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
