ITB_November2020 by International Thoroughbred

NOVEMBER 2020

£4.95 • ISSUE 99

Derek Veitch of Ringfort Stud talks about this autumn's yearling sales and the foals he plans to offer this winter

A REAL DIAMOND

Martin Stevens catches up with Tony Nerses of Blue Diamond Stud to talk about stallions and jockey signings

All eyes on Bahrain

We chat with Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa ahead of the second Bahrain International

It was a CHAMPIONS day for jockeys Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle, and sire Pivotal

BATED BREATH 2007 b h Dansili - Tantina (Distant View)

10 GROUP

winners

BLACKTYPE performers

IN 2020

Bated Breath has broken his yearling sales record for the third time in 2020 Yearlings sold so far this year

290,000gns, 280,000gns, 260,000gns, 170,000gns

Contact Shane Horan, Claire Curry or Henry Bletsoe

+44 (0)1638 731115 nominations@juddmonte.co.uk www.juddmonte.com

Yearling average of

102,800gns for Tattersalls October

Yearlings Books 1 & 2 (15 Sold) 10x his 2018 fee

OASIS DREAM 2000 b h Green Desert - Hope (Bahamian)

Oasis Dream yearlings remain as sought after as ever

200 STAKES

performers

Yearlings sold so far this year GOFFS ORBY TOP LOT

£450,000, 310,000gns, 210,000gns, 150,000gns, 130,000gns (x2)

Sire of 200 stakes performers including 2YO Erasmo, recent winner of the Prix Saraca L.

HELLO YOUMZAIN 2016 By Kodiac ex Spasha (Shamardal) - 16.1hh

PRECOCIOUS, FAST, SOUND AND GENUINE! 1st Sprint Cup Stakes Gr.1 - 1st Diamond Jubilee Stakes Gr.1 1st Sandy Lane Stakes Gr.2 - 1st Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte Gr.2 at 2 2nd Prix Maurice de Gheest Gr.1 - 3rd Commonwealth Cup Gr.1

Kodiac’s first four sons at stud all produced stakes winners with their 1st 2yos in 2020... The beginning of a dynasty? NEW IN 2021

Group 1 winning 2yo Record-breaking Classic miler

No horse in the history of the 2000 Guineas has won the Classic in a faster time than Kameko Not Night Of Thunder Frankel Sea The Stars Nashwan Dancing Brave Brigadier Gerard Nijinsky Or Sir Ivor Contact Hannah Wall or Alice Thurtle at Tweenhills E: hannah@tweenhills.com E: alice@tweenhills.com T: +44 (0) 1452 700177

9 Group 1 winners in 2020 including 1,000 Guineas-Gr.1 and Epsom Oaks-Gr.1 winner LOVE

11 Group/Stakes winners in 2020 including Irish Oaks-Gr.1 winner EVEN SO and South Australian Derby-Gr.1 and Underwood Stakes-Gr.1 winner RUSSIAN CAMELOT t

6 Group winners in 2020 including St Leger Stakes-Gr.1 winner GALILEO CHROME

5 Group winners in 2020 including Cheveley Park Stakes-Gr.1 winner ALCOHOL FREE

t 3 Group-winning 2YO’s in 2020 including National Stakes-Gr.1 winner THUNDER MOON

4 Group winners in 2020 including ONE MASTER, winner of Prix de la Foret-Gr.1 for the third straight year

6 Group winners in 2020 including Prix Jean Romanet-Gr.1 winner AUDARYA t and Prix de l’Abbaye-Gr.1 winner WOODED

Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Hermine Bastide, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Neil Magee or Mark Byrne. Tel: +353-52-6131298. David Magnier, Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, Paddy Fleming, Cathal Murphy or David Walsh. Tel: 353-25-31966/31689. Kevin Buckley (UK Rep.) Tel: +44-7827-795156. E-mail: sales@coolmore.ie Web site: www.coolmore.com

New in 2021

WOODED GROUP 1 WINNING SPRINTER BY WOOTTON BASSETT

“WOODED stood out from the day he arrived for his good looks and ability. He’s always been very sound, never missing a day’s work. As a racehorse he had so many qualities, class, courage and speed and he fully deserved his Gr.1 win this year.” Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard

AL SHAQAB

1st 2-year-olds in 2021

At stud 2015

AL WUKAIR

ECTOT

OLYMPIC GLORY

Prix Jacques-le-Marois Gr.1 winner at 3, like Dubawi & Kingman before him

Dual Gr.1 winner, Gr.1 winning 2-year-old from the Montjeu sire line

Sire of dual Gr.1 winner ` WATCH ME & top class Group winning 2-year-old ETONIAN

AL SHAQAB RACING

. Haras de Bouquetot, France . +33 (0)2 31 32 28 91 . contact@bouquetot.com . www.alshaqabracing.com

1st 3-year-olds in 2021

1st 2-year-olds in 2021

SHALAA

INVINCIBLE SPIRIT’S BEST 2 YEAR-OLD PERFORMER-EVER

ZELZAL

SEA THE STARS’ FASTEST GR.1 WINNER, CHANTILLY RACECOURSE TRACK RECORD HOLDER OVER THE MILE

SIRES 2021 At stud 2015

At stud 2015

RULER OF THE WORLD

TORONADO

Sire of multiple Gr.1 & Breeder’s Cup winner IRIDESSA from a small first crop

One of the highest % of 2-year-old winners in Europe, inc. Royal Ascot & July Stakes Gr.2 winner TACTICAL

contents november

30 14 18

First Word

A look at yearling sales

Sire averages 2018-20

Courtesy of Weatherbys

20 News

Stallion retirements, Enable retires, sale dates changes for Goffs and Tattersalls Ireland

A Champion day

Qipco Champions Day was highlighted by success for power couple Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle, as well as top sire Pivotal, writes Aisling Crowe

Sottsass bows out in a blaze of glory

Jocelyn de Moubray sees the son of Siyouni end his career with Arc victory

50 12

Skydiving for Classic victory

It has been a US racing year for stallions shipped abroad, freshman sires and sons of Uncle Mo, reports Melissa Bauer-Herzog

European stallion statistics

from Weatherbys

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

A real Diamond

Martin Stevens catches up with Tony Nerses of Blue Diamond Stud and hears about stallion Decorated Knight, new jockey signing Hollie Doyle and the latest farm news

What a year!

After a top summer season on the track, Derek Veitch of Ringfort Stud reviews the yearling sales with Aisling Crowe, and looks ahead to the foal sales

Stallion restrictions

Melissa Bauer-Herzog chats to US breeders and stallion farms about the future plans to limit US stallion books to 140

All eyes on Bahrain

Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa of Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club chats with us on zoom, and is very much looking forward to the second running of the Bahrain International

Broodmare sire stats

from Hyperion Promotions

Photo of the month

Thrills and near-spills

Addeybb and Tom Marquand

Photo by PA Images

contents november

60 86

80 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

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

the writers martin stevens jocelyn de moubray aisling crowe sally duckett melissa bauer-herzog

the stats weatherbys

the printers buxton press

accounts annie jones itaccounts@btinternet.com

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

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

first word

Hopes and dreams This year proves more than ever that buying a yearling (or several) offers owners a dream to focus on through the winter months

OPES, DREAMS, the need to trade, and the influence of the big players. More than ever these factors have dictated the results of this autumn’s yearling sales and have clearly indicated just what drives the market. A graph of the trade experienced this autumn would show an as-expected line underneath last year’s results through the Goffs UK Premier Sale and Arqana Sale, a dramatic fall for the Goffs Orby and the Sportsmans Sale, a return to a below-2019 for the October Sale Book 1, before a very surprising and unexpected upward turn to merge with last year due to the astonishing results and trade seen through the Book 2 and 3. By the end of Tattersalls October Book 4 the figures were between 12 per cent and 16 per cent below 2019 incidentally revealing just how strong that record year

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

For the first time since 2016 bloodstock agent Demi O’Byrne (left) purchased at Tattersalls, working on behalf of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm. The pair purchased 13 lots in Book 1 and 2 for a spend of 3,245,000gns. He is seen here with partner Sean Grassick

“The world is upside down, prize-money is rubbish, no one can go racing, and yet prices are so strong.”

experienced in 2019 actually was, but also just how strongly a sale needs to perform year on year just to keep pace. Bizarrely, as the momentum was maintained at Tattersalls, the outside pandemic-affected world was mirrored in the negative – the newspaper headlines screamed of increased cases, threats of hospitalisations and calls for circuit-breakers, regional lock-downs and COVID-related economic disaster. Sitting at the Tattersalls press desk reading newspaper reports speculating on the likely government response to the expected onward development of the pandemic, arguing how to balance economic survival against required health measures, I was typing up Angus Gold’s quote that he felt that middle day of Book 2 was the strongest day’s trade he has seen in ten years, and was watching the 19th horse in Book 2 sell for over 300,000gns.

first word The juxtaposition of events was bizarre. Gold went on to say, possibly after signing for Shadwell Stud’s 46th lot bought through Book 1 and Book 2: “The world is upside down, prize-money is rubbish, no one can go racing, and yet prices are so strong.” Although he was stating the facts, Gold and his boss were obviously a very important part of the reasons for the strong trade – the Makotum brothers Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan deciding after a summer of uncertainty to buy horses... and buy horses in the usual big numbers (71 as compared to 2019’s 89). Jocelyn de Moubray will crunch the figures in our December issue once the yearling sales have concluded, but the Arabian participation at Tattersalls, alongside the lack of involvement by the big purchasing entities at the Orby Sale, gave stark reality, if really needed, just how dependent the market and the figures are on those big houses of Shadwell, Godolphin and Coolmore.

N SPITE Of this demand from the main power houses of European racing, business in Book 1 and Book 2 was backed by a broad band of investors such as Peter Brant and Amo Racing, alongside strong number of US purchasers, revealing just how global this bloodstock market is, and that is its first saviour. Not every country has a racing industry dealing with prize-money issues, in fact betting handles have been maintained strongly in many of those countries with an in-house betting system. So, through this viral age and this period of poor prize-money in the UK, it is vital to maintain this open, accessible and broad global market with participation from international investors who are possibly experiencing differing economic and personal experiences. Second, it is the long-term nature of bloodstock investment which is proving to be its godsend. The time taken for a horse to develop and the funds required to support that period of maturity is often touted as the most negative aspect of racehorse ownership, hence the reason for the growth in demand for the fast performing, precocious twoyear-old. However, in times that are unsettling and emotionally precarious, with little to do on the leisure front and with international travel difficult, even though racecourse participation is limited, ownership of a yearling or a strong of racehorses for the economically stable does offer a winter of

Socially distanced bidding at Tattersalls, Richard Botterill taking a turn on spotting duties in the podium

first word planning, plotting, hopes and dreams. And that goes across the whole board of ownership... from those who can afford to buy an interest in a leg or a syndicate share, to the uber rich princes, kings and rulers in the Middle East. By the time Book 3 rolled round, then the word “trade” was oft repeated and the breeze up guys had found their niche. Someone in the social distanced green room at Tattersalls described those involved in investing in the spring’s speedsters as “brave or stupid”... the response from one involved was, “What else can we do?” If you don’t buy, you can’t sell. Trading transactions are now such a big part of the middle market, and while investment spend might have been tempered by the small matter of a global pandemic, those equine businesses rely on the buying and selling of racehorses.

HE SAME GOES for the professional syndicate builders – they are not essentially owners, they are equine traders and should be bracketed as such – as well as a number of trainers – they aim to sell after the horse has run in a maiden and shown potential. As we went to press the French October Sale was underway; the strength of the Arqana Sale over the past few years and broadly seen as the strongest breeze-up sale in Europe, will surely be tempt many of those speed kings and queens to invest in français cheval de course. Now that an October pay cheque will arrive it means many breeders will be in a position to pay their 2020 nomination fees. Now looming large in all breeders’ minds, and a massive conundrum for the stallion farms, where should 2021’s stallion fees sit?? For many breeders the strength of the Book 2 market has helped ensure they can make something of a financial plan for next year rather than be left on the pandemic cliff that developed last spring – many by then had committed to nominations that may have reviewed if the depth of the global issues had started to emerge last December and January. It will give many of the stallion farms some peace of mind that the credit they have, as usual, offered through to October will be honoured. However, the question is now what to do about 2021? For the stallion deciders, the Tattersalls sale may have muddied the waters – parts of the bloodstock industry seemingly on a trajectory of their own despite the economic strife and recession being experienced by the real world

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Masked men (top to bottom): Colm Sharkey, Tim Lane, Ross Doyle, Richard Ryan, Johnny Hassett, Joseph O’Brien and Sheikh Fahad

outside of the bloodstock bubble. But was not plain sailing for all since August and differing stallions, as ever, are on differing planes of commerciality. And who can even predict what is likely to be in store for the world next year, let alone in 2023 when next year’s conceived crop will be offered? Will businesses and so racehorse owners be under ever more economic pressure? Will COVID-19 be under control? Will there be a workable vaccine? Will mask-wearing, local lock-downs and social distancing be the norm, with the arguments for crowds to return to sporting events still ignored by government? No one has that answer and the questions are too big for most of us to even begin to contemplate. (Maybe that is reasoning, too, for the strength of some sectors of the yearling sales... in these uncertain times, with many things out of individual control, stick with what you know and that you can, to some extent, control) Whatever, it seems more than ever that those vital yearling sales are a long way off into the future. The stallion farms must, of course, attempt to realise their own commercial needs, and there will be stallions who have retired to stud in the last three years for whom business projections were made on a very different basis. Farms will be mindful of the uncertain situation of the world at present and the requirement to make fees affordable, and it must be ensured that breeding commercial racehorses remains an attractive economic option. What must not happen is that too many breeders are priced out of the market resulting in too-farreduced crops and a depressed numerical commercial market. As written earlier, the European bloodstock industry is a hugely attractive market for international purchasers, it must remain so by offering quality, diverse and vibrant bloodstock options via a market of enough size, for investors at all levels to be attracted to purchasing in Europe. There is also the continuing need to ensure that there are racehorses bred at an economic level to attract “domestic” owners and that those horses are of the high enough quality that they be competitive in the strongest racing environment in the world. In order to give some sort of guidance for stallion fee decisions we have reproduced a mid-term stallion review of averages this year compared with 2019 and 2018 (see overleaf, pages 18-19). We will print the final list at the end of the yearling sales in the December Stallion Review edition.

CLODOVIL TIGER TANAKA Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac

COULSTY

GREGORIAN

SANTOSHA Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes

PLAINCHANT Gr.2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (Top rated 2yo filly in France, 2020)

BUNGLE INTHEJUNGLE WINTER POWER Gr.3 Cornwallis Stakes

Fees 2021: Bungle Inthejungle €8,000 • Clodovil €5,000 • Gregorian €5,000 • Coulsty €4,000 MAURICE OR MADELINE BURNS Rathasker Stud, Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland. T 00 353 (0)45 876940 M 00 353 (0)86 2500687 or 00 353 (0)86 3774430 E info@rathaskerstud.ie W www.rathaskerstud.com

sire averages 2018-20 2020

2019

Sire Name Sold Total Average Highest Sold Total Average Highest Acclamation 50 2,679,804 53,596 300,000 76 4,218,810 55,510 300,000 Adaay 37 536,513 14,500 50,000 56 1,388,639 24,797 200,000 Australia 59 3,521,612 59,688 575000 54 4,246,345 78,636 450,449 Awtaad 20 487,922 24,396 80,000 55 3,900,884 70,925 350,000 Bated Breath 51 2,260,857 44,330 290,000 31 681,313 21,977 90,090 Belardo 37 558,596 15,097 60,000 55 1,870,621 34,011 200,000 Bungle Inthejungle 26 487,816 18,762 95,238 10 291,538 29,153 80,000 Camacho 28 501,992 17,928 77,000 45 1,242,212 27,604 154,440 Camelot 31 2,649,997 85,483 340,000 63 5,536,957 87,888 557,700 Dabirsim 43 1,400,907 32,579 140,000 58 1,066,991 18,396 85,800 Dandy Man 49 1,365,400 27,865 75,000 83 2,822,221 34,002 188,760 Dark Angel 76 8,454,068 111,237 420,000 83 13395,499 161,391 1,050,000 Dubawi (Ire) 20 10,924,976 546,248 2,100,000 30 16,628,747 554,291 3,600,000 Exceed And Excel 24 1,029,076 42,878 161,905 50 3,456,447 69,128 368,940 Fast Company 44 1,170,868 26,610 260,000 55 1,498,186 27,239 200,000 Footstepsinthesand 33 937,359 28,404 128,571 64 2,488,645 38,885 240,240 Frankel 28 9,451,573 337,556 2,000,000 37 15,311,402 413,821 3,100,000 Galileo 22 14,736,796 669,854 3,400,000 32 20,760,390 648,762 2,574,001 Gleneagles 36 1,332,250 37,006 150,000 57 4,352,843 76,365 400,000 Gutaifan 35 580,517 16,586 185,000 74 1,170,322 15,815 90,476 Havana Gold 70 1,456,649 20,809 150,000 30 553,998 18,466 125,000 Holy Roman Emperor 44 1,537,903 34,952 235,000 47 1,912,874 40,699 180,000 Iffraaj 44 2,172,241 49,369 250,000 60 3,967,905 66,131 250,000 Invincible Spirit 20 3,464,221 173,211 600,000 30 5,122,482 170,749 600,,000 Kingman 26 9,847,560 378,752 2,700,000 59 17,821,915 302,066 2,300,000 Kodi Bear 36 718,158 19,948 104,762 56 997,623 17,814 85,800 Kodiac 110 8,370,143 76,092 420,000 107 9,600,812 89,727 550,000 Lawman 21 737,637 35,125 150,000 40 1,203,185 30,079 525,000 Le Havre 25 1,695,228 67,809 325,000 44 4,692,883 106,656 825,000 Lope De Vega 65 11,484,548 176,685 900,000 51 8,784,894 172,252 750,000 Mastercraftsman 48 2,203,916 45,914 325,000 30 1,501,610 50,053 205,920 Mehmas 64 3,167,101 49,485 320,000 87 2,649,746 30,456 247,619 Muhaarar 44 2,024,663 46,015 16,9491 51 3,787,567 74,266 360,000 Nathaniel 33 1,724,036 52,243 280,000 24 994,134 41,422 145,860 New Bay 29 2,127,280 73,354 400,000 46 1,810,037 39,348 300,000 Night Of Thunder 41 3,405,544 83,062 250,000 48 3,724,962 77,603 425,000 No Nay Never 58 6,091,520 105,026 650,000 67 9,238,434 137,887 900,000 Oasis Dream 25 2,128,993 85,159 428,571 36 2,737,661 76,046 350,000 Sea The Moon 41 2,525,325 61,593 480,000 30 1,474,481 49,149 145,860 Sea The Stars 47 9,192,233 195,579 700,000 72 14,277,944 198,304 875,000 Shalaa 27 2,075,549 76,872 290,000 65 6,440,088 99,078 514,800 Showcasing 58 3,953,842 68,169 310,000 61 5,348,441 87,679 360,360 Siyouni 41 6,950,464 169,523 680,000 64 1,1951,936 186,749 1300,000 Starspangledbanner 52 2,814,298 54,121 360,000 51 2,011,267 39,436 140,000 Tamayuz 22 793,191 36,054 170,000 27 520,336 19,271 100,000 Territories 32 763,728 23,866 160,000 75 3,344,741 44,596 223,080 The Gurkha 25 599,010 23,960 72,000 51 2,637,042 51,706 450,450 Twilight Son 33 569,581 17,260 70,000 77 2,157,082 28,014 130,000 Vadamos 20 652,363 32,618 220,000 68 1,779,895 26,174 154,440 Wootton Bassett 46 4,702,207 102,221 600,000 52 3,477,162 66,868 266,666 Zoffany 47 2,296,103 48,853 580,000 101 6,058,991 59,990 400,000

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

sire averages 2018-20 2018

Sold Total Average Highest 49 3,149,545 64,276 350,000 - - - 47 3,992,037 84,936 400,336 - - - 56 2,333,462 41,668 202,275 - - - 31 545,285 17,589 80,952 102 3,480,991 34,127 325,000 80 8,006,847 100,085 471,976 60 2,722,222 45,370 240,000 100 2,443,324 24,433 155,920 81 10,646,054 131,432 600,000 19 14,283,204 751,747 3,500,000 35 3,020,324 86,294 303,413 18 242,787 13,488 80,000 57 1,305,563 22,904 109,565 21 7,006,923 333,663 850,000 34 26,282,032 773,000 3,400,000 53 5,749,951 108,489 500,000 114 4,342,288 38,090 303,413 26 834,760 32,106 250,000 47 1,815,431 38,626 252,843 51 2,973,337 58,300 250000 36 6,723,374 186,760 900,000 41 10,646,038 259,659 1050,000 - - 118 11,668,695 98,887 600,000 43 1,279,802 29,762 290,000 56 4,056,334 72,434 850,000 82 10,618,664 129,495 800,000 36 2,403,510 66,764 280,000 - - 56 8,982,233 160,397 925,000 32 1,226,144 38,317 190,000 - - 57 3,226,701 56,608 294,985 101 11,483,575 113,698 650,000 32 4,372,811 136,650 380,000 34 1,254,740 36,904 125,000 67 10,207,528 152,351 1,000,000 - - 71 7,181,850 101,152 716,392 83 10,810,682 130,249 450,000 38 2,645,530 69,619 750,000 28 1,038,418 37,086 200,000 - - - - - - - - - - - - 50 2,982,958 59,659 425,000 88 5,750,503 65,346 273,914

Yearling average and highest prices for those stallions with 20 yearlings or more sold at the 2020 yearling sales through to end of Tattersalls Book 4. Results compared with full results for 2019 and 2018 Figures courtesy of Weatherbys

Bated Breath: this year achieved his best yearling average over the three years featured, and his three highest-ever prices in the ring

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

the news

New to stud

Ghaiyyath

Stud farm rosters grew in October with a batch of stallion retirements

NEWS OF STALLION retirements came thick and fast through the middle of October, and one announcement that came perhaps a little earlier than anticipated was of the year’s leading horse Ghaiyyath The son of Dubawi joins the Kildangan Stud roster after he was found to be muscle sore subsequent to routine work when preparing for the Breeders’ Cup. Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Ghaiyyath has had a fantastic career winning nine of his 13 races. “His high-class cruising speed and relentless style of galloping was a joy to watch and as I have said before, this year he came together both physically and mentally and looked the finished article. “It is obviously disappointing not to be taking him to the Breeders’ Cup, but the exertions of a long season, which started

in Dubai in January, were starting to show and the decision has been made to retire him.” Ghaiyyath, who is out of the Galileo mare and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime and a half-brother to Group 1 winner Zhukova, is the year’s highest-rated racehorse, a Group 3-winning juvenile and a four-time Group 1 winner. Darley is also welcoming two sons of Shamardal to its roster – Earthlight to Kildangan Stud and Pinatubo to Dalham Hall Stud. Both were excellent Group 1-winning juveniles – Earthlight doubling up in the Prix Morny and the Middle Park, while Pinatubo was electric when winning the National Stakes. He was given a Timeform rating of 134 and was crowed champion two-year-old after going on to win the Dewhurst Stakes. At three, Pinatubo finished

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

third in the Group 1 2,000 Guineas, won the Prix Jean Prat (G1) and finished second in the Prix du Moulin (G1). He is out of the Dalakahani mare Lava Flow, a half-sister to Strobilus, a runner-up in the Gran Criterium (G1). Earthlight’s best three-yearold performance came when second in the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt. Earthlight’s dam Winter Moon (New Approach) finished third in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile and is a half-sister to two Group 1 winners. Without Parole, winner of the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes, becomes the latest son of Frankel to retire to stud in Europe, and will commence stud duties at Newsells Park Stud for the 2021 season. Without Parole is a halfbrother to Breeders’ Cup Mile Dirt winner and Forego Stakes (G1) runner-up Tamurkuz,

bred by John and Tanya Gunther out of Without You Babe, a half-sister to the dual Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini). Without Parole was unbeaten in his first four starts culminating in his impressive victory at Royal Ascot. A subsequent switch to Chad Brown in the US saw Without Parole consistently perform at the very highest level three times over a mile with placings in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Shadwell Turf Mile and Shoemaker Mile. Commenting on his retirement to Newsells Park Stud, general manager Julian Dollar said: “Without Parole is a beautiful horse with an athletic physique and superb conformation. “As his race record states, he’s an out and out miler who possesses a great turn of foot. “Importantly, he has a

the news

potent, proven sire’s pedigree which should offer breeders plenty of options. “He’ll certainly be heavily supported by Newsells Park and, of course, his Eclipseaward winning breeders, John and Tanya Gunther.” Tweenhills has press released that Kameko, the son of Kitten’s Joy and winner of the Futurity Stakes (G1) and the 2,000 Guineas, will join the farm’s roster on returning from this month’s expected trip to the Breeders’ Cup. Kameko is out of the Grade 3-winning Rock Of Gibraltar mare Sweeter Still, a half-sister to Kingsbarns, the second top-rated European two-year-old old of 2012 and to the Group 3 winner Belle Artiste. Coolmore announced that the Arc-winning son of Siyouni, Sottsass, has been retired to the Irish farm (see page 38). Without a stud plan as of press date is the Commonwealth Cup (G1) winner Golden Horde, the Lethal Force colt having picked up a tendon injury at home. He was bred by Cn Stud and

Kameko

Without Parole

James Cloney (see our August edition) out of Entreat, a Pivotal half-sister to Group 2 winner Producer (Dutch Art). Their dam River Saint is a half-sister to the champion Serena’s Song and ancestress of 15 Group race winners and champions. Trained by Clive Cox, Golden Horde also finished third in the July Cup (G1) and the Sprint Cup (G1) at Haydock.

Golden Horde

NEW SIRES IN FRANCE FRANCE is also seeing new names heading to stud. In the autumn of 2019, in a pre-planned stallion partnership, Haras de’Etreham and New Zealand’s Cambridge Stud bought Hello Youmzain (Kodiac). It proved to be a good investment as the colt rewarded the new owners with Group 1 victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and a Group 1 second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. The colt is to take up first duties in Normandy. Hello Youmzain is out of the Shamardal mare Spasha and is a half-brother to the Group 2 two-year-old winner Royal Youmzain and the Listed winner Zyhoor Baynoona. Persian King, Kingman’s three-time Group 1 winner of the Poule d’Essai des

Poulains, the Prix d’Ispahan and the Prix du Moulin, retires to Etreham. His dam is a three-quarters sister to Group 1 Planteur, while his second dam is a half-sister to the multiple Group 2 winner Policy Maker, the Group 1 runner-up Pushkin, the Group 3-placed Place Rouge and the Listed third Pinacotheque. Wooded, Al Shaqab’s winner of the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye and son of Wootton Bassett, heads to Haras de Bouquetot. Group placed as a juvenile, he became the first French-trained three-year-old to win the Arc-day sprint in recent years. He is out of the Elusive City mare Frida La Blonde and is a full-brother to Group 3 runnerup Beat Le Bon.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

the news

Enable retires

John Gosden has called time on the career of the daughter of Nathaniel. In five seasons she ran 19 times, won 15 races, 11 of them Group 1s. Her highest BHA rating was 128 and she won ÂŁ10,724,320 in earnings. In 2019 she was crowned the co-Longines Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Racehorse

Photo by Alan Crowhurst and from PA Images 22

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

the news

Main picture, Enable at Kempton for her penultimate run in the September Stakes (G3) Above, her first Prix de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arc de Triomphe victory as a three-year-old in 2017, the race run at Chantilly. It was her fifth Group 1 win in succession Left, winning her fourth King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, with the Derby winner Sovereign 5l in arrears Below, parading with groom Imran Shawani at an empty Ascot racecourse

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

the news

Sale date changes for the autumn season through to 2021 IN LINE with the Irish Government announcement to move the country to Level 5 restrictions for a six-week period starting October 22, and a British government Level 3 lockdown in Doncaster, Goffs, Goffs UK, Tattersalls Ireland and Tattersalls Cheltenham have rescheduled plans for this year’s November and December sales. Some have moved dates, one has moved into 2021, some are moving online and some have a new location – the Goffs UK November P2P Sale to be staged at Yorton Farm in Shropshire.

Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said: “We did not anticipate a move straight to Level 5 but we fully respect the decision and objectives of the government and understand that, in this timeframe, it would not be responsible to attempt to hold a sale.” There is also a completely new batch of sales – a Tattersalls Ireland weekly point-to-point sale for select point-to-pointers conducted from the company’s Fairyhouse base but via the online platform.

TED TALKS...

“The sigh of relief was audible”

alls

The filly by Galileo and out of Shastye, bought by MV Magnier for 3.4 million guineas. She is the year’s top-priced yearling sold in Europe and the US, and the most expensive yearling filly sold in the world this year. She is seen here with Mark Grace, yearling manager at Newsells Park Stud

ANY OF US HAD THOUGHT that by the end of the yearling sales season we would know exactly what we were dealing with within our industry and the effects

of Covid-19 on our small economy – and many expected the yearling sales to deliver bad news. Little did we suspect that the Tattersalls Books 1-4 would lessen the immediate impact and give us hope. Traditionally, there is a two-year

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

lag in the thoroughbred world compared with a decline in GDP, although even that standard can’t be something we can work against this year as all of this is such unchartered territory, but the sigh of relief was audible in mid-October. The level of support for the

select yearlings in Book 1 from international participants, who self-isolated on entry to Europe, was more than expected, and was surely coupled with the presence of Sheik Mohammed in Newmarket, which added to the optimism. The relocated Goffs Orby, which

the news Current scheduled sale dates for Goffs, Goffs UK, Tattersalls Ireland, Tattersalls Cheltenham from November to early January 2021 November 5

Goffs Autumn HIT, online

December 9-10:

Goffs December NH, Kildare

November 6:

Tattersalls Cheltenham weekly point-to-point sale, online

December 12-14:

Tattersalls Ireland November NH, Fairyhouse

November 11:

Goffs UK November P2P Sale, Yorton Farm

December 16:

Tattersalls Ireland November Flat Foal & Breeding Stock, Fairyhouse

November 12:

Tattersalls Cheltenham weekly point-to-point sale, online

December 17:

Tattersalls Cheltenham December, Fairyhouse

November 19:

Tattersalls Cheltenham weekly point-to-point sale, online

December 18-20:

Goffs November Foal, Kildare

December 3:

Tattersalls Cheltenham December, Newmarket

December 21:

Goffs November Breeding Stock, Kildare

December 4:

Goffs UK HIT Sale, Doncaster

January 12-13, 2021: Goffs Autumn Yearling

“

By the end of the most select yearling sale in Europe, possibly the world this year, the fire was well and truly roaring

“

I did not attend, predicted major declines for Newmarket and, whilst many are sympathetic with changes of dates and venues, Goffs had a tough ride which, according to many, was unjust. I have always said bloodstock auctions are like lighting a fire – they take time to ignite. Goffs was, in effect, the teaser for Tattersalls and the first day of Tattersalls Book 1 took some igniting, too. By the end of the most select yearling sale in Europe, possibly the world this year, the fire was well and truly roaring. Yes, it wasn’t all plain sailing and, in particular, some first-season sires got it in the neck as purchasers flocked to the same eight stallions we are used to seeing on the top ten results page when take a look online at the sales results over morning coffee. The end of Book 1 fuelled Book 2 and as sure as black cats beget black kittens, by the of Wednesday afternoon, we had witnessed the largest single-day’s trading of Book 2 history (just). Tattersalls had pulled out all the stops, used every contact, survived inspections and kept the good news out of the national papers and television media. Vendors survived, pinhookers made a profit as usual, and there was the occasional sob story, but nothing to go to government with a story of a desperate state of declining trade.

Maybe we will lag two years, maybe we won’t, it is just all unchartered territory. We all need to make the most of this year as it is our rescue package. With the Tattersalls results sending up in smoke all the breeders’ arguments to reduce stud fees, we can’t ignore events in the rest of the world, and already American top stud fees have declined 25 per cent. I have been listening to some of the best in the business give their views of fees: “If you would have normally raised a stud fee it needs to stay the same, and all the rest reduce in line with market forces”. The cost of a signed nomination contract is the day you make a profit. The difficult ones are the first-season sires which have been deserted in the sale ring. Statistically, breeders send good

mares to stallions in their first year, and for many stallions that first book is their best. I bought the produce of Makfi and Lope De Vega in their first year and had a Dewhurst winner and a French Poule d’ Essai des Poulains winner. The market isn’t always right so ignoring this section of the market you do at your peril. Looking forward and although the Horses In Training at Tattersalls is a large tome it is never easy to judge the number of withdrawals. However, the number of horses rated over 85, the mark now needed for racing in many Middle Eastern countries, is around 250 from over 1,600 catalogued. I suspect, like the August Sale, there will be much online involvement. The foal sale at Tattersalls is down by around 200 foals probably due to the reluctance of smaller Irish farms to travel across the Irish Sea with changing Covid-19 restrictions. A first glance of the mare sale shows the remnants of the Waddesdon dispersal and the start of a Floors Stud dispersal. Many owners seem to be keeping their black-type performing fillies with a reduced number available. That is generally a good sign for the industry – breeders keeping quality to retire to stud and breed from. The catalogue doesn’t look as though there are lots of breeders

getting out, just reductions in numbers. One last item to discuss, the elephant in the room, is Brexit and with a no-deal being planned for travelling mares to Ireland and France from England. It seems we have a solution on the form of the Weatherbys E-Passport – a new digital innovation for equine regulations, identification, movement, health and welfare requirements. The digital passport system would simplify the movement of horses by providing authorities of EU countries with fail-safe information on the horse’s identity, as well as real-time monitoring of its movement and ownership information. These passports would also contain up-to-date vaccination and medical records, allowing for a higher level of monitoring and prevention of potential disease outbreaks. An initial view of the Weatherbys digital e-passport

the news

Mondialiste moves from Elwick to stand at Haras d’Annebault MONDIALISTE, the son of Galileo, who has stood his three years at stud so far at the late Geoff Turnbull’s Elwick Stud, is moving to stand in France at Haras d’Annebault in Normandy. Elwick’s Nick Turnbull said to the Racing Post: “We are pleased to announce that Mondialiste will be standing at Haras d’Annebault for the 2021 season. His first two crops have been exceptional, producing athletic, well balanced horses with fantastic temperaments. “We are very excited to introduce him to the French

....Girls aloud

IPCO CHAMPIONS DAY at Ascot is always a day of racing that delivers breath-taking excitement, and this year did not disappoint. It was a day full of emotional stories both human and equine and, by the end of the day, social media was alive with happy stories of success and the prowess of all the winners, mainly featuring Pivotal, Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand. With so many of us not able to attend the races at the moment, particularly those of us in Ireland, it is really wonderful to be able to tune in to watch top-class racing at its best. Pivotal, the legendary resident sire at the incredible nursery of Cheveley Park Stud, started off the day with his son Fujaira Prince finishing third in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup. It turned out the stallion’s day was only getting started – he went on to sire not only the winner of the Group 1 Champion Sprint winner Glen Shiel, but the runner-up Brando, who was a game second at the age of eight. He is also broodmare sire of the third-placed mare, the incredible One Master (Fastnet Rock). Not content with that achievement in the one race, he is also broodmare sire of Roseman (Kingman), who finished second to The Revenant in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Still there was more to come with the impressive victory of his son Addeybb in the British Champion Stakes (G1) beating Skaletti (Kendargent) and the amazing mare Magical (Galileo), who is also out of a daughter of Pivotal. There is no doubt he has been hugely influential, first as a sire and now as broodmare sire and as a sire of sires. At the age of 28 it looks like Pivotal may have finally reached retirement age with his last crop of foals in utero, although the farm’s managing director Chris Richardson is keeping options open. Hollie Doyle, not content with breaking her own record for the number of wins by a female jockey in a calendar year, turned up at Ascot with a purpose. She brought utter joy to so many people who watched her win on Trueshan (Planteur) in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup. You cannot but

market and to give French breeders the opportunity to send their mares to him. His pedigree is rich in Wertheimer history, a legacy we believe will continue through his progeny. “We will continue to support him by sending ten of our own mares to him in France and eagerly anticipate his first runners in 2021.” Mondialiste, who is from the Wertheimer family of Dubai Millenium, Intello, Elnadim and Fort Wood, won two Grade 1 races – the Arlington Million and the Woodbine Mile – for Turnbull.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

be charmed by her sheer enthusiasm and delight and can witness how much each victory and horse means to her. Her success is so well deserved and is clearly the product of the work ethic handed down to her by her parents Mark and Caroline. I remember her recounting that her father told her if she wanted to get the chance to be a professional jockey she would have to be the first one in the yard in the morning and the last one to leave in the evening. It is wonderful to see how her dedication and talent have delivered such success. It became an even better day for her when she landed that first Group 1 with Glen Shiel. What an inspiration she is to young, budding athletes – whether they are girls or boys, equestrian or otherwise. Tom Marquand is already a name of note as an up-and-coming top young jockey and it’s lovely to see how clearly proud and supportive he is of Doyle his girlfriend. He showcased his own brilliance and delivered two amazing performances on Njord for Jessie Harrington in the Balmoral Handicap and scored again on the impressive Addeybb in the Group 1 Champion Stakes. His partnership with Addeybb is nothing short of brilliant and has seen the pair scaling great heights in some of the best races the world has to offer in two hemispheres. It is a credit to a great training performance by William Haggas to keep the horse at his peak all year. The good news stories didn’t stop there and I am sure there was many a proud moment for Sheikh Mohammed and his team, especially Clodagh Kavanagh, who runs the Godolphin Flying Start – two graduate trainers from the course, both now training in their native France, made their mark on Champions Day. First, Francis-Henri Graffard and his runner The Revenant landed the Queen Elizabeth II, the son of Dubawi having finished second in the same race in 2019. Graffard was unable to attend, but was represented at Ascot by his British-based fellow course graduate, Kate Grimwade. Then the Jerome Reynier-trained Skalleti (Kendargent) put up a magnificent run to finish second in the Champion Stakes on a first attempt in Group 1 company. It is wonderful to see Flying Start graduates making such an impact on the international stage.

The

Shamardal inheritance Pinatubo Horse of the Year, Royal Ascot recordâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;breaker and the best juvenile for a generation. New to Dalham Hall Stud

Earthlight Undefeated French Champion at two and the fastestâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; ever winner of the G1 Middle Park. New to Kildangan Stud

Relive their brilliant wins online

Darley

THE YOUNG KNIGHT

Filly ex Lady Wingshot

Dam Gr.3 winner and dual Listed winning half sister to BAHAMA MAMA

Colt ex Shaden

Dam three time winner inc. Gr.3 from the family of Champion Older Horse LAHIB (Gr.1, Sire)

Colt ex Nouriya

Dam Dual Listed winner, dam of Gr.2 Duke Of Cambridge winner ALJAZZI

Filly ex Lost Icon

A half sister to Listed winner, ELUSIVE BEAUTY

123 mares covered in 2020 www.BlueDiamondStud.co.uk/dk

TS ARE GROWING UP!

Galileo - Pearling (Storm Cat)

First crop yearlings Going into training with trainers including

Marco Botti

Roger Charlton

John Gosden

Mark Johnston

Adrian Keatley

Sir Mark Prescott

John Quinn

Roger Varian

Looking forward with anticipation to next year Standing at

in 2021

Contact: Gary Swift or Patrick Diamond at Irish National Stud â&#x20AC;˘ Tel: +353 (0)45 521251

Jockey Tom Marquand and Addeybb go for everything to take the Group 1 Champion Stakes

uk and ire racing

Qipco British Champions Day was a triumph for jockeys Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle, but it was a brilliant day for sire Pivotal too, writes Aisling Crowe

The best of days

HE GROUP 1 ACTION On QIPCO British Champions Day was dominated by Cheveley Park Stud’s remarkable Pivotal, who featured in the pedigrees of three of the winners and in those belonging to some of the placed horses too. In fact, Marie D’Argonne, dam of Pivotal’s sire Polar Falcon, had genetic input into the winners of all four Group 1 winners at Ascot as her grandson Le Havre sired Wonderful Tonight, winner of the Fillies and Mares Stakes. Glen Shiel, who provided Hollie Doyle and Archie Watson with their breakthrough winner at the highest level with his thrilling success in the Group 1 Champions Sprint, became the 32nd Group 1 winner sired by Pivotal. The 27-year-old kingpin is also the sire of Brando, who was a nose behind Glen Shiel in second and already a Group 1 winner, while Pivotal is the broodmare sire of the third-placed One Master, who completed an historic hat-trick of successes in the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt at Longchamp just 13 days previously. The winner is a six-year-old gelding and related to another of Pivotal’s Group 1 winners, the 2013 Champion Stakes winner Farhh, who has carved out a successful career as a stallion for Darley despite fertility issues. It has certainly been a lucky meeting for the equine family – his son King Of Change won the Group 1 Queen

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

uk and ire racing Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions’ Day 2019. Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, reflected on another significant day for the Group 1 winner and brilliant sire Pivotal: “Many of his stock prefer some ease in the ground as highlighted again today, there are many of his stock that are still running although they may be slightly of an age but Pivotal produces fantastically sound, reliable beautifully well-bred and balanced horses. “It has been so exciting to be part of it and for the moment it’s not over yet. “It’s quite something, it has exceeded all expectations not only for ourselves but for the industry as a whole. “When you think of the fact that we were lucky enough to have five or six colts from the first crop of Polar Falcon and fortunately we decided to keep Pivotal and race him – the rest were all offered as part of the policy to offer the colts. It was a great relief that we did keep him!” Glen Shiel hails from the family of

“Pivotal produces fantastically sound, reliable beautifully well-bred and balanced horses Group 1 winner and sire Fame And Glory and was bred by Darley out of the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Gonfilia, who is a daughter of Big Shuffle. Her sire stood at Gestüt Auenquelle but was bred and raced by Moyglare Stud and was placed in both the July Cup and Prix de l’Abbaye (G1).

Gonfilia, who died two years’ ago at the age of 18, was bred by Auenquelle and is out of Gonfalon, who was bred by Lord Howard de Walden out of his Derby winner Slip Anchor. She is a full-sister to the Group 3 Grosser Preis der Dortmunder Wirtschaft winner Gonlargo and a half-sister to the Lando mare Gonbarda, winner of the Preis von Europa and Deutschland Preis, both Group 1 races. Gonbarda is the dam of Farhh, who also won the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes in 2013, and of Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes winner and Group 1-placed Racing History, a fullbrother to Farhh. Second dam Gonfalon is a half-sister to Gryada, dam of Fame And Glory and second dam of the triple Group 1 winner Legatissimo. Third dam Grimpola won the Group 2 Schwarzgold-Rennen (German 1,000 Guineas). Glen Shiel was trained by Andre Fabré for Godolphin and won the Listed Prix le

We featured the Archie Watson, Hollie Doyle and bloodstock agent Tom Biggs team in last month’s issue after Glen Shiel picked up his Group 1 second at Haydock. At Ascot the trio got the result they were looking for and all three became first-time Group 1 winners in the Champions Sprint

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

THE AGA KHAN STUDS Success Breeds Success

The Aga Khan Studs at the

BREEDING STOCK SALES Graduates of previous Aga Khan drafts include subsequent 2020 successes: SONAIYLA • Gr.1 placed and the dams of GOLD TRIP • Gr.1 placed PASSION • Gr.1 placed MARIE’S DIAMOND • Gr.1 placed

CORMORANT • Gr.3 winner EMERALDS • Gr.3 winner GUILDSMAN • Gr.3 winner DARKNESS • 2yo Stakes winner HERE I AM • Stakes winner, etc.

See our 2020 drafts for Goffs and Arqana at

www.AgaKhanStuds.com/Sales

uk and ire racing Fabuleux over 1m1f at Chantilly. He was sold at last year’s Goffs UK Spring Horses In Training Sale to Blandford Bloodstock for £45,000 and runs in the colours of Hambleton Racing Xxxvi and Partner.

Justified win for Addeybb

Addeybb, victorious in the Group 1 Champion Stakes, was the second Group 1 winner on Champions’ Day for Pivotal and the second from his 2014 crop after Glen Shiel. Trained by William Haggas for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, Addeybb had finished second to Magical in the 2019 running before travelling to Australia for Sydney’s Autumn Carnival and winning two Group 1 contests, in which he beat Verry Elleegant who won the Group 1 Caulfield Cup hours before Addeybb’s Ascot triumph. Champions’ Day continued a thread that has run through the entire season with older horses dominating the Group 1 contests through the likes of Battaash, Enable and Stradivarius. Three of the four Group 1 races on Champions’ Day were won by five or sixyear-olds and William Haggas, who trains One Master, spoke about career longevity in his post-race comments. “It has been quite interesting,”said Haggas. “I said after six-year-old One Master won the Forêt for a third time that, if you can keep them happy, sound and not abuse them when they are young, they will reward you when they are older. “This is exactly what she has done. Look at today – the QEII winner is five, the Sprint winner is six – if they are sound, healthy and keep their enthusiasm, which she has done, then they can enjoy life. I think that was her best-ever performance at the age of six.” Addeybb was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock and sold by Genesis Green Stud to Shadwell for 100,000gns at the 2015 Tattersalls October Book 2 Yearling Sale. He is a half-brother to the Grade 3 Generous Stakes third Meer Kat and is out of Bush Cat, a Kingmambo half-sister to stakes winners Busha’ and Rip N Run. Bush Cat’s dam Arbusha is a daughter of Danzig and won the Schwarzgold Rennen,

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Wonderful Tonight (left) backed up her Group 1 Prix de Royallieu win on Arc weekend in the Fillies and Mares. Four of sire Le Havre’s five Group 1 winners are females

making her the second winner of that German Classic to feature in the pedigree of a Group 1 winner on Champions Day. Arbusha is a half-sister to Group 2 Goldene Peitsche winner Nicholas and to the dam of Irish St Leger and Gran Premio di Milano (G1) winner, Strategic Choice. Bush Cat was sold to Paul Nataf for €31,000 at Goffs February 2015 Sale. She now has a three-year-old-winning Lawman filly named Wild Spirit trained by Frederic Rossi, while her two-year-old Literato colt is in training with Andrea Marcialis. She has a Dream Ahead yearling filly, who was unsold at the Arqana Select Yearling Sale in September. Pivotal is also the broodmare sire of the so-consistent Magical, winner of last year’s race who stayed on to claim third, and

Roseman, who was second in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Pivotal has been champion broodmare sire in Great Britain and Ireland for the last three seasons, a feat matched only by St Simon and Sadler’s Wells since the start of the 20th century. He was also the European Champion Broodmare Sire last season and the success of Pivotal’s daughters is an aspect of his career that has provided David and Patricia Thompson with great satisfaction, according to Richardson. “He just continues to produce fantastic racehorses that provide a huge amount of pleasure at the top level and broodmares who have foaled the likes of Magical, Advertise and Veracious, so it’s a dream come true and something that Mr and Mrs Thompson are so thrilled and excited about.”

uk and ire racing The Revenant was second to King Of Change in the 2019 renewal of this race, and warmed up for his crowning glory at Ascot with a second successive victory in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend.

Marie D’Argonne rules the roost

Pivotal himself had no direct input into the success of Wonderful Tonight in the Group 1 British Champions’ Fillies And Mares Stakes, but winning sire Le Havre is from the family of Pivotal’s sire Polar Falcon. The Haras de Montfort et Preaux’s Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club stallion is out of a half-sister to Polar Falcon, giving his second dam Marie D’Argonne a starring role in yet another Group 1 winner’s pedigree. Bred by Ecurie la Cauviniere, the former name for Montfort et Preaux, and bought by owner Chris Wright for €40,000 at Arqana’s August Yearling Sale from Coulonces Sales, the three-year-old Wonderful Tonight is one of five Group 1 winners now for Le Havre. Three are out of a mare by a son or grandson of Sadler’s Wells. Wonderful Tonight is out of the Montjeu mare Salvation, who has produced four winners from four runners, including the multiple Listed-placed Penjade, but the

The Revenant a 44th top level winner for Dubawi

The Revenant won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes under jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot and for trainer Henri-Francis Graffard By Dubawi, and the 44th winner of a Group 1 race by Darley’s flagship stallion, he was the day’s third Group 1 winner connected to Pivotal. Al Asayl Bloodstock’s home-bred winner is out of Hazel Lavery, a daughter of Excellent Art, who is a son of Pivotal and a winner of the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes in 2007. Hazel Lavery won the Group 3 St Simon Stakes for Charlie Hills. She has a two-year-old Oasis Dream filly named La Viette, who is in the same training yard as her older half-brother, and she foaled a filly by Saxon Warrior in the spring. She returned to The Revenant’s sire Dubawi this year.

The Revenant and Pierre-Charles Boudot

Le Havre is still only 14 with his most expensively bred crops just hitting the track so his future would seem bright dual Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight, the second Champions Day winner to also be successful on Arc weekend, is the best so far. Salvation is a half-sister to the Group 3 Providencia Stakes winner Hostess, and to Il Paparazzi (Royal Applause), who was third in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes, and to the Paco Boy gelding Mr Garcia. He has twice been Listed-placed in Australia. Wonderful Tonight’s second dam Birdie (Alhaarth) won the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial and is half-sister to the Listed winner Faru, and to Fickle, the Listed-winning second dam of leading young sire Camelot. Salvation’s two-year-old full-sister to Wonderful Tonight is named Chuppy and is in training with Pascal Bary. She has a yearling colt and a filly foal by the Acomb Stakes winner Recorder, who stands alongside Le Havre. The colt, from the sire’s first crop, was sold at Arqana’s October Yearling Sale for €70,000. Le Havre is still only 14 with his most expensively bred crops just hitting the track so his future would seem bright. As for Pivotal’s future as a stallion, nothing has been decided as yet, and it will be up to the great chesnut himself to decide if he should bow out in the spring. “He covered 30 mares this year and got 15 in-foal, he covered 54 mares last year but whether he will cover anything next year we haven’t decided yet,” said Richardson. “He will tell us in February if it is something he is going to be capable of doing, we don’t know but at the age of 28 it would probably be highly unusual.”

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING SIRES

LOPE DE VEGA VEGA.

BLACK TYPE

2YOS in 2020

LUCKY VEGA – Gr.1 Phoenix Stakes in 2020

AUNT PEARL

Gr.2 Jessamine Stakes

ALSO

in 2020 BALLYLINCH STUD

CADILLAC

Gr.2 Golden Fleece Stakes

LA BARROSA

Gr.3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes

Listed Prix Isonomy winner PARCHEMIN Group 2 placed EDITOR AT LARGE Group 3 placed KING VEGA

+353 (0)56-7724217 • info@ballylinchstud.ie www.ballylinchstud.com

uk and ire racing

Supreme in the Middle Park The son of first-season sire sensation Mehmas becomes a Group 1 king, writes Aisling Crowe

EHMAS HAS transformed the European first-season sires’ title race into a procession, breaking the record held by Iffraaj for most two-year-old winners sired by a first-season sire in the process. And although Tally-Ho Stud’s and Al Shaqab’s son of Acclamation has held a numerical advantage over some of his contemporaries, his debut crop is not short on quality either with nine stakes horses out of 40 winners (at the time of writing). Mehmas was a high-class juvenile, winning the Group 2 July and Richmond Stakes, and placing second in the Group 1 National Stakes and Group 2 Coventry Stakes, his only season to race. From just this first crop of runners he has already sired a colt who has surpassed his own achievements – the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Supremacy. Trained by Clive Cox, Supremacy emulated his sire with victory in Goodwood’s Group 2 Richmond Stakes, and then stepped up to Group 1 class, fending off the challenge of Lucky Vega, who had previously won the Group 1 National Stakes, to win the Middle Park Stakes.

It was a 1-3 in the race for Mehmas whose Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Minzaal took bronze for Shadwell and trainer Owen Burrows. Supremacy was bred by the Honourable Kenneth Lau’s Kangyu International Racing operation and is from a top-class family. His dam Triggers Broom is an Arcano half-sister to dual Group 1 Hong Kong Champions Mile winner Xtension and to Beatrix Potter. She is dam of Harry Angel, who won the Group 1 July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup, and of last year’s Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Pierre Lapin. Another half-sister A Huge Dream (Refuse To Bend), was Listed placed in France and is the dam of Listed winner Mrs Gallagher. It is also the family of Grade 1 winners Stephen Got Even and Artemis Argotera. Lau boards his mares at John Tuthill’s Owenstown Stud and the farm consigned Supremacy at Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale where he was purchased for £65,000 by Cox. Triggers Broom has a yearling colt by Cotai Glory who made 180,000gns to SackvilleDonald at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, consigned by Owenstown, who also offers her filly foal by the same sire as Lot 987 at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. Mehmas was not alone among the first-season sires to have a winner of an important late-season juvenile contest. Both Darley’s Belardo, himself a winner of the Dewhurst, and New Bay, who stands at Ballylinch, added to their impressive early records. Belardo’s daughter Isabella Giles added the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes to

Supremacy with jockey Adam Kirby. The colt cost trainer Clive Cox just £65,000 as a yearling at the Goffs UK Premier Sale

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

uk and ire racing Marc Chan after winning his maiden on his third start. Saffron Beach was bred by the China Horse Club and purchased as a foal by Norris/Huntingdon for 55,000gns. After numerous non-appearances at the sales as a yearling and then as a young horse in training, she was sold privately to owners Mrs BV Sangster and James Wigan ahead of her first run which came in a Newmarket maiden on September 26, the same day as the Royal Lodge Stakes. She made that a winning debut before a quick return to action to take the Group 3 on just her second start finishing ahead of the No Nay Never filly Thank You Next. Saffron Beach is now reportedly wrapped up for winter with the Group 3 Nell Gwyn as the spring target.

Alcohol Free adds to No Nay Never’s CV

New Mandate and Frankie Dettori take the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes for new owner Marc Chan

her previous success in the Group 3 Prestige Stakes for Clive Cox and owner Paul and Claire Rooney. She was bred by Ballylinch Stud, who bred her sire, and is out of the Dubawi mare Majestic Dubawi, winner of the Group 3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes and dam of the German Listed winner Majestic Clodovil. She is from the family of Group 2 winner Dark Vision and the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Lope Y Fernandez. The Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner New Mandate was the first stakes winner for New Bay in the Flying Scotsman Stakes (L), and at Newmarket he became the Dubawi sire’s first Group winner. Saffron Beach, winner of the Oh So Sharp Stakes (G3) for trainer Jane ChappleHyam, gave the sire his second Group winner just a fortnight later. New Mandate was bred by the Mishar Syndicate, which includes Henri Bozo, Francois Drion’s Taroka Stud, Ecurie Des

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Saffron Beach is now reportedly wrapped up for winter with the Group 3 Nell Gwyn as the spring target Charmes and Haras de l’Hotellerie. The colt is out of an Authorized half-sister to Puggy, the dam of Group 1 winner Avenir Certain. He was bought by Elliott Bloodstock Services Ltd at the Arqana August Sale from Hotellerie for €30,000 for an ownership trading syndicate, the Lucra Partnership. He was then sold on to current owner

Young sire No Nay Never added his third Group 1 winner in as many crops to his haul when his daughter Alcohol Free won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes for Jeff Smith’s Littleton Stud, Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy. Alcohol Free is the result of one of Smith’s intermittent forays into the market for the famed owner-breeder of Group 1 winners Lochangel, Lochsong and Arabian Queen, as well as the beloved Persian Punch. Smith bought her from breeders Churchtown House Stud at Goffs November Foal Sale for €40,000. Her dam Plying was also sold at Goffs in November 2018 making just €21,000 to Jossestown Farm, which offers her Dandy Man colt foal as Lot 698 at the Goffs November Foal Sale. Plying is a winning daughter of Hard Spun and the dam of two black-type winners from three runners – her fouryear-old Camelot gelding Alexander James won the Listed Prix Fabuleux. Plying is out of Nasaleeb, a Listed-placed half-sister to Group 3 Solario Stakes winner and sire Raise A Grand. She has a Starspangledbanner yearling filly, who was sold for €40,000 by Jossestown Farm to Pegasus Bloodstock at Goffs February Sale. She was subsequently withdrawn from the Orby Sale this autumn.

uk and ire racing Alcohol Free joins the Middle Park Stakes and the July Cup winner Ten Sovereigns and Chilean Oaks winner Brooke as a Group 1 winner by No Nay Never. Amongst his 14 Group winners are the Group 1-placed Arizona, Nay Lady Nay, Vitalogy and Wichita, as well as the Listed winner and Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes third Moss Gill and the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes third The Irish Rover.

French sires take the plaudits

Future Champions Weekend at Newmarket saw French-based sires take the Group 1 plaudits as Siyouni’s son St Mark’s Basilica won the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, and Pretty Gorgeous (Lawman) took the Fillies’ Mile. Purchased for 1.3m guineas as a yearling St Mark’s Basilica sported the purple and white Coolmore silks of Derrick Smith and was ridden by Frankie Dettori for Aidan O’Brien. Bred by Robert Scarborough, he is a halfbrother to last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia, who also won the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at two. Third in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh prior to his Newmarket success, he hails from a classy juvenile family. He is out of the Galileo mare Cabaret, who won the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at two. She is a half-sister to Group 3 Solario Stakes winner Drumfire (Danehill Dancer) and the Pivotal gelding Ho Choi, who won the Listed Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin. Second dam Witch Of Fife was second in the Listed Sweet Solera Stakes at two and is a half-sister to the dam of Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes winner and Group 1 Moyglare Stakes second Ugo Fire. Norelands Stud, where Cabaret boards and who sold Magna Grecia and St Mark’s Basilica on behalf of their breeder, consigned the yearling full-brother to St Mark’s Basilica at Book 1, four days before his older sibling’s triumph – he was bought back at 650,000gns. Cabaret has no reported foal and was covered by Kingman this year. The aptly-named Pretty Gorgeous trained

Pretty Gorgeous trained by Joseph O’Brien gave owner John Oxley, a successful figure in US racing, his first Group 1 winner in Europe by Joseph O’Brien gave owner John Oxley, a well-known and successful figure in American racing, his first Group 1 winner in Europe when prevailing by half a length from Indigo Girl. Pretty Gorgeous was bred by a group that includes Haras du Cadran and Ecurie la Boetie and is from the final Irish crop of Lawman, who moved from Ballylinch Stud to Haras de Grandcamp ahead of the 2019 breeding season. She is the second winner out of Lady

Gorgeous (Compton Place), who was third in the Listed Surrey Stakes and is also the dam of Alwaab, winner of the Prix Nureyev (L). Lady Gorgeous is a half-sister to Group 3 third Kartica, who is the dam of Group 1 Coronation Stakes and Prix Rothschild winner Qemah (Danehill Dancer). Second dam Cayman Sunset won the Listed Dahlia Stakes and was third in the Grade 2 Canadian Handicap at Woodbine. Pretty Gorgeous was sold by Haras du Cadran to Margaret O’Toole for €55,000 at the 2018 Arqana December Sale. Trainer O’Brien had to pay considerably more – a total of 525,000gns – to secure Pretty Gorgeous from Glenvale Stud in Book 1 last year. Her Shalaa yearling half-brother brought the Morrin brothers of Pier House Stud pinhooking success at this autumn’s Book 2 when selling for 200,000gns to Sackville Donald. She was bought with Peter and Ross Doyle for 90,000gns last December. Lady Gorgeous has a colt foal by Zoffany who is catalogued as Lot 976 from Norelands Stud at Tattersalls December Foal Sale and she was covered by No Nay Never this year.

St Mark’s Basilica: stepped up to Group 1 success after a third in the National Stakes in September

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

The Lir Jet

River Boyne

(prince of Lir)

(Dandy man)

Track record breaker on debut Gr.2 Norfolk Stakes winner at Ascot

7 wins inc; Gr.1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Gr.2 Twilight Derby Gr.2 Mathis Brothers Mile

Rated 108

Dandalla (Dandy man)

Unbeaten winner of; Gr.2 Duchess of Cambridge and Gr.3 Albany Stakes winner by 6L, etc. Rated 106

Champers Elysees (elzaam)

5 wins inc; Gr.1 Coolmore america â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Justifyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; matron stakes Gr.3 Coolmore stud stks LR Corrib Fillies stks

Happy Romance

4 wins inc;

(Dandy man)

Goffs UK premier Yearling stakes

Ballyhane SireS On fire

introducing...

Sands of Mali A top clAss sprinter

retires to

Ballyhane

Gr.1 British Champions Sprint Stakes winner at 3 Gr.2 Gimcrack Stakes winner at 2

Soldier’s Call new for 2020

A chAmpion 2yo

Fastest colt of his generation Exceptional looker by the brilliant Showcasing Covered a powerful 1st book of mares

dandy Man

one of europe’s leAding stAllions Group winning 2yos Dandalla, happy Romance in ‘20 Gr.1 winning colt River Boyne in ‘20

elzaam

“A sire who upgrAdes his mAres” Sire of Champers elysees ; Unbeaten Gr.1 Matron Stakes winner also playa del puente, indicative Vote, mateo Cruz etc. in 2020

SandS Of Mali -“He was a brilliant sprinter, a true Gr.1 horse...we’ve never had a horse work like he did at Musley Bank” - R. Fahey

Ballyhane Stud Leighlinbridge, Co.Carlow, ireland.

Joe Foley: +353 86 252 4135 office: +353 59 972 2068 Web: www.ballyhane.com

Prince of lir

A royAl Ascot norfolk stAkes winner Sire of Royal Ascot Norfolk Stakes winner the Lir Jet in his 1st crop.

Jane Foley: +353 86 806 6000 email: info@ballyhane.com

euro racing The son of Siyouni â&#x20AC;&#x201C; winner of six races from 12 runs, three Group 1s â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has now retired to Coolmore

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

euro racing

Sottsass bows out in a blaze of glory In an unusual renewal of the Arc de Triomphe, Sottsass gives victory to Peter Brant, the first US owner to win the race since Saumarez won for Bruce McNall in 1990, writes Jocelyn de Moubray

HE STRANGEST OF all Arc weekends took place in front of empty echoing stands, on the heaviest ground seen for at least 20 years, and with no runners trained by one of the O’Brien family. It is hard to say which of the three factors had the biggest influence on the spectacle the races provided, but nevertheless the Arc was of the highest standard and several horses put up performances to rank with those provided over recent decades. White Birch Farm’s Sottsass won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe narrowly, but decisively, from In Swoop and Persian King. This was a first victory in the race for trainer Jean Claude Rouget and, as far as my records go, the first by a trainer in France not based at either Chantilly or Maisons Laffitte. This would have been considered extraordinary in the 20th century, but like the fact that two of the three other Frenchtrained Group 1 winners at the weekend, Sealiway and Tiger Tanaka, came from Marseilles, nobody is surprised these days. Rouget’s stable is split between Pau and

Deauville, but Sottsass has spent most of his time in Deauville. Peter Brant is the first US owner to win the race since Saumarez won in the colours of Bruce McNall in 1990 and Brant joins a select group, including Paul Mellon and Nelson Bunker Hunt, who won the race with Mill Reef and Vaguely Noble in the 1970s and 1960s. Brant’s return to ownership in France and Europe has been a significant turning point for racing and breeding. He is, for the time being, about the most successful, but he is one of several American owners now showing an interest in buying, breeding and racing in Europe. Brant currently has 15 horses in training with Rouget and has been a major player at auctions in France, Britain and Ireland in the four years since he returned to the world of bloodstock auctions at the Wildenstein Dispersal in 2016. He has also purchased several highprofile horses-in-training, including Sottsass’s half-sister, the US champion filly Sistercharlie. The boxes at Chantilly used to be full of horses belonging to Americans and Brant’s

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

FIRST FOALS 2020

Rated 121 by Timeform

Champion 3yo sprinter & the only son of ZOFFANY at stud in Britain

By ZOFFANY - who has sired more than 120 winners this season, 32 of them 2yos including Group 1 winner Thunder Moon, one of his 23 black type horses this year.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss his first foals selling at Tattersalls December Foal Sales LOTS: 262, 274, 275, 277, 305, 320, 321, 358, 503, 504, 1033, 1171

Use

a British Stallion to WIN ÂŁ20,000 in the Great British Bonus Scheme For full details of the Great British Bonus Scheme visit www.greatbritishbonus.co.uk

Tel: 07974 948755 or 01630 647197

www.bearstonestud.co.uk

euro racing success may well encourage others to come to France. François Boutin was convinced that the style and pace of French racing was the best preparation for going on to race in the US. Brant’s success in the US with horses who started their careers in France suggests that this may well still be the case. Sottsass retires to stud at Coolmore the winner of six of his 12 starts, including three of the best Group 1s in Europe – the Prix du Jockey-Club, the Prix Ganay and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The son of Siyouni was unplaced on his seasonal debut at two, three and four, but was consistently top class on each of his other nine starts winning six, finishing third in the Arc at three, fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes at four and failing by only a neck to give 3ks to Skalleti at Deauville this August. Sottsass’s winning time was the slowest in the Pric de l’Arc de Triomphe since

Sottsass had the tactical speed to go into a decisive lead when it mattered, and he was able to sustain his run to the line Ivanjica won in 1976, it was 0.8 seconds slower than when Montjeu won on very heavy ground in 1999, and 1.6 seconds slower than Solemia’s win also on heavy ground in 2012. It was 7.3sec slower than Waldgeist’s winning time last year when there was so

It was the slowest Arc since 1976 and 7.6sec slower than 2019, but in line with other heavy-ground Arcs

much talk then about how soft the ground was. This year the ground really was heavy, and with no O’Brien-trained horses to make the running, it was run at a steady early pace. Pierre Charles Boudot is the leading jockey at ParisLongchamp these days and he logically took Persian King into the lead and tried to go as slowly in front as was possible in the hope of preserving his mount’s stamina. The result was a race run in what is called “the French style” and, despite the ground and the distance covered, the first four home were sprinting through the final 400m.

OTTSASS ran the final 400m 10 per cent faster than the race average, In Swoop, who was briefly out-speeded at the top of the straight, was still closing at the line and his last split was 11 per cent faster than his average. Persian King was accelerating, too, with his last 400m being eight per cent faster than his average for the race. Sottsass had the tactical speed to go into a decisive lead when it mattered, and he was able to sustain his run to the line. In 2019 Sottsass had run to a very similar rating when finishing third behind Waldgeist and Enable, in a race run at a break-neck pace from start to finish. Sottsass was simply a very high-class horse, who was able to adapt and shine in top races, however they were run. The Arc de Triomphe is a very tough race and few three-year-old colts are able to compete successfully. There are those who persist in believing that weight-for-age favours three-year-olds, but in the Arc this is clearly not the case. In Swoop joins Golden Horn as one of only two three-year-old colts to finish in the first two in the last ten years. Sottsass, New Bay, Intello and Masterstroke finished third in the same time period. The Arc was only the fifth career start for Gestut Schlenderhan’s son of Adlerflug and the Francis Graffard-trained colt would

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

euro racing have to be the most likely winner of the 2021 Arc today. On his second career start In Swoop finished third in a Group 2 at Lyon, only a length and a neck behind Gold Trip, who was an excellent fourth in the Arc. In the Deutsches Derby, on his third start, he came from well off a very strong early pace to win what has turned out to have been an excellent edition – those he beat included the subsequent Group 1 winner Torquator Tasso and the Group 1 performers Kaspar and Dicaprio. In Swoop then finished second to Mogul in the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) in September, finishing just ahead of Gold Trip. The pair may well have both improved on this on the softer ground in the Arc itself. The Arc was not the only major race at the weekend which developed into a sprint. The Aga Khan’s Valia, a three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars, quickened impressively to win the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay over 3000m by an easy 2l. The Alain de Royer Dupre-trained filly ran her last 400m 15 per cent faster than the race average. The same owner’s Tarnawa quickened even more impressively to win the

Skalleti with the French champion jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot after winning the Prix Dollar

Group 1 Prix de l’Opera, coming from miles off a slow early pace to beat the Group 1 winners Alpine Star, Audarya and Tawkeel. The Dermot Weld-trained daughter of Shamardal is unbeaten in three starts at four and completed the rare double of the Prix Vermeille in September and the Opera three weeks later.

Tarnawa (Shamardal) and Christophe Soumillon win the Prix de l Opera from Alpine Star and Audarya

Tarnawa would surely have been competitive in the Arc itself as her finishing kick was most impressive. She had eight fillies, including all of her serious rivals, in front of her at the halfway point of the race and yet her jockey Christophe Soumillon’s confidence was easily justified as she came with a run – her final 400m were 14 per cent faster than the race average, to win comfortably, if narrowly, from her top-class rivals. Valia is the second foal of her dam Veda, who was second in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and comes from the prolific ‘V’ family of Vazira, Vadamos, Valixir and many others. Tarnawa is the first foal of her dam Tarana who was a Listed winner and Group placed at four in Ireland. She is by far the best horse this family has produced for two generations.

A fine performance by Skalleti

The other significant race which turned into a finishing sprint was the Group 2 Prix Dollar won with another brilliant run from well off a slow pace by Jean Claude Seroul’s Kendargent gelding Skalleti. Trained in Marseilles by Jerome Reynier Skalleti has now won 11 of his 14 starts. Bred by Guy Pariente at Haras de Colleville, he is the second of three full-brothers

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

euro racing out of the Muhaymin mare Skallet, who was a Listed winner and Group-placed in Pariente’s colours after being bought out of a claimer for €42,100. The three full-brothers have won 25 races and more than a €1 million in prize-money and premiums and are all still racing. Skalleti had defeated Sottsass on his previous start and is surely now ready to

step up to Group 1 races. He ran the last 400m in 24.26sec and made up some 4l on the Group 1-placed Patrick Sarsfield, who finished second.

A Wonderful day for Menuisier

The other major races at the weekend were run differently with a strong or even early

pace. On Saturday, Wonderful Tonight, a daughter of Le Havre owned by Chris Wright and trained by David Menuisier, proved herself to be among the best of her generation in Europe by racing close to a strong early pace, but still having the reserves to repel the late challenge of Pista to win the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu over 2800m.

Two-year-old Group1s won by son of Galiway and daughter of Clodovil THE TWO-YEAR-OLD Group 1s were both won by horses trained in Marseilles – Sealiway, the son of Galiway trained by Frederic Rossi, won the Prix Jean Luc Lagardère brilliantly by 8l, while Tiger Tanaka, a daughter of Clodovil trained by Charely Rossi, held the challenge of Tasmania to win the Marcel Boussac by three-quarters of a length. Both races were run at a strong pace, Sealiway set an even faster pace than Earthlight did over the same distance later in the day and, if he was slowing down in the final 200m, his rivals were all well beaten by that stage. Sealiway had looked good when winning on his debut in the first twoyear-old race after lockdown at the beginning of May and is clearly well suited to a fast pace or making his own running and enjoys soft ground. He was bred and is part-owned by Guy Pariente and is from the second crop of the Haras de Colleville’s Galiway, a son of Galileo. Tiger Tanaka made her debut in a claimer in Lyon at the beginning of June winning by a length and being claimed by her current connections for €23,789. They didn’t realise immediately what they had so cleverly purchased and she won two more claimers before moving up in class. She stayed the 1600m well off a strong pace and never looked likely to be passed. Tiger Tanaka was helped by the interference several of her main rivals suffered in the straight, but she is a filly

who continues to surprise everybody. Good as Tiger Tanaka is she is not the highest-rated two-year-old filly in France as Alain Jathiere’s Plainchant, a daughter of Gregorian trained at La Teste in the west of France by Italian ex-patriot Maurizio Guarnieri, is rated a pound higher. Plainchant was a far cheaper purchase than Tiger Tanaka as she was bought as a yearling by Frederico Barberini for €4,000 at the Arqana October Sale. She has won four of her six starts and on the last two looked to be an outstanding two-year-old. On good to soft ground she won the Group 3 Prix Eclipse over 1200m in September by an easy 5l and followed up with another win in October on heavy

ground in the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons Laffitte, run now at Chantilly. In the Criterium she was pushed by the colt Go Athletico who finished within three-quarters of a length, but as the son of Goken had beaten Sealiway to win a Group 3 on his previous start this was still a fine performance. On good ground, Plainchant has a great deal of speed and, if 1200m seemed to be her limit on heavy ground, she may be able to stay further in better conditions. Goken has been the stallion revelation of the French season and the son of Kendargent has now had 13 winners from only 30 runners and in Go Athletico he has the third highest-rated colt in France.

The Sealiway team at ParisLongchamp: the son of Galiway is the sire’s first Group 1 winner

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

euro racing The early leaders Miss Yoda and Manuela De Vega returned the fastest splits of any horse at the weekend outside the Prix de l’Abbaye, and not surprisingly were well beaten by the time they reached the straight. Wonderful Tonight had not been far off this pace, but on soft ground she looks to have limitless stamina and great speed. In Deauville she had beaten Valia to win the Group 3 Prix Minerve and is a top-class middle-distance filly, who if all goes to plan, will be racing in the Arc next year. Saturday’s other Group 1, the Prix du Cadran, over the marathon trip of 4000m was run at a furious pace. Alkuin and Windstoss set off so fast that they covered the first 3000m faster than Valia did when winning her Group 2! Windstoss was legless with 600m to run, but Alkuin was still more or less maintaining the same pace, while Princess Zoe, a five-year-old Jukebox Jury mare trained by Anthony Mullins, was slowly making ground from the rear having been some 8l behind with 1000m to run. Princess Zoe had an official rating of only 64 when she moved to Mullins’ stable from

Anthony Mullins with the elegant Princess Zoe

Germany in March this year, but came into the French race off four consecutive wins in Ireland. She had never raced over further than two miles before but saw out the trip well and managed to pass Alkuin in the final strides to win by a half length. The remaining Group 1s for older horses saw a third Prix de la Forêt in a row for Lael Stables’ Fastnet Rock mare One Master. Godolphin’s three-year-old Earthlight set a very fast pace and, while none of the principals were accelerating at the end of the race, One Master was able to come from behind and catch the leader in the final 50m to win by a neck. Al Shaqab’s Wooded, a three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett trained by Francis Graffard, was a narrow winner of the Prix de l’Abbaye having been with the leaders more or less from the start and holding the late run of previous winner Glass Slipper. It was not the best Abbaye of all time on the ratings, but it is rare for a three-yearold colt to win this race and Wooded was making only his second ever start at this distance.

One Master: is out of a Pivotal mare and by Fastnet Rock, who is sire of 297 stakes performers, 29 Group 1 winners, 102 Group winners and 57 Listed winners

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

us racing The filly Swiss Skydiver (right) beats the boys in the Preakness Stakes (G1) getting the better of the Kentucky Derby winner Authentic down the Pimlico straight

Skydiving for Classic success

It has been a racing year in the US for stallions shipped abroad, freshman sires and sons of Uncle Mo, reports Melissa Bauer-Herzog

HERE WAS ARGUABLY no stallion who had a better 2020 Classic season in the US than sophomore stallion Daredevil as he wrapped up the Triple Crown with a Classic victory. The stallion, who was sold to The Jockey

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Club Of Turkey last year, got the first two in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in early September, and the second place finisher Swiss Skydiver made an untraditional next move when contesting the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at the beginning of October.

The filly has already run against the boys when second in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes in July, and she quickly made the Preakness one of the most entertaining races of the year. The Kenneth McPeek-trained runner linked up with Grade 1 Kentucky Derby

us racing winner Authentic for much of the second half of the race, but the filly prevailed by a neck in a duel reminiscent of the 2007 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. The race was also a perfect example of a contrast in sire fortunes. Daredevil, who is to be repatriated for 2021 to Lane’s End Farm, was exported to Turkey after attracting only 21 mares in his last covering season in the US, Authentic’s sire Into Mischief has seen a meteoric rise to fame. Both stallions were two-year-old Grade 1 winners who struggled at three and started at lower fees. But, while Into Mischief has climbed to a stud fee of $225,000 and is Not This Time: the son of Giant’s Causeway finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2016. As a sire, he has a likely Breeders’ Cup favourite

Simply Ravishing has perhaps the best story of the year in US racing – she is a daughter of a mare bought for just $500! already booked full for 2021, Daredevil was one of a trio of stallions WinStar sold to Turkey in 2019 with only his first crop on the track. Daredevil isn’t the only exported stallion to put together a notable autumn. Entering his third season in Japan next year, Declaration Of War registered three US graded stakes winners from September to mid-October in North America with five stakes horses. That group was led by the Grade 2 juvenile winner Fire At Will with the threeyear-old Stunning Sky keeping the sire’s name in the headlines in October with a Grade 3 victory. It has been an excellent 12 months all around for Declaration Of War with eight stakes winners and 16 stakes horses in North America alone. In all, he has registered 12 stakes winners and 29 stakes horses since October 2019 with an additional two Group 1 winners in Australia as well – including a Grade 1 Melbourne Cup winner.

Uncle Mo proving to be sire of sires

While those exported stallions got much of the attention – and discussion – over the past few months, those still standing in the US were also making sure they were noticed. A top stallion himself, Uncle Mo is quickly proving to be a sire-of-sires, if the freshman sire ranks are any indication. Uncle Mo himself sired seven stakes winners from September 1 to October 18,

and has two top chances for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup races, but his sons dwarfed his accomplishments. Of the five first-season sires – his first class of sons at stud – two of them lead the freshman sire rankings by stakes winners with Nyquist having produced two graded stakes winners and Outwork two stakes winners. When Gretzky The Great crossed the line first in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes to give Nyquist his second Grade 1 winner, the stallion joined exalted company as the first freshman sire since Danzig to have two Grade 1 winners before October of his first year with runners. Just two weeks later another Uncle Mo son scored that all-important Grade 1 progeny victory. By New York-based Laoban, Simply Ravishing has made a march to the top of her division since making her debut in early August. After she began her career on the Turf, the filly made a switch to the Dirt for the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland in early October. She proved to be even more dominant on that surface with a 6l romp in the race to earn her spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, due back at the same track in November. Simply Ravishing has perhaps the best story of the year in US racing – she is a daughter of a mare bought for just $500! Purchased on owner Meg Levy’s birthday, the mare Four Wishes (More Than Ready) was then sent to Laoban to use a breeding share the connections had in the stallion. The cross mimicked the Uncle Mo and More Than Ready cross that has produced three stakes horses and 13 winners from 16 runners as of press time and is quickly proving it is just as successful. Laoban spent his first four seasons at Sequel Stallions in New York, but it won’t be surprising if he is on a Kentucky roster in 2021.

The year of the freshman sire

The freshman sires have a significant impact on the Grade 1 juvenile races this year with another freshman Not This Time

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

November Flat Foal & Breeding Stock Sale featuring a new Yearling section (leading sires include Mehmas, Buratino and Teofilo)

16 December 2020

THE LIR JET

winner Norfolk Stakes Gr. 2, 2nd Phoenix Stakes Gr. 1 & 2nd Prix Robert Papin Gr. 2

T: +353 1 8864300 info@tattersalls.ie tattersalls.ie

CHAMPERS ELYSEES

winner Matron Stakes Gr. 1, winner Fairy Bridge Stakes Gr. 3 & winner Corrib Fillies Stakes Listed

us racing (Giant’s Causeway) likely to be sire of the year’s leading two-year-old filly. Stepping up to Grade 1 company after an easy debut victory, his daughter Princess Noor has kept a lock hold on the California juvenile division for her sire. A romp in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante gave her sire his first Grade 1 victory to add to his generation-leading number of winners. Three weeks later the filly put in another impressive display when changing up her normal running style and still romping to an 8l win. One of two stakes winners and four stakes horses for Not This Time, Princess Noor looks like she’ll be one of the favourites for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She has also played her part in Taylor Made increasing the sire’s 2021 fee from the $12,500 he stood for this year to $40,000 in 2021. The freshmen sires have a good hold on the juvenile filly division, but the juvenile colt division is dominated by one sire – the

established Maclean’s Music and his son Jackie’s Warrior. The sire of Grade 1 Preakness winner Cloud Computing from his first crop and a two-year-old Grade 1 winner from his third, Maclean’s Music may be best known in coming years for producing Jackie’s Warrior from his fifth crop. Undefeated in his four starts this year, the two-year-old colt’s reputation solidified with victory in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes. Romping on the front end from the start, only Reinvestment Risk was within 14l of him at the finish – most of the field was more than 20l adrift the winner. As is often the case with star colts in the US, Jackie’s Warrior’s breeding rights were quickly snapped up by Spendthrift Farm. That farm also stands Maclean’s Music’s Cloud Computing, whose first foals were born in 2020. It has been another outstanding year for Spendthrift Farm all around with both future stallion prospects and established stallions.

War Of Will: the two-time Grade 1-winning son of War Front has been retired to Claiborne Farm

Into Mischief leads all the North American and European sires’ table by earnings, is tied with Galileo by number of stakes horses this year at 53 and he also leads in nearly every category among North American sires. His son and stud-mate Goldencents leads the North American third-crop sires in nearly every category with Spendthrift’s Wicked Strong (Hard Spun) the thirdplaced second-crop sire. However, perhaps the most exciting and unexpected of the Spendthrift stallions with claim to fame is freshman sire Cinco Charlie. By Indian Charlie, the same sire as Uncle Mo, the sire,who stands at just $5,000, is third by winners and already has a stakes winner to his name from only 23 runners as of mid-October. A product of Spendthrift Farm’s Share The Upside programme, he is joined by fellow Spendthrift freshman Brody’s Cause as those with multiple stakes horses and at least one stakes winner to their name. Earning more good will from breeders, Spendthrift also made the decision to lower nearly every stallion’s fee on its roster for 2021, with only Into Mischief seeing an increase in fee next year. “Breeders are the backbone of our industry, and the bottom line is that stud farms only go as breeders go. We are all in this together,” said owner B. Wayne Hughes. “Our team recognises the challenges of the times and how the entire breeding community has been affected this year. “If we had room to lower a stud fee, we did it.” In what has been a busy month for stud fee announcements, many of the stallions on the rosters of the Kentucky farms that have already announced their fees have seen a decrease in fees. Among the most prolific of those already announced is internationally accomplished sire War Front, whose fee decreases to $150,000 from the $250,000 he has stood at since 2017. That stallion will be joined at Claiborne Farm by his dual-surface Grade 1-winning son War Of Will in 2021, though a fee for that horse has not yet been announced.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

stallion stats Leading sires in Europe 2020: (by prize-money earned to October 21, 2020) Stallion

Breeding

Galileo Siyouni Dubawi Kingman Dark Angel Kodiac Sea The Stars Lope de Vega Shamardal Le Havre Zoffany Pivotal Invincible Spirit Camelot Kendargent Wootton Bassett Frankel Adlerflug Dandy Man Australia Dream Ahead Sea The Moon Teofilo Showcasing Holy Roman Emperor Night of Thunder Nathaniel Champs Elysees Footstepsinthesand Mastercraftsman Charm Spirit Authorized Acclamation Bated Breath Rajsaman Excelebration Make Believe Exceed And Excel Dabirsim Lawman Poet’s Voice No Nay Never Intello Makfi New Approach Oasis Dream Anodin Mehmas

Sadler’s Wells-Urban Sea (Miswaki) Pivotal-Sichilla (Danehill) Dubai Millennium-Zomaradah (Deploy) Invincible Spirit-Zenda (Zamindar) Acclamation-Midnight Angel (Machiavellian) Danehill-Rafha (Kris) Cape Cross-Urban Sea (Miswaki) Shamardal-Lady Vettori (Vettori) Giant’s Causeway-Helsinki (Machiavellian) Noverre-Marie Rheinberg (Surako) Dansili-Tyranny (Machiavellian) Polar Falcon-Fearless Revival (Cozzene) Green Desert-Rafha (Kris) Montjeu-Tarfah (Kingmambo) Kendor-Pax Bella (Linamix) Iffraaj-Balladonia (Primo Dominie) Galileo-Kind (Danehill) In the Wings-Aiyana (Last Tycoon) Mozart-Lady Alexander Night Shift) Galileo-Ouija Board (Cape Cross) Diktat-Land of Dreams (Cadeaux Genereux) Sea The Stars-Sanwa (Monsun) Galileo-Speirbhean (Danehill) Oasis Dream-Arabesque (Zafonic) Danehill-L’On Vite (Secretariat) Dubawi-Forest Storm (Galileo) Galileo-Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk) Danehill-Hasili (Kahyasi) Giant’s Causeway-Glatisant (Rainbow Quest) Danehill Dancer-Starlight Dreams (Black Tie Affair) Invincible Spirit-L’Enjoleuse (Montjeu) Montjeu-Funsie (Saumarez) Royal Applause-Princess Athena (Ahonoora) Dansili-Tantina (Distant View) Linamix-Rose Quartz (Lammtarra) Exceed And Excel-Sun Shower (Indian Ridge) Makfi-Rosie’s Posy (Suave Dancer) Danehill-Patrona (Lomond) Hat Trick-Rumored (Royal Academy) Invincible Spirit-Laramie (Gulch) Dubawi-Bright Tiara (Chief’s Crown) Scat Daddy-Cat’s Eye Witness (Elusive Quality) Galileo-Impressionnante (Danehill) Dubawi-Dhelaal (Green Desert) Galileo-Park Express (Ahonoora) Green Desert-Hope (Dancing Brave) Anabaa-Born Gold (Blushing Groom) Acclamation-Lucina (Machiavellian)

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

To Stud 2002 2011 2006 2015 2008 2007 2010 2011 2005 2010 2012 1997 2003 2014 2008 2012 2013 2010 2010 2015 2012 2015 2008 2011 2007 2016 2013 2010 2006 2010 2015 2007 2004 2013 2013 2013 2016 2005 2014 2008 2012 2015 2014 2011 2009 2004 2015 2017

Courtesy of Weatherbys Rnrs

Runs

214 244 199 170 315 387 180 263 146 178 297 94 206 206 169 127 151 58 272 137 141 99 141 200 168 98 157 116 206 182 151 76 194 181 182 113 73 188 176 154 159 141 128 120 131 185 109 94

727 1027 637 521 1474 1732 620 1016 592 650 1309 387 909 741 890 498 465 220 1345 477 675 367 531 893 810 371 606 511 890 748 732 294 935 746 922 567 294 851 765 713 788 523 519 602 454 847 507 346

Wnrs 87 98 79 69 114 133 66 102 51 63 107 31 80 70 68 34 62 15 91 46 51 39 40 75 68 49 61 39 66 59 49 22 73 55 58 41 31 68 48 36 55 53 44 50 37 53 34 38

Wins 120 144 108 86 160 181 93 148 79 96 146 51 110 91 100 48 88 22 131 69 77 50 61 105 90 65 85 53 96 86 74 30 99 86 77 66 44 96 69 49 79 65 57 68 51 82 50 57

Wnrs/Rnrs 40.65 40.16 39.69 40.58 36.19 34.36 36.66 38.78 34.93 35.39 36.02 32.97 38.83 33.98 40.23 26.77 41.05 25.86 33.45 33.57 36.17 39.39 28.36 37.50 40.47 50.00 38.85 33.62 32.03 32.41 32.45 28.94 37.62 30.38 31.86 36.28 42.46 36.17 27.27 23.37 34.59 37.58 34.37 41.66 28.24 28.64 31.19 40.42

SWnrs SWs 29 10 15 11 11 9 13 10 12 7 5 4 7 9 6 8 12 3 3 8 3 8 9 4 4 8 4 6 6 5 3 2 4 3 0 4 2 3 2 3 4 4 4 1 6 3 2 4

36 6,196,447 11 4,127,107 24 2,951,919 15 2,515,685 14 2,461,816 13 2,408,675 18 2,315,180 13 2,200,893 16 2,192,998 9 1,965,168 5 1,934,406 6 1,778,744 14 1,725,024 14 1,655,369 8 1,646,950 10 1,601,589 14 1,535,702 3 1,489,440 4 1,428,490 9 1,356,816 5 1,324,231 9 1,314,554 13 1,293,818 5 1,279,076 4 1,208,432 9 1,201,258 6 1,171,582 7 1,149,228 6 1,148,631 8 1,136,171 6 1,111,959 3 1,108,948 4 1,104,558 4 1,093,456 0 1,091,277 8 1,083,354 4 1,065,830 3 1,038,574 2 1,009,690 5 980,557 4 955,096 4 954,855 5 952,120 1 923,421 7 915,967 3 895,428 2 892,501 5 891,867

New for

2021

MOHAATHER Showcasing - Roodeye (Inchinor)

“

I haven't seen as brilliant a closing burst since Dancing Brave mowed down a mega field in the - Brough Scott on the Group 1 Sussex Stakes Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and that was 34 years ago.

”

(The Times, 30th July 2020)

#TheBestSonOfShowcasing Also standing Eqtidaar, Muhaarar and Tasleet Discover the Shadwell stallions: www.shadwellstud.com | nominations@shadwellstud.co.uk Contact Richard Lancaster, James O’Donnell on +44 (0)1842 755913 or Tom Pennington on +44 (0)7736 019914 | tpennington@shadwellstud.co.uk and Ellen Bishop on +44 (0)7826 205155 | ebishop@shadwellstud.co.uk

stallion stats Leading broodmare sires in Europe 2020: (by prize-money earned to October 21, 2020) Stallion

Breeding

Galileo Pivotal Danehill Dancer Oasis Dream Dansili Montjeu Cape Cross Sadler’s Wells Tiger Hill Danehill Dalakhani Kingmambo Shamardal Rock of Gibraltar Invincible Spirit Singspiel Dubawi Nayef Monsun Green Desert Anabaa Exceed And Excel Selkirk Holy Roman Emperor Royal Applause Dylan Thomas Verglas Oratorio Dubai Destination Giant’s Causeway Medicean Elusive City Lawman Elusive Quality Acclamation Teofilo Big Shuffle Peintre Celebre Orpen High Chaparral Rahy Marju King’s Best Raven’s Pass Street Cry Indian Ridge Acatenango Excellent Art

Sadler’s Wells-Urban Sea (Miswaki) Polar Falcon-Fearless Revival (Cozzene) Danehill-Mira Adonde (Sharpen Up) Green Desert-Hope (Dancing Brave) Danehill-Hasili (Kahyasi) Sadler’s Wells-Floripedes (Top Ville) Green Desert-Park Appeal (Ahonoora) Northern Dancer-Fairy Bridge (Bold Reason) Danehill-The Filly (Appiani II) Danzig-Razyana (His Majesty) Darshaan-Daltawa (Miswaki) Mr. Prospector-Miesque (Nureyev) Giant’s Causeway-Helsinki (Machiavellian) Danehill-Offshore Boom (Be My Guest) Green Desert-Rafha (Kris) In the Wings-Glorious Song (Halo) Dubai Millennium-Zomaradah (Deploy) Gulch-Height of Fashion (Bustino) Konigsstuhl-Mosella (Surumu) Danzig-Foreign Courier (Sir Ivor) Danzig-Balbonella (Gay Mecene) Danehill-Patrona (Lomond) Sharpen Up-Annie Edge (Nebbiolo) Danehill-L’On Vite (Secretariat) Waajib-Flying Melody (Auction Ring) Danehill-Lagrion (Diesis) Highest Honor-Rahaam (Secreto) Danehill-Mahrah (Vaguely Noble) Kingmambo-Mysterial (Alleged) Storm Cat-Mariah’s Storm (Rahy) Machiavellian-Mystic Goddess (Storm Bird) Elusive Quality-Star Of Paris (Dayjur) Invincible Spirit-Laramie (Gulch) Gone West-Touch of Greatness (Hero’s Honor) Royal Applause-Princess Athena (Ahonoora) Galileo-Speirbhean (Danehill) Super Concorde-Raise Your Skirts (Elevation) Nureyev-Peinture Bleue (Alydar) Lure-Bonita Francita (Devil’s Bag) Sadler’s Wells-Kasora (Darshaan) Blushing Groom-Glorious Song (Halo) Last Tycoon-Flame of Tara (Artaius) Kingmambo-Allegretta (Lombard) Elusive Quality-Ascutney (Lord At War) Machiavellian-Helen Street (Troy) Ahonoora-Hillbrow (Swing Easy) Surumu-Aggravate (Aggressor II) Pivotal-Obsessive (Seeking The Gold)

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Courtesy of Weatherbys

To Stud

Rnrs

Runs

Wnrs

Wins

2002 1997 1998 2004 2001 2001 2000 1985 2000 1990 2003 1994 2005 2003 2003 1998 2006 2004 1996 1987 1997 2005 1993 2007 1998 2008 2000 2006 2004 2001 2002 2005 2008 1999 2004 2008 1990 1999 2000 2004 1990 1992 2001 2009 2003 1990 1988 2008

520 422 373 424 384 318 312 297 102 189 211 108 237 229 368 233 203 157 179 201 165 207 193 140 196 67 166 154 129 151 151 100 97 126 201 165 112 179 113 170 70 128 205 63 136 138 56 77

1908 1782 1639 1907 1606 1375 1295 1220 422 831 838 518 989 979 1589 993 837 700 715 925 730 947 877 654 952 311 791 740 560 535 730 482 415 543 888 690 509 755 522 760 335 556 830 229 545 661 250 325

182 139 129 160 141 120 110 95 38 64 67 44 90 72 106 75 70 55 61 66 57 70 59 53 68 25 59 61 43 48 59 44 33 46 67 50 34 55 43 55 26 40 58 18 52 52 20 27

247 212 171 235 187 178 153 127 58 95 96 73 123 101 148 111 98 79 95 88 72 91 85 76 100 45 93 91 58 65 80 61 51 73 93 68 48 70 68 74 41 66 79 29 70 74 32 36

Wnrs/Rnrs 35.00% 32.93% 34.58% 37.73% 36.71% 2137.73% 35.25% 31.98% 37.25% 33.86% 31.75% 40.74% 37.97% 31.44% 28.80% 32.18% 34.48% 35.03% 34.07% 32.83% 34.54% 33.81% 30.56% 37.85% 34.69% 37.31% 35.54% 39.61% 33.33% 31.78% 39.07% 44.00% 34.02% 36.50% 33.33% 30.30% 30.35% 30.72% 38.05% 32.35% 37.14% 31.25% 28.29% 28.57% 38.23% 37.68% 35.71% 35.06%

SWnrs SWs 24 10 13 14 16 9 7 6 5 8 7 7 10 6 5 8 4 4 5 9 5 7 3 3 5 2 6 3 3 6 4 4 2 2 0 3 6 3 6 3 1 3 1 3 3 2 5 2

32 16 15 19 20 14 10 9 6 10 8 9 10 9 6 9 9 5 7 9 5 8 4 4 5 5 8 5 3 7 4 5 4 6 0 3 7 3 7 4 1 7 1 5 7 2 5 3

£ 6,320,951 4,124,556 3,408,764 3,324,645 3,070,429 2,979,963 2,684,567 2,399,029 1,967,051 1,900,053 1,800,354 1,747,259 1,719,663 1,691,379 1,647,889 1,598,921 1,535,882 1,342,412 1,301,638 1,242,273 1,229,123 1,198,895 1,153,991 1,132,331 1,109,275 1,088,534 1,077,652 1,053,025 1,037,259 1,013,807 999,265 994,604 991,702 971,480 958,415 957,403 942,838 923,349 922,159 900,658 900,626 898,393 897,709 892,569 856,366 843,347 789,942 788,566

CLASSIC WINNING DUBAWI

NEW BAY. Sire of 2yo Group winners NEW MANDATE & SAFFRON BEACH

New Mandate

EXCEPTIONALLY POPULAR AT THE

YEARLING SALES IN 2020 Yearlings have made:

400,000gns, £240,000, 205,000gns, 200,000gns 180,000gns, €155,000, £100,000, etc.

Ex. Need You Now bought by Stroud Coleman for 400,000gns at Book 2

BALLYLINCH STUD

Ex. Louve Rare bought by Shadwell for 205,000gns at Book 2

+353 (0)56-7724217 • info@ballylinchstud.ie www.ballylinchstud.com

stallion stats Leading sires of two-year-olds in Europe 2020: (by prize-money earned to October 21, 2020) Stallion

Breeding

Kodiac Mehmas Galileo Zoffany Siyouni Dandy Man Lawman Lope de Vega Goken Dubawi Territories Adaay Dark Angel Showcasing Starspangledbanner No Nay Never Acclamation Kodi Bear Gutaifan Belardo Holy Roman Emperor New Bay Frankel Sir Prancealot Toronado Galiway Wootton Bassett Power Shalaa Gregorian Prince of Lir Footstepsinthesand Exceed And Excel Twilight Son Buratino Bated Breath Camelot Night of Thunder Air Force Blue Fast Company Charm Spirit Kingman The Gurkha Pride Of Dubai Kendargent Intello Helmet Arcano

Danehill-Rafha (Kris) Acclamation-Lucina (Machiavellian) Sadler’s Wells-Urban Sea (Miswaki) Dansili-Tyranny (Machiavellian) Pivotal-Sichilla (Danehill) Mozart-Lady Alexander (Night Shift) Invincible Spirit-Laramie (Gulch) Shamardal-Lady Vettori (Vettori) Kendargent-Gooseley Chope (Indian Rocket) Dubai Millennium-Zomaradah (Deploy) Invincible Spirit-Taranto (Machiavellian) Kodiac-Lady Lucia (Royal Applause) Acclamation-Midnight Angel (Machiavellian) Oasis Dream-Arabesque (Zafonic) Choisir-Gold Anthem (Made Of Gold) Scat Daddy-Cat’s Eye Witness (Elusive Quality) Royal Applause-Princess Athena (Ahonoora) Kodiac-Hawattef (Mujtahid) Dark Angel-Alikhlas (Lahib) Lope de Vega-Danaskaya (Danehill) Danehill-L’On Vite (Secretariat) Dubawi-Cinnamon Bay (Zamindar) Galileo-Kind (Danehill) Tamayuz-Mona Em (Catrail) High Chaparral-Wana Doo (Grand Slam) Galileo-Danzigaway (Danehill) Iffraaj-Balladonia (Primo Dominie) Oasis Dream-Frappe (Inchinor) Invincible Spirit-Ghurra (War Chant) Clodovil-Three Days In May (Cadeaux Genereux) Kodiac-Esuvia (Whipper) Giant’s Causeway-Glatisant (Rainbow Quest) Danehill-Patrona (Lomond) Kyllachy-Twilight Mistress (Bin Ajwaad) Exceed And Excel-Bergamask (Kingmambo) Dansili-Tantina (Distant View) Montjeu-Tarfah (Kingmambo) Dubawi-Forest Storm (Galileo) War Front-Chatham (Maria’s Mon) Danehill Dancer-Sheezalady (Zafonic) Invincible Spirit-L’Enjoleuse (Montjeu) Invincible Spirit-Zenda (Zamindar) Galileo-Chintz (Danehill Dancer) Street Cry-Al Anood (Danehill) Kendor-Pax Bella (Linamix) Galileo-Impressionnante (Danehill) Exceed And Excel-Accessories (Singspiel) Oasis Dream-Tariysha (Daylami)

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

To Stud

Rnrs

2007 110 2017 94 2002 45 2012 72 2011 45 2010 68 2008 28 2011 49 2017 30 2006 46 2017 52 2017 59 2008 70 2011 57 2011 36 2015 43 2004 53 2017 49 2016 55 2017 42 2007 40 2017 28 2013 47 2013 28 2015 35 2016 11 2012 32 2013 20 2017 42 2015 9 2017 36 2006 49 2005 39 2017 61 2017 40 2013 30 2014 37 2016 24 2017 9 2011 45 2015 42 2015 45 2017 42 2017 31 2008 27 2014 24 2013 41 2011 21

Runs 376 346 123 229 124 219 95 106 109 100 157 201 222 190 129 123 176 152 181 112 137 85 102 98 96 37 66 61 116 33 117 127 109 191 160 88 82 72 47 130 154 93 105 86 72 58 134 68

Courtesy of Weatherbys Wnrs

Wins

44 38 23 32 18 15 7 10 13 16 15 20 24 22 14 15 18 15 15 9 11 10 17 11 14 4 13 5 14 6 12 13 16 15 10 8 9 11 2 11 9 17 10 9 9 7 11 10

60 57 29 38 26 24 11 14 19 21 17 26 28 28 16 17 22 21 22 15 13 15 19 15 18 8 16 10 15 11 15 13 19 19 13 15 12 14 4 13 12 19 11 13 12 10 13 13

Wnrs/Rnrs 40.00 40.42 51.11 44.44 40.00 22.05 25.00 20.40 43.33 34.78 28.84 33.89 34.28 38.59 38.88 34.88 33.96 30.61 27.27 21.42 27.50 35.71 36.17 39.28 40.00 36.36 40.62 25.00 33.33 66.66 33.33 26.53 41.02 24.59 25.00 26.66 24.32 45.83 22.22 24.44 21.42 37.77 23.80 29.03 33.33 29.16 26.82 47.61

SWnrs SWs

7 11 1,055,655 4 5 891,867 4 5 743,151 4 4 649,857 3 3 600,772 3 4 512,227 2 3 450,511 3 3 445,008 2 3 365,573 3 3 354,844 2 2 348,934 0 0 348,729 2 2 336,127 2 2 331,583 2 2 330,241 1 1 316,087 2 2 313,240 1 1 300,265 3 4 284,053 3 4 282,361 0 0 282,152 2 3 267,404 1 1 266,610 2 3 259,283 1 2 244,305 1 2 235,350 1 2 230,738 2 4 227,110 0 0 225,406 2 5 219,375 1 1 217,571 0 0 216,952 1 1 215,784 1 2 212,752 0 0 212,407 2 3 208,306 1 2 207,034 0 0 206,346 0 0 199,072 0 0 197,873 1 1 196,880 0 0 189,238 1 1 189,121 4 4 188,031 2 2 185,794 1 1 184,637 0 0 184,151 1 1 166,632

BOBBY’S KITTEN

Bay 2011 by Kitten’s Joy – Celestial Woods (by Forestry)

A LEADING EUROPEAN FIRST CROP SIRE IN 2020 Sire of 9 individual first crop 2yo winners of 15 races, including Group 2 Beresford Stakes runner-up MONAASIB and multiple winners MIRAGE MAC, MIAMI JOY and MYSTIC MALEFICENT (to 22nd Oct. 2020)

SEA THE MOON

Bay 2011 by Sea The Stars – Sanwa (by Monsun)

A LEADING EUROPEAN SIRE IN 2020 2020 yearlings sold at Tattersalls October Sales Book 1 & 2 made 480,000 gns, 210,000 gns, 200,000 gns, etc.,

averaging £154,975 – over 10 times his 2018 fee

SIR PERCY

Bay 2003 by Mark of Esteem – Percy’s Lass (by Blakeney)

A POTENT MIX OF SPEED & STAMINA 2020 yearlings sold at Tattersalls October Sales Book 2 made 150,000 gns (x2), 80,000 gns & 50,000 gns,

averaging £112,875 – over 16 times his 2018 fee

STUDY OF MAN

Bay 2015 by Deep Impact – Second Happiness (by Storm Cat)

SON AND GRANDSON OF LEGENDS Winner of the “Stallion Making” Group 1 French Derby Supported by Europe’s leading breeders in his first season

FIRST FOALS 2021 i n f o @ l a n w a d e s . c o m • w w w. l a n w a d e s . c o m • Te l : + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 6 3 8 7 5 0 2 2 2

LANWADES

The independent option TM

blue diamond stud

A real Diamond

T IS OCTOBER when I catch up with Blue Diamond Stud’s adviser Tony Nerses during the yearling sales at Newmarket. There has been much to talk about on the track for the operation in the past 12 months, including stakes successes for colourbearers Extra Elusive and Majestic Noor, and there is inevitably plenty of mulling over the implications of Covid-19 for the bloodstock industry,

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

but the conversation repeatedly returns to the subject of 2021 and the excitement the new year holds. That’s because next season the stud, owned by Kuwaiti businessman Imad Al Sagar, gets to race the keenly anticipated first crop of two-year-olds by its homebred triple Group 1 winner Decorated Knight. Furthermore, the majority of the stud’s own runners by the brilliantly bred son of Galileo will be partnered by its newly retained jockey, Hollie Doyle.

blue diamond stud

Martin Stevens catches up with Tony Nerses, bloodstock advisor to Blue Diamond Stud, and hears all about the farm’s home-bred stallion Decorated Knight, the appointment of Hollie Doyle as stable jockey and the latest plans for the stud which altered ownership last year Photograph-y courtesy of Blue Diamond Stud

Blue Diamond Stud South: owner Imad Al Sagar and former co-owner Saleh Al Homaizi developed their bloodstock interests after they enjoyed early Classic victories with Araafa and Authorized. Blue Diamond South was purchased in 2012, adding to their original purchase of Blue Diamond North, which kicked off the BDS enterprise. Tony Nerses (inset) is the stud’s bloodstock advisor

Decorated Knight, a son of Galileo, was bred by Blue Diamond Stud from Pearling, an unraced Storm Cat sister to the great Giant’s Causeway signed for by Nerses at 1,300,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale in 2011. The striking chestnut lived up to that blue-chip breeding by winning eight races, most notably the Jebel Hatta, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes for Roger Charlton. A strong traveller with a potent turn of foot, he was also notably tough, with the

Irish Champion Stakes victory over such luminaries as Poet’s Word and Churchill coming on his eighth start of the season. Blue Diamond Stud chose the Irish National Stud to stand its pride and joy, and the young stallion’s career has taken an unusual course. Whereas many will cover their largest book in the first season and gradually fewer each year until their debut runners hit the track, Decorated Knight’s book size has actually grown every year since an

initial intake of 66 in 2018. He received 79 bookings in 2019 and a bumper 122 this year, in what should have been the notoriously difficult third season. Nerses explains that Decorated Knight was close to the operation’s heart from birth, and not just because of his outstanding breeding. “Decorated Knight was born on our first stud in Tuddenham on February 11, 2012, on what was a snowy morning,” he says. “Pearling’s waters broke at around 10.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

blue diamond stud

Decorated Knight: the home-bred three-time Group 1-winning son of Galileo and Pearling has had increased book sizes in his three years at stud

The stud manager Andrew Rawlin was there, and he immediately rang his assistant Amanda Earp for assistance. She arrived at the stud straight away. There were slight complications with the delivery and when the foal came out he wasn’t breathing. “They realised quickly and, while Andrew went to bring oxygen and resuscitation equipment, Amanda was giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation and managed to get him going. A star was born! He was a very courageous boy right from the start. “He had it all on the track, but what stood out was that turn of foot. If you look at a video of the Jebel Hatta you’ll see he was boxed in with nowhere to go right up until the 2f pole, but when he got space he finished like a train. He showed the same devastating turn of foot in the Irish Champion Stakes. “He was detached from the field in last as they turned for home and I thought ‘what’s going on?!’ but then he just took off and flew down the straight to win in the style of a true champion.” Nerses sums up the horse who is clearly the apple of his eye. “Decorated Knight’s got it all,” he says.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

blue diamond stud “Looks, attitude, substance, walk, pedigree – and that pedigree is improving all the time, too. Since I bought Pearling, her sister You’resothrilling has produced Gleneagles, Happily and Marvellous. “Most of the members of the family show talent at two, as well.” He adds that he expects Blue Diamond Stud to campaign around eight of the first Decorated Knight two-year-olds, who will be spread around a number of trainers including Roger Charlton, John Gosden and Roger Varian. “We’re very hopeful for his stud career,” he says. “The way in which his book size has climbed year to year is unreal. Breeders are realising what a smashing horse he is when they see him and his early stock.” Nerses is also rapturous in his praise of Hollie Doyle, who got the retainer to ride Al Sagar’s horses off to the perfect start when steering the John Gosden-trained Majestic Noor, a Frankel half-sister to the stud’s Royal Ascot Group 2 winner

“Decorated Knight’s got it all – looks, attitude, substance, walk, pedigree – and that pedigree is improving all the time, too Aljazzi, to a decisive victory in the Listed John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth in September. “I’m so happy that Hollie’s riding for us, she’s fantastic,” he says. “She’s easy to get on with, she always does her homework on the horses and is very informative when she debriefs us after her rides. The success

hasn’t gone to her head and I don’t think she’s the sort of person that it will; she’s very down to earth. “I’m delighted to see her break her own record of number of winners ridden by a woman in one year, it’s an achievement to be proud of.” Nerses insists Doyle’s gender was not a factor in the decision to hire her, though. “Male or female, it doesn’t matter,” he says. “If you show talent as a jockey you need the quality of horse to progress your career. If you haven’t got that then how are you going to ride more and better winners? Hollie deserved that support.” Having produced a multiple Group 1-winning young stallion and with a highprofile retained jockey on board, Nerses and Al Sagar can be satisfied with the progress made by Blue Diamond Stud since its establishment around ten years ago. And that is not including the two Classic winners who gilded Al Sagar and former Blue Diamond Stud co-owner Saleh Al Mares and foals enjoying life at stud at Blue Diamond

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

blue diamond stud Homaizi’s entry into ownership in Europe before that: Araafa, who took the scalp of George Washington to land the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2006, and Authorized, who famously broke Frankie Dettori’s Epsom Derby duck a year later. “It’s been an incredible journey from the start,” says Nerses. “We were very lucky to have two Classic winners in a very short space of time and, of course, they were both bought in the same year, less than two months apart, one as a foal and one as a yearling. That’s a unique achievement.” He goes on to tell the history of how Blue Diamond Stud was founded. “At the time we were breeding from a few mares, but the success of Araafa and Authorized whetted the owners’ appetite and so we started to look at broadening our horizons and have our own stud,” he says. “We found what we now call Blue Diamond North in Tuddenham and

purchased it in June 2010. We modernised it and put in a spa and water treadmill. It’s only a small stud but it has served us well and is now an overflow stud for our horses out of training. “The breeding operation expanded more quickly than we thought it would. We never had any numbers in mind, it just grew organically as the better performing mares came off the track, and I actually think that’s a nice way of doing it. “The stud in Tuddenham soon got a little congested with horses and so I got in contact with Bidwells to ask if there were any studs around Newmarket we could rent. “The first stud we were interested in turned out to be withdrawn from the market, but they told me there was a stud that they had valued a few months earlier that could be for sale. “I said I’d have a look at it. It was the old Chevington Stud in Six Mile Bottom and when I viewed, it was love at first sight. A beautiful drive, nice buildings and plenty of space. I rang Imad and Saleh and they came to see it and loved it too. “The negotiations to buy it took ages as the wife of the then owner [Felipe Hinojosa] loved the house on the stud and was reluctant to move.

“At last we managed to come to a figure that was acceptable to both parties and we moved into the stud, which we renamed Blue Diamond South, in 2012.” The two studs act in symbiosis, with yearlings based at the North and mares and foals at the South. When the yearlings leave Tuddenham to enter pre-training, then the foals head from South to North. Neither the Covid-19 pandemic nor lockdown measures have disrupted day-today business on the stud, Nerses reports, as all bar one of the staff live on site and extra sanitary measures such as face masks have been adopted with the minimum of fuss. Travel restrictions have, of course, meant Al Sagar has not been able to get to the races as much as is usual, but as is the case with many owners he is grateful for racing to be taking place at all. “Imad is involved in all decisions and loves seeing the stud and the horses,” says Nerses. “It’s fantastic for me to discuss all the decisions together, and for all the staff on the stud to see him enjoying his investment.” Due to Al Homaizi’s departure from the partnership, the Blue Diamond Stud stock needed to go on the market to dissolve the partnership in 2018.

This year’s newly retained Blue Diamond jockey Hollie Doyle winning on home-bred Breath Of Joy

The 2007 Derby won by Authorized and Dettori

“It’s been an incredible journey from the start

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

blue diamond stud Al Sagar bought some – including Pearling at 2,400,000gns and her Galileo filly foal at 1,700,000gns – but other prized horses were sold to outside parties, including Duke of Cambridge Stakes heroine Aljazzi to Newsells Park Stud for 1,000,000gns, a price that broke the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale record.

EARLING is now in-foal to Kingman and Dubawi has been appointed as her suitor for next year. That 2018 Galileo filly, now two, has been given the auspicious name of Blue Diamond and placed with Gosden. “We’re going to stick to the system of selling the colts we produce and keeping the fillies,” says Nerses. “We want people to know what we’re trying to achieve so they don’t need to ask why we sell what we do.” Yes, the overriding impression from our conversation is that there’s much to look forward to for Blue Diamond Stud in the near future. But I can’t let Nerses go without asking him about his eye for a horse, and what he

“We’re going to stick to the system of selling the colts we produce and keeping the fillies sees in potential purchases. How did he select Araafa, a colt from the first crop of the inexpensive and otherwise inconsequential Mull Of Kintyre? What did he see in Authorized when he bought the son of Montjeu at just nine months old? Nerses, whose purchase record stands at three Group 1 winners, five Group 2 winners, seven Group 3 winners and eight Listed winners despite not signing for many, and has bought every horse owned by Blue Diamond Stud, plays his cards close to his chest but says: “I look at the horses as an overall picture, taking into account how

all the parts are put together. “There are certain faults I will forgive in some horses and not in another, and I tend not to just focus on individual parts of the horse.” Nerses is also a pedigree connoisseur and insists on plenty of black-type high up on a page, especially in breeding prospects. So it was hardly surprising that Giant’s Causeway’s sister Pearling came onto his radar, especially as she came with the added bonus of being in-foal to Galileo – that pregnancy turning out to be Decorated Knight. “I remember Imad and Saleh rang me that year to ask what I had seen at Tattersalls,” says Nerses, “and I replied if you want to buy a top mare, there’s only one: she’s going to cost a lot, but if you want a proper horse you’ll have to pay. “Thankfully, they had full trust in me and gave me the go-ahead, and we got Pearling.” After the interview, Nerses heads off to add another Decorated Knight yearling to the Blue Diamond Stud string for 2021, paying 40,000gns for a half-sister to Listed winner Elusive Beauty. Judging by the preceding conversation, we may hear a lot more of her in future.

The Earl of Wessex presents the prize for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes to William Buick, Marco Botti and Imad Al Sagar (far right) after Aljazzi’s success in 2018 She was sold by the stud later that autumn as part of the BDS dispersal at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale to Newsells Park Stud for 1,000,000gns, a record price for the sale At that same year’s December Mares’ Sale and a further part of the dispersal, Blue Diamond took home Pearling for 2,400,000gns

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

ringfort stud

What a year!

Ringfort Stud’s graduates have enjoyed another brilliant year on the track this summer. With Aisling Crowe, Derek Veitch reviews this autumn’s yearling sales and looks ahead to selling foals

S THE WINTER DRAWS IN, and the world shrinks around us, it’s hard not to think back to those summer days that take on a warmer, honeyed hue as we are enveloped in the cold bleakness of a locked-down November. For Derek Veitch (opposite) the memories of those golden days of summer are not exaggerated by the mind, they really were glorious as his and wife Gay’s Ringfort Farm earned plaudits and prominence as the breeding ground and nursery for three juveniles with the world at their hooves. The couple’s early autumn success was the victory of Ubettabelieveit for Nigel Tinkler and Martin Webb in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster, the second year in a row that a Ringfort-bred colt has won a flagship juvenile race at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival. The son of Kodiac is one of four stakes winners out of winning Mujadil mare Ladylishandra, the others being the Group 3 winners Tropical Paradise and Harlem Shake and the Listed winner Shenanigans. “We are all elated here, the success of these horses justifies all the mating

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

ringfort stud decisions, the management of the farm, hard work of the staff, the late nights foaling and all the investments made trying to expand and improve the farm,” said Veitch, on his return from the UK where he sold 2020’s yearlings, including a Galileo Gold half-sister to Ubettabelieveit. As well as that developing sprint star, Ringfort also bred Minzaal who followed in Threat’s hoofprints by winning the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York last month for Sheikh Hamdan and Owen Burrows. The son of leading first-season sire Mehmas was sold at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale to Peter and Ross Doyle, and has won two of his three starts this season, but it is the story of the Sir Prancealot filly Miss Amulet that has captured the attention of so many this summer. “Miss Amulet is a real rags to riches story, to go from being a €1,000 foal to winning the Lowther Stakes, and then her sale to Michael and Doreen Tabor and her Group 1 placing,” he remarked. “She has made money for everyone involved with her along the way, and for us too, because the pedigree update was a huge help for her El Kabeir half-sister who we sold at the Tattersalls Ascot Sale.”

“Overall we had a good clearance rate and we were happy; some of the sales were very good and some were poor, but all in all it was a good enough year’s trading for us with the yearlings

Those successes were the products of a process that began in the glow of Christmas lights in December 2016 when, at the end of another sales season, the matings for the Ringfort foals of 2018 began to take shape. Like most breeders Veitch is constantly updating his knowledge of crosses and pedigrees that work throughout the year, making notes of nicks that achieve consistent success, of what works, and perhaps more importantly what doesn’t. “You are learning every day and trying to use that to the benefit of the farm. We tend to undercover our mares, too,” he reveals. “I think it is always better for a mare to be in the top percentage of a stallion’s book than in the bottom when it comes to selling.” That particular job has become more difficult as the world grapples with a pandemic that has forced enormous and sometimes painful changes in our lives, and created an economic downturn from which there is no immunity. The bloodstock industry is no different. Selling yearlings this autumn under the looming spectre of the coronavirus was an extra challenge but one that Veitch met head on.

Ubettabelieveit: is out of the mare Ladylishandra, bought by Ringfort for just 10,000gns in 2009

HE PRIDE and satisfaction felt in breeding a trio of classy horses is a tremendous reward, while the financial benefits to the business and farm, as illustrated by the sale of Miss Amulet’s yearling half-sister, are not inconsequential, but they are not the most important element of the success. “Financially it is good for the farm as it definitely highlights the progression we made going into the sale season,” he agreed. “Hopefully, that reflects in the sales, but it is very important to realise there is more to the business than financial return, there is the justification of our work. “All the spin-offs, the congratulations and comments from our peers in the industry is very fulfilling, to know that you are liked and thought to be good at what you do, on a personal level is very satisfying.”

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

A Great LOVE story... A no th e r C H A P T E R i n t h e h i s t o r y o f a n e x tr a o r d i n a r y s a l e . PIKABOO, sol d f or j us t 50, 0 0 0 g u in e a s at the Tatters al l s De c e mber S a le 8 y e a rs ago, is now t he dam of out s t a n d in g dual Classic wi nner LOVE.

DECEMBER SALE 2020 Broodmares, Fillies in Training etc. November 30th - December 3rd T: +44 1638 665931 sales@tattersalls.com www.tattersalls.com

ringfort stud “I think everybody went into the yearling sales with a little bit of hesitancy and they were a little bit apprehensive about how it would turn out. “Overall, we had a good clearance rate and we were happy; some of the sales were very good and some were poor but all in all it was a good enough year’s trading for us with the yearlings.” Some sales suffered more than others in the unusual and uncertain prevailing climate. Ringfort consigned at all the major Irish and UK yearling sales so Veitch is well placed to reflect on the trends from an unprecedented autumn. “By and large it was workmanlike at the early sales, there weren’t a lot of speculative orders and people weren’t prepared to speculate. “At Goffs UK they were only buying

to order and there was a lot of sensible bidding and sensible buying for me in the early sales. “There were plenty of people to travel and take all the conditions of the sales into account. “I was pleasantly surprised that Ascot moved to Newmarket and it was a great success in my opinion. Fairyhouse worked, even though it moved country. I thought it was a very successful sale for most people, maybe not for profit level but then that’s always the way it has been a little bit at that sale,” he remarks. “The people who turned up at Newmarket made that sale a success, but the horses that the vendors provided to the sale made it a success as well. “Book 2 was fantastic. it was a lively, vibrant sale all the way through and it

Miss Amulet (right) under Ryan Moore picking up her Group 1 black-type in the Cheveley Park Stakes

rolled over into Book 3 as well. I thought it was a great week’s sale and it made the whole year for some people. “Everyone was reasonably happy, if not very happy, the clearance rate was still very good and the home-breds washed their face and left a little bit of keep money. The pinhooks by and large were okay too. Some of them were very successful and others less so, but that happens every year regardless of the economic circumstances.” The virus remains with us and much of life is more uncertain than usual, dates that were once circled in red on the calendar now scribbled out and hastily pencilled in for new days, everyone attempting to recalibrate despite the equations containing so many unknowns. The Tattersalls December Foal Sale remains on course for its scheduled run at the end of the month, and with it the hope of bright summer days at the racetrack, of friends and neighbours celebrating success and enjoying the thrill of just being there and watching magnificent horses competing.

INGFORT has enjoyed tremendous success with its graduates from the sale; Minzaal was sold in the Newmarket sales ring two years’ ago and his Belardo half-brother heads a draft that is rich with promise. “The foal is a very nice physical specimen and Belardo has done very well,” Veitch says of Lot 919. “He’s a bit under the radar in terms of the commercial market still and I don’t know why that is. “The general quality of the Belardos was not the best at the sales last year and I think that is part of the reason. “If there are not nice foals out there then the big pinhookers don’t buy them and they don’t get a commercial push at the other end then, and I think that was a negative for Belardo. “Hopefully, this foal will be attractive to buyers, the page should encourage them and they won’t be disappointed when they look at him. “He is a very nice foal. I think with

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

ringfort stud

Ringfort’s top-priced yearling of 2020 was this son of Fastnet Rock sold for 240,000gns to The Hong Kong Jockey Club. The farm has 14 foals catalogued in the Tattersalls Foal Sale (November 25-28) and 23 foals due to sell in the Goffs Foal Sale (December 18-20)

Belardo you have every chance of getting a good racehorse; those were cheap horses winning Group races this year and I think he is a very practical horse for breeders to use based on what he has achieved. I hope breeders wake up to that.” The colt is the final foal of 14 offered by the Offaly farm over three days at the sale by proven sires including Australia, Bated Breath, Camacho, Exceed And Excel and Invincible Spirit, as well as by young guns such as Churchill, Cracksman, Expert Eye and Ulysses. Their breeder is particularly pleased with a colt by the Group 1 winner and sire Australia that sells as Lot 789 on the Friday. “The Australia colt out of Rocana is a really good-looking foal. Her first foal [Youth Spirit by Camelot] did very well this year; he’s a Newmarket maiden winner who was placed in the Vintage Stakes and has a high rating for a first foal.

“Her second foal was the most expensive Tamayuz in Europe last year when we sold him to Shadwell at the Goffs November Sale and he has done very well, he is a very nice horse they tell me at Shadwell. “This colt is a very nice horse, a really good-looking colt and I like him a lot. He is a late foal, but he has a lovely mind, he is lovely and correct and a great walker. “Australia has done pretty well and plenty of the pinhooks did very well and there are lots out there to run, and I think this colt is one to look forward to,” he says. Lot 917 is sure to draw attention at Park Paddocks as the filly is from the first crop of world champion Cracksman and viewers will not be disappointed. “The Cracksman filly is the best filly I have going to the sales; she’s strong with a good walk and correct. She has a great mind and I think she’ll be popular with anyone who wants an Orby or Book 1 or 2 filly.

“The Cracksman filly is the best filly I have going to the sales; she’s strong with a good walk and very correct

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

“You couldn’t fault her and I don’t know of anything wrong with her, you couldn’t draw her any better. “The mare is in-foal to Profitable and her Havana Gold yearling went to James Bethell. We sold him to Culworth Grounds as a foal and I saw him at the yearling sales and he is a real two-year-old and is a fastlooking horse,” Veitch adds. Another Ringfort filly who stands out is Lot 918, by the top-class stallion Invincible Spirit and out of a mare who has a perfect record with her five runners so far. “The Invincible Spirit out of African Moonlight is a nice filly with plenty on her page and by a big sire who has got proper Group 1 horses again this year. “His fillies are great racehorses and she has a lot of residual value with her page,” he comments, adding: “She is a correct, great walking, practical, pinhooking filly. The Awtaad made 140,000gns as a foal and is with Shadwell, he never looked like he would run at two and is there next year for her. “We retained an interest in the Dark Angel and he is going breezing next spring, he is broken and riding already.” Of course, Threat was another Ringfort graduate from this sale and the classy two-year-old will begin his stallion career at Haras de Mont Goubert who, along with Coolmore and Haras d’Etreham bought the son of Footstepsinthesand from racing owners Cheveley Park Stud. It is a development that Threat’s breeder, who sold his dam privately, is naturally excited about. “I am delighted that he is getting the chance to be a stallion. He was a very good two-year-old, things didn’t work out for him at three for one reason or another but he is going to get a chance now. “I hope that he is supported with mares, it is a good farm so they will support him, and if he gets 50 or 60 foals in his first crop he hopefully will become more popular with time. If he was a bit closer I would send him a mare, but maybe I’ll get to buy a filly in France to send to him.” In the depths of a winter unlike any most of us have known, there are bright glimmers of hope for better days, embodied by the foals who will take their steps underneath the Tattersalls lights this month.

TASLEET Showcasing - Bird Key (Cadeaux Genereux)

Group 1 Sprinter

from the family of record breaker BATTAASH

OUTSTANDING FIRST FOALS selling this month

Also standing Eqtidaar, Mohaather NEW FOR 2021 and Muhaarar Discover the Shadwell stallions: www.shadwellstud.com | nominations@shadwellstud.co.uk Contact Richard Lancaster, James Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell on +44 (0)1842 755913 or Tom Pennington on +44 (0)7736 019914 | tpennington@shadwellstud.co.uk and Ellen Bishop on +44 (0)7826 205155 | ebishop@shadwellstud.co.uk

#TasMania

Al Kazeem

bay 2008, 16.1hh by Dubawi - Kazeem (Darshaan) Four-time Gr.1 winner by DUBAWI Won Gr.1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, 2015 Won Gr.1 Coral-Eclipse, 2013 Won Gr.1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes, 2013 Won Gr.1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, 2013 Joint Champion Older Horse in Europe in 2013 (9.5f-10.5f ) Timeform rated 128 in three consecutive seasons Sire of 4 individual stakes winners from only 25 European runners in 2020, including Group 2 winner ASPETAR, stakes-winning 3yo Miler USAK, and stakes-winning 2yos HARPER and SAINT LAWRENCE. 10% black type winners to runners inc. Group 1 winner ASPETAR STANDING AT OAKGROVE STUD Oakgrove Estate, St Arvans, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6EH For Nominations Contact: David Hilton: 07595 951248 Email: david@oakgrovestud.com

Group 1 Sire! 2021 FEE PRIVATE Call David Hilton 07595 951248

Gr.1 Preis von Europa winner ASPETAR in action at Chantilly

us stallion cap

Stallion restrictions

This year’s crop of foals will include future US-based stallions who will have their books capped at 140. Melissa Bauer-Herzog chats to breeders to discover the various positive and negative implications of the US Jockey Club’s new policy

HEN THE JOCKEY CLUB announced its consideration in September 2019 of a rule to limit all North American stallions’ books to 140 mares, it also invited people to get in contact with suggestions. Eight months later, after hearing the feedback and making their own changes, The Jockey Club officially announced the rule – all colts born in 2020 and later will only be able to breed 140 mares or less. However, any of those born before that year will still have unlimited books. KatieRich Farm’s Mark Hubley is in favour of the cap for multiple reasons, from helping the diversity of the breed to helping breeders in the sales ring, “One is it’ll keep the genetic pool more diverse so we won’t be so concentrated on

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

US stallions covering key stats 2019 (taken from the US Jockey Club’s statisics) Stallions covered at least one mare >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1,549 Covered over 200 mares >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8 Covered 140 mares or more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>45 Covered less than 50 mares>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1,380 20-50 mares>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 186

the stallion of the day,” he explains. “Being a seller, when you invest a lot of money into a stud fee, the more mares the stallion is bred to, the more competition you have. “So, if you spend $150,000 or whatever you spend, you want to be the best of 140 opposed to 240. Your risk is compounded by the numbers that are out there.” However, Leah O’Meara of Stonehaven

Steadings believes that the limiting of books should be down to the stallion owner. She believes that the cap will help genetic diversity, but also notes that a lot of farms already limit books. “I appreciate supply and demand and allowing the market and needs of breeders to determine the need to breed to a certain stallion,” she says.

us stallion cap “I do understand a stud farm’s decision to cap certain books, and there are several farms that do it themselves. To me it should be up to the stallion’s owners and managers to determine what that number should be based on their plan for the particular colt’s potential as a sire. “A free market to operate as any other industry does [is important to me]. Let that supply and demand work its way out and give the owners of the horse to have the choice and the stud farms that stand the horse to have the choice. However, I do hope the positives they want to see happen.” Weanling colts going through this season’s breeding stock sales will be the first to test the market’s reaction to buying colts restricted to the cap. But the universal thought of the breeders interviewed for this piece was that the market won’t react as much this year. “I don’t know that it will have the greatest affect this year because of bigger market conditions,” says Price Bell of Mill Ridge Farm. “If we’d had a big September Sale and were on the same trajectory we were on this time last year, I think it would have a greater influence. But at the moment I don’t know people are thinking about it as much as they were this time last year.” Machmer Hall’s Carrie Brogden agrees, with her thought being that there won’t be any noticeable changes until the first racehorses are purchased as stallion prospects. “I don’t think you’ll see the impact until possibly when stallions are being sold that are 2020 foals, but even then I think it’s going to be late to factor. I just don’t think it will become a reality until these horses are sold as stallion prospects,” she says. Brogden is in favour of the cap though she also sees the

“If we’d had a big September Sale and were on the same trajectory we were on this time last year, I think it would have a greater affect”

other side of the coin. Brogden has booked between 200 and 300 mares a year for over a decade and breeds nearly 100 mares on her family farm and feels like the cap will mostly be a return to the past. “I used to hear all the time ‘sorry, he’s full’ and we’d have to readjust and breed to another stallion,” she explains. “You don’t just leave your mare open because you can’t get into your number one choice. “But now with all these stallions breeding 200, 225, or 250 mares it’s rare that I hear ‘no.’ Because of that, most of these mares you can breed on your first choice because they breed 100 more mares than they used to 10 years ago. “I personally believe that has led to a complete polarisation of the market.” One added benefit of the cap according to Brogden is that it will allow stallions to be given a bigger chance before being sold. This autumn’s Grade 1s have put the spotlight on stallions being exported before having a chance

KatieRich Farm’s Mark Hubley Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

TRIED & TRUSTED FOR GENERATIONS STUD BALANCER LOW CALORIE FORMULA FOR EVEN GROWTH à

Helps encourage even growth rates without promoting weight gain

Low starch, low calorie, with quality protein, vitamins & chelated minerals

Allows flexible feeding, with or without additional hard feed, to supply optimum nutrition for even growth rates while avoiding “over-topping”

Fed from conception to provide vital nutrition to help achieve genetic potential

Unrivalled nutritional support from our experienced team

MADE BY BREEDERS, FOR BREEDERS Thoroughbred Manager - Simon Venner 07977 441 571

MADE IN OUR OWN

UK MILL

Nutrition Director - Liz Bulbrook 07850 368 271

BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS Tel: 01371 850247 www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

us stallion cap to prove their worth in the breeding shed with the exported Daredevil siring the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winners. For Brogden, the cap will help that phenomenon. “I think it will give more stallions a chance,” she says. “I think the reason Daredevil and some of these other second and third-tier stallions when they come in don’t have a chance is because people don’t have to [breed to them]. “When the farm is not saying no to Klimt and they’re breeding 250 mares to him then he’s taking 100 of those mares who in years past would have gone to Daredevil.”

ILL RIDGE has been selective in the stallions it stands over the years, Gone West and Diesis are past residents, and Oscar Performance is currently the only stallion on its roster. For Bell The cap won’t lead to the farm standing more stallions, but may lead to it having an easier time supporting any stallion it chooses to stand. “I think that the cap, if it has its affect, will put more stallions into the game that you feel you can get mares to support,” he says. “So yes, I think it will make it easier for us to potentially stand a stallion, but I don’t know that it will change our thought on. I believe if there’s a horse we really want to stand then we’ll find a way to get him and this may make it easier because there will be more stallions that you know you can get more support for within the market.” For O’Meara, the major worry with any stallion standing under the cap is potential stud fees. While the majority opinion among the group was that those not under the cap won’t see much change, it could be a different story for the popular stallions born in 2020 and later. “I don’t know that it will affect the stud fees of those that aren’t under the cap,” she says. “For those that do apply, there’s a huge concern that the demand for those sires will drive those fees too high for some people to participate.” But before worrying about the stud fees

US stallion covers 2019: 140 + mares (from the US Jockey Club) stallion

mares state

Into Mischief Justify Mendelssohn Uncle Mo Goldencents Bolt D’Oro Munnings Practical Joke Sharp Azteca Cross Traffic Klimt American Pharoah Mor Spirit Cloud Computing Kantharos Violence West Coast Accelerate Gun Runner Always Dreaming Good Magic Good Samaritan Candy Ride Collected Nyquist Hard Spun Union Rags Quality Road Tapwrit Twirling Candy Cairo Prince Arrogate Girvin Kitten's Joy Stay Thirsty Street Sense Uncaptured City Of Light Frosted Mo Town California Chrome Mastery Speightstown Army Mule Ghostzapper

267 KY 252 KY 252 KY 249 KY 240 KY 214 KY 202 KY 200 KY 195 KY 188 KY 187 KY 178 KY 176 KY 171 KY 171 KY 171 KY 168 KY 167 KY 166 KY 165 KY 164 KY 162 KY 161 KY 156 KY 156 KY 155 KY 155 KY 154 KY 154 KY 154 KY 152 KY 151 KY 149 FL 149 KY 149 CA 149 KY 147 FL 146 KY 144 KY 144 KY 143 KY 143 KY 142 KY 140 KY 140 KY

Price Bell: cap might get a stallion more support

of colts who will be at stud for a few years, Hubley is hoping the market corrects itself with current stud fees. With a tough sale market due to the current factors, KatieRich is already looking at changing some of its usual breeding practices. “I’m hoping that the stallion farms take a look at the market and take that into consideration when they set their stud fees,” he says. “The top stallions I’m sure are going up, I know Into Mischief has gone up but I would hope that the market dictates some of what stud fees are going to be. I think the stallions who have really high stud fees breeders may choose to breed to those less, we’ll have to see what happens. For our farm, some of the real high-end stallions that we would go to, we’re rethinking some of that.” When looking ahead, the one thing Hubley thinks won’t change is the amount of young stallions making their way onto Kentucky rosters. Forty-three stallions bred more than 140 mares in 2019 and 39 in 2018, leaving plenty of room for those

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

us stallion cap below the cap to pick up extra mares. “I doubt [it brings more stallions to Kentucky],” he says. “The reason I say that is because there are so many good stallions who don’t approach the cap. “It’ll definitely make some of the more marginal stallions more popular. I don’t know how much it’s going to help the bottom stallions, but I really don’t see any negatives for the cap at all. The only negatives being it may reduce the numbers some of these stallions get syndicated for.” Price also thinks the cap rewards the breeders not only by giving them less yearlings by a stallion to compete against at the sales, but also letting them follow their goals for their mares a bit more without being knocked commercially. “More horses will have more of a chance and it will give breeders a chance to play the game as they wanted, which is ‘I like this mare for these reasons, I like that stallion for those reasons, I’m going to see if it produces a fast horse’. “That stallion may not be a Kentucky Derby winner or two-year-old champion or a world-record holder at a mile, but he might have exhibited enough that a stallion

“I don’t know how much it’s going to help the bottom stallions, but I really don’t see any negatives for the cap at all farm is willing to take a chance and recruit enough breeders with a similar thought. “So I think that can only be beneficial,” he explained. When giving her opinion on the topic, O’Meara brought another argument to the discussion by pointing out the limited books will keep breeders from being able to use what they feel will best suit their mares. “As a breeder we prefer that, even if we know a stallion is going to be bred to 200 mares, we want to make a racehorse and

give our mares that opportunity to make a racehorse,” she says. “So we may still choose to breed to a stallion who is going to cover 200 mares. “We would like to be able to do that and achieve the goals we have for our farm as a breeding operation. We breed to race and want to give our mares the best opportunity. If we have a young mare we think a lot of, we don’t mind spending a little more money to send her to a little more popular sire.” One thing that everyone agreed on was that it was hard to know exactly how the cap would work out, though all were hoping it will be a success. “At the end of the day, I think this is a philosophical question and we’ll see how it plays out,” says Bell. “I think it’s impossible to say which way will be better or worse. “But I hope if it’s deemed a universally bad decision then it can be adjusted again. “This was done because the intent of the Jockey Club is to protect the breed “If it’s deemed in two decades that it didn’t protect the breed then you’d like to think that they can adjust again. Let’s see how it works!”

int thoroughbred 210 x 125 L_raceform advert 26/10/2010 11:29 Page 1

For the Finest in Fencing

C HOOSE N ORCROFT Over four decades of expertise in fencing the world’s leading Stud Farms & Training Centres, supplying Pressure Creosoted Post & Rail Fencing, Stud Entrance & Paddock Gates NORCROFT provide the complete service from concept to completion. NORCROFT are UK, Ireland and European distributors for KEEPSAFE & SQUARE DEAL - The Original and Only Proven Wire Systems from Keystone Red Brand Products.

NORCROFT Pa d d o c k F e n c i n g

CONTACT RICHARD S JERMY ◆ NORCROFT EQUESTRIAN DEVELOPMENTS 1 Norton Road, Loddon, Norwich, Norfolk NR14 6JN Great Britain Tel: 01508 520 743 ◆ Fax: 01508 528 879 ◆ Email: enquiries@norcroft.com

www.norcroft.com

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

bahrain international

Eyes turn to Bahrain

We chat to Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa of the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, and look ahead to the second running of the Bahrain International this month

The jockeys lining up for the first running of the Bahrain International Trophy

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

bahrain international

HERE IS EXCITEMENT in the Middle East – the second running of the Bahrain International is less a month away, while the news also filtered through in October that the Saudi Cup is to take place next February. A zoom conversation with Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa, the executive director of Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club in Bahrain, was full of optimism and

enthusiasm and busy for the international race, due to take place on November 20. And there is good reason for the busy executive in Bahrain to be thrilled with race progress – when we spoke after the initial entry stage the race had attracted 61 entries, up from 46 in 2019, from eight different countries, and including seven Group 1 winners. “We were excited last year for our first race,” says Salman. “We had nine horses from Europe, it was really supported from

top trainers such as John Gosden, Roger Varian and Charlie Hills. It was exciting to see their confidence, and it was a great experience for all involved.” Success in year two relies on the success of year one and confidence from connections and horsemen that the journey to Bahrain was suitable for their charges. As the racecourse management realised, that initial experience was vital to secure the ongoing support from that important and critical stakeholder.

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

bahrain international “I really believe that word of mouth is the strongest source of marketing in this industry,” reasons Salman. “A lot of people are due to come back, are very positive about what they experienced and that is why we have got more attention this year. “I am in touch with most of the people that attended last year, with any new trainers coming for the first time and with Adrian Beaumont of the IRB, he is a superstar and is doing a lot to support our race. “We are also very happy with the team we have in place – Phil Smith, who is a consultant to REHC, he has been with us for the past three years handling the handicapping and is involved in the invitation process. “We are very excited this year to see even more confidence and trust from the European racing community towards

“During the winter season in Europe it is quiet and I think our race is well positioned right at the end of the European season racing in Bahrain. “We received 61 entries, a strong list of horses headed by Barney Roy. He is great horse to have – he is four-time Group 1

winner, he is a very popular name, and I think he is going to be a tough horse to beat. He is a really good horse and he is a well-travelled horse. “Billesden Brook is a beautiful mare, a Group 1 winner herself, and the filly Lady Wannabe. She won the Darley Stakes and we chose the race as an automatic entry for our race – it is a similar distance and a Group 3, which we thought would be a competitive race and we wanted the winner to be part of our race. “Global Giant is a very popular horse as well – he is trained by John Gosden and owned by His Highness Isa Salman Al Khalifa. “He is a very consistent horse, is in-form, he has won over the same distance, and should be competitive as well. “The top 20 horses entered are rated 110 or above, that is really good news for us.

Royal Julius wins last year’s race under Stephane Pasquier for his Marseille-based trainer Jerome Reynier ahead of the Godolphin/Gosden colt Turgenev

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

bahrain international This is our main target – we want to host an international race that will have a high-calibre horse participating.” The race conditions are as last year, and in spite of the wide global economic troubles of 2020, the racecourse management has kept prize-money on a par with 2019 (£500,000) “Our target is to position ourselves on the global racing calendar, that is our main target,” continues Salman, adding: “We want our race to become one of the key races on the calendar that any trainer would want to be part of. Looking at how the race is going right now, it is only going to grow stronger.”

HERE ARE growing opportunities for various racing organisations in the Middle East to pull together a cohesive plan, and a race programme for all to work together. And, while there are likely to be planning difficulties with such a concept, it is already underway. “Definitely, we been talking closely to UAE and Saudi and I honestly believe there are a lot of people wanting to be a part of the racing in this region, and there is so much potential,” explains Salman. “During the winter season in Europe it is quiet and I think our race is well positioned right at the end of the European racing season and very convenient for trainers to prep their horses to come. “Saudi Arabia was a huge success – it was very exciting to see all these big trainers and owners coming from all around the world to be part of the meeting. It is beneficial for all, and that is what we all want. If is going to cater to a market that wants to come and race in differing jurisdiction, then why not?” Ensuring that all goes right for the horse and connections from start of the trip to the finish was always a priority last year for Salman and his team, and that attention to detail was recognised by last year’s travellers and will be repeated this year. “We were very happy to see that all local officials in charge of cargo and customs were so helpful and they understood what

it meant, that it was a big event,” recognises Salman. “For the visitors it took 40 mins from the touch down to leaving the airport – all documentation, passport, customs – it was a very smooth process and everyone was happy with the experience. “We had a lot of meetings prior to the race with the officials, and we tried to make them understand the success of the race relies on proving a good experience throughout – right from flying in, and out. It is our goal to give the right impression and make sure everyone leaves with a very positive experience. “The airport staff were very understanding and I have to thank them they did a wonderful job. I was on site and I was very happy with what I saw.” The effort was not wasted, as Salman smiles: “It was a really nice feeling to see how the owners and trainers reacted to

their visit, with the emails and messages from connections. I have comments such as, ‘Bahrain was a great surprise!’ and ‘Bahrain is going to be a destination where I would want to holiday’. It does such a lot of Bahrain, it is not just the racing.” Obviously, 2020 has the added difficulties of working with COVID-19, but Salman is happy that any issues have been addressed and all visitors will feel safe and will be kept safe. “We have already lined up a plan with the airport officials,” he explains. “Visitors will be tested at the airport, head directly to the hotel, get the results in a few hours, and can leave all being well. It will be very convenient and I don’t see any issues. “Of course, the government is studying the situation every week, come November 20 a lot of things might have changed and

“We want our race to become one of the key races on the calendar that any trainer would want to be part of

Pasquier takes the plaudits in the Sakhir racecourse winner’s enclosure

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

bahrain international improve; let’s hope these restrictions might ease as our numbers are dropping down and we are maintaining considerably low numbers compared to a lot of countries.” At present the racing is planned to be behind closed doors, though decisions will run right to the wire depending on the government, and Salman, of course, is keen if at all possible to welcome crowds to Sakir racecourse for its big day. It means that TV coverage is vitally important, but that was covered off last year with the race aired alongside RMG to 60 countries achieving a viewership of 130 million. Talks are in place to gain greater TV exposure for the racing as a whole in the country, and once some administrative details are cleared it is something that is a definite goal. “Our season lasts from November to end of April, and we host 26 meetings,”outlined Salman. “We usually have seven to eight per day, three races for local breds only, three to horses imported and one race for Arabians. “It would be really nice to showcase our races abroad, we are working on that and

“Our international race has a lot of advantages – it is good for tourism, it attracts foreign investment, it markets Bahrain globally it should get done soon. Many owners have imported a lot of high-calibre horses into Bahrain and year by year the horses that are being imported are getting very competitive and are strong, highly -ated horses. It is great.” And the wider participation globally is important to Bahrain as a whole – Golden Horde providing that first Royal Ascot winner last June to Bahraini owner Al

Mohamediya Racing an help setting an important stepping stone to wider involvement on the world stage. “It is nice to see the Bahrain flag at big meetings such as when Golden Horde won the Commonwealth Cup,” smiles Salman. “That was a big day for Bahrain and everyone here very happy to see a Bahrainowned horse win.” Horseracing for Bahrian, both domestically and via participation abroad, is seen as an important vehicle for many goals. “I debate anyone about the industry – racing is a strong industry and it will stay strong, you just needed to look at the results at the recent Tattersalls yearling sale!” smiles Salman. “Everyone expected prices to drop, when a look at the figures tells you how strong the industry is. “Our international race has a lot of advantages – it is good for tourism, it attracts foreign investment, it markets Bahrain globally, we gain a lot of advantages just by hosting. “I think we ticked most of the boxes last year.”

All is set for year two, with the same quarantine regime in place and new COVID-19 testing protocols organised for visitors on arrival at the airport

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

THE CHAMPIONS OF TOMORROW BRED FROM MARES FOUND AT THE

TATTERSALLS DECEMBER MARE SALE 30th November - 3rd December 2020 ST MARK'S BASILICA

Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes dam CABARET purchased for 600,000gns

LUCKY VEGA

Gr.1 Phoenix Stakes dam QUEEN OF CARTHAGE purchased for 160,000gns

SUPREMACY

Gr.1 Middle Park Stakes dam TRIGGERS BROOM purchased for 110,000gns

ALKUMAIT

Gr.2 Mill Reef Stakes dam SUELITA purchased for 21,500gns

MISS AMULET

Gr.2 Lowther Stakes dam SHENA'S DREAM purchased for 20,000gns and laaerly for 1,200gns

DANDALLA

Gr.2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes dam CHELLALLA purchased for 7,500gns

UBETTABELIEVEIT

Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes dam LADYLISHANDRA purchased for 10,000gns 2020 EUROPEAN GROUP WINNING TWO-YEAR-OLDS OUT OF TATTERSALLS DECEMBER MARE SALE GRADUATES Should you require assistance ahead of the Taaersalls December Mare Sale, or wish to visit the surrounding stallion studs, please contact: Minty Farquhar +44 (0) 7493 869 240 / mfarquhar@greatbritishracing.com

GBRI is the British horse racing industry’s designated ﬁrst point of contact for overseas individuals interested in becoming part of the world’s leading racing and bloodstock industry. greatbritishracinginternational.com

Elie Lambert Half a Century of Painting

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am confident that the History of Art will look kindly on his workâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tom Rooth, Christies

E: atelier@elielambert.com www.tomroothfineart.com/elie-lambert

Grand Prix de CompiĂ¨gne Oil on canvas, 2018

Deauville

Oil on panel, 2014

Las Casina Firenze Oil on canvas, 1998

Folkestone

Oil on canvas, 1987

broodmare stats

Broodmare stakes sires 2020 Broodmare sires of stakes winners in Europe and UAE in 2020 Horses are listed under their broodmare sire with the respective sire in brackets. Includes Group (1,2,3) and Listed (L) wins in Europe and UAE up to and including October 18, 2020 A P Indy Magny Cours (Medaglia D’Oro) Acatenango Arktis (Jukebox Jury) Dicaprio (Adlerflug) New Harzburg (Siyouni) Step By Step (Sidestep) The Summit (Wootton Bassett) Ad Valorem Star Of Emaraaty (Pride Of Dubai) Adlerflug Apadanah (Holy Roman Emperor) Air Express Keats (Galileo) Allied Forces National Service (Elusive City) Alzao Alignak (Sea The Moon) Anabaa Motamarris (Le Havre) Mubtasimah (Dark Angel)

L L L L 3

Passion (Galileo) Sinawann (Kingman) Thalyia (Motivator) Arcano Lemista (Raven’s Pass) Supremacy (Mehmas)

3 3 L

23L 12

Arch Valeria Messalina (Holy Roman Emperor) 3 Areion Namos (Medicean) Preciosa (Sea The Moon)

333 L

L Aussie Rules Angel Power (Lope De Vega)

Authorized New Mandate (New Bay) Top Rank (Dark Angel)

2L 3

Averti Harper (Al Kazeem)

L L

Avonbridge Freed From Desire (Heeraat) Liberty Beach (Cable Bay)

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

L L

Azamour Maamora (Dubawi) Miss Celestial (Exceed And Excel) Volkan Star (Sea The Stars) Barathea Its The Only Way (Lilbourne Lad) No Limit Credit (Night Of Thunder)

3 L 3L

L 3

Bering Stradivarius (Sea The Stars)

Big Shuffle Glen Shiel (Pivotal) Oriental Eagle (Campanologist) Potemkin (New Approach) Reine D’amour (Soldier Hollow) Think Of Me (So You Think) Thorin (Soldier Hollow)

13 L 3 3 L 3

Bluebird Salonlove (Lawman)

Blues Traveller Urban Beat (Red Jazz)

Byron Party Goer (Intense Focus)

Ten Year Ticket (Rock Of Gibraltar)

Cadeaux Genereux Bounce The Blues (Excelebration) Run Wild (Amaron)

L L

Cape Cross Cnicht (Silver Frost) L Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega) 1 Santiago (Authorized) 12 Tarnawa (Shamardal) 113 Thundering Nights (Night Of Thunder) 3 Top Max (Joshua Tree) L Choisir Lovelier (Galileo) Oxted (Mayson) Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid)

L 13 2L

Clodovil Minzaal (Mehmas) Nastase (Sixties Icon) Stormy Girl (Night Of Thunder)

2 L L

Compton Place Pretty Gorgeous (Lawman) Sardinia Sunset (Gutaifan)

12 L

broodmare stats Congaree New Treasure (New Approach)

Cozzene Way To Paris (Champs Elysees)

Dai Jin Walderbe (Maxios)

Dalakhani Cairn Gorm (Bated Breath) 3 Gerardino Jet (Henrythenavigator) L Global Giant (Shamardal) L Makaloun (Bated Breath) 3L Pinatubo (Shamardal) 1 Thunderous (Night Of Thunder) 2 Tokyo Gold (Kendargent) L Dananeyev Monsieur Croco (Croco Rouge) Danehill Bowerman (Dutch Art) Even So (Camelot) Laburnum (Galileo) Master Of The Seas (Dubawi) Mogul (Galileo) Nobel Prize (Galileo)

3 1L L 2 13 3

Search For A Song (Galileo) Wai Key Star (Soldier Hollow)

1 3

Danehill Dancer Armory (Galileo) Chachnak (Kingman) Circus Maximus (Galileo) Dariyma (City Zip) Foxtrot Lady (Foxwedge) Helvic Dream (Power) Leo De Fury (Australia) Lustown Baba (Alhebayeb) Magic Lily (New Approach) Majestic Noor (Frankel) Nayef Road (Galileo) Royal Dornoch (Gleneagles) Serpentine (Galileo) Subjectivist (Teofilo)

3 33 1 L 3 3 2 L 22 L 3 3 1 3L

Dansili Arapaho (Lope De Vega) Aspetar (Al Kazeem) Cadillac (Lope De Vega) Cormorant (Kingman) Dark Vision (Dream Ahead) Dream Of Dreams (Dream Ahead) Galileo Chrome (Australia) Glorious Journey (Dubawi)

L 2 2 3 2L 12 1L 2L

Gussy Mac (Dark Angel) Hateya (Footstepsinthesand) Magic Wand (Galileo) Pablo Escobarr (Galileo) Royal Crusade (Shamardal) Tilsit (First Defence) Tropbeau (Showcasing) Valia (Sea The Stars) Darshaan Bangkok (Australia) Dawn Patrol (Galileo) Master Of Reality (Frankel) Matterhorn (Ravenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pass) Posted (Kingman) Sunny Queen (Camelot) Dashing Blade Pao Alto (Intello) Sommelier (Soldier Hollow) Square De Luynes (Manduro) Wichita (No Nay Never) Daylami Collide (Frankel) Frankly Darling (Frankel) Grand Glory (Olympic Glory) Manuela De Vega (Lope De Vega) Nkosikazi (Cape Cross)

L L 2 3 3 3 3 2L

L 3 L 1 L LL 3 L 3 2

L 2 L 23 3

Deep Impact All Rumours (Shamardal)

Definite Article Wealth Of Love (Dragon Pulse)

Desert King Snow (Galileo)

Desert Prince Barrington Court (Mastercraftsman)

Desert Style Adrian (Reliable Man)

Diktat Pogo (Zebedee)

Distorted Humor Good Effort (Shamardal)

Doubletour Surrounding (Lilbourne Lad)

Doyen Plainchant (Gregorian) Virginia Joy (Soldier Hollow)

23L 3

Minzaal: the Gimcrack (G2) winner is out of the Clodovil mare Pardoven

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

EXCEPTIONAL FIRST CROP FOALS

MASSAAT TEOFILO - MANANY (ACCLAMATION)

Bay filly ex FLIRT IN A SKIRT

Bay filly ex DELIZIA

Bay colt ex ICKY WOO

Look out for them at the upcoming foal sales Standing at MICKLEY STUD Enquiries: Richard Kent T: 079 73 315722 • E: mickleystud@btconnect.com • www.mickleystud.co.uk Or John Walsh Bloodstock T: +353 (0)86 2558945

broodmare stats Dr Fong Fulgentia (Territories)

Dubai Destination Bolleville (Camelot) Gold Trip (Outstrip)

L 2

Dubawi Isabella Giles (Belardo) 23 Majestic Colt (Clodovil) LL Malotru (Casamento) L Nazeef (Invincible Spirit) 112L Queen Rouge (Lord Of England) L Duke Of Marmalade Antonia De Vega (Lope De Vega) Lady Wannabe (Camelot) Lone Eagle (Galileo) Dutch Art Alkumait (Showcasing) Suicide Squad (Coulsty)

3L 3L 3

2 L

Dylan Thomas Dashing Willoughby (Nathaniel) Dubai Love (Night Of Thunder) Persian King (Kingman) Dynaformer Stunning Spirit (Invincible Spirit) Echo Of Light Century Dream (Cape Cross) Velma Valento (Dabirsim) Efisio Elarqam (Frankel) Erasmo (Oasis Dream) El Prado Simona (Siyouni) Elnadim Dandalla (Dandy Man)

3L L 112

23 L

3 L

Elusive City Celestin (Dabirsim) Terebellum (Sea The Stars) Wooded (Wootton Bassett) Elusive Quality Cayenne Pepper (Australia) Duca Di Como (Clodovil)

L 2 13

2 LLLLL

Empire Maker Down On Da Bayou (Super Saver) Encosta De Lago Walton Street (Cape Cross) Equiano Steel Bull (Clodovil)

Excellent Art Aloha Star (Starspangledbanner) The Revenant (Dubawi) Exit To Nowhere Road To Arc (Planteur) Falbrav Exceptional (Dutch Art) Fantastic Light Fantastic Spirit (Charm Spirit) Withhold (Champs Elysees)

3 L L

2 12

L L

3 Exceed And Excel Anthony Van Dyck (Galileo) Current Option (Camelot) Elaire Noire (Footstepsinthesand) Laws Of Indices (Power)

Magic Attitude (Galileo) Parent’s Prayer (Kingman) Queen Of Love (Kingman)

2 3L L 2

Fasliyev Aztec Parade (Anjaal) Lazuli (Dubawi) Fastnet Rock High Definition (Galileo)

L 3L

Green Desert’s influence still keenly felt – the Norfolk Stakes (G2) winner The Lir Jet (left) out of his daughter Paper Dreams

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

broodmare stats Russian Emperor (Galileo) Firebreak Ventura Rebel (Pastoral Pursuits) Footstepsinthesand El Astronaute (Approve) Forest Wildcat Frenetic (Kodiac) Fusaichi Pegasus Pretreville (Acclamation)

LLL

Galileo Alson (Areion) L Alzire (Shamardal) L Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit) LL Barney Roy (Excelebration) 1112 Battleground (War Front) 2L Cabaletta (Mastercraftsman) L Certain Lad (Clodovil) 3L Dame Malliot (Champs Elysees) 2 Dubai Warrior (Dansili) 3 Euclidia (Maxios) L Fancy Man (Pride Of Dubai) L Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) 1113 Heliac (Champs Elysees) L Kastasa (Rock Of Gibraltar) L Lyzbeth (Zoffany) L Military Style (War Front) 3 Monday (Fastnet Rock) L Pista (American Pharoah) 2L Power Euro (Peintre Celebre) L Secret Advisor (Dubawi) 3L Sottsass (Siyouni) 11 St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) 1 Traisha (Invincible Spirit) L Watch Me (Olympic Glory) 1L General Holme Trueshan (Planteur)

Giant’s Causeway Lord North (Dubawi) 13 Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah) L Skyward (Camelot) 3 Tamahere (Wootton Bassett) L Usak (Al Kazeem) L Wafy (Dubawi) 3 Wonderful World (Ruler Of The World) L Golan Eagles By Day (Sea The Stars)

Green Desert Buckhurst (Australia) Kalahara (Frankel) Minaun (Zoffany) Mother Earth (Zoffany) Pondus (Sea The Moon) Sarookh (Speightstown) Shaman (Shamardal) The Lir Jet (Prince Of Lir) Wannacry (Footstepsinthesand) Green Tune Audarya (Wootton Bassett) Groom Dancer Mountain Angel (Dark Angel) Tickle Me Green (Sea The Moon) Haafhd Akribie (Reliable Man) Satomi (Teofilo) Song Of Life (Poet’s Voice) Hard Spun Alcohol Free (No Nay Never) Spinning Memories (Arcano) Hawk Wing Elysium (Belardo) Hennessy Extra Elusive (Mastercraftsman) Gladiator King (Curlin)

3 3 3 3 L L 2 2 L

Holy Roman Emperor Baptism (Sea The Stars) Shale (Galileo) Time Scale (Charm Spirit) Hurricane Run Telepatic Glances (Pride Of Dubai) Iffraaj Breathtaking Look (Bated Breath)

www.internationalthoroughbred.net

Inchinor Call The Wind (Frankel) Mohaather (Showcasing) Indesatchel Lullaby Moon (Belardo)

3 L

23 12

Indian Charlie Etonian (Olympic Glory)

Indian Ridge Millisle (Starspangledbanner) Romanised (Holy Roman Emperor)

3 2

L L

L 2L L

1 3L

33 33

Hernando Alpinista (Frankel) L Suspicious Mind (Appel Au Maitre) 3 L High Chaparral Emblem Storm (English Channel) Fev Rover (Gutaifan) Numerian (Holy Roman Emperor) Ranch Hand (Dunaden)

Dubai Station (Brazen Beau) Method (Mehmas)

L 2L L L

Indian Rocket Batwan (Kendargent) 3 Speak Of The Devil (Wootton Bassett) L Wanaway (Galiway) L Intikhab Chiaro Di Luna (Pounced) Divinely (Galileo)

Invincible Spirit King’s Harlequin (Camelot) 3L Lady Princess (Exceed And Excel) L Spirit Of Nelson (Mount Nelson) 3 Surf Dancer (Lope De Vega) L Under The Stars (Night Of Thunder) L Jade Robbery Waady (Approve) Johannesburg I Kirk (Eishin Dunkirk) Repartee (Invincible Spirit)

LL L

Kalanisi Marie’s Diamond (Footstepsinthesand) L Kaldounevees Victor Ludorum (Shamardal)

L 13 L

L 3

Styledargent (Style Vendome)

Kendor Tour To Paris (Fuisse)

Key Of Luck A Case Of You (Hot Streak)

Kingmambo Addeybb (Pivotal) Alocasia (Kingman) Euchen Glen (Authorized) Hukum (Sea The Stars) Jouska (Cable Bay) Raabihah (Sea The Stars) So Wonderful (War Front)

1L L 3 3 L 3L L

King’s Best Al Siq (Acclamation) Kodiac Wakanaka (Power) Komaite Last Empire (Pivotal) Lando Durance (Champs Elysees) Go Rose (Soldier Hollow) Law Society Stex (Lord Of England) Lawman Battaash (Dark Angel) Patrick Sarsfield (Australia) Le Havre Pyledriver (Harbour Watch)

LLL L

2 L

23LL

112 3 22

Librettist Dream And Do (Siyouni)

Lil E Tee Parsimony (Dominus)

Keltos Art Power (Dark Angel) Miss Extra (Masterstroke)

3 2L

Lomitas Gm Hopkins (Dubawi) Les Vertus (Shakespearean) Rubaiyat (Areion) Wonderful Moon (Sea The Moon)

Kendargent Brad The Brief (Dutch Art) Restiany (Frankel) Sealiway (Galiway)

L L 1L

Machiavellian Be My Sheriff (Lawman) Pretending (Librettist) Silence Please (Gleneagles)

3 L 3 23

23 L L

IT’S TIME TO GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK Nutrition has always played a vital role in the management of our breeding and youngstock. It’s about laying the best foundations for future success on the track and at stud. Breeding champions is what we all dream about. The Connolly’s RED MILLS stud range has everything we need to support the health and wellbeing of our mares and youngstock and we know we have the support of their expert team if and when we need it.

Malachy Ryan

Manager at Moyglare Stud

SEARCH FOR A SONG

FROM BREEDING SHED TO WINNING POST, WE’VE GOT THE RIGHT TRACK RECORD

2019 & 2020 winner of Comer Group International Irish St Leger (Group 1) Bred and trained on Connolly’s RED MILLS Owner & breeder: Moyglare Stud Farm Trainer: D K Weld Jockey: Oisín Orr

Contact our specialist thoroughbred team: UK: Adam Johnson +44 7860 771063 IRL: Lorraine Fradl +353 87 2575398 FR: Sylvain Prouvoyeur +33 6 9867 5138 Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland Email: info@redmills.com

www.redmills.com

broodmare stats Makfi Darkness (Siyouni) Fearless King (Kingman) Tactical (Toronado) Manduro Emoji (Soldier Hollow) Fanny Logan (Sea The Stars) Maria’s Mon Crossfirehurricane (Kitten’s Joy) Marju Happy Romance (Dandy Man) Judicial (Iffraaj) Kick On (Charm Spirit) Mark Of Esteem Champers Elysees (Elzaam) Dakota Gold (Equiano) Ostilio (New Approach)

L 2 2L

L 2

3 3L 33LL

13L 3LL L

Martillo Sanora (Soldier Hollow)

Mind Games Glass Slippers (Dream Ahead)

Montjeu Auyantepui (Night Of Thunder) Cloud Surfing (Oasis Dream) Indigo Girl (Dubawi) King David (Elusive City) La Barrosa (Lope De Vega) Nickajack Cave (Kendargent) Paix (Muhaarar) Starman (Dutch Art) Taamol (Helmet) Wonderful Tonight (Le Havre)

Monsieur Bond Sweet Gardenia (Showcasing)

ITB_November2020

Articles inside

Skydiving for Classic success

What a year!

Supreme in the Middle Park

The best of days

Stallion restrictions

All eyes on Bahrain

A real Diamond

Sottsass bows out in a blaze of glory

First Word