Thoroughbred Owner Breeder

£4.95 APRIL 2019 ISSUE 176

Roll on Aintree

Terrific Tiger targets Grand National double

PLUS

Jamie Osborne

Toasting twenty years’ training

Breeze-up market

04

Optimism ahead of sales season

Tom Marquand

‘I’d love to be champion jockey’

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22/03/2019 16:53

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“SHE’S STRONG AND WE’RE DELIGHTED WITH HER SO FAR”

“LOOKS RACY AND IS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD”

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Welcome

Winning as a trainer is not just passing the post first

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£4.95 APRIL 2019 ISSUE 176

Roll on Aintree

Terrific Tiger targets Grand National double

PLUS

Jamie Osborne

Toasting twenty years’ training

Breeze-up market

04

Optimism ahead of sales season

Tom Marquand

‘I’d love to be champion jockey’

Apr_176_CoverV3.indd 1

9 771745 435006

www.ownerbreeder.co.uk

Cover: Grand National favourite Tiger Roll and Keith Donoghue storm to victory in the Glenfarclas Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March Photo: George Selwyn

Apr_176_Editors.indd 1

Edward Rosenthal Editor

22/03/2019 16:53

he Flat season has arrived and every trainer in the country is hoping to send out as many winners as possible in a bid to beat their previous year’s tally. Or are they?

Jamie Osborne, now in his 20th season with a licence, takes a different view at his Lambourn base. The former jump jockey, associated with the likes of Travado and Large Action during a stellar riding career, knows that number of winners alone will not allow his business to prosper and retain owners, the lifeblood of the sport.

The man who came within a whisker of capturing the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Toast Of New York understands and accepts that selling on young horses for profit is the best way to make his operation viable – perhaps not surprising, given the poor state of prize-money at a number of racecourses in the UK at present.

“I’ve never been frightened to take a risk. That’s nearly broken me, but now it’s kind of good,” Osborne tells Chris Cook in a frank and fascinating interview (The Big Interview, pages 46-50).

“We’re dealing in enough horses that we’re going to have some nice, valuable ones. They might go completely under the radar, from the point of view of you in the press knowing about them, because they’ll be sold the minute they’ve done anything.

“Doing what I do, you have a choice between the Racing Post table and the balance sheet.

John Gosden and co can have both, a healthy balance sheet and a sexy Racing Post table.

Where I’m doing it, in that middle ground, buying commercial animals, I’ve got a choice. I can’t have both. If I choose to improve my stats, I’ll end up making less money.

“So, there’s no room for ego. But I had enough ego massage in the first half of my career. I’m not after that, I don’t care. When somebody goes and wins with one of my horses, even if they’ve claimed it off me, I am genuinely delighted.”

Osborne will no doubt be hoping to pick up some new recruits at the upcoming breeze-up sales, which will gauge market confidence in the bloodstock market after the uncertainty caused

by Brexit.

As Nancy Sexton discovers (pages 58-64), consignors are cautiously optimistic, with the exploits of a number of European breeze-up graduates, including Kentucky Derby contender War Of Will, set to attract increased numbers of buyers to this year’s round of auctions.

Osborne may no longer be involved in the jumps arena in which he used to ply his trade, but he did take to social media to give his view on the controversy surrounding the National Hunt Chase at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. In a contest in which only four of the 18 runners completed, three amateurs were banned, including Declan Lavery, who finished third on a horse deemed too tired to continue by the stewards on the day.

The BHA supported the decision to hand Lavery a ten-day suspension but the Disciplinary

“Jamie Osborne accepts that selling on horses makes his business viable” Panel overturned the verdict. As results go, this appeal was odds-on to succeed.

A new stewarding system was introduced in January, with the BHA promising it would raise the bar on professionalism and integrity. Since then we’ve had the wrong winner being called at Sandown’s Imperial Cup fixture and now jockeys being penalised for trying too hard.

Creating a negative news story during jump racing’s biggest celebration was unfortunate, to say the least. Though equine welfare is more important than ever, as Nicholas Cooper discusses in this month’s ROA Leader (page 5), there are more meaningful changes that could be brought in to improve conditions for horses in Britain, which already has the highest welfare standards of any racing jurisdiction in the world. Just ask Jamie Osborne.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Contents

April 2019

19

46

66

News & Views

International Scene

ROA Leader

View From Ireland

Improving equine welfare

5

7

News Noel Fehily retires

8

12

Howard Wright Levy Board back from the brink...again

32

39

Features The Big Picture At the Cheltenham Festival

19

From The Archives Monksfield and Night Nurse in 1977

The Big Interview

Travel and Lifestyle

Talking To...

With trainer Jamie Osborne

42

36

Around The Globe

Racing Life Spotlight on exploring Kildare

2

Christopher Head follows famous family

Irad Ortiz Jnr and Sunlight unstoppable

Changes News in a nutshell

34

Continental Tales

TBA Leader Disease surveillance vital

John McConnell's talented recruits

Young jockey Tom Marquand

30 46 52

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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36

58 52

Features

Forum

Breeze-Up Market Future bright despite Brexit

TBA Forum 58

Sales Circuit Point winners realise huge sums

66

Caulfield Files Harder to find top US juvenile sires

72

Dr Statz Shuttle stallions' mixed fortunes

94

Courses and seminars schedule

84

Vet Forum 90

Eye conditions in focus

Data Book Graded Races Winners assessed

95

The Finish Line With Dr Johnny Hon

96

Forum The Thoroughbred Club Superb member offers

74

ROA Forum Industry Ownership Days in 2019

76

Did you know?

Our monthly average readership is

20,000 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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22/03/2019 17:57

ROA Leader

Nicholas Cooper President

New welfare strategy an essential step forward T

he friction that stemmed from the Cheltenham stewards’ decision to place a ten-day suspension on Declan Lavery after he finished third on Jerrysback in the National Hunt Chase (subsequently overturned by the Disciplinary Panel) was symptomatic of the increasing dilemma that horse welfare poses for the racing industry.

Of course, it is right that the BHA, as racing’s governing authority, wants to do everything in its power to protect the image of our sport, but it is equally clear to see why horsemen are sometimes exasperated by decisions made by people they perceive to have inadequate practical experience of dealing with horses or, in the Cheltenham case, jump racing.

It is right that the BHA has become increasingly sensitive to the public’s perception of racing, believing this will impact on how future governments view our sport, but just as understandable is a growing concern that racing could become so sanitised that it is no longer the sport we know and love.

Within this dilemma, factions exist at the extremes. While many animal rights protesters will not be satisfied until they see racing banned, there are those among racing professionals who believe we have already gone too far in appeasing the ‘dogooders’. That said, it is one of life’s little ironies that the horse people who are often castigated by animal rights protesters for perpetuating what they perceive to be a cruel sport are the very same people who understand, love and care for horses to an extent that many of the so-called animal protectionists could never appreciate.

In steering a mid-course, the BHA, working with horsemen and women, has made significant progress. For instance, in the past 20 years fatal injuries on racecourses have decreased by a third; faller rates in jump races are now at an all-time low of 2.53% of runners; and whip offences have halved despite the threshold for permitted use having also been halved.

However, the BHA believes there is much more to be done if racing is to stay connected with the modern world and to continue to police its own industry. It is surely unarguable that any governing authority has to remain sensitive to the on-going changes in society and public attitudes. Without it, our sport would become gradually more vulnerable to governments themselves imposing changes that racing would not want. In any case, racing continues to need the support of successive governments, in particular for future legislative changes relating to the scope of the levy.

The BHA is the first to admit that its relationship with the horsemen over horse welfare needs to be improved, especially when it comes to communication with trainers and jockeys.

Apr_176_ROALeader.indd 5

To this end, the sport’s regulators are now in the process of setting up a cross-racing Welfare Board to develop an industry-wide strategy, with an independent Chair and ROA representation, while the ROA Board is itself forming a welfare committee that would feed into the new board.

Obviously, the risk factor in racing, particularly jumping, will never be completely eliminated, but the BHA recognises that much more fact-based evidence should lead to minimising risks and reducing the number of horse injuries and fatalities.

The first step would be to conduct analysis of past racing over a long period that would tell us much more about the prevailing conditions when racecourse injuries and fatalities

“The BHA is the first to admit that its relationship with horsemen on horse welfare must improve” occurred. And from this detail, we would recognise the factors that significantly increase risk, from which we could then at least make pre-emptive decisions if we chose to do so.

It is such a pity that this year’s Cheltenham Festival should have been damaged by the fallout from the National Hunt Chase – not only because the Festival contained several events that made it the envy of any sporting occasion anywhere, but also because there can never have been a race meeting where more care of the equine performers was taken.

Much will have been learnt from this episode, however, and the future for horse welfare looks bright.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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The TBA, with you for the journey We invest significantly in equine health, veterinary research and development projects, in fact over ÂŁ2.1m in the last decade alone.

We are currently contributing to important parasitic worms research, early pregnancy loss studies, EHV vaccine development and the Equine Infectious Disease Service. We are also instrumental in the delivery of the HBLB Codes of Practice, key to maintaining the health and welfare of British bloodstock.

Why wouldn’t you support us?

thetba.co.uk

TBA Leader

Julian Richmond-Watson Chairman

No corners can be cut in protecting our heritage T

he recent incidents of Equine Influenza (EI) in racing yards and the wider equine population, which brought about the cancellation of all racing in Britain for almost a week, demonstrated how important biosecurity is in every aspect of looking after not only thoroughbreds but horses of all kinds.

Equine influenza is a very contagious virus and has most serious consequences for young foals and sick or unvaccinated horses. For this reason, everyone involved with rearing or handling thoroughbreds in any form of activity must support the regulatory authorities in their response, which means doing everything possible to contain outbreaks and reduce the risk, while being vigilant at all times where a horse’s health is concerned.

Vaccination on a regular basis is now especially important.

However, it has to be borne in mind that although there are fewer strains of influenza than in humans, it takes much longer for them to be incorporated into horse vaccines. Immunity offered by current equine vaccines has been very good overall, and when given in late pregnancy they provide the only way to protect young foals who themselves are too young to be vaccinated.

It is impossible to guard against every disease – especially given the mobility of the racing activity – when horses gather together for races, public sales and other events, but by segregating different groups as much as possible and undertaking good biosecurity, the spread of infection can be minimised.

Bloodstock sales are obviously high risk, with horses stabled close to each other and being paraded for inspection, so prevention of transmitting disease must be the priority, together with a robust vaccination policy.

During February’s EI outbreak, the Animal Health Trust (AHT) carried out invaluable work by testing thousands of swabs from horses stabled throughout Britain in a short space of time. The exercise, introduced at very short notice, proved how invaluable that resource is, and was a visible demonstration of the requirement to ensure that the capability for a rapid response to any disease outbreak is always available.

Of course, there is an insurance cost to maintaining this availability, but the cost of delay is more significant. In this instance every day of lost racing, which cuts through to every sector, would have far outweighed the cost of ensuring that the sport was well prepared.

On a similar subject, the ongoing research being conducted at the AHT to develop a better vaccine for the Equine Herpes Virus type 1 (EHV1), which causes respiratory disease, abortion and neurological disorders in horses, is vitally important.

Up to date evidence from Britain and abroad confirms the need for a more effective vaccine.

Apr_176_TBA_Leader.indd 7

With support from the Alborada Trust, the Levy Board and TBA, among others, the AHT’s research work is in its second year. It will be several years before the scientists and veterinarians know if an effective vaccine can be found, and even longer for one to be brought forward by a pharmaceutical company for widespread use. However, that lengthy timeframe should not stop everyone involved from investing in this and other very necessary research.

The bloodstock industry is also very fortunate, and grateful, to have the Levy Board’s support for research through its Veterinary Advisory Council. Those critics who question the cost of some of the work should bear in mind the welfare aspects that are being addressed, as well as the potentially enormous immediate cost that would fall on breeding and racing if they were affected by a serious disease outbreak.

“Any temptation to relax the work needed to seek vaccines and medicines must be resisted” Whether it is Equine Influenza or EHV1, any temptation to relax the work needed to seek preventative vaccines and medicines, to be used alongside tight biosecurity and the Levy Board’s Code of Practice, must be resisted.

The TBA and its veterinary committee will continue to support relevant research and will work to keep members well informed on the risks out there. However, in the end it is up to every individual how they run their studs and to make sure that any disease outbreak is as contained as possible.

I wish you all the best for the rest of the breeding season, and most particularly for healthy horses.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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News

Noel Fehily calls time on riding career

Over and out: Noel Fehily revealed his decision to retire after his victory at the Festival

N

oel Fehily has retired from the saddle after a stellar career highlighted by two Champion Hurdle triumphs and two victories in the King George VI Chase.

The 43-year-old revealed his decision after riding 50-1 shot Eglantine Du Seuil to victory at Cheltenham last month, his seventh Festival success, which he said “seems like the perfect ending”.

Fehily rode around 1,350 winners over jumps in Britain and Ireland, recording his first win in 1998.

He won the Champion Hurdle on Rock On Ruby in 2012 and Buveur D’Air two

years ago, and in between won back-toback King Georges on Silviniaco Conti, in 2013 and 2014.

Fehily also won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Special Tiara, the day after his success on Buveur D’Air. “It’s a young man’s game, you can’t go on forever,” he explained. “I will be 44 this year, I’ve had a great time, loved every minute of it and I’ll miss it like hell.”

Fehily will be missed by his professional colleagues too, though seeing he has been through the mill this season with injuries and related

complications, they were also pleased he retired in one piece.

Eglantine Du Seuil’s trainer, Willie Mullins, said: “It’s great to see him going out on such a high. It was a fantastic ride from Noel, it was very special.”

Paul Nicholls, who trained Silviniaco Conti for Fehily’s big supporter Jared Sullivan, and Rock On Ruby when he won the Champion Hurdle, said: “He’s probably made a wise decision. He’s been a brilliant jockey and ridden lots of winners for lots of people. Everyone will wish him well.”

Harry Fry took on Rock On Ruby, and also saddled Unowhatimeanharry to victories in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham and Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown with Fehily in the saddle.

Fry, also speaking to the Racing Post, said: “He’s been a brilliant jockey and is a brilliant person. I’m absolutely delighted for him to get another Festival winner, and to be able to announce his retirement on the biggest stage of all.

“He’s been a huge part in my early career and will leave a huge hole – not just for us but in the weighing room and the sport.

“He’s been a doyen of the sport and I’m thrilled for him, he’s had a really tough month with appendicitis, and it’s great to see him riding a winner at the Festival.”

Fehily added on BBC Radio: “I could go on but I was very ill in January and February, and it didn’t look like I would make the Festival for a while. So to come here and ride a winner seems like the perfect ending.

“I’m lucky and had some great days. I have ridden some lovely horses and had great support.”

Santa Anita revises medication rules after 22 Santa Anita was due to reopen at the end of last month after a torrid spell that saw 22 equine fatalities (during racing and training) at the racecourse since Boxing Day. The famous venue in southern California, which is set to host the Breeders’ Cup for the tenth time this year, was temporarily closed in order for the dirt and turf tracks to be analysed and safety and medication rules to be assessed.

8

The Stronach Group – which owns the track and Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco – and the Thoroughbred Owners of California reached an agreement to bring in the most stringent medication rules in North American racing.

No horse born in or after 2018 will be permitted to run at Santa Anita, or Golden Gate Fields, if they have received raceday medication, including the anti-bleeding drug Lasix. That

means all juveniles running in 2020 and beyond will race medication-free.

All horses born before 2018 will compete at the two tracks under the same guidelines, but Lasix will still be permitted, at 50% of current levels.

Nearly every country outside the United States does not allow Lasix, certainly on raceday, yet only 3.6% of the near-300,000 starters last year in the US ran without the drug.

Louis Romanet, Chairman of the

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Stories from the racing world

Claude Berry after winning on Majestic Prince at Carlisle in 1962

Death of noted breeder Claude Berry Claude Berry, breeder of three-time Group 1 winner Old Country, passed away at his home in Devon on February 27, aged 80.

Berry was a successful amateur rider in the 1950s and 60s and trained a small string of jumpers under permit for himself and his first wife Caroline when living in the Scottish Borders.

They subsequently started breeding horses, establishing Firth Stud at their farm.

Easily the best horse whom Berry bred was Old Country, whose victory in the Group 1 Derby Italiano in 1982 made him not only a rare Scottish-bred Classic winner, but also the first Group 1 winner trained by Luca Cumani.

Old Country, whom Berry bred from the Aggressor mare Little Miss, bought in foal to Balliol for 2,000 guineas at Tattersalls’ December Sale in 1974, subsequently added to his haul by taking the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak in 1983 and the Group 1 Premio Roma in 1985, as well as the Group 3 Jockey Club Cup in 1984. During this period, Berry served as the Scottish small breeders’ representative on the

Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

While living in Scotland, Berry acted as a steward at Kelso, Carlisle and Hamilton. Subsequently returning to his native Devon, he was more recently a steward at Exeter and Taunton until compulsorily stepping down from that role when he reached 70 in 2008.

Over the years he owned or part-owned a number of horses in training with Nigel Angus, Peter Bailey and Philip Hobbs as well as his younger son, John, the Newmarket-based trainer.

Berry spent the final couple of decades of his working life at the Tryon Gallery in London, of which he became a director.

He wrote one book while working there, The Racehorse in Twentieth Century Art, and subsequently wrote Racing at the Top, a history of Exeter racecourse.

Berry remained in relatively good health right up to his death. He is survived by his two sons, John and his elder brother Dominic, a lecturer in Classics at Edinburgh University, and his grandson Anthony.

horse deaths International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, said in a statement: “I am in complete support of the actions and decisions made by The Stronach Group to bring its medication policies into line with international standards.

“I am calling on other jurisdictions and race organisers in the United States to adopt stringent medication principles.”

Santa Anita: drug-free for juveniles in 2020

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THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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News

Dascombe and O’Keeffe teams triumph Northern-based trainers Tom Dascombe and Jedd O’Keeffe are the 2019 winners of the Lycetts Team Champion Award, presented in a ceremony in London on February 28.

The Lycetts Team Champion Awards, supported by the National Trainers Federation, celebrate the British racehorse training yards with the highest standards of employee management. There are two categories: trainers with more than 40 horses and trainers with under 40 horses.

The winning yards were presented with a trophy and awarded a £4,000 prize to benefit and support their teams at the event, hosted by ITV Racing presenter Sally Ann Grassick.

Collecting the award on behalf of husband Jedd in the under-40 category, Andrea O’Keeffe said: “Firstly it should be Jedd standing here but he has flu – the human version! – so he is really sorry he cannot be here.

“It means the absolute world but it’s really about these guys and the team that we have who are amazing. We love working with them, they just pull out all the stops in every respect. This whole process has been a really good thing for us to go through as a team.

“We can’t believe we’ve won and to hear the comments on the other yards

Henry Owen, Josh Bennett, Jennifer Sherrard and Tom Dascombe with Yogi Breisner

you are sitting here thinking ‘there is no way we are going to win!’ because everyone is doing such amazing work in their yards too.”

Tom Dascombe was modest when receiving his trophy in the over 40 category. “I think we have a good team spirit. It’s really all down to the team and nothing to do with me,” said the

Cheshire-based handler.

Yogi Breisner chaired the judging panel and presented the prizes. He said: “In this, the second year of the Lycetts Team Champion Award, it’s very encouraging to see how a lot of trainers have embraced the concept and have upped their game and improved from the already high standard that we saw last year.”

Lavery succeeds in appeal after Cheltenham ban Amateur jockey Declan Lavery was successful in his appeal against a ten-day suspension imposed by the Cheltenham stewards during last month’s Festival.

In a controversial renewal of the four-mile National Hunt Chase in

which only four of the 18 runners finished, Lavery was adjudged to have persevered with Jerrysback contrary to the horse’s welfare, the stewards believing his mount was too tired to continue and should have been pulled up after an error at the

Only four of the 18 runners completed in this year’s National Hunt Chase

10

second last fence. The duo finished third, 47 lengths behind winner Le Breuil.

At a hearing in London on March 21, the Disciplinary Panel quashed the original ruling and returned the rider’s deposit, to the delight of Jerrysback’s trainer Philip Hobbs, who said that “justice was done”.

The ban caused uproar, upsetting many owners, trainers and riders, with 20-time champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy declaring on ITV that it was the worst decision he had seen in 25 years.

Two other amateurs incurred the wrath of the Cheltenham stewards after their rides in the National Hunt Chase but chose not to appeal. Robert James, aboard last fence faller Just Your Type, was suspended for 19 days and Noel McParlan, whose mount Mulcahys Hill fell at the second last, received eight days.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Changes

Racing’s news in a nutshell

People and business

Robert Havlin

Rider who is an important part of champion trainer John Gosden’s set-up set to miss the start of the turf season due to injury.

Callum Rodriguez

Jockey who won the Ebor on Nakeeta two years ago is suspended after he tests positive for cocaine at Southwell in February.

Grand National course

Jockeys who have not ridden more than twice over the unique fences must undertake a course walk at the National meeting.

Nick Mitchell

Trainer who saddled The Listener to Grade 1 glory in the JNwine Champion Chase to quit for financial reasons.

Ludlow

Track fined £3,500 after failing to provide clean stable boxes at its meeting on February 6.

Hugely successful jockey appoints Shelley Dwyer as his agent, though Dave ‘Shippy’ Ellis will remain on his team.

Fred Done

Betfred boss donates £1.25 million to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the firm’s retail profits from day one of Cheltenham.

Ken Slack 51

Cumbria-based livestock farmer-turned-trainer who had a reputation for pummelling the bookmakers.

Claude Berry 80

Group 1-winning breeder who also served as a steward at several tracks, and was the father of Newmarket trainer John (see page 9).

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Cheltenham’s blue riband event maintains top spot in the LadbrokesCoral Festival turnover list, with all Friday’s races in top ten.

Liam Treadwell

Grand National-winning jockey comes out of retirement to resume career after missing the buzz of race-riding.

BetBright

Online bookmaker ceases trading after purchase by 888 in £15 million deal.

Gerald Mosse

People obituaries

Gold Cup

All-weather venue

Horse Racing Ireland asks for expressions of interest with a view to a second allweather track in Ireland being established.

King Power Racing

Adds Sir Michael Stoute, Karl Burke and Tim Easterby to trainer roster, and appoints Silvestre De Sousa as retained rider.

Les Carlyon 76

Journalist and author who wrote many books on various characters in racing, notably Bart Cummings and Roy Higgins.

Pat Knox 81

Owner-breeder from County Durham whose best runners included Spinatrix, a ten-time winner who earned £200,000.

Willie Buckley 69

Worked for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s security team who was on duty at Dundalk when taken ill.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Changes

Racehorse and stallion

Movements and retirements

Pacha Du Polder Aclaim

National Stud sire, winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret, will shuttle to Queensland for the 2019 breeding season.

Dual Foxhunter winner for the Stewart family is retired aged 12 after competing in this year’s race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Redkirk Warrior Sioux Nation

Group 1-winning juvenile will shuttle to Victoria, giving the state’s breeders access to influential Scat Daddy line for the first time.

Quorto

Leading ante-post fancy for the 2,000 Guineas will miss the race following a training setback in Dubai.

Lancaster Bomber

Tattersalls Gold Cup hero to take up covering duties at Drakenstein Stud, South Africa for southern hemisphere breeding season.

Savello

Game 13-year-old trained by Dan Skelton is retired on the spot after winning at Southwell, which was his ninth success.

Chase The Spud

Midlands National winner in 2017 for the Fergal O’Brien stable is retired aged 11.

Ten-furlong handicap winner in Britain reinvented as a three-time Group 1-winning sprinter in Australia is retired aged eight.

Buywise

Hunting career beckons for enigmatic but talented performer who is retired aged 12, winner of the 2018 Veterans Chase Final.

Horse obituaries Brundtland 4

Highly-promising stayer for Godolphin who won four of his five completed races, including a pair of French Group 2s.

Pioneerof The Nile 13

WinStar Farm’s top stallion whose progeny included US Triple Crown hero American Pharoah.

Baywing 10

The Last Samuri

Talented staying chaser for Paul and Clare Rooney, runner-up to Rule The World in the 2016 Grand National, is retired aged 11.

14

Sir Erec 4

High-class on the Flat, the hugely promising hurdler suffered a fatal leg injury during the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Last year’s Eider Chase winner for the Nicky Richards yard who excelled in deep ground and over marathon trips.

New Guard 5

Invitation Only 8

Kylecrue 12

Graham Wylie’s chaser took a fatal fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while the owner also lost Ballyward at the Festival.

Part-owned by ITV’s Jeremy Kyle, he suffered a fatal injury when making his debut in a bumper at Taunton.

Popular chaser owned and trained by John Ryan who won 12 of his 81 starts for more than £200,000 in prizemoney.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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DYLAN MOUTH Dylan Thomas (IRE) / Cottonmouth (IRE)

FO R2 01 9

• Winner of Premio Roma GBI Racing (Gr. 1) • Gran Premio Del Jockey Club (Gr. 1) • Gran Premio di Milano (Gr. 2) • Premio Federico Tesio (Gr. 2) • John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes (Gr. 3) • Won over 1m1/4f - 1m6f “Dylan Mouth has proved to be very tough horse throughout his career, he has always been sound and has had a great temperament throughout. He is versatile, handles any ground and has been an extremely professional horse to deal with.” Marco Botti

CANNOCK CHASE Lemon Drop Kid (USA) / Lynnwood Chase (USA) SA)

• Winner of the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (Gr. 1) • Tercentenary Stakes, Royal Ascot (Gr. 3) • Huxley Stakes (for the "He’s a very progressive horse that we have always Tradesman’s Cup) (Gr. 3) liked... he’s got a turn of foot and a bit of class."

• Won over 10-12f Sir Michael Stoute, Racing Post

PEACE ENVOY Power (GB) ex Hoh My Darling (GB)

“He was a very smart juvenile.”

Ryan Moore

“He reminds me very much of Rock of Gibraltar.”

Aidan O’Brien

• Winner of Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Anglesey Stakes (Gr.3) • Winner of Coolmore War Command Rochestown (C & G) Stakes (LR) • Placed 3rd in the Darley Prix Morny (Gr.1) (2yo Colts & Fillies) (Turf) to Lady Aurelia • 2nd in the GAIN Railway Stakes (Gr.2)

WORSALL GRANGE FARM

Low Worsall, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom Tel: 01642 789800 www.worsallgrange.com NOMINATIONS LUCY HORNER Email: Lucy@worsallgrange.com

Grange|2019|Roster_X3_|Pocket Worsall Grange OB Mar 2019 f-p.indd 1 Post|210mm(w) x 297mm.indd 2

12/02/2019 13:12 10:47 14/02/2019

The Big Picture

Cheltenham Festival

New Champion With dual victor Buveur D’Air falling in this year’s Unibet Champion Hurdle, owner JP McManus found a new saviour in the shape of Espoir D’Allen, trained by Gavin Cromwell (below).

The 16-1 chance travelled supremely well under Mark Walsh and bounded clear on the testing ground to defeat Melon by 15 lengths, in the process becoming the first five-year-old to take the trophy since Katchit in 2008.

Photos George Selwyn

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The Big Picture

Game as a pebble Topofthegame (above, right) showed talent and tenacity to come out best in a three-way thriller for the Grade 1 RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase. Trained by Paul Nicholls for Chris Giles and Paul Barber, the seven-year-old defeated Santini (8) and Delta Work under Harry Cobden.

Photos George Selwyn

Only four runners finished in this year’s National Hunt Chase for amateur riders. The Ben Paulingtrained Le Breuil and Jamie Codd (right) had half a length to spare over Discorama and Barry O’Neill

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Cheltenham Festival Paisley Park justified favouritism to win the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle for owner Andrew Gemmell (below), trainer Emma Lavelle and jockey Aidan Coleman, while below, Duc Des Genievres and Paul Townend take the Grade 1 Arkle Trophy

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The Big Picture

Wonder women This year saw three female riders taste success at the Cheltenham Festival.

Bryony Frost claimed the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase on Frodon (main image) for boss Paul Nicholls, Irish superstar Rachael Blackmore hit the jackpot on Cheveley Park’s A Plus Tard in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase (bottom right) and Minella Indo in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, while Lizzie Kelly took the Grade 3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase on Siruh Du Lac (right).

Photos George Selwyn

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Cheltenham Festival

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The Big Picture

County joy for Skeltons The County Hurdle has been a favourite race for the Dan Skelton stable. Successful in 2016 (Superb Story) and 2018 (Mohaayed), Ch’tibello made it three wins in four years under Dan’s brother, Harry. The rider appears to be celebrating victory well before the finish line as We Have A Dream (nearside) and Countister battle for the runner-up spot.

Photo George Selwyn

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Cheltenham Festival

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The Big Picture

Cheltenham roars for Tiger Tiger Roll is set to go off the shortest-priced favourite for the Grand National this century after looking in rude health with an easy victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. The nineyear-old, trained by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown House Stud, powered home by 22 lengths under Keith Donoghue. Tiger Roll will attempt to become the first dual National winner since Red Rum notched the second of his three victories in 1974.

Photos George Selwyn

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Cheltenham Festival City Island, trained by Martin Brassil (right) and ridden by Mark Walsh, gave the Mulryan family a victory in the race they sponsor, the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

Altior, owned by Patricia Pugh and trained by Nicky Henderson, digs deep under Nico de Boinville to see off Politologue (grey) and Sceau Royal to make it 18 consecutive wins in the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase

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The Big Picture

Smile for the Photo Paul Townend’s expression says it all; the jockey is thrilled to win his first Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup on Al Boum Photo. The victory provided redemption for the rider, having mistakenly taken Al Boum Photo out of the race when set for victory in the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown last year. The gelding’s owners, Joe and Marie Donnelly, stuck with Townend and were rewarded with their first blue riband triumph, also a first Gold Cup for trainer Willie Mullins after saddling six runners-up.

Photos George Selwyn

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Cheltenham Festival

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From The Archives

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Monksfield and Night Nurse at Aintree on April 2, 1977

Mighty duo share spoils April 2, 1977 was the day Red Rum won his third Grand National. To say that the preceding race had served up a tasty hors d’oeuvres is to put it mildly, for 42 years on, the Templegate Hurdle shared

by Monksfield (left) and Night Nurse still thrills.

The two old foes both jumped the last hurdle well enough, under Dessie Hughes and Paddy Broderick respectively, but it was Monksfield who held a definite, albeit narrow, advantage on the run to the line. Night Nurse would not go away, however, and the 4-5 favourite was adjudged to have joined Monksfield, who started at 7-2, on the line, forcing one of the most famous dead-heats in the history of the sport.

Monksfield was to win the race – now run as the Aintree Hurdle – outright for the following two years, again with Hughes in the saddle.

Photo George Selwyn

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The Howard Wright Column

Right carry on ends with Levy Board carrying on

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eep calm and carry on: the slogan that launched a thousand tea towels and souvenir mugs. It might also be a suitable tagline for the Levy Board, now that British racing’s central fundraiser has escaped from the gallows with what appears to be a final stay of execution.

Established by the Betting Levy Act in 1961, before many, if not most, of those who currently benefit from its financial pay-outs were born, the venerable institution has been under the threat of death for at least two decades.

That it survived was due entirely to there being no suitable

The Levy Board will continue to be the key organisation handling the money coming into the sport from punters

alternative on which the three sides of its existence – racing, bookmakers and government – could agree. Indeed, for the very reason of its being able to achieve a degree of equilibrium, while all around seemed to be losing theirs, it has served the sport well, whatever the individual feelings of those who longed to get their hands on its mechanism.

But, finally, the government decided it wanted out. New funding arrangements, accounting for online bets on UK horseracing for the first time, were announced in March 2016 and came into force the following April. It was also agreed that British racing would become responsible for spending levy money, for which the Gambling Commission would become the collection agency, and the Levy Board would cease to exist.

Some hope. Politics is paved with the ballast of good intentions ground into dust, and early in February, after procedural objections by a joint committee of MPs and peers, the government bowed to the inevitable and quietly said to the Levy Board, “as you were”. Keep calm and carry on, indeed, which is exactly what chairman Paul Lee said he would do.

That’s as maybe, but he cannot carry on without structural changes being made to the board and its executive, which has halved costs over the last ten years and been in closedown mode for at least half of those.

Lee’s own term of office was due to finish at the end of March.

At the time of writing, no decision had been announced by the government, but it seems reasonable to assume he will stay on at least until the end of September, when he will have completed ten years in office, one short of the record held by his predecessor

Overseas developments are a nod to British excellence A word to those Brits who gaze fondly at overseas racing and say they do things better than we do: rubbish. Two recent examples provide evidence that as far as some elements of racing and betting is concerned, ‘British is Best’.

The first comes from the New York Racing Association, which has set up what it calls the Turf Triple Series, a trio of races apiece for three-year-old colts and fillies, with those for colts run over the same distances as the US Triple Crown, to be staged between July 6 and September 7. No coincidence, of course, that this is the height of the season for top-class British Classic-crop horses.

The new-found emphasis on turf, still the preferred surface in Britain, is interesting, given the success of British- and Irish-bred and trained horses in the US over recent years. It smacks of ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.’ NYRA has even adopted Derby and Oaks for the series’ race names.

Martin Panza, NYRA’s Senior Vice-President of Racing Operations, who can claim credit for dreaming up the Turf Trinity and Turf Tiara, said the series had not been specifically established to attract European runners, but he made no bones about his desire to achieve that end.

“Usually, starting in July, the European three-year-olds have to run against older horses and so, in the August and

September races, if the European horsemen want to keep their horses running against straight three-year-olds, this will give them the chance to do so,” he told TDN reporter Bill Finley.

Thanks for the compliment, Martin. Let’s hope Ascot,

Turf racing in the United States is growing in profile and their hope is that British and Irish connections’ heads are turned

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Rob Hughes. A replacement for Lee will have to be found, but of more pressing concern is the need to fill the vacancy for a third government-appointed board member to join Lee and Lord Risby (better known in racing circles as former Newmarket MP Richard Spring).

For want of a companion, whom the government has been in no hurry to appoint but whose appearance now assumes enormous importance, the latter holds the unsatisfactory distinction of chairing the Levy Board’s three standing committees, covering audit, remuneration and investment.

There is also the sensitive subject of the betting industry board member, appointed by the Association of British Bookmakers and Remote Gambling Association, which may or may not continue to be Mike O’Kane, who has had no other direct affiliation in the industry, other than as a consultant, since he left Ladbrokes after 42 years’ service two years ago.

Then there is the question of the Betting Liaison Group, set up under the auspices of the BHA when the Racing Authority was convened to spend the levy money but now rendered homeless, despite its meeting regularly under the chairmanship of exbookmaker Wilf Walsh and, I’m assured, doing excellent work in bringing racing and betting closer over matters such as fixtures and funding. Other elements may disagree, but its rightful place is as a Levy Board sub-committee armed with improved data from both sides of the divide.

These are structural changes. Now that the Racing Authority is moribund there needs to be, above all else, an intellectual change in relation to the status of the Levy Board. There is no point in ‘racing’ acting as if the last few months never happened; what the BHA and the Racing Authority wanted is no longer achievable.

What’s more, the entity known as ‘racing’ needs to rethink its relationship with the Levy Board, if only because the political climate has changed and there is likely to be more, not less, scrutiny among certain parliamentarians about how public money derived from betting is spent. The future starts here, on April 1.

And that’s no joke.

Goodwood, York and even Doncaster have spotted the competition.

Of course, Australia has also been exposed to meaningful British and Irish competition, in response to which the Melbourne Racing Club has recently gone in the opposite direction to the NYRA. In what the MRC euphemistically described as “an attempt to correct an imbalance in favour of overseas horses”, it has halved to nine the number of international races that offer ballot-free entry to the Caulfield Cup. ‘If you can’t beat ’em, keep ’em out’, seems to be the message, which also appears to be the reaction of gambling reform campaigners in Victoria, where Paddy Power Betfair is urging the state government – with little success, it appears – to allow more than one company to operate retail betting shops.

Tabcorp, which last year gobbled up its main rival the Tatts Group, has the off-course retail monopoly in every Aussie state except one, but PPB wants to expand its Sportsbet brand, arguing that off-course betting could benefit from increased competition in the way that online wagering has led to greater consumer choice, product innovation and a “better overall experience for customers”.

Funny, isn’t it, how Australia, so often held up as having the best model for betting, is holding its line against the UK approach.

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View Fr m Ireland

McConnell gets another one

John McConnell: eye for a bargain has served him well in recent seasons

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second in his four-year-old point-topoint but didn’t hit top gear under 20 yards from the line, and I felt he was a lot better than that run, so I went over to Cheltenham sales in 2016 to buy him.”

Having not met the reserve price in the auction ring that May, McConnell met with trainer Colin Motherway to try again. They did a deal for £45,000 and McConnell sailed home with what could become the best jumps horse of his career so far.

He added: “The other thing that appealed to us about him was Colin Motherway; he does a really good job of producing young horses. We knew he was a good man to buy from because there’s something left to work with.

“We’ve been lucky with the pointers we’ve bought, we’ve had a lot of success, so we like buying out of that sphere. Pat Doyle is another we’ve found very straight to deal with, and the horses from him have lasted. We recently bought a horse off Stuart Crawford, and again, he gives them plenty of time and doesn’t rush them, so we’re very happy to buy off him.

“We wouldn’t turn away from anybody, but it would be a bonus if the horse we liked was from somebody like that.”

“We cannot afford to buy the Envoi Allens so we need an angle” The son of Irish jumps sire Stowaway immediately repaid McConnell, winning two bumpers and going on to be fourth in the Punchestown Champion Bumper.

It would take six goes to win a maiden hurdle, but after one, quickly came two, three and then that famous fourth win in the Grade 3 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles in February.

“I was surprised with how well he won,” McConnell admitted. “I knew his rating wasn’t far away. He achieved that mark in a handicap, which is the truest way of getting a rating, but we were worried about going right-handed, because his best form is going left-handed.

“Still, we had Cheltenham in mind, and I was really looking for a race that would be a prep for that. It just worked out that on ratings he had a good chance. But I didn’t expect him to win as well. He won decisively

GEORGE SELYWN

I

t took John McConnell about 13 years to win his second major jumps race, and then he almost won two in four days.

It’s the kind of momentum trainers dream of in the spring of a jumps season; a Triumph Hurdle type beaten a nose in a Grade 2, days after another novice hurdler wins a Grade 3 by nearly three lengths.

Hannon went to Cheltenham, finishing unplaced in the Triumph Hurdle, and now Go Another One will be McConnell’s first runner at the Aintree Grand National meeting, but neither would be in his care now were it not for a horse called Sophist.

McConnell said: “I started off with one horse [River Tempest] as a restricted trainer and was pottering around doing both training and veterinary. Then there was a rule change that allowed restricted trainers to train for other people – it used to be that they could train only for themselves or family.

“I had a little syndicate and we bought a horse called Sophist off the Flat, out of Jeremy Noseda’s. He ended up winning a Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse before Christmas. From that I ended up with about nine horses and the decision had to be made about whether or not I was going to start training properly. So we decided to have a go.”

Sophist, so impressive as a threeyear-old in 2006, never won again, finishing up with Evan Williams in Wales, but the ball was already rolling for McConnell at Rockview Stables in County Meath.

Fast-forward to 2012 and McConnell is placing €52,000 purchase Orgilgo Bay to be second in Listed and Group 2 company as a two-year-old, before switching the son of Lawman to hurdles to win the Lartigue Hurdle at the Listowel Festival. Then along comes Go Another One. “We can’t afford to buy the Envoi Allens of the world, so we have to have some sort of angle, and I thought Go Another One might be better than he’d shown,” McConnell said. “He’d been

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By Jessica Lamb

GEORGE SELYWN

Nipping in first for Hannon pays off big time

Hannon looks a promising hurdler for the stable

in the end – it was a real thrill.”

The seven-year-old was then a live contender for the Cheltenham Festival’s Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

However, jockey Robbie Power suggested Aintree’s flat track would suit the horse’s turn of foot better than Cheltenham.

“The Aintree race he’s going for would be a little bit easier than the Cheltenham race, too,” said McConnell, “so that’s why we opted for that.”

He added: “Robbie Power gave him a great ride at Thurles; he was patient on him and that paid dividends at the end of the race.”

He runs this month in the Grade 1

When he got beaten a nose by the Gordon Elliott-trained Chosen Mate in a Grade 2 contest, all of a sudden everybody had nearly bought Hannon, but it was John McConnell who had noticed the gelding first – and reaped the rewards.

“A lot of people have come out of the woodwork since he’s turned good saying they were just about to buy him, but I don’t know how true that is,” McConnell joked. “I do know that Nicky Richards was actually on the road from the airport to look at him when the deal was done. He told me that himself.”

Pearl Of The West’s owner, Derek Kierans, is among McConnell’s most staunch supporters, having brought Orgilgo Bay to his door, and most recently the mighty Hannon.

He’s keen on juvenile hurdlers, but it’s unusual for him to buy a horse that hasn’t raced on the Flat, like Hannon. A sign of the times, says McConnell.

Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on the Friday of the Grand National meeting, the first time McConnell has sent a runner to a fixture that was part of his inspiration for becoming a trainer in the first place.

“I’ve never had runners there, so it’ll be fun to go over,” he said. “I’d love to have a runner in the Grand National one day, that would be a big thrill for me, because it’s a race I absolutely adore.

“I actually said I’d never go unless I had a runner, but with Go Another One’s race being on the Friday, we might end up staying for the Saturday.

It all depends on how he runs. If he wins, we could stay, and if he doesn’t I could go home in a sulk!”

“It’s become so hard to buy off the Flat at the rating you’d need to be competitive,” he explained. “The money you would have to pay for an 80- or 90-rated horse is crazy.”

He added: “Hannon was running for Colm Magnier, who owns Skryne public gallops, and he had one run at Down Royal in which he nearly got brought down at the first, and got hampered very badly at another point in the race, yet still ended up being second.

“I thought that for a horse who’d never seen the racecourse before, even on the Flat, this was a pretty remarkable run. There had to be a lot of improvement in him, not only because of how things happened in the race, but the fact that he’d never run before.”

McConnell rang trainer Jessica Magnier to see if Hannon could be bought. He could. That was August. In March, the four-year-old was running at the Cheltenham Festival.

Go Another One could even become McConnell’s Grand National runner, the trainer keen to see him tried at longer distances, and confident the step back up to three miles at Aintree will bring improvement beyond his Irish rating of 138.

The spring will also see the return of McConnell’s first Cheltenham winner, Pearl Of The West, who cantered to victory in a four-year-old hurdle in October, relishing the summer ground.

The five-year-old, a Galway Festival winner on the Flat, is now being readied for the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, set to be run a week after Go Another One’s Aintree mission.

Tipperary in the frame to answer all-weather call Horse Racing Ireland’s call for a second all-weather course in Ireland could be answered by the long-dormant Tipperary Venue.

The governing body sent out a call for expressions of interest to construct such a thing early last month, citing a need to relieve pressure from Dundalk and also give those further south a more accessible all-weather venue.

The Tipperary Venue is a project in Two-Mile-Borris in County Tipperary, once set to be developed into an all-encompassing racing and equestrian

centre, with a greyhound track and 500-room hotel.

It was granted planning permission in 2011, but has lain untouched since then, owner Richard Quirke last year being handed an extension to his plan’s permission until 2023.

There was a long-running saga to get that planning permission, but this call from HRI may be the catalyst that finally turns the sod.

A racecourse redevelopment that is on the cusp of finishing is that of the Curragh.

It was due to unveil its state-of-the-art

new stands and facilities on April 13, but operational testing has delayed that until May. Naas will take that fixture and honour tickets already bought.

The following week a trial event will be staged at the Curragh, before a soft launch on May 6, which is Bank Holiday Monday in Ireland.

The grand re-opening will take place at the Guineas meeting three weeks later, now a three-day card for 2019, beginning on Friday evening, with the 2,000 Guineas centre stage on Saturday, and the 1,000 Guineas starring on Sunday.

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Continental Tales

GEORGE SELWYN

Starting small but thinking ahead

Christopher Head: latest member of famous family to take out a training licence

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FRANCE

s it an advantage to hail from a famous family when trying to make a name for yourself in the sporting world?

Do the advantages – such as instant recognition, relatives with big match experience on hand for advice, and the presumption of inherited talent – outweigh the disadvantages, such as the burden of expectation, and jealous people willing you to fail?

One of the best people to answer this question may turn out to be Christopher Head. The 33-year-old recently took out a licence to become the fifth generation of his famous family to train thoroughbreds.

But he needs to be given time – just as his father, Freddy, was before him.

The impact of the Head dynasty over the last century and a half, its contribution to French racing in particular as well as

the wider global bloodstock industry, is difficult to overstate.

Christopher’s great great grandfather, William Head snr, crossed the English Channel in an attempt to advance his riding career way back in the 1870s. He switched to training in 1900 and his son, also William, enjoyed success as a jump jockey before his 50-year stint as a trainer began in 1922.

Two years later, Alec was born.

Nowadays widely acknowledged as the doyen of European racing at the age of 94, Alec first came to prominence on British shores when finishing runner-up in the 1947 Champion Hurdle aboard Le Paillon, a horse trained by his father who would initiate the family’s love affair with France’s pre-eminent race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, by winning it that very same year.

An astonishing further ten Arc

triumphs have followed over the subsequent seven decades, including four for Alec as a trainer, four for his son Freddy as a rider, and three for Freddy’s sister, Criquette, as a trainer.

Criquette’s son-in-law, Carlos LaffonParias, also took possession of the trainer’s trophy when Solemia was successful in 2012, while Freddy’s offspring, Christopher, was his aunt’s assistant when she prepared Treve for back-to-back victories in the next two renewals.

Given these bloodlines, it is surprising that it has taken until now for Head Mark 5 to take the plunge and get his own name atop the stable gates of 2 Allée Victor Hugo, Lamorlaye, just down the road from Chantilly racecourse and adjacent to some of the best training facilities that the world has to offer.

Christopher does not come across as a

Amos on fine run in tandem with Bridgwater and Macaire British owner-breeder Terry Amos has been enjoying a fine run in jumps races in France of late.

Amos, from Deddington in Oxfordshire, has seen his ‘bright blue with black and white checked sleeves’ silks carried by a handful of inmates of the David Bridgwater yard over the past two decades.

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But he has been active in France for almost as long in association with trainer Guillaume Macaire. He began 2019 with a bang with three different homebreds, first when the half-brothers Fantastique Cotte and Onsaijamais landed a double worth almost £18,000 in prize-money at Fontainebleau on February 19 and then,

less than two weeks later, when Le Costaud won the Grade 3 Prix Robert de ClermontTonnerre at Auteuil.

His winning streak came to an end only when Bridgwater’s Cybalko crashed out at the final fence when holding a narrow lead in a handicap chase at Southwell on March 4.

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By James Crispe, IRB man pumped up by a sense of his own entitlement. Indeed, humility is at the root of many of his responses when quizzed about his decision to go it alone and his training philosophy.

“My name is just that, it’s just a surname,” he muses. “The only bad thing about it is that people expect things to work straight away, that’s why I thought it was important to get a winner on the board very early.

“It’s the horses that make us, not the other way around, and you have to acknowledge that there is an element of luck involved. Sourcing the right horses is about having an eye, an instinct, and that is where I could have an advantage, as I have been around so many great champions over the last few years.

“I want to be seen as a young trainer with new ideas but, then again, I don’t want to stray away too far from my father’s way of training.

“Children will often go through a phase when they see their father as their hero

before coming out the other side – I have never got past that stage, my father is still my hero!”

He is also in awe of his grandfather, Alec, whose well of knowledge he is only too happy to drink from. “We owe a lot to my grandfather, his passion is incredible, even now,” he says. “He may be old, but when he goes into a box to look at a horse, to feel his legs, his passion still burns through, he is like a youngster again.”

Although never far from the bosom of his family, Christopher has certainly served his apprenticeship, acting as his father’s assistant for seven years and his aunt’s for another three. The furthest he has strayed has been down to Royan, on the Atlantic coast, to work for champion jumps trainer Guillaume Macaire for three months.

“That was a really incredible time, and I think Flat trainers could learn a lot from their jumps counterparts,” he says. “They seem to get closer to their horses than we do.”

Freddy Head, despite his ancestry and the cachet of being six-time French champion jockey, took a long time to make it big as a trainer - Marchand d’Or, a modestly-bred gelding, was his only Group 1 scorer in his first ten seasons with a licence.

Fully aware of his father’s early travails, Christopher has decided to start small, with just a handful of horses, all for commercial owners. His first ever winner, Near Gold, who scored at Deauville in early January, has already been sold on to continue his career in America.

He has high hopes for his five twoyear-olds. “There are a couple that I really like, and I hope to have a runner or two in some of the early juvenile races,” he reveals.

The commercial side of his business becomes apparent again when I hit him with my killer question: ‘Why would an owner send a horse to you rather than your father?’

“Because I am cheaper!” he retorts.

Contraction evident

Bro Park: new partnership with Goodwood

Bro Park and Goodwood link up SWEDEN The new Bro Park racecourse near Stockholm has underlined its determination to promote international competition with the announcement of a new link-up with the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Any horse winning either the Glorious Stakes (1m4f, August 2), the Stewards’ Cup (6f, August 3), or the EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies’ Handicap (1m2f, July 31) will qualify for free travel to Sweden and a guaranteed place at Bro Park’s Stockholm Cup Festival on September 22 – in either the Stockholm Cup itself, the Bro Park Sprint or the Lanwades Stud Stakes.

The new arrangement should also ensure some Swedish involvement at

Goodwood because in return three races at Bro Park’s second biggest fixture of the season, on June 16, will act as qualifiers for races at the West Sussex venue – the Stockholms Stora Pris winner will gain a berth in either the Glorious Stakes or the Golden Mile; the Bloomers’ Vase will get you in to the Oak Tree Stakes; and the Bro Park Varsprint hero will book his ticket to the Stewards’ Cup. Still in its infancy having been opened in 2016 to replace Taby racecourse as Sweden’s premier track, Bro Park kicks off its 2019 season on Wednesday, April 3 and has a third highlight on its calendar in the shape of the Women’s Jockey World Cup on June 30.

ELINA BJÖRKLUND / SVENSK GALOPP

GERMANY More evidence of the downward trajectory being suffered by the German racing industry. A quick analysis of the 2018 form book shows that, in terms of both the number of races contested and the total amount of prize-money paid out, the calendar is less than half the size of what it was two decades ago.

Another key indicator, tote turnover, has suffered an even more alarming decline during the same period, the figures hit hard by the proliferation of offshore online gambling, which is outside the regulation of the German authorities.

A recent decision by the Direktorium (German Racing Authority) to standardise the takeout from all win and place tote pools at 15% – some courses had seen it creep up to as much as 25% in places – should have a positive effect on tote income in the future but may well mean a further deficit in the short term.

Worse still, the European Pattern Race Committee has announced that the nation’s most celebrated race, the Deutsches Derby, is in danger of losing its Group 1 status unless the average handicap rating of the first four home improves significantly. The Preis von Europa, won in the past by such greats as Lomitas, Monsun and Youmzain, is in danger of suffering the same fate.

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Al Kazeem TOB-March 2019:Oakgrove Stud

6/2/19

11:06

Page 1

Al Kazeem 50% winners to runners No other British or Irish second crop stallion of 2018 can beat that

bay 2008, 16.1hh by Dubawi - Kazeem (Darshaan) Ë Four-time Gr.1 winner by DUBAWI

Ë Joint Champion Older Horse in Europe in 2013 (9.5f-10.5f) Ë Timeform rated 128 in three consecutive seasons

Ë 9 individual winners and 2 black-type performers from just 18 runners, including Listed winner ASPETAR and black-type sprinter GOLDEN SPELL

Ë His second crop are 2yos in 2019 Ë 80% mares in foal in 2018

STANDING AT OAKGROVE STUD

Fee: £12,000 Oct 1st SLF (Limited Book)

Oakgrove Estate, St Arvans, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6EH Tel: 01291 622876 G Fax: 01291 622070 G Email: oakgrovestud@btinternet.com G www.oakgrovestud.com For Nominations Contact: David Hilton: 07595 951248 G Email: david@oakgrovestud.com G Vannessa Swift: 01291 622876

Around The Globe

The Worldwide Racing Scene

Six of the best for Irad Ortiz Jnr NORTH AMERICA

Irad Ortiz Jnr’s career continues to go from strength to strength

By Steve Andersen

GEORGE SELWYN

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rad Ortiz Jr partnered 21 winners over six consecutive racing days – including a six-timer – at Gulfstream Park in Florida between February 13-18.

Big racing weeks are commonplace for Ortiz. In a five-day period at Gulfstream Park from February 20-24, he added 13 more wins.

The six-win day occurred on a 12race programme on February 18 and was one short of the Gulfstream Park record. It was a career milestone for the jockey.

“It’s amazing winning six races in one day,” Ortiz said. “I’m just so happy to be able to stay healthy and ride these kind of horses.”

Up to March 6, Ortiz led all American jockeys with 93 wins and earnings of $6.5 million. The top of the table in those categories is familiar territory for the 26-year-old native of Puerto Rico.

In 2018, Ortiz led the nation with 346 wins and earnings of $27.7m from 1,616 rides, the second consecutive year he led the nation in wins and the third year he won at least 300 races. Ortiz was the only rider with more than 300 wins in 2018.

Along the way, Ortiz won 30 graded stakes in 2018, notably the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf with Newspaperofrecord at Churchill Downs on November 2, and the Filly & Mare Sprint with Shamrock Rose a day later.

Newspaperofrecord was one of Ortiz’s top mounts of 2018, going undefeated in three starts. Ortiz also won Grade 1 races on A Raving Beauty in the Just A Game Stakes at Belmont Park, Fourstar Crook in the Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park, Robert Bruce in the Arlington Million and Diversify in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.

Ortiz was the leading rider by wins at the prestigious Saratoga meeting for the second time in his career. He was the leading rider in 2015 and second to his younger brother, Jose, in 2016 and 2017.

The Ortiz brothers made history over the winter when Irad was honored with the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding jockey of 2018, an award Jose won for the first time in 2017.

It was the first time that brothers had won Eclipse Awards since the

championship honour was introduced in 1971.

At the presentation in Florida in January, Irad Ortiz Jr dedicated the award to his brother, who had done the same for Irad the previous year.

“I want to dedicate this trophy to a very special person, my brother,” Irad said. “Love you, bro.”

His brief speech was warmly received, but not as much as the antics of his young daughter, Sarai, who accompanied him to the stage and nearly stole the moment waving to the crowd and posing for photographers.

Irad Ortiz Jr has made a strong case to defend his title. In the first two months of this year, he won the richest race of his career aboard Bricks And Mortar in the $7 million Pegasus World

Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park.

So far, the Kentucky Derby has been an elusive prize. Ortiz is winless with three mounts, including a seventh on Hofburg in 2018, his best result. As of early March, his best prospect was Bourbon War, who was second in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 2.

Ortiz began riding on January 1, 2011 in Puerto Rico and immediately drew attention, leading to a move to New York in June of that year. He won his first race in New York a week later.

His reputation has grown through the decade to that as one of the country’s finest jockeys.

The 2018 season was a milestone one for Ortiz. The young 2019 season is developing in an equally historic way.

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Around The Globe

Sunlight shining against the boys AUSTRALIA

By Danny Power

Getting better with age

Last season trainer Tony McEvoy gave his filly seven starts for five wins, three at stakes level, including the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and a third in the Group 1 Golden Slipper, banking $A2,274,850.

This season, when most fillies of her ilk can be excused for losing some edge, she has proven to be even better.

She thrashed a crack field of sprinting colts to win the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in November and she’s backed that up with another stellar performance to beat Osborne Bulls and Brave Smash in the Newmarket.

Sunlight is out of a former brilliant

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Sunlight surges to victory in the historic Newmarket Handicap

juvenile, Solar Charged, who is by Red Ransom’s best Australian son, Charge Forward – a Golden Slipper runnerup behind Dance Hero in 2004. Solar Charged is one of 16 stakes winners by Charge Forward, who, after kicking off at Arrowfield Stud, now covers a limited book at Murrulla Stud in NSW. His potency is coming through his daughters in the broodmare paddocks of Australia’s leading breeders, including his Group 1-winner Response, who is the dam of the 2018 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab.

Sunlight has a pedigree that has a double dip of Danehill and an equal amount of Star Kingdom blood. Her dam-line goes back 100 years of solid Australian sprinting lines to the imported English mare Bunfeast (Comus), who made an impact at stud in Australia by producing the outstanding juvenile of 1927, Royal Feast (King Offa), who won four Group 1 equivalent races for twoyear-olds (Maribyrnong Plate, Ascot Vale Stakes, VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes).

Sunlight is another example of a sireline that is unique to Australia, that of Sadler’s Wells’ brother Fairy King through his best and fastest son, Encosta De Lago.

The Encosta De Lago line has been able to prosper through his fastest Group 1-winning son Northern Meteor, who was sitting on the edge of stardom when he suddenly died at Widden Stud in 2013.

It should be no surprise that Northern Meteor was a stallion success, as his fourth dam Rough Shod is also the fourth dam of Sadler’s Wells and Fairy King and the third dam of Nureyev.

BRONWEN HEALY

S

unlight is a filly of a generation, a brilliant filly that defies the norm and makes a fool of those who regard juvenile racing as a death sentence for future stardom.

Significantly, Sunlight produced a run for the ages when she beat a crack field of older sprinters in the $A1.25 million Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, which is run like a charge of the Light Brigade down the famous Flemington six-furlong straight.

She then won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on March 22.

She is the first three-year-old filly to win the Newmarket since the powerhouse Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) beat the threeyear-old colt Fastnet Rock in the historic handicap in 2005.

Sunlight continues an intriguing period of racing in the 2000s, when the females have stood out above the males.

In the past 15 years, Australia has been blessed with three of the greatest mares of all time: Makybe Diva (stayer), Black Caviar (sprinter) and the wonderful Winx (middle-distance).

Like Alinghi but unlike the above trio of champions, Sunlight was competing against the best at two.

Sunlight is one tough girl, and a testament to her sire, the exciting Zoustar (by Northern Meteor), who is currently serving his first herd of northern hemisphere-based mares at Tweenhills Farm in Gloucestershire.

Sunlight is part-owned by Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Bloodstock, who has a major interest in Zoustar.

Fortunately, in his short time at stud Northern Meteor was able to sire Zoustar, who was a dual Group 1 winner and is set to carry on this Aussie-unique sire-line after a sensational start to his stud career.

Interestingly, on the same day as Sunlight won the Newmarket, another product of the Encosta De Lago line won the Group 2 Todman Stakes at Rosehill in Sydney and raced to the top of Golden Slipper markets (run after this edition went to print).

Yes Yes Yes, formerly with Darren Weir and now with Chris Waller, is a son of Encosta’s other top-class fast son Rubick, who like Northern Meteor comes from a famous sire-producing family.

Rubick, a dual Group winner at two and three, is out of Sliding Cube (Rock Of Gibraltar), a three-quarter sister to champion stallion Redoute’s Choice.

Rubick stands for a modest A$15,000 (plus GST) at Coolmore Stud in NSW, where he has been extremely popular.

Last year he defied the fourth-season jitters by covering 262 mares, more than any other stallion in Australia (see Caulfield Files, page 72).

Another fast son of Encosta De Lago, Needs Further (out of Golden Slipper runner-up Crowned Glory) is dominating with his first two crops in Tasmania, where he stands at Armidale Stud for only A$5,000. One of his daughters, Mystic Journey, became only the second Tasmanian-trained horse – the first was Desire in the Newmarket Handicap in 1912 – to win a Group 1 race (or equivalent) when she beat the boys in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 2.

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FIRST FOALS IN 2019

GALILEO - OCCUPANDISTE (KALDOUN)

Defeated 16 Gr.1 winners

t: +44 (0) 1429 856 530 e: info@elwickstud.co.uk w: www.elwickstud.co.uk

STANDING AT Elwick Stud, Sheraton Farm, Hartlepool TS27 4RB

Racing Life

Racing at the Curragh, which will reopen in May after extensive refurbishment

Exploring KILDARE Known as the Thoroughbred County, Kildare shines in its role in the breeding and training of racehorses. Beyond its colourful racing calendar, however, this area of Ireland has plenty to offer the interested visitor

L

ocated within easy reach of Dublin, County Kildare’s rural purity has been compromised somewhat in recent years, as city commuters seek to escape the rising costs of the capital.

Nevertheless, it’s still where you’ll find some of the country’s best farmland, as well as being home to stud farms known for breeding some of the world’s most esteemed racehorses - and, of course, the Curragh, a flat open plain of almost 5,000 well-drained acres where horses are trained. It’s also where you’ll find the Irish National Stud & Gardens, where living legends like Kicking King and Hardy Eustace are enjoying their retirement and can be viewed by visitors.

Kildare’s past is deeply rooted in myth and legend, with a 12th century vellum manuscript, housed in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, transcribing a poem written much earlier by Ossian, son of Finn McCool. In this poem, he writes of ‘The Fair of the Liffey” being opened by the King of Leinster, a multi-day event that combined merrymaking with competition, including horseracing. The Curragh plain itself is known to have been granted to St Brigid after she helped the King of Leinster rid himself of the curse of his donkey ears, asking only that she be given a piece of

Some of racing’s most celebrated horses have been bred and trained in Kildare land as big as her cloak for her troubles.

The land-stingy King readily agreed, only to be furious and outwitted when Brigid’s cloak flowed and spread across the whole of the area, thanks, it is believed, to the power of her devotion.

Both hunting and battle have taken

place on the Curragh plain over the centuries, but its current importance as a racing destination was recognised as far back as 1682, when it was declared in an anonymous account to be the place to go for ‘all the nobility and gentry of the kingdom that either pretend to love, or delight in, hawking, hunting, or racing.’ In the same year, a new horserace on this ‘excellent course’ was established, with a plate of about 40 pounds per year offered to the winner.

Located on this historic plain and currently undergoing redevelopment, the Curragh racecourse will officially reopen on May 24 with the first day of the newly-formed Curragh Spring Festival, which takes place over three days.

Ordinarily, the Curragh would have hosted its opening card on April 13, but this year, to allow time for the works to be fully completed and tested, Naas racecourse will step in for the occasion.

Although the thoroughbred industry forms Kildare’s greatest appeal, there’s more to this lovely region than horses in fact, even the Irish National Stud is also remarkable for its incredible gardens, including the gorgeous Japanese Gardens, where Eastern and Western cultures meet on a journey that charts the path of the soul from birth to

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Travel death and beyond. A more recent addition, St Fiachra’s Garden, strikingly represents Ireland’s unique and dramatic landscape.

For wonderful views of the surrounding landscape, visitors to the area can climb the granite and limestone Round Tower of St Brigid’s Cathedral; no other tower with public access in Ireland is as high. Open during the summer months of May to September, it offers sweeping views for those willing to climb 33 metres above terra firma. Even without tackling these dizzying heights, the 13th century cathedral itself contains much of interest and is believed to be built on the location at which Saint Brigid established a nunnery in the 5th century. Restored in the 19th century, the Gothic-style cathedral contains a High Cross and several examples of early Christian and Norman carvings, as well as a 16th century vault. Meanwhile, for pleasures more of flesh than spirit, head to Kildare Village, which offers shoppers savings of up to 60% on luxury boutique names such as Cath Kidston, Coach, Kenneth Turner and Anya Hindmarch.

While in Naas for the races, Coolcarrigan Gardens are also worth a visit, with eight acres full of rare trees and shrubs, as well as a wildflower meadow. Punchestown racecourse is also within easy reach; this is where the Irish National Hunt Festival is held, this year taking place between April 30 and May 4.

Considered the grand finale of the jumps season, a total of 39 races are run at Punchestown, including 12 Grade 1 contests. No less exciting than the racing itself, for some, the Bollinger Best Dressed Lady Award will see stylish racegoers scouted over the course of the festival, with the winner attending an

The Irish National Stud also boasts impressive gardens exclusive screening of the 25th James Bond movie in Paris in April 2020.

Included in the prize is luxury accommodation, not only in Paris but also in Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region. They’ll also win a year’s supply of Bollinger Champagne definitely a prize worth donning a hat for!

Lovers of nature would do well to make their way to the north-west of Kildare, where Donadea Forest Park, a National Heritage Area, covers over 240 acres, in which a variety of paths, accessible for a range of abilities, wind through mixed woodland. The remains of a castle, walled gardens and a vast pond with wildlife and water lilies are also features. For splendour of a more manmade kind, Castletown House, erected in the 1720s, is Ireland’s earliest and finest example of Palladian architecture and should feature on any

Castletown House was originally built in the 18th century

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itinerary. Built for William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, the house was both an outward display of clout and, in a practical sense, designed to accommodate large scale entertaining. Left destitute after its sale in the mid 20th century, the house has undergone a lengthy and painstaking process of restoration, some aspects of which can still be seen taking place, such as in the Red Drawing Room, with its 19th century silk wall hangings.

Meticulous attention has also been given to Castletown’s parklands and waterways, taking care to retain their original 18th century charm. Set on the banks of the Liffey, this is also a pleasant spot for a cycle or stroll. www.kildare.ie Sarah Rodrigues

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Ireland’s finest example of Palladian architecture

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Racing Life

By the Book D

ue to be published at the end of May, An Illustrated History of Equestrian Sports will be the first book to chart the history of equestrian sports, including individual and team results across the sport’s three official Olympic disciplines: dressage, eventing and jumping.

Horse-riding first appeared as an Olympic sport at the 1912 Games in Stockholm and this 272-page volume documents the history of competitive horse-riding, bringing together a complete account of every result of every competition to have taken place since then, including the Olympics, the European Championships and the FEI World Equestrian Games.

Organised by decade, the book lists both individual and team achievements across all three disciplines but is far from being a mere tome full of facts and figures. Tracing the history of equestrian excellence through compelling insider stories and events, it is crammed with previously unpublished information about the sport, as well as fascinating anecdotes, archival photographs and spellbinding stories. Ground-breaking riders such as Bill Steinkraus, Charlotte Dujardin and Kevin Staut all feature, along with 250 colour illustrations, including portraits of riders and some of the sport’s most memorable horses, making this an ideal gift for any equestrian enthusiast.

Written by horse-rider and journalist Marie de Pellegars and rider and instructor Benoît Capdebarthes, An Illustrated History of Equestrian Sports is being published in hardback by Flammarion in partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and will be priced at £35.

Sarah Rodrigues

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Lifestyle

Fairfax & Favor at Rockingham F or the second consecutive year, Fairfax & Favor will take title sponsorship of the Rockingham International Horse Trials, which this year runs from May 17-19.

Established in 2013 by Felix Favor Parker and Marcus Fairfax Fountaine, luxury footwear and accessories brand Fairfax & Favor has been a regular exhibitor at the British Eventing affiliated fixture and has firmly established itself as the go-to brand for seekers of both rural and urban style and luxury.

Influenced by a passion

for British heritage, Fairfax & Favor employ the finest craftsmanship and design to create authentic products intended to be cherished and worn for years, rather than as ‘consumed’, like the throwaway fashion so often seen on the modern High Street. Their collections include classic Chelsea boots, a luggage and handbag collection and boots and loafers of the finest quality leather and suede.

Rockingham Castle, located a mile north of Corby, is a predominantly Tudor building within Norman walls, surrounded by 12 acres of gardens, from which there are wonderful views of five counties.

To celebrate the partnership, Fairfax & Favor will be releasing a limited edition take on their popular Rockingham boot, with Parker and Fountaine stating: “Fairfax & Favor is privileged to take title sponsorship of Rockingham International Horse Trials.

We have thoroughly enjoyed supporting the event as keen exhibitors almost since its inception.

We are very excited to continue to develop our working relationship and cannot wait for the Horse Trials to kick off in May.” The Rockingham by Fairfax & Favor is priced at £315 and available at www.fairfaxandfavor.com Sarah Rodrigues

Beach Polo in Spain

F

rom May 3 to 5, luxury beachfront escape Kempinski Hotel Bahía will host the II Costa Del Sol Beach Polo Cup 2019.

Launched in 2018, the tournament was last year attended by esteemed locals, European royalty and international polo players, including Niclas Johansson, Lauran Desmas and Jaspar and Kate Kühlwein. A similarly glittering turnout is expected this year, as four world-class teams compete for the cup in an event sponsored by Bulgari, Pagani, Scapa, Ferragamo, Perlage and, of course, the Kempinski Hotel Bahía.

Extended to three days from its original two-day incarnation, the Beach Polo Cup offers guests a range of VIP passes, which will grant access to a variety of exclusive beachfront entertainment, cocktail receptions, polo lunches, a gala dinner and the VIP marquee, in which the Champagne will be flowing freely. Pass holders will also be able to enjoy the resort’s newly

revamped Spiler Beach Club, which opens this month.

Located about 20 minutes west of Marbella, Kempinski Hotel Bahia has other new offerings for this year, including the relaunched El Paseo Del Mar, a creative culinary destination comprised of three design-led restaurants and bars; Baltazar Bar & Grill and Black Rose the Bar. With luxurious rooms and suites set within expansive grounds and terracotta walls, the resort also has a variety of swimming pools and a cutting edge fitness centre and spa.

Rooms at Kempinski Hotel Bahia start from £270 in May, including breakfast. For more information or to book visit Kempinski.com/en/Marbella/hotel-bahia Sarah Rodrigues

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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The Big Interview

Toast of LAMBOURN Jamie Osborne retains the competitive edge that

made him an outstanding jump jockey yet accepts that a healthy balance sheet is more important than number of winners to his training business Words: Chris Cook Photos: George Selwyn

A

convivial morning on the gallops with Jamie Osborne has somehow morphed into a lesson in economics. The atmosphere remains convivial because if anyone can make you laugh while explaining portfolio theory, it is Osborne. Still, it is slightly surprising, as we rumble uphill alongside the Kingsdown Polytrack in his 4x4, to find that we are no longer talking about this son of Make Believe or that daughter of Clodovil, but have moved on to money and how it is made.

“Last autumn, if you’re a trader in second-hand horses, you had the perfect set of conditions,” Osborne reflects. “One thing you have to think a lot about is the cost of the raw material. After 2008, the yearling market contracted significantly and foal numbers went right down. So I don’t think we saw the level of correction in the price of yearlings that any of us

were expecting. Plus, the Maktoum family jumped in, the Qataris came online, the Japanese started buying here and, okay, they’re at the top end but that filters down.”

Osborne has been drinking coffee, driving and keeping a sharp eye on his juveniles while relating this, an impressive feat of co-ordination.

Somehow, while continuing to do all of these things, he lights up a cigarette.

“Last year we saw the supply had increased and was now back up to the pre-crash numbers, at a time when, domestically, people were sitting on their hands,” he says. “The Qataris weren’t spending as much. There didn’t appear enough people in the market for the horses that were coming in. So I think we bought the best value I’ve ever bought. Now, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. But I think we have some very cheap animals in here.”

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Jamie Osborne All smiles: Jamie Osborne is enjoying life more than ever as he celebrates his 20th season training

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The Big Interview

The Osborne clan: Jamie with wife Katie O’Sullivan, daughter Saffie, a horse, a pony and four dogs

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Using his fifth hand, or possibly his sixth, Osborne produces a phone and starts filming the horses as they work.

“Normally, when you get your raw material cost falling, its overall value has fallen,” he remarks. “We have an extraordinary set of circumstances at the moment, whereby domestically we’re able to buy the raw material cheaper but the world is still on fire.

With the weakness of the pound, they want to come here and spend. Their racing is buoyant, ours is arguing about prize-money. With the contacts I have around the world now, the regular customers, this is very attractive.

“My hopes for the year are that I have some very nice two-year-olds and they become worth a lot of money and they find new homes around the world in exchange for large cheques!”

Osborne knows what to do with

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a top-class horse, as evidenced by Toast Of New York, winner of the UAE Derby and beaten about an inch in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He would very much like to have a few more of those and his door is open to anyone who might care to provide him with some likely types.

In the meantime, he is determined to do a good job for owners who, having bought low, hope to sell high. It means parting with some animals who have only just started to show their potential, animals who would surely win some nice prize-money if they stayed in the yard.

“I’ve never been frightened to take a risk,” he says. “That’s nearly broken me, but now it’s kind of good. The risks I’m taking are viable ones; we’re dealing in enough horses that we’re going to have some nice, valuable ones. They might go completely under the radar, from

the point of view of you in the press knowing about them, because they’ll be sold the minute they’ve done anything.

“Doing what I do, you have a choice between the Racing Post table and the balance sheet. John Gosden and co can have both, a healthy balance sheet and a sexy Racing Post table. Where I’m doing it, in that middle ground, buying commercial animals, I’ve got a choice. I can’t have both. If I choose to improve my stats I’ll end up making less money.

“So, there’s no room for ego. But I had enough ego massage in the first half of my career. I’m not after that, I don’t care. When somebody goes and wins with one of my horses, even if they’ve claimed it off me, I am genuinely delighted. Someone’s got to get a bargain from me at some stage – and they do.”

His horses having finished their work,

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Jamie Osborne ››

mentioned that he is “more of a reader than ever”, favouring books on history, science or Middle East politics. What happened to the cheeky chappie of the 90s weighing room?

He replies: “That was manufactured, of course it was! I was petrified to let anyone know I wasn’t out on the piss every night. The reality was I was watching films of my riding and how other people rode, looking at other people’s horses, practising on an equicizer. But I wanted everyone to think that I’d stopped for five vodka and tonics on the way home. I had to work harder at being a jockey than I ever wanted anyone to know.”

His fitness took a lot of maintaining, because Osborne was never a natural sportsman. But there was more. His voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, he tells of how, in the midst of his success, he started taking secret riding lessons.

“It was a different era, it was all about bravado and not showing your competitors any sign of being human,” he recalls. “We had to be these autonomous machines that got on horses and beat them around a track.”

But Osborne wasn’t happy about his skill level. He raised the topic with Henrietta Knight, who pointed him to Yogi Breisner. “I sidled up to him one day and said, ‘It’s a bit embarrassing Toast Of New York (white) just fails to catch Bayern in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic

Osborne is now steering us back to his yard in the heart of Upper Lambourn.

He is thinking deeply about his subject as he turns these ideas over in conversation. It shows a serious, almost grave side to him that doesn’t get much of an airing in public. Earlier, he

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but I’m not doing very well. I need to improve. Do you reckon you can help me?’ I became his first pupil in racing.”

Having helped with his riding, Breisner also proved adept at shoring up Osborne’s confidence. The ex-jockey remembers one occasion when he was

“If I choose to improve my stats I’ll make less money.

There is no room for ego” about to make a comeback from injury, having not so much as schooled a horse since the fall that broke a minor bone three weeks earlier.

“I’d got two or three rides at Bangor,” he says. “The night before, I realised that I was absolutely s******g myself. In that macho environment, one could never admit that you were anything other than, ‘Let me at it!’ I rang Yogi and told him, ‘I don’t want to go tomorrow.’”

Breisner arranged a practice session for him the next morning at the Oxfordshire base of Lars Sederholm, a famous trainer in the eventing world.

Osborne says: “There was an outdoor school with great big show jumps in it.

Get out the car, horse is brought to me.

‘Go jump those’. What? It’d be easier to run underneath them!”

Osborne jumped around again and again. Then the horse was taken away, another one was produced, and he was sent round again. “I thought, ‘Jesus, that must be it’,” he says. “Then another one arrives. I can’t remember how many horses I sat on or how many fences I jumped. I got in the car, went to Bangor and had my rides. Those fences looked like little Cavalettis. I was thinking, ‘Why was I worried about this? This is easy!

I’ve just jumped a thousand fences this morning. Why would this be a problem?’

“Yogi had that innate ability to know how to deal with me. He knew I was a confidence rider. He didn’t really teach me a lot, he just gave me the opportunity to free the brain up and get back in the groove. I owe an awful lot to him because I was a much better rider at the end than I’d been at the beginning.”

We are now in Osborne’s study.

French windows open onto a garden in which his wife, Katie O’Sullivan, has a purpose-built studio, where she is working on a portrait of Nicky Henderson, due for delivery to Seven Barrows the next week. Sky Sports Racing plays on a wall-mounted screen and Osborne eyes a replay from

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The Big Interview

›› Sedgefield with suspicion as he talks.

‘I’d like to think there’s a business to take over’ The rising power at Old Malthouse Stables is the trainer’s youngest child.

Saffie, now 17, made headlines last summer when she ended her career in pony eventing by winning team and individual golds at the European Championships, held in her father’s home county of Yorkshire. Her sights have, for years, been unwaveringly set on becoming a jockey; her parents’ hopes that this might prove no more than a phase are ebbing.

“I only met one person in my life more competitive than me, and I married her,” says Osborne of his wife, Katie O’Sullivan. “And we’ve bred this ridiculously competitive child.”

Saffie got an early taste of competition from showing ponies in ‘working hunter’ classes, at which she did well. “But to her it was like, anyone could do that, you just need a good pony,” says dad. “So she announced when she was 13 or 14, ‘I want to give this up now and go eventing.’”

Not for the first time, or the last, Saffie’s precocious clarity in her ambitions rather floored the adults around her. At length, she guided her parents around to the idea and they were persuaded to splash out on an eventing pony.

“Then she realised, because we knew nothing about it, that it was probably not quite up to international standard,” says Jamie. “It was good and she won a national championship on it but it wasn’t quite up to European standards, so she identified another one that was quite expensive.

I told her, having slept on it, ‘Saff, this is ridiculous. I cannot justify spending this amount of money on a pony.’”

Your typical child would, at this stage, explore tears and pleading as a means of changing the decision.

Saffie’s plan was more mature, startlingly daring and entirely successful.

“She wrote a proposal and took it to one of my owners,” says Jamie. “Aged 13, she got someone to drive her to Lord Blyth. She said, ‘Look, we can buy this pony for x, it’s deteriorated, I can get it back to what it was, I’ll get it on a British team and you’ll sell it for y.’”

This turned out to be Little Indian Feather, or Jojo, who bore Saffie to glory last August. Her watching father, judgement intact despite the nerves,

Jamie Osborne

Saffie Osborne: set on a riding career

sold the pony to ensure a tidy profit for Lord Blyth, completing the deal just ten minutes before she entered the showjumping arena needing no more than one pole down to clinch the victory.

“She was last to go, it was her’s to lose,” says Jamie. “Her ability to cope with the pressure was impressive. I’ve never been as nervous in my life. I don’t know how relevant that riding ability is to being a race-rider. It certainly can’t be detrimental. But more than that, what she’s done as a child will enable her to cope with pressure.

“When I was riding, you saw people who used to collapse a little bit on the big day. Mentality was one of the biggest factors in whether somebody made it or not. Riding ability was only part of it. I think that having competed at the highest level as a child gives you a massive advantage.”

Saffie’s next idea was that she should be home-schooled and her parents are surprised to learn they have agreed to it. As a result, she can ride out every day and is energetic around the yard, at one point talking her father into changing his plans for the next lot.

No less an authority than Matt Chapman has singled her out as champion jockey material but, whatever she achieves on the track, it would be easy to imagine Saffie taking over the family yard one day.

“Who knows?” says the current trainer in response to the thought.

“I’d like to think there’s a business there to take over. If she has her riding career, you don’t know how long that’s going to be – and maybe then I’ll have something to hand over to her.”

Old war stories aside, he doesn’t have much room in his life for jump racing these days, a reflection of the village where he lives, which he reckons is 70% focused on Flat racing now.

This will be his 20th season with a licence. There were times when he seemed odds-against to last this long, particularly a decade ago, when the collapse of Mountgrange Stud took away half his string and left him with expensive yearlings and no one to pay for them. Enough time has passed that Osborne can admit he was “technically bankrupt” at that point and lay awake at night, wondering if the bank would call the next day.

“It was tough. I had the support of Katie and the kids and we had to dig our way out,” he says. “It’s been difficult but we’re there. The thing has turned on its head completely. That is why my whole business has morphed from being a trainer who was desperate to win nice races, to being a trainer who was desperate to make money.”

Now 51, he is in a much better place and has ambitious plans to move his whole operation uphill, onto land behind the famous Uplands stable. He points out where the house would go and where he’d build 64 boxes to go with the 52 he already has on the site.

The new boxes would follow a design he has been working on, twice as big as a standard box and only half of it under cover, to promote ventilation and reduce the risk of respiratory disease. He will also experiment with training some of the older, more robust horses out of a field this season; Raising Sand is one of those who appear to be healthier when not kept in a stable.

“It takes a bit of management,” he admits. “You have to look after your ground. You have to make sure you have an array of clothes for these horses, according to what the weather’s doing.

But they’re much happier horses.

“What I’m also hoping for is that I have happy customers, all my children continue to work hard and do a bit of studying,” he says, with a glance over his shoulder at a grinning Saffie, “and we have a bit of fun doing it and everyone’s happy at the end of the year. Because there is a part of me that has now realised, having been through some pretty tough, tight times, where I wouldn’t say I was the happiest person in the world, I am enjoying this more than I’ve ever enjoyed it.

“I feel now that, after 20 years, I understand it, finally.”

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Talking To...

Making his

MARK Tom Marquand is hoping one day to use his

experience of being in a successful title battle – for the apprentices’ crown – in a tussle for the ultimate prize as his career marches upwards Interview: Tim Richards Photos: George Selwyn

C

oming from a family with no racing connection – your dad invests in property and your mum is a self-employed jeweller – what first attracted you to the sport?

Living near Cheltenham, with its amazing racecourse, was the biggest influence.

I also had a granny who was big into hunting and dressage, an auntie who was into eventing and I had horses around me when I was young. It certainly wasn’t the glamour that attracted me; it was the horses and I enjoyed what riding I did. I got a bit of the lure of speed from dad, who had been a rally driver. We never really had ponies until I was 12 or 13, so I was a late starter. But I did nick rides on other people’s ponies when I could!

You used to bunk off school to go racing at Cheltenham. Did you ever dream of joining the ranks of jump jockeys or was your heart set on the Flat?

I was interested in becoming a jump jockey up to 14, when I was still going jump racing. I didn’t go Flat racing until I’d turned 15 and that was at Newmarket for the Guineas to watch Dawn Approach beat Richard Hannon’s Toronado [fourth]. I think my size had a big say in my future as a Flat jockey, though I had ridden out for Jonjo O’Neill, who was

ten minutes away, as well as a couple of local point-to-point yards. Tony Carroll was the nearest predominantly Flat yard and I rode out for him. Growing up as a kid I had great admiration for the jump jockeys, who were more like idols coming in at Cheltenham covered in blood, mud and sweat. AP McCoy trotting back down the chute after a big chase is a typical scene that stays with you from those early days.

After pony racing you joined the Richard Hannon stable as a 16-yearold. What was your first impression of this huge operation – and is it a case of sink or swim in such a competitive environment?

I was all set to join Andrew Balding but my girlfriend’s [Hollie Doyle] dad, Mark, who worked at Hannon’s, told me I must join him. I spent a week there and decided to stay, though the Balding stable and whole operation is renowned, particularly for apprentices.

The magnitude of everything that goes on at Hannon’s is pretty spectacular with 250 horses. I turned up on my first week and my lots included Tiggy Wiggy, Sky Lantern and Night Of Thunder – there were just loads of good horses and that’s what you go to big yards for. I was the

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Tom Marquand

Tom Marquand might have gone down the jumping road but opted for the Flat, his first proper job being with the Richard Hannon stable

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Talking To... ››

seventh apprentice there when I turned up – it certainly was a case of sink or swim. It was pretty daunting being in such a massive operation, even though it’s split into two yards at Herridge and Everleigh. The whole experience was a dream come true.

Your rise has been meteoric: first winner in 2014, champion apprentice in 2015, 100 winners in 2018 and you even made the top three in BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year. How do you keep your feet on the ground?

I don’t think you have to try too hard because racing does it for you. Every jockey, trainer or owner would tell you that racing is a great leveller. I’ve always been a strong believer in the saying ‘you get out what you put in’. By the nature of the sport with its falls, injuries and losing runs, racing would put your feet back on the ground pretty quickly. I don’t mind being in the public eye. The expanding television coverage and social media is raising the profile of jockeys, which is no bad thing. The media publicity given to racing is good but still a long way behind the coverage of other sports, though Sky Sports Racing have recently introduced encouraging minor changes like jockey and trainer focuses – and they don’t highlight the betting so much.

Last year you had over 950 rides for 120 different trainers. You have described it as an “odd life”, driving hundreds of thousands of miles while constantly watching your weight.

What is the hardest part of trying to become a top jockey – and what does a 20-year-old have to sacrifice to focus on a jockey’s life?

The road miles take their toll. But I was lucky at the start of last season when my sponsor Markel supplied me with a Mercedes E Class, which took a lot of the strain out of driving. Markel let me select a few extras which meant the car almost drives itself on the motorways, while in traffic it lays up with the vehicle in front and does its own stop-start, stop-start. I just leave the car to it.

Obviously, constantly watching your weight when you’re riding six or seven days a week all year round can be stressful. This year my trip to Australia helped to break it all up. It’s good to enjoy a short spell when you don’t have to be so regimented about everything. I don’t feel I am making sacrifices because I am enjoying what I’m doing. I would be making a sacrifice if I had to give up racing. Hollie and I have been together for a few years and neither of us is a

54

party-goer, and we hardly drink at all.

How much better off are you following your visit to John Moores University in Liverpool to learn about the body, fitness and diet, and mental health?

I found it interesting – I enjoy studying sports science. I stayed on the John Moores diet for about a month and then continued with a number of their ideas, which I follow as guidelines. I try to live with the high protein/low carb diet to a sensible degree so that by Sunday, within reason, I can enjoy something different without threatening my riding weight [minimum 8st 6lb]. I think I’ve found a pretty good balance between enjoying myself and not getting too paranoid about it all. I go to the gym three times a week during the season and feel healthy and strong. As far as mental health

“I’ve always been a strong believer in the saying ‘you get out what you put in’” is concerned, most of the time I view matters on the positive side. I don’t let myself get worked up by things that aren’t worth worrying about. Obviously, more significant situations demand time and thought, but that’s it.

What has been the high point so far, and what made it so special?

Becoming champion apprentice in 2015 and getting into the last three in the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year. I really enjoyed the pressure of battling with Jack Garritty for top apprentice; the whole experience helped me to mature as a rider and as a person.

I beat Hollie a short-head on one of my winners on the last day and that added to the whole occasion. She shouted to me, ‘You’ve already won the title, at least you could have let me win!’ Looking back at the magnitude of the Young Sports Personality competition, I now realise what it meant. James Bowen is the only other jockey to have been among the contenders and that was largely as a result of our pony racing and having good people around us.

Anna Nerium and Tom Marquand en route to winning the European Free Handicap at Newmarket last spring

You share a house with your girlfriend and fellow jockey Hollie Doyle, who also works for Richard Hannon. How competitive are you both racing against each other?

It’s fantastic to see Hollie doing so well.

She had a quiet spell after losing her claim but enjoyed a good summer last year, which was great. She has ridden a Listed winner already this year and is attached to Archie Watson’s stable in Lambourn. She flies out to France on a regular basis to ride Archie’s horses there and is enjoying the job. We do discuss our rides and both know when we’ve got it wrong; that’s when it’s mostly left unsaid! Hollie is under 8st, eats like a horse and trains hard as well. She works in the gym to put on weight, while I’m trying to lose it.

How do you both spend any downtime or a complete day-off together?

Sleep! Usually it’s a pretty sedate day because we are so busy all the time. But there are some nice places locally to go out for a meal, which we enjoy. We always get in a bit of holiday when we

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Tom Marquand are lagging a long way behind, but can still boast a great depth of racing with a phenomenal base of trainers, owners, jockeys, tracks, studs and an amazing level of horses. We have so much going for us, but we’re running round for peanuts and that brings the sport down in the eyes of other racing nations.

What is your goal(s) for 2019 and can you give us a couple of horses you are looking forward to riding?

I want to pass 100 winners again and try to find a good horse, or horses, that take me to the next step up the ladder. There is a big gap between everyday jockeys and the top flight. I am looking forward to riding a couple that may go under the radar but could still make it at the higher class: Urban Icon, who was unbeaten in two races at Windsor and Salisbury, and Dirty Rascal, a winner at Windsor and Newbury and second in a sales race at Doncaster.

Where would you like to be in five years’ time?

I’d love to be in a position to try to become champion jockey, but to reach that point I’ve got to step up quite a lot to make it possible. Having thrived on the pressures, albeit minor ones, to become champion apprentice, I’d like to go through all those demands again at a higher level to be champion jockey.

can and went to St Lucia before I left for Australia last year. We also have fun skiing.

Hollie doesn’t like cooking, I get to do it and that works out well. Whatever I cook, Hollie has double portions!

Have you modelled your riding style on any jockey in particular?

Not really. Since starting pony racing, I’ve always ridden in my own way. I’ve watched some lads and thought they looked strong and stylish. But I’ve never tried to model myself on anyone; I just left myself to be as natural as I can, trying to look the best, smoothest and strongest. By 17 I’d lost my claim and at that age I wasn’t as physically developed as most of the jockeys, so I was aware of having to stick it to the professionals by making sure I was doing enough in the gym to give me the strength to compete at all levels.

You went to Australia for a six-week racing break over Christmas and New Year to ride for Sydney trainer John O’Shea. What is the biggest difference between riding in the two countries and what did you learn from the experience?

The way the races develop with half a mile still to go, all the jockeys are shuffling for positions. If you miss the boat or your gap, you’re left for dead. Being aware of that sharpness mid-race does help. In England a race settles down until everything comes off the bridle a furlong and a half out.

The Australian experience has helped my riding on the all-weather and with a bit of luck it will translate to the turf even better. You have to be sharp, alert and have pace awareness much earlier down there.

They do a lot of things a lot better than us, particularly the tote-backed prize-money, which is phenomenal. We

You have listed your alternative career as ‘chef’. Are you the cook at home, and if so, what do you like to produce?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking and if I wasn’t in racing I’d like to have been a chef in a ski chalet. I used to do a bit of cooking at home with mum and, as

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CLOSE UP AND… PERSONAL

My guiltiest pleasure is… anything sweet Four dinner party guests…

AP McCoy, Lester Piggott, Sir David Brailsford (Sky Cycling manager) and Matthew Syed (journalist) Favourite film… The Shawshank Redemption I like listening to… anything lively enough to keep me awake behind the steering wheel Favourite holiday destination… the Alps

CLOSE UP AND… PROFESSIONAL

Racing has taught me… respect for life I’d love to win… the Arc My racing hero is… AP McCoy Favourite racecourse… Goodwood Best advice I’ve been given… be seen, not heard

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Published here is the FINAL LIST of European stallions registered in full with the EBF for the 2018 covering season. The progeny of these stallions, CONCEIVED IN 2018 IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, (the foal crop of 2019) will be eligible to enter the EBF races to be held during the year 2021 and thereafter. They will also be eligible for other relevant benefits under the EBF terms and conditions in force in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland.

A ABDEL (FR) ACCLAMATION (GB) ACHTUNG (GB) ACLAIM (IRE) ADAAY (IRE) ADLERFLUG (GER) AFFAIRE SOLITAIRE (IRE) AFFINISEA (IRE) AGE OF JAPE (POL) AIKEN (GB) AIZAVOSKI (IRE) AL KAZEEM (GB) AL NAMIX (FR) AL WUKAIR (IRE) ALBAASIL (IRE) ALBERT DOCK (JPN) ALEX THE WINNER (USA) ALHEBAYEB (IRE) ALIANTHUS (GER) ALKAADHEM (GB) ALMANZOR (FR) ALTRUISTIC (IRE) AMARILLO (IRE) AMARON (GB) AMERICAN DEVIL (FR) AMICO FRITZ (GER) AND BEYOND (IRE) ANJAAL (GB) ANODIN (IRE) ARAKAN (USA) ARCADIO (GER) ARCANO (IRE) ARCTIC COSMOS (USA) ARDAD (IRE) AREION (GER) ARRIGO (GER) ASCALON (GB) ASK (GB) ASSERTIVE (GB) ATTENDU (FR) AUSTRALIA (GB) AUTHORIZED (IRE) AVONBRIDGE (GB) AWTAAD (IRE) AXXOS (GER) B BACH (IRE) BALIOS (IRE) BALKO (FR) BALLINGARRY (IRE) BARASTRAIGHT (GB) BATED BREATH (GB) BATHYRHON (GER) BATTLE OF MARENGO (IRE) BEAT HOLLOW (GB) BELARDO (IRE) BERKSHIRE (IRE) BIRAAJ (IRE) BIRCHWOOD (IRE) BLACK SAM BELLAMY (IRE) BLEK (FR)

EBF OB April 2019 dps.indd 2

BLU AIR FORCE (IRE) BLU CONSTELLATION (ITY) BLUE BRESIL (FR) BOBBY’S KITTEN (USA) BOLLIN ERIC (GB) BORN TO SEA (IRE) BOTTEGA (USA) BOW CREEK (IRE) BRAMETOT (IRE) BRAZEN BEAU (AUS) BRETIGNY (FR) BULLET TRAIN (GB) BUNGLE INTHEJUNGLE (GB) BURATINO (IRE) BURWAAZ (GB) C CABLE BAY (IRE) CALIFET (FR) CAMACHO (GB) CAMELOT (GB) CANYON CREEK (IRE) CAPPELLA SANSEVERO (GB) CAPTAIN CHOP (FR) CAPTAIN GERRARD (IRE) CAPTAIN MARVELOUS (IRE) CARAVAGGIO (USA) CARLOTAMIX (FR) CASTLE DU BERLAIS (FR) CAT JUNIOR (USA) CENTAURIAN (IRE) CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) CHARDONNEY TCHEQUE (FR) CHARM SPIRIT (IRE) CHARMING THOUGHT (GB) CHICHI CREASY (FR) CHOEUR DU NORD (FR) CHURCHILL (IRE) CITYSCAPE (GB) CLODOVIL (IRE) CLOUDINGS (IRE) CLOVIS DU BERLAIS (FR) COACH HOUSE (IRE) COASTAL PATH (GB) COCKNEY REBEL (IRE) COKORIKO (FR) COLORADO KID (USA) CONDUIT (IRE) CONILLON (GER) COTAI GLORY (GB) COULSTY (IRE) COUNTERATTACK (AUS) COURT CAVE (IRE) CREACHADOIR (IRE) CRILLON (FR) D DABIRSIM (FR) DALYAKAN (FR) DANDY MAN (IRE) DANON BALLADE (JPN) DANSANT (GB) DARIYAN (FR) DARK ANGEL (IRE)

DARTMOUTH (GB) DASTARHON (IRE) DAWN APPROACH (IRE) DE TREVILLE (GB) DECORATED KNIGHT (GB) DIAMOND BOY (FR) DIAMOND GREEN (FR) DICK WHITTINGTON (IRE) DINK (FR) DIOGENES (IRE) DIVINE PROPHET (AUS) DOCTOR DINO (FR) DOYEN (IRE) DRAGON DANCER (GB) DRAGON PULSE (IRE) DREAM AHEAD (USA) DREAM EATER (IRE) DUBAWI (IRE) DUE DILIGENCE (USA) DUNADEN (FR) DURANTE ALIGHIERI (GB) DUTCH ART (GB) DUX SCHOLAR (GB) DYLAN THOMAS (IRE) E EAGLE TOP (GB) EARL OF TINSDAL (GER) EASTERN ANTHEM (IRE) ECTOT (GB) EGERTON (GER) EL KABEIR (USA) EL SALVADOR (IRE) ELECTRIC BEAT (GB) ELLIPTIQUE (IRE) ELM PARK (GB) ELUSIVE CITY (USA) ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL (USA) ELVSTROEM (AUS) ELZAAM (AUS) EPAULETTE (AUS) EQUIANO (FR) ES QUE LOVE (IRE) ESTEJO (GER) ESTIDHKAAR (IRE) EVASIVE (GB) EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) EXCELEBRATION (IRE) F FAIRLY RANSOM (USA) FALCO (USA) FAMOUS NAME (GB) FARHH (GB) FASCINATING ROCK (IRE) FAST COMPANY (IRE) FASTNET ROCK (AUS) FAYDHAN (USA) FEEL LIKE DANCING (GB) FEUERBLITZ (GER) FIGHT CLUB (GER) FINSCEAL FIOR (IRE) FLAMINGO FANTASY (GER) FLEMENSFIRTH (USA)

FLY WITH ME (FR) FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND (GB) FOREVER NOW (GB) FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (IRE) FRACAS (IRE) FRANKEL (GB) FREE EAGLE (IRE) FREE PORT LUX (GB) FRENCH FIFTEEN (FR) FRENCH NAVY (GB) FROZEN FIRE (GER) FUISSE (FR) FULBRIGHT (GB) FULL DRAGO (ITY) FULL OF GOLD (FR) G GALE FORCE TEN (GB) GALILEO (IRE) GALILEO GOLD (GB) GALIWAY (GB) GAMUT (IRE) GARSWOOD (GB) GATEWOOD (GB) GEMIX (FR) GENGIS (FR) GENTLEWAVE (IRE) GEORDIELAND (FR) GEORGE VANCOUVER (USA) GETAWAY (GER) GIROLAMO (GER) GLADIATORUS (USA) GLENEAGLES (IRE) GOKEN (FR) GOLDEN HORN (GB) GOLDEN LARIAT (USA) GREAT PRETENDER (IRE) GREEN MOON (IRE) GREGORIAN (IRE) GRIS DE GRIS (IRE) GUILIANI (IRE) GUTAIFAN (IRE) H HAAFHD (GB) HAATEF (USA) HARZAND (IRE) HAVANA GOLD (IRE) HEERAAT (IRE) HELLO SUNDAY (FR) HELLVELYN (GB) HELMET (AUS) HIGHLAND REEL (IRE) HILLSTAR (GB) HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR (IRE) HOT STREAK (IRE) HUNTER’S LIGHT (IRE) I IFFRAAJ (GB) IMPERIAL MONARCH (IRE) INDIAN HAVEN (GB) INDOMITO (GER) INTELLO (GER) INTRINSIC (GB)

INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (IRE) IRISH WELLS (FR) ISFAHAN (GER) ITO (GER) IT’S GINO (GER) ITUANGO (GER) IVANHOWE (GER) IVAWOOD (IRE) J JACK HOBBS (GB) JET AWAY (GB) JOHNNY BARNES (IRE) JOSHUA TREE (IRE) JUKEBOX JURY (IRE) K KALANISI (IRE) KALLISTO (GER) KAMSIN (GER) KANDAHAR RUN (GB) KANDIDATE (GB) KAP ROCK (FR) KAPGARDE (FR) KARAKTAR (IRE) KARGALI (IRE) KARPINO (GER) KAYF TARA (GB) KENDARGENT (FR) KHALKEVI (IRE) KHELEYF (USA) KIER PARK (IRE) KIKUJIROU (GB) KINGFISHER (IRE) KINGMAN (GB) KINGSALSA (USA) KINGSTON HILL (GB) KODI BEAR (IRE) KODIAC (GB) KONIG BERNARD (FR) KOROPICK (IRE) KOUROUN (FR) L LAURO (GER) LAVEROCK (IRE) LAW DEPUTY (IRE) LAWMAN (FR) LE CADRE NOIR (IRE) LE HAVRE (IRE) LE VIE INFINITE (IRE) LEADING LIGHT (IRE) LETHAL FORCE (IRE) LIBERTARIAN (GB) LIBRANNO (GB) LIFE FORCE (IRE) LIGHTNING MOON (IRE) LINDA’S LAD (GB) LITERATO (FR) LITTLE OZZY (IRE) LIZIO (GB) LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) LORD DU SUD (FR) LORD OF ENGLAND (GER) LUCAYAN (FR)

LUCK OF THE KITTEN (USA) LUCKY LION (GB) LUCKY SPEED (IRE) M MACHUCAMBO (FR) MAGADINO (FR) MAGICIAN (IRE) MAGNETICJIM (IRE) MAHLER (GB) MAHSOOB (GB) MAKE BELIEVE (GB) MALINAS (GER) MAMOOL (IRE) MANATEE (GB) MANDURO (GER) MARCEL (IRE) MARIYDI (IRE) MARKAZ (IRE) MARSHALL (FR) MARTALINE (GB) MARTILLO (GER) MARTINBOROUGH (JPN) MASKED MARVEL (GB) MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE) MASTEROFTHEHORSE (IRE) MASTERSTROKE (USA) MATTMU (GB) MAXIOS (GB) MAYSON (GB) MAZAMEER (IRE) MEHMAS (IRE) MESHAHEER (USA) MIDSHIPS (USA) MIKESH (IRE) MIKHAIL GLINKA (IRE) MILAN (GB) MILLENARY (GB) MISTER FOTIS (USA) MIZZOU (IRE) MOHANDAS (FR) MONDIALISTE (IRE) MONSIEUR BOND (IRE) MONTMARTRE (FR) MOOHAAJIM (IRE) MORANDI (FR) MORES WELLS (GB) MOROZOV (USA) MORPHEUS (GB) MORTGA (FR) MOTIVATOR (GB) MOUNT NELSON (GB) MOURAYAN (IRE) MUHAARAR (GB) MUHAYMIN (USA) MUHTATHIR (GB) MUJAHID (USA) MUKHADRAM (GB) MUSIC MASTER (GB) MUSTAMEET (USA) MY DREAM BOAT (IRE) MY RISK (FR) MYBOYCHARLIE (IRE)

19/03/2019 12:47

The European Breeders’ Fund, Lushington House, 119 High Street, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9AE, UK T: +44 (0) 1638 667960 F: +44 (0) 1638 667270 E: info@ebfhorseracing.co.uk www.ebfstallions.com N NAAQOOS (GB) NATHANIEL (IRE) NATIONAL DEFENSE (GB) NATIVE RULER (GB) NAYEF (USA) NEATICO (GER) NEW APPROACH (IRE) NEW BAY (GB) NICARON (GER) NIGHT OF THUNDER (IRE) NIGHT WISH (GER) NO NAY NEVER (USA) NO RISK AT ALL (FR) NOOZHOH CANARIAS (SPA) NORSE DANCER (IRE) NOTNOWCATO (GB) NUTAN (IRE) O OASIS DREAM (GB) OCOVANGO (GB) OL’ MAN RIVER (IRE) OLDEN TIMES (GB) OLYMPIC GLORY (IRE) ORIENTOR (GB) OUILLY (IRE) OUTSTRIP (GB) P PALAMOSS (IRE) PALAVICINI (USA) PANIS (USA) PAOLINI (GER) PAPAL BULL (GB) PARISH HALL (IRE) PASSING GLANCE (GB) PASTORAL PURSUITS (GB) PASTORIUS (GER) PEARL SECRET (GB) PEDRO THE GREAT (USA) PEER GYNT (JPN) PENNY’S PICNIC (IRE) PETHER’S MOON (IRE) PETILLO (FR) PETIT SPECIAL (FR) PHOENIX REACH (IRE) PILLAR CORAL (GB) PIRATEER (IRE) PIVON (IRE) PIVOTAL (GB) PLANTEUR (IRE) PLUSQUEMAVIE (IRE) POET’S VOICE (GB) POLARIX (GB) POLICY MAKER (IRE) POLISH VULCANO (GER) POMELLATO (GER) PORTAGE (IRE) POSEIDON ADVENTURE (IRE) POSTPONED (IRE) POUNCED (USA) POUR MOI (IRE) POUVOIR ABSOLU (GB)

EBF OB April 2019 dps.indd 3

PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) PRINCE D’ALIENOR (IRE) PRINCE GIBRALTAR (FR) PRINCE OF LIR (IRE) PROCONSUL (GB) PROFITABLE (IRE) PROTECTIONIST (GER) Q QUEST FOR PEACE (IRE) QUICK MARTIN (FR) R RAIL LINK (GB) RAJJ (IRE) RAJSAMAN (FR) RANSOM O’WAR (USA) RAVEN’S PASS (USA) RECHARGE (IRE) RECORDER (GB) RED JAZZ (USA) RELIABLE MAN (GB) REQUINTO (IRE) RETIREMENT PLAN (GB) RIBCHESTER (IRE) RIO DE LA PLATA (USA) ROB ROY (USA) ROBIN DES CHAMPS (FR) ROBIN DU NORD (FR) ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE) ROSENDHAL (IRE) ROSENSTURM (IRE) ROYAL ANTHEM (USA) ROYAL APPLAUSE (GB) ROYAL VIGIL (IRE) RULE OF LAW (USA) RULER OF THE WORLD (IRE) RUSSIAN TANGO (GER) S SADDEX (GB) SADDLER’S ROCK (IRE) SAGEBURG (IRE) SAINT DES SAINTS (FR) SAKHEE’S SECRET (GB) SANDMASON (GB) SANS FRONTIERES (IRE) SAONOIS (FR) SCALO (GB) SCHIAPARELLI (GER) SCISSOR KICK (AUS) SCORPION (IRE) SEA MOON (GB) SEA THE MOON (GER) SEA THE STARS (IRE) SEPTEMBER STORM (GER) SHAKEEL (FR) SHALAA (IRE) SHAMALGAN (FR) SHAMARDAL (USA) SHANTARAM (GB) SHANTOU (USA) SHIROCCO (GER) SHOLOKHOV (IRE) SHOWCASING (GB)

SIDESTEP (AUS) SILAS MARNER (FR) SILVER FROST (IRE) SILVER GALAXY (GB) SILVER POND (FR) SILVERY MOON (FR) SIR PERCY (GB) SIXTIES ICON (GB) SIYOUNI (FR) SLADE POWER (IRE) SLEEPING INDIAN (GB) SLICKLY (FR) SLICKLY ROYAL (FR) SMOKEM KITTEN (USA) SNOW SKY (GB) SOLDIER HOLLOW (GB) SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) SOLITARY STONE (USA) SOMMERABEND (GB) SORDINO (GER) SOUL CITY (IRE) SPANISH MOON (USA) SPIDER FLIGHT (FR) SPILL THE BEANS (AUS) SRI PUTRA (GB) STARSPANGLEDBANNER (AUS) STIMULATION (IRE) STORM MIST (IRE) STORM THE STARS (USA) STORMY JAIL (IRE) STORMY RIVER (FR) STRATH BURN (GB) STYLE VENDOME (FR) SUN CENTRAL (IRE) SUPPLICANT (GB) SWIPE (USA) SWISS SPIRIT (GB) T TAGULA (IRE) TAI CHI (GER) TAJRAASI (USA) TALE OF TWO CITIES (IRE) TAMAYUZ (GB) TAU CETI (GB) TELESCOPE (IRE) TEOFILO (IRE) TERRITORIES (IRE) THE ANVIL (IRE) THE CARBON UNIT (USA) THE FRENCH (FR) THE GREAT SPIRIT (FR) THE GREY GATSBY (IRE) THE GURKHA (IRE) THE LAST LION (IRE) THE TURNING POINT (FR) TIBERIUS CAESAR (FR) TIGER GROOM (GB) TIGRON (USA) TIME TEST (GB) TIN HORSE (IRE) TOP TRIP (GB) TORONADO (IRE)

TOUGH AS NAILS (IRE) TRIPLE THREAT (FR) TURGEON (USA) TWILIGHT SON (GB) U ULTRA (IRE) ULYSSES (IRE) UNIVERSAL (IRE) URBAN POET (USA) URSA MAJOR (IRE) V VADAMOS (FR) VALE OF YORK (IRE) VALIRANN (FR) VAN KHAN (FR) VANISHING CUPID (SWI) VATORI (FR) VENDANGEUR (IRE) VERY NICE NAME (FR) VICTORY SONG (IRE) VIF MONSIEUR (GER) VIRTUAL (GB) VISION D’ETAT (FR) VITA VENTURI (IRE) VOCALISED (USA) W WALDPARK (GER) WALK IN THE PARK (IRE) WALLACE (GB) WALZERTAKT (GER) WAR COMMAND (USA) WATAR (IRE) WELL CHOSEN (GB) WESTERNER (GB) WHERE OR WHEN (IRE) WHIPPER (USA) WHITECLIFFSOFDOVER (USA) WIESENPFAD (FR) WILLYWELL (FR) WINGS OF EAGLES (FR) WOOTTON BASSETT (GB) WORKFORCE (GB) WORTHADD (IRE) Y YEATS (IRE) YORGUNNABELUCKY (USA) YOUMZAIN (IRE) Z ZAMBEZI SUN (GB) ZANZIBARI (USA) ZARAK (FR) ZAZOU (GER) ZELZAL (FR) ZOFFANY (IRE)

EBF INTERNATIONAL STALLIONS STALLION ARROGATE (USA) CANDY RIDE (ARG) CONNECT (USA) DAAHER (CAN) DAIWA MAJOR (JPN) DEEP IMPACT (JPN) DREFONG (USA) DURAMENTE (JPN) ENGLISH CHANNEL (USA) EPIPHANEIA (JPN) FLINTSHIRE (GB) HARBINGER (GB) HEART’S CRY (JPN) HONOR CODE (USA) JUST A WAY (JPN) KARAKONTIE (JPN) KING KAMEHAMEHA (JPN) KINSHASA NO KISEKI (AUS) KITASAN BLACK (JPN) KITTEN’S JOY (USA) KIZUNA (JPN) LORD KANALOA (JPN) MAGICIAN (IRE) MAURICE (JPN) MIZZEN MAST (USA) MOHAYMEN (USA) MR SPEAKER (USA) NOBLE MISSION (GB) NOVELLIST (IRE) ORFEVRE (JPN) QUALITY ROAD (USA) RULERSHIP (JPN) TAMARKUZ (USA) UNIFIED (USA) UNION RAGS (USA)

STANDS USA USA USA USA JPN JPN JPN JPN USA JPN USA JPN JPN USA JPN USA JPN JPN JPN USA JPN JPN USA JPN USA USA USA USA JPN JPN USA JPN USA USA USA

The stallions listed above stood OUTSIDE THE EBF AREA IN 2018 and have been registered as International Stallions for that year by reason of stallion nomination payments.

The progeny of these stallions, CONCEIVED IN 2018, (the foal crop of 2019), will be eligible to enter and run in EBF races to be held during 2021, and thereafter, with no further payments.

Further details from the Chief Executive, European Breeders’ Fund.

19/03/2019 12:47

LOU HODGES

58 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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22/03/2019 15:29

Breeze-up market

Going

War Of Will: Arqana graduate on the Kentucky Derby trail after a decisive victory in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in February

GLOBAL From Fair Grounds in New Orleans to Meydan in Dubai, European breeze-up graduates have scorched a trail in 2019 – but what does the future hold for this section of the bloodstock market?

Words: Nancy Sexton

B

y their very nature, the breeze-up community are a resilient group and so there is a sense of cautious optimism as they approach this year’s sales season.

The breeze-up market can be one of the toughest of its kind, one where those involved not only have to adhere to the constrictions of fashion but also often to the demands of the clock, an increasingly important element of many a buyer’s armoury come breeze day.

And with this year comes the looming spectre of Brexit. While an extension to Article 50 was a very real possibility at the time of writing, the current situation has naturally induced some trepidation ahead of a season that undergoes its first test, the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-Up Sale, on April 3, just five days after Britain’s original scheduled departure from the European Union on March 29.

“It couldn’t have come at a worse time politically speaking,” says Mark Dwyer of Oaks Farm Stables. “We’re in tricky times.

But we just have to get on with it.”

Against that, however, there is the allure of several new sale incentives, namely a £100,000 bonus for any twoyear-old sold at Ascot who goes on to win at this year’s Royal Meeting and a £15,000 bonus attached to the Tattersalls Craven Sale for any purchase who wins a qualifying race. In addition, breeze-up sales have rarely enjoyed such an exalted standing on the world stage.

For example, last year’s Arqana’s May Sale is the source of current leading Kentucky Derby fancy War Of Will. The son of War Front was set to contest the Louisiana Derby at the time of going to press, having captured two of this year’s major Classic preps, the Lecomte and Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, for owner Gary Barber. He could well be joined on the American Classic trail

by Godolphin’s Divine Image, a fellow Arqana graduate who has the Kentucky Oaks on her agenda.

Another high-class breezer, last year’s Natalma Stakes heroine La Pelosa, also sits within Godolphin’s three-year-old battalion.

Recent seasons have also featured a Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner in Teppal, sold by Bansha House Stables to Blandford Bloodstock at Arqana, alongside Group 1 graduates of the ilk of Sands Of Mali, Quiet Reflection, Brando, Khan, Hunt, Gronkowski, Thundering Blue and East.

Data compiled by the Breeze-Up Consignors Association shows that over 50% of breeze-up graduates sold since 2014 are winners, among them 30% who score at two. So far, the 2017 crop has accounted for 258 winners of 450 races, while those sold last year have already won 190 races between them.

A total of 291 have also struck in blacktype company since 2009, including 24 Group 1 winners.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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››

59

22/03/2019 15:29

Breeze-up market “The winners that come out of the breeze-ups are remarkable,” says Norman Williamson, whose Oak Tree Farm sold War Of Will. “War Of Will is particularly great for the breeze-ups as it shows a good horse can come from anywhere.

It shows you can go there and not only come away with a good turf horse but one that can go on dirt as well.”

War Of Will was picked up privately by Williamson and his team at the Keeneland September Sale after failing to meet his reserve of $175,000. Beautifully related as a Niarchos-bred War Front half-brother to Irish Group 1 winner Pathfork, he returned to the Arqana May Sale to make €250,000 to agent Justin Casse and was sent back across the Atlantic to be trained

by Casse’s brother Mark, who saddled him to be Grade 1-placed on the turf last August before switching him successfully to dirt.

“He was a beautiful horse who covered a lot of ground,” says Williamson. “I’m delighted for his connections, especially Justin Casse as he came to see me about the horse at the sale and I could easily recommend him.”

In War Of Will, Williamson offered a horse with the pedigree, action and physique to attract attention.

He is indicative of the level of horse breeze-up consignors are

››

FIRST-CROP SIRES TO FOLLOW IN 2019 The breeze-up season often offers a useful snapshot into the potential performance of the year’s first-crop sires. Here a selection of consignors offer their insight into what they have seen from this particular group so far.

John Cullinan

Church Farm and Horse Park Stud “We have a very sharp Gleneagles colt for Doncaster. He looks precocious. I’m not sure if he’s typical of the sire or not but he looks quick and he’s well up for it. Our Muhaarar might need a bit of time but she’s catching up now and is a good mover – we like her. And our Night Of Thunder goes well.”

Mary Reynolds

Ardglas Stables “Our Hot Streak colt for Doncaster is a big, strong horse. He has a great attitude, he’s a gentleman who loves his work. We also have a nice Night Of Thunder filly for a client. She’s very straightforward and I’d say he’s a sire to keep an eye on.”

TATTERSALLS

GEORGE SELWYN

››

Mark Dwyer: impressed by Muhaarar

Mark Dwyer

Oaks Farm Stables “We’re involved in a few Muhaarars.

The guys all like them. We also have a nice Gleneagles, a very good moving horse who goes well.”

Matt Eves

2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder has his first two-year-old runners this year and has caught the eye of our judges

60

Star Bloodstock “There’s been a massive word for Competitive Edge in the States and the colt we have for the Craven is going very well. We also have two Daredevils – a nice colt for Doncaster and a big, scopey animal for the Craven.

“Byron Rogers is a great help to us when it comes to America and he identified Competitive Edge and Daredevil as two American stallions to target – both were very good two-year-olds.

“We’re also happy with our Hot Streak colt and we have a very nice Night Of Thunder filly for Arqana – she’s very fast.”

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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22/03/2019 15:29

MOCKLERSHILL

EUROPE’S PREMIER BREEZE UP CONSIGNOR Vendors of 20 Individual Winners from the 2018 Crop

SIR CHURCHILL (Elusive Quality) who was bought for £85,000 by trainer Marc Stott for owner Mrs Karin Salling at last year’s Goffs Uk Breeze Up Sale has just been awarded 2-YEAR-OLD OF THE YEAR in Denmark

Contact Willie Browne: 087 634 7271 Email: grangebarry@mocklershill.ie | Email: williebrowne@ mocklershill.ie | www.mocklershill.ie

Breeze up sales are a consistent source of QUALITY, PROGRESSIVE racehorses with international appeal Looking for your NEXT WINNER...........

" !) , v

!

v

v * WASIM, Star Craven Graduate winning at the Carnival in Meydan

62 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

Fractional ad pages April 2019.indd 62

22/03/2019 09:17

GEORGE SELWYN

Breeze-up market

Sands Of Mali, seen here winning the British Champions Sprint, was a breeze-up graduate, in his case Tattersalls’ 2017 Ascot sale

›› focusing on in today’s market, and, given

had, we’d take it,” says Mark Dwyer, who also maintains an association with Willie Browne of Mocklershill while selling under his Oaks Farm banner. “That meant we took a beating on some but we had some big touches too, which handled the bad.”

Although Dwyer and Browne later found it tough to buy in the autumn, their current numbers are on a par with last year.

However, several consignors have taken the conscious decision to cut back, partly in response to an emerging reluctance to place those lesser unsold yearlings into the system. As a result, those catalogues released at the time of writing are of a more condensed nature.

“I think everybody last year was

TATTERSALLS

how recent seasons have played out, it’s easy to see why.

Although last year’s season didn’t feature a seven-figure horse, the top end of the market remained robust as nine youngsters spread across the Tattersalls Craven and Arqana May Sales sold for in excess of €500,000. In keeping with market trends overall, however, the middle to bottom end of the markets were tough for vendors, an aspect that contributed to drops in average for each of the main six sales (albeit in some cases from record levels achieved in 2017).

“Funnily enough, we didn’t end up with anything left over last year but then we took a view that if there was a sale to be

Norman Williamson of Oak Tree Farm (left) and Con Marnane of Bansha House Stables

Apr_176_BreezeUp_v2.indd 63

conscious of the growth in numbers within the breeze-up scene, and that it wasn’t beneficial,” says Jimmy George, Marketing Director of Tattersalls. “One has to be careful in balancing supply and demand.

“The Craven has 147 catalogued, down from 172 horses last year, and we’re aiming to trim the Guineas Sale as well.”

Ambrose O’Mullane and Mary Reynolds of Ardglas Stables, who topped the 2016 Tattersalls Guineas Sale when selling Pouvoir Magique for 300,000gns, were among those to cut numbers.

“Even though we pulled through the season, it was difficult unless you had the top horses,” says Reynolds. “The clock has a lot to do with it. We’re not hard on our horses, we let them breeze to the best of their ability and what they do on the day is what they do on the day.

“Last year we had also some for clients who hadn’t sold as yearlings. This year, all bar one – which is a homebred of a client’s – were bought specifically to breeze, so we have fewer to sell. We worked hard at the sales but they were hard to buy as the breeze-up buyers all land on the same types.”

She adds: “I think we have a nice bunch, in particular a fast Moohaajim filly for Ascot and a nice Hot Streak for Doncaster.”

Her views are echoed by Williamson, another to have reduced numbers.

“We had a reasonably good year last year but those that didn’t match were difficult,” he says. “We’ve never had huge numbers, probably about 15-18 in the past, and this year we have 11 to sell.

››

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER 63

22/03/2019 15:30

Breeze-up market “We found it very difficult to buy.

Everybody is going for the better horse and there were very few cracks in the middle to the top of the market. As we all know, the bottom of the market is not the place to be. To contradict that though, there will always be those breeze-up horses bought for not much money who go on to do fast breezes.”

He adds: “We have a nice group going to the Craven, and they’re by fashionable sires. The Dark Angel colt is sharp-looking and we have a Farhh colt that goes beautifully. The Kodiac colt is a lovely horse too.”

By contrast, Star Bloodstock will send more horses through the ring this spring following the enthusiasm of their investors

“My feeling is we won’t see the true effects of Brexit – if it happens – until around July” to jump back in following a “good enough season last year in a tough market”.

Star goes to the Craven with six juveniles, including a Kodiac half-brother to Trip To Paris, himself a celebrated breezer, and a highly regarded No Nay Never filly. They also have six catalogued in Doncaster.

“My feeling is that we won’t see the true effects of Brexit – if it happens – until around July time,” says Star Bloodstock’s Matt Eves. “I think the bigger issue is how many buyers will be attracted to the major sales – I’m hopeful that we will see more American buyers.

“I would say I’m mildly optimistic.

We’ve had a number of agents visit to see the horses, in fact more than ever, so I’m feeling a better vibe about it all than this time last year.”

For all the pre-season hopes and anxieties, only time will tell how this year’s season is to play out. There is one certainty, however, and that is a number of high-flying performers will be lurking within those horses offered. The achievements of previous crops provide testament to that, and, come May, there could be further cause for yet more Classic celebrations.

UAE Oaks heroine Divine Image has excelled on dirt at the Dubai Carnival

DUBAI RACING CLUB/ERIKA RASMUSEN

››

HEIGHTENED INTEREST FROM AMERICA Should War Of Will and Divine Image make it to Churchill Downs next month for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, Arqana will be in the remarkable position of having sold live chances for two of America’s premier Classics out of a breeze-up sale that numbered 170 horses last May. The achievements of War Of Will, in particular, has brought European breeze-ups to the attention of the wider American racing public and, as a result, Arqana are hopeful of an upturn in interest from American buyers when they come to stage this year’s sale in Deauville on May 10-11.

“We already have buyers confirmed as coming over for the sale,” says Arqana Executive Director Freddy Powell. “Our American representative Tony Lacy has been in Ocala, Florida, liaising with people and I am going over to Keeneland for their April meeting and breeze-up sale.

“War Of Will has definitely helped – obviously it’s a big thing having a horse good enough for the Triple Crown. It’s very encouraging to have that confirmed American interest, especially in a year when we don’t know whether the British market will be slowed down by Brexit.”

The emergence of War Of Will as a primary American Triple Crown contender has come at a time when the popularity of European-sourced horses is running particularly high. Proven European imports have long fared well in America but in recent years there has also been an increasing number of American buyers working the European yearling sales; look no further than Klaravich Stables, whose first buying trip to the Tattersalls October Sale in 2017 yielded champion Newspaperofrecord as well as current unbeaten stakes winner Digital Age. With the New York Racing Association (NYRA) also recently having announced the creation of a Turf Triple Series worth $5.25 million aimed at the best three-year-old turf runners, the prestige attached to American turf racing has never been greater.

Last year’s Tattersalls Craven Sale featured some American interest, notably from owner Kaleem Shah, who went to 420,000gns through Alex Elliott for an Animal Kingdom colt from Tally-Ho Stud. Tattersalls representatives were present at the recent American breeze-up sales in Florida and the company is hopeful that their own sales will once again attract their share of US attention.

“There’s a real momentum behind the whole turf scene there at the moment,” says Jimmy George, Marketing Director at Tattersalls. “America is an increasingly important area of our focus, especially with the NYRA Triple Turf Series, which can only be a positive for all of us selling turf horses.

“The exploits of Newspaperofrecord are nothing short of extraordinary and from Tattersalls’ perspective you couldn’t ask for a better representative in America.”

64 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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22/03/2019 15:30

©Hodges

Breeze Up 10 -11 MAY 2019

DEAUVILLE THE SALE THAT PRODUCED WAR OF WILL & DIVINE IMAGE Leading contenders for the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. A total of 24 graduates from the 2018 Sale entered in the European Classics. The future is among the 159 two-year-olds catalogued!

CONTACT info@arqana.com - +33 (0)2 31 81 81 00

www.arqana.com

Fractional ad pages April 2019.indd 65

CATALOGUE ONLINE WAR OF WILL, bought at the 2018 Sale, Gr.1 placed at two and a dual Group winner already this season.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER 65

22/03/2019 09:19

Sales Circuit • By Carl Evans

Envy of Envoi drives strong trade Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale

although details of the new owner were not announced.

Farrell and Allen had bought their star for €25,000 at the previous year’s Derby Sale.

Other familiar faces were in buying mode – Harold Kirk (on behalf of Willie

TATTERSALLS

Tattersalls knew it had a poster boy for this sale in the shape of Envoi Allen, who had sold for £400,000 in 2018 and was favourite for the Festival’s Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

At that stage they did not know he would win it, but it takes only one or two horses of his calibre to be associated with an auction for it to flourish, and buyers seemed determined not to let the next Envoi Allen slip through their grasp, creating more buoyant trade.

Now firmly established as a February sale, rather than one in January, it maintained the theme of strong trade for Irish point-to-pointers – and a cracking result for a British one.

The top lot, four-year-old Wide Receiver, was knocked down for £410,000 to bloodstock agent Tom Malone, who bought Envoi Allen for Cheveley Park Stud, which sent him to trainer Gordon Elliott. Wide Receiver, who won a point-to-point at Cragmore for trainer Cormac Farrell and his friend Edgar Allen just ahead of his ring appearance, will also be joining Elliott,

Mullins), and trainers Evan Williams, Henry de Bromhead and Jessica Harrington all maintained their frequent association with sales at Cheltenham, while Lucinda Russell picked up a five-year-old Irish pointer called Offtheshoulder for £110,000 on behalf

Point winner Wide Receiver, a son of Sholokhov, topped the February Sale at £410,000

Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale Top lots Name/Breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

Wide Receiver (Sholokhov - Sagarich)

Leamore Horses (Cormac Farrell)

Ferny Hollow (Westerner - Mirazur)

Milestone Stables (Colin Bowe)

300,000

410,000

Tom Malone/Gordon Elliott Harold Kirk/Willie Mullins

Deploy The Getaway (Getaway - Gaelic River)

Monbeg Stables (Donnchadh Doyle)

200,000

Harold Kirk/Willie Mullins

Fado Des Brosses (Balko - Nanou Des Brosses)

Suirview Stables (Pat Doyle)

200,000

Evan Williams

Bold Assassin (Golden Lariat – Drumnaskea)

Bernice Stables (Warren Ewing)

150,000

Henry de Bromhead

Garry Clermont (Maresca Sorrento - Kalidria Beauchene)

Station Yard (Francesca Nimmo)

150,000

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock/Jonjo O'Neill

Goaheadwiththeplan (Stowaway - Backandillo)

Milestone Stables (Colin Bowe)

140,000

Margaret O'Toole/Noel Meade

Offtheshoulder (Gold Well - Zafilly)

Monbeg Stables (Sean Doyle)

110,000

Lucinda Russell

Ain't That A Shame (Jeremy - Castletown Girl)

Camas Park Stud

110,000

Henry de Bromhead

Gold Des Bois (Full Of Gold - Equatoriale)

Roefield Stables (Peter Fahey)

100,000

Kate Harrington

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Top Price (£)

2019

25

2,542,000

101,680

66,000

410,000

2018

29

3,063,000

105,621

65,000

410,000

2017

33

2,562,000

77,636

50,000

480,000

2016

23

1,230,000

53,478

40,000

200,000

2015

28

1,629,000

58,179

39,000

200,000

66 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Overview and analysis of the latest events in the ring

GEORGE SELWYN

TALKING POINT

Jamie Codd celebrates winning the Champion Bumper on £400,000 purchase Envoi Allen

of owner Gerry Macgladery.

He had won at Cragmore while Russell was in Ireland, but not at that fixture, so she rang trainer Sean Doyle – of Monbeg Stables association – and arranged to see the horse. The inspection was carried out in a petrol station as the horse was on his way home from the races.

Matt Coleman, well known as a buyer of Flat horses in his role as part of the

Stroud Coleman team, has become another familiar figure at Cheltenham sales, and his £150,000 bid on behalf of trainer Jonjo O’Neill for four-year-old Garry Clermont reaped a fine reward for Warwickshire trainer Fran Nimmo and her partner, jockey Charlie Poste.

The couple train pointers at all levels, and are growing the pinhooking side of the business. They had threatened to secure a six-figure sale for a couple

Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale

Molony and Anthony Bromley showed their interest in buying her before Matt Mitchell of Tattersalls brought the hammer down. He was acting for a client of Nicky Henderson’s, whose name was not revealed, but most in attendance put two and two together and came up with the name of JP McManus, who has a number of leading performers at Seven Barrows. The accuracy of their guess will be revealed in time.

One thing was certain: My Whirlwind, whose family members include triple Cheltenham Festival winner Albertas Run, had produced a handsome profit for Turley (possibly with partners), who had paid €42,000 for her as an unbroken store.

The same trainer also sold Power Of Pause, a son of Doyen, for £180,000, having bought him for €28,000 in partnership with Mark O’Hare,

Record figures and a new high of £400,000 for a jumping filly or mare were among highlights at this 23lot sale, held after racing during the Cheltenham Festival.

At a sale dominated by Irish pointers, but with a duo from the UK plus some bumper winners, the leading lady proved to be My Whirlwind, who had been the appropriately-named winner of a snowstorm-struck maiden race at Ballycahane less than two weeks earlier.

Luck was on the side of her trainer, Pat Turley, because a few races later the meeting was abandoned.

Having provided the perfect showcase performance, the daughter of Stowaway walked into Cheltenham’s winners’ enclosure – also used as the sales ring on this occasion, but one she may well visit in future – where Peter

Apr_176_SaleCircuit.indd 67

• Tattersalls Ireland took charge of sales at Cheltenham, from Herefordshire auctioneers Brightwells, in late 2015. Brightwells had been steadily growing trade at this sale (held in January under its watch) and Tattersalls has maintained that theme.

Auctions have been rebranded as Tattersalls, dropping the word ‘Ireland’, but they are still run largely by the Irish team, which has managed to more or less double the average and median prices from those achieved the year before they took charge. How much of that is down to contacts and marketing, and how much to the lure of the spring festivals, or the quality of stores bought with a view to being raced once or twice and then sold at Cheltenham, is open to debate, although a combination of all three elements is probably accurate. of years, and Garry Clermont, who had made a winning debut in a point-topoint at Bangor five days earlier, made the breakthrough.

Of the 35 horses who walked the ring, 25 found a buyer (71%), slightly down on last year, while turnover also dipped, by 17%. The average price was down 4%, but remained a six-figure sum for the second year running. The median gained 2%.

TALKING POINT

››

• Apart from a blip in 2015, when the figures fell markedly, this sale has gradually grown in value. The average price is now more than 50% higher than in 2014, while the median has doubled, and it seems that anyone who fancies buying the top lot can no longer think in terms of taking £200,000 to spend, but £300,000 or £400,000. The lure of jump racing may confuse some, but even the most ardent cynic would have been moved by the scenes around the winners’ enclosure when Frodon returned after his Ryanair Chase win under Bryony Frost.

Horses like that are the reason why people spend six-figure sums on geldings.

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Sales Circuit his sole start in a point-to-point at Punchestown. Willie Mullins’ agent, Harold Kirk, bought this one.

Kirk also signed for Ramillies, a Shantou gelding whose £215,000 valuation was just £5,000 shy of the British record for a pointer, set by Interconnected at this sale last year – the vendor on each occasion was Herefordshire-based Tom Lacey.

A pair of horses headed trade at the 2018 edition, selling for £330,000, but two horses sailed past that sum on this occasion. The second was Bravemansgame, a winner at Lingstown just four days before his ring appearance, and knocked down to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for £370,000.

Trainer Donnchadh Doyle had bought him for €48,000 as a store.

The Cheltenham Festival remains a huge draw, the latest edition producing record crowds on each of the four days and some compelling stories. To have runners and winners there is the goal for many, and this sale, held in the midst of it, puts up a selection of horses

TATTERSALLS

›› who rode the horse to victory on

My Whirlwind’s sale price of £400,000 was a record for a jumps filly

Turnover rose 7%, the median by 2% and the average by 3%, all gains that built on some sharp rises 12 months ago.

who have the potential to return for the races rather than the sales ring.

As a result, 21 of the 23 lots found a buyer and 14 made £100,000 or more.

››

Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale Top lots Name/Breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

My Whirlwind (Stowaway - Garranlea Maree)

Kingsfield Stud (Patrick Turley)

400,000

Nicky Henderson

Bravemansgame (Brave Mansonnien - Genifique)

Monbeg Stables (Donnchadh Doyle)

370,000

Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls

Farouk D'Alene (Racinger - Mascotte D'Alene)

Monbeg Stables (Donnchadh Doyle)

260,000

Margaret O'Toole/Gordon Elliott Racing

Hold That Taught (Kayf Tara - Belle Magello)

Ballyboy Stables (Denis Murphy)

220,000

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock/Kate Brazier

Ramillies (Shantou - Mrs Wallensky)

Cottagefield Stables (Tom Lacey)

215,000

Crypto (Gold Well - Top Lot)

Micky Hammond Racing

200,000

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock/Kate Brazier

Power Of Pause (Doyen - Shady Pines)

Kingsfield Stud (Patrick Turley)

180,000

Harold Kirk/Willie Mullins

Linelee King (Martaline - Queen Lee)

Milestone Stables (Colin Bowe)

160,000

Aiden Murphy/Olly Murphy Racing

Sporting John (Getaway - Wild Spell)

Ballycrystal Stables (Matthew Flynn O'Connor)

160,000

Kieran McManus

Giants Table (Great Pretender - Bold Fire)

Milestone Stables (Colin Bowe)

160,000

Jamie Codd

Harold Kirk

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Top Price (£)

2019

21

3,410,000

162,381

150,000

400,000

2018

20

3,165,000

158,250

147,500

330,000

2017

21

3,000,000

142,85

120,000

320,000

2016

14

1,447,000

103,357

91,000

225,000

2015

18

1,362,000

75,667

60,000

205,000

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Sales Circuit Ocala Breeders’ Sale March Breeze-Up

Despite a record top price there were signs of reduced polarization at the top end of the market, and increased interest in horses below that level at the first breeze-up sale of the year.

OBS Sales Director Tod Wojciechowski noted this broadbased buying, pointing to 117 horses who had been sold for $50,000 or less, compared with 87 the previous year, and also to falls in the average and median prices. “We were happy to see that horses got moved at all levels,” he said, although some consignors were less inclined to acknowledge any spread in buying habits, and said buyers remained highly selective.

If Wojciechowski was pleased by additional sales at the bottom end, he was also happy to note that while just two horses had sold for more than $800,000 in 2018, that became six

for the latest two-day edition of the event.

The sale-topper proved to be a $2 million colt by Tapit, already named Chestertown, whose valuation exceeded the previous best for the auction by $200,000. A first foal of the multiple Grade 1 winner Artemis Agrotera, a choicely-bred mare whose victories included the Frizzette and Ballerina Stakes, he was knocked down to Lane’s End Bloodstock, buying for a group that was happy to partner with the colt’s breeders, Chester and Mary Broman from New York. They have since bred their star mare to Uncle Mo and Arrogate, giving her, and themselves, every chance of creating some top racehorses.

Offered during the first session, he was joined on millionaire’s row by a Pioneerof The Nile colt who was sold for $1.2m to Larry Best’s OXO Equine.

Other buyers of note included Emmanuel de Seroux’s Narvick

International, which purchased a number of high-end lots for Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud, the team from Phoenix Thoroughbreds, whose investments included an $825,000 Bernardini colt, and Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida, who left with fillies by Candy Ride and Uncle Mo who made in excess of $500,000.

Record figures were achieved at this sale in 2017, but they slumped back last year, starting a trend that was to be seen at numerous other northern hemisphere breeze-up sales.

Some consolidation was achieved this time, with turnover gaining 5%, and while the average and median were down – by 12% and 23% respectively – the clearance rate gained five points to reach 76%. Those figures might back up OBS’s claim of greater demand for lesser horses, which would give some cheer to other breeze-up consignors as they wait to unleash their wares on the market.

Ocala Breeders’ Sale March Breeze-Up Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

Price ($)

C Tapit - Artemis Agrotera

Sequel Bloodstock

C Pioneerof The Nile - Golden Artemis

Hoby & Layna Knight

1,200,00

OXO Equine

C Medaglia d'Oro - Rashnaa

Kings Equine

900,000

D J Stable & Cash Is King

F The Big Beast - Lucky Trip

Ocala Stud

850,000

Lane’s End B/S

C Palace Malice - Miss Always Ready

Pick View

850,000

Mike Ryan

C Bernardini - Inish Glora

Kings Equine

825,000

Phoenix Thoroughbreds

F Candy Ride – Eltimaas

Top Line Sales

675,000

Katsumi Yoshida

F Speightstown - CJ's Leelee

Niall Brennan Stables

650,000

Narvick International

F American Pharoah – Flattermewithroses

de Meric Sales

600,000

Narvick International

C Justin Phillip – Cersei

Hoppel's Horse & Cattle Co

550,000

KSI, Ben McElroy

C Into Mischief – Corderosa

Eddie Woods

550,000

Spendthrift Farm

2,000,000

Buyer Lane’s End B/S

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Avg ($)

Mdn ($)

Top Price ($)

2019

309

44,422,500

143,762

80,000

2,000,000

2018

254

42,592,000

167,685

110,000

875,000

2017

304

56,765,000

186,727

95,000

1,700,000

2016

320

51,288,000

160,275

102,500

1,700,000

2015

325

55,432,000

170,560

105,000

1,400,000

70 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

71

22/03/2019 10:40

Caulfield Files

Experimental Free Handicap: who would not be interested?

Identifying US stallions that consistently excel when it comes to producing quality juveniles has become a whole lot harder – if not impossible – after American Jockey Club decision

GEORGE SELWYN

S

urely I wasn’t the only person who was rather nonplussed by the American Jockey Club’s decision to discontinue its Experimental Free Handicap (recently renamed the Top 2-Year-Old Rankings)? It cited “waning relevance and interest” in these two-year-old assessments, which began as long ago as the juveniles of 1933.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why anyone closely involved in the racing and breeding industries would not be interested in the Experimental Free Handicap figures. They were as good a way as any of pinpointing stallions that consistently shine as sires of talented two-year-olds. But today’s Americans talk Beyer Speed Figures and Ragozin numbers, rather than the Rankings, the last of which gave assessments for 255 juveniles

Sergei Prokofiev: one of the European flag-flyers for Scat Daddy last year

Rubick tops the numbers down under Ask Europeans to name the busiest stallion at Coolmore Australia in 2018 and I suspect that few would give the correct answer. The distinction belonged to Encosta de Lago’s fast son Rubick, who attracted a whopping 262 mares in the supposedly difficult fourth year. Part of Rubick’s attraction is that he is out of a Group-winning half-sister to the three-time champion sire Redoute’s Choice, and he headed the betting on which first-crop stallion would sire the most winners during the 2018-19 season.

The second busiest stallion, with 246 mares, was Merchant Navy, another of Coolmore’s Australianbreds. This 2018 winner of the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes and Group 1 Diamond Jubilee was given a very warm welcome in Australia – and with good reason. Merchant Navy is by Fastnet Rock, who has twice taken the title of champion sire, and he is bred along similar lines to several very successful stallions.

With a son of Danehill as his sire and a daughter of Snippets as his dam, Merchant Navy shares the same grandsires as Snitzel, a stallion who appears to be heading for his third consecutive Australian sires’ championship. Also, with Fastnet Rock as his sire and a Snippets mare as his dam, Merchant Navy is bred to the same cross as two stallions which have already sired Group 1 winners. One of those stallions, the Group 3 winner Hinchinbrook, did so well with his early crops that his fee had been raised to A$55,000 just before his untimely death in 2018.

Merchant Navy was scheduled to stand the 2019 Irish season at Coolmore but didn’t make the trip. I, for one, hope that he will make the flight for the 2020 season. Another reverse-shuttler who did travel for the 2019 season was Zoustar, even though he had coped with a book of 243 mares at Widden Stud. He obviously

faces a demanding year, but we have seen that today’s carefully-managed stallions can cope with a considerable workload. For example, Merchant Navy’s sire Fastnet Rock covered a combined total of 370 mares in 2011 and 387 the following year.

Another reverse-shuttler, the dual two-year-old Group 1 winner Pride Of Dubai, was priced at €15,000 when he covered a 2018 Irish book of around 100, but then attracted 147 Australian mares at the much higher fee of A$44,000. It is going to be fascinating to see whether this horse from the same family as Invincible Spirit and Kodiac can make the grade in both hemispheres.

Interestingly, only one northern hemisphere stallion – Toronado – figured among the 20 busiest stallions in Australia and this former National Stud stallion was in 20th place, with 166 mares at Swettenham Stud.

Of the other European stallions,

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Bloodstock world views considered worthy of a rating of 100 or over.

An analysis of the figures could produce some surprising facts, as I was reminded when I amalgamated the previous five editions of the Experimental Free Handicap for an article in the March 2014 issue of Thoroughbred Owner Breeder. I was trying to find which stallions cropped up most, and was surprised to find that the very decisive leader, with a total of 24 individual two-year-olds, was the champion middle-distance turf horse Kitten’s Joy, who didn’t even tackle stakes company as a two-year-old.

Kitten’s Joy reinforced his position with his two-year-olds of 2014, with an unequalled total of six qualifiers. It was therefore no great surprise that he has since been represented in Europe by juveniles of the quality of Roaring Lion and Hawkbill.

The stallion with the most representatives in 2017 was Scat Daddy, with the excellent total of ten (which didn’t include his Triple Crown winner Justify, who didn’t race at two). This gave forewarning – not that any was really needed – that Scat Daddy would again dominate in 2018, when he enjoyed European Group success with the two-year-olds Sergei Prokofiev,

Shalaa was the next busiest with a book of 150 mares at Arrowfield. Not far behind, with 147 mares, is Galileo’s renowned international traveller Highland Reel, who had started his stallion career with a book of 184 mares in Ireland. It still seems remarkable that this winner of £7.5 million is available for no more than €17,000 in Ireland and A$16,500 in Victoria, with his fee reflecting the prejudice against middle-distance performers, no matter how well qualified. Breeders should perhaps remember that Highland Reel won two of his three juvenile starts, including the Group 2 Vintage Stakes.

Another of Coolmore’s Galileo stallions, Churchill, covered 140 mares at A$27,500, following a first Irish book of 211. As one of Galileo’s most precocious sons, and a dual Classic winner over a mile, Churchill appears better qualified than most of Galileo’s sons to meet the requirements of Australian breeders. Churchill stands at the same fee – €35,000 – in Ireland as another of Coolmore’s champions,

Apr_176_CaulfieldFiles.indd 73

Skitter Scatter, So Perfect and Van Beethoven, With no official American figures for 2018, I turned to the Racing Post to see whether its figures can fill the Experimental void. The quick answer seems to be it cannot, as the list for dirt two-year-olds comprises fewer than 40 horses rated 100 or more, compared to the 2017 Rankings’ 255, which included a proportion of turf horses.

So an era seems to have ended.

During the Experimental’s history of over 80 years, seven top-ranked colts – Whirlaway, Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed and American Pharoah – have gone on to achieve the rare distinction of winning the Triple Crown.

A list of top-ranked colts also features such significant names as Menow, Tom Fool, Native Dancer, Hail To Reason, Never Bend, Raise A Native, Buckpasser, Hoist The Flag, Deputy Minister, Forty Niner, Unbridled’s Song, Maria’s Mon and Uncle Mo, which underlines how two-year-old excellence and stallion success often go together.

I am going to have to be satisfied with the prize-money table for the leading sires of two-year-olds, which nowadays include totals for black-type winners and black-type horses.

Merchant Navy (No 7) wins at Ascot

Caravaggio. However, Caravaggio is a little bit more expensive in Australia, at A$33,000 and he covered a few more mares (143).

The list also features a handful of stallions which have been dividing their time between Australia and Kentucky. Australia may provide some clues as to whether the progeny of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah are going to prove effective on turf.

Priced at A$66,000, he covered 158 mares in his first Australian season and 139 in his second, having covered 182 mares in Kentucky in 2018.

Darley has been trying to educate

The Blood-Horse’s list provided the rather unexpected news that the stallion with the most American black-type two-year-old winners, with a total of six, was Flatter. A 20-year-old son of AP Indy based at Claiborne Farm, Flatter didn’t even race at two and never won a stakes race. However, this very well-connected horse has done so well over the years that his fee, which stood at $5,000 for several years, has since peaked at $40,000.

With the Experimental, I could quickly have established the merit of Flatter’s sextet. Without it I can tell you that none of the six won at Graded level and none of them was rated 100+ by the Racing Post (which I suspect limits itself to Graded stakes action).

Three stallions managed to sire five two-year-old black-type winners – the hugely popular Into Mischief, the very talented Quality Road and the first-crop sire Cross Traffic. While Cross Traffic did very well to sire the champion filly Jaywalk, winner of the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, she was his only Graded winner. Into Mischief, on the other hand, had a pair of Grade 2 winners and a Grade 3 scorer, while Quality Road had the dual Grade 1 winner Bellafina and a Grade 3 winner.

American breeders about the achievements of Medaglia d’Oro’s fast son Astern. A book of 116 mares at a fee of $15,000 in his first season in Kentucky in 2018 was followed by 139 mares at A$33,000, which suggests he isn’t going to find things easy in the northern hemisphere. The same applies to another of Medaglia d’Oro’s fast Aussie sons Vancouver. After attracting 82 mares in his second season in Kentucky, Vancouver wasn’t returned for a third year. It also hasn’t been straightforward for Vancouver in his native Australia, where his book has fallen from 200 mares in his first season to 161 in his second and now to 128 mares in his third.

Another name on the list which interested me is that of Sir Prancealot, who covered 110 mares at a fee of A$14,300 at Cornerstone Stud Farm in South Australia. This son of Tamayuz won three of his six starts as a two-year-old in 2012, including the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, and was then promptly retired to Tally-Ho Stud at a fee of €6,000.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER 73

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Free entry to Cheltenham and half-price tickets to Ascot

T

here are a number of upcoming discounts and badge offers available to members of The Thoroughbred Club. For further information on all badge offers, please contact the club on info@thethoroughbredclub.co.uk.

THE APRIL MEETING (THURSDAY) CHELTENHAM, APRIL 18 Cheltenham has kindly offered members free entry at the April meeting on Thursday, April 18. Members will be granted access on presentation of a valid TTC membership card on the day at the owners’ and trainers’ desk at the Red Car Park or Hall of Fame entrance only.

Please ensure you have your membership card or you will not be granted entry.

PERTH FESTIVAL PERTH, APRIL 26 Perth has kindly offered members a limited number of badges to the Perth Festival on Friday, April 26. Applications can be made to Annette Bell on annette. bell@thetba.co.uk or on 01638 661321 by Thursday, April 18.

ROYAL ASCOT TRIALS DAY ASCOT, MAY 1 Members of The Thoroughbred Club will receive half-price admission to Royal Ascot Trials Day at Ascot on Wednesday,

Members can attend Cheltenham’s April 18 meeting for free

May 1. The seven-race card will include a number of specific trials for Royal Ascot, including the Group 3 Longines Sagaro Stakes, which has been previously won by the likes of Colour Vision and Estimate, and this year continues as part of the Wetherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million.

Half-price tickets can be purchased on the day from Ticket Office East following presentation of a valid TTC membership card.

MAY RACE WEEKEND ASCOT, MAY 10-11 Members will also be able to purchase half-price tickets for the May Race Weekend on Friday and Saturday, May 10-11. The two days will feature a number of high-class races including the Victoria Cup, a £100,000 seven-furlong handicap.

Off the track there will be entertainment from tribute acts, plus a wealth of innovative menus and cocktail bars.

Learn more about stud management at one-day seminars Members will have the chance to learn more about the management of youngstock and their development at two regional courses run by the National Stud and the TBA. The courses, which are free for members to attend, will be held at York on Thursday, July 4 and Harper Adams University on Tuesday, July 30.

Topics covered on the course include growth and development of the foal, delivered by veterinarian Charles Cooke from Equine Reproductive Services; master farrier Sam Beeley will discuss the role of the farrier in the monitoring and correcting foal developmental abnormalities; Louise Jones from Connolly’s Red Mills will present on feeding the foal to optimise growth and development; and stud management consultant Joe Grimwade will advise members on managing a paddock to optimise growth and development.

A course will also be run at the National Stud in Newmarket on Wednesday, May 29 on ‘The Mating Game’

Members will learn how to handle youngstock on the courses

and is also free for members of the TTC to attend.

For further information on all the courses, or to book a place, contact Leaya Slater on 01638 675930 or email leaya@nationalstud.co.uk

74 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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www.thethoroughbredclub.co.uk •

@TTC_GB

Diary Dates and Reminders Wednesday, April 10 TBA Regional Day Visit to Dan Skelton Racing followed by lunch and an afternoon’s racing at Warwick racecourse

Tuesday, May 14 TBA Regional Day Visit to Weatherbys

Wednesday, May 29 ‘The Mating Game’ TBA/ National Stud Seminar The National Stud, Newmarket

Tuesday, June 4 TBA Regional Day Visit to Whitsbury Manor Stud followed by lunch at a local pub Last year the bursary was put towards educational opportunities by five members

Applications open for The Thoroughbred Club Bursary Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 Thoroughbred Club Bursary, which was set up by the club to help further members’ professional development and help to support them to achieve their career aspirations.

The bursary allows members to apply for a grant of up to £500 to fund an educational course or continued professional development activity which will allow them to develop or further their career in the breeding industry.

Previous recipients have put the bursary towards a wide range of activities including: • Training courses e.g. Stud Secretaries’ Course, TBA Stud Farming Course • Equipment to support career development • Entry cost for attendance to industry event or conference Last year’s bursary was awarded to five members, who used the money towards a variety of courses and

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educational opportunities. Kirsten Smith, one of last year’s recipients, used the bursary to pay for accommodation so that she could undertake work experience with Dodson & Horrell and help with her goal of becoming an equine thoroughbred nutritionist.

She commented: “Without the TBA bursary my two-week placement at Dodson & Horrell would have not been possible. Nutrition has always been a passion of mine and this was an opportunity not to miss. The knowledge and insight that I gained in just two weeks was invaluable and it will also help when applying for nutrition jobs having Dodson & Horrell on my CV. “I would advise fellow TBA members to apply for the bursary, whatever it may be for. It is quick and easy to do, and if you have a passion for something then go for it, and good luck!”

If you are interested in applying for the bursary then please visit our website to learn more or contact Melissa on info@thethoroughbredclub.co.uk

Wednesday, June 26 TBA Regional Day Visit to George Scott Racing and Cheveley Park Stud

Thursday, July 4 ‘Youngstock and Development’ TBA/National Stud Regional Course York racecourse

Tuesday, July 30 ‘Youngstock and Development’ TBA/National Stud Regional Course Harper Adams University For further details on all events, please monitor the TTC website

New Members TTC would like to welcome the following members and look forward to meeting them at our events throughout the year: Noora Repo Hannah Knowles

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ROA Forum

The special section for ROA members

Industry Ownership Days in 2019

P

ontefract will host the first Industry Ownership Day of the Flat season on April 9. On the day, the ROA will sponsor races on the card, provide hospitality for members, and the regional meeting format will be enhanced to further promote owners and facilitate engagement with members.

An ROA Jackpot Race will also feature which will include the following (if qualified):

• • • •

£2,000 bonus to the winner Travel expenses to all runners Yard bonus Breeder bonus

To qualify for a bonus if they win an Owners Jackpot race, horses must be registered at least 51% in the ownership of ROA members.

For horses owned by clubs and syndicates, the majority of the club/ syndicate managers need to be members of the ROA. We hope to see many members in attendance on the day, which will coincide with the opening of

Pontefract will play host to the first Industry Ownership Day of the Flat season

Pontefract’s new owners’ and trainers’ facility (see Track Talk).

Next month’s Industry Ownership Day and regional meeting will take place at Newton Abbot on May 15.

Members who live in the vicinity will be sent an invitation to join the day. It is likely to be popular, and places can be booked in advance by emailing info@ roa.co.uk

Sedgefield regional meeting

The second ROA regional meeting of the year took place at Sedgefield on February 21 with a full house of around 75 members and guests.

Members were welcomed into the Roflo Suite, which offered an excellent view of the course and winners’ enclosure.

The main topic of discussion were the cuts announced at ARC’s racecourses earlier in the month, and members expressed disappointment at the impact the cuts would have on the Appearance Money Scheme and their potential future involvement as owners.

The Chief Executive updated assembled guests on fixtures and funding matters, the impact of the FOBT legislation, future of the levy and equine welfare.

Members raised questions around the prize-money cuts, economic viability of ownership, breakdown of prize-money against class of race, handicapping of horses in the north, and access to facilities for owners on the racecourse on days without a runner.

Ownership Quality Mark close to implementation The Industry Ownership Project is moving into the implementation phase, with new initiatives being developed in parallel with this.

The AA has been appointed to assist with the implementation of the Ownership Quality Mark, the scope of which has been outlined in previous editions. AA Hotel & Hospitality Services is the most established UK assessment body, celebrating 110 years in 2018. It has a proven track record in working with the hospitality industry in not only delivering assessment schemes but also developing and advising on them.

The team will be visiting every racecourse to conduct an independent assessment of the owners’ raceday experience. Visits will take place between March and September. As a reminder, these will be in parallel

Newbury: staged workshop in February

with the visits of the ROA Raceday Committee, which form the Gold Standard assessment. Owner feedback is also very important to the Gold Standard process, and we would encourage all owners to complete the feedback form via roa.co.uk/feedback when you have been racing with a runner.

To highlight the importance of the

raceday experience to owners, two successful ownership workshops were held at Newbury and York racecourses on February 12 and 14 respectively.

Attendees from 46 racecourses were present across the two days. The project team outlined the scope and process for the Quality Mark, as well as highlighting the ownership customer journey and their expectations.

We have received excellent responses to the most recent surveys which have been distributed as part of the project: 956 responses were received in relation to the owner/ breeder survey, including those from 289 breeders. The information collated from these surveys will be invaluable in helping to further develop the ownership experience. Thank you to all who have responded.

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Have your say in the ROA board election Campaigning for the ROA board election is under way, and members can expect to receive details regarding the candidates standing for election in the coming weeks.

Candidates wishing to stand have been invited to include their manifesto in a supplement which will be mailed to members with a ballot card in late April.

We encourage members to vote for the candidates that they feel will best represent them to ensure our board reflects the views of owners as stakeholders most effectively.

The results of the election will be announced during the ROA AGM which will take place on Tuesday, July 2 at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge, London.

Members are encouraged to attend the AGM which will feature keynote industry presentations and the chance to pose questions about ownership and membership issues to the ROA board.

The morning session is free to attend for members and guests, who will be welcomed with coffee from 10am for a prompt 10.30am start.

ROA Chief Executive Charlie Liverton addresses the AGM audience in 2018

Our guest AGM speaker, and our after-lunch speaker, will be confirmed in due course. After the formal business of the morning, there will be a champagne reception from midday followed by lunch for those who have booked.

Members can book individual places

or a table of ten for the three-course lunch with wine.

The lunch offers a great opportunity to network with like-minded members.

Tickets are £115 per person and can be booked online at www.roa.co.uk/events or by calling the ROA office.

Member visits to retraining centres The ROA is delighted to reveal the details of the first in its series of member visits this year to racehorse retraining centres around the country.

Following last year’s successful visit, the ROA will be returning to HEROS racehorse retraining centre in Wantage, Oxfordshire on the morning of Friday, May 17.

HEROS was granted charitable status in 2006 with help from RoR (Retraining of Racehorses) and North Farm Stud, where the charity is based and is able to make use of its 200 acres of turnout and extensive facilities.

The day will include a tour of the facility, a chance to meet the HEROS horses, a ridden demo and then a Q&A session with refreshments.

A second visit is scheduled for the morning of Monday, July 22, when ROA members are invited to the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre (BTRC) in Halton, Lancaster for a tour of its facilities and a chance to learn about how the centre operates and retrains the horses that come into its care.

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Former Flat racer Tatawor is enjoying his second career as an eventer

The BTRC was established in 1991

by Carrie Humble and was the first charity in the UK dedicated to the rehabilitation and retraining of exracehorses. It moved to Halton in 2005 and the site encompasses 200 acres with its facilities, including a dedicated veterinary treatment facility, a horse walker, an indoor and an outdoor arena, as well as both grass and sand turnout paddocks.

Following the visit to the BTRC, ROA members and their guests will be able to take advantage of complimentary admission to Cartmel races in the

afternoon, which is less than an hour’s drive from the centre.

Each of these two visits costs just £10 per person. ROA members can book via the ROA website at roa.co.uk/events or by calling the office on 020 7152 0200.

We are sure these will both be popular events and places are limited, so we will be taking bookings on a first come, first served basis.

RoR website

Both HEROS and the BTRC are assisted

by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), which is British horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses that have retired from racing. The charity promotes and facilitates the versatility and adaptability of racehorses for other equestrian activities following their retirement from racing, and funds and stages competitions and educational events and clinics. Earlier this year it unveiled its new website – ror.org.uk – which is the perfect place to find out everything you need to know about a thoroughbred’s life after racing.

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ROA Forum

MAGICAL MOMENTS with ROA member Michael Pescod

GEORGE SELWYN

T

here can be little doubt that the spring is one of the most exciting times of the racing year. There are major jumps festivals and it’s the start of the Flat season. If you are an owner with a foot in both camps, it must be a particularly heady time.

Michael Pescod is one such owner, though admittedly his interests are heavily skewed towards the Flat. He has only two National Hunt horses, but one is already very good, and the other is very promising.

His first jumps horse, Bags Groove, has carried his familiar blue and black colours to success in two Grade 2 novice chases this season, the Rising Stars at Wincanton and Pendil at Kempton, while Green Dolphin also hit the target at Wincanton in a bumper, on just his second start. In between the pair – and likewise trained by Harry Fry – came An Siltean, but he was sold.

Explaining his background to ownership, Pescod says: “Some years ago, a City friend of mine, John Leek, asked me to join his racing syndicate. I agreed, though I knew nothing about racing. That evolved into owning horses jointly with him, then sole ownership.

“I do have three or four horses jointly with another mate, Justin Dowley, but the majority of my horses are solo – and I always have too many!”

He adds: “I used to work in the City, as a lawyer, and then an investment banker. In those days I found racing

Exciting chaser Bags Groove is set to run at Aintree this month

the perfect antidote to work stress, the stress of watching one’s horse in a race easily obliterating any work issues.”

His horses down the years have proven to be more than just stress relievers; several have provided plenty of magical moments, too.

Pescod admits: “I’ve been lucky enough to own some good horses over the years, including Arminius, Big Audio, Boogie Street, Bronterre, Frenchmans Bay, Potemkin, Minor Vamp, Steel Of Madrid and Summoner on the Flat. Bags Groove was my first jumps horse.

“All the above gave me a magic moment or two. The longest ‘moment’ was the 30-minute stewards’ inquiry to decide Potemkin had indeed won the Brigadier Gerard, despite shouldercharging one of his competitors out of the way – he was a bad-tempered horse!

“The biggest prize was Minor Vamp’s Goffs Millions win. She was an outsider in terms of betting, but also in the draw, which we thought not ideal for the Curragh. Until, that is, a smiling Mick Kinane said that shouldn’t be a problem, and rode the horse to win without there ever being a doubt.

“The latest magical moment was Noel [Fehily] riding Bags to win at Wincanton.

The penultimate fence is in front of the stand, which was packed. Bags put in a magnificent leap, and the whole crowd cheered.

“It was a very emotional moment – hairs on back of neck, etc – and one where I did ‘get’ jumps racing completely.”

He adds: “It’s a very different experience going jumping as an owner, or a racegoer, compared to the Flat.

Parade ring safety in focus The new Flat season will see the launch of a revised Industry Code of Practice for the pre-parade ring, parade ring and winner’s enclosure.

The RCA, NTF and ROA have worked collaboratively to develop the Code, built around key principles, with clear guidance for officials and racing professionals across the board, and supported by the wider industry.

The parade ring is not treated in isolation, and the guidelines, recommendations and principles apply

equally to the pre-parade ring, winner’s enclosure and unsaddling area.

The RCA, NTF and ROA have produced supporting guidelines to assist their members in implementing and complying with these principles.

Revised guidance for owners can be found at roa.co.uk/races.

The launch of the Industry Code of Practice and supporting guidance forms part of an industry-wide ‘Be Horse Aware’ campaign to promote parade ring safety, which will include

a communications programme for owners, trainers and racecourses.

The objective of the ‘Be Horse Aware’ campaign and Industry Code of Practice is to promote safety within the parade ring, for those who genuinely should be in this area (i.e. those with runners and officials carrying out their raceday duties etc). As part of this, parade ring access arrangements will be strengthened to ensure that those who do not have a genuine requirement to be in this area are not permitted access.

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“On the Flat, a horse is quite likely to be racing with me for two seasons only, whereas with National Hunt one sees them develop over a long period of time, and gets to know them better.

“At Wincanton there are always dozens of old Land Rovers in the car park – and a similar number of sheepdogs and labradors!”

Pescod continues: “I have had horses in training with Roger Charlton and Richard Hannon (snr and jnr).

“Jnr taking over from Snr was the most impressive management succession exercise one could see in any walk of life. And he manages me very well, too!

“When I retired, my wife and I got a place in Somerset. The county is good for jumps, not so good for Flat, and my wife prefers jumps to Flat.

“Harry Fry trains six miles from us, over the Dorset border, and after getting to know him – a friend was his headmaster at Sherborne – I asked him to buy me a National Hunt horse to give me something to do in the winter.

“It took me decades to get to grips with Flat racing, and I know I have no chance of gaining much expertise on the jumps side. But I enjoy it a lot. I am very lucky with Bags of course – and Harry is a fine young trainer.”

If Pescod does have a bugbear it is the loading of so many decent cards onto Saturdays, to the detriment of midweek action.

“I had planned that my retirement would involve visiting real tennis courts, football grounds – I was born in South Shields and am a Newcastle season ticket holder – and racecourses around the country,” he says.

“Such a high proportion of decent racing these days is on a Saturday, however, which makes life complicated. I understand it from the racecourses’ point of view, but for selfish reasons wish it wasn’t so. I’d be very happy to go to Sandown or Ascot midweek, and to a good meeting as well on a Saturday.”

It is, of course, to use an oftrepeated phrase, ‘Saturday horses’ that all owners want, a term indicative of Pescod’s point about fixtures.

“Bags’ next race will be at Aintree and then it’s the Flat, where I’m hoping Floating Artist and Urban Icon will deliver a happy summer,” says Pescod.

For those of you compiling a list of Flat horses to follow, there are two to get you up and running.

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TRACK TALK

Thirsk’s new owners’ facility

The Chestnut Room at Thirsk has opened after a £1.8 million investment by the course

Thirsk’s brand new owners’ and trainers’ facility is now open following a £1.8 million investment by the course.

Named after the trees that border the east side of the racecourse, The Chestnut Room boasts floor to ceiling windows, TV screens throughout, contemporary bar area, state-of-theart kitchen and catering facilities and a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views across the racecourse. When not in use for a raceday, the facility also doubles as a wedding, conference and corporate venue.

James Sanderson, Manager and Clerk of the Course at Thirsk, said: “We’re delighted to complete work on The Chestnut Room, following a 12-month construction project and a significant financial investment.

“The new building is part of our ongoing drive to enhance the experience that we offer to both

owners and trainers, in order to make racing as competitive as possible at Thirsk. The views across the racecourse from the spectator terrace are second to none.”

Pontefract enhances owner experience Pontefract promises a greatly improved experience this season and beyond, as the owners’ and trainers’ bar has been renovated. The bar/restaurant is being tripled in size to mirror the Park Suite Restaurant and will have views of the parade ring and horsewalk.

New for 2019, owners with a runner will be provided with a complimentary light meal. Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits will be served in the owners’ and trainers’ bar throughout the day.

An improved patio area outside the bar, and reserved viewing area on the main stand in the Premier Enclosure, have been retained.

Diary dates and reminders APRIL 4-5 Free admission via O&T reception to ROA members visiting Aintree APRIL 4 Hospitality offer on opening day of the Randox Grand National Festival APRIL 9 Industry Ownership Day and regional meeting at Pontefract MAY 15 Industry Ownership Day and regional meeting at Newton Abbot

MAY 17 HEROS visit MAY 21 Breakfast With The Stars, Epsom JUNE 6 Industry Ownership Day and regional meeting at Haydock JUNE 18-22 Royal Ascot offers (see story) JULY 2 ROA AGM and lunch

See roa.co.uk/events for further details and bookings

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ROA Forum

MY DAY AT THE RACES with Roy Clarke at Warwick on February 22

R

oy Clarke first became involved in ownership alongside his father via the Elite Racing Club in 1997. As his interest grew, so did his involvement in other clubs, including Chasing Gold from 2008. Upon his father’s death, Roy purchased a 25% share in Princeton Royale at Neil King’s open day, and so far the gelding has won seven races, including at Roy’s local track Fakenham.

Roy is now thoroughly hooked on racing and sees it is a great way to meet friendly, like-minded people. At Warwick he was lucky enough to be represented by three horses through the Chasing Gold Racing Club – Whitehotchillifili, Horatio Hornblower and Dilson.

Did you receive any welcome information as an owner in advance of the raceday?

As I was racing as part of a club, I did not expect to receive any information direct from the course. However, I have visited Warwick on a number of occasions and the relevant information is available on its website. We were questioned on gaining entry to the owners’ and trainers’ car park as to whether we had a parking label.

How was the experience of arrival at the racecourse and collecting your badges?

I went with my sister, who uses a wheelchair, and her husband as carer.

The entrance is situated at the paddock entrance adjoining the pre-parade and parade rings. The car park nearest to

Roy Clarke had three runners at Warwick with the Chasing Gold Racing Club

the entrance did not seem to have any marked disabled spaces, so we dropped the wheelchair off and parked elsewhere. Although shared with annual members, the owners’ and trainers’ car park is a fairly large, open space, unlike at some courses. The staff were very welcoming on arrival and we were given a welcome drink.

What were your thoughts on the location, comfort and provision in the facility?

The dining area with tables provided a choice of a good main meal, or sandwiches or soup. It is a comfortable refurbished area with access to the bar, which can become congested but wasn’t so much this time owing to the fine weather. The nearest toilets are clean but not large enough!

How was the pre-parade ring/paddock experience?

It is only a short walk from the owners’ facility so very handily located, and it wasn’t crowded even with a large contingent from Chasing Gold.

The owner with trainer Nick Williams and jockey Chester Williams

How did you find the facilities for owners’ viewing?

Conveniently situated above the owners’ and trainers’ facility, it is accessed only by two external staircases. It provides a good view, but the large TV screen is too far away beyond the winning post.

Warwick has a lengthy tarmac frontage with part of the course masked by trees.

The enjoyment would be enhanced by a second smaller TV screen beyond the parade ring and rails, and a wheelchair viewing facility.

Were you able to review a replay of your race easily on course?

Yes, the races were repeated on the TVs. What was your overall lasting feeling of the day, based on your racecourse experience?

It was a very busy, vibrant atmosphere owing to it being a family crowd. It was great to be in the sunshine with three runners, which summed up the ups and downs of a day at the races – Dilson finished down the field, Horatio Hornblower unseated his jockey but Whitehotchillifili finished second giving weight away.

HOW IT RATED Entry Viewing Atmosphere Owners’ facilities Food Overall score

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 22

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Revised Rules of Racing

The Queen and Prince Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2018

Royal Ascot fine dining offers The ROA is collaborating once again with Ascot racecourse to offer members an exclusive discount for the five days of the Royal meeting (June 18-22) at a choice of three restaurants located in the Queen Anne Enclosure.

The three venues are Balmoral, Carriages and The Furlong restaurants. Balmoral occupies the ground floor of the double-decker Royal Ascot marquee and this year will be open to Royal Enclosure badge holders only. Royal Enclosure admission can be arranged for members who book this offer. Carriages is on the first floor of the Royal Ascot marquee. The Furlong Restaurant is located at the east end of the grandstand, before the winning post.

All packages include car parking label per two places booked, racecards and racing papers, and Queen Anne enclosure admission can be arranged for The Furlong and Carriages if required.

Price per person, including Queen Anne admission Carriages (£)

Balmoral (£)

The Furlong (£)

Tuesday, June 18

575

Sold out

640

Wednesday, June 19

575

760

640

Thursday, June 20

670

Sold out

Sold out

Friday, June 21

645

Sold out

680

Saturday, June 22

515

670

585

Price per person, without admission Carriages (£)

Balmoral (£)

The Furlong (£)

Tuesday, June 18

505

Sold out

570

Wednesday, June 19

505

655

570

Thursday, June 20

590

Sold out

Sold out

Friday, June 21

565

Sold out

605

Saturday, June 22

440

570

505

The Lawn Club is an alternate option for members on Thursday, June 20. Details of a specially priced package can be found on the ROA website.

Places are subject to availability and can be booked online at roa.co.uk/events or by calling the ROA on 020 7152 0200.

Extra Ascot offers

ROA members planning to visit either of the opening two days of Royal Ascot can take advantage of a generous 30% discount on Queen Anne Enclosure admission.

The discounted price is £51.10 (full price £73).

Members can also enjoy a 10% discount on Queen Anne Enclosure admission and fine dining packages at Ascot throughout this year. The discount applies to all of Ascot’s fixtures, with the exception of Royal Ascot.

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The British Horseracing Authority announced at the end of February that a revision of the Rules of Racing is nearing completion.

The aim is to ensure the rules are presented in a way which is simple, clear and easy to follow for the participants, who are bound by them, and the wider world, and that they are available in a convenient and accessible format.

First launched in late 2016, the re-write has primarily been focused on the structure and presentation of the rules rather than widespread substantive changes.

The project has been worked on in close consultation with participants through the stakeholder bodies and with independent legal expertise provided by Northridge Law LLP. The newly rewritten rules have been approved by the BHA Board and will come into force from September 1.

They will be available to view via the new Rules website from early July to ensure users are suitably familiar with the site and new format. The BHA will hold educational workshops to assist participants to become used to the new rules and how to access them through the website and associated digital applications.

The BHA is in the process of creating a cross-industry working group in the lead up to September 1 in order to take any initial feedback from users into account and ensure the rules site is as fully optimised ahead of the rules coming into force on September 1.

Tim Naylor, Director of Integrity and Regulation at the BHA, said: “There’s been a move within the wider area of sports regulation to try to simplify rules as far as possible so everyone, participating or not, can understand them.

“They will be easy to access digitally and will link in with other guidance documents and application processes electronically.

This is part of the BHA’s progressive approach to make regulation more transparent for our participants and the general public.”

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ROA Forum

Don’t miss these offers...

Grand National Festival

Members visiting Aintree on the opening two days of the Randox Health Grand National Festival can enjoy free admission to the Festival Zone on production of their PASS card or Horseracing Privilege Card. Members will be able to purchase a badge for guest/s, subject to availability. Please note this offer is redeemable only at the owners’ & trainers’ entrance reception at Aintree and not any other entrances.

Free entry on the first two days at Aintree

Punchestown and Galway

ROA members can enjoy access to the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO) facility on the first four days of the Punchestown Festival, from Tuesday, April 30 to Friday, May 3 inclusive.

Members will need to purchase admission badges to get into the course (the Reserved Enclosure at Punchestown), and access to the AIRO marquee will be on production of a PASS card or Horseracing Privilege Card.

The AIRO similarly extend a welcome to members to their marquee on the first three days of the Galway Festival, from Monday, July 29 to Wednesday, July 31 inclusive.

We are grateful to the AIRO for providing access to members to its facility at both Festivals. We know from the feedback received that this is valued by members.

Breakfast With The Stars

As part of the build-up to the Investec Derby and Oaks, Epsom Downs will host its popular Breakfast With The Stars event for owners, trainers and the media on the morning of Tuesday, May 21.

Following a successful collaboration with Epsom Downs over the past two years, ROA members can once again enjoy access to an exclusive event to enjoy this very special morning.

Guests will be able to view horses working on the course from the balcony of the Royal Box before the presentations and interviews are screened before a sumptuous breakfast. The morning visit includes a tour of the Gladiator Room, where winning connections are entertained. There will also be an optional hosted course walk, giving a flavour of the colour and history of the venue of the world’s greatest Flat race.

Places for this special morning are £47.50 per person and can be booked at roa.co.uk/events or by calling the ROA on 020 7152 0200.

News in brief Visit to Weatherbys

Weatherbys is opening its doors to ROA members to visit its offices on Tuesday, September 10 for an overview of its business followed by lunch.

The aim of the visit is to provide members with an insight into the many and varied roles Weatherbys performs within the thoroughbred industry.

It presents a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of a business that has been at the heart of racing and breeding since 1770.

Guests will be welcomed from 10am and, after a tour, guests will be able to enjoy a buffet lunch.

Members will be able to bring a guest. Places, which cost £10, are limited on a first come, first served basis. For further details, and to book see roa. co.uk/events or call the ROA office.

Racing Post discount

Members can enjoy a generous 25% discount on an annual subscription to Racing Post Members Club. The discounted cost to members is £261.75 for the year on an Ultimate package, saving a whopping £87.25.

The Ultimate package is the Racing Post’s most comprehensive service and includes all of the daily newspaper

content, including extended news, features from top racing journalists, bigrace previews and reports.

Subscribers can watch unlimited video race replays from all 86 racecourses in Britain and Ireland.

Full Racing Post tipping content is also available, including the popular Pricewise feature from 8pm the night before racing to give members an extra edge in the market.

Access to an improved News Archive service, Stable Tours database, Signposts and all the features from the Essential package are included.

These include Spotlight comments, Results Analysis, Horse Tracker, My Notes (ability to add your own notes and ratings to any horse), Statistics, Racing Post Ratings, Topspeed Ratings, Members’ Enclosure, Rewards4Racing points and Pedigree Information.

Racing TV deal

The ROA has teamed up with Racing TV for a special offer for members.

New and returning customers can save nearly 40% on a Racing TV subscription.

For only £15/€18 per month you can enjoy live coverage from 61 British and

Irish racecourses, including Cheltenham, the Curragh, Leopardstown, Newmarket, Punchestown and York.

That’s a saving of £119/€156 and you can watch live on your TV, tablet and mobile for no extra cost!

Log into the members-only area at roa.co.uk to find out more about this offer.

Curtailment payout

The ROA Raceday Curtailment Scheme was triggered for the second occasion this year when racing at Chelmsford City was abandoned on February 22.

The first two races were run, but heavy fog forced the last four races to be cancelled.

A payment of £100 was made by Weatherbys Hamilton to the owners of 27 qualified horses affected by the abandonment.

Programme Book 2

Races contained in Programme Book 2, which covers racing from May to August, can be found in the Members’ Area of the ROA website. Owners who have a login to the Racing Admin website can search race fixtures and view race conditions for free and in greater detail.

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Figures for period March 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019

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 36

Ascot York Goodwood Epsom Downs Newmarket Sandown Park Newbury Chester Doncaster Haydock Park Chelmsford City Ayr Musselburgh Salisbury Pontefract Wetherby Hamilton Park Ripon Kempton Park Carlisle Lingfield Park Newcastle Nottingham Redcar Leicester Thirsk Windsor Catterick Bridge Beverley Yarmouth Ffos Las Bath Wolverhampton Brighton Southwell Chepstow 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 2018-19

Total prize-money 2018-19 (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2017-18 (£)

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

471,381 247,392 214,225 203,471 134,401 91,391 86,605 83,457 81,269 74,349 53,169 50,308 47,207 46,724 46,673 44,862 42,709 42,386 39,456 38,367 38,192 37,961 37,004 36,487 36,334 35,130 35,129 34,790 34,248 29,700 28,140 27,855 24,410 24,053 23,727 23,675 63,929

125,496 94,341 83,996 74,923 72,023 51,440 55,637 46,831 46,399 41,548 21,379 31,928 21,884 28,166 30,494 13,600 22,335 21,521 22,446 19,225 24,737 21,858 21,419 24,198 20,621 22,364 20,478 20,156 22,942 19,002 13,511 19,429 20,026 16,243 19,360 12,480 31,939

282,771 114,751 77,551 94,921 77,257 41,041 37,183 14,067 38,409 19,453 6,444 12,203 5,834 5,954 3,824 7,438 4,454 4,832 6,087 6,291 4,837 5,682 7,215 16,199 5,476 6,818 5,892 2,942 4,215 4,934 4,411 4,228 3,940 3,297 2,937 3,521 21,296

883,814 460,373 380,772 373,315 286,117 186,006 184,425 145,655 167,598 140,132 82,409 94,439 74,925 81,778 82,758 65,900 69,498 68,739 68,414 63,883 67,766 65,827 66,093 76,884 62,905 64,968 61,499 57,888 61,405 54,398 46,063 51,679 48,393 43,593 46,024 39,676 118,105

18 18 19 10 39 15 18 15 24 24 66 19 15 15 15 4 18 17 66 12 71 53 22 16 19 16 26 17 18 23 8 18 87 22 32 15 910

15,908,659 8,286,706 7,234,660 3,733,153 11,158,581 2,790,090 3,319,656 2,184,832 4,022,340 3,293,106 5,439,000 1,794,339 1,123,872 1,226,671 1,241,363 263,600 1,250,968 1,168,570 4,515,297 766,600 4,811,369 3,488,833 1,454,045 1,230,150 1,195,194 1,039,487 1,598,967 984,100 1,105,291 1,251,149 368,500 930,228 4,210,204 959,036 1,472,771 595,146 107,416,531

439,135 229,497 191,742 155,972 117,576 67,769 81,645 85,085 75,817 66,025 44,008 34,085 53,609 40,004 38,082 32,248 39,024 38,886 31,041 30,373 36,852 37,605 30,086 26,370 32,722 31,417 27,072 23,738 31,160 25,440 28,053 30,958 22,431 19,596 18,078 22,492 57,193

Up/ down

s s s s s s s t s s s s t s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s t s s s s s

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 41

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

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Ownership

Avg racecourse spend per fixture (£)

Avg HBLB spend per fixture (£)

Avg owner spend per fixture (£)

Avg prizemoney per fixture (£)

Total no. of fixtures 2018-19

Total prize-money 2018-19 (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2017-18 (£)

Up/ down

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

288,649 271,643 159,435 109,350 102,348 63,252 59,883 48,187 45,067 40,298 37,245 37,206 36,413 36,102 35,352 34,654 34,434 34,420 33,919 33,439 33,332 32,156 32,078 31,923 29,437 28,498 27,861 27,296 27,078 26,753 25,728 25,516 25,326 23,809 22,846 22,155 22,097 22,087 22,025 20,356 19,350 46,494

145,488 122,648 105,417 96,940 89,527 75,786 58,953 24,541 37,664 44,118 35,850 27,385 35,906 33,747 32,114 33,298 21,155 29,111 23,121 32,498 29,805 34,024 29,721 24,244 31,138 27,611 27,654 26,256 25,274 20,540 18,820 23,830 29,072 26,358 22,475 20,490 24,916 20,130 23,815 20,365 20,561 36,702

80,823 70,688 19,710 19,701 19,025 17,759 9,987 5,595 12,499 6,884 6,437 0 9,978 4,340 7,475 6,196 4,756 5,802 0 6,296 5,223 6,976 5,927 5,998 7,158 6,277 6,886 5,859 5,702 3,341 4,014 2,857 4,268 3,330 4,672 4,101 4,649 3,733 4,478 3,488 4,049 9,264

514,959 465,603 288,938 232,102 222,782 158,158 129,180 80,631 98,801 94,523 80,032 64,590 82,297 74,455 74,941 74,602 60,345 69,333 57,040 72,618 68,653 80,446 67,953 62,166 67,865 62,386 62,402 60,882 58,055 50,633 48,563 52,203 58,666 53,996 49,994 46,907 51,662 45,949 50,318 44,209 43,959 93,345

8 16 8 9 9 9 14 13 14 9 16 18 14 15 13 11 16 9 11 13 17 13 21 10 17 13 25 17 12 15 6 8 9 10 7 14 14 23 20 18 18 552

4,119,675 7,449,653 2,311,503 2,088,919 1,893,651 1,423,424 1,808,523 1,048,198 1,383,210 850,703 1,280,505 1,162,621 1,152,152 1,116,830 974,234 820,622 965,519 624,000 627,438 944,034 1,167,108 1,045,792 1,427,005 621,656 1,153,712 811,021 1,560,042 1,034,986 696,655 759,495 291,375 417,623 527,994 539,960 349,957 656,698 723,264 1,056,835 1,006,361 795,761 791,268 51,479,985

275,542 253,460 157,303 108,865 109,193 29,935 59,275 31,305 42,224 38,483 33,963 27,346 31,759 77,189 28,516 28,627 30,826 30,773 28,142 29,457 59,275 30,590 27,035 30,612 30,598 28,801 24,032 27,167 24,793 21,693 20,056 23,437 27,167 20,770 31,305 19,884 20,352 19,751 22,394 17,569 17,358 43,009

s s s s t s s s s s s s s t s s s s s s t s s s t t s s s s s s t s t s s s t s s s

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 prize-money: 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 prizemoney 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

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TBA Forum

The special section for TBA members

Courses and seminars for breeders

T

‘The Mating Game’ Seminar The National Stud Wednesday, May 29 The TBA will be teaming up with The National Stud to offer a one-day course to members on the Mating Game on Wednesday, May 29. The seminar will be run at The National Stud Joan Westbrook Lecture Theatre and will be free for members to attend. To book your place, please contact Leaya Slater on 01638 675930 or leaya@nationalstud.co.uk.

‘Youngstock and Development’ Training Course York racecourse Thursday, July 4 Members will have the chance to learn more about youngstock and their development at a Regional Training Course run by the TBA and the National Stud with funding from the Racing Foundation. The course, titled ‘Youngstock Development; Management of the foal during its first year’, will take place at York racecourse on Thursday, July 4 and will be free for TBA members to attend.

Topics covered on the course include growth and development of the foal

ADAM SMYTH

he TBA will be organising a range of courses and seminars for breeders and stud employees across the country in 2019. The courses aim to update attendees on a range of stud and equine management topics, and further details on each of the courses can be found on the TBA website or by contacting melissa. parris@thetba.co.uk

The TBA Annual Seminar will take place at Tattersalls on Wednesday, July 17

by veterinarian Charles Cooke from Equine Reproductive Services; master farrier Sam Beeley will deliver a talk on the role of the farrier in the monitoring and correcting of foal developmental abnormalities; Louise Jones from Connolly’s Red Mills will present on feeding the foal to optimise growth and development; and stud management consultant Joe Grimwade will advise members on managing a paddock to optimise growth and development.

To book your place please contact Leaya Slater on 01638 675930 or email leaya@nationalstud.co.uk.

TBA Annual Seminar Tattersalls Wednesday, July 17 This year’s Annual Seminar will take place at Tattersalls, Newmarket on Wednesday, July 17 after the AGM. The seminar is free for members to attend and further information on the event will be posted

Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards The Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards took place in London on Monday, February 18.

The prestigious awards celebrate and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of stud and stable staff from across the country.

The stud staff award went to Andrew Snell from Cheveley Park Stud, for which he won a £5,000 prize, with an additional £5,000 being awarded to the stud.

Stud manager Andrew has been an integral part of Cheveley Park

Stud for almost 30 years and since 2004 has overseen the smooth running of all the divisions of the operation, which also comprises Warren Hill, Ashley Heath, Strawberry Hill and Sandwich Studs.

On accepting his award, Andrew said: “We’ve got a great team at home and without them we couldn’t do anything.

“A massive thanks must go to the Thompson family. It’s been great, especially for the team at home – they deserve this award more than I do.”

on the TBA website in the coming months.

‘Youngstock and Development’ Training Course Harper Adams University Tuesday, July 30 The TBA and the National Stud will be teaming up with funding from the Racing Foundation to offer a one-day course on youngstock and their development. The course will take place at Harper Adams University on Tuesday, July 30 and will be free for TBA members to attend.

The course will cover the growth and development of the foal, with experts within the fields of veterinary, farriery, nutrition and agronomy. To register an interest, or book a place, email leaya@ nationalstud.co.uk or call 01638 675930.

The Stud Farming Course The British Racing School Tuesday-Thursday, December 10-12 This year’s Stud Farming Course will take place at the British Racing School.

The popular event will give breeders and stud employees the opportunity to learn more about the latest in stud farm management from leading experts in the industry.

The three-day course will cover an extensive range of subjects which have been selected to provide a comprehensive overview of stud management, as well as topics of general stud practice. Delegates are also invited to a course dinner on the first evening and a number of external visits to leading industry establishments.

For more information on TBA courses, visit the TBA website or contact Melissa Parris on melissa.parris@thetba.co.uk or on 01638 661321.

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The TBA held an Extraordinary General Meeting on Wednesday, March 6 at the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket in order to gain approval of the membership for changes to the Articles of Association.

Members were unanimous in approving the changes that will enable members to vote by post and email at elections of trustees to the TBA Board.

The changes also removed the ‘exceptional circumstances’ clause which allows Board members to return for a third term of office without a 12-month lapse.

The meeting announced the extension of Julian RichmondWatson’s term of office as Chairman of the association until July 2021.

The TBA Board had formally approved the extension of the Chairman’s term of office to ensure continuity of leadership during the Brexit transition period.

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard announced that the TBA members’ public liability insurance benefit had recently been enhanced from just ‘away from home’ to cover that included home and away through a new agreement with Lycetts.

This policy is included as a benefit of TBA full membership at no additional cost to members.

Following the formal business of the meeting, two guest speakers delivered presentations on equine influenza (EI) and Brexit.

Dr Richard Newton of the Animal Health Trust gave an update on the recent EI outbreak and issued guidance on best practice to contain the spread of the virus. His presentation was followed by a talk from Simon Waterfield of DEFRA, who discussed the possible impacts to horse movements after the UK leaves the EU.

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Third party public liability insurance As announced at the EGM in March, the TBA is delighted to announce an enhancement to the previous third party away from home public liability insurance, which is now provided by Lycetts.

The revised policy now covers your breeding stock 24/7 at home and away.

A copy of the policy document can be viewed on the TBA website together with a FAQs sheet and guidance document.

As with the previous policy, it is not designed to operate in a primary

capacity (explained in Condition 4 on page 15 of the policy) but must be viewed as a safety net if no other cover exists. It is of vital importance that you purchase specific public liability insurance to protect those personal and commercial exposures as appropriate.

EBF/TBA Mares’ Novice Chase Series On Tuesday, February 19 Wetherby racecourse hosted the EBF/Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices’ Chase, which was won by Kalahari Queen.

The daughter of Kalanisi was bred in Britain by TBA members Robert and Jackie Chugg at Little Lodge Farm and is now owned by Sir Chips Keswick and trained by Jamie Snowden.

Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, she tracked the leader Graceful Legend before taking the lead and staying on well to win by almost four lengths. After the race, trainer Jamie Snowden commented: “Kalahari Queen deserved to win one, she hadn’t been running badly but things hadn’t quite clicked for her.

She’s only a six-year-old and I think she’s the type to keep improving. The mares’ novices’ chase final at Cheltenham in April is the obvious race for her.”

The race was particularly fruitful for her connections as she also picked up a NH Mare Owners’ Prize Scheme (NHMOPS) bonus of £5,000, the second of her career so far.

Jamie Snowden (centre) accepts the prize after Kalahari Queen’s win

ALAN WRIGHT

Extraordinary General Meeting of the TBA

2019 Regional Days and Forums All of this year’s TBA Regional Days and Forums have now been confirmed and applications forms were sent to members with the newsletter in March. If you are interested in attending any of the events, please return the application form by post or email. For further information on all the events please contact Annette Bell on 01638 661321 or email info@thetba.co.uk

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TBA Forum

Two into one does go, as proven by the formal amalgamation in March 2018 between the British Horse Industry Confederation, of which the TBA was a founder member, and the Equine Sector Council (for Health and Welfare) to form the British Horse Council.

BHC Chairman Jeanette Allen, whose day job is to head The Horse Trust, a home of rest for retired horses, reflected: “The whole sector has definitely benefited from the two organisations combining. There are more things the various constituents have in common than separate us.

“The recent equine influenza outbreak is a good example, for although all the headlines were centred on the thoroughbred, there was the potential to affect all horses.”

The TBA and BHA represent British horseracing on the BHC, whose other members are The Horse Trust, the British Equine Veterinary Association, World Horse Welfare, the British Horse Society, the British Equestrian Federation and the British Equestrian Trade Association.

Allen does not regard such wide representation as presenting a danger of too many voices speaking at once.

“It’s very much the BHC’s remit to look for a consensus, working towards a position where the various bodies can speak with one voice,” she said.

“It’s all about cooperation, coordination but mostly consensus, and on the vast majority of subjects it is possible to reach a consensus. We have to be quite nimble at times, so as not to waste energy dealing with a time-critical topic, for instance, but the equine world is generally deeply pragmatic, even where sub-sections are involved.”

The equine world has not always sung from the same hymn sheet, and there was a distinct disconnect between the world of thoroughbred racing and the rest of equestrian sport until the TBA and BHA led the way to the formation of the BHIC at the turn of the century.

The BHIC and ESC had already been working together on a range of issues, such as the horsemeat scandal, equine passports and rates for equestrian businesses, before the formal merger came about.

Allen points to two specific topics where unity was seen to benefit individual sectors. “Everyone stood

GEORGE SELWYN

INVESTING IN BREEDING & RACING – BRITISH HORSE COUNCIL

The protection of all horses is a focus of the British Horse Council

behind the TBA over the issue of the possible delisting of CEM and EVA as notifiable diseases under the government’s Red Tape Challenge,” she said.

“Likewise, the TBA stood behind the rest of the sector over the introduction of retrospective micro-chipping, although it did not affect thoroughbreds, since it was already in place.

“More recently there has been the issue of the tripartite agreement on the movement of horses between Britain, France and Ireland, which has come to the forefront because of Brexit. It has wider implications than horseracing, among low-value ponies, for instance, which can be moved around for nefarious reasons, and it was important that all sectors should be involved in the debate.”

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard, who sits on the BHC, backs its work on equine health and welfare, and said: “We are building strong relationships and a better understanding of our collective challenges within the sector, and by speaking with one voice where we have a common interest we can be an

instigator of positive change.

“For the future sustainability of British breeding, it is important that the wider sector and government recognises its fragility. Through representation on the BHC we can help ensure the key challenges detailed in the Economic Impact Study are understood throughout the sector.

“Brexit is a good example where we have worked closely with our colleagues on the BHC to ensure that government acknowledges and addresses the issues for horse welfare without barriers to thoroughbred and sports horse movements.”

On Brexit, Allen summed up: “It’s still a scary subject, but, insofar as we can, we believe we have been doing a good job and are further forward than other species, as a result of collaboration by the experts, who have the backing of the whole group, in pursuing the concept of high health horse status.

“We have had a very clear message from ministers and from Defra that we are the most effective group representing one species. We don’t just go in there whingeing, but go in with a solution, and they hear us.”

86 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Badge offers for TBA members

Winners February 19, 2019 WETHERBY RACECOURSE THE EBF/TBA MARES’ NOVICES’ CHASE (CLASS 4) (QUALIFIER FOR THE EBF/TBA MARES’ CHASE SERIES) Winner: Kalahari Queen Owner: Sir Chips Keswick Bonus value: £5,000

The TBA is delighted to announce the following badge offers for members: The April Meeting at Cheltenham on Thursday, April 18 TBA members have been offered free entry at the April Meeting on Thursday, April 18. Members will be granted access on presentation of a valid TBA membership card on the day at the owners’ and trainers’ desk at the Red Car Park or Hall of Fame

entrance only. Please ensure you have your membership card or you will not be granted entry.

Perth Festival on Friday, April 26 Perth racecourse has kindly offered members a limited number of badges to the Perth Festival on Friday, April 26. Applications can be made to Annette Bell on annette. bell@thetba.co.uk or 01638 661321

by Thursday, April 18.

TBA members can gain free entry to Cheltenham on Thursday, April 18

ADAM SMYTH

February 25, 2019 UTTOXETER RACECOURSE THE ABODE ESTATE AGENTS E.B.F. MARES’ ‘NATIONAL HUNT’ NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 4) (SERIES QUALIFIER) Winner: L’Chamise Owner: Dash Racing Bonus value: £5,000

Diary Dates & Reminders Wednesday, April 10 Wales and West Midlands Regional Day Dan Skelton Racing, Warwickshire

Wednesday, June 26 East Regional Day George Scott Racing and Cheveley Park Stud

Thursday, April 18 Mares’ Showcase Cheltenham racecourse

Thursday, July 4 ‘Youngstock and Development’ TBA/ National Stud Regional Course York racecourse

Tuesday, May 14 Members’ day at Weatherbys In Wellingborough Monday, May 20 TBA NH Breeders’ Celebration Dinner Mount Pleasant Hotel, Doncaster Wednesday, May 29 ‘The Mating Game’ TBA/National Stud Seminar The National Stud, Newmarket Tuesday, June 4 West Regional Day Whitsbury Manor Stud, Hampshire

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Tuesday, July 16 TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards Dinner Newmarket racecourse

Thursday, September 26 TBA Regional Forum Newmarket racecourse Thursday, October 3 TBA Regional Forum Salisbury racecourse Thursday, October 31 TBA Regional Forum Newton Abbot racecourse Further information on all events can be found on the TBA website

Wednesday, July 17 TBA AGM and Annual Seminar Tattersalls, Newmarket Tuesday, July 30 ‘Youngstock and Development’ TBA/National Stud Regional Course Harper Adams University

New members Mrs Patricia Ignarski (Isle of Wight) Paul Mott (London) James Mowat (East Lothian)

Monday, August 5 TBA Regional Forum Ripon racecourse

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TBA Forum

NH Celebration Dinner SARAH FARNSWORTH

This year’s TBA NH Celebration Dinner will take place on Monday, May 20 at the Mount Pleasant Hotel in Doncaster.

The event, which is kindly supported

by Goffs UK and takes place on the eve of their Spring Store Sale, will celebrate British-bred success on the racecourse from the 2018–2019 National Hunt season.

Owners, breeders, trainers and National Hunt enthusiasts are invited to attend the evening, which will commence with a drinks reception and dinner, followed by the presentation of the awards.

Breeders’ badge offers

The winners will be revealed on May 20

Tickets for the event can be purchased for a cost of £55 on the website, through the office on 01638 661321 or email info@thetba.co.uk.

ADAM SMYTH

30-day foal notification reminder TBA members are reminded that breeders are now required to notify the General Stud Book (GSB) of the birth of all foals within 30 days of their birthdate. Notifications can be managed through the Weatherbys GSB online system.

The 30-day notification is now in its second year of operation and the regulatory authorities will start to implement penalties for those who do not notify within the designated time period. Breeders are encouraged to complete the online notification as soon as possible within the 30-day period.

For more information and help on submitting a notification, please visit weatherbys.co.uk/30day.

There is also a helpful new tool for checking a foal’s notification status. To check on your foal please visit selim.britishhorseracing.com/potro/.

The TBA is delighted to give members advance notice that the following racecourses have kindly agreed to repeat the following breeders’ badge offers for members in 2019. Badges will be issued subject to the horse you have bred being declared to run.

QIPCO Guineas Festival Newmarket racecourse, May 4-5 Royal Ascot Ascot racecourse, June 18-22 Moet & Chandon July Festival Newmarket racecourse, July 11-13 Qatar Goodwood Festival Goodwood racecourse, July 30August 3 Dubai Future Champions Day Newmarket racecourse, October 12 British Champions Day Ascot racecourse, October 19 Announcements of applications and further badge offers will be sent to members via email. Please note that all applications must be done through the TBA and racecourses will not accept direct requests.

If you have not already registered your email address with the office, please do so by contacting Annette Bell on annette.bell@thetba.co.uk or call the TBA office.

Please visit the TBA website for further information on other fixtures accessible with your Racecourse Badge Scheme for Breeders card.

The TBA will be hosting a mares’ showcase at Cheltenham racecourse on Thursday, April 18.

The day, which is kindly supported by Weatherbys, will celebrate and highlight the success, opportunities and enjoyment of owning National Hunt mares through a morning of talks and interviews, followed by lunch in a private box and an afternoon of high-class racing.

TBA members are invited to attend the event, for which tickets can be purchased for £35 on the TBA website. The ticket includes free entry to the racecourse, lunch, access to the mares’ showcase and the Istabraq Suite.

For further information, please visit the website or contact the office on 01638 661321 or email info@thetba.co.uk

The mares’ showcase is at Cheltenham on April 18

ADAM SMYTH

Join us at the mares’ showcase at Cheltenham in April

88 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Breeder of the Month Words Hyperion Promotions Ltd

Sponsored by

Manufacturers of

NATIONAL HUNT BREEDER OF THE MONTH – FEBRUARY

Ascot’s February meeting, which included several races transferred from Newbury following an outbreak of equine influenza earlier in the month, provided a timely reminder of the contribution made to National Hunt racing by the smaller breeding and training operations.

The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree, bred by the late Lord Oaksey and trained by his daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Mark Bradstock, received a warm reception from the crowd after his retirement was announced following the Keltbray Swinley Chase.

Thirty-five minutes earlier, the Colin Tizzard-trained Mister Malarky, a sixyear-old son of Malinas, won the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase. The Dorset-based trainer had paid £20,000 for the gelding at the Goffs UK Spring Stores Sales in 2016.

“He is a relation to Dubacilla, and that’s why I bought him”, explained Tizzard.

Henry Cole bred the half-brother to dual Listed-winning chaser Desert Queen from his Teenoso mare Priscilla, who was placed over both fences and hurdles and is a daughter of Dubacilla, a mare who enjoyed quite a following during her racing days.

Dubacilla’s great-grandmother, Ghana Princess, came from a good sprinting family but was of no account on the racecourse and was sold for 300gns at the Newmarket First Spring Sales in

GEORGE SELYWN

HENRY COLE

Mister Malarky: Grade 2 winner over fences

1961. She redeemed herself at stud by producing Princess Camilla, who set a record auction price for a steeplechaser when she sold for 20,000gns in 1974.

As a broodmare, Princess Camilla was mated with a variety of stallions, including the Arc winner Rheingold, and produced three National Hunt winners.

In 1979 Cole gave a friend a lift to the yearling sales in Newmarket and happened to be at the ringside when Princess Camilla’s daughter by the hunter stallion Ascertain came up for sale. Taking a chance, he paid 1,200gns for her.

“She was an ugly old thing when I bought her as a yearling,” Cole recalled.

“But she turned into a magnificent mare so I expected her to breed something.”

Named Just Camilla, she did not win, but in 1994 earned Cole the Dudgeon Cup for the TBA National Hunt Broodmare of the Year. Her first foal was Just So, who was trained under permit

by Cole at his 140-acre Frog Street Farm at Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset, where his main business was looking after a

herd of Friesian cattle, and where his wife Veronica ran an award-winning farmhouse B&B as a sideline.

The son of Sousa was a dour stayer who finished second in the Eider Chase at Newcastle and two years later, after winning the Grand National Trial at Chepstow, was runner-up to Miinnehoma in the Grand National itself.

Just Camilla’s second foal, by local stallion Dubassoff, was Dubacilla. She won nine of her 22 starts over fences during 1993 and 1994, eight of them under the care of her breeder, including the Comet Handicap Chase at Ascot, where she gave 18lb to the future Grand National winner Rough Quest.

At the end of the 1993/94 season, Cole, reasoning a switch to a professional trainer might yield even better results, sent her to David Nicholson.

“We hadn’t really got anywhere to train her,” he explained. “We had to go up to Kevin Bishop’s, 40 minutes away, just to use an all-weather and there was just a hell of a lot of hassle.”

Cole’s judgement was vindicated the following spring when Dubacilla stayed on past all but Master Oats in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and ended her racing career by finishing fourth to Royal Athlete in the Grand National.

Dubacilla died in 2011 and Priscilla four years later, but Cole has retained two of Priscilla’s daughters, Chilla Cilla (by Glacial Storm) and Drucilla (by Scorpion).

Another small breeder dreaming of Gold Cup glory from the Dubacilla line is Paddy Jago, the enthusiastic owner of Desert Queen. The 148-rated Desert King half-sister to Mister Malarky is his first broodmare and her first foal by Kayf Tara is due this spring.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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Vet Forum: The Expert View

Eye conditions in focus Horses are vulnerable to a range of eye problems, from the relatively minor to the very serious – prompt veterinary diagnosis and treatment is therefore essential

Figure 1 Ulcer showing fluoroscein staining

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The one-eyed Patch ran in the 2017 Kentucky Derby

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here are whole textbooks covering conditions affecting equine eyes and it is impossible to mention all of them – or even most of them – in an article of this length. However, there are some that are encountered frequently and a few we appear to be seeing more often than in previous years.

Trauma is relatively common and can involve anything from bruising of the surrounding tissues to complete rupture of the eye requiring surgical removal (enucleation). Even a minor injury can have a detrimental effect on the eye and vision because of the way the eye responds to physical insult. All injuries to the eye region, any lumps or abnormalities in appearance, colour or contour should be assessed by a vet.

The horse evolved as a grazer and prey animal and so the position of the eyes towards the sides of the head facilitate vision in front and both sides.

The globe (eye ball) is relatively large and set in the bony orbit (socket), which provides only a small degree of protection from direct trauma.

In the simplest terms, the eye itself is made up of three distinct layers: the outer semi-rigid layer comprised of the sclera (white part we can see around the edges but which makes up most of the outer surface of the eye) and the clear cornea; the vascular layer made up of the coloured iris (usually brown but might be blue or pink), the ciliary body and the choroid (which extends under the retina); and the retina, which is essentially a layer of nervous tissue that receives and processes the light that enters the eye.

The lens is a transparent disc which sits

just behind the iris. There is clear fluid (aqueous) in front of the lens and gel-like vitreous behind it.

Corneal ulcers

Corneal ulcers are superficial defects in the outer layer(s) of the cornea. They are very common and might be visible to the naked eye. In most cases, however, fluorescein dye is used to demonstrate any defect in the surface and assess healing. It shows up as green in damaged areas in the superficial cornea (Fig 1).

However, ulcers can also be deeper with inflammation in the deeper structures (Fig 2). The eye is usually painful and so might be partly or fully closed with excessive tear production and reddening of the conjunctiva. If very painful, the pupil may be tightly constricted. The eye might be partially or totally cloudy reflecting oedema within the cornea.

In more complex cases, or if there has been trauma to the eye, there might be dead white cells or blood within the eye between the iris and cornea. Treatment usually involves using topical antibacterial preparations with or without systemic non-steroidal antiinflammatories (NSAIDs) to help with the

discomfort. These eyes are very painful and atropine is often used to force the pupil to dilate. This helps with pain relief and clearance of inflammatory products from the eye. Most ulcers heal quickly and well but complications can occur.

A melting ulcer is one which progresses to affect the deeper and surrounding cornea and might even perforate, resulting in rupture of the

Figure 2 Deeper ulcer showing corneal oedema

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By Deidre Carson MRCVS Viral Keratitis

Figure 3 Inflammation and pigment deposition in cornea

globe. In some cases, secondary bacterial or fungal infections can occur and these can require prolonged aggressive treatment. Healing deep ulcers might be accompanied by the inward growth of tiny blood vessels into the cornea (neovascularisation) from its margin (Fig 3). Scarring and pigment deposits can develop in the cornea (Fig 3) and/or the deeper structures depending on any complications which might arise. These changes might affect the horse’s sight and the ability of the pupil to constrict and dilate permanently.

When an eye is very painful topical treatment might be needed several times a day with a variety of medicines. In these cases, a tube can be inserted

Infection with equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV-2) is more common than we appreciate. It causes tiny, almost imperceptible, spots to appear in the cornea or can result in cloudiness of the entire corneal surface. The eye is usually painful. It can be difficult to definitively diagnose this condition as isolation of the virus or positive PCR on a corneal swab is required. As with most herpesviruses, the infection tends to be lifelong and might recur. The infection might also be associated with inflammation of some of the deeper tissues (uveitis). Topical antiviral drugs are used in combination with NSAIDs and topical antibiotics.

Eosinophilic Keratitis (EK)

We have seen several cases of this condition despite the textbooks saying it is relatively rare. The eye presents with one or more apparently superficial, but non-healing, ulcers which take on a slightly cloudy appearance. There is usually an associated conjunctivitis and the eye is painful and partly or fully closed with a whiteish discharge. The ulcers don’t heal in the way that a ‘normal’ ulcer will heal even with treatment.

Diagnosis is based on the presence of eosinophils (a type of white cell) in either scrapings or washings from the eye.

Treatment involves application of corticosteroids and systemic NSAIDs and can be prolonged. Antibiotic treatment might be necessary. Note: we normally avoid the use of corticosteroids in eye ulcers but EK is one exception to this rule, provided there are no secondary complications. In many cases it is necessary to surgically remove the affected superficial layers of the cornea (keratectomy) to allow healing. This might require a general anaesthetic.

Uveitis Figure 4 Deep ulcer showing changes in the cornea

through the skin and into the conjunctival pouch inside the upper or lower lid (subpalpebral lavage system) with the free end attached to the forehead and/or headcollar or mane to avoid having to repeatedly touch the eye (Fig 4).

In severe or non-healing ulcers, surgical treatment might be indicated in the form of a conjunctival flap – where a section of conjunctiva is released and sewn to the margins of the ulcer to provide a blood supply and physical protection or a cornea graft.

This is inflammation of some of the deeper structures of the eye, namely the iris and ciliary body and adjacent tissues.

Uveitis can be the result of trauma to the eye and can be seen with some ulcers. It is also seen with some systemic diseases and can also occur without any obvious inciting cause. Treatment of uveitis involves topical atropine (or other pupil-dilating medication) and systemic anti-inflammatories, including corticosteroids, in addition to treating any primary condition.

There is an important and relatively common condition known as equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) or ‘moon blindness’ in which there are repeated episodes of

uveitis in one or both eyes. It is understood to be an autoimmune condition, meaning that it is the result of the body’s abnormal or excessive immune response. The exact causes are complex and still poorly understood but it can occur with certain systemic bacterial diseases. The condition is painful and causes the horse to close or partially close the eye. There is excessive tear production, the conjunctiva is usually inflamed and the pupil usually tightly constricted. The iris might appear abnormal in contour and colour. Over time, repeated episodes of inflammation can cause scarring and adhesion formation between iris and lens or iris and cornea.

The pupil might become distorted, the lens opaque (cataract) and eventually the eye will become blind (Fig 5).

Figure 5 Eye showing scarring, adhesions and cataract following ERU

In some horses with ERU, the affected eye might have to be removed (enucleation) to save the horse from the recurrent episodes of severe pain. For ERU, topical and systemic treatment must be aggressive but scarring can still occur and worsens with each episode. There are two surgical procedures which can offer hope to some horses. One involves the insertion of a cyclosporine implant under a flap in the sclera (white part of the eyeball). This is a drug that suppresses the immune response in the eye and is effective in some cases. The other procedure involves surgically removing the vitreous (gel-like content of the eye) and replacing it with sterile saline. The theory is that this removes the inflammatory material in the eye, minimising the severity of future episodes.

Cataracts

A cataract is any density or loss of opacity in the lens. They are frequently found in older horses and, to a certain extent, have to be considered part of the normal ageing process. In younger horses, however, they can be an indicator of previous eye disease or injury and could indicate that the horse suffers from

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Vet Forum: The Expert View ›› ERU. Some foals are born with cataracts

(congenital cataracts). Many cataracts affect only part of the lens and might not significantly affect the horse’s sight.

Others are dense so that the lens appears white and crystalline and these eyes are blind. Cataract removal is an option in a small number of cases and can be undertaken only by specialist ophthalmologists.

Tumours

Eye tumours are relatively uncommon but they do occur and should be considered if there is any persistent or growing abnormal tissue in the region. The most common tumour to affect the eye is a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These can spread locally but might also disseminate elsewhere in the body. Initial signs often appear in the third eye lid as an area of slightly granular pink tissue (Fig 6). If left untreated, it will spread to the adjacent eyelids, conjunctiva and cornea.

Small tumours may be surgically excised and follow-up treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy might improve outcomes, but if the carcinoma

Figure 6 Tumour affecting third eyelid and adjacent tissue

has spread it might be necessary to remove the eye. Systemic spread usually means prognosis is very poor to hopeless.

Lymphosarcoma can also affect the eye and, again, often first affects the third eyelid as this tissue already contains a considerable amount of lymphoid tissue. Histology is usually required to differentiate this from an SCC. Local spread is possible and tumours can develop within the eye or often in the head and neck region, or be found elsewhere in the body.

Melanoma is another fairly common eye tumour, especially but not exclusively in grey horses. These commonly occur as part of a more generalised condition where numerous melanomas develop over the body in older grey horses.

However, a more aggressive condition can occur in younger horses where the tumour arises from the pigment cells in the iris. It can be difficult to treat ocular melanoma and removal of the eye is the treatment of choice to try to stop spread into other tissues and sites.

Conclusion

Most horses cope very well with a degree of impairment of their sight and oneeyed horses are capable of performing well if handled appropriately. One of the main issues with eye disease or injury is pain. Controlling pain and the processes that contribute to it can be one of the biggest challenges in dealing with eye conditions. Early assessment and intervention can often help to minimise long-term damage and pain.

Acknowledgment to my colleagues at Rossdales LLP for images.

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Dr Statz

John Boyce cracks the code

Shuttlers from Australia out to exceed expectations in Europe

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GEORGE SELWYN

s many as 32 of the 46 Group 1 races decided so far this season in Australia have been sired by stallions that have at some time or other spent time in the northern hemisphere.

That’s 69% – so it’s hard to fathom why the concept of shuttle stallions is under so much pressure in Australia.

The commercial market in Australia is much more comfortable with local sires at this moment in time and some very high-quality racehorses from Britain and Ireland are finding it harder than usual to gain any traction with mare owners. And in one sense, who could blame them?

After all, they have bred, raised and raced some world-class sires since the glory days of Danehill. In fact, it is often a question now of what the Australians can offer us here north of the equator.

Zoustar, based at Tweenhills Farm this spring, is the latest in a steady trickle of reverse shuttlers to come out of Australia that have already proved their worth at home. But how have they fared here in Europe, where there is less emphasis on the type of racing that their southern hemisphere offspring thrive on?

The biggest name to come north in recent years is Redoute’s Choice. He’s been among the very best sires in Australia for years and it’s quite possible that we haven’t yet seen the full potential of perhaps his best runner, The Autumn Sun, who ironically looks very much like a European racehorse – one that appreciates at least a mile and is always doing his best work at the end of his races.

Exceed And Excel: champion sire

SHUTTLE SIRES WHO RACED IN AUSTRALIA Sire REDOUTE'S CHOICE

SH Runners 1,260

SH Stakes Winners 152

% 12.1

NH Runners 127

NH Stakes Winners 11

% 8.7 1.0

SNITZEL

861

86

10.0

98

1

EXCEED AND EXCEL

960

89

9.3

941

67

7.1

1,224

109

8.9

401

35

8.7

LONHRO

991

73

7.4

192

9

4.7

EPAULETTE

86

6

7.0

127

0

-

1,375

94

6.8

116

5

4.3

FASTNET ROCK

FLYING SPUR COMMANDS

1,215

77

6.3

100

1

1.0

CHOISIR

1,146

62

5.4

510

32

6.3

SO YOU THINK

263

14

5.3

102

1

1.0

RESET

603

31

5.1

101

2

2.0

FOXWEDGE

282

9

3.2

145

3

2.1

OCTAGONAL

713

22

3.1

175

3

1.7

SEPOY

241

5

2.1

196

7

3.6

HELMET

217

4

1.8

211

5

2.4

Redoute’s Choice has sired 34 Group 1 winners from his southern hemisphere crops. Furthermore, he sires stakes winners in the southern hemisphere at a world-class rate of 12.1%, which is well ahead of the strike-rate achieved by all other sires when they have covered the same mares. In the north, Redoute’s Choice has been represented by three crops and his oldest are five-year-olds in 2019.

Predictably, the Arrowfield star attracted some of Europe’s finest mares to his base at Haras de Bonneval. Sure enough, good horses have flowed, but they decidedly lack the quality and quantity he’s used to getting in Australia.

Four Group 3 winners is a poor return.

Moreover, the rate of his stakes winners is down to 6.7% from mares that under normal circumstances produce 14.3%.

In recent years, one of the best Australian racehorses to have covered in both hemispheres is Darley’s Exceed And Excel. Like Redoute’s Choice, he’s enjoyed a higher standing in Australia, where his stock – particularly two-year-olds - love the fast conditions and race programme.

With Microphone, he had a leading contender for the Golden Slipper again this year, a race he won with Overreach.

Exceed And Excel has been champion sire in his native land, which in itself says so much about where the emphasis lies in Australia. It’s virtually impossible for a speed stallion to become champion sire in Europe. His 89 Australian-conceived stakes winners represent 9.3% of his runners, which is well ahead of the

benchmark for his mares of 8.3%.

In the north, Exceed And Excel produced stakes winners at a rate of 7.1%, just about in line with expectations.

Despite this relatively small difference in output between hemispheres, the quality of his very best runners is very similar: his best ten runners in the southern hemisphere have an average Timeform rating of 121.4, compared to 121.9 in the northern hemisphere.

Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock – yet another proven sire and champion in Australia – has also enjoyed big moments in Europe, notably through eight Group 1 winners, including the 127-rated Fascinating Rock.

On the face of it, his 8.7% stakes winners from his northern crops compares favourably with the 8.9% from his Australian-bred runners. But when you factor in mare quality, you get the sense that his southern hemisphere efforts have more merit. The quality of his Australian mares is, in general, lower than those he covered in Tipperary.

Another Australian champion sire, Lonhro, spent three years in Kentucky and although he sired several talented horses, including the 122-rated Gronkowski, plus Cardsharp (116), Isotherm (116) and Holding Gold (113), he never reached the heights he achieved in Australia. At home he has sired 73 (7.4%) stakes winners, while his output from his American crops is a good bit lower at 4.7%. Even the all-conquering Snitzel made two trips to Japan, four years apart, and left only a single stakes winner from 98 runners.

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Data Book Grade 1 Winners 175 BETFAIR ASCOT CHASE G1 ASCOT. Feb 16. 5yo+. 21f.

1. CYRNAME (FR) 7 11-7 ÂŁ85,425 b g by Nickname - Narquille (Passing Sale) O-Mrs Johnny de la Hey B-S. Follain, E. Lecoiffier, S. Guesdon & X. Lefeuvre TR-Paul Nicholls 2. Waiting Patiently (IRE) 8 11-7 ÂŁ32,055 b g by Flemensfirth - Rossavon (Beneficial) O-Mr Richard Collins B-V. Finn TR-Ruth Jefferson 3. Fox Norton (FR) 9 11-7 ÂŁ16,050 b g by Lando - Natt Musik (Kendor) O-Ann & Alan Potts Limited B-S.A. Scuderia Del Bargelo TR-Colin Tizzard Margins 17, 1.25. Time 5:10.50. Going Good to Soft.

Age Starts Wins Places Earned 3-7 16 6 5 ÂŁ225,775 Sire: NICKNAME. Sire of 14 Stakes winners. NH in 2018/19 - CYRNAME Passing Sale G1, FRODON Country Reel G2.

Chase G2, 2nd Betfred Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase G1, 3rd Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase LR. Broodmare Sire: PASSING SALE. Sire of the dams of 11 Stakes winners. NH in 2018/19 - CYRNAME Nickname G1, CADMIUM Early March G3.

CYRNAME b g 2012

NICKNAME b 99

Try My Best Mill Princess

Last Tango

Luthier La Bamba

Simply Great

Mill Reef Seneca

Neomenie

Rheffic Nordenburg

Newness

Passing Sale NARQUILLE 01

No Pass No Sale Northfields No Disgrace Reachout And Touch Youth Everything Nice Lee

Roi Lear Laddisa

Goelande

Monsieur X Actualite

Quille III

1st Dam: Narquille by Passing Sale. unraced. Dam of 3 winners:

2008: Uppish (g Le Balafre) 2009: VAKINA (f Arvico) Winner over jumps in France. Broodmare.

2011: BELLE NAMIX (f Al Namix) Winner at 4 in France.

2012: CYRNAME (g Nickname) 6 wins, Betfair Ascot Chase G1, Betdaq Pendil Novices’ Chase G2, 32red.com Wayward Lad Novices’

Last Tycoon Lost World

At the start of the 2018-19 season, Cyrname had an official rating of 150, but he has looked a great deal better than that in his two starts of 2019. First he took the valuable bet365 Handicap Chase by a stunning 21 lengths after

Grade 2 & 3 Winners Date 10/02 14/02 15/02 15/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 16/02 17/02 17/02 21/02 23/02 23/02 23/02 23/02 23/02 23/02 24/02 24/02 24/02 24/02 02/03 02/03 02/03 03/03

Grade GrB G3 G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 G3 G3 G3 G2 G2 G3 G2 G2 G2 G3 G3 G3 G2 G2 G3 GrB G2 G3 G3 GrB

Race (course) Boylesports Grand National Trial H Chase (Punchestown) Surehaul Powerstown Novice Hurdle (Clonmel) Weatherbys J. Seymour Mares’ Nov. Hurdle (Sandown) Agetur Kingmaker Novices’ Chase (Sandown Park) Betfair Denman Chase (Ascot) Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase (Ascot) Red Mills Chase (Gowran Park) A. Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle (Haydock Park) W. Hill Rendlesham Hurdle (Haydock Park) Betway Kingwell Hurdle (Wincanton) Betfair Handicap Hurdle (Ascot) Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Gowran Park) W Hill Grand National Trial Hcp Chase (Haydock Park) Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle (Navan) Ladbrokes Ten Up Novice Chase (Navan) BetVictor M.Purcell Mem. Novice Hurdle (Thurles) 888Sport Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (Kempton Park) 888Sport Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (Kempton Park) 888Sport Pendil Novices’ Chase (Kempton Park) BetVictor Bobbyjo Chase (Fairyhouse) Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle (Fairyhouse) 888Sport Handicap Chase (Kempton Park) Netbet National Spirit Hurdle (Fontwell Park) P. Power Johnston Novice Hurdle (Naas) Paddy Newlands Chase (Naas) P. Power Nas Na Riogh Novice H. Chase (Naas) Edinburgh Gin Premier Kelso Nov. Hurdle (Kelso) Coral Flyingbolt Novice Chase (Navan) W.Hill Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Newbury) TRI Equestrian Carrickmines Hcp Chase (Leopardstown)

Dist 28.5f 24f 20f 15.5f 24f 24f 20f 24f 24f 15f 15.5f 16f 28f 21f 24f 20f 16f 16f 20.5f 25f 16f 24f 19f 16f 16f 20f 18f 17f 20f 21f

Horse Dounikos (FR) Allaho (FR) Queenohearts (IRE) Glen Forsa (IRE) Clan Des Obeaux (FR) Mister Malarky (GB) Monalee (IRE) Lisnagar Oscar (IRE) Shades of Midnight (GB) Grand Sancy (FR) Al Dancer (FR) Darasso (FR) Robinsfirth (IRE) Tiger Roll (IRE) Chris’s Dream (IRE) Go Another One (IRE) Fusil Raffles (FR) Southfield Stone (GB) Bags Groove (IRE) Rathvinden (IRE) Way Back Home (IRE) Walt (IRE) Vision Des Flos (FR) Chosen Mate (IRE) Cadmium (FR) Poker Party (FR) Rouge Vif (FR) Jetz (IRE) San Benedeto (FR) Woods Well (IRE)

making most of the running. He was similarly impressive when he stepped up to Gr1 company in the Betfair Ascot Chase, coming home 17 lengths clear of the 2018 winner Waiting Patiently.

His official rating then jumped to 178, for an improvement of 28lb in a matter of months.

As there has been no great change in tactics, distance or going, the most obvious explanation for his improvement is that he is now fully mature at the age of seven.

Cyrname’s sire Nickname was just beginning his chasing career when he turned seven in 2006. Becoming a Gr2 winner over two miles and five furlongs on his second start over fences, Nickname continued to improve with experience and ended 2006 with a 14-length success in the Gr1 Paddy Power Dial-a-Bet Chase.

Seven further starts yielded five more Graded successes from two to two and a half miles. Altogether his record over fences stood at nine wins and three seconds from 15 starts and he only

Age 8 5 6 7 7 6 8 6 9 5 6 6 10 9 7 7 4 6 8 11 4 8 6 6 7 7 5 7 8 8

Sex G G M G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

Sire Smadoun No Risk At All Flemensfirth Mahler Kapgarde Malinas Milan Oscar Midnight Legend Diamond Boy Al Namix Konig Turf Flemensfirth Authorized Mahler Stowaway Saint des Saints Fair Mix Oscar Heron Island Power King’s Theatre Balko Well Chosen Early March Gentlewave Sageburg Flemensfirth Layman Fleetwood

once failed to finish. The larger obstacles clearly held few fears for this entire, who had earlier won nine of his 16 starts over hurdles in France.

Nickname also had some classy bloodlines for a jumper, with 4 x 3 inbreeding to the great Mill Reef (that brilliant chaser Kauto Star is inbred 3 x 3).

Sadly Nickname died in 2011, and his early death has been made to look all the more unfortunate by the exploits of the likes of Corscia, As d’Estruval and Royale Flag in France and of Frodon (Gr2 Cotswold Chase in 2019), Yala Enki, Le Mercurey, Gwencily Berbas and Aurore d’Estruval in Britain and Ireland.

Cyrname’s dam Narquille, a selle français, won at around a mile and a half on the Flat before winning over hurdles and fences.

Cyrname is easily the best of her three winners. Narquille’s sire Passing Sale, a high-class winner of the Gr1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club in Italy, also sired the dam of that very smart two-mile chaser Sire de Grugy.

Dam Baby Sitter Idaho Falls Chars Outback Ivy Nausicaa des Obeaux Priscilla Tempest Belle Asta Belle Hannah Park La Courtille Steel Dancer Nassora Phardester Swiss Roll Janebailey Missusan Tali des Obeaux Laureldean Belle Golden Moment Peggy Cullen Winged Valkyrie Allee Sarthoise Marie Royale Norwich Star Mirquille Becquarette Rouge Amour Miss Squiff Cinco Baidy Millbrook Marble

Broodmare Sire Nikos Turgeon Old Vic Bob Back April Night Teenoso Glacial Storm Astarabad Lycius Risk Seeker Kaldounevees Assessor Phardante Entrepreneur Silver Patriarch King’s Ride Panoramic Supreme Leader Roselier Presenting Hawk Wing Pampabird Turgeon Norwich Passing Sale Nombre Premier Cadoudal Saddlers’ Hall Lure Rudimentary

Index 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205

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THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER 95

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The Finish Line with Dr Johnny Hon Dr Johnny Hon, 47, is a Hong Kong-based venture capitalist who owns the Global Group, which he founded in 1997.

Having fallen in love with British racing while studying for his Ph.D. at Cambridge, he now has around 30 horses in training in the UK. In February, his Global Spectrum captured the valuable Al Biddah Mile at Doha while in March, Global Prospector, an 800,000 guineas son of Scat Daddy purchased at last year’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, made an impressive winning debut at Wolverhampton.

Interview: Edward Rosenthal

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s a trained psychiatrist, I’m good at working out people. We have an expert in the company for each sector we are involved in but for me, the most important thing is looking for a good person to work with. Often with new ventures or junior companies, it’s not the business plan that’s most important, it’s the personality behind the business.

Investing money in a young business is like watering plants – you can’t put too much in or you’ll ruin the whole thing.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit; it was just in me. At 18 I stopped asking my parents for money and funded my own education. My first proper job after I completed my Ph.D. was working for ABN AMRO. About a third of my year is spent travelling overseas. I’ve done day trips to London for work before. If you leave Hong Kong at midnight you arrive in London at 5am. You can work the whole day and catch the 10pm flight back. It’s two nights sleeping on a plane – but it’s workable.

I have four daughters aged 11, 5, 3 and 2 and I try to spend weekends with my children.

We are building a good team on the racing side. Tim Hide is my number two,

Dr Johnny Hon’s Global Applause in action

96

an honest guy and he manages things here. We have Gerald [Mosse] as my stable jockey. All our trainers have their own styles and different horses suit different trainers.

My goal is to have a breeding operation in Britain. Eventually I want to build it into a commercial venture. We have some fillies [in training] that we might use [as broodmares]. We’re still in the planning phase and will embark on this plan in the next two to three years.

We’re building the brand through the horses. I want to promote the sport to my high net worth clients. I believe a lot of them will be supportive of my ventures in the future.

This is a good time to buy bloodstock in Britain. Brexit has caused a lot of uncertainty but for the foreign investor buying property or horses, it is much cheaper than it was ten years ago.

There are two dynamics to Brexit. For large companies and big investment banks, when they look as Britain as a base to do business in Europe, they will have to consider other options and perhaps move their staff to other countries. For the high net worth individuals, the Brexit situation won’t stop them from coming to Britain, with all its heritage and history.

In China there is a lot of interest in international horseracing. A number of racetracks have been built up and down the country, which means that more people are aware of horseracing. The sport is big in Hong Kong but there are more wealthy people in China. The whole industry is still quite primitive, but the infrastructure is being developed and eventually I believe they will allow some kind of betting-related activities.

I predict there will be plenty of Chinese money coming into the UK. There are a lot of Chinese students being educated in Britain – it is one of the top choices for wealthy Chinese. In the past there have been more Chinese students in the UK compared to any other country. When the kids go home they are all ambassadors for the UK, so there’s a special relationship between the two countries.

The racing in the UK is quite magical.

It’s more of a social event compared to other countries. If you go to France, the racetrack is half empty a lot of the time.

Though the prize-money is better, especially for French-breds. Gay Kelleway [trainer of Al Biddah Mile winner Global Spectrum] has a satellite yard there and we want to give her some support. But the atmosphere at the track is nothing compared to the UK. In Hong Kong the prize-money is good, there’s nice stands and good food but again, the racing atmosphere is not the same.

My favourite racecourses are Ascot and Newmarket. I also enjoy Aintree with the Grand National. I like jump racing – we have two jumpers with Jonjo O’Neill and Neil Mulholland – but it’s a longer waiting time with the horses.

The bloodstock side of the industry needs to be more transparent. We need better regulation and the rules need to be enforced by an authority like the FCA in the City. Foreign owners coming into racing can be taken advantage of and that’s not good for the sport.

I like to swim for 40 minutes every day.

Not only has it has helped me lose weight, but I think a person’s creativity comes when they are not being stimulated by technology. It’s good to switch off from your mobile phone and social media.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER

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22/03/2019 17:44

DAR17333 OwnerBreeder full page Iffraaj 1APR19.qxp 13/03/2019 09:21 Page 1

100k+ yearlings at Tattersalls alone. £263,000 his best price in 2018.

86

22

winning two-year-olds, on average per season for all his nine crops to run.

2019

Highlights this season already include 121-rated G2 winner Mythical Magic. Potential Classic generation stars include Argyron, Thrilla In Manila, Muchly, Confiding and Ebury.

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Ribchester, the only dual European Champion miler since Frankel, is his highest rated yet. Also sire of Jungle Cat, Wootton Bassett, Hot Streak, Chriselliam, Rizeena...

IFFRAAJ

Taking the ifs and buts out of breeding...

£35,000 Oct 1, SLF

Zafonic – Pastorale (Nureyev) Stands at Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket +44 (0)1638 730070 +353 (0)45 527600 darleystallions.com

Darley