Stud Book.

Clearly, neither Highflyer nor his ancestor the Godolphin Arabian, had anything like the numerical opposition to their supremacy faced by great stallions of later stages of the thoroughbred evolution.

Although Highflyer owed a tremendous genetic debt to the Godolphin Arabian, the male line of the Godolphin has dwindled in importance steadily since the days of Matchem, who was leading sire for three years in succession beginning in 1772, and Matchem’s grandson Trumpator, who was leading sire in 1803.

In the 20th century, the line has survived tenaciously though the influence of two great stallions, Hurry On in Britain, and Man O’War in North America. They were both direct descendants of Matchem.

The most successful stallion now representing either of those branches is the Florida-based In Reality, who is inbred to Man O’War’s son War Relic in the third remove.

In Reality is the sire of last year [1980’s] 2,000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Known Fact, who is about to take up stud duties in England [in 1981].

The male line of the Byerly Turk and Highflyer’s son Herod may have had somewhat brighter prospects of survival, though it is no longer flourishing to anything like the extent it was in the early and middle years of the 20th century, when it was sustained by potent sires like The Tetrarch, Tourbillon and Djebel.

The best representative that the Byerly Turk line has had in recent years was Luthier, but he died in France last September and it remains to be seen whether he has left a son who will be good enough to carry on the dynasty.

The overwhelming majority of modern thoroughbreds trace their descent in the male line from the Darley Arabian entirely through his great, great grandson Eclipse, a contemporary of Matchem, Herod and Highflyer.

We have seen that the Darley Arabian was thinly represented in comparison with the Godolphin through his sons in the top echelon of sires of winners. Spiletta, the dam of Eclipse, was by the Godolphin Arabian son Regulus, one of the most potent of the 18th century sires.

This fact is a clue to the falsity of the method of pedigree analysis, which puts emphasis on the direct male line.

Modern methods of analysis have necessitated a fundamental reassessment of the relative importance of the three founding fathers.

Research by Professor E.P. Cunningham at the Irish Department of Genetics in 1978 confirmed the importance of the Darley Arabian and the Byerly Turk, who were second and fourth in the ranking list of genetic contributors to the present thoroughbred population with percentages of 7.5 and 4.8 per cent respectively.

But the Godolphin Arabian towered over them in first place, having contributed 14.6 per cent of the genetic makeup of the current breed of racehorses.

The words of Pick remain as true as they were when they were first written nearly two centuries ago: “Every superior was of the present day partakes of his valuable blood”.

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joint measurements

Reshaping horse breeding for the digital age Dr. Annik Gmel outlines research showing how equine joint angle measurements reveal how genetics can affect conformation. To date the work has been carried out using European riding horses, but could be of significant future use in the thoroughbred

“

BREEDING THE BEST with the best and hoping for the best” has been the main horse breeding strategy for centuries. But how can we select for performance and longevity without waiting for the end of the horse’s career?

Imaging and genomic tools bring new insights to the selection of horses, focusing on conformation as the traditional base.

In equine breeding, conformation regroups a set of traits describing the shape and proportions of an animal, strongly determined by the underlying musculoskeletal apparatus.

The shape of the head, the length of the limbs in relation to the body, and the angulation of certain joints are important traits involved in the aesthetics and functionality of a breed. Currently, across Europe, judges visually assess riding horses according to a breed-specific scoring sheet.

These scores are used to select the best horses for breeding.

Conformation assessments – more art than science

However, scorings in most European horse breeds are an unreliable source of information for breeding.

Certain traits are difficult to evaluate, with

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1

joint measurements

The outline of each measured horse is overlapped with the rest to visualize the average shape, and the extremes within a group of horses

2

vaguely described breeding standards, while differences between judges can also occur as every human has a slightly different opinion depending on previous experiences.

Scoring each breed differently also limits the number of horses scored each season, leaving judges poorly trained.

As the scoring is breed-specific, the underlying traits are often the same. For example, the shape of the head is as important in the Spanish Purebred as in Arabian horses, but the former selects for a roman nose while the latter prefers a dished face.

One common measurement system for all horses To obtain uniform information on conformation traits, researchers from

Austria and Switzerland have developed an image-based method to objectively measure variation in shape and joint angles – the “horse shape space”.

On a single photograph taken from the side, one person traces the outline of the horse, and places dots for specific anatomical landmarks such as the point of the shoulder, the patella (stifle) or the hock with a computer program (Figure 1).

The outline of each measured horse is overlapped with the rest to visualize the average shape, and the extremes within a group of horses (Figure 2).

This simple, low-cost method has many applications: comparing outlines of horses from different disciplines, e.g. Flat racing and steeple chasing, can reveal differences in the morphology, and what makes a good

Figure 1: Angular measurements from the horse shape space were developed in FranchesMontagnes horses and can be calculated by tracing straight lines between three anatomical markers (https://doi. org/10.1371/ journal. pone.0202931. g001) Figure 2: Overlapping the mean Lipizzaner shape (in black, out of 224 horses) with the mean FranchesMontagnes shape (in red, out of 300 horses) reveals differences in the shape of the head, the croup and the underbelly between the two breeds

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joint measurements performer in each discipline.

Overlapping mean outlines can also show breed-specific variation in conformation.

As these measures are based on anatomical structures present in all horses, researchers can now pool data from different breeds to identify links between conformation measurements and the horses’ genome.

Hereditary predispositions

The genome consists of DNA and contains all the genetic information within an organism.

It is the blueprint to the individual’s phenotypes – what you can see and measure.

Unlike coat colour, which is entirely determined by the genotype at certain genes, most phenotypes are influenced by several genes and, to some extent, also by an individual’s environment.

For example, even with genetic variants coding for higher size, malnourished animals may not become as tall as those that have been well fed.

Essentially, the individual genotype will give the horse predispositions for certain traits, which can be positive (performance) or negative (hereditary defects).

Identifying genetic variants

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigate whether animals who differ in their phenotype also show genetic differences, and where these differences occur in the genome.

For example, using this method Irish researcher Dr. Emmeline Hill was the first to discover a variant within the so-called speed gene, MSTN, giving thoroughbred horses the predisposition for either speed or stamina.

For conformation traits, Swiss researchers identified several genetic regions associated with joint angles measurements in FranchesMontagnes and Lipizzaner horses using the horse shape space.

The association with the elbow joint angle in particular could be relevant to the thoroughbred.

The elbow joint angle measurement was associated with a genetic variant near two genes involved in bone density.

According to Robinson’s Current Therapy

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... the humerus bone, situated just above the elbow joint, tends to be more susceptible to stress fractures in racehorses coming back to racing after a training break in Equine Medicine, the humerus bone, situated just above the elbow joint, tends to be more susceptible to stress fractures in racehorses coming back to racing after a training break. The incidence of these

injuries may be affected by the incline of the humerus, as well as a genetic predisposition for more brittle bones.

Perspectives

To confirm these results, the specific genotypes and phenotypes from thoroughbreds could be cross-checked with the incidence of fractures.

Studying the shape of thoroughbreds could also reveal new variants not found in other breeds.

In addition to Franches-Montagnes and Lipizzaner horses, the Swiss-based research group is currently not only studying the conformation of multiple European breeds, such as Warmblood, Spanish Purebred and Shagya Arabians horses, but also biomechanical traits such as stride length, frequency, or the way the limb is moving forwards and upwards during the stride.

The project, called Shape and Gaits 2.0, is ongoing, with the aim to link conformation, gait performance and genetics to select the best, healthiest horses in each breed for optimal performance.

The team taking direct measurements for their research

Photo: Yvonne Wyss

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treo eile

Another

direction Aisling Crowe chats with Sarah Sands and Caoimhe Doherty about the establishment of Treo Eile, Ireland’s new racehorse rehoming assistance programme 58

I

RELAND’S REPUTATION as a nation of horse lovers has taken a little bit of a bruising in recent months with a number of high-profile stories provoking some much-needed soul searching and reflection on the welfare of the horses on which we depend for a living and also provide us with unparalleled joy.

The fate of former racehorses is one that the industry in Ireland is beginning to grapple with, and in that sense the timing couldn’t have been better for the launch of an organisation dedicated to enhancing the opportunities for retired racehorses to enjoy fruitful and successful second careers.

Treo Eile is the Irish language phrase for “another direction” and it is the ideal name for the not-forprofit organisation established last year by Caoimhe Doherty and Sarah Sands that offers assistance to owners and trainers who wish to do the right thing by their horse and responsibly rehome them.

Sands explains the catalyst for Treo Eile, which came about in the spring of 2020.

“The sport was under pressure from that aspect, how it looks after its participants, and it’s inevitable that something has to be done to improve that,” she explains. “Ireland needed to go in that direction.

The other major racing nations are further down the

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road than we are so we need to do as much as we can to catch up.”

Treo Eile operates in a number of different ways, to help support racehorses and owners at various stages of the retraining process. On its website it will shortly offer a listings service where racehorse owners and trainers can advertise their retiring horses looking for a new home and a second career.

Education is one of the key aspects of Treo Eile’s mission, as Doherty says: “When we initially started I always felt that we needed to exclude the excuse that people didn’t know what to do with their horses, people couldn’t have an excuse not to do the right thing by them.

“We wanted to give people the information, we wanted to make those connections and have that one-stop shop.”

That is exactly what the Treo Eile website, which went live this spring, offers. There are sections dedicated to rehoming, retraining and education, which offer knowledge and expertise in the various disciplines in which former racehorses excel.

There is also a database of coaches, who are skilled in training thoroughbreds and their riders, along with resources that help in every aspect of owning and retraining a former racehorse.

“Treo Eile is where you go to get your

treo eile Dog Barrel Hill (black and white colours) is a 17yo gelding by Anshan out of Ballyrock Lady (Master Buck) Formerly trained by James Dullea, Dog Barrel Hill is a winner of three point-to-points and a hurdle race and he finished second three times over fences.

He has been successful in the show ring and is now competing in online dressage – in three tests he has finished second and third at intro level.

His rider Jenny O’Brien Murphy has worked in racing for 20 years and is now based with Dullea.

She has three ex-racehorses: Symbolibay (20), Dog Barrel Hill and Dark Outsider (13yrs)

information. We are supporting the people who are already in that sphere and promoting the thoroughbred in a second career and connecting people – putting owners in contact with people who want to take on their horses or people who have horses to sell. There’s an information gap and we are trying to fill it,” says Doherty.

Their vision of Treo Eile as a library of resources and a network of connections for those looking to find a new home for their racehorses once their racing careers are over, and those who would love to take a former racehorse in a new direction, has developed quicker than initially envisioned.

With the assistance of Godolphin, both financially and practically through the expertise of Joe Osbourne and Diana Cooper (Godolphin’s strategic advisor for charities), Treo Eile’s slick, modern and comprehensive website was born.

Many of the main players within the global industry have already recognised the importance of aftercare for the horses they breed and race, and are involved with initiatives around the world. As well as Godolphin’s contribution, Treo Eile also has had the support of Juddmonte, while many others

Treo Eile is where you go to get your information, we are supporting the people who are already in that sphere and promoting the thoroughbred in a second career

within the industry in Ireland have given their time and expertise in help to set up Treo Eile and design the website.

Promoting the attributes of the thoroughbred as a sport horse is another key element of Treo Eile’s work.

One of the ways in which the organisation supports the retraining of racehorses for new disciplines is by sponsoring prizes at shows and competitions across the country for the highestplaced thoroughbreds in various disciplines from dressage to working hunter trials.

“What I would love to achieve would be able to get those highest-placed thoroughbred classes across the sphere through Showjumping Ireland and Eventing Ireland and Sarah has made good steps with that,” Doherty says.

Sands agrees: “I think that will underpin the whole thing. We have a show this weekend with prizes down to sixth and there aren’t many shows where you get prize money that far down. I think if we can replicate that, depending on funding, it will boost the demand for classes and, in turn, increase the demand for thoroughbreds to retrain.”

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treo eile

Racing To Relate is being funded by the Racing Foundation in Northern Ireland and we are trying to partner with them for a North-South project

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“You have to see it to be it and you can’t ask people to retrain thoroughbreds and have nothing for them to do,” is Doherty’s pragmatic assessment.

“At this moment in time we wouldn’t be able to hold a big thoroughbred festival, but we can sponsor a lot of thoroughbred prizes in lots of different areas.”

Later this summer Treo Eile will sponsor prizes for retrained racehorses at the Dressage Ireland championships and for those competing in working hunter trials at a Horse of the Year Show qualifier in Wexford.

There are other classes in the pipeline and there are moves afoot for a racehorse to riding horse show later in the season.

Social media plays an important role in another key element of their work, that of promoting former racehorses as ideal for second careers.

Ireland’s long lockdown necessitated ingenuity and creativity in working around the restrictions and the online dressage league, which showcased a number of former racehorses, including Galileo Dance who combines his new competitive career with covering mares.

It has proved enormously popular with the videos shot by competitors giving insight into what is possible when retraining racehorses.

T

HE COMPETITIVE SECOND career for former racehorses, whether in the show ring or the polo field, is the one that most people would immediately think of when considering retraining a retired racehorse but horses, thoroughbreds in particular, have a deep connection with humans and offer much more than the obvious.

Winston Churchill’s statement that there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man (or anybody for that matter) is being proven by the success of horses as therapy animals.

The development of Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy right around the world has helped countless people develop life skills and cope with mental health problems.

Not every horse, regardless of breed, is suited to the therapeutic environment, but there are opportunities for thoroughbreds, those with the right personality and aptitude for the work, to be retrained in this sphere, and it is something that Treo Eile is keen to support.

To that end there has been some initial involvement with a pilot project that is currently

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Galileo Dance: ran five times for Joseph O’Brien, but failed to trouble the judge. Now a five-year-old he is a stallion and is eventing with Patrick Whelan

well underway in Northern Ireland.

“Racing To Relate is being funded by the Racing Foundation in Northern Ireland and we are trying to partner with them for a North-South project,” explains Sands.

“June Burgess [of Horses for People] is running a pilot scheme taking six thoroughbreds and seeing if they can thrive in the Equine Assisted Learning environment that she already has as a business.

“That is happening with the University of Bristol and UCD on the academic side, and with the support of the Down Royal racecourse owners.

“They have already selected the horses they want and we are hopefully going to look at rehoming horses that come through this scheme in the South. June feels really positively about using thoroughbreds in the project.”

There have already been successful projects in other countries that use retrained thoroughbreds in therapy settings such as Horseback UK, which works with veterans,as well as through a number of schemes in prisons in Kentucky and New York.

From dressage to rehabilitating prisoners, the potential for former racehorses to develop fulfilling and rewarding careers once their days on the track are done, is unlimited.

With the help and support of Treo Eile, the future for Ireland’s retiring racehorses is looking brighter than it has done at any point in its history. www.treoeile.com

treo eile This is Clebourne, a six-year-old gelding by Camacho who won at Dundalk (right) in February 2018 for trainer Darren Bunyan and jockey Declan McDonagh. Photo by Pat Healy After he finished his racing career in August 2018, he was given to his work rider Liam Hayes, who is also a keen showjumper. Hayes spent a year retraining the chestnut and says: “He was always a great mover and had a lovely temperament”. Hayes recently sold him to a teenage event rider looking to move up to horses.

“The horse now will always have a value as his fabulous Flat work will help him progress quickly,” adds Hayes

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racing welfare

Welfare at work Via a zoom call back in May Sally Duckett catches up with Nicki Strong, Racing Welfare’s Head of Communications and Marketing to hear how the charity has dealt with the past year’s events and of its plans for the future Sally Duckett: Nicki, thanks for taking the time to chat about the latest Racing Welfare news.

Just to start off, could you give us a recap of the last year – difficult for so many of us as well I am sure for Racing Welfare itself?

Nicki Strong: Understandably, it was a really busy year for Racing Welfare, but we were able to respond to the challenges faced by COVID and lockdown by being quite agile in response.

Obviously, the charity was never needed

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more than last year, but we were quickly able to take a lot of our support services and community events online, which made a massive difference.

We certainly saw growth in the support that we’re providing for people having more people getting in touch.

We issued COVID-related grants, totalling over £242,000, and around 45 per cent of the people we supported were reaching out to us for the first time.

And we saw a total number of interventions for 2020 at almost 20,000,

that was a 59 per cent increase, year on year.

The number of views of our self-help support pages increased by 49 per cent, as well. So we really did experience a great kind of need and demand for our services.

And, thankfully, we were able to respond.

Obviously, a number of events weren’t able to go ahead and that impacted on our ability to fund-raise in the normal way.

But again, we were able to take our events online, we launched an emergency COVID appeal, which was successful.

We were very much an early adopter of online events, and launched the phenomenally successful Furlong Factor in April. There was a really big appetite for it and we had about 70 applications.

It was trending on Twitter and Instagram, it captured everybody’s imagination and brought everybody together.

It wasn’t designed as a fund-raising event, more of a community event, but it did raise

racing welfare £50,000 towards our COVID appeal.

And we also started up a Facebook group called Racing Conversations and that helped fill the void created by the cancellations of regular coffee mornings and social events.

The group now has 463 members.

We’ve had talks and Q and As with the likes of Mick Fitzgerald and Oisin Murphy, Annamarie Phelps, Richard Johnson, Ed Chamberlin, Hollie Doyle as well – some really good people.

But everybody is very much looking forward to getting back out into the yards, getting back out onto racecourses. Our welfare officers have had to do so much of their support via checking-in chats and zoom calls, whereas they’d normally be getting out there and speaking to people face to face.

Certainly they are really looking forward to being able to engage with people one to one, striking up those relationships and starting the yard visits again, that will be really important for them.

In addition, we’re now looking to start up our events again, which can hopefully happen in person rather than virtually.

The team has got a really busy schedule for the rest of this year, which fingers crossed and all being well, can also go ahead.

We’ve got the Great Racing Welfare Cycle event, which is taking place in August.

I have to say, you’ve got to be a pretty elite as a cyclist to be able to take part in that!

Understandably, it was a really busy year for Racing Welfare, but we were able to respond to the challenges faced by COVID and lockdown by being quite agile in response But I think we’ve got about 30 people signed up at the moment. They include a couple of racing presenters, stable staff, and even one of our own team members is planning to take part, which is really exciting.

It’s over the course of five days over 100 miles per day. It starts at Carlisle racecourse and finishes at Newton Abbot racecourse.

We had a lot of people saying to us that during lockdown they had really got into cycling, and they wanted something challenging to do.

So I think this event really fits the bill!

We’re still hoping that we can get some more people on board – entries close in mid-July.

Sally: You are looking for as many people as possible to take part?

Nicki: We’ve got enough numbers already to guarantee that it can take place, but, obviously, the more the merrier!

Sally: As it is an event over four or five days and over a large geographical area, I guess you are hoping it will get Racing Welfare lots of exposure rather than just a one day?

It will be covering a lot of ground and see lots of different people in different locations?

Nicki: And because it’s over the course of a few days, there should be that kind of camaraderie, and a feeling that the cyclists are really part of a team, which I think will be great.

We’re hoping that we can get some really good videos and that we can speak to people

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racing welfare

Racing Welfare’s plans

• Leading on the development of an

• Growing the numbers of people who the

industry-wide wellbeing strategy which will be informed by the Racing Welfare survey.

• Being the leader in the provision of

Commissioning and undertaking research into the needs of racing’s people that ensures that the development of all its services is evidence-based and effective.

charity supports and ensuring everyone can access support whenever they need it.

wellbeing services for all of racing’s people, ensuring those services are relevant, accessible, preventative and inclusive.

• Growing its housing portfolio – there are

two large projects the charity is working on in Lambourn and Middleham.

beforehand about their training and how that’s going so that we can share some of that content as well.

And, hopefully, there will be onward sharing of it, too. I’ve seen one or two

•

• It is launching new services later this year including support services for industry employers, leaders and managers and the roll out of a TRiM (Trauma Risk incident Management) service in racing.

already out there with Just Giving pages set up and asking for sponsorship, and I will certainly be supporting them.

I could not do the challenge in a million years, but I will be

supporting all their endeavours.

It should be a fantastic event, it is so good for people to have something to focus on after the last year.

Sally: I remember listening to Dawn’s interview after the Furlong Factor last year and she quoted an horrendously large sum of money that has to be raised every year in order for the charity to continue. How did 2020 finish off for Racing Welfare?

Nicki: Racing Welfare’s finances were threatened in 2020 by the pandemic; investment income that usually provides an essential dividend income to provide for running costs dropped to £238,000, and with almost a full calendar of fund-raising events cancelled it

Worcester racecourse is one of the stop-off points for August’s Great Racing Welfare Cycle as the cyclists head to Newton Abbott racecourse

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racing welfare The Great Racing Welfare Cycle Event, August 17-22, 2021

Base Route

Date

From

To

kms

Aug 17

Carlisle Racecourse

Skipton

144

1,715

149

2,157

Aug 18

Skipton

Middlewich

143

1,642

144

1,966

Aug 19

Middlewich

Worcester Racecourse

160

1,700

160

1,700

Aug 20

Worcester Racecourse

Chew Magna

143

1,650

163

2,000

Aug 21

Chew Magna

N Abbott Racecourse

155

1,599

160

1,778

looked likely the charity would lose a further large sum in event income.

Our quick change of tactics to virtual events, the Great Racing Welfare auction, as well as donations from loyal and new supporters, saw us raise £500,000 under the umbrella of our emergency appeal.

That coupled with two significant donations meant that funding in 2020 was higher than ever before.

These funds will support the charity through its ambitious growth strategy over the next three years, enabling the charity to provide both proactive and reactive support, and help more people than ever before.

Sally: The Charities Commission website shows Racing Welfare’s income over the five years and, after two recent really positive years, things were looking financially encouraging for the charity...

Nicki: We were able to be there when people needed us, but we did also raise our profile exponentially.

As I said about the Furlong Factor, it wasn’t a fund-raising event by any means, but it still was able to raise £50,000 for the emergency COVID appeal.

It did mean that we were really fortunate in that we were able to reach out and help more people, and I think in return the racing industry responded to what we were doing, and has been brilliantly supportive.

And, as you mentioned, in terms of the

elevation (m)

Tough Route kms elevation (m)

funds that we need in order to provide the support that we give to the racing industry it’s £2.2 million annually – a phenomenal amount to raise each year.

And last year we provided more support than we’ve than we’ve ever done before, so hopefully that will that will continue to grow.

Sally: There is something called the Pattern Club listed on the website, is this new?

Nicki: It’s for people to become patrons, basically high level donors. It is one of the areas that we are certainly looking to progress and develop alongside our “Friends of Racing Welfare” as a way engaging with our regular donors.

Somebody might have given a oneoff donation, or they’ve taken a partner challenge for us, so we try to approach those people to see if they would like to become regular donors.

This then ensures that they feel part of something special, and that they’re rewarded for what they’ve donated.

It’s certainly something which we are going to to look to grow this year.

Sally: It must be something to help take a little bit of that pressure off from raising that massive sum every year?

Nicki: I think like most charities, because of the impact of COVID, and the challenges of

Racing Welfare in action: Fran Marshall FRAN MARSHALL works at Musselburgh races on a part-time basis, helping with owner liaison on race days. She suffered from depression through the pandemic, and is keen to help all in racing realise that Racing Welfare is for everyone, no matter what their role in racing.

“I had been working in racing for 34 years, and it never occurred to me when I was ill to talk to Racing Welfare. It was one of those ridiculous things,” she recalls.

“I had lunch with Morag Grey, who told me that I really should speak with someone, but I still thought that the help given was just for staff.

“It was really a sort of a wake-up moment – after all, we are all staff, really, aren’t we?

“Racing Welfare is very good making sure that it gets the word out that it is for everybody, but in fact the charity is especially there for the person who thinks that they are not everybody, those who believe that the charity can’t help them.

“People can be embarrassed about asking for help, and often think that others are much worse off than them.

“It is realising and being aware that you need help.”

Marshall met some of the Racing Welfare staff at Musselburgh and it was through personal contact that she began to access the help she needed.

“It was a person to person approach for me so I did not have to pick up the phone, which I do think must be a very a difficult thing to do.”

That comment proves how important it is for Racing Welfare’s brilliant staff to get back on the racetracks, and conduct their yard and local visits, putting the personal contact at the forefront for people to access.

As Marshall discovered, the charity is not just for the younger members of our community or just for grooms and jockeys.

Racing Welfare is there for all of us, and it is okay to ask for that help, whatever the circumstances.

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racing welfare COVID, we’ve had to look inwards and take a look at our income streams and see how we could diversify.

When it comes to the pandemic, and you’re not able to run those big high-value events, you have to look at other methods and almost put those contingencies into place.

As I said, we were really fortunate in the success that we had with our online events, but it’s certainly something that makes you feel more aware as to where we are going forwards if this kind of thing were to happen again – are we agile, what else could we do?

Sally: A lot of our readers are stud managers and racing managers and trainers, possibly the sort of people who don’t perhaps feel Racing Welfare is necessarily for them. How

do you get that message out there to make sure that those sort of more “managerial” level of person knows that they too can get on the phone and speak to someone or make an approach?

Nicki: That’s something that we’re really conscious of doing, making sure that people know that we’re here for everybody working in racing.

We’ve got Racing Staff Week, which is taking place in October and that’s certainly a message that we want to get out there – we are not just about stable staff, Racing Welfare is for everybody.

It’s for people working on the racecourses, it’s for people working in the media, it is for all.

In May, ITV racing featured race day presenter Anthony Kemp, who talked about

his own experiences. He said that he didn’t know that Racing Welfare was there for him, but he got in touch and found some help.

It really is ensuring that the message is out there that everybody working in racing knows that we are here for all, and from recruitment through to retirement.

Sally: Racing Welfare must be quite unique in sport?

Nicki: I think it’s an incredible charity, and is unparalleled across other equestrian sports, there’s nothing else like it. Racing Welfare is a real jewel in the crown for racing.

We just want more people to know that we’re there and we want to reach and help more people. I think the more we can do to get the word out there about us, the better.

Interested in a regular donation? Join the Friends of Racing Welfare or the Pattern Club

R

ACING WELFARE has a number of ways in which individuals can regularly support the charity financially.

Those interested can join the Friends of Racing Welfare by setting up a monthly donation for as little as £5 a month, or by joining the Pattern Club through which larger sums of money can de dedicated on a regular basis.

There are three levels of Pattern Club involvement, based on the annual amount that an individual can gift each year: Listed Patron for those who could give £5,000 annually, Group Patron level is £15,000 or more, and Pattern class is for an annual donation of £50,000.

There is only a certain number of people allowed in each category, and at the top level that is limited to just ten individuals James Schofield, Racing Welfare’s Head of Fundraising, says: “The Pattern Club was created three or four years ago now and launched with the idea of securing a commitment with the overall aim of raising a £1 million a year so giving the charity the security that these funds are coming in annually.

“We wanted to approach people, who may have been involved with financial support before via events or sponsorships, to become regular donors.

“If we know that we've got these donations coming, we can start to plan and build – as much as anything this money helps to give some certainty.”

People can donate via the Club in their own ways and to suit their circumstances, as Schofield outlines.

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“Sometimes we get people to commit at the start to do multiple years, while for others they set up a rolling subscription.

“We’ve had some people who come on board and give support for three years – they may gift that whole amount up front, but they enjoy the benefits of the Club for those three years.”

In return for the donations, the Pattern Club members are given an exclusive personal insight to the Charity and racing, and will receive communications, annual reviews, and invitations to events; the higher the levels of membership the more exclusive these become.

“If we've got a presence at event, maybe a table at the McCoys or the ROI awards, wherever we get an opportunity, we try and get people involved, we will invite members along,” says Schofield.

“We want people to really feel that they're part of what we're doing, as well as showcasing where the money's going, they get visibility of that.”

If a business is considering involvement through a regular donation or help there are options, too.

“If a business is interested in corporate support that is possible too, under a differing banner.

“Again that can either via financial donations or sponsorships, but can also be done by helping with promotions, providing volunteers, time or expertise; there's a whole breadth of stuff that can be done beyond straight financial support.” https://racingwelfare.co.uk/ways-to-support

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chasemore farm

Martin Stevens chats with Andrew and Jane Black of Chasemore Farm regarding the couple’s innovative approaches to maintaining staff wellbeing by developing a more collaborative workplace culture on the stud

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Developing community spirit

chasemore farm

Yearling prep at Chasemore in 2020: yearlings are being led by (from left to right) Craig Nolan, Aaron Boland, Barry Stafford and Jack Conroy

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chasemore farm

Catrina Charman: enjoying her day’s work at Chasemore where the culture is one of a “community style management” and a structured approach to HR

B

ETFAIR FOUNDER Andrew Black and wife Jane have in recent years worked hard to instil a more caring, collaborative workplace culture at their Chasemore Farm in Surrey. Their methods and findings make interesting reading as the thoroughbred industry becomes more attuned to the wellbeing of its staff.

“We wanted to manage the stud in a more inclusive way,” says Jane. “And while we realise that this approach wouldn’t necessarily suit everyone, we have found that for us it just works.”

One of the biggest changes implemented at Chasemore has been making the management structure more democratic and less autocratic. The new focus is on making staff feel part of a community, in which their efforts and opinions matter.

Expanding on why the couple felt it necessary to shake up how the stud operated

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We didn’t want the stud to be run from the top down; we wanted to engender more of a community feel

Jane continues: “We were definitely of the view that a more community style of management would bring out the best in our team and help generate a more caring culture on the farm, for each other as well as the horses. We felt that was really important, and had probably been lacking up to that point.

“In order to implement the new approach effectively, though, we needed a more structured approach to HR, which was what we were both used to in our working lives pre-Chasemore – from Andrew’s experience at Betfair and mine as a solicitor in a specialist employment law firm.

“We were both familiar with HR practice, so introducing a clear organisational structure and community ethos to Chasemore felt like the right way for us to operate going forward.”

She adds: “I guess having experience of a working environment outside of the industry enabled us to look at things slightly

chasemore farm differently and apply some of our corporate experiences to life on the farm. It’s a workin-progress, and we’re always learning, but for us and for the team at Chasemore it seems to work well at the moment.”

Fortnightly meetings are now held at the stud, attended by key members of staff including Andrew and Jane, resident vet Patrick Sells, estate manager Jamie Lewis, farm manager Jack Conroy and office manager Sophie Watmuff.

“We didn’t want the stud to be run from the top down; we wanted to engender more of a community feel,” says Jane. “All parties can have a say, and everyone is kept updated of events and issues on the stud. If there are any grievances we would rather they were aired than letting them fester, and ultimately losing staff.”

The idea of management by committee would make many curl their lip; who was it who said that a camel is a horse designed by

Apart from the regular management meetings there’s a great deal of chit chat that happens all day every day, on Whatsapp and social media

committee? Andrew would usually be cynical too, but he is convinced that Chasemore’s modified version is best for business.

“Committees don’t make brave decisions, and invariably the best decisions are the brave ones,” he says. “Committees always take the most cautious route, not necessarily the right one. But it’s not all about getting around the table in meetings.

“Apart from the regular management meetings there’s a great deal of chit chat that happens all day every day, on Whatsapp and social media.

“Pat might post a video of a horse’s legs, or Jack might point out an important result in America – there’s a constant drip, drip, drip of information. Decisions are informed by all that past discussion and feedback, and hearing different people’s perspectives.”

Staff members are also given regular appraisals and on-site training, with Sells giving talks – Pat’s Chats – on various

Success begets success: Chasemore Farm’s homebred Royal Ascot winner Arthur Kitt, out of the farm’s homebred Royal Ascot winner Ceiling Kitty

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chasemore farm veterinary matters. Rotas are produced to encourage a healthy work/life balance and regular internal communications ensure everyone has access to appropriate information and advice on maintaining their own wellbeing.

Furthermore, there are two mental health first-aiders on the farm.

“Everyone says in their appraisals they want more training, to learn about the industry and gain new skills, and that’s one of the reasons we introduced Pat’s Chats and why we’re getting behind the TBA’s new TBEd online learning platform,” says Jane.

“Sophie is taking a part-time HR course, and training a few staff members

to be mental health first-aiders was her suggestion, because those issues were cropping up quite regularly in chats with staff.

“We wanted people to come forward when they have problems, and if they feel reluctant to talk to Andrew or me they can talk to a colleague instead. It works well.”

Fostering a sense of community is one of Chasemore Farm’s new core values and, to that end, group activities such as yoga sessions, a six-a-side football team and a communal vegetable plot have all been introduced.

“We came up with a set of values that we stick to,” says Andrew. “It sounds a bit

Chasemore Farm proactively works with its staff to help with their training and career aspirations

trendy but it’s very significant for us. It’s signalled a change in how we treat and look at our staff.

“At the heart of it is the belief that we may be a business, but we are first and foremost a community, in which we care for each other, look out for each other and act with integrity.

“It’s getting a little more involved in people’s lives, too. We want staff to know that if they have a problem they can come forward, and when you invite it, people do come forward, and you find that more people than you might expect are experiencing mental health issues. When we know, we can try to help.”

The new Chasemore Farm workplace initiatives are admirably constructive and even kind-hearted, but they do produce material benefits too. Most obviously, the operation should reap the rewards when it comes to the increasingly difficult task of finding suitable stud staff to employ.

“We want to create an environment in which people enjoy their work, in order to retain our permanent staff,” says Jane. “Like all studs we also rely on seasonal workers, of course, and hopefully word of mouth will spread that we have this community culture with the chance to boost your CV with training, and we’ll continue to attract a higher calibre of stud worker.”

There are also more personal reasons for seeking to improve the workplace culture at Chasemore Farm.

“I think we feel we’ve reclaimed the farm for ourselves a little more,” continues Jane.

“Our children are a little older and more independent, so we have more time to dedicate to the stud.

Developing a community spirit and open house at Chasemore Farm CHASEMORE FARM is striving to become a pillar of the wider community as well as a model employer.

In non-pandemic times it has held open days for local residents, charities and community groups to show what goes on behind the gates of a thoroughbred nursery – complete with tractor tour.

Resident vet Patrick Sells gives a talk on how racehorses are bred and reared, and farm manager Jack Conroy gives an overview of conformation.

The local community is also invited to participate in another

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popular event hosted by Chasemore: the annual cider pressing in the oak woodland surrounding the stud.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their own apples to be added into the traditional press, driven by Chasemore’s resident nanny mare, a piebald cob called Lassie, under the guidance of Sells.

The resultant ciders are sold by a local wine shop, with a percentage of sales donated to World Horse Welfare.

All in all, it can safely be said that Chasemore Farm is no ordinary stud... see photos opposite!

chasemore farm

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equipp hri

Let the good times roll...

W

HEN THE WORD welfare is used in a racing context it’s probably accurate and fair to say that most people would immediately think of equine welfare, but the welfare of the people involved in thoroughbred racing and breeding is becoming every more an important issue.

Our lives have been dramatically reshaped by the effects of the pandemic over the last 16 months. One of the more positive changes wrought by the virus has been the

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increased understanding that people require support to deal with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Last November, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) rebranded its education and training department as Equuip, which not only handles those functions but also the Industry Assistance Programme (IAP) which comes under its remit.

The IAP provides assistance and support to anyone who works in the thoroughbred racing and breeding industries, no matter what their role is, who needs help.

It operates through a dedicated 24-hour

a day, 365-days-a-year hotline which can accessed in a variety of ways.

Elaine Burke, Equuip co-ordinator, explains that the IAP operates similarly to triage in a hospital Accident and Emergency department.

The caller’s need is assessed and they are put in touch with a suitably qualified person who can help them.

“It is free and is there for everyone, no matter what they feel they would like help with – whether that is a financial issue, bereavement, mental health or anything else.

“From there six counselling sessions are

equipp hri

But when things are not so good...

... Equipp operates HRI’s Industry Assistance Programme, a service available for all in Irish racing and bloodstock, whatever the issue or problem.

Aisling Crowe meets Elaine Burke, the programme’s co-ordinator and hears how the scheme operates Irish stable staff had a great time at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but when times are tougher anyone working in the Irish racing and bloodstock industries can call IAP’s 24-hour, 365-day hotline to talk over mental health issues, financial matters or any other concerns

available, and more if needed. It is available to everyone in the horseracing and breeding industry and their family members,” she explains.

Burke is keen to stress the built-in securities that ensure the IAP operates under the strictest possible confidentiality, to reassure anyone who wishes to avail of its services that neither HRI, which funds the service, nor any stakeholders or employers, have any involvement in the IAP. “It’s important that people know the IAP is completely separate to HRI and totally confidential,” she states. “I don’t know who

It is free and is there for everyone, no matter what they feel they would like help with – whether that is a financial issue, bereavement, mental health or anything else

contacts the IAP or what services they use, neither does anyone else in HRI nor any employers in the industry.

“This is an external company – I think that’s really important for people to know – this isn’t run by HRI, it’s totally separate and not in the industry. Their forte is running helplines such as this.”

HRI provides the funding for the IAP, which is currently operated by a company called Workplace Options, but HRI is in the process of changing service providers.

The helpline is staffed by people qualified in a range of areas including mental health, relationships, family matters, financial issues and human resources amongst others.

The IAP is not just for serious personal, financial or health problems, it is also a source of information whether that is on consumer rights, travel (when that is something we can all safely and freely indulge in again), tax reliefs, welfare benefits and a myriad of other issues.

However most people probably access its services for support and assistance with a problem and Burke and the Equuip team are determined to demolish the remaining

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equipp hri stigmas that deter people from asking for help.

To that end, and coinciding with the new service provider taking over the operation of the IAP, Equuip will be running a new publicity and promotional campaign to improve awareness within the racing and breeding industry of the IAP and the services it provides.

“It’s difficult to get the message out there as it is still a taboo subject in some senses, but we are launching a new campaign shortly to promote the Industry Assistance Programme again,” she says.

“We will be sending out cards to the sales, race meetings and to the training yards and we need to get the message out there to everyone in the industry that this service is available and give people the information they need to access the supports.”

Recent events have brought into even sharper relief the need for understanding and support of mental health problems.

Living through a global pandemic has stretched everyone’s resources and resilience in different ways, but perhaps has brought greater compassion for those who are struggling with some aspect of life.

Various awareness campaigns and slogans have made dents in the stigmas surrounding mental ill-health, but what does one do if a friend or colleague seems to be struggling?

T

O THAT END, Equuip offers Mental Health First Aid courses for people in the industry and such has been the demand for places that more courses have been laid on and will continue to be provided if the demand remains.

“One of the big programmes we are currently running provides a two-day mental health first aid course. The uptake for that has been excellent, we have put on two extra courses because the demand has been so high.

“The course helps people to recognise if a friend or a colleague is suffering and how to go about getting the help they need. It would be fantastic if some day every yard and stud had somebody on their staff who had mental health first aid training.

“We have started that process this

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year and are delighted that the courses are proving so popular,” Burke says.

Training and education is the main thrust of Equuip’s work; helping people to remain in the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, while enhancing their skills and providing people with the opportunity to develop meaningful and fulfilling careers.

Equuip offers an education and training grant programme that contributes to the cost of any accredited course and the grants are open to everyone who works in the racing and breeding industry.

As well as this financial support and offering training programmes, based on industry needs, as advised by stakeholders, there will be a third Racing Secretary course

being run through the Racing Academy and Centre of Excellence (RACE). Such is the demand for all course places, Equuip also offers a careers advice and coaching service through Amaze Ltd and its leading careers coach Fran O’Reilly.

“This year we launched a careers progression service with him and there has been a massive uptake for it. He advises people on what they can do to develop their careers within the industry.

“It’s proving very successful and it is great to have it in place now, we’re very pleased with how it has taken off,” she says.

O’Reilly’s company provides one-to-one consultations to allow people realise their potential within their career.

For those in the racing and breeding industry who are contemplating how to develop their prospects, O’Reilly will work in conjunction with them to develop practical strategies and plans that allow people to reach their professional goals.

The service is available by contacting Elaine Burke at eburke@hri.ie.

“While we are always trying to attract new people into the industry, but an important focus for us is retaining the people we have got. To do that we need to offer the right services and supports that allow them to progress their careers and develop their skills. We are always working with our stakeholders on what needs to be done to help people. It’s a slow-burner because it’s an old-fashioned industry, but attitudes are changing and we are starting to get traction now.”

The IAP now plays an integral role in that retention strategy by providing people with support needed to ensure they can survive the life’s slings and arrows and also move forward with their career in racing.

While we are always trying to attract new people into the industry an important focus for us is retaining the people we have got

Equipp can help with training plans and future progression for career advancement within the Irish racing industry

www.equipp.ie

Joanne Quirke and retrained Forpadydeplasterer parade side saddle

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photo of the month: there is nothing to add ... the amazing pedigree of the Prix de Diane winner Joan of Arc

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Create Belief, winner of the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot

Royal Ascot Winners, RacehorseClub Be Part of the Action

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Trainer Aidan O'Br

2021 Classic winners of the Epsom Derby, 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, German 1,000 Guineas etc. are all by sons or a grandson of Galileo while five sons of Galileo sired winners at Royal Ascot!

Contact: Coolmore Stud Tel: +353-52-6131298. Castlehyde Stud Tel: +353-25-31966. E-mail: sales@coolmore.ie www.coolmore.com

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World Champion 3YO by GALILEO

JUNE-JULY 2021

POINT LONSDALE wins the Chesham Stakes-L.R. at Royal Ascot to remain unbeaten and earn a Timeform rating of 109p