Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder May 2014 by The Owner Breeder

Incorporating

£4.95 | May 2014 | Issue 117

Fallon rises

Six-time champion on ‘falling back in love with the game’

Plus • Richard Thomas reveals his hopes for Chester racecourse • Sky’s the limit: SackvilleDonald’s prospering partnership • Tony Morris looks back over 50 years of Guineas greats

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Colt ex. ALINA owned by Eliza Park International

Colt ex. SOMETHING EXCITING owned by Trebles Holford Thoroughbreds

Colt ex. PINACOTHEQUE owned by R.G. & T.E. Levin

Filly ex. TRIP TO THE MOON owned by Trip To The Moon Partnership

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Incorporating

Fallon rises

Six-time champion on ‘falling back in love with the game’

Plus • Richard Thomas reveals his hopes for Chester racecourse • Sky’s the limit: SackvilleDonald’s prospering partnership • Tony Morris looks back over 50 years of Guineas greats

hat do you think of when you hear the name Kieren Fallon? If you’re not picturing a beaming jockey, relaxed in himself and happy to discuss his career openly and without hesitation, then prepare for a shock when you turn to page 38 for Julian Muscat’s fantastic interview with the six-time champion. Fallon has been part of British racing’s landscape for more than 25 years. During that time he has hit the highest peaks and plumbed the lowest depths, with big-race success often followed by suspension or scandal. The phrase ‘rollercoaster career’ could have been coined for the man from County Clare. In terms of pure talent, Fallon is undoubtedly one of the greatest riders there has ever been. While never as stylish as Piggott, Cauthen or Dettori, he has often appeared to ‘lift’ horses over the line to victory, possessing an ability to extract that bit extra when it’s really needed. Rarely can there have been a more effective jockey. Punters knew it. And so did trainers. Henry Cecil, Michael Stoute and Aidan O’Brien – whose combined judgement must be regarded as gospel – all plumped for Fallon as their number one and were duly rewarded on the racecourse. Yet while riding winners, particularly on the big stage, seemed to come easily to the Irishman, so, unfortunately, did his knack for finding trouble away from the track. Why was that? The man himself provides a clue. “The regret is that I never had someone, one person, to help me along that journey,” he says. “You have to have someone with you who genuinely wants to help you and those people are very hard to find in racing. “I grew up basically living off the land and enjoyed it; it was such a happy way to live. It is a massive change to go from that kind of background to winning big races all over Europe. “You can handle the ruthlessness, the pressure, the rat-race mentality. It’s what happens in the

background you need guidance with.” The latest development in the Kieren Fallon story has seen him sign up to ride for Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor. Such an official partnership would have been inconceivable while Frankie Dettori was ruling the roost, however racing’s game of snakes and ladders is rarely dull and always has the capacity to throw up fascinating scenarios. Prince Bishop provided the alliance with Group 1 glory in Dubai and, while the Godolphin team has plenty of riding talent at its disposal, it would come as no surprise if Fallon were to climb up the pecking order with the boys in blue. The 49-year-old is certainly relishing the season ahead. “I feel better than any time in the last 20 years,” says Fallon. “For the first time in a long time I am in a really good place. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day.” Fallon may or may not have a ride for Godolphin, or anyone else for that matter, in the Guineas races but one star certain to turn up at Newmarket is Kingman. Trainer John Gosden has been understandably keen to downplay the expectations surrounding the beautifullybred son of Invincible Spirit, who races for Frankel’s owner Khalid Abdullah, yet even he admitted after a thrilling win in the Greenham that the colt is a bit special. Whether he is special enough to merit odds of 5-4 for the 2,000 Guineas remains to be seen; Lord Grimthorpe, Khalid Abdullah’s Racing Manager, told this magazine last month that 4-1 wasn’t much of a price. Thanks, Teddy! With Coolmore’s massivelyhyped Australia in opposition – could he possibly be the best horse Aidan O’Brien has ever trained? – the race promises to be a classic in every sense of the word. One man who cannot wait for this year’s race is our renowned writer, Tony Morris. This year will be the 50th renewal that Tony has witnessed and in this month’s column he takes a look book over the previous 49, picking out some of his most memorable winners.

“It would come as

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£4.95 | May 2014 | Issue 117

Fallon’s future optimism not just blue sky thinking W

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Cover: Kieren Fallon in relaxed mood after exercising horses in Newmarket Photo: George Selwyn

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no surprise if he moved up the pecking order with Godolphin

”

CONTENTS MAY 2014

38 NEWS & VIEWS 7

ROA Leader

88 FEATURES 16

TBA Leader

Government lobbying crucial

News ARC signs prize-money deal

Changes News in a nutshell

Tony Morris

COVER STORY Kieren Fallon Exclusive interview

Talking To... Chester boss Richard Thomas

SackvilleDonald The bloodstock agents discuss their successful partnership

The Big Picture In Britain and Dubai

Co-operation the way forward

Breeders’ Digest Young stallions make their mark

Sales Circuit DBS feels the pinch

Caulfield Files Thewayyouare’s fine start

24 Hours With... Deirdre Johnston

My Guineas half-century

Howard Wright BHA should be more open

INTERNATIONAL SCENE 28

View From Ireland Paul Deegan’s Classic dream

Continental Tales Jeff Smith’s French fancy

Around The Globe Jockey death unites Australian racing

Leighton Aspell and John Provan celebrate Pineau De Re’s victory in the Crabbie’s Grand National

4:53 pm

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FORUM 62

ROA Forum Including John Provan’s Grand National triumph

Racecourse League Tables The latest standings

LEADING THE FIELD IN BLOODSTOCK INSURANCE

TBA Forum Photographic competition for members

Breeder of the Month John Reynolds, for Midnight Prayer

Next Generation Club Learning in the great outdoors

Vet Forum Colic in the thoroughbred, Part One

NH Grade Ones Victors at the top level

AHEAD OF THE FIELD CONTACT US

DATA BOOK 84

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Stallion Statistics Martaline is one to note

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ROA LEADER

RACHEL HOOD President Racehorse Owners Association

ARC suggests policy shift with prize-money signing Let’s hope latest agreement signals watershed moment for British horseracing

rena Racing Company’s recent decision to sign a prize-money agreement with the Horsemen’s Group represents a positive step forward for the industry. This reversal of ARC’s earlier decision illustrates how common sense and good judgement can eventually prevail when you have the right people around the negotiating table. The professionalism of the Horsemen’s Group Chairman Philip Freedman and the ROA Chief Executive Richard Wayman, combined with the business acumen of ARC’s Tony Kelly, produced an excellent result for racing, proving that leaving the door open for further discussion is often a sound policy. With ARC’s 14 racecourses now on board, 53 of the UK’s 58 racecourses have signed up to a three-year agreement that gives mutual benefits to both horsemen and racecourses. A reminder of why these agreements are now so important would not come amiss. In essence there has been a major change in the sources of funding British racing in recent years. A decade or so ago racecourse media rights were significant but nowhere on a par with the £100 million-plus they are expected to be in 2014. Against this, the Levy Board has become secondary to media rights in terms of how much money it puts into racing. In the past, the relationship between the ROA and ARC’s predecessor companies, Arena Leisure and Northern Racing, was not exactly happy, with our association rightly outraged at how little the racecourses themselves put into prize-money outside of the Levy Board’s contributions. The problem with media rights income, as we have frequently identified, is that it was an entirely discretionary spend so that racecourses could use it just as they please. It therefore became increasingly important to owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff – all of whom are recipients of prize-money – for a mechanism to be put into place that insisted that a set proportion of this money was, as a minimum, spent on prize-money. Enter the

Horsemen’s Group and their prize-money agreements. The agreements mean that from a position in 2013 when total prize money was £114.2m, of which £48.6m came from racecourses, we are now looking at a prizemoney pot of approaching £125m in the current year, of which around £53m will come from racecourses. ARC’s total contribution to prize-money will be increasing by over £2m in 2014. In truth, this will not reflect much, if at all, on the value of the numerous grade 5 and 6 races that are ARC’s stock in trade on their three all-weather courses. It does, however, represent a minimum guarantee and means that prize-money can no longer be regarded as an afterthought by racecourses when all other expenditure heads have been satisfied. So while the new agreement between ARC and the Horsemen’s Group certainly does not justify an outpouring of adulation from our side of the industry, it does allow us to react positively to ARC’s allweather championship with its Good Friday finale. We can also now look upon their Newcastle all-weather track aspirations with an objectivity that was missing before the signing of this agreement. Let us hope that the signing of this agreement will also prove to be a watershed, with ARC moving on from their problems relating to the closing of rural racecourses, outdated facilities and track surfaces that need replacing. Horsemen’s Group members have never been able to act with the muscle of a trade union but then most racecourses now acknowledge it is in their best interests to work with the people who provide their raw material. And such sentiments accord with a new spirit of cooperation, thanks in no small part to the positive role played by the RCA’s Chairman, Ian Barlow, and the support given by the BHA. No horses, no racing. It is a truism that is worth repeating at a time when the once disparate racing industry is now working together for the greater good. See News, pages 10-11

“We can look at

ARC’s aspirations for Newcastle with an objectivity that was missing before

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TBA LEADER

RICHARD LANCASTER Chairman Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Government lobbying remains crucial for TBA Meetings on a range of topics are important in protecting breeders’ interests

ast month saw the launch of the TBA’s much anticipated Economic Impact Study. As a consequence, a number of meetings have been conducted with industry figures and we are well on our way to presenting a series of recommendations seeking support for breeders from the BHA and Levy Board in the coming months. The timing is right, coming as it does shortly after last month’s announcement that the government is closely examining a wider reform of the levy and introducing a “racing right to support the sport.” The study findings have also provided us with independent support for our political lobbying campaigns. During the last month the TBA has presented to the All Party Parliamentary Committee for the Horse, held meetings with local MPs and MEPs, and raised our concerns directly with the Secretary of State in response to the proposal to remove notifiable disease status for CEM and EVA. However, there are some determined officials somewhere in Whitehall whose shortsightedness still fails to recognise that, should it go ahead, as a result the industry will lose £30 million annually in international trade opportunities. We have now addressed all their points and we expect ministers to act responsibly. This lobbying activity is particularly timely, as it follows the TBA’s recent commitment to co-fund a trade visit by senior Chinese officials to inspect the UK animal health controls. This visit paved the way for the protocol for the live export of horses from the UK to China to be signed between Secretary of State Owen Paterson and the Chinese Minister Zhi Shuping on April 1 (TBA Forum, pages 70-74). The decision to fund this significant milestone was, I believe, money well spent. We hope that our government took notice. A week of successes was crowned by an unexpected about-turn from the International Air Transport

Association, whose new Live Animals Regulations had imposed a shorter time limit on all airlines for the transport of pregnant mares. This threatened to compromise the sale and prevent the subsequent international movement of mares after 200 days of pregnancy. Delegates at the International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation conference in Chile, working with the IOE, combined forces and a change of policy was secured with airlines reverting to the original upper limit of 300 days. Monitoring EU and national government policies has never been more important, and the TBA’s ability to respond on a range of issues is testament to the good relations we enjoy with a number of experts, and our ability to mobilise support. The BHA and Weatherbys are currently partnering the TBA in negotiations with DEFRA to ensure that the revised Tripartite Agreement, allowing the free movement of thoroughbreds between the UK, Ireland and France, is workable when it comes into operation in May. We are also keeping a close eye on progress in the EU with regard to equine ID regulations. On the home front, we will be working with the BHA to develop its strategy for the industry. The TBA Board election process is now under way. Board members have been tasked with providing support and guidance to the executive and we are asking them to take more responsibility for the delivery of the TBA’s strategy for solutions identified in the EIS findings. With the incoming members’ terms of office due to run up to the TBA’s centenary year, there is a lot to look forward to, which should ensure our diaries are busier than ever. We will soon have an opportunity to check the robustness of the 2014 Flat market via the breeze-up sales, which will be analysed as part of the presentations at the TBA seminar on July 23.

“International Breeders’

Federation conference delegates joined forces to have transport rules reverted to original limit

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”

NEWS Stories from the racing world

ARC and Horsemen’s Group reach deal over prize-money agreements Only five British racecourses have now failed to enter landmark partnership

Total Prize-Money Ten-year record, January-March 20 19 £ Million

he vast majority of racing fixtures in Britain will now be covered by prizemoney agreements following Arena Racing Company’s decision to put pen to paper with the Horsemen’s Group and British Horseracing Authority. ARC’s deal is at the Standard Tier level and will see all of its 14 tracks, which together stage around 40% of fixtures, contribute a guaranteed proportion of revenue generated from the sale of media rights into prize-money for a three-year period until 2016. The 53 racecourses that have now signed a prize-money agreement will help to boost purses by around £5 million (see table right) and produce record prize-money in excess of £120m in 2014. Only Catterick, Hexham, Plumpton, Redcar and Towcester have failed to reach agreement with the horsemen. Philip Freedman, Chairman of the Horsemen’s Group, said: “It is our belief that prize-money agreements represent a new era of collaboration and trust between racing’s stakeholders. “Consequently, it is encouraging that ARC, as the group with the largest number of fixtures, has now signed the same deal with the Horsemen’s Group and the BHA.” Tony Kelly, Managing Director of Arena

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Racing Company, said he was delighted to have finally agreed terms. “I believe ARC’s signing of a prize-money agreement with the Horsemen’s Group and the BHA represents a significant step forward for relations between the parties,” Kelly said. “I hope that in the years ahead we will all be able to look back at it as the moment collaboration and partnership between our respective organisations became the order of the day. “After the discussions of 2013, I am personally and professionally very pleased that the newly signed agreement allows racing’s participants to share in ARC’s future

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growth which is, as we all know, to the benefit of the sport as a whole. “This three-year agreement alone will not end healthy debate and discussion between us all but I would like to think that it shows that on some of the crucial issues that face British racing, we are in much more agreement than perhaps we once thought.” ARC staged the final of its all-weather championships, with a card worth £1m, at Lingfield on Good Friday and recently received approval from Newcastle City Council to convert part of Newcastle racecourse into a floodlit all-weather track.

New £250,000 handicap created for Champions’ Day The popularity of big-field valuable Saturday handicaps has been illustrated again by the addition of Europe’s richest mile handicap to QIPCO British Champions’ Day at Ascot on October 18. The sponsor of the day, Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, had been the principal proponent of the apprentices’ handicap that previously closed the card, however disappointing terrestrial television viewing figures – Cesarewitch day lured more to Channel 4 in 2013 than Britain’s most valuable raceday – saw minds concentrated on how to improve the attractiveness of the card to armchair

racing fans, among others. The conclusion was to remove the race for young jockeys and replace it with a £250,000 handicap. The Queen gave her consent to the race title – the Balmoral Handicap, a race name last used 11 years ago – and Channel 4 will extend its coverage of British Champions’ Day this year to show all six contests live. The new handicap will be open to a field of 30, all of whom must have run at least sixth in one of 18 qualifiers starting at this month's Guineas meeting. “We are always looking to improve the day,”

said Rod Street, Chief Executive for British Champions Series. “We expect the Balmoral Handicap to appeal to racegoers and punters alike, and we are extremely grateful to have been granted a royal title for the new handicap.” Street said the apprentice race had been dropped as it was “not quite a fit with the super, premium races we have on the day” and noted that other major meetings across the season are “predicated on big handicaps.” He added: “Our aspiration is to get all the main races to Group 1 and have the handicap at the end.” THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Prize-Money Agreements Table January-March 2014 Racecourse contribution to prize-money per fixture Racecourse

2014 (£)

2013 (£)

1. ASCOT

121,182

187,327

2. JOCKEY CLUB GROUP

54,759

56,848

3. NEWBURY

36,017

32,720

4. LUDLOW

25,818

17,249

5. KELSO

25,713

25,124

6. MUSSELBURGH

25,176

33,872

7. STRATFORD

22,092

24,559

8. FAKENHAM

21,189

19,697

9. FFOS LAS

21,053

20,215

10. WETHERBY

20,990

20,956

11. ARC

18,574

12,817

12. AYR

17,843

-3,147

13. CATTERICK

16,189

4,994

14. CHESTER/BANGOR GROUP

15,023

4,340

15. HEXHAM

12,538

8,020

16. PLUMPTON

12,170

7,971

17. LEICESTER

11,242

5,680

18. TAUNTON

11,203

16,355

9,154

5,697

19. TOWCESTER

Key to agreement level: GOLD Premier Tier • SILVER Standard Tier • RED Not Signed Notes: 1. Racecourse Groups have signed single agreements to cover all of their tracks. Jockey Club group comprises Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Epsom, Exeter, Haydock, Huntingdon, Kempton, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Nottingham, Sandown, Warwick and Wincanton. ARC comprises Bath, Brighton, Chepstow, Doncaster, Fontwell, Lingfield, Newcastle, Sedgefield, Southwell, Uttoxeter, Windsor, Wolverhampton, Worcester and Yarmouth. 2. The average racecourse contribution per fixture shows the average amount provided by the racecourse to prize-money at all fixtures during the period, including any abandoned fixtures.

Highlighting the tracks that put most into purses With prize-money agreements effective from the beginning of this year, the new racecourse performance table (left) will be published in Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder on a quarterly basis. As well as providing a reminder of which courses have signed agreements and at which tier, the table will show how much of a track’s own money they contribute to prize-money at their fixtures. Richard Wayman, Chief Executive of the Racehorse Owners Association, said: “This simple table has been designed to help owners compare courses, both against other venues and also their own performance during the same period last year. “With field sizes remaining under pressure, courses increasingly have to compete for runners and one of the factors that owners want to take into account when deciding where to run their horses is each racecourse’s attitude towards prize-money. “The table will highlight those tracks that are faring well against courses of similar type and size. “Ludlow, for example, deserves particular credit for rising to fourth place with an average contribution to prize-money of nearly £26,000 per fixture. Their performance just goes to show what can be achieved by a well-run racecourse outside of the larger tracks.”

Over £1.1 million in BEBF pot

Kerry Murphy: racecourses responded

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

The British European Breeders’ Fund will contribute £1.125 million to prize-money in Britain this year. More than 550 Flat races will receive BEBF funding and, in a change of policy, a larger proportion of conditions races, fillies’ handicaps and Listed events will be supported. Previously, the majority of BEBF money was awarded to maiden races. BEBF funding is allocated nationwide, with Hamilton and Musselburgh in Scotland among the tracks to see an increase in their contribution. This year, racecourses were invited to tender for additional funding,

which resulted in around 30 races receiving substantial boosts to their funds. Kerry Murphy, Chief Executive of the European Breeders’ Fund, said: “The tendering process met with a huge response from racecourses seeking additional support for their Flat racing programmes. “The majority of the EBF’s funding comes from stallion contributions and so we are delighted that the bloodstock industry’s money is being put to such good use.” The European Breeders’ Fund was established in 1983 and has contributed over €100,000,000 to racing on the continent.

in association with

Racing’s news in a nutshell PEOPLE AND BUSINESS Racing Foundation Body set up to grant funds to racing charities with proceeds from the sale of the Tote will give out £500,000 in its latest funding round.

McKeever Bloodstock Newmarket-based agency merges with BBA Ireland, with Johnny McKeever becoming a director of the latter immediately.

Export deal Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Chinese Minister for Import Controls Zhi Shuping agree on export of British-bred thoroughbreds to China.

David Thorpe Former Chairman of the Racecourse Association is appointed Chairman of Arena Racing Company, replacing Lord Howard.

Joe Tizzard Rider of top chaser Cue Card retires from the saddle aged 34 and will assist his father Colin at their Dorset training establishment.

Alan Jarvis Veteran trainer is deemed unsuitable to hold a training licence by the BHA; Jarvis was declared bankrupt due to a debt with Doncaster Bloodstock Sales.

QIPCO Agrees deal to sponsor the Irish Champion Stakes for the next three years.

Steve Asmussen Trainer of US stars Curlin and Rachel Alexandra faces investigation over charges of animal cruelty following undercover sting by animal rights group.

More people and business... Keeneland opts to replace its Polytrack with a traditional US dirt surface later this year. Eve Lodge Stables, the Lester Piggottowned yard boasting 95 boxes, is put on the market for £1.25 million. Ladbrokes buys the Melbourne-based online bookmaker Eskander’s Betstar for around £14m, while Betfair launches a betting exchange in Italy. Betting shop picture provider TurfTV paid £45m to its 34 racecourses in 2013. Carl Llewellyn, the dual Grand National-winning jockey and now an assistant trainer, is fined £1,500 by the BHA for making a racist remark, damaging racing’s reputation. Richie McLernon breaks two vertebrae in his back in a fall at Ludlow and will be out of action for around two months. Paddy Brennan breaks his collarbone after his mount Faith Keeper slips up on the flat in a handicap chase at Exeter.

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RACEHORSE AND STALLION MOVEMENTS AND RETIREMENTS Benefficient Dual Grade 1 winner over fences and successful in the Jewson Novices’ Chase at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival is retired aged eight due to a leg injury.

Beat All

Ruler Of The World Al Shaqab Racing, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s ownership vehicle, buys a 50% stake in last year’s Derby winner from Coolmore.

Jumps sire moves base with stud owner Sarah Waring from Pastures Barn Stud in Worcestershire to Stibbington House Stud near Peterborough.

Lake Michigan Unraced son of Montjeu, a brother to Group-winning fillies Wading and Bracelet, will stand as a jumps stallion at Park House Stud in County Carlow.

Almaty Express Winner of 22 races, 21 for John Weymes’s stable, is retired aged 12; he landed 19 victories at Wolverhampton and won every year between 2004-2013.

Fiorente Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner for trainer Gai Waterhouse is retired aged six due to tendon injury.

PEOPLE OBITUARIES Ralph Wilson Jnr 95

Breeder of champion two-year-old Arazi, victorious in three French Group 1s and sensational winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1991.

Rex Hamey 84

Former jump jockey who rode 126 winners between 1950 and 1963; his father, Tim Hamey, won the Gold Cup and National as a jockey.

Marguerite Weld 98

Much admired in the racing and bloodstock world, the mother of trainer Dermot Weld bred Grey Swallow, winner of the 2004 Irish Derby, and 2006 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Nightime.

Hans Walter Hiller 70

Germany’s champion trainer in 1999, he sent out 450 winners in total.

Nathan Berry 23

One of the most talented young jockeys in Australia dies from an acute form of epilepsy (see page 32).

Johnny Harrington 77

Bloodstock agent and husband of trainer Jessica Harrington.

Peter Scott-Dunn 90

Former equine veterinary surgeon to the Queen who worked for the British Olympic equestrian team and owned horses for many years.

Sharron Murgatroyd 54 Jockey left severely paralysed by a fall at Bangor in 1991 who was an inspiration to others with her humour, writing and charity work.

HORSE OBITUARIES Mars 4

Son of Galileo, third to Dawn Approach and Toronado in last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes, is fatally injured in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Mutakddim 23

Listed-winning son of Seeking The Gold, sire of American Grade 1 winner Lady Tak, dies at Haras La Quebrada in Argentina.

Azamour 13

The Aga Khan homebred was a four-time Group 1 winner and sire of Prix de Diane heroine Valyra and exciting three-year-old Chief Barker.

Bertrando 25

Top-class US performer who was runner-up to Arcangues in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic; he sired Grade 1 winner and stallion Officer.

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THE BIG PICTURE

NATIONAL LOTTERY Top-weight Tidal Bay and Sam Twiston-Davies part company at the Canal Turn first time after being hampered by the fall of Golan Way, whose jockey Michael Byrne can be seen lying a few feet away. Eventual winner Pineau De Re and Leighton Aspell (pictured right at the finish) are seen mid-division as Across The Bay and Long Run lead the field. See pages 66-67 for owner John Provanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big day Photos George Selwyn

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GRAND NATIONAL

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THE BIG PICTURE

BUCKLEY’S BONANZA Owner Michael Buckley won’t have many better weeks than the one that saw Toast Of New York and Beat That (right) win the UAE Derby and Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Meydan and Aintree. Toast Of New York could now go for the Derby at Epsom in June Photos George Selwyn

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MEYDAN & AINTREE

THE BIG PICTURE

KING THE MAN Khalid Abdullahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kingman heads to the 2,000 Guineas a warm favourite after a scintillating performance in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury under James Doyle. John Gosden later said he has never trained a miler with such a high cruising speed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something sure to prove a big asset in the first Classic of the season at Newmarket on May 3 Photo Bill Selwyn

G R E E N H A M S TA K E S

THE MAN YOU CAN’T IGNORE COMMENT

Tony Morris As he prepares to celebrate his Guineas half-century, our columnist looks back at some of his favourite memories from the colts’ Classic and anticipates a vintage renewal this year

TREVOR JONES

nother month, another personal landmark. The spotty-faced kid, obsessed with racing history, who daydreamed about one day visiting Newmarket and witnessing a Classic race, got to achieve his goal, and on May 3 will witness the 2,000 Guineas for the 50th time. This year’s renewal will be the 206th, and it’s a sobering thought that I’ve shared almost a quarter of the race’s history. My sequence kicked off in 1965, when the clues I collected from the paddock included the fact that the Epsom-trained Niksar was totally awash with sweat. Returning to the stand I ran into an old school chum who was intending to back the colt until I passed on that information. If you’re still alive, Chicko, and happen to be reading this, I’m sorry I put you off the 100-8 winner. The following year was memorable for the wonderfully judged ride that Jimmy Lindley gave Kashmir, who held on by a short head to thwart Great Nephew, the 66-1 supposed second-string from Jack Jarvis’s stable.

Rodrigo De Triano gave Lester Piggott his last Classic in the 1992 2,000 Guineas

The winning margin in 1967 was the same, and it was a costly result for me, as I had rashly laid Royal Palace to lose £100 in an alcohol-fuelled ‘debate’ with a colleague. As my take home pay was not much more than a tenner a week, it took me quite a while to settle the debt. In 1968 most punters reduced the tenrunner field to a match between Ireland’s Sir Ivor and England’s Petingo, and that was exactly what we got. As Lester Piggott could have ridden either and had chosen the former, the Ballydoyle colt started a warm favourite, and he did the business in exemplary style. Lester was trusted to bring home the bacon again in the following year with Ribofilio, but the Guineas became the first of four Classics in which the Ribot colt was beaten favourite; his lamentable showing on the Rowley Mile was a mystery to most, though apparently not to the prominent bookmaker who told me a few hours after the race that by laying him consistently he had raked in a huge profit. I could never have backed the winner, Right Tack, mindful that Classic heroes weren’t supposed to come via Alexandra Park, where I’d seen him win as a juvenile. Nijinsky was a certainty in 1970. We attended to witness a coronation, and that was what we saw, unlike the Classic of ’71 when the attraction was the anticipated duel

between Mill Reef and My Swallow. To see both easily beaten by Brigadier Gerard was a shock, but there was no fluke about it, and we soon had to acknowledge that he was probably as good a miler as anyone had ever seen. It was the favourite’s turn to oblige in 1972, when High Top resisted Roberto in driving rain, but there were three shocks to follow. Close inbreeding to a Gold Cup winner hardly advertised itself as a recipe for Guineas success, but Mon Fils confounded the pundits with a 50-1 triumph; Apalachee, hailed as a prospective Triple Crown hero after impressive performances at two, flopped as a 9-4 on shot behind Nonoalco; Bolkonski surprised Grundy in the race when striking stable lads disrupted the start but probably did not influence the result. The winner, trained in Italy as a juvenile, was better than anyone believed at the time, delivering later proofs of his miling talent at Ascot and Goodwood.

How good was Nureyev? The ’70s ended with Tap On Wood’s victory over Kris, one of only two defeats in the latter’s 16-race career, the other coming as a four-yearold behind Known Fact, whose 1980 Classic win was registered only after the sensational disqualification of first-placed Nureyev. There can be little doubt that Nureyev was the best on show that day, but just how good he was we never learned, as he did not reappear. He may have been in the same class as the three outstanding ’80s Guineas heroes whose merits were in no doubt. El Gran Senor is probably best remembered now for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the Derby, but he was imperious on the Rowley Mile, widely recognised as inferior only to Brigadier Gerard among Guineas winners of the previous quarter-century. Bred in partnership by Robert Sangster, El Gran Senor came to Ballydoyle straight from the farm, and Vincent O’Brien told me that if he had gone to auction he would never have bought him because of his parrot mouth. Curiously that was a physical defect he shared with Dancing Brave, who fairly trotted up in the Guineas two years later, suffered a THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

controversial loss at Epsom, then rose to superstar status with victories in the Eclipse, the King George and the Arc. Nashwan was a horse cast in a different mould, a big, imposing chesnut, remarkably light on his feet. He hadn’t attracted much attention until a week before the Classic when word about a sensational gallop at West Ilsley emerged. A massive plunge on the colt ensued, he was favourite on the day, and, having fallen in love with him at first sight in the paddock I was thrilled to see him dominate his rivals just as completely in the race. He went one better than El Gran Senor and Dancing Brave at Epsom, and to my mind was wrongly assessed as inferior to Old Vic, who won the Derbys at Chantilly and the Curragh. Old Vic was a one-dimensional galloper; Nashwan had gears. The Press Stand on Guineas day was usually an area when one had to fight for a decent vantage point, but it was not like that in 1992. A veritable army of hacks had persuaded their sports editors that they needed to be at Churchill Downs to see the latest incarnation of Pegasus contest the Kentucky Derby, so while they were engaged in witnessing Arazi’s flop, there were just a few of us to see history made on the Rowley Mile. Rodrigo de Triano gave Lester his 30th Classic triumph, a feat that will never be equalled. Who was the best 2,000 Guineas winner of the 1990s? The ratings compilers will tell you that it was Mark Of Esteem, but it was much later in the 1996 campaign that he found his best form; scrambling home in a three-way photo from Even Top and Bijou d’Inde made him only an average Classic winner at best. For me, the one who gave the most striking display in the Guineas itself was Zafonic, who fairly trounced Barathea by three and a half lengths in 1993. Remarkably, that was the widest winning margin since Nearula came back with four lengths to spare 40 years earlier. King’s Best seemed to set a good standard in the first year of the next decade, but he turned out to be fragile, whereas his runner-up on the Rowley Mile, Giant’s Causeway, progressed to deliver several stellar performances in the months that followed. We saw a more thrilling contest in 2008, when Henrythenavigator triumphed by a nose over New Approach, both colts super-game at the death, but we probably did not give enough credit to Sea The Stars for his victory in 2009. We appreciated him better after he had proved his exceptional ability over middle distances, when we could recognise his versatility and reflect on his merit as a miler. As a kid, one of the performances which captured my imagination and stood out as positively awe-inspiring was that of Tudor Minstrel in the 2,000 Guineas of 1947, when he blitzed his field, having them all stone cold at halfway and coming home alone. That was the year in which he and I, bearing the same initials, both turned three, so my absence from the Rowley Mile that day was perhaps understandable. It was one of those races that I could only wish I had seen. Of course, it never crossed my mind that a carbon copy of that event would one day be presented in the same race over the same course and that I would be on hand to witness it, awestruck and so grateful for having been granted that privilege. As I write these words, my 50th 2,000 Guineas seems to be shaping up to rank as one of the best. I can cope with the knowledge that it won’t reveal another Frankel.

“If you’re still alive,

Chicko, and happen to be reading this, I’m sorry I put you off the 1965 winner”

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HOWARD WRIGHT COMMENT

BHA boss Paul Bittar favours a behind-closed-doors approach when it comes to administrative matters, much to the chagrin of our columnist

Communication breakdown

ere is the news: there is no news. Well, not if you are looking for the BHA to inform the world about what really goes on in its 75 High Holborn eyrie. It’s true that the authority’s website daily pumps out general news provided by an agency and readily available through other, more consumer-facing media outlets. But where is the detailed information about administrative matters that directly concern professionals and public alike? Largely within the hands of individual trade bodies is the answer, with the BHA seemingly intent on playing the role of an embarrassed parent who leaves explaining the facts of life to others. Thank goodness there are others that do the job efficiently. Through various means the Racehorse Owners Association, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys Association regularly keep their members informed about industry topics. Even the Levy Board, which might be expected to have the lowest profile of all racing organisations, provides a website account, albeit brief, of its board meeting decisions. Then there is the Racecourse Association, which does an excellent job through its monthly Update publication, a collection of relevant and timely information from around the industry. Update once did an even better job, especially in reporting race-planning discussions, until the BHA – or it might have been the BHB – stepped in to say its contribution to free speech gave away too many state secrets and the flow was

stifled. The sound of relative silence was not always going to be so pervasive. BHB Chief Executive Greg Nichols promised a senior journalist seeking a more public approach that his organisation would produce a regular bulletin outlining official thinking on matters of current importance. It never appeared. His successor as the BHA’s first Chief Executive, Nic Coward, devoted a couple of

“I know more about

what is going on behind the scenes on the other side of the world than I do here” hours of his early tenure meeting a small group of journalists – including, by total coincidence, a one-time columnist who has spent many of his recent waking hours in the Old Bailey – where he vowed to make such briefings a regular occurrence. It proved to be the first and last. And so to the reign of Paul Bittar, where the trickle of worthwhile published inside information, if it has not been turned off altogether, has diminished to a dribble of necessary press releases and instant reaction to outside events.

Don’t believe me? Have a look at the home page of the BHA website, where at the time of writing there were two items in the What’s New section – a story about the Godolphin Stable Staff Awards, dated February 25, and Deloitte’s report on the Economic Impact of British Racing from June 11, 2013. Apologies if anything has been added since, but I am not holding my breath. The Industry Conference, which might not have had the razzmatazz of Britain’s Got Talent but did give a succession of speakers the chance to air their thoughts and coincided with publication of an informative annual report, has long since disappeared. So too has British racing’s annual report. It was last seen dated 2010, and was replaced by the BHA Fact Book 2011-12, which appeared in October 2012. A follow-up edition is still awaited. Even among the minutiae of detail there is evidence of a cleansing operation. Nowhere on the BHA website is it possible to identify staff members lower than executive level, and where once the multitude of committees had their terms of reference and their members’ dates of office recorded, now only bare names appear, after the fashion of a Who Do You Think You Are family tree. Given the regular email receipt of information from, for example, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Racing Victoria, two of Paul Bittar’s alma maters, I know more about what is going on behind the scenes on the other side of the world than I do here from the BHA itself. Maybe the High Holborn mandarins reckon that’s no bad thing. I disagree. The information tap has been turned off by Paul Bittar (left), after a trickle of hope from predecessors Greg Nichols (centre) and Nic Coward

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VIEW FROM IRELAND By JESSICA LAMB OF THE RACING POST

Curragh trainer broadening horizons Classic aims and smaller juvenile team indicate changing of guard for Deegan

“Avenue Gabriel

definitely deserves to be on the start line for an Oaks. I think there is more to come” out whether she is a Guineas filly or not. “What she showed us means she will be supplemented for the Irish 1,000 Guineas. We need to give ourselves that option. That was only her first run of the year remember and I do think there’s more to come from her.” The Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July is her main objective, but that Guineas test, should she take it up, will come on May 25. Lady O’Reilly’s Listed winner also holds an entry in

the French equivalent at Longchamp and her stablemate Shining Emerald holds an entry in the colts’ race at the same venue, though is set to travel further afield. The German Guineas at Cologne on May 18 is a live possibility for Jaber Abdullah’s son of Clodovil after his second in the 2,000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown. Deegan said: “He was just beaten by a better horse on the day in Go For Goal. He didn’t lose anything in defeat and his jockey, Chris Hayes, said the ground was too slow for him. He is still rated only 110 so I don’t think he’s an English or Irish Guineas candidate, but there are good races to be won with him. “He’s a very good prospect for seven furlong and mile Pattern races, he’s already a Listed winner, and we might well send him for the Mehl-Mulhens Rennen.” This pair are a step above what Deegan has trained before and his smaller two-year-old team signals a move away from a reputation for being just a juvenile trainer.

CAROLINE NORRIS

he Classic season begins this month and Curragh trainer Paul Deegan could be involved for the first time in his nine-year career. At the turn of last month, the 34-year-old had saddled more 2014 winners than any other trainer. These came on the all-weather at Dundalk, but his form transferred to the turf when the Curragh opened the term at the end of March, with four of his six runners placing there and his Classic hopes doing so at Leopardstown. Avenue Gabriel and Shining Emerald have progressed into Deegan’s first major three-yearold stars and each has big targets this month. “Avenue Gabriel definitely deserves to be on the start line for an Oaks,” Deegan said. “She ran very well to be third in the 1,000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown behind two fillies who will turn out to be proper horses. “The seven furlongs that day was a bit sharp for her but she had been showing us so much at home that we decided we had to try to find

Shining Emerald, who is being considered by trainer Paul Deegan (inset) for a crack at the German 2,000 Guineas this month

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VIEW FROM IRELAND

In Brief

GEORGE SELWYN

Full backing for new meeting

McCullagh: “It’s onwards and upwards and I’m looking forward to a good season”

McCullagh happy with hectic riding schedule It was a sad day when Johnny Murtagh retired from the saddle. He was not your everyday value jockey in the saddle or out of it; he was an entertainer, deliberately or not. The racecourse will be worse off without him riding, but his retirement to concentrate on his training career is good news for his good friend Niall McCullagh. The fellow Kildare-based jockey has been an integral part of Murtagh’s training operation since he began two years ago and, now that his colleague has hung up his riding boots, McCullagh has moved up the queue to partner his horses. “I won’t ride them all,” McCullagh said. “Certain owners have other preferences but I will ride plenty of horses for Johnny. “We’ve always got on well from our days when I was second jockey at John Oxx’s. He rode his star at the time, Sinndar, and I used to ride the pacemakers. We became close, great friends – I was his best man when he married Orla.” He added: “We get on very well and sort of understand each other. He likes to win; you mess up on one and he’ll give it to you. But I enjoy working for him and hopefully we’ll have plenty of success together.” Murtagh’s first season with a trainer’s licence last year yielded a credible 18 victories, highlighted by the exploits of Blandford Stakes winner Belle De Crecy and British Champions Long Distance Cup THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

winner Royal Diamond, who were both for sale at the end of the season. Nobody matched Royal Diamond’s price tag but Belle De Crecy has left Ireland for France to become Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve’s pacemaker. Her loss is felt at Fox Covert Stables, but her performances are still paying their way, with 20 two-year-olds among the 45 in training with Murtagh, many owned by new faces. His situation is vastly different to that of McCullagh’s other boss, Oxx, who last year suffered badly from a virus in the yard that produced results so poor that longstanding owner the Aga Khan decided to send many of this year’s two-year-olds to a new trainer, Dermot Weld. Though this move hangs over Oxx, McCullagh insists it’s business as usual, maybe even better for the Curragh stalwart. He said: “The yard at Oxx’s is very busy. He’s still training for the Aga Khan. He’s a world-class trainer and the cream always rises to the top. His horses weren’t healthy last year and that was well documented. This year they seem to be well and let’s hope he has a good year, because if he does and Johnny does, well, it reflects well on my year. “Things are already going well for me. I’m riding for lots of different people – Michael Grassick, Jessica Harrington, Oxx, Johnny – I was never as busy. It’s onwards and upwards and I’m looking forward to a good season.”

Irish Champion Weekend’s five Group 1s have secured sponsors. The showpiece Irish Champions Stakes, the second race in Ireland to gain a prizefund worth €1 million, will be backed by Qatar’s major player QIPCO, sponsor of the British Champions Series and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The Moyglare Stud Stakes, Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and Coolmore-backed Matron Stakes retain their original supporters, while the Irish St Leger has been taken on by Palmerstown House Estate. The Irish Champion and Matron Stakes were the final pieces of the jigsaw for the two-day fixture at Leopardstown and the Curragh, which is now fully supported.

Licence handovers afoot As Richard Hannon begins his term in full control of his father’s old team, so too could a major changing of the guard be afoot in Ireland. James ‘Fozzy’ Stack, son of Tommy, has been his father’s right-hand man in much the same vein as Hannon was to his, for just as long. Last month he completed the Turf Club’s racehorse trainers’ course, which puts him on the road to taking out his own licence to train. Albert Moriarty, whose son Keith could become an apprentice this year, was another to take the course, as was Adrian Keatley, assistant to Oliver McKiernan at the height of his jumping successes with Whatuthink and Follow The Plan.

Battle royale in final furlong The point-to-point season is due to end with a rare climax on the first Monday in June as perennial champion Derek O’Connor continues to chase eight-time runner-up Jamie Codd. If both can keep up the phenomenal momentum they have shown all year then, as it did two terms ago, the championship could come down to a head-to-head on that final day at Ballingarry. O’Connor came out on top then, but his Wexford colleague has held the upper hand throughout this campaign and might be in line for his first riders’ crown. As duels come, they don’t get much better than this. Who will lift the trophy at the annual awards in the Lyrath Estate, County Kilkenny, the following weekend?

CONTINENTAL TALES

FRAN

By JAMES CRISPE, INTERNATIONAL RACING BUREAU

Nice Norses thrill Smith

APRH

Derby hope and top-notch older horse fuel owner’s dreams

Norse Prize has surprised Jeff Smith (inset) and trainer Myriam Bollack-Badel; the colt has been supplemented for the Derby

eading owner/breeder Jeff Smith has gone a little while between drinks. A man who became accustomed to top level successes has waited almost 16 long years since Lochangel gave him his last Group 1 triumph in the 1998 Nunthorpe. However, there is every chance the drought will be broken in the coming months. Surprisingly, the probable source is France and, more specifically, the small band of horses he has with Myriam Bollack-Badel rather than the bigger battalion he has on these shores with the likes of Andrew Balding and David Elsworth. And there are not one but two likely candidates amongst his nine-strong French string. Much to Smith’s pleasure, they are both homebreds by his own hitherto undersubscribed stallion, Norse Dancer. The first of the pair to emerge was Norse King, a son of Barathea mare Angel Wing. He took forever to make an impact on the track, remaining a maiden until July of last year, his four-year-old season. Since that inaugural Compiegne success he has made rapid progress, a win in October’s Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris preceding an easy victory in the Group 3

Prix Exbury and a second in another Group 2, the Prix d’Harcourt. “Norse King is a very, very big horse, nearly 18 hands high, and is more akin to a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner than a Flat horse,” Smith related. “He has taken time to grow into his frame but now he has done so with a vengeance and is the finished article. “He always looked an athlete in his slow paces but he is an old-fashioned sort, very angular. Myriam has done an excellent job and been very patient – when she had him for the first time as a two-year-old she took one look at him and sent him back to me for a year to mature. “What is most surprising about him is his speed – he could win over a mile. He likes soft ground but it is not a necessity, I would only not run him on firm. If he ends up in the Prix Ganay he might go close if you take Cirrus des Aigles and Treve out of the equation, and I might even bring him over for the King George if it happened to come up very soft. “He is very good, no mistake. The way he did it in the Exbury, waiting for a gap and then just quickening away, it was a wonderful sight.” The other main string to Smith’s French bow

is Norse Prize, who dumbfounded trainer and owner alike when making a winning seasonal debut at Saint-Cloud on March 20. “After the Exbury, I went back to Myriam’s yard and there was Norse Prize looking as fat as a pig,” Smith remembered. “He had shown nothing as a juvenile and when I remarked to Myriam that she might just find a little race for him in the autumn she agreed. “Five days later she ran him in a Class B race just to wake him up, a race in which she had another runner she really fancied. She gave me a running commentary and when Norse Prize came through to win it I thought she was going to faint, she was so shocked. It reminded me of Persian Punch when he won first time at 20-1.” Ten days later, Norse Prize suddenly became a Classic prospect by landing the Listed Prix Francois Mathet, quickening out of a pocket to beat two highly-regarded Andre Fabre-trained colts. Smith said: “He has come from nowhere – if you had suggested to me a few weeks back he was a Prix du Jockey-Club prospect I’d have thought you were completely bonkers.” The colt has subsequently been supplemented for the Derby. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

AUS

Long history, short season

Y AN

Magna Racino racecourse opened in 2004 with the help of Frank Stronach

“And I am hoping that we can get plans off the ground to instigate a general handicap that covers all horses from not just Austria but Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic too, to name but a few. “There is a big tradition of Flat racing here dating to the 18th century – the golden era was the second part of the 19th century, when Austrian horses won a number of big races in England – so it is disappointing we are down to

Frankfurt to bite the dust

The beginning of a new German turf season has been blighted by the news that Frankfurt racecourse will close at the end of next year. The city council, which owns the venue, has announced that it has agreed to lease it to the German Football Association, who are believed to want to turn it into a conference and training centre. Frankfurt has been staging racing for 151 years and has seven fixtures scheduled for 2014 including a solitary Pattern race, the Group 3 Fruhjahrs Preis des Bankhauses Metzler, which was won two years ago by the subsequent King George hero Novellist. But 2016 is set to see football shorts replace riding breeches as, after Gelsenkirchen in 2003, Frankfurt becomes the second major German track to bite the dust since the turn of century.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

GEORGE SELWYN

GERM

Ten years on from the golden opportunity afforded by the opening of a new €110 million racecourse complex, the Magna Racino at Ebreichsdorf, south of Vienna, the Austrian racing industry is fighting hard just to keep its head above water. Magna Racino’s new season started a fortnight ago but its April 13 meeting was one of just ten slated for 2014, incorporating fewer than 50 Flat races. This compares poorly to the 60 fixtures staged during its inaugural season and represents a drop even on the 17 annual racedays staged by the historic Freudenau racecourse in Vienna prior to its closure at the end of 2003. Yet Dr Isabella Copar, the energetic CEO of the Austrian Racehorse Owners Club, remains defiantly positive during these difficult times. “We are still organising racing and every one of our meetings last year attracted horses from four or five different countries,” she said. “On Derby day we had one race where nine different nationalities were represented. “This year a couple of our trotting racedays will for the first time be part of the PMU’s (French Tote) coverage, so French punters will be able to bet directly into our pools, providing a welcome financial boost.

PHOTO RISAVY

Flat racing dates to 18th century but just ten fixtures slated for 2014

Novellist: among Frankfurt winners

less than 100 thoroughbreds in training.” Freudenau, which was opened in 1839, currently operates simply as a training centre, although Copar reports that there are plans to stage a nostalgic meeting there next summer. Magna Racino, meanwhile, is attempting to diversify but is hamstrung by the dwindling interest of Frank Stronach, the car parts and racecourse entrepreneur whose funding enabled the track to be built in the first place. Stronach no longer has a horse in training in Austria and, with a granddaughter taking part, at times it seems as if he is more interested in showjumping than racing. Even for its biggest day, the Austrian Derby, this year on June 29, the course is expecting a crowd of only around 5,000 – half the figure it managed to attract in its early days. Magna Racino is trying to reinvent itself as a showjumping and conference venue and plays host to the Magna Racino Spring Tour, a five-week long showjumping event with total prize-money of €800,000 and 18 different classes offering world ranking points. Against this backdrop, it will come as no surprise to find the Austrian breeding industry on its knees, with the foal crop struggling to limp into double figures. The whole operation depends upon a handful of enthusiasts, in particular Michael Neumann, the proprietor of Gestut Celtic Hill, a regular attendee at British bloodstock auctions on the lookout for mares. Remarkably, Austria has six thoroughbred stallions, none more regally-bred than Storm Mist, a Giant’s Causeway horse who cost €200,000 as a yearling. He was tailed off on all three starts but still ought to appeal to potential suitors as he is a half-brother to Joshua Tree.

AROUND THE GLOBE THE WORLDWIDE RACING SCENE

AUS TRA L IA

by Stephen Howell

A life and career cut cruelly short

Nathan Berry wins the Magic Millions on Unencumbered in January (above) and right with his twin brother Tommy

great to ride a double at @SGTurfClub with my wife by my side today.” On March 18 he collapsed at the course after trackwork. Two weeks later, family and friends, after a bedside vigil, flew him back to Sydney, where his life support was turned off. Unencumbered ran in the Slipper with Craig Williams “riding for Nathan”. Tommy rode in it, too, as did Chad Schofield, just 20 years old. Jockeys wore blue armbands, a race was named in Nathan’s honour, a minute’s silence was held… and tears flowed, as they did three days later when Nathan’s funeral was held at the same track. Higgins had a brilliant career, riding more than 2,300 winners. Berry’s potentially brilliant career was cut short after some 350 winners. Collectively, their deaths united Australian racing, a community often divided. And the grace shown under pressure by all involved portrayed the caring side of racing – the most familial of sports/industries – rarely seen by those outside it who far too often are told only of its shadier side. Casting aside the sombre mood of Golden Slipper day, the A$3.5 million feature race showed the brilliance of another young jockey, Sydney-based New Zealander James McDonald, and the genius of a veteran trainer, John Hawkes. They combined with second favourite Mossfun to beat market leader Earthquake. Fillies filled the first seven placings – the first

BRONWEN HEALY

he southern hemisphere autumn has been a time of tears in Australian racing with the death of two jockeys, Roy Higgins and Nathan Berry. Higgins was an all-time great rider and the winner of 11 Melbourne premierships, and Berry was a star in the making. Higgins’s death was sad, but at 75 and after illness, not unexpected. Fittingly his great career was celebrated at his funeral on March 13 at Flemington racecourse, scene of some of his greatest triumphs, including two Melbourne Cups. However, 23-year-old Berry’s death from Norse syndrome, an acute form of epilepsy, united the racing community as no other has in recent memory. From before they went to school, Nathan and twin Tommy had been ‘favourite sons’ at Sydney’s Warwick Farm track, where their father, Kevin, trained, and from the time they walked into the jockeys’ rooms on New South Wales tracks as 15-year-old apprentices they were favourites with their peers. They were like peas in a pod and they humbly and genuinely celebrated each other’s successes, and those of their riding mates. Tommy’s career quickly reached Group 1 heights in Sydney, with wins in last year’s Golden Slipper and Doncaster, as well as in Hong Kong, and appointment as stable rider for champion trainer Gai Waterhouse. The photo of Nathan hugging him after Overreach’s Slipper win made newspaper front pages. Tommy returned the hug when Nathan won the Magic Millions on Queensland’s Gold Coast in January on Unencumbered, trained at Warwick Farm by Bjorn Baker, another heartbroken by Nathan’s death. In February, Nathan married Whitney Schofield, daughter of Group 1 jockey Glyn and sister of Chad, winner of the Cox Plate in Melbourne late last year just before coming out of his apprenticeship. At Kranji on March 2, on the first day of a four-month Singapore contract, Nathan rode his first overseas winner. On March 16, he rode his first double, and tweeted: “It was

colt home was Ghibellines. McDonald, 22, is regarded as the best young rider in Australia, just ahead of Tommy Berry and Schofield. The winning ride in the Slipper confirmed the Kiwi’s talent; missing the start, he crossed to the rails and came through what had been regarded a ‘no-go’ zone in the straight to run down the brilliant Earthquake. Until the Berry tragedy, the Slipper had slipped out of the spotlight, with the Australian Turf Club and NSW government’s new dual-Saturday meeting at Randwick, The Championships, designed as the autumn challenger to Victoria’s premier spring carnival and featuring several million-dollar-plus races on April 5 and 12, culminating in the $4m Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The aim was to attract international runners, and that received a fillip when one of the two visitors this year, Ireland’s Gordon Lord Byron, won the A$1m Group 1 Ryder Stakes at Rosehill the Saturday before the Slipper. He went on to finish sixth in the TJ Smith Stakes on April 12. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

NORT H A MER ICA

by Steve Andersen

Belmont’s boosts have global aim by the New York Racing Association, along with popular Saratoga racecourse in upstate Saratoga Springs. The Aqueduct casino opened in 2012 and revenue generated there has boosted purses at all New York tracks to record levels. The man behind the revised schedule at Belmont is Martin Panza, formerly the Director of Racing at Hollywood Park in Southern California, a track that closed last December. Panza, 50, joined NYRA last autumn and immediately began setting a calendar for 2014, with the idea of boosting purses for some of New York’s signature stakes.

GEORGE SELWYN

The spring-summer meet at Belmont Park this year will be like none other in American racing. The meeting, which lasts 11 weeks from May 1 to July 13, has six races worth $1 million or more, a record for an American track not hosting the annual Breeders’ Cup meeting run each autumn. Revenue from the casino at Aqueduct racecourse can be credited for the meteoric rise in prize-money in New York. Aqueduct, in the New York city borough of Queens, and Belmont, in the Long Island town of Elmont, are two of three racecourses operated

UK runners, such as Breeders’ Cup hero Muhannak, could be tempted to New York

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The implications could be worldwide. Panza, a diehard fan of international racing, has revamped stakes expected to attract European runners for rich turf events. Panza travelled to Newmarket in late March to visit trainers and promote the new programme. When he joined NYRA, Panza’s goal was to position several Grade 1 races on the same day and create an event similar to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October. Panza chose the Belmont Stakes programme on June 7, the day of the third leg of the American Triple Crown. Belmont Stakes day has always had several major races, and is the most prestigious event in American racing in June. Last year, the 13race card had six stakes races. This year there are ten, with three conditions races worth $96,000 to $102,000. The Belmont Stakes will be worth $1.5m, a gain of $500,000 over 2013. The Metropolitan Mile Handicap on dirt, formerly run on the Memorial Day Monday holiday in late May, has been moved to Belmont Stakes Day and will be worth $1,250,000, also up $500,000. The Manhattan Stakes on turf has doubled in value to $1m and the Ogden Phipps Stakes for fillies and mares over an extended mile on dirt has increased from $400,000 to $1m this year. In 2002 at Hollywood Park, Panza developed the American Oaks for three-year-old fillies in July. The race, which drew runners from Europe and Japan, was worth $750,000 from 2003 to 2008. Following Hollywood Park’s closure, the race continues this year at Santa Anita (worth $350,000). Panza hopes to emulate the success of the American Oaks with two seven-figure stakes for three-year-olds over ten furlongs on turf at Belmont Park on July 5 – the $1.25m Belmont Derby and the $1m Belmont Oaks. Those races were previously known as the Jamaica Handicap and Garden City Stakes and had been run in the fall for $500,000 each. Panza expects European participation for those races, positioned a month after the Epsom Derby and two weeks after Royal Ascot. “It’s ten furlongs and if they can’t get the English Derby or Irish Derby distance, this is a spot for them,” Panza said. “This gives people the right option for the right kind of horse.” Belmont Park’s spring-summer meeting has always commanded attention in the United States. This year, the meeting could have a more global scope.

THE BIG INTERVIEW KIEREN FALLON

Reasons to be

CHEERFUL Kieren Fallon’s career in the saddle has been colourful to say the least yet despite recent setbacks and a lack of rides in the top races, the six-time champion jockey is facing the 2014 season with renewed vigour

ieren Fallon is full of surprises. The only predictable thread within his unique career in the saddle is the inevitability of triumph following disaster, and vice versa. In recent seasons, however, Fallon’s career entered into a rare period of predictability. There have been no handsome retainers, no last dances on the big stage. Just a steady stream of ordinary winners as Fallon’s stock fell from musthave to too-much-trouble. He looked for all money like a man being ushered into retirement. He knew it, too. As much was plain from his demeanour in July last year, when Luca Cumani’s main patron, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, stood Fallon down from riding his horses. He spent the rest of the year in the doldrums. When he spoke, it was to rage against the dying light. It seemed inevitable Fallon would pursue the theme when he agreed to this interview. What else was there left to talk about in a career of extraordinary dimensions? But again, and doubtless not for the last time,

Fallon confounds expectations by breezing in, all smiles. His face is still tanned from a winter stint in Dubai. His skin radiates rude health. The first thing he notices in the breakfast room of a hotel in Newmarket, where he lives, is the framed set of blue-and-yellow silks hanging on the wall. They enhance his jovial mood since they belong to Saeed Suhail, for whom Fallon rode Kris Kin to win the 2003 Derby. Moreover, he won’t stop talking. Words are tumbling out of him, unprompted and unencumbered by hesitancy, the latter a Fallon trait when he is unsure where a conversation is heading. He looks as though he is infused by the spring sunshine that casts shafts of bright light through the windows. “I have never felt as well as I do now,” he says. “I feel better than any time in the last 20 years, I honestly do. For the first time in a long time I am in a really good place. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day.” His demeanour contrasts sharply with

GEORGE SELWYN

Words Julian Muscat

K I E R E N FA L L O N his mood last November, when Fallon considered his options and did not care for any of them. “Things weren’t looking great for me then,” he reflects. “Luca’s owner didn’t want me, and he had the best horses in the yard. It was getting tougher. It’s very difficult to get motivated if you don’t have a good horse to look forward to, and it just wasn’t happening.” So much so that Fallon explored possibilities at Gulfstream Park, in Florida, and Australia, where the season would culminate with The Championships, two headline Saturdays at Randwick in April with more than AS$16 million in prize-money. They were not idle thoughts. He’d applied for his US visa and talked to Ron Anderson, agent to Joel Rosario, about representing him. “I’d done well there in the past,” Fallon says, “but Ron reminded me that the weights jockey ride at are so much lighter. That put me off. It would have been tough enough anyway, because all the jockeys head to Florida for the winter.” That obliged him to confront the one option he was desperately hoping to avoid. “Yes, I did think about retiring,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want to carry on just making up the numbers. It was hard work.”

Gamble pays off Instead, he decided to spend the winter in Dubai. And that was the game-changer, the deal he had been looking for, the hand he could play to perfection with his vast experience. In riding out every morning for Saeed Bin Suroor, he was routinely aboard the kind of superior horse that has always quickened his pulse. “They [Godolphin] are one of the strongest outfits and they had quite a selection of jockeys riding out,” Fallon says. “William Buick, Ted Durcan and Hayley Turner were all there, but I was given a chance.” Carnival rides were hard to come by but sitting on good horses every morning transformed Fallon’s stale mindset. He rediscovered his purpose and, for the first time in many months, he had a role to fulfil. The turning point came in February when he was asked to renew his acquaintance with Prince Bishop, aboard whom he had won the September Stakes at Kempton towards the end of last season. The horse was Bin Suroor’s second string then, and would be his third in the second round of the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge . Yet Fallon, 49, stole that race with a virtuoso ride. At the four-furlong pole, and after pedestrian mid-race fractions, he kicked Prince Bishop into a clear lead that was more than sufficient to resist African Story’s late flurry.

DUBAI RACING CLUB/ANDREW WATKINS

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

K I E R E N FA L L O N feel now I can’t see why I couldn’t ride for another four or five years.” When that day comes Fallon will find it hard to turn his back on horses. He accepts he lacks the public relations skills that come with the territory but training has always preoccupied him, even though he has received plenty of discouragement. “Sir Michael Stoute always used to say to me, ‘Oh, to be a jockey.’ But I’d love to train, to be around horses. They say jockeys don’t appreciate what it is like to be an owner or trainer, but I’ve got a pretty good idea.

“I’d love to train. They

DUBAI RACING CLUB/ANDREW WATKINS

say jockeys don’t know what it is like to be a trainer but I’ve got a pretty good idea”

Whistle while you work: Fallon enjoyed a day to remember at Meydan on March 8 with victory on Excellent Result in the Group 2 City of Gold (above) and old friend Prince Bishop in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (left)

“That ride sparked something in me that I’d lost in the second half of last year,” the jockey says. “I went from thinking about taking time out to falling back in love with the game. It gave me a real buzz.” He received another lift four weeks later, when De Sousa was suspended for Super Saturday, March 4. Fallon stood in for Bin Suroor’s stable jockey, winning the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold on Excellent Result before doubling up aboard Prince Bishop in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge round three – with African Story in the ruck. As it transpired, however, Fallon’s affinity with Prince Bishop may have cost him the biggest payday of his career. De Sousa would surely have chosen Prince Bishop ahead of African Story for the $10 million Dubai THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

World Cup, but with Fallon extracting a fine tune from the horse, Bin Suroor kept him aboard. And with Prince Bishop missing the break, Fallon could only watch from the rear as African Story sprang a surprise victory under De Sousa. In recent times that might have played on Fallon’s mind, but he is quick to dismiss its significance. “It is more important to me to be back where I want to be, feeling good, riding out for Saeed every day,” he says. With that link continuing on Fallon’s return from Dubai, he ruled out a riding stint in Australia. “Riding out fills me with confidence, gives me more energy,” he says. “It’s like a workout in the gym, or playing squash. I didn’t ride out last year, so I was getting out of bed at nine or ten in the morning. The way I

“When I couldn’t ride for 18 months I’d go into Sir Michael’s every day, I’d ride four lots and be a part of it, rather than arrive on the gallops, jump on and jump off. Afterwards I’d help in dealing with the lame horses.” The routine was familiar to Fallon from his time apprenticed to the late Jimmy FitzGerald. He used to break in the yearlings and prepare them for their Flat campaigns while FitzGerald was preoccupied with his jumpers. “I really enjoyed bringing those young horses on,” he reflects. Mention of FitzGerald serves to remind that Fallon has been in Britain for more than half his life. He was 22 when he left his native County Clare, where his father was a plasterer, to join FitzGerald in north Yorkshire. He was a latecomer to the top table, having not joined Henry Cecil as stable jockey until he was 31. Over the next 13 years Fallon’s personal life was as dysfunctional as his professional life was successful. Interspersed with 15 British Classics and six jockeys’ titles came a spate of long bans, ranging from dragging a fellow jockey off a horse to two suspensions – the second of them for 18 months – when he tested positive for cocaine. But the seminal chapter concerns racefixing charges levelled against him and seven others in the now-infamous Old Bailey trial that took two and a half years to come to court in 2007 – and resulted in the judge throwing the case out two months later for lack of evidence. Fallon’s new-found tranquillity provides the ideal window to reflect on years of

K I E R E N FA L L O N turbulence, when his follies saw him squander opportunities that would have exceeded the combined lifetime expectations of ten people. As he trawls the wreckage, he finds one common denominator. “The regret is that I never had someone, one person, to help me along that journey,” he says. “I always try to help young lads coming through today, because it is a rollercoaster. You have to have someone with you

who genuinely wants to help you, and those people are very hard to find in racing. “It’s a different way in Ireland,” he continues. “I grew up basically living off the land and enjoyed it; it was such a happy, healthy way to live. It is a massive change to go from that kind of background to winning big races all over Europe. You can handle the ruthlessness, the pressure, the rat-race mentality. It’s what happens in the background you need guidance with.”

Harsh lessons learned He is also not enamoured by his formative years in racing. “It was very old-school,” he reflects. “When you did well they didn’t pat you on the back, they kicked you up the arse. You are brought up to be tough, you’re not supposed to cry; it can be a hard way. “I’m not sure how much good it did me, because one thing we all need when we start out is a bit of self-esteem,” he continues. “You don’t get that when you grow up that way. You have no confidence at all.” He was keen

GEORGE SELWYN

for his three children to avoid such mental angst. While he still sees them, they, as young adults, have their own agendas. His eldest, Natalie, is now 20, while the twins, Brittany and Cieren, are 15. There is obvious pride in his voice as he relates Cieren’s talent for rugby, soccer and cross-country running. As adolescents, Fallon’s children always asked why he never smiled when he’d ridden a big winner. “I wish I could wind back the clock and enjoy those moments a bit more than I did,” he concedes.

“I didn’t appreciate all those good horses. It came so easily and I just saw it as my job, something I had to do” “I didn’t appreciate all those good horses. It came so easily to me and I just saw it as my job, something I had to do. But that’s the way I was: I’d be rewinding the race back in my head, thinking about where the horse should run next, rather than waving and jumping around the place. People say that Ryan [Moore] is always miserable but that’s not how it is. I can see he is deep in thought.” It remains to be seen whether Fallon has the opportunity to revisit the winner’s circle on big occasions. Although he feels the legacy of that Old Bailey trial still clings to him like a stain, he takes heart from a recent medical examination from which he emerged in excellent physical shape. That alone is an insufficient testimonial for any jockey. Their mental state is equally important, and in this, Fallon is convinced he has found the key. “I wasn’t enjoying it last year,” he says. “I wasn’t even getting out of bed, but I have completely turned it around. Even if I don’t get good rides I still want to get up and ride good horses in the mornings. It’s the feeling you get from them; you just can’t explain it.” Fallon may be unable to annunciate the feeling but he readily acknowledges what has happened to him. The feeling of riding a horse is what drew him to racing in the first place. For all the subsequent fame and tribulations that contaminated that simple pleasure, he has now rediscovered it. He is back where he started, in thrall to those four-legged creatures that appeal to so many in so many different ways. As he puts it: “Riding out at 6am with the breeze in your face is a beautiful thing.” THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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TALKING TO... RICHARD THOMAS

Am I happy?

YOU BET! As Chester’s Managing Director, Richard Thomas is in charge of a thriving and diverse business, not just a racecourse – and there is no other track where he would rather be By Tim Richards • Photos George Selwyn

hat is your background, how did you start in racing and what jobs did you have before taking over at Chester? I left the Royal Marines in 1990 and started working as Operations Manager at Aintree under the late John Parrett. Then I ran Huntingdon for about a year. When John Parrett sadly died, Charlie Barnett moved from Haydock to Aintree and I followed him to Haydock. I was there for eight years before coming to Chester and have been here for 13 years. So I’ve been in racing quite a long while! As a former Royal Marine, do you find your military organisational skills have proved useful in the running and success of Chester and Bangor racecourses? I went into the Royal Marines straight from school and learnt some very useful skills. I loved the life, which taught you to be very disciplined. When I came out of the Marines my principal interests were horseracing and business, and I was lucky to work with John Parrett, who was a tremendous person to learn from. I wouldn’t describe myself as being of a military background, particularly when you compare yourself with someone who has spent a lifetime in the forces. But the organisational skills you have instilled into you would be helpful in running any business. Has it been your aim to keep both courses moving with the times without losing any of their character and tradition? How have you achieved this? Very much so. Chester, particularly, has a

young, vibrant audience. We are very lucky because we rarely put on a raceday when we don’t have 20,000 people here. Being diverse and innovative is important; people come back every year wanting to see what’s new and what’s different. Obviously our history is a big selling point; Chester is the oldest racecourse in the country. But while racegoers appreciate the character of the place, they don’t want to live in the dark ages. We try to be market leaders in what we’re doing in terms of customer facilities. Whether it is our full-time restaurant or gastropub, which are open all year round. They are busy every day of the year. We also have our own 90-room hotel, which operates at 97% occupancy. That together with our own catering business, the two restaurants and our own betting mean we are flat out all year. Does the popularity of Chester’s May meeting, with 60,000 people over the three days, provide you with problems concerning crowd comfort due to the tight layout of the course and facilities? The May meeting is our highest profile meeting but the busiest days are in July, when we get 35,000 on the Saturday. That presents problems, particularly when we have 20,000 on the Friday night. It is a big test of the team getting the place looking immaculate by the next morning. Crowd movement can be a big problem and we have always tried to create areas where people don’t have to go far. They have everything within a few steps of each other; food, drink, betting facilities and a big screen, of which there are 12 on the course. We are a

Former Royal Marine Richard Thomas has been in charge at Chester for 13 years

RICHARD THOMAS >>

profitable course and most years we invest some £2 million in refurbishment and replacing facilities. Last year you trialled a mobile business platform, which enabled racegoers to purchase tickets, drinks and place bets on their smartphones. What is your aim with this new technology? This year we will be the first racecourse to lay on Wi-Fi properly and reliably for our customers. O2, who will provide it, have just installed a system at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. We have gone into partnership in this project with Betfair, who are the most innovative company in racing. Last summer we had a bar where people could order and pay for their drinks with their smartphones. It was a cashless area and that is something we are looking at expanding. It is a limited market and won’t suit everybody – some people like to come racing with a wad of cash, some like to come to an area where they can use their technology. As I say, we have a young audience who are looking for the next gimmick, so to speak. How far do you plan to expand your new technology and is Chester set to become the world’s first cashless racecourse? The initial aim is that every person on the racecourse will be able to sign up onto our WiFi. They’ll be able to have a bet, but as far as ordering and paying for drinks there will be specially zoned areas. At the moment in the Roof Club you can have a tablet to order drinks and have a bet with chesterBET. It all goes on your bill and, win or lose, you can settle up on your tablet. We have invested a quarter of a million pounds in the Wi-Fi system, which should be fully operational for the May meeting and will also be available at Bangor, which will be the only small course with full Wi-Fi. Next we aim to offer a full racecard free on your smartphone, backed by Timeform. I don’t think anywhere, never mind racecourses, will ever be cashless because there will always be people who would rather spend cash. You mention chesterBET, which has replaced the Tote at Chester and Bangor. How successful has it been? We went out on a limb to introduce chesterBET and it has been fantastic. We were able to do it because we are a smaller site and have a captive audience. Much has been talked about chesterBET giving a worse return than the Tote, but if you look closely it’s about 50% better, 50% worse. The good thing about chesterBET is that you know what your return will be when you have a bet, whereas with the Tote you don’t know your return until the race

is run. We do take our cut and have seen a much better return than when we were using the Tote. There has been an increase in turnover mainly due to the convenience and ease of having a bet with chesterBET. The key is that all the money we make from betting is reinvested back into racing. What do you say to critics who claim the dividends are much lower than the Tote and that punters are getting poor value? If punters are looking for the very best odds then they can go to the bookmakers in the ring. And I must stress we actively promote the ring, which is not the case with all racecourses. Don’t forget the bookmakers there will enjoy the benefit of using our Wi-Fi this summer.

Dr Marwan Koukash loves to have runners and winners at Chester

You trialled hurdling on the course a couple of years ago. What was the feedback from the industry and will we see jump racing at Chester any time soon? There was a fairly reserved response from the Flat racing fraternity. They clearly see Chester as a Flat racing track, as we do. But we looked at the possibility of hurdling for a number of reasons. About 100 years ago a hurdle race was put on at the end of the May meeting card and we have considered doing that. We have also considered having a Boxing Day card and haven’t discounted it. But this year we launched Winter Wonderland, a big Christmas extravaganza on the racecourse. That precludes a Boxing Day meeting for the moment, though we think a jumping crowd of 20,000 on Boxing Day would be good for the industry. Chester is quite a wide track, though quite tight. The wide outside is barely touched during Flat racing and, of course, we would not use the inside for hurdling. It is quite possible; the trial worked and it is a case of finding the right opportunity without putting in jeopardy our Flat racing programme. We are lucky to have a trainer like Donald McCain on our doorstep; he trialled some horses and liked it. Has Dr Marwan Koukash, who likes to have a runner in every race at Chester, taken over the mantle of ‘Chester specialist’ from Robert Sangster and Barry Hills, whose runners were so popular on the Roodee? I don’t think anyone will ever take over the mantle from Robert and Barry. Barry was THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

RICHARD THOMAS

Even the exploits of dual Group 1 winner Magician could not stop the Dee Stakes losing its Pattern status

airport or station. Owners are our number one customers. If we don’t have owners we don’t have any horses and don’t have any racing. We created the owners and trainers’ pavilion specifically for them at a cost of £3 million. We are currently looking at what more we can do for them, in particular how they can watch any race from any racecourse at any time at the touch of a screen. What is Chester doing to stop the abuse of the self certificate system for horses drawn high in sprints? As the rules stand there is nothing we can do about it. It is unfortunate and annoying but self-certification is a strange one because a horse can run very quickly after they have been withdrawn. We need the authorities to clamp down on it. There is no other way. Horses can win from a high draw in Chester sprints; I

“We believe that the

certainly the master of Chester. His son Charlie has taken over from him and is already doing very well here. But I must say it’s great to have all the enthusiasm of Marwan Koukash, who is a real character and we do enjoy having him here. He has put a lot of money into the sport and his aim is to have a runner in every race at Chester, which is fantastic. The Dee Stakes has lost its Group 3 status this year, despite an additional £15,000 in prize-money taking the purse to £75,000. How disappointing is this, especially as last year’s winner, Magician, went on to win two Group 1s? It is very disappointing but that’s the way the Pattern Committee works within certain rules. But we do feel there is definitely a market as well as a desire from trainers for two Derby trials at the May meeting and that’s why we have increased the prize-money. The Vase and the Dee are important races and we hope the Dee Stakes will regain its Group 3 status in the future. We are not going to give up on it and will keep re-investing in prizemoney. We have no race worth less than £10,000. Chester is a Gold Standard course and signed a prize-money agreement with the Horsemen’s Group at the premier tier level. What does this say about the track’s commitment to owners? We believe the owners’ experience at Chester is the best in the country. They have a fantastic free lunch; we are very flexible with badges and are happy to pick them up from the THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

owners’ experience at Chester is the best in the country; they are our top customers” think the key is getting the right jockey. Put Frannie Norton on an outside draw here and he can win if the horse is good enough. I know it leaves a sour taste. We do have people who declare horses to run, decide to take their badges, their free lunch and then withdraw from the sprint. We are very mindful of that, but it is up to the BHA to look at the situation and work out how best to deal with it. The course holds a number of polo meetings throughout the year. How important are these to the business? It is another arm of our business, a profitable one in its own right and works very well. We have high profile players like Prince William and we have an international match played here in September. We have put polo in the north on the map. The pitch in the middle of the course is one of the best in the country. I play quite a lot and love it. What is your favourite sporting dayout outside racing, and what makes it so appealing? A Manchester United Champions League match. The atmosphere at night at Old Trafford takes some beating. I am a season ticket holder in the Stretford End – I’ve been going there since I was seven.

CLOSE UP AND... PERSONAL Person I’d most like to meet… Alan Sugar My relaxation is... I don’t relax Favourite drink… sparkling water Four dinner party guests… Bobby McAlpine (for his wine cellar), Richard Branson (for advice), Alex Ferguson (for his awful tips), Nigella Lawson (for her cooking) My weakness is… being unable to relax

CLOSE UP AND... PROFESSIONAL Best advice I’ve received… keep your friends close, but your enemies closer Favourite horse… St Nicholas Abbey I handle pressure by… I don’t get pressure Best part of the job… the team at Chester Alternative career… running a PLC On a personal level, would you one day like to manage one of the top British racecourses – say Ascot, Newmarket or Cheltenham? Newmarket and Cheltenham are run centrally by Jockey Club Racecourses in a particular way so that doesn’t really offer any business opportunity. Ascot is a different racecourse, very racing orientated obviously. But Chester is one of the most profitable racecourses in the country and also one of the most diverse. It’s a business rather than a racecourse and I don’t think there is another racecourse I’d want to run. I think the dream job is here, to be honest.

Counting the costs of the recent bad weather: A flood of claims Photograph: Mick Dowdeswell

Following the wettest winter on record, businesses in flood-hit areas are now counting the cost. Many bloodstock businesses have had to endure distressing scenes of yards knee-deep in water or seeing their ‘all weather’ gallops washed away. Hopefully, for many the financial cost of the damage will be covered by their commercial insurer. This article covers the tax treatment of the insurance proceeds and other floodrelated issues. Income receipts

Capital receipts An insurance claim may also cover loss or damage to other capital assets such as permanent stabling, arenas and fences which from HMRC’s point of view will be treated as a capital gains disposal or part disposal. In such cases the compensation received from the insurer is treated as though it were sale proceeds. The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) implications will depend on several variables including: F Whether the asset has been completely lost F Whether the money received is a capital sum in relation to the insured asset

Where insurance compensation is received for loss of profits, lost or damaged stock, cost of repairs, cost of temporary facilities etc., these will generally be revenue receipts and therefore taxable as trading income. This is the case even where the amount received is in excess of any profits or expenditure which would have normally been incurred had no damage occurred.

F Whether the insurance monies are reinvested in repairing the asset or a replacement of similar function and type to the original

Cash flow implications

Where the money is used for a purpose other than to replace or repair the damaged asset, a tax liability will arise immediately.

Normal tax and accounting rules will apply with respect to when any insurance proceeds should be recognised, i.e. in the same period in which the damage occurred unless the receipt cannot be reasonably estimated at the time the accounts are produced. Businesses could face cash flow issues if they have to pay tax on income which hasn’t yet been received. HMRC has set up a dedicated flooding helpline to deal with such issues. HMRC may ask to see evidence of damage and insurance claims

Lost plant and machinery Where capital allowances, the tax equivalent of depreciation, have previously been claimed on items such as lorries, horse walkers etc. and insurance proceeds are now due, because the asset is permanently lost, it is treated as having been sold for an amount of no more than the original costs. The proceeds are made up of the total of the insurance payout and any scrap values.

Where all the compensation is reinvested in a replacement asset within one year of receiving the funds, a form of rollover relief is available, meaning that no gain arises when the insurance money is received.

Insurance claims to repair damage to assets Where funds are received to repair a damaged capital asset, such as roofing or horse walker, a choice of whether to treat the insurance monies as capital proceeds in an immediate part disposal or not arises. The funds can either be rolled over to defer any taxable gain until the asset is sold, or tax can be paid on the insurance monies at the time of receipt. Where compensation is received to undertake capital repairs and not all the proceeds are re-invested the CGT treatment will depend on how much of the proceeds are not re-invested. No CGT liability will arise where the compensation not reinvested is deemed to be small. Instead the original cost of the asset is reduced by the amount not invested and again will create a higher gain in the future. The test for whether ‘small’ applies is whether the unused funds received are the higher of 5% of the capital sum received and £3,000.

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Counting the costs of the recent bad weather: A flood of claims Should the ‘small’ test fail, an immediate CGT liability on a part-disposal of the asset will occur, although it can be capped to correspond with the cash available.

Loss of assets not covered by insurance In this nightmare scenario there is a thin silver lining: a CGT loss equal to the original cost of the asset will arise and can be used against gains made from other disposals in the current or future years.

Government assistance The Government and HMRC have announced measures aimed at alleviating some of the disruption caused to businesses. A summary of the headline measures includes: F Repair and renewal grant of up to £5,000 to provide financial support for businesses and households to pay for work which will improve a property’s ability to withstand future flooding. There requires an element of improvement; only clearing up is unlikely to qualify.

F £750m of financial support has been launched by the major banks to cover a mixture of loan repayment holidays, reduced/waived fees and flexibility of terms supported by specialist teams for businesses. Contact your bank to discuss how they may be able to assist in your specific situations.

Action Points F Discuss any insurance claims with your tax advisers to ascertain the correct tax treatment. F Keep adequate records including copies of the insurance claim forms and follow-up correspondence with the insurance company. F Submit insurance claims as soon as possible and ensure cashflow forecasting is up to date. F Contact HMRC Flooding Helpline if paying upcoming tax will be an issue. The Helpline is 0800 904 7900 and is open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-4pm (exc. Bank holidays)

F Business rate relief for three months is available for flooding-affected businesses. Additional three months ‘time to pay’ is available with HMRC for affected businesses who are struggling to pay taxes including VAT, PAYE and corporation tax. F A £10m fund has been set up for farmers with waterlogged agricultural land in the most severely affected areas. A one-off grant of up to £5,000 is available to help farm businesses restore flooded agricultural land to a productive state and introduce sustainable flood prevention measures.

Smith & Williamson is a top ten firm of UK accountants* with a specialist bloodstock and equine team that advises on the tax and financial issues facing owners, breeders, trainers and others in the industry. Drawing on the wide resources of the firm, the team provides comprehensive tax and accounting advisory services for both individuals and businesses. The firm also includes an investment management house with over £14.5bn of funds under management and advice (as at 31/12/2013).

Key bloodstock and equine specialists at Smith & Williamson:

Winner Accountancy Team of the Year

Joss Dalrymple Head of private client tax 020 7131 4297

Penelope Lang Tax partner 01722 434845

Brigitte Potts VAT associate director 01722 434822

Peter Treadgold Assurance and business services partner 01722 434821

*According to the latest survey in Accountancy magazine Details correct at time of writing

Email: i012, +#@* 12, +#:1+'2&@5'**' +1-,@!-@3) F 555@1+'2&@5'**' +1-,@!-@3)G *--"12-!)Q#/3',# Principal offices: London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Glasgow, Guildford, Jersey, Manchester, Salisbury, Southampton and Worcester. The value of investments and the income derived from them may fall as well as rise. Investors may not get back their original investment. Past performance is not a guide to the future. Tax and financial planning for the equine sectors is highly complex and this article can only provide an overview. The article does not cover all eventualities, so it is important to seek advice from a specialist. Smith & Williamson LLP Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. A member of Nexia International. Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate all of the products and services referred to here.

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SACKVILLEDONALD

On top of the

WORLD

One of Britain’s youngest bloodstock agencies is also one with considerable international clout, with Group winners in America, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada to its credit Words Nancy Sexton

t has taken only three years for SackvilleDonald to attain the prominence normally associated with long established outfits. Launched in 2011 by Ed Sackville and Alastair Donald, both of whom had previously worked for Kern/Lillingston Association, the Hungerford-based agency didn’t have to wait long for its first Classic winner when Sky Lantern, a €75,000 yearling purchase by Sackville on behalf of Ben Keswick, landed last year’s 1,000 Guineas en route to victories in the Coronation and Sun Chariot Stakes. Her win opened a consistently successful season for SackvilleDonald, one which also celebrated Chriselliam, the ill-fated Fillies’ Mile and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner who was bought by Donald for 40,000gns, Singapore Airlines International Cup winner Military Attack, Canadian Group 1 winner Forte Dei Marmi and Turkish Group 2 winner Producer. With Sky Lantern remaining in training with Richard Hannon and the likes of Military Attack and recent Hong Kong Derby winner Designs On Rome doing the agency proud already in Hong Kong this year, more of the same is already on the agenda for 2014.

SackvilleDonald has achieved a lot in a short space of time. How did the decision come about in 2011 to join forces? AD: We both worked for Kern/Lillingston and were based together in the Hungerford office. So we had three years together in our office to get to know each other. It was fortunate that when

SackvilleDonald was set up, we didn’t have to change offices. ES: It’s going really well. Obviously Sky Lantern had a great season last year after winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes at two and Alastair had Chriselliam. But in all honesty it is really about the agency’s success, not the individual success. At the end of the day the likes of Sky Lantern and Chriselliam were SackvilleDonald purchases as opposed to being bought by Ed and Alastair respectively.

a horse together. Belle Royale [a Grade 1 winner] was an instance where it worked well. Demi O’Byrne approached me and Alastair sourced the horse. She was quite a risk to put up – she was an £800 yearling with little pedigree and had never run in a stakes race before. But Michael Tabor bought her on the advice of Demi O’Byrne, sent her to Simon Callaghan in the US and on her second start over there she won the Gamely Stakes.

How do you think you complement each other? AD: We bounce ideas off each other – for example I may ask Ed’s opinion on a stallion.

How did you first become involved in horseracing? AD: My father owned horses in syndicates and from about the age of seven I would watch racing on TV and go racing. I was in Ladbrokes most days when I was at Rugby. I did an agricultural degree at Cirencester and went from there to work for Fasig-Tipton for a year. I also worked the sales with Mark Johnston for a season and did a stud season at Darley before spending time with the Racing Post working in various departments. After that I joined Kern/Lillingston, where I spent 11 years. ES: My father had horses and I would watch the racing with him on TV. I remember going to Newbury and having a £2 bet on a 66-1 shot, which won. I was on the first Darley Flying Start, a fantastic course. I now give them a lecture every year while a trainee will shadow me at Goffs and another does a month’s work experience with us. I also worked for John Warren for nine years, starting from when I left school, and from there joined Kern/Lillingston. >>

“I have a clear idea of what will sell abroad; when looking at a yearling I think ahead of its resale value”

It’s good to have someone like-minded when you have a problem. We enjoy each other’s company and it’s important to have fun. And at a sale like Tattersalls [October] Book 2, we can get round and actually look at every yearling as a team. ES: Having the two of us allows us to be seen in most places, whether it’s Alastair in Hong Kong or myself in Deauville or Fairyhouse. There are also occasions when we work on

TERVOR JONES

Thriving team: Ed Sackville, left, and Alastair Donald

SACKVILLEDONALD

Which horses marked the turning point in your careers? AD: Golden Apples [winner of the Del Mar Oaks, Yellow Ribbon Stakes and Beverly D Stakes], the Eclipse Champion grass mare of 2002. I used to go to the US during the first couple of years I was with Luke and walk around the backstretch to try to talk to trainers. They’d give you 15 seconds of their time and you’d think, ‘What can I say to try and get them to buy a horse from Europe?’ After Golden Apples became an Eclipse Champion, I could drop her into conversation and that 15 seconds conversation was extended to two minutes!

“As our office is only

down the road from Marlborough, I’ve been going there to have Chinese lessons” ES: Sky Lantern has been a real flagship horse. But last year we also had Producer [winner of the International Topkapi Trophy at Veliefendi for Richard Hannon]. He’s a fun horse who wasn’t expensive at £28,000 and has now won £375,000 in prize-money. Any other purchases that you are particularly proud of? AD: Of course Chriselliam and it’s sad and frustrating that we’ll never know how good she was. I’m also particularly proud of Dim Sum, who raced as Algol over here. He won the Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong for John Moore. I bought him as a two-year-old at the DBS November Horses in Training Sale for £100,000, which is quite cheap by Hong Kong standards. However, he was rated only 83 at the time. Muhannak wasn’t expensive and his win in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon was a real long-term plan that we pulled off. ES: Brown Sugar, who won the Molecomb and Sirenia Stakes. He’s special as he’s owned by my father’s syndicate De La Warr Racing

GEORGE SELWYN

Your time with Kern/Lillingston was obviously well spent… AD: Luke taught me an awful lot yet gave tremendous free rein. He would have no trouble sending you around the world, which was great. ES: He was a great stepping stone. He was quick to encourage and would instill tremendous confidence in you.

Sky Lantern claims a first Classic success for the young agency in the 1,000 Guineas

and was good value at €47,500. Alastair, you have enjoyed immense success with horses bought to race abroad. How did that side of the business become established? AD: Golden Apples was the one who changed everything as she was the first horse I bought for Gary Tanaka. The first horse I bought to go to Hong Kong was Strong Scotch, who won a couple of Class 1s. Soon after, I got a connection with John Moore and bought my first horse for him, Goggles, in 2001. He won a Group 3 out there and that got John’s taste coming to Europe. It was only two years later that we bought [multiple champion] Viva Pataca.

He was with Sir Mark Prescott [when named Comic Strip] and it was the year that Sir Mark had a virus and didn’t run many until July. Viva Pataca had won five of six races at two, including a Listed race, and ran first time out in a premier handicap at Goodwood, in which he carried 10st. He circled the whole field in what looked a winning move and then blew up. He was a tall, leggy horse by Marju, who had done well in Hong Kong and he went on to become Hong Kong’s all-time leading money earner. The horses in training market has evolved significantly since then. What have been the major changes in that market and overall? AD: The increase in the number of horses

GEORGE SELWYN

Brown Sugar records a personal win for Sackville’s family concern De La Warr Racing

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

going down to Australia. They can be different types and there have been some extremely high priced horses. The last five years have been a lot quieter in America. It’s become harder for them to buy the three-year-old Hollywood Derby type of horse because they get outbid by Hong Kong or Australia. A lot of the horses now doing well out there are the cheaper types coming out of the horses in training sales. There’s no doubt that the market is getting more competitive, due in part also to the emergence of Australia and Qatar. In addition, the days of deals taking a couple of weeks are gone. Back then, you would have to sort through old copies of the Racing Post to find results you wanted, sometimes six races back, photocopy them and send them out on a DVD. Now I can tell the buyer via text to watch the replay of a race and send photos and videos from my phone. So the whole process may take only a day. ES: Having worked with Alastair, I have a clear idea of what will sell abroad down the road. So now when I’m looking at yearlings, I’m thinking ahead of its resale value. A trainer may love a horse but also ask, ‘Can I resell it down the road?’ AD: A lot of people now are planning a horse’s career around its resale value. Many owners are happy to win races but also turn them over and get paid. ES: The market as a whole has also become far more competitive. As for yearlings, everything has got far more professional, from the buyers to the seller. Ed, you’ve also enjoyed notable success pinhooking foals, especially with Whatton Manor Stud... ES: We buy between ten and 15 foals a year. We’ve done particularly well with Iffraaj – that came about because I bought a beautiful filly from his first crop at Arqana and said to Ed [Player of Whatton Manor Stud] that we should buy a foal by him. Iffraaj’s first crop obviously did very well, which helped our foal, a 22,000gns purchase, turn a good profit at 150,000gns. So we bought another and that did well too. Typically though the ‘beautiful’ filly I bought in the first place was chronically unsound and never made it to the racecourse. However, we did buy her halfbrother at last year’s foal sales and then got a nice update when the other half-brother, Prince Bishop, won a Group 1 recently. You recently launched a Chinese website and appear well prepared for any developments in that market. How do you envisage Chinese involvement in racing and THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

ADAM SMYLY

SACKVILLEDONALD

Alastair Donald presents an overview of the global market at the TBA seminar

Boom time in Hong Kong While the European Flat season is yet to take full flight, 2014 has already provided a host of highlights for SackvilleDonald resulting from its business overseas. One of the brightest stars currently in Hong Kong is Designs On Rome, who was bought to join John Moore’s stable after running second to Dawn Approach in the National Stakes. The son of Holy Roman Emperor has thrived since the turn of the year, winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby, both of which are local Group 1 races. Meanwhile, his stablemate Military Attack, who raced as Rave in Britain, bagged the Hong Kong Gold Cup (a local Group 1) at Sha Tin on February 23. “People say, ‘We’re losing all these good horses abroad’, but I think it’s a good advert for the breed and makes the industry stronger,” says Alastair Donald. “Only a certain number of horses can go to Hong Kong each year, so they are getting more expensive.” The type of horse sourced to go to Hong Kong depends on the permit held by the owner, but in each instance there are restrictions to take into account. bloodstock developing over the next few years? AD: We’re making sure we have a presence. It’s early days but we’ve had enquiries through both the website and our Chinese Facebook. I would be pretty confident that betting out there won’t happen in our lifetime so the export market is going to be of a low level. But I think we will see more wealthy Chinese investing over here. There’s

“For a normal permit you are looking at a two- or three-year-old BHA rated over 80,” says Donald. “If it’s a three-year-old, it has to have had fewer than 15 starts. “A lot of permits are replacement permits for when an owner retires a horse. In that case, the replacement has to be rated over 100. You’re looking at sprinter and milers, mostly colts and geldings. “The markets don’t clash too much. For instance, for Australia you’re looking at ten-furlong to two-mile horses, although recently there have been a few imported milers who have done well. “Americans tend to look at two- to three-year-old fillies. The easiest sell are decent maiden winners, especially when they’ve got a decent American pedigree.” Another growing trend is the purchase of yearlings on behalf of Hong Kong owners. “We’ve certainly bought more in the last few years,” says Donald. “Some owners would rather buy five or six reasonably priced yearlings than spend a fortune on one horse in training. “They’re left in training here and if they work out well they go to Hong Kong.”

definitely growing interest out there in racing – the last two Hong Kong Derby winners, Akeed Mofeed and Designs On Rome, are owned by Chinese businessmen. ES: As our office is only down the road from Marlborough I have been going to the big school there to have Chinese lessons. Short term it is bloody difficult and very frustrating, but hopefully long term it may pay off.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT At the sales, first impressions are critical. For that extra bit of back up and support during sales preparation, Saracen are here to help. A combination of the correct feeds introduced at the right moment, and a fresh pair of eyes at regular intervals is all part of the service we offer. Saracen clients know they can rely on it.

OUR GOAL

to help you make the right impression.

For nutrition advice or further information on our feeds please call, POLLY BONNOR Tel: +44 7973 802 210, CLARE AITKENHEAD Tel: +44 7714 768 250 or visit www.saracenhorsefeeds.com/thoroughbred working with

FEED THE DIFFERENCE

BREEDERS’ DIGEST By EMMA BERRY, Bloodstock Editor

Our bloodstock coverage this month includes

• Sales Circuit: The breeze-ups get under way in Europe and America – pages 56-59 • The Caulfield Files: Raising a Toast to Thewayyouare – pages 60-61

Success provides testament of youth F

or a variety of reasons, there has been a number of colts taking up stallion duties at the tender age of three in recent years. While it’s an unsatisfactory situation in many regards, not least in depriving racegoers of seeing what the best two-yearolds are capable of in their Classic seasons and beyond, some notable success for these young stallions makes it harder and harder to argue against the practice. But for the serious subfertility of George Washington, Holy Roman Emperor would almost certainly have attempted to gain revenge for his head defeat in the Dewhurst Stakes back at the Rowley Mile the following spring. Instead, he had almost finished covering his first book of mares at Coolmore by the time the 2,000 Guineas was run. Had he lined up for the race he would not have met his Dewhurst conqueror as injury prevented Teofilo from running at three and he too went off to stud. The 2006 Dewhurst was described in the Racing Post’s analysis at the time as “the definitive two-year-old race of the season”, but the disappointment of seeing neither colt race again has been abated somewhat by the impressive starts made by each in their stud careers. Having retired a year later, Teofilo was quicker to make an impression – his first runner Parish Hall won on debut in April and went on to emulate his sire by winning the Dewhurst – but those who knocked Holy Roman Emperor when his first-crop runners were in action at two have subsequently been served giant slices of humble pie. The neat son of Danehill numbers 1,000 Guineas winner Homecoming Queen among his three Group 1 winners in two hemispheres, while the smart Moyglare Stud-bred pair Designs On Rome and Rich Tapestry have been advertising his worth this winter with Group wins in Hong Kong and Dubai. Teofilo’s stock has also risen after a profitable 2013 season, which included Irish Classic wins for Trading Leather and Voleuse De Coeurs, while Havana Gold won the Prix

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Jean Prat and is now covering his first book of mares at Tweenhills Stud. We saw plenty of Dark Angel through his busy two-year-old campaign, which included a Craven meeting debut and late-season Group victories in the Mill Reef and Middle Park Stakes among his nine outings. We’ve also seen plenty from his three crops to race to date. Lethal Force led the sprint rankings in last season’s QIPCO British Champions Series and now resides in splendour at Cheveley Park Stud’s stallion yard. Slightly more surprisingly, Dark Angel is also the sire of dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Guitar Pete.

The turn of Zebedee? A similarly bright start is anticipated from another grey, the first-season sires’ title favourite Zebedee, who has not disappointed so far at this early stage in the season. He became the first of the freshmen to sire a winner when Magical Roundabout emulated his father by winning the same Windsor maiden for Julie Wood and Richard Hannon. Among Zebedee’s contemporaries with first runners is Dark Angel’s Morristown Lattin Stud mate Approve, whose ten juvenile appearances included a brace of Group 2

Dark Angel’s Cartier Award-winning sprinter and new stallion, Lethal Force

victories in the Gimcrack and Norfolk Stakes. Commercial factors, including an increasing obsession with young speedy types, doubtless play a huge part in the decision-making process for owners of horses with the profile to attract offers from stallion masters, and the lack of a decent racing programme for three-year-old sprinters is also frequently cited when a well-credentialed colt is retired to stud at the end of his juvenile season. And, just as with the exodus of talented individuals to Hong Kong and beyond, there is absolutely no doubt that proper returns through prize-money in this country would go a long way to stemming the flow of youngsters either to stud or overseas. It’s a drum that will continue to be banged until British racing really owns the right to call itself Great British racing with a prizemoney pool to rival the best racing nations in the world. That said, the phenomenon of horses racing only as two-year-olds is not restricted to Britain and Ireland. Currently dominating the second-season sires’ table in Australia is the former dual Group 1-winning juvenile Sebring, whose racing brilliance was cut short by soundness issues which prevented his reappearance at three but do not appear to have prohibited his stock from representing him in fine style. The son of More Than Ready was, at the time of writing, almost A$2 million clear of his nearest rival, Northern Meteor, by progeny earnings, thanks in part to Criterion adding the ATC Australian Derby to his Rosehill Guineas victory, while another son, Dissident, landed the Randwick Guineas. Sebring has also been represented this term by Group winners Believe Yourself and Clifton Red, and was responsible for thirdplaced Bring Me The Maid in the world’s richest juvenile race, the Golden Slipper. It’s not solely a modern-day occurrence either, as The Tetrarch’s great legacy to the breed testifies. It is, however, one which is almost certain to intensify in the coming years. And for those who love to see the best take on the best at the races before attempting to breed the best to the best at stud, it’s a worrying trend.

SALES CIRCUIT By CARL EVANS

Newbury fixture hit by proximity of Festival Sale Boutique DBS date feels the pinch after introduction of buoyant Cheltenham auction

DBS Newbury March Sale

EMMA BERRY

his Friday evening sale of young jumpers, sandwiched between two days of racing at Newbury, suffered hefty falls in the figures. Given the buoyant nature of this area of the market – dominated by lightly-raced Irish pointers but including horses with bumper or maiden hurdle form – a decline of 65% in turnover, 60% in average and 53% in median suggests an influence beyond the sales company’s control, and DBS chief Henry Beeby acknowledged: “It would be naive to say the new Cheltenham Festival Sale last week did not take some of the cream.” He added: “There is no doubt that we lacked a star this year and the trade simply reflected the catalogue.” Yet he reiterated his commitment to holding sales at the Berkshire racecourse, reminding observers that DBS’s Hennessy Sale in November recorded the highest National Hunt price [£450,000 for Un Temps Pour Tout] for quite some time at any location. Bloodstock agents Anthony Bromley and Tom Malone were in attendance despite the absence of a headline horse, and both left with horses that could prove good value. Bromley took the top lot, Glenwood Star, a six-year-old son of Oscar offered from Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables following a pointing win at Ballyragget. Foaled by the good mare Shuil Ar Aghaidh, he was knocked down for £51,000 and will join Nigel Twiston-Davies’s yard to race for Chris and Jenny Powell. Bromley also gained the mare Kilronan High for £25,000, the same sum Malone paid for Court Dismissed – both were recent winners in the Irish point-to-point field – while a transaction outside the ring saw trainer Ian Williams gain the once-raced Limerick bumper winner Poker School for £45,000.

Anthony Bromley, pictured with Highflyer partner David Minton, was active at Newbury

Backing from some leading practitioners who brought along at least one choice lot showed their support, and the presence of a healthy number of trainers from far and wide was

breeze-up of the year, and Goffs’ decision to scrap its Kempton version had given the Herefordshire-based auctioneers a slightly wider door against which to push.

DBS Newbury March Sale Top lots Name/Breeding

Vendor

Glenwood Star (Oscar-Shuil Ar Aghaidh (The Parson))

Ballyboy Stables

Price (£) 51,000

Highflyer Bloodstock

Buyer

Poker School (Gold Well-Broken Pockets (Broken Hearted))

Camas Park

45,000

Ian Williams

Kilronan High (Mountain High-Broadcast (Broadsword))

Rockfield Stables

25,000

Highflyer Bloodstock

Court Dismissed (Court Cave-Carramanagh Lady (Anshan))

Monbeg Stables

25,000

Tom Malone

Luckyinmilan (Milan-Lucky Supreme (Supreme Leader))

Monbeg Stables

21,000

Kevin Ross B’stock

Surging Seas (Tiger Hill-Musardiere (Montjeu))

Oaks Farm Stables

21,000

Sam Stronge

The Cobbler Swayne (Milan-Turtle Lamp (Turtle Island))

Skehanagh Stables

20,000

Tom Malone

Iza Owens (Golan-Luck Penni (Erdelistan))

Newlands Farm

20,000

KSB Bloodstock

Whatdoesthefoxsay (Vinnie Roe-She’s The One (Good Thyne))

Monbeg Stables

15,000

Donald McCain

Presenting Newmill (Presenting-Madam Newmill (Taipan))

Wm O’Keeffe

12,000

Harry Whittington

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Comparative figures

Brightwells Ascot Breeze-Up Brightwells is not finding this area of the market a breeze, but there were some encouraging signs when it staged its third renewal at Ascot. Moving forward in the calendar to early April meant it could put on Europe’s first juvenile

Year

Sold

Top Price (£)

2014

366,000

20,333

20,500

51,000

2013

1,073,000

51,095

44,000

160,000

2012

751,000

62,583

40,000

220,000

2011

900,000

64,285

40,500

155,000

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Brightwells Ascot Breeze-Up Sale

GEORGE SELWYN

Top lots

Henry Candy landed the Ascot top lot

pleasing too, but the main British players in this market – Tattersalls and DBS – are unlikely to have been too concerned despite sharp rises in the figures achieved by Brightwells. Tatts and DBS have been playing this particular area of the market for far longer and they have the advantage of holding major yearling sales, which generates a bond with pinhookers who intend selling the following spring. In Brightwells’ favour is the venue at Ascot, which produced a safe surface – timekeepers said the going was ‘slightly dead’ following the wet winter – and offers an auction within easy reach of London. The high priest of breezers, Willie Browne of Mocklershill, was rewarded for his support when gaining £52,000 for the top lot, a colt by Equiano he bought for 8,500gns last year, while a smart-looking son of Starspangledbanner from Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud converted from a €13,500 yearling to a £50,000 juvenile. Marco Bozzi, who was joined by Italian trainer Franceso Sorrento, brought an international flavour to the occasion when buying a Vale Of York colt for £27,000.

Fasig-Tipton Florida Breeze-Up Sale Meaty investments by some of the world’s leading racing and breeding organisations could not prevent a slide in the figures at this single-session of breezing juveniles. A high number of withdrawals (catalogued 156, offered 85) was the first disappointment for the sales company, followed by a 24% decline in the takings. Vendors had to accepts falls of 26% and 40% in the average and median prices. Boyd Browning, president of Fasig-Tipton, said: “The select sales market has been very selective and rewards horses perceived to be the best in a sale. Oftentimes that leaves the other ones, and that trend continued today. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Sex/Breeding

Vendor

C Equiano-Generously Gifted (Sakhee)

Mocklershill

Price (£) 52,000

Buyer

C Starspangledbanner-Muravka (High Chaparral)

Lynn Lodge Stud

50,000

Sean Quinn

C Fast Company-Step Dancing (Distant Music)

Clenagh Castle Stud

41,000

Richard Knight

F Dark Angel-Precious Citizen (Proud Citizen)

Brown Island Stables

40,000

Gary Moore

C Vale Of York-Telltime (Danetime)

Longways Stables

27,000

Marco Bozzi Bloodstock

Henry Candy

F Approve-Deraaya (Mujahid)

Longways Stables

20,000

SackvilleDonald

F Captain Marvelous-Wicked Maria (Daylami)

Mayfield Stables

15,000

R O’Ryan/Middleham

C Kodiac-Canary Bird (Catrail)

Hyde Park Stud

15,000

J O’Farrell

F Haatef-La Petite Bleue (Fantastic Light)

Millwood Stables

11,000

Seamus Durack

Comparative figures Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Top Price (£)

2014

315,700

15,033

8,000

52,000

2013

147,300

7,365

4,650

25,000

575,400

15,983

10,000

100,000

2012

No sale

2011

Fasig-Tipton Florida Breeze-Up Sale Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

Price ($)

C Malibu Moon-Lizzy’s Bluff

Hoby & Layna Kight

1,200,000 Demi O’Byrne

Buyer

C Distorted Humor-Delta Princess

Hartley/De Renzo T’Breds

1,000,000 Al Shaqab

C Super Saver-Magdalena’s Chase

Niall Brennan Stables

750,000 Solis/Litt

F Smart Strike-Clay’s Rocket

Wavertree Stables

700,000 JSM Equine & Greathouse Prop

C Majesticperfection-Ms Cornstalk

Wavertree Stables

625,000 Rockingham Ranch

C Super Saver-Rateeba

Eddie Woods

600,000 Alex & Joann Lieblong

C Unbridled’s Song-Miss Cort’n

Northwest Stud

550,000 Bridlewood Farm/Three Chimneys

C Eskendereya-Call Me Fleet

Wavertree Stables

500,000 Mark Casse

C Mineshaft-Songfest

Wavertree Stables

475,000 Frank Fletcher

F Malibu Moon -Touch Here

Wavertree Stables

450,000 3-CH

C Tapit-Mother Russia

Pike Racing

450,000 Katsumi Yoshida

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Avg ($)

Mdn ($)

2014

13,370,000

284,468

180,000

1,200,000

2013

17,725,000

385,326

300,000

1,600,000

2012

19,215,000

320,250

227,500

1,300,000

2011

19,832,000

244,840

200,000

1,350,000

2010

23,430,000

257,473

200,000

2,300,000

Buy-backs were higher than we would have liked [55% of the catalogue found new homes].” Browing added: “You’re always a little disappointed when you have a step back statistically, and we had a step back this year. We’ll grin and bear it.” Browning said he was unsure if the need to move the sale from Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach to Adena Springs owing to a lack of stabling caused by clashes with race meetings had affected trade. However, he acknowledged that a wealth of

Top Price ($)

information for buyers at breeze-up sales – not least the fact that horses can be assessed at the gallop and timed while doing so – makes it easy to put crosses against certain horses. He said: “It’s good for the ones who jump through all the hoops. They get rewarded significantly.” A son of Malibu Moon negotiated the pitfalls and emerged as the sale’s leading light with a $1,200,000 tag created by Coolmore Stud’s vet and buyer, Demi O’Byrne, while the Qatar-based Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s Al

SALES CIRCUIT >> Shaqab

Racing gained the next-best, a million-dollar Distorted Humor colt.

One of the final acts for Keeneland’s muchdiscussed Polytrack surface was to provide a gallop for Keeneland’s single-session breezeup, at which a son of Malibu Moon was again top of the bill. The colt – who was owned and bred in Ireland by Barbara Facchino's Barouche Stud – reaped $1,000,000, the first time a sevenfigure sum had been achieved at the event since 2009, and while a large number of withdrawals led to a drop in turnover, demand for those on offer saw the average and median marks gain 17% and 33%. The ‘outs’ numbered no fewer than 70 from a catalogue of 125, leading Keeneland’s Director of Sales, Geoffrey Russell, to comment: “A disappointing number of outs, but unfortunately Keeneland doesn’t have any control over that. The horses that went through the ring sold very well. There was a large number of trainers and a healthy pool of buyers here.” Given that Fasig-Tipton had also suffered the problem of withdrawals it would be harsh to make an association between the nonrunners and Keeneland’s Polytrack, which is being ousted in favour of a return to dirt. It could be that the information which buyers dissect in order to find winning potential also means vendors of breezers know when they are unlikely to make a killing, and therefore withdraw their stock. If those vendors elect to put their horse into training, US prize-money gives them a better chance of getting something back than they would in Britain. Russell conceded: “The overall view is we sent buyers home without horses, and that’s not a good thing. We want buyers to go home with horses and consignors to go home with money. “We make an effort to recruit internationally and domestically, so when buyers see 53 outs before the gallop show it’s hard on buyers, and some buyers probably don’t want to come in for it. We would like a much larger catalogue, but the foal crop is down, the number of twoyear-olds being sold is down. For most two-year-old consignors, we are an out-ofstate sale, and these factors have to be considered.” The sale-topper was not only by fashionable Malibu Moon, but was a half-brother to leading sire Tapit, who stands at Gainesway. It was Anthony Beck of Gainesway, who joined Greg Goodman’s Mt Brilliant Farm and Robert LaPenta, to secure the colt, who will join trainer Chad Brown. Irish expats are leading consignors in this

KEENELAND

Keeneland Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale

The Malibu Moon half-brother to Tapit scorches along the Keeneland Polytrack

Keeneland Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

C Malibu Moon-Tap Your Heels (Unbridled)

Niall Brennan Stables 1,000,000 Gainesway, Mt Brilliant, Robert La Penta

Price ($) Buyer

C Medaglia d’Oro-Victory Ride (Seeking The Gold) Eddie Woods

770,000 Whitehorse Stables

C Tale Of Ekati-Verve (Unbridled)

Wavertree Stables

440,000 Six Friends Syndicate

F More Than Ready-Miss Seffens (Dehere)

Niall Brennan Stables

400,000 Three Chimneys Farm

C Unbridled’s Song-Lady’s Touch (Touch Gold)

Niall Brennan Stables

390,000 Mike Repole

C Tapit-Cloudburst (Storm Cat)

Wavertree Stables

360,000 Patrice Miller/EQB

F Blame-Hot Attraction (Pulpit)

Wavertree Stables

350,000 Conquest Stable

F Smart Strike-Luna Vega (Malibu Moon)

Eddie Woods

350,000 D P Racing

C More Than Ready-Elusive Diva (Elusive Quality)

Wavertree Stables

310,000 Rockingham Ranch

C Sky Mesa-Alfonsina (Grand Slam)

Sequel Bloodstock

300,000 Mark Casse

F Tapit-Dynaforce (Dynaformer)

Kirkwood Stables

300,000 Three Chimneys Farm

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Avg ($)

Mdn ($)

Top Price ($)

2014

8,769,000

230,763

200,000

1,000,000

2013

11,640,000

197,288

150,000

700,000

2012

9,754,000

165,322

120,000

700,000

2011

11,564,000

165,200

130,000

625,000

2010

12,013,000

169,197

135,000

625,000

form of bloodstock and they dominated the upper tier at this sale, with Florida-based Niall Brennan, consignor of the top lot, also heading the overall table, ahead of Ciaran and Amy Dunne’s Wavertree Stables.

Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale While Europe and North America is in breezeup mode, it is the yearling sales season in the southern hemisphere, and the Inglis Easter Sale draws buyers to Australia from around the world. It did not have a half-brother to Black Caviar this time, but hopefully this year’s sale-topper – a Coolmore Stud-consigned son of Fastnet Rock who made A$1.6 million – will not suffer the same fate as his $5m predecessor, who was

part of a bankruptcy claim before he succumbed to a fatal spider bite. The want of such a stellar horse, albeit one bought by an organisation that did not pay the bill, meant the aggregate and average figures dipped slightly. Numerous Britons were again on the premises to help the clearance rate reach 83%, and Shadwell’s Angus Gold topped the buyers’ list for the second year running when spending $8,085,000 on 20 yearlings during the threeday elite section of the sale. Gold was buying for Sheikh Hamdan, whose cousin, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, invested $4,375,000 on five yearlings. John Warren was again active with his China Horse Club associates, taking four lots for $2,040,000, including the sale-high Fastnet Rock colt, a son of the Listed-winning mare Perfect Persuasion, who has produced a stakes winner and is a sister to champion filly Alinghi. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

SALES CIRCUIT David Redvers signed for seven horses on behalf of Qatar Bloodstock, including a $375,000 full-sister to ace sprinter Zoustar, whom it is hoped will race for a partnership that includes Sheikh Fahad and his brothers at Royal Ascot. Redvers’s outlay, including two horses bought in conjunction with Sydney trainer Chris Waller, amounted to $1,755,000. Coolmore Stud’s Australian division had the kudos of not only selling the sale-topper to Warren but also of being the leading vendors, their 32-strong draft netting $9,180,000 from 29 that changed hands. Street Cry was leading sire by average, his ten yearlings selling at an average $465,500.

Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

C Fastnet Rock-Perfect Persuasion

Coolmore Stud

Price (A$) 1,600,000

Buyer John Warren

C Snitzel-Monte Rosa

Arrowfield Stud

1,500,000

Sheikh Mohammed

C Street Cry-Star On High

Three Bridges T’breds

1,500,000

Emirates Park/Sheikh Mohammed

C Fastnet Rock-Defiant Dame

Coolmore Stud

1,300,000

Gerald Ryan

F Street Cry-Munhro

Segenhoe Stud

1,050,000

Sheikh Mohammed

F Fastnet Rock-Hips Don’t Lie

Coolmore Stud

1,000,000

Hawkes Racing

C Exceed And Excel-Allegra

Kia-Ora Stud

1,000,000

George Moore Bloodstock

F Lonhro-Midnight Joy

Turangga Farm

840,000

John Moynihan

C Redoute’s Choice-National Colour

Arrowfield Stud

800,000

Shadwell

C More Than Ready-Unspoken Choice

Vinery Stud

800,000

John Warren/China Horse Club

Five-year tale

CTS March Yearling Sale Effectively a Book 2 of yearlings, the third running of this sale follows Cape Thoroughbred Sales’ premier auction in January and, like its predecessor, is linked to South Africa’s first $1m race. That bumper new contest was announced in October and is set to take place in January 2016 at Kenilworth Park. It is restricted to graduates from the two sales held by CTS at Durbanville Racecourse in Cape Town. Topping the bill at the March Sale was a daughter of Captain Al called Span Die Seile (Set The Sails), who made R1.5 million (approximately £86,000). She formed part of a draft from the Western Cape-based Klawervlei Stud, which is home to her sire, a South African-bred stallion who made a mark in Europe in 2008 when another of his daughters, Captain’s Lover, won Longchamp’s Group 3 Prix du Pin and was then fourth to Paco Boy in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret. The farm’s roster of 13 sires includes the top-class European performers Twice Over and King’s Apostle. Klawervlei enjoyed a notable sale, consigning six of the top ten yearlings. Another of its sires, Jay Peg, was responsible for the leading colt, who made R1.1m.

Year

Sold

Agg (A$)

Avg (A$)

Mdn (A$)

2014

328

82,942,500

252,873

190,000

Top Price (A$) 1,600,000

2013

291

84,530,000

290,481

200,000

5,000,000

2012

331

72,880,000

220,181

160,000

2,600,000

2011

311

74,130,000

238,360

180,000

1,025,000

2010

366

80,710,000

220,519

160,000

1,875,000

CTS March Yearling Sale Top lots

Name/Breeding

Vendor

Price (R)

Span Die Seile (Captain Al-Start Me Up (Jet Master))

Klawervlei Stud

1,500,000

Mayfair Speculators

Exit Here (Jay Peg-Summer Angel (Jet Master))

Moutonshoek

1,100,000

Alesh Naidoo

Unnamed (Var-Bandera Nativa (Bernstein))

Klawervlei Stud

1,000,000

G Woodruff

Arctic Blast Var-Icy Chariot (Western Winter)

Drakenstein Stud

1,000,000

Mayfair Speculators

Rock Royalty (Var-Royal Fox (Dominion Royale))

Klawervlei Stud

1,000,000

Dennis Drier

Lily Love (Dynasty-Silky Lily (Spectrum))

Highlands Farm Stud

1,000,000

A van Vuuren

800,000

Charles Laird

Ninefold Warm (White Night-The Cat Returns (Tale Of The Cat)) Klawervlei Stud

Buyer

Old Em (Trippi-Lady Bequick (National Assembly))

Klawervlei Stud

800,000

Rainbow Beach

The Stone Thrower (Seventh Rock-Si Senorita (Cordoba))

Drakenstein Stud

700,000

Mayfair Speculators

Mater Familias (Trippi-La Patoneur (Badger Land))

Klawervlei Stud

600,000

Dennis Drier

Comparative figures Year

Sold

Agg (R)

Avg (R)

Mdn (R)

Top Price (R)

2014

266

38,560,000

144,962

80.000

1,500,000

2013

259

27,580,000

106,486

70,000

575,000

2012

297

24,733,000

83,276

60,000

400,000

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CAULFIELD FILES ANDREW CAULFIELD REPORTS ON THE BLOODSTOCK WORLD

Persistence rewarded with Thewayyouare Coolmore’s well-bred son of Kingmambo is gaining plaudits with a rash of good winners

hen Coolmore released its fees for the 2014 season I fully expected to find that a few members of the 2013 roster had disappeared, in much the same way that the likes of Excellent Art and Oratorio had done in earlier years. For example, I doubted whether this all-conquering stud would be persevering with Thewayyouare, whose first three years in Ireland had been subject to the laws of diminishing returns. Having attracted 129 mares in 2011, in his first year in Ireland, Thewayyouare had then covered 76 mares in his second year and only 45 in his third. Forty-five mares at a fee of €4,000 are not the sort of figures a commercial stud is looking for these days, though it is odd to think that 45 mares would have constituted a full book not so very long ago. Clearly the Coolmore team knew something I didn’t and Thewayyouare remained on the roster for 2014, even though his first crop, sired at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, had made comparatively little impact. His first Irish yearlings had also mainly gone unnoticed, achieving a median of only 6,194gns. The one bright spot had been the 120,000gns paid by trainer Jamie Osborne for a colt, now named Thanksgiving Day, on October 16. The ultra-observant might have noticed that

Osborne had already enjoyed success with Toast Of New York, a first-crop son of Thewayyouare. On his third start, on September 13, the colt had routed seven opponents in a median auction maiden race over an extended mile at Wolverhampton. Then, at the start of November, the youngster turned in a repeat performance at the same track, this time taking a novice race over seven furlongs by 16 lengths.

“Thewayyouare is

one of the top-class representatives of the KingmamboSadler’s Wells cross” Now Toast Of New York has possibly put himself on the Derby trail thanks to his stylish victory over Asmar in the Group 2 UAE Derby at Meydan. Toast Of New York hasn’t been the only one advertising Thewayyouare’s potential. The Coolmore partners enjoyed a double with his

progeny at Saint-Cloud on March 20, with Smith and Tabor’s colt With Rhythm taking a mile newcomers’ event by three lengths and Tabor’s filly Hug And A Kiss landing an 11furlong event in good style. Another of Thewayyouare’s French winners, the colt Secret Admirer, was beaten only three-quarters of a length in the Listed Prix Omnium II. So it looks as though Coolmore’s persistence with Thewayyouare is destined to pay off. This faith in the nine-year-old may well be based on the fact that he is one of the top-class representatives of the Kingmambo-Sadler’s Wells cross which also gave us his fellow Group 1 winners Henrythenavigator, Divine Proportions, El Condor Pasa, Virginia Waters, Master Of Hounds and Campanologist. It is going to be fascinating to watch the progress of Campanologist now that this four-time Group 1 winner is in his second season at the very successful Gestüt Fahrhof. Thewayyouare earned Group 1-winner status when he ploughed through the mud at SaintCloud to take the Criterium International in 2007. This was his fourth consecutive juvenile win, but unfortunately it was a different story at three, when he failed to shine in the Classics, Transferred to Aidan O’Brien, he showed a flash of his old talent when a close fourth in the Prix

Thanks to the likes of El Condor Pasa, Deep Impact, Nakayama Festa, Orfevre and Kizuna, the Japanese have been knocking at the door of Arc de Triomphe success and it surely can’t be long before a Japanese horse finally wins the Longchamp championship. Some of Japan’s possible contenders for the 2014 Arc were on display over the weekend of March 29 and 30, and you won’t be surprised that virtually all of them are descendants of Sunday Silence, the 13-time champion sire who succumbed to the effects of laminitis 12 years ago. The Dubai World Cup card featured impressive winners by two of his sons. It was Heart’s Cry who was responsible for the record-setting Dubai Duty Free winner Just A Way, who landed the $3,000,000 first prize by more than six lengths. Then it was the turn of Deep Impact, when his daughter Gentildonna boosted her career earnings to the equivalent of nearly $16,000,000 in the Dubai Sheema Classic. The dual Japan Cup winner is

GEORGE SELWYN

Sound of Silence echoes through the desert

Just A Way, a grandson of Sunday Silence, lit up the Dubai World Cup meeting

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

GEORGE SELWYN

Toast Of New York gains a notable success on the world stage for his young sire

Rags To Riches. Thewayyouare’s female line has also supplied stallions of the calibre of El Gran Senor, Try My Best and Redoute’s Choice. After siring 60 live foals in his first season, it was onwards to Ireland for Thewayyouare, via New Zealand, where he made his debut at Windsor Park Stud. His first foals there are still only two years old but they include a Group 1placed Listed winner and a Listed-placed dual winner. The star of the show, though, is Toast Of New

Ganay but then ran badly in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and was retired. In deciding where to stand him, Coolmore opted for Ashford Stud in Kentucky, no doubt thinking that American breeders would be impressed by his female line. His dam, the Fillies’ Mile second Maryinsky, is a half-sister to Better Than Honour, the exceptional American broodmare who sold for $14,000,000 at the end of 2008. That price reflected the American Classic successes of her son Jazil and daughter expected to target a third victory in November. But that wasn’t all. The day’s happenings in Japan had also highlighted the merit of Heart’s Cry, a stallion I commented on in greater depth in the January 2014 issue. This time it was his son Win Variation who took the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho, no doubt as a stepping stone to the prestigious Tenno Sho this month, a race in which he finished third in 2012. Hanshin staged the same day’s Mainichi Hai, a Grade 3 race over nine furlongs which respectively fell to the subsequent Japanese Derby winners Deep Sky and Kizuna in 2008 and 2013. This time victory went to Meiner Frost, who was winning for the third time in six starts. The colt is a son of Black Tide, an older brother of the sensational Deep Impact. Black Tide also appeared to be on course to a distinguished career when he improved his record to three wins from five starts with a victory in the Sho Spring Stakes in 2004. I suspect something went badly wrong with Black Tide when he finished in the rear in the Japanese 2,000 Guineas on his next start, as he was then off the track for more than two years.

It wasn’t so surprising then that he failed to win again in 16 further starts, stretching from 2006 to 2008. Thanks to his relationship to Deep Impact, Black Tide was guaranteed a place at stud and Meiner Frost comes from his second crop. The first yielded the juvenile Grade 2 winner T M Inazuma. There should be more to come from the stallion, as he has 105 two-year-olds this year and 115 yearlings. The following day witnessed the latest running of the Takamatsunomiya, which – at six furlongs – is one of Japan’s shortest Grade 1 events. This time victory went to Copano Richard, whose sire Daiwi Major established himself as one of Sunday Slience’s fastest sons with a pair of victories in the Mile Championship at Kyoto, a race also won by Sunday Silence’s successful American-based son Hat Trick. The end result is that sons of Sunday Silence occupy five of the top six places on the Japanese sires’ table for 2014, the only interloper being the second-ranked King Kamehameha. Altogether there are nine sons in the top 12.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

York, who was sold by Ashleigh Stud to Timmy Hyde for $35,000 at Keeneland’s 2012 January Sales, before being bought by Osborne after he had failed to reach his reserve at the Orby Sales. I doubt many Europeans are familiar with the name of Syncline, Toast Of New York’s broodmare sire. However, they will be very familiar with Syncline’s parents, Danzig and Annie Edge. The latter was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before finding fame as the dam of the highly successful Selkirk. Syncline’s sister Seebe was a Classic-placed winner of the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at two, but Syncline didn’t enjoy stakes success until he was five, when he scored over 8.5 furlongs on turf at Delaware. He started his stallion career at the minute sum of $2,500 and sired only 109 foals. Toast Of New York’s dam Claire Soleil wasn’t one of Syncline’s winners but she had a distinguished dam, who was 19 when she produced her. This was Claire Marine, a very useful performer in France who developed into one of America’s best turf fillies at four, when her wins included two at Group 1 level and another in the valuable Beverly D Stakes. She won at up to nine and a half furlongs. Claire Marine was one of the earliest examples of successful inbreeding to Northern Dancer, as she was inbred 3 x 3 via Be My Guest and Lyphard. Of course the passage of time has accustomed us to seeing Northern Dancer’s name proliferate in the breed and Toast Of New York has five lines (5 x 4 x 4 x 5 x 5) to the 1964 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner. This dependence on one sire line must make it difficult to find enough quality mares for all of them and this partly explains why Japan’s top breeders regularly need to acquire wellperformed fillies and mares from the US and Britain. Just A Way’s dam Sibyl was foaled in Japan but the daughter of Wild Again was conceived in the US, where her dam Charon won the Grade 1 CCA Oaks. Gentildonna, needless to say, is also out of an imported mare. Her dam, the Cheveley Park Stakes winner Donna Blini, was bought by Katsumi Yoshida for 500,000gns in 2006. Meiner Frost’s dam Three Snow Grass is a Japanese-bred daughter of Grass Wonder but her dam Diamond Snow was an Americanbred daughter of Dayjur. Diamond Snow comes from the family which provided the late Robin Scully with so much success, her dam being the Prix Morny winner Ancient Regime. Win Variation is another with links to the US, as his dam Super Ballerina is a Storm Bird mare who was bought by Japanese interests for $750,000 at Barretts’ 1998 sale of two-year-olds.

ROA FORUM The special section for ROA members

I’m not completely sold on sales races Richard Wayman says owners get a poor deal when it comes to funding these contests With the first of this year’s Classics already upon us, the focus for many returns to Flat racing and I am sure I won’t be alone in looking forward to seeing a paddock of inexperienced, choicely bred two-year-olds at the very outset of their careers. One feature of the juvenile programme that a number of ROA members have raised concerns about are the high-value sales races, which are a relatively recent innovation and are certainly having an ever increasing impact on the campaigns of many young horses, often at the expense of traditional black type events. These races take place at Newbury (Weatherbys Super Sprint), York (DBS Premier Yearling Stakes), Doncaster (Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance £300,000 2YO Stakes), Newmarket (Tattersalls Millions) and Redcar (Totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy). The conditions for each vary, with in some cases the races confined to horses purchased at a particular auction. Common features include that entries for these races close several months before they take place, usually well before a horse’s ability is known, and also that the entry fees are expensive.

On the back of conversations with members, I have increasing concerns that some, at least initially, do not understand how these races work, including that they are funded almost entirely from their entry fees with very little additional money being added from elsewhere. In 2013, total prize-money in the races mentioned above was £2.4m, with over £2m being contributed by owners. The worst

“Over £2 million of

the £2.4m sales races pot was contributed by owners – other funding is required” example was the sales race staged at Doncaster in September during the St Leger festival, which offered total prize-money of £356,000, with £336,000, or 94%, coming from owners’ pockets. Another source of agitation is that in some, but not all, cases the owners of horses that suffer the disappointment of being eliminated at the declaration stage, have only part of their entry fee refunded.

The sales races at Doncaster and York, for example, reimburse the last two owners’ stakes payments but retain the first two. In both cases, this means that an owner would recover just £900 of their £2,000 stake in the event of elimination. For the avoidance of any doubt, I should be clear that the ROA takes a balanced view of these races, welcoming the opportunity they provide owners to run their horses for a big prize and pursuing the dream that, for many, is part of owning of a racehorse. At the same time, however, owners cannot be expected to understand every single detail of the races they enter and they should be able to rely on the fact that any set of approved race conditions stand up to close scrutiny. It is my experience that there are features of sales races that can leave owners with a sour taste in their mouths and the ROA would like to see much greater transparency so that when entering one of these events nobody is left in any doubt with regard to how much of the prize-money owners are providing themselves. Furthermore, the ROA is calling for the introduction of a requirement that at least 25% of the total on offer for each of these races comes from sources other than owners. If enforcing this requirement means we end up losing some of these events, then so be it.

Book your places now for the AGM lunch All members are actively encouraged to attend the ROA AGM, which will take place on the morning of Tuesday, July 1 at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, London. The formal morning session will include the results of the ROA Council elections. As we go to press there are 11 candidates standing for election. Details of the candidates and their election manifestoes are being mailed to members with voting ballot cards. The AGM will also include the usual owners’ forum, where members have the opportunity to question the Council on all aspects of racehorse ownership and ROA business.

Eat, drink and be merry with Sir Mark

As well as the forum, key industry speeches will be delivered by Rachel Hood, ROA President, and BHA Chairman Steve Harman. The AGM is followed by a champagne reception, sponsored by SIS, and a members and guests lunch. Places are £90 or £825 for a table of ten and that includes a three-course lunch with wine. Entertainment in the form of the after lunch speech will be provided by the inimitable Sir Mark Prescott. Tickets for the reception and lunch need to be booked in advance online at racehorseowners.net or by contacting the ROA on 020 7152 0200.

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www.racehorseowners.net

A LIFE AFTER RACING: DEALING WITH INJURIES R O A O F F I C I A L C H A R I T Y PA R T N E R

Tendon and ligament

njuries are the bane of almost every athlete’s life and it is no exception for the racing thoroughbred. Along with having a clear picture of your horse’s attitude, temperament and ability, knowing their previous injuries is vital when considering a second career. This month we speak to Paulo Gay Guasco, a veterinary surgeon at Summerhill Equine Partnership, Cheltenham, to gain an insight into the common injuries of ex-racehorses and to guide owners when considering retirement or retraining options. Knowing what can happen, what caused it and what can be done enables us to achieve more with our horses and help give them the right option when their racing days are over. Racehorses tend to have a specific array of injuries and by constantly improving our knowledge it allows us to treat them properly, reduce the rehabilitation period and improve long term prospects.

“Tendon and ligament injuries are often more serious and require a long rehab time. Injured tendons and ligaments are warm, swollen and painful, and there might be lameness on the affected limb. A period of stable confinement followed by controlled exercise and progressive return to exercise over an 8-12 month period normally allows even severe tendon injuries to heal. Before a second career is even considered the injury must be given time to heal fully, reducing the chance of re-inflammation. It is advisable in the most severe cases that the horse is also not subjected to any highly intense pursuits.”

Kissing spines

Upper respiratory “There are two main wind problems in performance horses, described by the respiratory noise they generate. Gurgling is due to displacement of the soft palate in an abnormal position during exercise: this makes airflow towards lungs more difficult, reducing the availability of oxygen to muscles and ultimately making a loud snoring like noise. “Roaring, or whistling, also reduces the flow of air towards the lungs, and is caused by an incomplete opening of the left side of the larynx due to a nerve issue. Generally, surgical treatments are used to solve both problems, and if the upper airway is successfully stabilised to allow for efficient air flow it is unlikely retraining for any discipline will be hindered.”

Paulo Gay Guasco is a surgeon at Summerhill Equine Partnership

Arthritis “While the symptoms of arthritis are lameness, joint distension, heat and pain to flexion of affected joint, a full diagnosis can rely on clinical examination, local anaesthesia, radiography and ultrasound scans. Thankfully treatment can be little more than a period of controlled exercise, but if this fails to give the expected results local anti-inflammatories can be directly injected in the joint, or key-hole surgery may be advised. “During any form of retraining it is advisable the horse’s response is closely monitored to ensure there is no discomfort and stress on the afflicted joints is limited.”

“Back problems are suspected when the horse becomes difficult when ridden and shows a painful response to palpation. ‘Kissing spines’ is the common term for this problem. Although the severity of this condition varies greatly, in the most serious cases the top part of adjacent vertebrae touch or ‘kiss’ due to chronic changes, generating pain. Diagnosis is achieved through radiography treatment which relies on a combination of specific exercise protocol, antiinflammatories, and physiotherapy or chiropractic treatments. “While clearly injuries range from the slight to the severe and the acute to the chronic, it really comes down to the individual prognosis as to what they mean for the horse after their racing career. In many cases common sense is the best advice a vet can give and although most injuries are manageable medically, before considering a second career for your horse it is important to speak with your trainer or vet to ensure there is nothing that will impact adversely upon their retraining or health.”

ROA member visit to Greatwood ROA members have been invited to a behindthe-scenes tour of racehorse retraining centre Greatwood, near Marlborough, Wiltshire, on the morning of Tuesday, July 22. Greatwood began its work in 1993 and became a registered charity in 1998. Partfunded by Retraining of Racehorses, the ROA Charity Partner for 2014, Greatwood does not

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have a criteria for entry and therefore will never turn away a horse that may be at risk or in danger of neglect. The ex-racehorses that cannot be rehomed are pivotal to the National Open College Network SEN (special educational needs) programmes that are delivered to the students at Greatwood. The visit will consist of a guided tour

around the centre, an introduction to the educational facility and demonstrations of horses being retrained, after which members will enjoy light refreshments. Numbers are limited, so if you would like to book a place please email Sarah Holton on sholton@roa.co.uk, or call the office on 0207 152 0200.

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Colin German gets a buzz from Bumble’s Jackpot win Member Colin German became one of the latest winners of the ROA Owners Jackpot, in association with the Racing Post, when his debutant Up The Bees scored at Wetherby on Friday, March 28. The four-year-old, one of four eligible winners on the seven-race card, each netting £2,500 on top of their prize-money, made his first racecourse visit a winning one with victory in the closing bumper. German, who was delighted with his jackpot prize, said: “I would like to thank the

ROA for its generous bonus fund applied to this meeting. ’Bumble’ is a four-year-old and was having his first race; to see him win first time out was a great thrill. “The cost of acquiring such a horse and bringing him to the racecourse is far from cheap. The added prize is very welcome.” ROA members were off to a winning start when Nesterenko, owned by Juergen Meyer, justified favouritism to take the opening contest under Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Nico de Boinville.

Near misses followed for ROA members with runners in the second, third and fourth races, however they were back in the winners’ enclosure after Watt Broderick stormed home in the ROA Owners Jackpot Handicap Hurdle for owner Patrick Kelly. Grant Harper’s Radharc Na Mara was the other Jackpot winner with victory in the mares’ hunters’ chase. There have now been 15 bonuses paid out at our first three Owners’ Jackpot meetings and the next chance for ROA members to win a share of a £10,000 Jackpot will be at Haydock Park on Thursday, May 29. Visit racehorseowners.net for further details and the eligibility criteria.

Regional meeting

ROA Chief Executive Richard Wayman presents Colin German with his bonus prize

Around 30 members attended the ROA regional meeting held in Wetherby Racecourse’s Millennium Stand on the Owners Jackpot day, March 28. Stephen Smith, ROA Vice-President, Justin Wadham, ROA council member, and Chief Executive Richard Wayman updated members on current racing issues and the ROA’s work. The forum gave members the opportunity to express their own views on ownership matters, as well as posing questions to the ROA team. The next ROA regional meeting will take place at Haydock Park before racing on Thursday, May 29. Members in the region will be invited to attend, but if you would like to reserve a place contact Keely Brewer at the ROA on kbrewer@roa.co.uk

New Festival marquee proves a big hit ROA members and guests using the ROA Marquee at this year’s Cheltenham Festival enjoyed a new, elevated location close to the paddock. The marquee provided a welcome retreat over the four days of the meeting and feedback was positive about the new facility, and the provision of complimentary drinks and a muchimproved food offering for guests. Members were invited to take part in a daily tipping competition in the marquee with a daily prize of £100 on offer for the leading points scorers. Denise Dunne was a clear leader on Tuesday, selecting the 33-1 winner Western Warhorse to win the Racing Post Arkle Chase. The other winners were Nigel Collison (Wednesday), Howard Dawson (Thursday) and Simon Thomas (Friday). Details of the top ten entries on each day are listed online at racehorseowners.net.

Andrea Ponti, Alex Perrin, Gordon Hamilton-Fairley and Geoffrey Hamilton-Fairley enjoy the Cheltenham facility

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TRACK TALK

THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE UK’S RACECOURSES

Nottingham unveils new grandstand In 2013 Nottingham racecourse was recognised by the industry for its hard work in the field of the owners’ raceday experience by scooping the inaugural #TopSpot Award at the Racecourse Association’s Showcase and Awards night. Not content to rest on its laurels, the racecourse is continuing to improve its offering for owners, and lifted the curtains on the 2014 season by unveiling a new grandstand. An entire floor of the new complex is devoted exclusively to owners and trainers, comprising an informal restaurant and bar, with an external terrace offering substantial views of the track. The restaurant area offers owners a choice from an extensive menu, in exchange for their free food vouchers. Nottingham will stage 21 Flat fixtures in 2014, with prize-money boosted to £965,000, which equates to an average of £46,000 per fixture. The course will also continue to offer all winning and placed connections a DVD of their race, with winners additionally receiving a memento, photograph and a basket of local cheese. Pip Kirkby, General Manager of Nottingham and Market Rasen racecourses, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this great new facility for our owners and trainers, and feel

York’s north end development Once again proving that British racing is at the forefront of equine welfare and care, York racecourse has detailed the plans behind their ‘northern end development project’. The pre-parade, saddling and washdown areas have been undergoing extensive work since October to make them larger and more modern, as well as being located in an optimal position for horses, horsemen and racegoers. Jockeys will be the next beneficiary of York’s investment, with a new weighingroom to be unveiled in 2015. Owners should also benefit, with plans for a new owners’ entrance and facilities for winning and placed connections all in place.

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Barry Hills formally opens the new owners’ and trainers’ facility at Nottingham

that it truly enhances their experience here. “We’ve worked closely with Jockey Club Catering to extend the choice of food and

drink on offer, and are very excited about welcoming all connections to Nottingham during the course of the season.”

Other news... Go Racing In Yorkshire The nine racecourses operating under the ‘Go Racing In Yorkshire’ banner have agreed a set policy regarding owners’ badge allocation, which will provide a welcome boost to those going racing with a runner. At Beverley, Catterick, Doncaster, Pontefract, Redcar, Ripon, Thirsk, Wetherby and York, all owners, regardless of ownership set-up, will now receive six complimentary owners’ badges. Additional owners’ badges, up to a maximum of 20, can be purchased at a discount subject to field sizes and availability.

Replay at Chester One of the forerunners in the provision of an exemplary raceday experience for owners, Gold Standard Award holder Chester is continually seeking new ways to improve their offering. The ROA is pleased to announce that a dedicated race review system will be in place from the May meeting. A member of staff will be on

hand to assist any owner in the Pavilion wanting to re-watch any race run in Britain and Ireland from the past year, including races run that day.

Kelso hit owners for six The ROA Raceday Committee work closely with all of Britain’s racecourses and the latest improvement to result directly from these discussions concerns the popular Borders track, Kelso. Owners with a runner at the course will now be offered six complimentary owners’ badges, regardless of their ownership set-up.

Newmarket purses top £10m As the Flat racing season gets fully under way, Newmarket racecourses have revealed further enhancements to prize-money in 2014. The total fund this year has exceeded £10 million, with the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas races in particular receiving a boost, with these races now being worth £450,000 and £410,000 respectively (up a total of 7.6% on 2013).

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MAGICAL MOMENTS with ROA member John Provan

John Provan and his partner Kelly with the team behind Grand National hero Pineau De Re

On the run-in and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear that nothing will catch Pineau De Re and Leighton Aspell

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Pineau De Re seen jumping here in the pack at the Canal Turn; he bided his time and did not strike the front until two out

oments do not come more magical than winning the world’s most famous race. Pineau De Re, this year’s Grand National hero, was John Provan’s first ever runner at the Aintree festival – and he will be his second if owner and trainer Dr Richard Newland can navigate their way back to Liverpool next April. The journey with Pineau De Re started very recently, as he was bought privately from Barry Connell last year, with a view to developing into a Midlands or Scottish Grand National type – thoughts of challenging for the Grand National firmed up only this spring. But this year’s triumph in the first £1 million jumps contest to be run in Britain has

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its roots in the friendship that developed between Provan and Newland in the little Derbyshire village of Marston Montgomery, around four miles from Uttoxeter, some 25 years ago. Provan’s passion for the sport, meanwhile, emanates from watching the National on TV with his mum and dad. “When I got older and business was going well I got to thinking how wonderful it would be to have a horse, so I took the plunge,” he says. “He wasn’t very good but having a horse and listening to the jockeys saying things like ‘he wanted better ground’ or ‘it was too soft’ made me want to understand things better, so I learned to ride. “The late trainer Tommy Taylor allowed me to ride some of the quieter ones at the weekend, though for the first two years I regularly fell off. But eventually I got to the point where I was able to ride in amateur races. My first race was a five-furlong sprint at Wolves, in the days when it had a turf course. I finished mid-division after a slow start. “I rode against Princess Anne, and raceriding was a fantastic experience, but children came along and business made it difficult to continue so I stopped having never managed to get to the winning post first.” Fast forward and Provan, who has been an ROA member for five years, has been involved in around a dozen horses, Pineau De Re being by far his most successful. “After he had finished an unlucky third in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham we saw we had a live contender for Aintree, not just a day-out runner,” Provan says. “Confidence ebbed and flowed before the race, as just to have a runner in the National was a dream come true and we didn’t want to get our hopes up too much. But on the day everything came together. He was as brave as a lion and Leighton Aspell gave him a great ride. After he had jumped the last

spectacularly well we shouted ourselves hoarse, to the extent we lost our voices for a few days. “I actually think he is one of the best National winners seen in recent years as nothing closed on him after the last. He’s gone on his summer holiday now. The plan would be to campaign him for the race again next season. He’s gone up 8lb and wouldn’t want to go up any more.” Twenty-four hours after winning the National, Provan was at Market Rasen to watch another he has with Newland, Dalmo, win two grand when taking a female riders’ selling hurdle.

“Everything came

together. He was as brave as a lion and Leighton Aspell gave him a great ride” “I enjoyed that a lot,” says Provan. “I suppose not as much as the National, though we were treated really well and it was another special day. There’s nothing like winning, that feeling of elation, and nothing like horseracing once it gets in your blood.” Provan has not given up the day job – he owns a print and packaging business in Birmingham city centre – being only too aware that highpoints in his sport can be infrequent. “Being in racing and owning horses teaches you things you take through your whole life,” he says. “How to handle disappointment, but also why you should enjoy and make the most of the good times.”

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Glorious hospitality at Goodwood

Diary dates and reminders MAY 13

ROA member visit to Weatherbys Tour of the organisation, followed by lunch. To book a place please contact Amy Haxby on ahaxby@weatherbys.co.uk.

MAY 29

Regional Meeting and ROA Owners Jackpot day At Haydock Park.

JUNE 10

ROA Owners Jackpot day At Salisbury.

JUNE 17-21

Royal Ascot fine dining discount The ROA’s superb-value package incudes a three-course meal and afternoon tea

ROA members have two outstanding options to consider for the five days of Glorious Goodwood, July 29-August 2. Following a successful partnership over the past two years, we’re delighted to announce we are once again linking up with Goodwood to offer ROA members a special fine dining option for the Horsewalk Restaurant. The ROA Horsewalk Restaurant package will comprise the following:

• Richmond Enclosure admission

badge Car parking label Three-course sit down meal Afternoon tea Richmond Grandstand reserved seat Full bar facilities Racecard Tote facilities

• • • • • • •

This specially tailored package for ROA members and guests will cost £175 per person. There are a limited number of places available each day and early booking is strongly advised. The ROA will as usual be operating a special service whereby members can book Richmond Enclosure badges for the five days of Glorious Goodwood. The enclosure is otherwise restricted to annual members and connections with runners on the day. An early booking discount will apply for Richmond Enclosure bookings. Badges booked before June will cost £73 per person per day. From June onwards the cost will increase to £83 per person per day. Parking labels for Car Park 8 can be purchased at £10 per day. Members and guests aged 18-24 can enjoy a discounted rate of £41.50 per day (no early booking rate). Guests under 18 years of age will be admitted free of charge. Bookings for both the above offers can be made online at racehorseowners.net or by calling 020 7152 0200.

ROA members can benefit from a 20% discount in three restaurants in the Royal Ascot Marquee at Royal Ascot. For full details see racehorseowners.net or contact Sarah Holton at the ROA.

JULY 1

ROA AGM and members’ and guests’ lunch For details see page 62.

JULY 17

Regional Meeting and ROA Owners Jackpot day At Hamilton Park.

JULY 22

Member visit to Greatwood For details see page 63.

JULY 29-AUGUST 2

Richmond Enclosure badges and dining options for Glorious Goodwood Details opposite. Bookings for all ROA events can be made online at racehorseowners.net or by calling the ROA on 020 7152 0200.

In Brief ROA Awards fundraising

Fundraising activities connected to the 2013 ROA Horseracing Awards have resulted in over £66,000 being raised for the event’s three benefiting charities. The evening, sponsored by Weatherbys Hamilton, included a grand and silent auction, which raised £40,871 for the Injured Jockeys Fund. The National Horseracing Museum has received £10,000 from the sale of a painting of Estimate, by Peter Curling. Owners generously supported fundraising efforts on the evening by including their racing colours in the Awards brochure and this raised over £15,500 for the Headway charity.

Epsom’s May 9 race night

A charity race night is being held at Epsom Downs on Friday, May 9 to help raise funds for Crackerjacks Children’s Trust, a registered charity that provides respite care specialist equipment, toys and play equipment to assist the families of disabled children. Proceeds from the evening, which will be hosted by renowned racing broadcaster and commentator Derek Thompson, will also go to the local Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders and the Children’s Trust at Tadworth Court. Tickets are £20 and tables of ten are available for £250. Support is also sought in the form of sponsorship of races and horses. For further

information on sponsorship or tickets contact Richard Freeman on 07860 886266 or email richard@crackerjacksfr.org.uk.

Sunday Appearance Money Scheme extended on the Flat

Following feedback from members, the BHA has agreed to a request from the Racehorse Owners Association to extend the Sunday Appearance Money Scheme to include Flat horses that are rated between 45 and 49. Under the previous rule, only horses rated 50 and above were eligible to receive the £100 appearance money payment.

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Flat Racecourse League Table Ptn Racecourse

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Ascot York Epsom Downs Newmarket Goodwood Chester Doncaster Sandown Park Newbury Haydock Park Ayr Musselburgh Pontefract Salisbury Ripon Ffos Las Carlisle Thirsk Newcastle Kempton Park Windsor Leicester Lingfield Park Beverley Hamilton Park Nottingham Warwick Catterick Bridge Redcar Bath Wolverhampton Yarmouth Chepstow Southwell Brighton Total

Figures for period April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014

Ownership

Avg racecourse spend per fixture (£)

Avg HBLB spend per fixture (£)

Avg owner spend per fixture (£)

Avg prizemoney per fixture (£)

Total no. of fixtures

Total prize-money (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2012-13 (£)

I I JCR JCR I I ARC JCR I JCR I I I I I I JCR I ARC JCR ARC I ARC I I JCR JCR I I ARC ARC ARC ARC ARC ARC

349,480 160,032 120,544 91,698 84,714 77,393 55,854 53,586 46,673 41,800 29,569 29,270 28,935 27,239 27,030 23,461 21,280 20,943 20,782 20,558 20,262 18,719 18,428 17,864 17,024 16,842 15,897 15,840 15,226 14,678 14,338 12,327 10,464 10,293 8,671 37,090

132,552 105,147 71,576 80,576 75,890 44,521 59,418 54,329 63,275 49,022 39,428 26,240 32,701 28,193 27,349 9,820 16,458 22,797 21,439 17,163 19,189 19,612 22,785 21,001 22,944 24,029 21,236 18,099 18,507 14,970 17,881 19,900 14,790 20,439 18,577 33,241

178,627 84,648 81,087 76,304 27,928 8,364 37,180 17,531 27,912 15,671 10,820 4,915 3,804 5,408 4,510 3,081 4,489 5,650 6,615 3,573 4,735 4,932 3,352 3,108 3,448 5,815 3,926 2,733 13,843 2,853 2,553 3,089 2,761 2,091 2,392 15,623

660,659 349,827 273,207 249,275 188,532 130,278 152,451 126,246 140,910 107,681 81,138 60,425 66,440 63,389 59,671 36,762 43,591 51,757 51,103 41,306 45,080 44,564 44,565 43,988 43,750 49,491 41,469 39,172 49,877 32,951 34,772 35,605 29,016 32,823 30,483 85,954

18 17 12 38 19 15 25 18 17 24 14 15 16 15 16 8 11 15 18 89 26 20 91 20 18 18 11 17 15 20 108 26 15 51 19 893

11,891,857 5,947,060 3,278,480 9,472,447 3,582,104 1,954,165 3,811,283 2,209,306 2,395,467 2,538,203 1,135,937 906,375 1,063,035 950,842 954,732 275,712 479,500 776,350 919,850 3,676,215 1,172,086 891,280 4,042,726 879,760 787,500 890,845 456,158 665,925 748,150 659,018 3,755,411 925,725 435,235 1,673,996 579,168 76,781,902

376,146 157,927 115,897 84,383 87,914 70,940 54,927 48,039 45,320 35,090 20,344 29,533 18,755 25,109 25,580 22,021 15,448 22,834 26,320 17,244 16,451 14,628 12,543 13,214 20,764 13,222 22,120 13,267 13,484 18,037 11,103 11,967 9,452 10,332 10,900 35,007

Up/ down

▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▼ ▲

Jumps Racecourse League Table Ptn Racecourse

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Aintree Cheltenham Sandown Park Haydock Park Ascot Kempton Park Ayr Newbury Perth Chepstow Cartmel Doncaster Wincanton Newcastle Ludlow Market Rasen Musselburgh Huntingdon Wetherby Newton Abbot Kelso Stratford-on-Avon Exeter Warwick Fakenham Catterick Bridge Carlisle Plumpton Taunton Lingfield Park Bangor-on-Dee Fontwell Park Ffos Las Hexham Southwell Worcester Leicester Uttoxeter Towcester Sedgefield Total

Ownership

Avg racecourse spend per fixture (£)

Avg HBLB spend per fixture (£)

Avg owner spend per fixture (£)

Avg prizemoney per fixture (£)

Total no. of fixtures

Total prize-money (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2012-13 (£)

JCR JCR JCR JCR I JCR I I I ARC I ARC JCR ARC I JCR I JCR I I I I JCR JCR I I JCR I I ARC I ARC I I ARC ARC I ARC I ARC

232,451 188,857 108,909 90,268 90,263 51,061 49,061 47,131 28,814 26,064 24,931 23,093 23,089 23,026 22,564 22,404 21,859 21,012 20,943 19,508 19,328 19,163 18,332 17,859 16,156 15,554 14,846 14,509 14,275 13,805 13,675 13,389 13,352 12,798 12,546 12,278 11,747 10,384 10,308 8,676 30,520

126,319 142,711 64,482 78,585 89,534 62,888 31,702 68,589 23,250 29,084 19,059 43,762 35,011 29,300 32,211 23,958 34,379 21,205 27,239 27,968 36,574 21,593 30,029 39,925 21,680 26,703 31,859 23,458 27,862 21,240 20,787 22,865 27,209 14,633 17,050 19,750 26,216 26,460 15,706 22,869 34,634

66,206 56,891 17,426 16,151 16,119 9,409 12,491 16,025 1,521 7,374 4,982 6,613 4,940 4,203 4,427 4,558 4,298 3,804 4,474 0 3,338 4,458 4,639 5,750 0 2,484 4,051 3,727 4,641 2,026 3,188 3,150 3,630 2,335 2,740 3,655 4,080 4,934 3,032 2,653 7,247

424,977 388,459 191,433 185,003 197,028 123,627 93,254 131,745 53,586 62,523 48,971 73,469 63,040 57,113 59,202 50,920 61,236 46,021 53,024 47,476 59,740 45,214 53,412 63,534 37,836 44,742 51,010 41,693 46,778 37,071 37,650 39,405 44,192 29,767 32,337 35,683 42,073 41,778 29,047 34,198 72,500

8 16 7 7 9 13 9 11 15 14 7 10 17 12 14 21 10 17 19 18 12 19 17 10 10 10 11 14 13 5 14 21 16 15 21 21 10 24 15 18 550

3,399,812 6,215,343 1,244,313 1,374,310 1,773,249 1,607,152 839,289 1,449,191 803,785 875,320 342,800 734,685 1,071,679 685,358 828,835 1,069,327 612,358 782,359 1,007,461 854,574 716,884 859,066 908,003 635,343 378,365 447,415 561,114 583,706 608,109 195,948 527,100 827,498 684,971 446,500 679,068 749,347 420,732 1,002,673 435,700 615,562 39,854,304

231,612 240,465 67,699 87,106 112,402 46,901 29,580 42,259 28,788 28,173 25,659 13,969 22,134 25,195 18,695 17,680 24,399 8,651 26,429 25,929 21,499 20,566 13,776 25,849 19,324 5,470 15,970 13,321 13,149 9,543 10,225 13,923 18,682 12,363 14,545 9,210 9,682 13,262 9,963 8,943 31,842

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Up/ down

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EXPLANATION The tables set out the average prize-money at each fixture staged by a racecourse over the last 12 months. They show how this is made up of the three sources of prizemoney: 1. Racecourses’ contribution 2. Levy Board (HBLB) 3. Owners The tables also confirm the number of fixtures staged and the total amount of prize-money paid out by each racecourse throughout this period. The racecourses are ordered by the average amount of their own contribution to prizemoney at each fixture. This contribution originates from various sources including media rights, admission revenues and racecourse sponsors. If a racecourse has increased its average contribution at each fixture compared with the previous 12 months, it receives a green ‘up’ arrow. If its average contribution has fallen, however, it receives a red ‘down’ arrow. As these tables are based on the prize-money paid out by each racecourse, the abandonment of a major fixture could distort a racecourse’s performance.

OWNERSHIP KEY JCR Jockey Club Racecourses

ARC Arena Racing Company

I Independently owned racecourse Gold Standard Award

TBA FORUM The special section for TBA members

Enter our inaugural photographic competition for TBA members Are you a photography enthusiast or do you simply like to take photos as you go about your busy life? If so, then this is the competition for you. It is open to any TBA member who is not a professional photographer. Members of all ages, backgrounds and proficiency levels are invited to enter this competition in which great imagery is everything, and experience is not required. All submitted images must be 1MB or larger and can be taken on phones or cameras. Please note, photographs that have been edited or enhanced, using post production Apps or computer software, will not be accepted. Every entry must, in some way, reflect thoroughbred stud farming in Great Britain, supporting rural communities, the working side of thoroughbred breeding or caring for Britain’s green landscapes, be it through nature, horses or stud staff, and should be accompanied by a short explanation (2-3 lines). Each member can enter up to three images across any of the following categories:

1. People 2. Action 3. New Beginnings

TBA 2014 Board Elections Two elected members are set to retire from the Board this year, namely Julian Dollar and Grant Pritchard-Gordon. Every TBA member will have received their nomination form in the post. You now have only a few more days to submit your nomination for any member of the TBA whom you consider would be a valuable addition to the board (with the obvious exceptions of existing members of the board who still have time to serve and the two retirees this year.) Nominations close at 9.30am on Friday, May 2 and those names appearing on six or more nomination forms will be eligible for the ballot stage. Please send all completed forms to Stanstead House before the closing date.

Prizes The winner of each category will receive: • Two badges and hospitality to a race meeting of your choice at any Jockey Club Racecourse, to be used before the end of 2014. The overall winner, selected from the category winners, will be presented with their award at the Annual Awards Dinner and then win the chance of having their image displayed at the European Commission Agriculture building in Brussels during the summer of 2014 through a unique opportunity from the EFTBA. A special prize will be given to the best young TBA member photographer, so please

ensure you add your age to your entry.

How to Enter To enter, TBA members are asked to email their image with the following details to lucinda.hird@thetba.co.uk by May 1, 2014... • A short explanation about the photo • Name and age of the entrant/photographer • Name of the category you are entering the image for Please note, images smaller than 1MB will not be accepted.

Relaunch of TBA Stud Staff Awards We are delighted to relaunch our TBA Stud Staff Award Scheme with an increase in prize-money and an additional award. From July 2014, the bi-monthly award will be doubled to £200. Winners will also receive a year’s membership of the TBA, and will be featured in the relevant Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder magazine. The Annual Award of £1,000, generously sponsored by New England Stud, will be presented at the Annual Awards Dinner. In addition there will be a runner-up award of £500, also sponsored by New England Stud, which takes the total prize pool from £1,600 to £2,700. The recipients of the Annual Award and the runner-up are selected from the bi-monthly award winners. In a change to previous criteria, nominations will now be taken from colleagues, clients or line managers, as long as they are supported by the owner or manager of the relevant stud. TBA Education and Employment Manager Caroline Turnbull said: “The TBA places great

importance in providing industry recognition for stud staff and, with the generous support of Peter Stanley of New England Stud, it is appropriate that we can increase the value of these awards. The industry encompasses a large number of people who show remarkable dedication to their duties and this is one way of ensuring that they receive their due recognition. We hope members will take the opportunity to reward their valued employees by nominating them.” The judging panel is made up of TBA Regional Representative Derek Christopher, whose brainchild the awards were, TBA Education and Employment Committee Chairman Joe Grimwade, and Caroline Turnbull. TBA members will have received a nomination form for the award in their recent mailing, but can also contact Stanstead House for a form or download one from the TBA website. Any questions should be directed to Caroline Turnbull at the TBA. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

www.thetba.co.uk

Behind the scenes at the TBA With a membership in excess of 2,000 and six people in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association office, the small team sails a big ship on a daily basis. We wanted to give you the chance to put a face to a name and tell you a bit more about the people you email or speak to at the TBA. This month we are focussing on CHRISTINE STANDLEY, Accounts/Office Manager In a nutshell, what do you do for the TBA? I deal with all aspects of the Association’s accounts, from processing sales and purchase invoices up to preparation of year-end accounts for auditors. I also deal with the payroll. From the office manager side, I deal with everything from refurbishing the building as and when necessary, dealing with all office equipment contracts. I keep all staff records up to date and deal with some aspects of personnel. If your colleagues were writing your biography, what would the title be? Don’t mess me about. What did you do before you joined the TBA? My job before having my children was office administration. I gave up work to bring up my two daughters, Charlotte and Samantha, before going back to work when they started school. Directly before coming to the TBA I worked for the National Horseracing Museum and an association called The Voluntary Network, which helps the elderly and vulnerable in the area, and also runs the local Dial-a-Ride for Newmarket. I did the accounts for both organisations. Talk us through a typical week for Christine Standley? I don’t think that in an organisation such as the TBA you can have a typical week, although accounts could be classed as quite a singular job maybe. As I said earlier, I deal with all aspects of the accounts, which is my primary job, so I maintain purchase, sales and nominal ledgers, bank all cheques, maintain petty cash, do twice monthly purchase payments, quarterly management accounts, payroll on a monthly basis, plus any ‘office’ issue that might arise throughout the week. I work four days a week, and on my day ‘off’, I look after my two-year-old granddaughter Emilia while my daughter Charlotte goes to work. I have three grandchildren in total, Emilia’s sister Ava is five and I have a 22-month-old grandson, Lincoln, who lives in the United States. We obviously don’t get to see him as often as we would like but I have to say Skype is an amazing thing and allows us to see him, our daughter Samantha and son-in-law, Sam, every week. Outside work, apart from spending as much time as possible with the grandchildren, I love to walk. We have a dog which gets me out every day, and we go for longer walks at the weekend (weather permitting, I hate getting wet!) whenever possible. What do you love about working for the TBA? I think we very much function as a team and I like being part of that, and the fact that although we all have specific job roles we do get the chance to get involved with other events as well. If you could swap places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be and why? Mary Berry – I love to cook and bake, and I wish I had her creative ability. I can follow a recipe as well as the next person, but I would fail miserably at the invention test on Masterchef!

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Christine and one of her three grandchildren, Emilia

Which is your favourite racecourse? Cheltenham. It always has a great atmosphere and the views are, to me, stunning. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to do office work, but never thought that would lead me down the accounting path. Maths at school was never my strong point. I was, however, given the opportunity to learn bookkeeping and accounting by a previous employer just after returning to work after having my children, which seems a long time ago now. The rest, as they say, is history. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? I wish I had learned to ride; I do not come from a horse background so the opportunity wasn’t there. What are you looking forward to doing with the TBA this year? Every year we hold a three-day Stud Farming Course in December, which I am fortunate enough to be involved with and I therefore get to meet a variety of people from across the country who attend the course. I am also excited about being part of moving the Association forward, which will help existing and future members.

TBA FORUM

The launch of our Economic Impact Study On March 25 we shared the findings from our Economic Impact Study. The presentation was very well supported with the room at the Institute of Directors full with members, industry representatives and the media keen to hear the results of the report. In its entirety the report nears 200 pages, however the presentation shown on the day

offered an overview of the key messages that have come from the study’s findings, together with the TBA’s solutions strategy. CEO Louise Kemble said: “We were really encouraged by the feedback, appreciation and support that we have received since the launch. We are now focusing our efforts and we will endeavour to resolve the issues that

have been highlighted. The TBA is now making great strides to ensure that breeders have the guidance they require from the TBA, every opportunity to make their businesses work and as a consequence continue to breed thoroughbreds into the future.” The full report can be downloaded from the TBA website.

TBA diary dates TBA Regional Days

SATURDAY, MAY 24

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

TUESDAY, JUNE 3

BHS Borders Grand Competition Day, Jedburgh.

This year’s seminar ‘Raising a Champion – from conception to sales ring’ takes place at Tattersalls Park Paddocks, Newmarket. It is free to TBA members and the day will include the latest information on new ways to control parasites, early pregnancy loss, grassland management and tips from a leading consignor. Application forms have been mailed to members and are also available from Caroline Turnbull at Stanstead House, and on the TBA website at www.thetba.co.uk.

West Regional Day

A visit to Andrew Balding’s Park House, followed by a tour of Lord and Lady LloydWebber’s Watership Down Stud.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 South East Regional Day

A visit to Olly Stevens’s Robins Farm, followed by a tour of Philippa Cooper’s Normandie Stud.

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge

SATURDAY, MAY 24

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge Heathfield & District, East Sussex.

SATURDAY, MAY 24

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge Shropshire County Show, Shropshire.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

West Midlands & Wales Regional Day

SUNDAY, MAY 25

A visit to David Futter’s Yorton Farm, home to the stallions Great Pretender, Librettist, Malinas, Norse Dancer, Sulamani and Universal.

Hambleton Show, Yorkshire.

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 DATE TBA

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge

A visit to David O’Meara’s Arthington Barn Stables and a tour of Lady Cecil’s Cliff Stud.

Bath & West Show, Somerset.

Northern Regional Day

MAY 28-29

ROR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge Dates

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge

FRIDAY, MAY 16

TUESDAY, JULY 8

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge Final at Royal Windsor Horse Show The qualifying combinations from the 2013 series compete to be crowned RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge Champions. Forthcoming qualifiers in May are listed below; for further information on June dates please visit the website.

SUNDAY, MAY 18

Suffolk Show, Suffolk.

TBA events TBA Awards Dinner This year’s Annual Breeders’ Awards Evening will be held at The Granary Barns, Woodditton, Newmarket. The evening will commence with a drinks reception at 6.30pm and will be followed by a dinner and the presentation of awards. Invitations to apply for places have been sent to members. Numbers are strictly limited and places will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served basis’ – to avoid disappointment return your application to Stanstead House as soon as possible.

RoR / TBA Retrained Racehorse Challenge

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

Sports Horse Breeding North West Show, Lancashire.

Will commence at 9.30am at the Jockey Club Rooms, Newmarket.

The TBA Annual General Meeting

TBA Annual Seminar, Tattersalls, Newmarket

SUNDAY, JULY 27

National Hunt ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ Foal Show at Bangor After the success of the inaugural show last year, the TBA is delighted to be inviting members to the National Hunt ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ Foal Show at Bangor-on-Dee racecourse. The event provides an opportunity for mare owners to showcase their young stock, with separate classes for colt and filly foals, and a championship in which the first and second placed foals from all classes will be asked to come forward for the judging of the champion and reserve champion of the show. Judges from England, Ireland and France will choose the winners who, in their opinion, have the potential to make a good racehorse. A schedule and entry form will be posted to all members in the send-out from Stanstead House at the end of April. All enquiries to pauline.stoddart@thetba.co.uk.

NEW MEMBERS

T Austin, Berkshire; Mrs C Davis, Hertfordshire; Ms M Forber, Suffolk; D Fremel, Suffolk; S Golding, Suffolk; B J Goldsmith, Dorset; Mrs H Graham, Roxburghshire; J Hanson, North Yorkshire; J R Lloyd, Suffolk; G Meehan, Hertfordshire; Ms R Murat, Hampshire; E Murrell, Suffolk; Miss R Stebbing, Suffolk and J Weller, Gloucestershire.

18-35 MEMBERS

Miss Joanne Cain, East Yorkshire.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

w w w. t h e t b a . c o . u k

Breeders’ Prizes for TBA members Breeder

Horse

Sire

Dam

Date

Course

Kingscote Park Stud

Prize (£)

1,800

Pool House

Sakhee’s Secret

Gitane

05/03/2014

Lingfield Park

Whitsbury Manor Stud & A. W. M. Christie-Miller

1,800

Passing Star

Royal Applause

Passing Hour

06/03/2014

Kempton Park

Mr A J McCabe

5,400

Razin’ Hell

Byron

Loose Caboose

18/03/2014

Southwell

Car Collston Hall Stud

5,400

Crowdmania

Shamardal

Riotous Applause

19/03/2014

Kempton Park

Whitsbury Manor Stud & A. W. M. Christie-Miller

1,800

Passing Star

Royal Applause

Passing Hour

27/03/2014

Kempton Park

Mr G Amey

1,800

Cock Of The North

Cockney Rebel

Camp Fire

29/03/2014

Doncaster

Prizes subject to confirmation of qualification with Weatherbys

Breeders’ Prizes National Hunt HBLB Breeders’ Prizes worth £1,250 or more A Breeder

Prize (£)

Horse

Sire

Midnight Legend

Dam

Based on date money was paid

Date

Course

Onawing Andaprayer

11/03/2014

Cheltenham

John P. L. Reynolds

3,000

Midnight Prayer

Richard Mathias

3,000

Present View

Presenting

Carry Me

11/03/2014

Cheltenham

Larkinglass Ltd

1,750

Carole's Destrier

Kayf Tara

Barton May

15/03/2014

Kempton Park

Mrs P. M. Grainger

1,500

Mitchell's Way

Needwood Blade

Ghana

16/03/2014

Carlisle

B. J. Goldsmith

1,500

Freckle Face

Septieme Ciel

Wavet

18/03/2014

Exeter

R. D And Mrs J. S. Chugg

1,250

Bincombe

Indian Danehill

Siroyalta

19/03/2014

Haydock Park

Peter Botham

1,500

Getabuzz

Beat Hollow

Ailincala

21/03/2014

Sedgefield

The National Stud

1,250

Thanks For Coming

Helissio

Kyle Rhea

21/03/2014

Newbury

Mrs H. O. Graham

2,500

Scotswell

Endoli

Tofino Swell

22/03/2014

Kelso

See breeders' prizes table effective from January 1 on TBA website, www.thetba.co.uk. Prizes subject to confirmation of qualification with Weatherbys

Notes for employers Quarterly Employment Law Newsletter Number 2 The second quarterly Employment Law update is now available online at www.thetba.co.uk in the employers’ pages of the website. The update covers changes to employment law tribunal procedures, the extension of the right to request flexible working, and time off work for ante-natal care. In addition, the new rates for statutory payments are also covered and are as follows: From April 6, 2014... • Statutory redundancy pay rises to £464/week • Statutory maternity pay rises to £138.18/week National Minimum Wage rates from October 1, 2014 are as follows... • Rate for workers 21 years old and over will increase from £6.31 to £6.50 per hour THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

• Rate for workers aged 18 to 20 years old will increase from £5.03 to £5.13 per hour Further rates for young workers and apprentices are available within the newsletter. Employment Law Fact sheets There are more than 20 downloadable employment law fact sheets and policies available to TBA members from the website, providing key information on the employment law relationship from recruitment to termination. A number of fact sheets have been updated for this quarter – if you have downloaded them previously please destroy them and visit the website for the latest versions of the following: • Redundancy • Maternity rights • Parental rights

New Employment Allowance: up to £2,000 off your Class 1 NICs The recent budget provides help for employers in the form of a new Employment Allowance which will see small businesses in particular benefitting from a tax cut of up to £2,000. From April 6, employers have been able to claim the Employment Allowance, which reduces employer Class 1 NICs by up to £2,000 each tax year. It applies to most businesses and charities that pay employer Class 1 NICs on employees’ or directors’ earnings. This tax cut was flagged up to the TBA by Matt Hancock, MP for West Suffolk and Minister for Skills and Enterprise, whose support for the racing and breeding industry is well-known. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria, can be found at www.gov.uk/employmentallowance-up-to-2000-off-your-class-1-nics. Visit the TBA Employers pages for the full text of Matt’s email.

TBA FORUM

Industry celebrates significant step forward for trade of horses to China The protocol for the live export of horses from the UK to China has been signed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Owen Paterson, and Minister Zhi Shuping, of AQSIQ (Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Administration). Setting down the conditions under which horses can be exported to China, the protocol represents a significant step forward for all parts of the British horse industry. It was signed in London on April 1 and was followed by a dinner in Newmarket hosted by Great British Racing International (GBRI) on behalf of the racing industry. Attended by the Secretary of State and the Chinese ministerial delegation, alongside key representatives from the equestrian sector, the dinner was followed the next morning by a visit to the gallops and Frankel at Banstead Manor Stud. The protocol was developed following a visit by senior Chinese officials from AQSIQ with their DEFRA counterparts. The officials’ visit, jointly funded by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, took place from March 20-27, and involved the inspection of UK animal health controls and visits to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency’s centres in Weybridge and Carlisle. Claire Williams, BETA executive director, said: “We have been developing trade in China over the last three years and this new protocol opens up a potentially lucrative market for a range of British-bred horses, and sees the UK joining other EU nations that already have access to the rapidly growing Chinese market. “During this time we have seen the number of imported horses rising from 8,000 in 2012 to 17,000 in 2013 and the market for a wide range of equestrian products has also expanded significantly. The market is at a crossroads and next on the agenda will be the developing of a similar protocol for horse feed and supplements, which will be handled by the same government ministry. “Not only does it open the way for horse exports, it is also a significant step towards introducing equestrian equipment, facilities, expertise and knowledge to the market.” Louise Kemble, Chief Executive of the TBA and Chairman of the British Horse Industry Confederation, added: “The export market for thoroughbreds from Britain is currently valued at £118 million annually. While the opportunity for thoroughbred trade with China is in its infancy, looking to the future the prospect of expanding this business meant that securing the

Minister Zhi Shuping meets Frankel

export protocol was an essential first step for our members, while also endorsing the findings of our Economic Impact Study. “We will now work with DEFRA, ChinaBritain Business Council (CBBC) and trade

partners to ensure that Britain is recognised as the leading source of equine expertise and we maximise business opportunities across the sector.” Commenting on the protocol development, CBBC executive director Claire Urry said: “China is the fastest-growing market in the world. In the agriculture, food and drink sectors, where there are growing opportunities for UK business, bilateral agreements are often required to facilitate the opening of new export markets. Close collaboration between DEFRA and UK industry is essential to conclude these negotiations with Chinese partners. “Not only do CBBC and our member companies work in partnership with DEFRA to ensure that the signing of such protocols is possible, but we support businesses to capitalise on these new export opportunities via our network of advisers based in 23 locations across the UK and China.”

EBF/TBA Mares’ Series at Ludlow and Sandown

David Hockenhull, left, and Richard Matson congratulate Evan Williams, centre, trainer of the winning mare, Prima Porta, from the EBF/TBA Mares’ Novice Chase at Ludlow on March 22

Amy Bennett (EBF) and Tom Symonds, centre, present to John Harrington, John Queally, Eileen O’Brien and Noel Fehilly, the winning connections of Gaillimh A Chroi, who won the Mares’ Open Bumper at Sandown in March

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

BREEDER OF THE MONTH

www.thetba.c o.uk

Words Alan Yuill Walker Sponsored by

Manufacturers of

NH BREEDER OF THE MONTH – March 2014

GEORGE SELWYN

John Reynolds Fortunately, octogenarian John Reynolds is well on the way to a full recovery from the heart attack he suffered on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, just an hour before his homebred Midnight Prayer triumphed in the National Hunt Chase. On this occasion the amateurs’ Grand National commemorated Terry Biddlecombe. The former champion jockey had a most unexpected connection with Midnight Prayer as Reynolds bought his dam Onawing Andaprayer at one of Russell, Baldwin & Bright’s Malvern sales – Biddlecombe used to work for the Hereford-based bloodstock auctioneers. That was in September 1995, when the eight-year-old mare changed hands for 1,200gns. She had been getting progressively cheaper, having been sold at Botterills’ Ascot Sales in June 1993 for 2,300gns, and for 3,000gns at the 1990 Doncaster Spring Sales as an unbroken three-yearold. “I bought Onawing Andaprayer, who had done nothing as a racehorse, to ride myself, but she was an absolute lunatic,” Reynolds recalled. “As a young man I had hoped to be a jockey, but I contracted polio when I was 23. However, I was advised to pursue an outdoor career so I spent most of my working life as a gamekeeper in north Wales. “Latterly I was racing manager to Sandy Scott of Saddlewood Manor, near Tetbury, and it was he who said that I should breed from the mare. I was originally attracted to her as she was absolutely correct and her dam belonged to the Ribot male line. The only mare I’ve ever owned, I used to keep her at livery with Dave Holpin, near Stonehouse, in the Vale of Berkeley.” Midnight Prayer is one of Onawing Andaprayer’s only two foals and both were bred by Reynolds over a ten-year period. “But to be fair I did not have her covered that often as I was keen to keep expenses in check,” Reynolds emphasised. In fact, her two Midnight Legend coverings were the only times that she visited a thoroughbred stallion. Midnight Prayer was just a two-year-old when his dam died in April 2007. Only a few weeks previously his brother Itsa Legend, who was likewise trained by Alan King, had given Reynolds a big thrill by finishing third at the Cheltenham Festival. Whereas Itsa Legend scored three times, Midnight Prayer now has six victories to his credit. Prior to Cheltenham he had won the same novice chase at Warwick as his stable companion Godsmejudge won prior to his Scottish National victory last year. The Welsh equivalent is likely to be one of Midnight Prayer’s principal objectives next season.

Midnight Prayer, one of two thoroughbed foals for his dam

The Midnight Legend gelding was one of only three homebred winners at the Cheltenham Festival, the others being Hawk High (Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle) and Tammys Hill (Foxhunter Chase). And this was a third consecutive time that Midnight Legend has been responsible for the NH Breeder of the Month Award and once again the Pitchall Stud resident has shown what he can achieve with run of the mill mares. “Itsa Legend, who now spends his time hunting in the Berkeley country, belongs to Midnight Legend’s first crop,” said Reynolds. “He was a top dual-purpose performer and a really good stamp of horse. I remember seeing him in training with David Nicholson at Jackdaws Castle.” It was certainly cruel luck that deprived Reynolds of witnessing his greatest success as an owner/breeder. “But I’ve had great fun looking at the video,” he enthused. Here’s hoping that the joint owners of Midnight Prayer (the Legends Partnership comprising Reynolds and fellow King patron Alan Marsh) have just as much fun next season.

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EXCELLENCE IN EQUINE NUTRITION

N E X T G E N E R AT I O N C L U B

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By Katherine Fidler

A classroom with a difference Students gaining a thorough grounding in the commercial world of bloodstock

Students at Abingdon Witney College enjoy the practical element of the Equine Science course with hands-on experience

he year may rapidly be approaching its halfway stage but there are still many new beginnings to be had. Foals, particularly those bred for the jumping division, are still arriving at studs across the country. Meanwhile, thousands of university students will soon leave behind the academic world to embark on a range of new careers. One place where these two happen simultaneously is Abingdon Witney College, which, as part of its Equine Science and Thoroughbred Management honours degree, run in conjunction with Oxford Brookes University, owns a small band of broodmares. Operating on a commercial basis, the college sells each year’s crop of foals at the Tattersalls December Sale, and last year landed a touch when its Showcasing foal out of star mare Rockburst fetched 40,000gns from Glenvale Stud and Geoffrey Howson Bloodstock. “The students and staff were extremely pleased with last year’s success at Tattersalls and hope to continue that this year,” says Curriculum Manager Coral Stringer on behalf of course leader Annie Bishop, currently on maternity leave. “We were very pleased to see Showcasing have his first winner recently and hope that is a taster of what is to come for our colt.” Come next year the colt in question will be

aiming to maintain Rockburst’s 100% record, the daughter of Xaar having produced two winners, including the Listed-placed Annunciation. This year the college will be offering two firstcrop foals by Overbury Stud’s Delegator. The first is a colt out of Rockburst, and the second a filly out of her studmate Janet Girl, a daughter of Polar Falcon from the family of Grade 1 winner and dual US Classic runner-up Bodemeister. The college’s third active broodmare, Bold Love, is also in foal to Delegator, due next year, while Rockburst and Janet Girl are returning to the home of Showcasing, Whitsbury Manor Stud, to be covered by Foxwedge and Compton Place respectively. “Pam Willsher, the head of faculty at the college, oversees the running of the stud with stud groom Sonnia Kinnear,” says Stringer. “They work with Geoffrey Howson to decide on matings but as part of the degree course, students study a module called International Stud Management, in which the students are asked to put forward mating plans. Annunciation is a direct result of a mating plan by two students, Sam Angell and George Rosamund. “The students and staff take a keen interest and follow the horses’ form – we all enjoy watching the racing and having a bet on the

college-bred horses!” This year, the students have an additional project, with recently retired broodmare Suzie Fong, an 11-year-old daughter of Dr Fong, being retrained to compete in Retraining of Racehorses events. While the degree course is largely classroombased, first-year BSc students work with the foals one day a week during sales preparation, and work at the stud at Common Leys Farm campus means students can gain more experience in addition to a third-year work placement. “Students have been all over the world on their placements,” says Stringer. “This coming year we have students going to work for New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing, Bath racecourse, Andrew Balding Racing, Eliza Park Stud in Australia and The Jockey School in South Africa to name but a few. “Recent graduates have taken up roles including a trainee stipendiary stewardship, stud secretary for Watership Down, yearling manager at Baramul Stud, and a veterinary assistant at Coolmore Australia.” The other side of the world may be the next destination for many students from Abingdon Witney, but for its foals, a trip to Newmarket will be the first stop in their career. Be sure to keep an eye out for them in November. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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FOCUS ON... With the horse itself taking up much of our attention, time and finances, the pasture upon which it is so dependent can often be overlooked. Grass is the cheapest source of nutrition and, aside from the leading stallion and blue hen broodmare, our most valuable asset, writes Lissa Oliver Maintaining our paddocks at their optimum level will reap financial rewards in terms of reducing feed bills and the need for supplements, as well as in the production of stronger, healthier horses. However, even the best-managed land can deteriorate over time, with originally sown grasses reduced by up to 50% over a five-year period by the invasion of weeds and undesirable grasses, and winter-damage can result in soil compaction. Spring is the optimum time to address our paddock problems. Most worn out pastures can be renovated, with varying means of repair, such as aerating, harrowing and the addition of a suitable fertiliser. Always check the pH status and if necessary apply lime to achieve a pH of 6-6.5. In some cases, reseeding is an option, although preferably seeding into existing pasture, to prevent a reduced sward and the possible harm to thoroughbreds as they routinely move, graze and exercise on a reduced cushion of sward.

enable a single-pass renovation. Supplied by Fergal O’Hanlon (00353 87 9237328/00353 21 4774660) of Equine Acres (www.equineacresireland.com), the AGRIvator can be purchased or rented. The 8ft AGRI-vator requires a towing device of 60hp, while the 12ft version requires 80hp.

Soil compaction

Grass varieties and suppliers

Wet areas during the winter and poached areas are most likely to be compacted. Dig out a square divot of turf and check to see a good array of roots. If dropped onto a hard surface, vertical fissures should be seen in the divot. If only horizontal fissures appear, the soil is compacted and requires aeration.

Reseeding pasture If reseeding is necessary, although rarely recommended on stud farms, an additional seeding over existing pasture is an option. The existing grasses will provide hostile competition to the seedlings, so selecting grass varieties noted for early vigour and rapid establishment is key. A seed rate of 1416kg per acre is recommended. However, before resorting to any renovation work in paddocks, first identify and rectify the underlying causes of poor growth and wear. Soil tests and grass analysis will pay dividends in the long run and ensure only the correct fertilisers and amounts need be used.

specially formulated for specific needs. General Purpose is a horse and pony grass seed mixture formulated with a higher proportion of low fructan grasses, to provide good quality grazing and reduce the risk of laminitis. Hunters Equestrian Traditional is a meadow mixture recreating the nutritional characteristics of a natural habitat. Herbs Mixture provides a blend of herbs containing many of the plants found in older pastures (Ribgrass, Sheep’s Parsley, Chicory, Yarrow and Salad Burnet) with valuable dietary properties. Paddock SOS is formulated to boost grass cover quickly. Typically they will include Timothy, Rye Grass, Smooth-Stalked Meadow Grass and Creeping Red Fescue, among others, and the average cost per acre (14kg bags) is £70. Contact Caroline Sadler at the Barenbrug Sales office, Bury St Edmunds, 01359 272000.

Barenbrug Barenbrug (www.barenbrug.co.uk) is one of the largest grass seed producers in the UK, distributing more than 4,000 tonnes of grass seed each year. Their four varieties of Hunters Equestrian horse paddock mixes have been

Goldcrop: field leader

Goldcrop Goldcrop (www.goldcrop.ie) is the leading assembler, importer and distributor of all seed types in the Irish market. Goldcrop is an ISO 9000 accredited company and participates in the Department of Agriculture’s seed certification scheme. Their Diamond Lea range provides a wide variety of carefully selected grasses to suit individual needs and while primarily designed for general livestock grazing, helpful representatives can advise on a suitable mix for pasture richness, wear and tear or other particular requirements. Contact: Goldcrop, Springhill, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, Ireland, 00353 (0)21 488 2800, info@goldcrop.ie.

AGRI-vator: used by major studs

AGRI-vator The AGRI-vator is used by major stud farms and training grounds, including the Jockey Club training grounds at Newmarket. Its patented vibrating action loosens and breaks up the soil without destroying the existing turf on the surface. This allows for better infiltration of moisture, nutrients and oxygen into the root system and is therefore excellent for stimulating growth and increasing the density of the sward. Designed for the toughest renovation and aeration jobs, the AGRI-vator doesn’t remove any soil, so there is never a need to level afterwards. A roller can also be attached to

MAS Seeds Ltd Hunters – Barenbrug grass seed

MAS Seeds Ltd (www.meadowmania.co.uk) are involved in both the traditional horse market

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Spring Pasture Management & Renovation and the natural horsemanship market, with mixes designed to give a wide range of choice appropriate to your horse and your conditions. They are designed to improve the health and the well-being of your horse. On the natural horsemanship side are the Natural Renovation paddock grass seed NH02, Natural Horsemanship Long Term Grazing Ley and the Gold Standard natural horse ley; on the traditional side are the Horse & Pony paddock grazing seed mix SP2, Traditional grass seed mix for renovating horse paddock EQU02, Grass Seed For horse gallops EQU01 and Mixed Herbs for horses R007. There is also a wildflower mix for horse paddocks NH04. The average cost per acre is £70. Contact: 4 Pinhills, Wenhill Heights, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 OSA, 01249 819013, shop@meadowmania.co.uk.

intake, including Chicory, Burnet, Ribgrass, Sheep’s Parsley and Yarrow, it also contains intermediate and late varieties of perennial Ryegrass to spread growth, amenity perennial Ryegrass to improve density and wear tolerance, strong Creeping Red Fescue, Smooth-Stalked Meadow Grass and Timothy for winter persistence and to improve hay quality if required. BS Paddock Repair Grass Seed is a special formulation designed to repair damaged paddocks in the shortest time possible and is ideal for use in gateways and along fence lines that are prone to poaching. Contact Boston Seeds, Laburnum House, Main Road, Langrick, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 7AN, 01205 280069.

Fertilisers The above-mentioned Boston Seeds also supply fertilisers formulated for horse paddocks. BS Paddock Fertiliser-Spring 12.6.6 is a high quality fertiliser specifically designed for the unique nutritional requirements of horse and pony pastures. It encourages strong growth

“If a vigorous clover

content is important to you, do not harrow too often as it can damage the clover stolons”

Meadow Mania

Boston Seeds Boston Seeds is an independent seed merchant specialising in wildflowers and grass seeds, with paddock mixes formulated for horses averaging £50 per acre. BS Economy Horse Paddock Grass Seed is fast germinating, suitable for a broad range of soil types and contains perennial Ryegrass, Timothy and Creeping Red Fescue, suitable for new paddocks or renovating old paddocks. BS Classic Horse Paddock Grass Seed provides good quality, palatable grazing for horses and a hay cut if required. It produces a dense, hard-wearing sward of perennial Ryegrass, Timothy and Creeping Red Fescue. BS Triple ‘H’ Horse Paddock Grass Seed derives its name from ‘Horse, Health and Herb’ and is a superior quality Laminitis-friendly equine and camalid mixture, for new paddocks and to revitalise old pasture. Enriched with herbs to improve palatability and trace element

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to provide grazing or a hay cut if required and can be applied during the spring and summer. Available in 20kg bags, it is suggested five to seven bags per acre, at a cost of £135 per acre. BS Paddock Low Nitrogen and Autumn Paddock Fertiliser 4.4.12 is a high quality fertiliser specifically designed for the unique nutritional requirements of horse and pony pastures. Low Nitrogen content reduces a sudden flush of growth and it is suitable for use as an autumn treatment to improve winter hardiness. It can also be used when re-seeding to improve plant development. The cost is £125 per acre.

Suregrow Suregrow (www.suregrowuk.com) is a brand leader in the UK for horse and pony paddocks and its fertiliser products have been developed from research and trials specifically for horse and pony paddocks. Importantly, horses can be turned out immediately after application, so there is no upheaval, and movement of stock during application is not normally required. It provides consistent growth, avoiding lush growth and associated health problems through the content of slow release nutrients. It enriches grass, producing nutrients in the grass essential for the well-being of horses. It sustains growth

Suregrow Fertiliser and lengthens the growing period of the grass, providing more standing forage. It is also beneficial for resilient roots, stimulating root development and strength to ensure quick recovery of damaged areas of turf. Contact: Suregrow, Sure Fertiliser Products Ltd, Knaresborough House, High Street, Knaresborough HG5 OHL, 01423 223045/07976 262543, sales@suregrowuk.com.

Soil testing Soil tests cost an average £35 per sample and are essential to determine the nutrient value of our paddocks and upon which to base our use of fertilisers and feed supplements. Many supplements are fed unnecessarily and the nutrients they provide are already to be found within a well-maintained paddock. It is recommended to take a 250gm sample from a central point of each acre/paddock and there are laboratories nationwide able to conduct tests.

Harrow It is useful to harrow or rake at any time as a grass conditioner. The removal of moss and other debris from the base of the sward will stimulate ryegrass and help grasses compete against weeds. If a vigorous clover content is important to you, then do not harrow too often as it can damage the clover stolons.

Next Month:

YEARLING NUTRITION & SALES PREP

VET FORUM: THE EXPERT VIEW By MARK HILLYER, BVSc PhD DipECVS DipECEIM MRCVS

Colic in the thoroughbred The first of a two-part feature examining the causes of this common affliction

olic is a condition that historically has often had catastrophic implications for the affected horse and therefore naturally fills owners with a sense of dread when realising that their horse may be affected. Whilst most colic episodes are successfully managed with conservative or medical treatment, there remains a small proportion where treatment is not successful. The loss of a number of high-profile horses to colic every year serves only to maintain the importance of the condition in the public eye. This first article hopes to explain the background to colic, why one horse may be affected and not another, and what factors may be helpful in avoiding colic.

The gastrointestinal tract Many people ask why horses seem more prone to colic than other animals, and whilst direct comparisons are not possible there is no doubt that the incidence and impact of colic seems far greater in horses compared to man and other domestic species such as dogs, cats and farm animals. Horses are obligate herbivores, normally eating only plant material. Like all mammalian herbivores they are unable to digest the cellulose component of plants on their own. Instead they rely on the activity of microbes contained within their gastrointestinal tract to do this digestion, but unlike the ruminants (cattle and sheep) where the fermentation of cellulose occurs in the modified stomachs (fore gut), the horse uses the hind gut (caecum and colon). This adaptation classifies the horse as a hind gut fermenter similar to the elephant and woolly mammoth. As a design strategy, fore gut fermenters (cattle and sheep) are the most efficient at extracting nutrients from herbage. However, the hind gut fermenters are considered more efficient at extracting nutrients when there is a steady supply of low quality herbage. This makes them well adapted to continuous grazing of plains and prairies, but not well adapted to the artificial irregular feeding regimes often imposed by domestication. As well as the digestive functions, the other main role of the gastrointestinal tract is as a tube with an in-built pumping system to propel ingested plant material from the mouth to the sites of digestion and absorption along the tract and then to propel the residual waste

material out as faeces. It is malfunction or failure of the propulsion of ingesta along the tract that is the main cause of colic. Unfortunately for the horse there are a number of inherent trouble spots along the gastrointestinal tract which are predisposed to blockage or breakdown. These are generally consequences of the unique way in which the 30 metres of equine intestinal tract is arranged, folded and supported within the abdomen. Marked narrowings are present at some sites and other segments of the intestine have extremely long attachments allowing them to move around within the abdomen. There is certainly truth in the statement that the layout of a horse’s intestines was not designed by a plumber.

Causes of colic In mammals, conscious sensation from the gastrointestinal tract is largely limited to stretching (distension) and ischaemia (loss of blood supply). Of these, stretch receptors are by far the most commonly activated. Thus any excess distension or spasm along the tract will stimulate the stretch receptors, resulting in the sensation of abdominal discomfort or pain. It is the abnormal behaviour shown by the horse in response to this abdominal pain that we recognise as colic. This behaviour may manifest in mild cases as depression, lack of appetite, yawning, pawing at the ground and lying down. In more severe cases, with greater degrees of distension and/or ischaemia, then more violent behaviour may be seen with continual pawing, rolling and thrashing. In some cases horses will adopt unusual postures, presumably in an attempt to relieve the stretching of the intestine or its supporting structures. Foals will often persistently lie on their backs and adults will occasionally adopt a dog-sitting posture. Whilst the particular signs of colic may give an indication of the severity of the problem, they do not give any reliable indication of the cause. By far the most common cause of colic in the horse is known as ‘spasmodic’ (or benign or medical) colic. It results from a transient disturbance to the normal co-ordinated intestinal contractions which result in the propulsion of ingesta along the tract. The result of this is local areas of distension and spasm which result in stimulation of the stretch receptors and signs of colic. This type

of colic is usually quite mild but can on occasion be more severe. It may account for up to 80% of colic episodes seen. Less commonly, there will be an actual physical obstruction to the passage of ingesta. These types of colic are known as simple obstructions. Within this group of simple obstructions a blockage with feed material is the most usual cause. One particular site of the horse’s intestinal tract is most prone to these as an unfortunate consequence of the presence of both a marked narrowing of the tube and a fixed 180 degree U-bend. This site is called the pelvic flexure of the large intestine and pelvic flexure impactions are the most common type of simple obstruction. Other physical obstructions result from kinking of the intestine. This may result in just a simple obstruction but on other occasions there is also a degree of twisting. Any significant twisting is invariably serious as there is potential for the blood vessels to that segment of intestine to be occluded as well as the inevitable obstruction to the lumen. This results in loss of the blood supply to the intestine, which undergoes ischaemia and ultimately necrosis (death of the tissues). This situation is an emergency as almost invariably surgical treatment is required to undo the twist to restore the blood supply to the intestine or even remove the affected segment if the ischaemia has progressed too far. Uncommonly, an obstruction to the intestine is caused by a failure of normal motility. This paralysis of either a segment or all of the intestinal tract results in a functional obstruction as ingesta is no longer moving along the tract. It may be transient or can be permanent.

Incidence of colic In the last 20 years, much epidemiological research has been undertaken to expand our knowledge of colic in the horse. We now know that for every 100 thoroughbred horses in training over a one-year period there is likely to be seven episodes of colic. We also know that these seven episodes of colic are likely to occur in six horses, which tells us that one horse is likely to have more than one episode of colic. This may not surprise many horse owners and confirms the long-standing belief that some horses are more prone to colic than others. These figures cover THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

DR MARK HILLYER/NEH

Pawing the ground is a common sign of colic symptoms, as are lack of appetite, lying down and rolling; horses will sometimes sit like a dog to relieve discomfort

all types of colic and were drawn from a study of over half of all the thoroughbreds in training in the UK at the time. Whilst differences will invariably exist between different individual premises, this study allows a baseline estimate for the overall prevalence of colic in the thoroughbred in training. Other studies show a broadly similar estimate for the prevalence of colic in breeding thoroughbreds.

Risk factors for colic Further studies have specifically looked at factors which might predispose a horse to being at an increased risk of colic. Many of these studies have now been undertaken and, whilst some looked only at specific types of colic or specific groups of horses, it is now possible to have a more global understanding of what might be the important risk factors. Age seems to have little effect, except at the extremes where youngsters and older horses appear at increased risk. Breed also seems to have little effect other than for the Arabian, who appears at increased risk. There is also little effect of gender on the overall colic frequency. However, within specific types of colic, such as those associated with lesions caused by foaling, there will be an obvious gender effect as these types of colic are seen only in the broodmare. Almost all epidemiological studies of colic have identified a strong effect of a previous episode of colic resulting in an increased risk for a further episode of colic. This is consistent with the previous finding that some individual horses appear prone to colic and suffer multiple episodes, whilst others on the same premises and under the same management will show no colic signs. As well as the risk being increased by a horse having had a previous colic episode, the risk of future colic is further increased if a horse has had a THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

previous episode which required surgery. One other factor that has repeatedly been shown to be associated with an increased risk is the performance of windsucking/crib-biting behaviour. Currently it is not known if this association is cause or effect, but it is known that a ‘cribber’ will be at increased risk of suffering colic episodes compared to a horse who does not exhibit this behaviour. The risk factors already mentioned are classified as unalterable. The owner of an aged Arabian horse with a history of previous colic episodes that required surgical treatment and who is also an habitual crib-biter can only accept that this horse will be at significantly increased risk of further colic. However, in most instances these further episodes of colic will be benign and/or medically treatable. Fortunately there are also a number of alterable risk factors which have been identified. By definition, knowledge of these, and their avoidance, has the potential to allow an owner to reduce the risk of their horse suffering from colic. In general, both increased duration and increased intensity of exercise, and more importantly a sudden change in exercise level, are associated with an increased risk of colic. This is particularly seen for one specific type of colic, the impaction of the pelvic flexure of the large colon. This is commonly seen associated with a recent reduction in level of exercise such as when a horse in full training has to change to enforced box rest as a result of an orthopaedic injury. This is further borne out by studies showing increased colic risk is associated with an increasing proportion of the day spent stabled and a decreased proportion of the day spent at pasture. Multiple studies have looked at the effects of feeding on the incidence of colic. Unfortunately, specific results can be hard to

interpret as not only do feeding regimes differ markedly between premises but in many instances the feeding regime will vary between horses in adjacent stables on the same premises. In summary, an increased risk of colic is associated with increased feeding of grain and concentrates and offering fewer but larger feeds. There are a few specific colic causes which result from particular feeding practices. Use of Coastal Bermuda hay (particularly in North America) is associated with an increased risk of creating an impaction in a specific region of the small intestine. Horses kept in sandy paddocks with short or sparse vegetation are prone to inadvertent sand ingestion which accumulates in the large intestine and can cause recurrent colic and impactions. Intestinal parasites continue to play a major role in some types of colic. The large red worms, the small red worms, tapeworms and ascarids can each be responsible for specific types of colic. Control or elimination of these parasites will therefore reduce the risk and incidence of these types of colic.

Prevention Unfortunately, as already mentioned, the design and function of a horse’s gastrointestinal tract is such that elimination of all colic episodes is unlikely to be an achievable aim. However, knowledge of the expected rate of colic episodes does allow us to recognise a situation where a group of horses appear to be suffering an abnormally high incidence of colic. In this situation, further investigation of possible risk factors is warranted, with particular emphasis on identifying any alterable risk factors. If these are found there is then the potential to alter the management in order to reduce or remove these risk factors and hopefully reduce the colic incidence.

Conclusion Whilst there is no doubt recent studies have significantly advanced our understanding of the causes of colic, it is sobering to review the conclusions reached from careful observation over 100 years ago by our forebears. Caulton Reeks, in his treatise of the common colics of the horse published in 1909, stated: “Far and away the most common cause of equine colics is the one that may be best described by the single word ‘domestication’.” This is probably just as true today as then. Dr Mark Hillyer is the Head of Soft Tissue Surgery, Internal Medicine and Intensive Care at Newmarket Equine Hospital

NEXT MONTH: Treating colic 81

Malton development gets the go-ahead Last year Racing Homes secured the purchase of a property in Malton in order to develop safe, supported accommodation for young stable staff in the North Yorkshire racing centre. This follows the tragedy of two young jockeys, Jan Wilson and Jamie Kyne, losing their lives as the result of a fire in flats at Norton, near Malton, in September 2009. Planning permission has now been granted to create four units of supported accommodation on the upper floors, with a communal lounge, kitchen and bathroom. The ground floor will serve as office accommodation for Welfare Officers covering the north east and the outbuildings will be re-developed to create two further units of accommodation plus a community suite. This will be available to the wider racing community in the area and will contain an IT and resources centre.

Lesley prepares for French challenge Chief Executive admits she will be “outside of my comfort zone” for charity cycle ride from St Malo to Cannes in June

Putting faces to names Newly appointed Head of Welfare, Simone Sear, is determined to ensure that members of her team become familiar faces among training yards and studs. She has initiated a programme of visits to racing establishments around the UK and Welfare Officers are meeting employers and staff. They are discussing the work of the charity and taking leaflets and posters to ensure that all racing staff, and employers, have a good understanding of the services offered by Racing Welfare. Simone’s view is that really good communication is possible only if every effort is made to build personal relationships and she said: “Ideally I would like one person in each workplace to be nominated as the point of liaison with Racing Welfare. We are racing’s charity and it is vital that everybody understands our role and how we can help them.”

On your bike: Lesley Graham in training for her 1,400km French adventure