Thoroughbred Owner Breeder

THE £6.95 AUGUST 2021 ISSUE 204

Awesome Adayar

Son of Frankel emulates late grandsire Galileo in the King George

PLUS

Hollie Doyle

‘Riding is the easiest part of the job’

Value yearlings

Unearthing stars on a limited budget

Lord Grimthorpe

Reflecting on 22 years with Juddmonte

www.theownerbreeder.com

Oasis Dream 2000 Green Desert - Hope (Dancing Brave)

Class is permanent The imposing winner of this year’s Gr.2 Superlative Stakes, Native Trail, is another top class 2YO by Oasis Dream.

A proven source of speed and precocity, he has sired 19 Group-winning 2YOs including Showcasing, Muhaarar, Polydream and Pretty Pollyanna

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

www.juddmonte.com

Welcome Editor: Edward Rosenthal Bloodstock Editor: Nancy Sexton Design/production: Thoroughbred Group Editorial: 12 Forbury Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 1SB editor@ownerbreeder.co.uk www.theownerbreeder.com Twitter: @OwnerBreeder Instagram: ownerbreeder Equine Advertising: Giles Anderson/Anna Alcock UK: 01380 816777 IRE: 041 971 2000 USA: 1 888 218 4430 advertise@anderson-co.com Subscriptions: Keely Brewer subscriptions@ownerbreeder.co.uk 01183 385 686 The Owner Breeder can be purchased by non-members at the following rates:

1 Year 2 Year UK £60 £100 Europe £90 £150 RoW £120 £195 The Owner Breeder is published by a Mutual Trading Company owned jointly by the Racehorse Owners Association and Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is a registered charity No. 1134293 Editorial views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the ROA or TBA Our monthly average readership is 20,000 Racehorse Owners Association Ltd 12 Forbury Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 1SB Tel: 01183 385680 info@roa.co.uk • www.roa.co.uk

THE

Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stanstead House, The Avenue, Newmarket CB8 9AA Tel: 01638 661 321 • Fax: 01638 665621 info@thetba.co.uk • www.thetba.co.uk

£6.95 AUGUST 2021 ISSUE 204

Awesome Adayar

Son of Frankel emulates late grandsire Galileo in the King George

PLUS

Hollie Doyle

‘Riding is the easiest part of the job’

Value yearlings

Unearthing stars on a limited budget

Lord Grimthorpe

Reflecting on 22 years with Juddmonte

www.theownerbreeder.com

Cover: Godolphin’s Adayar and William Buick record a resounding victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Photo: Bill Selwyn

Edward Rosenthal Editor

Frankel the heir apparent to Galileo’s throne I

t seems most appropriate that champion racehorse Frankel is now carrying all before him at stud following the death of his sire Galileo aged 23 in July.

Galileo, of course, redefined the meaning of excellence as a stallion, standing head and shoulders above his contemporaries in terms of both the quality and quantity of his top-level winners around the globe.

For the Coolmore partners, access to Galileo has been the foundation stone on which so much of their recent success has been built, as evidenced by the impressive number of stallions and runners that feature the son of Sadler’s Wells in their pedigrees.

The task now for Mr Magnier, Mr Tabor and Mr Smith is to determine which of Galileo’s many sons have the best chance of succeeding their late sire, and breed to them accordingly, though his natural successor looks likely to be based at Banstead Manor Stud in England.

Frankel is enjoying a wonderful season, highlighted by Godolphin’s top-class middledistance performers Adayar and Hurricane Lane.

The latter looked outstanding with victories in the Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris, though he couldn’t live with his stablemate Adayar in the Derby at Epsom, his conqueror subsequently defeating his elders in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

It was pleasing enough just to see the Derby winner take in the Ascot showpiece but in defeating the top-class four-year-olds Mishriff and Love, Adayar suggested that he could be something very special indeed.

Of course, great horses are associated with great jockeys, and William Buick now has the opportunity to establish a partnership with Adayar that is remembered for a very long time.

Perhaps the most naturally gifted rider of his generation, Buick has yet to be crowned champion jockey although his Group 1 haul continues to grow in tandem with that of trainer Charlie Appleby.

Appointed to the role of Godolphin trainer in July 2013, having spent the previous 15 years

working for Sheikh Mohammed as travelling head lad, stable head lad and assistant trainer, Appleby is producing the goods on a regular basis.

As a private trainer receiving the choicest bluebloods, Appleby is in a privileged position but as we have seen before, that doesn’t necessarily translate to success on the racecourse. His campaigning of Adayar and Hurricane Lane, among others, has been exemplary and it will be fascinating to see if this star duo will be allowed to take each other on again later this season.

It would be wonderful to one day see a woman riding as first jockey in the Godolphin blue – or even for Team Coolmore – and while that prospect may have seemed fanciful until quite recently, Hollie Doyle is helping to change

“Adayar suggested that he could be something very special indeed” perceptions about female sportswomen to the point where it seems entirely possible.

Doyle is an outstanding young rider though she is determined to raise the bar still higher having recorded centuries in 2019, 2020 and this campaign.

“It’s still a game of graft for me,” she tells Julian Muscat (The Big Interview, pages 28-31).

“When you’re an apprentice working in the yard you think it will get easier as a professional jockey, but it doesn’t. It gets twice as hard.

“I’ll do whatever it takes. Riding is very relaxing; it’s by far the easiest part of the job. I have chilled out quite a lot in the past year. I think I’m more mature as a person, which should help me to keep going forward. There’s still a long way to go.”

THE OWNER BREEDER

1

Contents

August 2021

28

News & Views

Features continued

ROA Leader Deal secured for Owner Breeder magazine

5

TBA Leader New future beckons

7

News Shared ownership update

14 16 26

Features 8

The Big Picture From Newmarket and Ascot

20

The Big Interview With leading rider Hollie Doyle

28 32

2

THE OWNER BREEDER

Frankel on fire

Cotai Glory out in front

With Lord Grimthorpe

44 56 58 80

Great British Bonus News and winners

ROA Forum Latest guidance for owners on racedays

TBA Forum AGM report

Mascalls Stud

59 60 72 77

Vet Forum

Equine nutrition Supplements in focus

Caulfield Files

Breeder of the Month

Value yearlings How to find a bargain at the sales

Stores and horses in training centre stage

43

Forum

Galileo Tribute to the late sire supreme

Sales Circuit

The Finish Line

Howard Wright Raiding the British racing pantry

Online bidding set to stay

Dr Statz

Changes News in a nutshell

Breeders' Digest

39

Lawsonia intracellularis infection

78

32

8

80

Did you know?

Our monthly average readership is

20,000

THE OWNER BREEDER

3

ROA membership gets you closer to important developments in racing during uncertain times.

Join us for new levels of support, protection and benefits to keep you enjoying the sport and racing with confidence.

VISIT ROA.CO.UK TO DISCOVER ALL MEMBER BENEFITS AND JOIN TODAY

KEEPING YOU IN THE RACE

ROA Leader

Charlie Parker President

One deal completed with more to follow

F

ollowing discussions between the ROA and the TBA regarding the future of Owner Breeder magazine, I would like to start this month’s column with the exciting news that the Racehorse Owners Association has completed the purchase of the TBA’s 50% share in the business. This means that the ROA now owns the magazine outright.

Owner Breeder remains a core benefit of ROA membership and we know how much it means to so many people. The magazine has been a key platform for our sport for many years and we intend to continue to promote our industry and explore all the issues faced by owners, breeders and the other participants that make up our industry. Owner Breeder is where, I believe, ideas, opinions and news that matters to participants’ lives can be addressed, discussed and brought under a sharper spotlight, more so than the daily running news feeds.

Under the ROA’s stewardship we have secured the magazine’s future. We are committed to the magazine and its readers, delivering newsworthy stories from across the sport for owners, breeders and others in racing. We plan to inject new momentum and growth into this much-loved and historic publication in its next chapter.

With most of the restrictions being lifted on July 19, allowing owners and spectators back on course and many racecourses to operate at capacity, racing’s recovery is in full flow. As everyone gets back on track, I hope we can now start to build up the prize-money on offer to pre-Covid levels and, indeed, increase it further. That means both growing the total revenue of the sport and the amount that finds its way to owners and participants.

There is some good news already. The levy has performed well, there will be an additional boost from the government’s Sports Winter Package Fund, and there is £200,000 extra in the ITV Racing-televised Sky Bet Sunday Series fixtures. ARC has also added an additional £500,000 to its programme targeted at lower grade races, which is also very welcome.

So, too, is the Levy Board continuing to support prize-money levels with a further £28.1 million for the September to December programme. That is on top of its funding contributions in 2021 already 32% above the normal level.

I am delighted that these packages are being used to support the owners that keep the industry moving through their committed and consistent investment. It is good to see progress in this area and hopefully a general appreciation of prizemoney’s importance to the future of racing in the UK. Improving prize-money in Britain is a top priority for owners and the ROA. That is why we are keen to keep pushing for a more sustainable model, one that properly supports the aim of retaining and attracting owners to help grow our sport.

In making these top-up contributions you can see there is a general admission that prize-money is vital to the health of our sport. But the contributions hint at a deeper systemic problem: the Levy Board is having to fork out more than ever to bolster purses, executive contributions from racecourses have fallen, while there are no agreed mechanisms that guarantee an increase for participants, even in the face of growing betting revenues.

I remain frustrated that, despite our best efforts, we have not had agreed distribution mechanisms in place for a number of years. We are in the hands of the racecourses as to when and where they make these contributions. Whilst they obviously understand the link between a competitive racing product, prize-

“Improving prize-money is a top priority for the ROA and we are pushing for a more sustainable model” money and the impact it has on their media rights payments, it is an uncomfortable position for all participants to not have the protection of signed and sealed agreements.

Plainly, the system is not working for all the sport’s participants. It remains my core focus to deliver real change in this area.

Racing is, at its core, an entertainment industry. There are many new opportunities to grow our sport and the revenues that flow into it. As owners we all recognise that we need other stakeholders to help deliver these opportunities and that they must be looked after and compensated appropriately. If we can do that, experiment with innovations, secure distribution agreements, and address other revenue drivers like levy reform, then we really can maintain British racing as the most enjoyable, dramatic and exciting sport in the world.

THE OWNER BREEDER

5

IS YO U R CURREN T EG US T R E ATM EN T PERFO RMING?

EQ U I N E GAST R I C U LC E R SY N D R O M E ( EG U S ) A F F ECT S OVER 80% OF THOROUGHBRED HORSES IN TRAINING1 With nearly 20 years of robust studies, you can trust GastroGard® to help keep performance horses at the top of their game

370 mg/g oral paste for horses

N OT A L L T R E AT M E N T S A R E E Q U A L

Speak to your vet about using GastroGard® to treat and prevent EGUS. References: 1. Sykes BW, et al. ECEIM Consensus Statement – EGUS in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2015; 29: 1288-1299.

GastroGard® 370 mg/g oral paste contains omeprazole. UK: POM-V IE: POM. Advice should be sought from the prescriber. Further information available in the SPC or from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd., RG12 8YS, UK. Tel: 01344 746957. Email:vetenquiries@boehringeringelheim.com. GastroGard® is a registered the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. ©2020 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: Oct 2020. EQU-0200-2020. Use Medicines Responsibly.

GastroGard_racing_a4_TRAINER version.indd 1

26/10/2020 20:35

TBA Leader

Julian Richmond-Watson Chairman

Members set for new and exciting benefits F

irstly, a spot of housekeeping with this being the first Leader since the announcement that the TBA is selling its share of Owner Breeder magazine to the Racehorse Owners Association. I and all of the TBA board fully appreciate that this decision will disappoint a number of our members, who receive a copy as part of their subscription.

Owner Breeder has been in existence since September 2004, later incorporating Pacemaker in March 2009. However, after 17 years’ successful partnership, the TBA board believes its decision, which was taken neither lightly nor without lengthy consideration, is the right one.

Rising costs of production and distribution, combined with the fast-growing ability to communicate with members through digital means, persuaded the board that the TBA’s resources could be better used elsewhere for the benefit of breeders.

I wish the ROA well with the magazine, which will remain available free of charge as part of TBA membership until June 2022 and thereafter can be bought on subscription.

Current rates are £60 per year for the print edition in the UK or £18.99 per year for the digital version. In the meantime, the TBA already has plans to develop new and exciting ways of improving benefits to members.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the TBA has communicated online with breeders almost daily. Providing up-to-the-minute information is now so important that we believe investing in these services and building on the recent launch of TB-Ed, the association’s online learning platform, are the way forward.

Of course, the internet is not the be-all and end-all of communication, even if it does provide innovative ways of keeping in touch. For the second year running we held the TBA AGM online and while there are naturally advantages for members in not having to travel to the meeting in person, it nevertheless, and not surprisingly to those taking part in the video segments, felt remote.

The AGM is available to watch on our YouTube channel, where members can catch up on a number of key TBA initiatives, including the Great British Bonus (GBB) scheme, which is attracting great attention and producing results for all the industry, and the work of the TBA’s Environmental Sustainability Working Group, including the methodology and headline findings from recent impact assessments and carbon calculations carried out on two stud farms. This work will prove useful in developing further guidance for breeders surrounding carbon footprints and the new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS).

Using Zoom for interactive sessions does not work as effectively in connecting with our members as the board and executive would like. However, looking on the bright side, and Covid-19 restrictions willing, we have our National Hunt awards in Doncaster on August 4 and Flat awards at Chippenham Park on September 2, when we will entertain members in person and, hopefully, resume some form of normality.

Getting people back on to the racecourse in significant numbers, and more importantly at the sales, is vital. The auction process relies so strongly on the competitive tension and atmosphere generated by bidders on site. Online bidding, which has increased in leaps and bounds while travel restrictions were introduced during the pandemic, will

“Investing in online services and building on the launch of TB-Ed are the way forward” remain part of the mix, but I believe that human interactivity is essential to our industry and look forward to seeing many of you around the sales ring and at our TBA events.

The increase in crowds for the Newmarket July Festival was encouraging, more so because they saw British breeding triumph in both Group 1 races through small-scale breeders.

Starman gave owner-breeder David Ward, who boards six mares at Whatton Manor Stud, his first success at the highest level, and Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes winner Snow Lantern rewarded her owners the Keswick family, whose nine mares are housed at their Rockcliffe Stud, for retaining her brilliant dam Sky Lantern to breed from.

THE OWNER BREEDER

7

Tribute

‘His success really is unprecedented’

GALILEO 1998-2021

A

8

THE OWNER BREEDER

The extraordinary Galileo, sire of five Derby winners amid 92 top-level winners worldwide and the leaver of a remarkable legacy

COOLMORE

n extraordinary chapter in the history of the thoroughbred drew to a close on July 10 with the death of Galileo, one of the greatest sires to grace the breed, writes Nancy Sexton.

The son of Sadler’s Wells was 23 and had been battling a chronic and debilitating injury to his left-fore foot. He was put to sleep on humane grounds.

“It is a very sad day,” said John Magnier, “but we all feel incredibly fortunate to have had Galileo here at Coolmore. I would like to thank the dedicated people who looked after him so well all along the way. He was always a very special horse to us and he was the first Derby winner we had in Ballydoyle in the post M V O’Brien era.

“I would also like to thank Aidan and his team for the brilliant job they did with him. The effect he is having on the breed through his sons and daughters will be a lasting legacy and his phenomenal success really is unprecedented.”

Galileo casts an almighty presence over the breed, whether in terms of production or his evolving legacy as a sire of sires and broodmare sire.

There are the record-breaking five Derby winners, 92 Group 1 or Grade 1 winners, 34 top-flight winners as a damsire and the 12 British and Irish sires’ championships, one of them secured in 2017 with an incredible total close to £12 million. Unsurprisingly he is a major player for this year’s race and, looking further ahead, there remains every chance that he will match and perhaps even surpass the record of 14 championships set by his sire Sadler’s Wells.

In addition, he already possesses 20 Group 1-producing sons at stud, while several breeders are now reaping the rewards of inbreeding back to him; look no further than Jim Bolger’s Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney.

Galileo

Galileo, of course, was a brilliant performer for the Coolmore partners and Aidan O’Brien.

He was born with a weight of expectancy as a son of David Tsui’s Arc heroine Urban Sea and when he landed his only start at two, a backend maiden at Leopardstown, by 14 lengths, he was duly spoken of as a legitimate Derby candidate for Ballydoyle.

When Galileo returned the following year to win the Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, it was clear that he would take some beating at Epsom despite the presence of 2,000 Guineas winner Golan. Sent off the 11-4 joint-favourite alongside that rival, the result was never really in doubt as Galileo cruised around Epsom’s undulations before quickening clear for a decisive victory.

A bloodless win in the Irish Derby followed before Galileo took on the older generation in the King George, in which he came out best in a battle with Godolphin’s Fantastic Light That Ascot victory, however, turned out to be his final success.

Fantastic Light gained revenge in the Irish Champion Stakes, although only narrowly at the expense of Galileo, who had been forced to challenge wide around the tiring Godolphin pacemaker Give The Slip. From there, he was tried

CAROLINE NORRIS

Nightime, with the muchmissed Pat Smullen in the saddle, becomes Galileo’s first Classic winner in the 2006 Irish 1,000 Guineas

GEORGE SELWYN

A champion on the track

Galileo and Mick Kinane (dark blue silks) travel round Tattenham Corner before sweeping past their rivals in the 2001 Derby, a race Galileo has become synonymous with as a sire

on dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Belmont Park but was unable to adapt effectively and trailed home in sixth behind Tiznow.

Dominant at stud

Galileo was retired to Coolmore Stud

in 2002 at a fee of Ir£50,000 and with a strong female family to support his immense talent, was understandably well-supported, his first crop consisting of 126 foals.

Juddmonte homebred Innocent Air set the ball rolling, becoming his first stakes winner when successful for John Gosden in the 2005 Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury. Although she was his only stakes-winning two-year-old out of that first crop, he made a Classic breakthrough the following spring when Marguerite Weld’s homebred Nightime captured the Irish 1,000 Guineas; how fitting it was that his record-breaking 85th winner at the top level, which surpassed the mark set by Danehill, should arrive in the same race when Peaceful struck last year.

By the end of 2006 he had added another first-crop Classic winner to his record in Sixties Icon, who led home a clean sweep of the top three places for his sire in the St Leger. Back in third that day was his son Red Rocks, who signed off that year by taking the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Galileo’s very first winner, Jim Bolger’s Heliostatic, also won a Group 3.

Bolger came to exert a mighty influence on Galileo’s early stud career.

Even as the stallion’s fee slipped to a low of €37,500, he supported him strongly and to great effect as the breeder of Teofilo, the unbeaten champion twoyear-old of 2006, Soldier Of Fortune,

THE OWNER BREEDER

9

››

Found streaks clear to win the 2016 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from fellow Galileo progeny Highland Reel and Order Of St George

Albany Stakes heroine Cuis Ghaire, who added another dimension to the stallion as an effective, early two-year-old.

Bolger also bought and trained Galileo’s first Derby winner New Approach, whose championship career took in five Group 1 races over the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

In the years since then, Galileo has dominated every aspect of the European scene.

Any age, any ground, any distance, any sex – Galileo has thrown them all.

Progeny improve with time

As is typical of his sire line, his progeny progress well and tend to stay effectively. Yet send him a fast mare and the ability is there to reward the breeder far more effectively than Sadler’s Wells did.

Aidan O’Brien has often spoken admiringly of his progeny’s mental and physical soundness. The typical Galileo is a genuine horse that often thrives with racing. Naturally, success has come to run hand in hand with O’Brien, with no fewer than 53 Group or Grade 1 winners trained at Ballydoyle. It’s an immense list, consisting of the Derby winners Ruler Of The World, Australia, Anthony Van Dyck and Serpentine, and also of the top two-year-olds Churchill, Gleneagles and Minding, all of whom developed into Classic-winning milers at three.

Others, such as Found – who spearheaded a 1-2-3 for her sire when defeating fellow four-year-olds Highland Reel and Order Of St George in the 2016 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – and Magical showcased Galileo at his

10

THE OWNER BREEDER

“Any age, ground, distance, sex – he’s thrown them all” finest, being durable, sound and topclass animals over an extended period of time.

This year it has been business as usual with Empress Josephine and Joan Of Arc adding to his Classic haul with victories in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Prix de Diane. Last year’s standout filly Love also made a successful return in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Yet the finest is the one that got away – Frankel. Beautifully handled

by Sir Henry Cecil, the flamboyant Juddmonte homebred swept through 14 races unbeaten, notably the Dewhurst Stakes, 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Juddmonte International and QIPCO Champion Stakes.

Now a headline act of the Banstead Manor Stud roster, Frankel is well established as one of Europe’s premier sires; he has really come of age this Frankel: Galileo’s best son or daughter, at least so far, and a rising force in the stallion ranks

year as the sire of both the Epsom and Irish Derby winners in Adayar and Hurricane Lane, and only a day before Galileo’s death was represented by his

GEORGE SELWYN

›› the Irish Derby winner of 2007, and

Galileo 17th winner at the top level, Falmouth Stakes heroine Snow Lantern.

BILL SELWYN

A legacy for the ages

Frankel, who currently heads the British and Irish sires’ championship in his quest to become the first British-based champion since Mill Reef in 1987, is the most accomplished of Galileo’s 20 Group 1-producing sire sons.

Coolmore, understandably, has thrown its weight behind his developing legacy. Currently it stands eight of his sons under its Flat banner worldwide and another six under its jumps arm.

The Flat octet is led by Australia, the sire of four Group 1 winners, and also includes Gleneagles, who has been represented by six stakes winners this season.

››

????????????

A young Aidan O’Brien with a threeyear-old Galileo, also pictured (right) as a yearling; the Ballydoyle trainer has since handled many of his 2001 Derby winner’s best offspring

COOLMORE

“The Galileos are very genuine horses, meaning that they try so hard, they will give their all every day. It’s very unique.

It’s a mental trait, not a physical trait. Of all the horses we have ever trained, we’ve never seen it in another horse. It is a gene that will carry on.

“You would train a lot of horses by different sires who all have different traits, but none of them put that mental trait into their horses the way Galileo did. The determination he put into his stock was something else – that’s what made him different. It’s not about the exterior with them. It’s not just that they were good physically, it’s that mentally they were outstanding too.

“Before Galileo came to Ballydoyle, John Magnier mentioned to me on a number of occasions that they thought the world of him. I suppose that was because he was by Sadler’s Wells and out of an Arc winner. When I first saw him I thought he was an unbelievable mover. He didn’t walk, he prowled.

When you’d ask him to go forward the first thing that would go out and down was his head. Most horses when you ask them to go forward, up goes the head and they walk up, but he used to walk forward and walk out.

“His walking stride was so long and there was so much power from his front and back. We always thought he was a champion. Sue named him Galileo very early on and he deserved such a great name. He was a unique racehorse and stallion, and we will probably never see the like of him again.”

THE OWNER BREEDER

11

CAROLINE NORRIS

AIDAN O’BRIEN on training Galileo’s progeny

Tribute

GEORGE SELWYN

››

Galileo’s son Australia wins the 2014 Derby; he has made a good start as a sire

Churchill, who has made a bright start with his first crop, and the younger Circus Maximus are also among the Irish-based sons. The proven Group 1 sire Adelaide stands in Australia.

Outside of Coolmore, Newsells Park Stud is home to Enable’s sire Nathaniel, while Darley also stands two wellestablished sons in Teofilo and New Approach. Teofilo boasts a roll call of 21 Group 1 winners, including last year’s Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment and popular sire son Havana Gold, while New Approach’s record includes Derby winner Masar and the top miler Dawn Approach, himself sire of this year’s standout three-year-old colt Poetic Flare.

‘His offspring will run through brick walls for you’ “He was a magnificent

“He had a lot of things going for him when he retired

TATTERSALLS

racehorse and a magnificent stallion. He sires very sound, genuine horses. It seems that the more work you give them, the more they take it. They have everything you require in a racehorse – fantastic ability, wonderful temperaments and it doesn’t matter if it’s a colt or a filly, they’re all the same.

– Anthony Stroud

”

“

He was an amazing horse. He became a revelation as a stallion and as a sire of sires. We thought Sadler’s Wells was great but this horse has left some legacy. He’s done so much for racing and we must celebrate him. – Frankie Dettori

“

12

THE OWNER BREEDER

TATTERSALLS

“Galileo has been

”

››

”

”

phenomenal. The great thing about him is that you never hear anything defamatory about his progeny. Any distance, any sex, any trainer, any age, any country – they do it all.

As Aidan [O’Brien] often says, they’ll run through brick walls for you. And you have to admire the foresight of Jim Bolger to use him at €37,500, and he was well rewarded for it.

– Charlie Gordon-Watson

to stud, especially being by such a good stallion and out of such an outstanding, tough mare as Urban Sea. We used him in his first year and were rewarded with Red Rocks, and then Vimal and Gillian Khosla had success with him as the breeders of [Group 1 winners] Together Forever and Forever Together, both of whom were raised at Ballylinch.

“Galileo put several wonderful qualities into his stock with a consistency that we haven’t seen in other stallions. There is a mental toughness to them and he was very versatile - fast two-year-olds, champion milers, top stayers, he was very versatile in that respect.

“We have [Arc winner] Waldgeist here now and Lone Eagle performing at a high level. So his influence runs deep at Ballylinch and hopefully it remains lucky for us. – John O’Connor, Managing Director of Ballylinch Stud

Nothing is irreplaceable but Galileo comes very close. He was extraordinary. To me, what sets him apart from those other stallions of a lifetime is that there were no holes in him. To many people he’s a Derby sire, but to produce so many good milers and champion two-year-olds is something that sets him apart from the others. He’s left several very impressive sire sons – what Frankel is doing at the moment is pretty extraordinary – and there may well be more to come; don’t forget, Deep Impact was born in the year that Sunday Silence died. He will be very hard, if impossible, to replace but he’s left behind a wonderful legacy. – Jimmy George, Marketing Director of Tattersalls

”

Galileo

TREVOR JONES

Galileo’s son New Approach (right) beats Tartan Bearer to win the 2008 Derby at Epsom

Another son, Frankel’s Group 1-winning brother Noble Mission, even sired a Grade 1 winner on the dirt in Code Of Honor.

Unsurprisingly there are also a number of jumps-based sire sons.

Only a handful have runners, including Telescope, and so the jury remains out as to how influential he will ultimately become in that sphere.

Like his sire before him, Galileo is also a champion broodmare sire, his record of 34 Group 1 winners consisting of the likes of Night Of Thunder, Ghaiyyath, Saxon Warrior, Snowfall, Sottsass, US Navy Flag and the Classic-winning siblings Magna Grecia and St Mark’s Basilica.

The 2021 season was Galileo’s 14th at a private fee, with some reports suggesting that the figure commanded latterly sat in excess of €500,000. He covered 120 mares in 2020 and a select

the meaning of excellence. His death leaves an almighty hole in the fabric of European bloodstock, yet his name is likely to be never far away in the generations of horses to come.

He might be gone, but he will never be forgotten.

GALILEO’S BRITISH CLASSIC WINNERS Horse

Races won

Sixties Icon

2006 St Leger

New Approach

2008 Derby

Frankel

2011 2,000 Guineas

Was

2012 Oaks

Ruler Of The World

2013 Derby

Australia

2014 Derby

Gleneagles

2015 2,000 Guineas

Minding

2016 1,000 Guineas; Oaks

Churchill

2017 2,000 Guineas

Winter

2017 1,000 Guineas

Capri

2017 St Leger

92 Group/Grade 1 winners

Forever Together

2018 Oaks

338 stakes winners

Kew Gardens

2018 St Leger

Anthony Van Dyck

2019 Derby

as a damsire

Hermosa

2019 1,000 Guineas

20 Group/Grade 1

Serpentine

2020 Derby

Love

2020 1,000 Guineas; Oaks

GALILEO IN NUMBERS 12 British and Irish

sires’ championships

34 Group/Grade 1 winners

producing sons

book this season.

When Sadler’s Wells retired, the superlatives flowed and his impact on the breed celebrated in the belief that we would not see his like again. Galileo altered that perception, his level of dominance so strong as to redefine

THE OWNER BREEDER

13

News

BILL SELWYN

Government issues advice over shared ownership schemes

Members of the Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds syndicate enjoying King George day at Ascot

T

he Treasury has stated it has “no intention to regulate the ownership of racehorses as a financial services activity”, having responded to an enquiry from The Owner Breeder, made through Lawrence Robertson MP, regarding the rules around shared ownership of racehorses in Britain.

In the USA, Australia and Japan, the racing authorities are assisted by external financial regulators to oversee shared ownership groups, which fall under the definition of a managed or collective investment scheme in those countries.

While the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in Britain does not regulate the direct buying and selling of physical property such as racehorses, the Treasury has warned that investors in shared ownership arrangements could still be subject to collective investment scheme rules – and therefore FCA regulation – depending on the individual structure used.

John Glen MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said in a letter: “At this time the Treasury has no intention to specifically regulate the ownership or shared ownership of racehorses as a financial services activity.

“However, certain activities are subject to regulation where they are

14

THE OWNER BREEDER

carried on in relation to collective investment schemes and units in those schemes. In essence, a collective investment scheme is an arrangement relating to property where the purpose or effect of the arrangement is to enable the participants to receive profits or income generated by that property. Where the government chooses to regulate collective investment schemes, it does so to ensure that consumers receive appropriate levels of protection for the product they are investing in.

“The definition of a collective investment scheme is clear that the property that is the subject of the arrangements can be of any description.

It is therefore possible that the property relating to a collective investment scheme could include a racehorse.

“I understand that various structures exist within the market to facilitate co-ownership and the shared enjoyment of racehorses. It is not the case that co-ownership necessarily gives rise to a regulated collective investment scheme.

However, depending on the structure used in any particular case, it may be necessary for investors to consider whether their arrangements give rise to a regulated collective investment scheme, in which case they would be subject to FCA regulation.

“This consideration would likely benefit from legal advice and engagement with the FCA, given that it is a criminal offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment to perform a regulated activity without the necessary authorisation.”

The British Horseracing Authority, which introduced a number of measures earlier this year following its consultation into the multi-ownership sector, has reiterated its view that external financial regulation is unnecessary with regard to shared ownership schemes.

A BHA statement supplied to The Owner Breeder read: “We have previously taken financial services regulatory advice as to whether syndicates represent a collective investment scheme. On the basis of that advice, the BHA is of the opinion that arrangements which relate to racehorse syndication are unlikely to constitute regulated activities and qualify under the ‘Enjoyment of Property’ exclusion for collective investment schemes.

“As the primary purpose of membership is the pleasure and excitement associated with racehorse ownership, the predominant purpose of the arrangement is for the participants to share in the enjoyment of syndication,

Stories from the racing world

ROA becomes outright owner of The Owner Breeder The Owner Breeder magazine is now owned wholly by the Racehorse Owners Association after the owners’ body purchased the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s 50% stake in the business.

Under its exclusive control, the ROA plans to make further investment in the monthly publication, which was launched in September 2004 and earlier this year celebrated its 200th issue.

Charlie Liverton, ROA Chief Executive, said: “The purchase of Europe’s leading bloodstock publication has been a plan for some time now, to drive new and exciting ways to both develop our communications to the racing and

therefore, excluding them from FCA regulation.

“If any owner or syndicator is unsure if their syndicate falls within the definition of a collective investment scheme or if the ‘Enjoyment of Property’ exclusion described above applies, we recommend they take their own independent legal advice.”

Sydney-based lawyer Tony Fleiter is an expert in the field of shared ownership. He runs the biggest syndicate legal advisory practice in Australia and counts John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud plus the likes of Newgate Stud, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and The Racing League among his clients.

Fleiter believes that external financial regulation of the shared ownership sector is essential, in Australia and elsewhere. Talking to The Owner Breeder earlier this year, he said: “It is worth noting that the definition of a managed investment scheme in our Corporations Act is similar in meaning to the definition of a collective investment scheme in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (UK).

“I will therefore be surprised if the future regulation of horseracing schemes does not involve interaction between the BHA and Financial Conduct Authority. My own recommendation would be for the BHA to embrace such a relationship rather than to seek to avoid it, because the law will apply in any event.”

breeding community but also push The Owner Breeder magazine forward as a top-class, internationally-renowned publication.

“The Owner Breeder is highly rated by our members and has well over 20,000 regular readers every month. It is very influential and has proved a great voice for both owners and breeders within the industry and beyond.

“Circulation and readership numbers have remained stable and we are delighted at how the support of our advertisers has remained consistent and, indeed, is ahead of the same time last year despite these difficult Covid times.

“We recognise what The Owner Breeder publication means to our members and to the wider racing world. The Owner Breeder is the voice of the wider community, showcasing what it means to breed, own and race

here in the UK, as well as throughout Europe and indeed further afield.

“The Owner Breeder also has a fast-growing digital presence with over 10,000 unique monthly users of its website and increased support on its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.

“Over the coming months we will be looking to invest in the growth of the publication across its channels and deliver bigger, better, thoughtprovoking opinion, debate and stories that get to the heart of the issues facing racing and breeding around the world.

“We look forward to driving this much-loved and well-respected racing and breeding publication forward.”

Members of the TBA will continue to receive the magazine as part of their benefits package until June 2022.

Youth group launched A Youth Collaboration Group (YCG) has been launched to give young people with an interest in racing and marketing the chance to shape how the sport is promoted to younger audiences, and improve their own skills at the same time.

Led by Careers In Racing – the careers marketing arm of the British Horseracing Authority – the YCG will afford young people the chance to contribute views and ideas about marketing initiatives and content used to promote careers within the racing industry.

The first of its kind in the sport, the group is open to those aged between 14 and 21, and with a keen interest in marketing, graphic design, social media, video content, events and communications.

All members of the group will receive a Careers In Racing skills passport, which will detail what they have achieved during their time on the YCG – ranging from proofreading and copy editing, through to video reviewing and participation in online video conferencing.

They will also have the chance to consider how they are developing other important skills via a new

collaboration Careers In Racing has entered into with the Skills Builder Partnership.

Zoe Elliott, Head of Careers Marketing and Recruitment at the BHA, said: “It’s important for us at Careers In Racing to make sure that whatever we produce – be that a careers video or careers event – is relevant to the audience it is aimed at.

“We want to build a team of young people who really understand what we are trying to achieve, and who can give us some honest feedback and co-create some of our initiatives. At the same time, we want to support them in developing work-ready skills to enhance their CVs.” She added: “This is a really exciting opportunity and we can’t wait to get started. The Youth Collaboration Group is our working title for this initiative, and the very first activity they will be asked to give feedback on is the creation of a name and logo for their group. We hope that lots of young people get in touch to be involved.”

An online application form can be found at www.careersinracing.com.

THE OWNER BREEDER

15

Changes

Racing’s news in a nutshell

People and business Guy Henderson Chief Executive of Ascot racecourse to stand down after the 2022 royal meeting having taken on the position in 2015.

Will Lambe

Executive Director of the British Horseracing Authority steps down. He played a key role in the areas of levy reform and preparation for Brexit.

Liam Keniry

Jockey closing in on 1,000 winners faces three months out of action after breaking his right leg at Ascot in July.

Mohamed Moubarak

Newmarket-based handler ends his second spell training in the UK to return to the US.

Bob Baffert

Denis Egan

Hong Kong

Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum

Mark Crehan

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s Chief Executive will retire early in September having spent 26 years working for the organisation.

Daughter of the late Hamdan Al Maktoum set to be the spokesperson for his Shadwell racing and breeding operation.

US District Judge overrules New York Racing Association’s ban on the trainer having runners at the organisation’s three tracks.

Will stage the world’s most valuable turf races over 6f, 7f, a mile and 1m2f after boosting next season’s prizemoney total to HK$1.46 billion.

Promising apprentice jockey is banned for 28 days after mistaking the winning post and easing up on Aerion Power at Doncaster on July 17.

Edward Greatrex

Retires from the saddle aged 23 due to a persistent back problem. He rode 217 winners including Musaddas at Ascot on Champions Day.

Neil Callan

Jockey returns to ride in Britain having been based in Hong Kong since 2014/15. He recorded 282 wins including four in Group 1 company.

Rachael Blackmore

Grand National-winning jockey suffers fractured ankle and hip injury in a fall at Killarney on July 16.

People obituaries Noel Furlong 83

Owner, trainer and fearless punter who won £1.5 million when Destriero captured the 1991 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Bert Firestone 89

With wife Diana he bred Melbourne Cup winner Vintage Crop and dual Oaks heroine Blue Wind.

Eric Eldin 88

Rode around 1,200 winners globally, including the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Front Row and July Cup aboard Lucasland.

16

THE OWNER BREEDER

Richard Miller 87

Twice champion point-to-point rider in the early 1970s, later becoming a successful trainer and racecourse steward.

Michael Pitt 19

Stable lad and former apprentice/amateur jockey, associated with the stables of Roger Teal and Warren Greatrex.

Dick Allan 74

Former jump jockey trained Pat’s Jester to win the Bula Hurdle and Scottish Champion Hurdle in the late 1980s.

Bobby McAlpine 89

Owner-breeder enjoyed top-level success under both codes with Cormorant Wood, Precipice Wood and River Ceiriog.

An eye for success

visit studlife online: tweenhills.com/studlife

August 2021

ZOUSTAR RETURNS TO OZ At the time of writing, international sire sensation Zoustar is currently in quarantine in Newmarket before journeying back to Widden Stud in Australia from Tweenhills for the third time so far. He’s again accompanied by Xander Brown who has now joined Widden from Tweenhills – good luck Xander!

The much anticipated first crop of Northern Hemisphere yearlings by Zoustar

will go under the hammer at this year’s European yearling sales.

Zoustar really is something special – he’s the sire of 7 A$1m yearlings; the sire of 33 Stakes performers including champions Sunlight and Top Knight from only four crops to race in Australia; and was Champion 1st, 2nd and 3rd Season Sire there, with his progeny winning A$10m in prize money this season.

Big Zou in quarantine

STAFF PROFILE

HOMEBRED ON THE SCENE Mise En Scene – born and raised at Tweenhills – created a big impression when making a winning 2yo debut at Haydock in July by four lengths for Qatar Racing.

Bryony Rusbridge Racing Office Manager

How long have you been at Tweenhills?

I joined in January 2012 so that’s… a long time! It’s been fantastic to be part of Qatar Racing’s success – including increasing the number of homebreds going into training – and in recent years have welcomed new racehorse owners such as Cornthrop Bloodstock.

Favourite racing moment?

Roaring Lion winning the QEII on QIPCO British Champions Day in 2018.

The conditions were against him, the mud and the rain, and he was pure heart. A close second was Kameko winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas but sadly we couldn’t be there. Both horses were broken in by my husband Tim Rusbridge.

Hobbies away from horses?

Running, netball, my children and friends. I love all aspects of sport and can’t wait to watch the Tokyo Olympics on TV; in particular Jodie Williams as she goes from 200m to 400m.

Young horse to watch?

It has to be Rakurai. Lightening Pearl was at Ger Lyons’ when I worked there so will always hold a special place in my heart. Her daughter is showing plenty of promise at home so fingers crossed.

The daughter of Siyouni tanked through the race under Oisin Murphy and gave young trainer James Ferguson his first winner for the owner. Mise En Scene looks destined for Stakes races. She’s out of a daughter of legendary sire Galileo who died aged 23 in July.

Mise En Scene wins on debut

Wesley Ward visited Tweenhills with Sheikh Fahad to see his former Royal Ascot winner Con Te Partiro (above left), now in foal to Kameko.

Wesley also picked out three Zoustars to train for Qatar Racing with Royal Ascot 2022 in mind, including our Zoustar ex Rosie’s Premier e weanling stunning daughter of Gr.3

by Alicia Plaistow; winner Lightening Quick She’s a half-sister to 3yo (above right). winner Louliana and Ju Listed

Rose Premium

ly’s 2yo winner

nhills Adam Brookes and Kevin Darley watch Twee er winn Gr.1 of out – rai homebred 2yo filly Raku ket Lightening Pearl – on the gallops in Newmar

Tweenhills, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, GL19 3BG W: www.tweenhills.com T: + 44 (0) 1452 700177 M: + 44 (0) 7767 436373 E: davidredvers@tweenhills.com

Changes

Racehorse and stallion

Movements and retirements

Subjectivist

Dr Jim Walker’s Gold Cup winner suffers a serious leg injury and won’t return until Royal Ascot 2022 at the earliest.

Magic Of Light

Staying mare for the Jessica Harrington yard, winner of nine races and runnerup to Tiger Roll in the 2019 Grand National, is retired aged ten.

Waiting Patiently Owner Richard Collins moves his Grade 1-winning chaser from North Yorkshire-based Ruth Jefferson to the Welsh stable of Christian Williams.

Johannes Vermeer

Group 1 winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up is retired to Cornwall Park in Victoria. The son of Galileo will stand at a fee of A$11,000.

Sangarius

Son of Kingman, a Group 2 winner for his owner-breeder the late Khalid Abdullah, is sold to stand at stud in Brazil.

Horse obituaries Galileo 23

Derby and King George victor was the pre-eminent stallion of his era, siring 92 individual Group 1 winners worldwide.

Lancaster Bomber 7

Son of War Front trained by Aidan O’Brien to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup dies at Drakenstein Stud in South Africa.

Came Home 22

Gone West’s son captured the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and was later a successful stallion in the USA and Japan.

The Listener 22

Popular grey won four Grade 1s in Ireland, defeating Beef Or Salmon by eight lengths in the 2006 Lexus Chase.

Powerscourt 21

Tattersalls Gold Cup and Arlington Million winner for John Magnier and Aidan O’Brien dies at stud in Turkey.

18

THE OWNER BREEDER

Arazi 32 Saint Are 15

Grade 1 winner over hurdles for owner David Fox ran in five Grand Nationals, twice finishing placed.

Brilliant two-year-old is remembered for his stunning victory in the 1991 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

18

Tattersalls Royal Ascot Winners

14 of the 19 Royal Ascot Winners bought as yearlings were bought at Tattersalls Yearling Sales.

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE, BOOK 1

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE, BOOK 3

JUAN ELCANO WOLFERTON STAKES, Listed purchased by Hillen / Ryan from Furnace Mill Stud for 360,000 gns

PALACE PIER QUEEN ANNE STAKES, Group 1 purchased by John Gosden Racing POINT LONSDALE from Highclere Stud for 600,000 gns CHESHAM STAKES, Listed CAMPANELLE purchased by M V Magnier from COMMONWEALTH CUP, Group 1 Croom House Stud for 575,000 gns purchased by Ben McElroy AMTIYAZ from Tally-Ho Stud COPPER HORSE STAKES, Handicap for 190,000 gns purchased by BERKSHIRE SHADOW Blue Diamond Stud Farm UK COVENTRY STAKES, Group 2 from The Castlebridge Consignment purchased by Andrew Balding for 200,000 gns from Cheveley Park Stud FOXES TALES for 40,000 gns GOLDEN GATES STAKES, Handicap KEMARI purchased by SackvilleDonald QUEEN’S VASE, Group 2 from Manister House Stud purchased by Godolphin for 400,000 gns from Fittocks Stud for 400,000 gns TATTERSALLS OCTOBER ALENQUER KING EDWARD VII STAKES, Group 2 purchased by Armando Duarte from Glidawn Stud for 80,000 gns MOHAAFETH HAMPTON COURT STAKES, Group 3 purchased by Shadwell Estate Company from John Troy for 350,000 gns

YEARLING SALE, BOOK 2 SUBJECTIVIST GOLD CUP, Group 1 purchased by Mark Johnston Racing from New England Stud for 62,000 gns

PEROTTO BRITANNIA STAKES purchased by MP Tregoning from Baroda Stud for 28,000 gns

TATTERSALLS ASCOT YEARLING SALE (SOMERVILLE YEARLING SALE)

STRATUM QUEEN ALEXANDRA STAKES purchased by Harold Kirk / WP Mullins from The Castlebridge Consignment for 160,000 gns

TATTERSALLS DECEMBER FOAL SALE DREAM OF DREAMS DIAMOND JUBILEE STAKES, Group 1 purchased by Mick Flanagan from Bumble Mitchell for 37,000 gns

CHIPOTLE WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES, Listed purchased by Highflyer Bloodstock / Eve Johnson Houghton from Theakston Stud for 10,000 gns

INDIE ANGEL DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES, Group 2 purchased by Capital Bloodstock from Ringfort Stud for 600,000 gns

TATTERSALLS AUTUMN HIT SALE

TATTERSALLS IRELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALE

ROHAAN WOKINGHAM STAKES purchased by Martin Wanless / David Evans from George Scott Racing for 20,000 gns

CREATE BELIEF SANDRINGHAM STAKES purchased by Johnny Murtagh from Moyfinn Stud for €12,000

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE

Book 1 October 5 – 7 featuring the £20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus Book 2 October 11 – 13 Book 3* October 14 – 15 Book 4* October 15 – 16 *featuring the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes

introducing TATTERSALLS SOMERVILLE YEARLING SALE September 7 *featuring the £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes

www.tattersalls.com

The Big Picture Levey and Lantern shine Snow Lantern (left) restored family honour in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting, a race in which her mother Sky Lantern was controversially denied, with a stunning late surge under Sean Levey. It did not look promising two furlongs out, with Snow Lantern looking unlikely to get a clear passage on the far rail, but Rockcliffe Stud’s homebred daughter of Frankel showcased her class to capture the Group 1 prize at the expense of Mother Earth and Alcohol Free.

Photos Bill Selwyn

20 THE OWNER BREEDER

Newmarket

THE OWNER BREEDER

21

The Big Picture

Starman is out of this world David Ward missed out on watching his pride and joy Starman (centre) compete at Royal Ascot in June when the heavens opened, but the owner-breeder gained compensation when his brilliant four-year-old captured the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

Jockey Tom Marquand was seen getting animated in the saddle with two furlongs to run as the runners on the nearside grouped up, but Starman, on just his sixth career start, picked up in great style, powering home to defeat Dragon Symbol by a length and a quarter.

Photo Bill Selwyn

22 THE OWNER BREEDER

Newmarket

THE OWNER BREEDER 23

The Big Picture

Adayar takes plaudits Few Derby winners even attempt to follow up in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes so it’s to Adayar’s huge credit that he was able to defeat the older generation in the Ascot feature under title-chasing William Buick.

The son of Frankel, trained by Charlie Appleby for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, became the first horse to complete the famous Group 1 double since his grandsire Galileo in 2001 as he saw off four-year-olds Mishriff and Love, looking every inch a leading contender for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

Photos Bill Selwyn

24 THE OWNER BREEDER

Ascot

THE OWNER BREEDER 25

The Howard Wright Column

Best of British racing can be found worldwide

PA

L

et’s overlook the second half of Oscar Wilde’s famous observation about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. He went on to say “… that mediocrity can pay to greatness,” but there is nothing mediocre about several instances that have arisen recently where aspects of racing and betting as practised in Britain are being copied around the world.

Beefing up the North American turf programme is taking a while to be fully embraced by US owners and trainers.

The double Grade 1 one-two in New York within six weeks, plotted by Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin team and landed by the fillies Althiqa and Summer Romance, showed enterprise that was matched only by Aidan O’Brien’s audacious and successful targeting of the Belmont

Bolshoi Ballet and Ryan Moore take New York by storm in the Belmont Derby

Derby and Oaks with Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara for the Coolmore conglomerate, just five weeks after the pair had been beaten favourites in the Epsom equivalents.

It may take some time before US owners put their faith in racing homegrown talent on turf in any great numbers, as a consequence of which breeders will be forced to succumb to the marketplace. But the time will come, and European owners and breeders will have to find new ways of breaking into the higher realms of US turf racing.

There is more immediate certainty about the arrival of fixed-odds betting, British and Irish style, into at least a corner of the US. It’s an important corner, though, since it encompasses the state of New Jersey, which led the

Have you tried to buy a bag of building sand lately? Or been told a delivery you expected on a certain day would be delayed by anything up to six weeks? If so, you may know what to expect when British racecourses open their doors to full quotas of racegoers over the coming months.

Apparently, the old normal has gone, as racecourse officials the length and breadth of the land discovered when the government gradually allowed paying customers back on to their premises. Staff shortages, provisions deficiencies, late deliveries and younger, more rowdy, drink-consuming racegoers are the new normal, post-coronavirus.

None of this news has been formally admitted, as far as I know, but it’s acknowledged in private as racecourses battle to recover the huge amount of ground lost since the original lockdown in March last year. Revenue from admissions, hospitality and sponsorship has fallen off a cliff, but habits have changed too, it seems.

Hundreds of racecourse staff were either furloughed or made redundant during the lockdown process; according to one official to whom I spoke, many have not come back, either heading home to their own countries or having lost the drive to retake employment. This is especially true in hospitality, as one racecourse discovered on reopening to paying customers at an evening meeting, where the number of staff was overbooked by ten but a total of 25 failed to turn up.

Little wonder the main subject of complaints from members of the returning public mentioned by one racecourse group executive was about lack of staff in bars.

Service in this area had generally improved pre-lockdown, but it is likely to be a major bone of contention for some

26 THE OWNER BREEDER

BILL SLEWYN

Racecourses not out of the woods yet

Crowds return to the races yet tracks are still under pressure

time, especially as staff who do turn up may no longer wish to work 80 hours a week, as they did before working from home became an attractive alternative.

As for essential deliveries, racecourses are no different from other post-lockdown customers, and Brexit, Covid-19 and the Suez Canal blockage appear to have combined to provide a perfect storm of trouble. Racehorses are not the only commodity having trouble getting from A to B if it involves a border; heavy goods vehicle drivers with all manner of cargo were already becoming short in numbers before positive Covid-19 tests drove many into self-isolation.

The story of how a track took delivery of a food order on a Monday, having required it for the Sunday meeting, would be comical if it was not so anguishing.

“There is more immediate certainty about the arrival of fixed-odds betting, British and Irish style, into at least a corner of the US” will have better fortune over fixed-odds betting in other states, for this type of betting is not about to jump back into the bottle now that the genie has let it out.

Looking to the other side of the world, to the land of BetMakers itself, Australia, a fascinating development has taken place in the state of Victoria, where despite a widelyheld perception that its main authority vies only with its great rival in Sydney for being ahead of most in the innovation stakes, the racing body is about to bring its programme into the 21st century.

Starting next year, four tracks operating under the country racing banner will put on a meeting on Good Friday, following the introduction of legislation into the state parliament to remove the prohibition. If Racing Victoria officials have no wish to consult colleagues in Western Australia and Tasmania for advice on running racing on Good Friday, they do not have to look far for an experienced eye.

Paul Bittar, who came to Britain from Racing Victoria as Chief Executive of the BHA – a path trod similarly but earlier to the BHB by Greg Nichols – and has returned to the state as a betting company executive, introduced Good Friday racing on his watch in 2014, when Lingfield and Musselburgh made history. Its successful development has since been observed at close quarters by Jamie Stier and David Sykes, both now back in the bosom of Racing Victoria as senior racing officials.

They can have only good things to say about this part of the British racing programme.

www.twydil.com

way in pressing to legalise sports betting in the country. That happened in 2018 and many US states have followed suit. The same is likely to occur over fixed-odds betting.

One of the most persuasive supporters of the idea is Patrick Cummings, who has worked for the tracking service Trakus since 2011, founded a website advising punters on racing in Dubai, headed the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s communications team and is now Executive Director for the think-tank Thoroughbred Idea Foundation. His international experience means he is very familiar with the UK’s mixedeconomy example.

As the legal process in New Jersey wound its way to a conclusion, Cummings noted: “American racing’s wagering product, one which is wholly pari-mutuel, is festering.” And to stress his point, he added: “Pari-mutuel offerings are stale, take-out remains high, bet processing technology is antiquated and concerns over the integrity of the system remain nearly 20 years on from a series of unexpected race results at the 2002 Breeders’ Cup.” The only sad note, from a British perspective, is that BetMakers, the Australian betting technology company, has a ten-year contract to deliver New Jersey’s fixed-odds betting offering. Maybe those British operators that have done well in cementing sport-betting partnerships with local companies

CATCH A THIRD WIND

TWYDIL® X Product to meet the specific needs of horses making peak efforts. It helps to support the respiratory system, its capillaries and participates to a good adaptation and recovery. It also contributes to the drainage of the body.

• Unique antidoping control: each batch is officially certified by the LCH (after controls on finished product, urine and blood of a horse having received three times the recommended quantity).

• Declared content guaranteed until expiry date.

TWYDIL® is used by most of the successful professionals in the world.

PAVESCO AG Head Office CH-4010 Basel, Switzerland Tel. +41 61 272 23 72 Fax +41 61 272 23 88

PAVESCO U.K. LTD. 116, High Road Needham, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9LG Tel. 01379-85 28 85 Fax 01379-85 41 78

e-mail: info@twydil.com

THE OWNER BREEDER 27 X_88x265_An_TO&Breeder.indd 1

24/02/20 12:54

The Big Interview

Going

FLAT OUT Hollie Doyle made headlines beyond the racing press in 2020 after a sensational season but the 24-year-old is not resting on her laurels as she looks to the future and targets further Group-race glory Words: Julian Muscat • Photos: Bill Selwyn

T

o appreciate where Hollie Doyle is today, it is important to remember where she was just 18 months ago.

Back then, the flame-haired jockey weighing less than eight stone had just broken Josephine Gordon’s record for winners in a season by a female rider. It was a notable landmark in its own right, yet it would pale into insignificance by the end of 2020.

Doyle’s dizzy ascent started at Royal Ascot, where she rode her debut winner at the fixture. She won her first Pattern race the following month, courtesy of Dame Malliot in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. Two weeks later she was wooed

by Imad Al Sagar, the prominent owner and breeder who put her on a retainer.

Doyle was on a roll. In October she rode a double on Champions Day, when she also claimed her first Group 1 victory aboard Glen Shiel. That led to her winning the accolade of Sportswoman of the Year from The Sunday Times before she finished third in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. And to round it off, her fourth place in the jockeys’ championship was the highestever by a female rider.

“To be honest, I didn’t realise what a big deal it was at the time,” the 24-year-old reflects. “It was a dream come true; everything I have always strived for. I still don’t know whether I thought I would ever get to that level but now it’s about staying there.”

Inevitably, given the scale of those peaks, her professional life has returned to a semblance of normality. For Doyle, however, the new normal is a place among the riding elite in Britain. At the time of writing, she sits fifth in the

28 THE OWNER BREEDER

jockeys’ championship, although she has ridden more winners than anybody else in the calendar year. She eased to her century on July 14, well ahead of last year’s schedule. Yet one detail irritates her.

“It’s been really good numbers-wise but I haven’t ridden a Group winner, which is a problem,” she says. “I’ve been getting some good rides but keep coming up a bit short. I’m under no illusions; last year was exceptional. I can’t expect it to happen every year, but I want more. People have one good year and it doesn’t happen again. You see

“I don’t know why people kept comparing me to other girls” that all the time in racing.”

Doyle shares the restlessness so redolent of leaders in their field.

There can never be too much. What happened yesterday is academic, solely of passing interest. It’s today and tomorrow that count.

In Doyle’s case, however, achievement comes with strings attached. Any jockey boasting her recent CV would be more than content, yet Doyle must cope with the ‘first woman ever’ strapline that rests uneasily on her shoulders. Like Hayley

Turner and Rachael Blackmore before her, she doesn’t resonate with the sense of wonderment her deeds have aroused in those beyond racing’s parish.

Asked to explain why not, she is entirely matter-of-fact. “When I was an apprentice, I worked alongside four or five other [male] apprentices,” she says.

“I was never treated any differently, I did the same job as them the whole time, rode the same horses as them from day one. There was no difference between me and them.

“That’s why I sometimes get annoyed about the whole girl thing,” she continues. “I don’t know why people keep comparing me to other girls because I looked up to jockeys like Ryan Moore and AP McCoy. Yes, Hayley [Turner] inspired me when I was young, but I wanted to ride like Ryan.”

Even though she isn’t willing to embrace it, she accepts that the gender mechanic exists. Nor does she rail against it: she says she is comfortable with her role as racing’s public face and is happy to project it if it means others will follow in her footsteps. Yet she does so with the firm conviction that being a jockey is a wonderful career, period.

There is a marked contrast in the Doyle we see on television and the person herself. In the former sphere she comes across as a shade hesitant, a little uncomfortable answering questions, a touch embarrassed to be the focus of attention.

Even though she admits she is not greatly enamoured by the media aspect of her work, it’s still surprising to find that when she sits before you, she is engaging company: observant and

››

Hollie Doyle

Hollie Doyle reached her century of winners on July 14 as she builds on last year’s exceptional campaign

THE OWNER BREEDER 29

The Big Interview

BILL SELWYN

Hollie Doyle is congratulated by her fiancé Tom Marquand after Group 1 glory on Glen Shiel in the 2020 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot

›› eloquent into the bargain.

It isn’t hard to reconcile the paradox.

When Doyle is interviewed on television it invariably involves being asked about a woman’s lot in racing. She has tired of the tedium of the same banal inquiry about which she never had much to say in the first place. There is a pleasing symmetry to the fact that her achievements are gradually rendering this repetitive line of questioning obsolete.

But there is an added hook for the media where Doyle is concerned. She is engaged to Tom Marquand, her Pony Club sweetheart whose own riding career is also upwardly mobile.

‘Racing’s golden couple’ are inundated by requests from lifestyle magazines, although such approaches are more easily rebuffed since they have precious little lifestyle outside the saddle.

They live as much inside their cars as their house. Theirs is a decidedly unglamorous existence mitigated by being figuratively joined at the hip.

“I couldn’t imagine being with somebody who didn’t understand my job,” Doyle says. “It couldn’t work, could it? We both understand what the job entails and we push one another to be better. Other people would find either of us extremely competitive to live with, but we find we can help one another.”

Those competitive fires always ignite on skiing holidays, when Doyle

30 THE OWNER BREEDER

is obliged to play catch-up. “We go flat out everywhere,” she says. “Tom is pretty good; he’s been skiing since he was a kid. I still can’t beat him but I’m getting faster from chasing his tail for the last few years.”

Skiing is one of the few annual occasions when the couple are together for more than a day at a time. “The fact that we never fall out or get in each

“I feel more confident in big races as I know I am riding a good horse” other’s way is probably because we’re not with each other all that much,” she says.

“We’re both hungry and driven; we both know how much hard work is involved, and we tell each other everything. It’s good to have someone who knows what you’re on about.”

For all that, the pair take different approaches to their professions. Doyle is more analytical, more prone to review

videos, more inclined to peruse the form book.

“Tom is relaxed about that but I do like my routine,” she says. “He also has to spend more time sweating. We talk quite a lot about riding but not so much about what he or I may have done wrong in a race. I know straight away when I do something wrong. I can pick faults for myself; I don’t need anyone to tell me.”

Doyle’s career has reached the stage where she is comfortable in pretty much any situation. It is frequently lost on the unversed just how steep is the learning curve for aspiring jockeys. Everything happens in the blink of an eye. In these circumstances jockeys ride by an instinct refined by experience, which in itself is hard to acquire. Needless to say, experience in Group 1 races is at a premium, not to mention the most valuable saddle commodity.

Doyle maintains that riding in Group 1 races does not make extra demands on jockeys. “It is not more competitive because every race is competitive,” she avers.

“I always feel more confident in big races because I know I am riding a good horse. I suppose the difference is that I don’t get nervous any more.

“In the past I used to overthink everything. I now know how certain jockeys ride and the running style of

Hollie Doyle each horse, whereas before I was still learning about those dynamics.”

She continues: “It comes more naturally to me now. It’s a great feeling, because I trust myself. In the past, if I did something in a race it was because I felt I should have done it. If something unexpected happens now, I can take my own action to make things work for me.

It’s a confidence thing; awareness as much as anything else.”

All told, then, Doyle finds herself in a good place. Her Champions Day double obliged some who doubted her to see the jockey in a different light, while her retainer with Al Sagar brought her into the orbit of trainers for whom she had never previously ridden. To mid-July she had ridden for an astonishing 146 different trainers, securing winners for 45 of them.

As much as anything else, it pays tribute to her insatiable work ethic. “It’s still a game of graft for me,” she reflects.

“When you’re an apprentice working in the yard you think it will get easier as a professional jockey, but it doesn’t. It gets twice as hard, but that’s where I always wanted to be.

“I’ll do whatever it takes. Riding is very relaxing; it’s by far the easiest part of the job. I have chilled out quite a lot in the past year. I think I’m more mature as a person, which should help me to keep going forward. There’s still a long way to go.”

That much may be true, although Doyle’s resume will surely require several rewrites by the time it runs its course.

Doyle is poised to strike on Imad Al Sagar’s Amtiyaz (green silks) in the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, which they won by a head from Dubious Affair

‘I like her bravery – Hollie has made a big difference’ For Imad Al Sagar, proprietor of Blue Diamond Stud, appointing a retained jockey became something of a priority at the start of last year.

Nevertheless, his decision to embrace Hollie Doyle generated some surprise.

“Because I breed 90 to 95 per cent of my horses, I needed a consistency I wasn’t getting from having different jockeys,” explains Al Sagar, a Kuwaiti national who part-owned the 2007 Derby winner, Authorized, and has more than 30 horses in training. “I felt strongly that a retained jockey would overcome these negativities, and from the first day with Hollie I felt it was the right decision.”

A keen horseman who rode frequently as a teenager, Al Sagar watched Doyle for some time before making his decision. “I developed an admiration for what Hollie was achieving,” he says.

“I could see that she had a talent with horses. She is a very dedicated jockey with many dimensions. She rides all my horses in their final workouts, so she knows before the race what she is sitting on. She has made a big difference.”

The effect on Doyle’s confidence was immediate. She rode a Grouprace double for Al Sagar aboard Extra Elusive soon after her appointment was announced last summer. And she was again on the money for Al Sagar

in June when partnering Amtiyaz to win the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Al Sagar relates of that day: “John Gosden said to Hollie, ‘You know the horse and how to ride it, you don’t need any instructions. Go out and do what you think is right.’ And I thought she rode a great race.”

Initially, Al Sagar was taken aback to hear that his choice of jockey was not universally acclaimed. “When I appointed Hollie there was different criticisms from different sources,” he says. “I believe some of it was because of her gender, but now we have quite a few good female riders.

“Hollie is now becoming used to riding in Group 1 races. She is only 24 and I think she is already one of the best. She has great opportunities ahead of her.

“It is not impossible for her to become champion jockey one day.

The way she is going, with her numbers and the way she is riding, she is flying. I am very happy for her.

“What I like is her bravery, and she has the ability to position a horse in the right place from the start of a race. She is very quick at making decisions, which is what you need in a jockey. And outside the saddle she is a really nice person. I sincerely hope she will ride for me for many years.”

THE OWNER BREEDER

31

Value yearlings

Bargain HUNTERS

As recent results have illustrated, deep pockets are not always needed when it comes to purchasing horses capable of competing on the big stage Words: Martin Stevens

32 THE OWNER BREEDER

TATTERSALLS

Y

ou’ve decided to buy a yearling or two but are working to a limited budget: now the sales catalogues have started dropping on your doormat, what do you do next?

If you were to take your lead from successful syndicate manager Nick Bradley, the answer would be nothing – for the time being, at least.

“I’ll have a quick look through the catalogues when they arrive, but mainly to work out how many horses I need to inspect and what time I need to get on the grounds to see them all,” he says.

“I certainly wouldn’t be thinking about what I might like or how much I need to pay at that stage.”

In-depth pedigree study is simply not part of Bradley’s methods for finding value. Instead, he combs every lot on the sales ground to draw up his shortlist, which he whittles down further after a second round of inspections.

Racecourse evidence suggests his plan of attack is effective. Nick Bradley Racing’s increasingly familiar white silks with black detail have been carried by Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (a 22,000gns purchase), 1,000 Guineas third Fev Rover (£20,000) and Coventry Stakes runner-up Eldrickjones (£26,000).

Bradley continues: “What I set out to do is to buy the best racehorses I can find, and my track record shows that I have often got the best runner by a lot of sires in a given year – so Dandalla was the best Dandy Man, Fev Rover was the best Gutaifan, Mystery Angel was the best Kodi Bear and so on.

“Shouldavbeenmore, who has finished a close fourth in the Empress Stakes for us this summer, is by Penny’s Picnic and I don’t think most trainers in

Nick Bradley: recent successes include Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel

Britain would even have ever heard of him.”

So is there no sire or family, however obscure, that he would leave out of calculations? “Without a doubt, none,” comes the answer without hesitation.

“I might not end up buying them, but I certainly wouldn’t rule anything out.”

Not everyone is quite so openminded, or has the time to inspect so many horses across such a broad range of sales, and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is one who has enjoyed great success with yearlings selected according to a somewhat stricter set of pedigree criteria.

“You’ve got to cut the catalogue down somehow, and I don’t want yearlings out of mares who were very lowly rated themselves, or who have produced lots of horses who are very

lowly rated,” she says. “Because however lovely that yearling is, the probability is it’s also going to be very lowly rated.

“There are also certain sires I don’t like, just because I don’t seem to train them well or they don’t get on with me, or sometimes I’ve just taken against them. But then there are other sires I absolutely love, who produce stock who are really tough and hardy, even if they aren’t particularly fashionable.”

Chipotle, trained by Johnson Houghton to win the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, makes an interesting case study for the trainer’s approach to pedigrees. He is from the first of Havana Gold’s two most expensive crops, bred in the afterglow of his promising freshman season, and out of a Makfi mare closely related to Attraction; and yet, because his sire had gone cold by the 2020 yearling sales, he was bought for just 10,000gns.

“That’s a really interesting angle I’d always keep in mind, to look out for those sires who did very well in their first season, but had stickier subsequent seasons perhaps because they didn’t get such good mares,” says Johnson Houghton. “The fifth crop of yearlings are likely to be the result of better mares, and I think they can often represent very good value.”

Chipotle was sourced by the trainer with Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock from the relatively new Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale (now the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale), an event that was specifically targeted.

“I’ve been pretty lucky there with inexpensive yearlings,” says Johnson Houghton. “We were looking for three cheap horses for a syndicate, and Chipotle was one of them. Anthony

and I do the yearling sales quite hard together. He helps me select them, and we decide which ones we like and watch them go through the ring.”

Purchasing decisions are not made on the basis of pedigree alone, of course, and asked to put her finger on what it is she is looking for in terms of physique, she replies bluntly: “I like them to have a good walk, to be interested in what’s going on around them, and a good arse as that’s where the engine is!”

Syndication pioneers Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds take a similar approach in thinning out the yearling catalogues on pedigree, before physical inspections take place.

Racing Manager Sam Hoskins, who selects future colour bearers with the operation’s bloodstock adviser Luke

GEORGE SELWYN

BILL SELWYN

Chipotle: Windsor Castle Stakes winner was purchased for just 10,000gns by Highflyer Bloodstock and Eve Johnson Houghton

Eve Johnson Houghton: looks for different pedigree angles when yearling shopping

Lillingston, says: “We try to buy the best we can, but we have to sacrifice something as we don’t have the biggest budget, and so we do target stock by useful but less fashionable sires sometimes.

“Sir Prancealot was one who we felt was underestimated by the market and we’ve had a lot of luck with him, buying Sir Busker and Dance Fever, although I do feel there is a little too much emphasis put on sires generally, and we tend to forget that there’s a second half of the pedigree.

“We’ve worked with Mark Johnston at the sales and it’s interesting how close his criteria are to ours. We’re not quite as strict as him, but we have a lot of things in common: if the dam hasn’t had runners, we want her to have shown

THE OWNER BREEDER 33

››

Value yearlings “At times we target stock by useful but less fashionable sires”

Sam Hoskins: “There is a little too much emphasis placed on sires generally”

The recent history of Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds shows that, for all the talk of pedigree and conformational criteria, perhaps the most important weapon in the yearling buyer’s armoury is the expert eye of an agent as experienced as Lillingston.

It was his instincts that allowed the club to buy its Royal Ascot winner and Queen Anne Stakes third Sir Busker for just €25,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale of 2017.

“Kudos to Luke, he was always extremely hot on Sir Prancealot,” says Hoskins. “In fact it was probably only because he liked the sire that Sir Busker ended up on our list to look at, because his maternal pedigree lacks depth to say the least.

BILL SELWYN

progeny of mares who have batted well by producing a few highly rated horses by lesser stallions.”

Pedigree is not just studied in order to gauge the quality that might be transmitted by the parents, either, as Hoskins goes on to explain.

“We also look for a high percentage of winners to runners in the family, and also a high percentage of foals of racing age to have made it to the track,” he says. “That’s a good guide to soundness.”

The quest for soundness is especially important for syndicates, whose members will often have been persuaded to part with their hardearned cash for a leg in a horse by the promise of enjoyable days out at the races.

“Luke’s an excellent judge, and puts a lot of emphasis on eye and attitude, and he’s done so well finding horses who are sound and love their racing,” says Hoskins. “We want class as well, of course, but that toughness and will to win races is most important for us.”

TATTERSALLS

›› at least some ability, but ideally we like

Sir Busker (centre): Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds’ talented miler was bought for €25,000

34 THE OWNER BREEDER

“He’s out of an unraced Tiger Hill mare who’d had two earlier foals, both of whom were by ordinary stallions and sold for no money, but they were rated around 65, which wasn’t awful considering the chances they’d had, so we marked up the dam a little. Most importantly, though, Sir Busker was just absolutely gorgeous and the fact we bought him paid a big compliment to what a good physical he was.”

The early success of one of the newer syndicates on the scene, Halcyon Thoroughbreds, provides another good advertisement for drawing on the wisdom of those who know what a good horse looks like after many years of practice.

The club, run by friends Jaimie Beers and Liam Keighley, owns recent Britannia Stakes winner Perotto, a son of New Bay who was knocked down to his trainer Marcus Tregoning for the far from extortionate sum of 28,000gns at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

“I can’t emphasise enough how much we owe to Marcus and his team for finding us Perotto,” says Beers. “The horse is from a family they had done well with in the past, as he’s out of a half-sister to the dam of Mohaather, and we really based our judgement on how much they liked him. When people with so much knowledge and experience say they like a horse, you have to sit up and take notice.”

That doesn’t mean that Beers and Keighley don’t put a lot of their own hard work into narrowing down which horses should carry the colours of Halcyon Thoroughbreds, however.

“We can’t compete with the big guys financially – we’re playing more in the £25,000 to £40,000 area – and so we put a lot of effort into picking what we think are the best horses at that budget,” says Beers. “The prep for the yearling sales season goes on all year, really, as we’ll be tracking stallion performance, looking at how the yearlings we saw last year are running, and so on.

“We place particular importance on working out which stallions in our price range will offer the best value for us. Will they have early two-year-old runners but also produce durable stock capable of running for several seasons? That’s really important for a syndicate like ours. We can’t give our members a horse who’s forever locked away in its stables.”

Another angle for finding value in the market is to keep one’s powder dry during the yearling sales season and to

››

The World’s Yearling Sale

There are moments that make history. And then there are moments that shape the future.

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale consistently delivers results at the highest levels of racing internationally. We invite you to travel to Keeneland this September in search of your next racing success story.

In 2020 Keeneland September graduates accomplished:​

59 Grade/Group 1 Wins 222 Group/Graded Wins 7 Eclipse Award Champions 7 Breeders’ Cup Winners

Ed Prosser | +44 (0) 7808 477827 eprosser@keeneland.co.uk

K AMEKO (USA) 2000 GUINEAS (G1)

Learn More at TheWorldsYearlingSale.com Online and Phone Bidding Available

SEPTEMBER M O N . 13 - F R I . 2 4

Join the Royal Ascot Winning Syndicate Register Your Interest Now www.halcyonthoroughbreds.co.uk

AUGUST YEARLING

14-16 AUGUST DEAUVILLE

MORE THAN JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL CATALOGUE ONLINE

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

36 THE OWNER BREEDER

An exceptional selection of yearlings at the heart of a prestigious racing weekend in Deauville’s unique atmosphere.

© Scoopdyga - Racingfoto - Zuzanna Lupa

SALE

MEGAN ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Perotto, purchased for just 28,000gns, gave owners Halcyon Thoroughbreds a day to remember when winning the Britannia Stakes

Experience has shown Micheal Orlandi of Compas Equine that the waiting game can pay off.

He bought this year’s Royal Ascot winner Lola Showgirl on behalf of owner Kevin Lloyd outside of the ring at the Goffs November Foal Sale for just €15,000, in a spur-of-the-moment decision.

“She wasn’t the most correct in front, and she was quite tall and big, but she was from a solid black-type family out of an Exceed And Excel mare,” he says of the Kensington Palace Stakes winner.

“And she came from a good farm in Milltown House Stud. I saw she’d left the ring unsold at around €19,000, and found out that she’d been bred on a foal share and needed to be sold.

“I was a bit on the fence about her but I thought she’d be worth a punt at a price I could negotiate, and so I rang Kevin, a new client at the time, to see if he’d like her. It was fortunate that he picked up his phone and said yes. I had her here with me as a yearling and then she went off to the UK to be broken in before going to Dave Loughnane, who’s done such a fantastic job with her.

“If you have a client with plenty of patience like Kevin, foals are great things to buy. The foal sales are very fashionorientated and many lots fall through the net, and especially those bred on foal shares who have to be sold that day.

“Look at Lola Showgirl. She’s from the first crop of Night Of Thunder, who’s all the rage now but was a sleeper at

the foals sales that year – no one was bending over backwards to buy his stock.”

Orlandi has also enjoyed success with his yearling purchases, though, including Dragon Stakes runner-up Mojomaker, who was bought with Loughnane from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £40,000.

So another moral of this story might just be to maintain a degree of flexibility at the sales, as bargain racehorses are an elusive breed who stay firmly out of sight for most of the time and then appear where and when you least expect them.

“It pays to be at all the sales and to look at everything,” reasons Orlandi.

“Even if you see something you like and really believe in, but don’t have a

TATTERSALLS

›› buy a foal a few months later instead.

Micheal Orlandi: “It pays to be at all the sales and to look at everything”

specific order to fill there and then, you should do your best to try and get it bought for a client.

“It surely makes more sense to do that than the opposite – buy something just for the sake of filling an order. I think a lot of young agents can fall into that trap. It’s far better to walk away from a sale without buying anything if you haven’t seen anything you really liked, and wait for a better opportunity to present itself.”

Orlandi’s belief in casting one’s net wide, and not being constrained by fashion, is echoed by Bradley.

“I benefit from not needing to fill orders; I buy whatever I want, when I want,” he says. “A lot of agents don’t have that luxury. Instead they’ll be bidding while on the phone to a client who might be a specialist in their own field but knows little about the bloodstock industry.

“I have no one on the end of the phone, so there are no limiting factors in terms of orders and there’s no ego involved.”

In reality, there is no such thing as a how-to guide for buying bargain yearlings. But there are potentially useful lessons to be learned from those who have done it in recent years.

When it comes to physique, see as many horses as you can to gain a good idea of what a sound, athletic horse looks like, or call upon a trusted adviser who already knows. And when it comes to pedigree, always favour functionality over fashion.

THE OWNER BREEDER 37

SALES PREPARATION SUPPLEMENTING FOR SUCCESS

MUSCLE PREP Optimise muscle development and topline condition utilising readily absorbed protein FEATURES & BENEFITS > Hydrolysed Plant Protein – readily available amino acids for rapid muscle development > Vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant to support muscle recovery > B Vitamins – for optimum protein and energy utilisation

To build muscle and improve topline choose MUSCLE PREP

IDEAL FOR > Horses with a need for rapid muscle and topline development, such as Sales Preparation

PERFORMANCE

TO FIND OUT MORE PLEASE CONTACT:

MESSAGE US:

T +353 (0) 1 626 8058 E info@foranequine.com W www.foranequine.com

#OURSCIENCEYOURSUCCESS

Equine nutrition

Protect and MAINTAIN

Prebiotic and probiotic supplements can have a valuable role to play when it comes to raising young stock and assisting racehorses in work

GEORGE SELWYN

Words: Nancy Sexton

Prebiotic supplements can assist in the maintenance of a healthy digestive system for horses in strong work

A

healthy digestive system is imperative to maximising a horse’s wellbeing and performance, whether on the racecourse or in the sale ring, and in that, adhering to the right feed programme at each stage of development is crucial.

Going a step further, a significant percentage of the immune system is housed in the gut, and thus maintaining its health is critical for regulating immune stability. To that end, the use of pre- and probiotics – defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as live microorganisms that can confer a health benefit to the host as a dietary supplement – is becoming an increasingly important angle for anyone to consider with young stock and/or

horses in training.

So how do prebiotics work and when are they most effective in the thoroughbred world?

“Prebiotics help to support the efficient functioning of the horse’s gut by helping to maintain the balance between beneficial and harmful species of gut bacteria,” says Baileys Horse Feeds nutrition adviser Katie Grinwood.

“Many prebiotics contain short chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS), which act as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria. These are then able to flourish at the expense of pathogenic species, whose prevalence is reduced through a process known as ‘competitive exclusion’.

“Mannan oligosaccharide (MOS)

prebiotics are also available, and these work by mopping up harmful bacteria and help to remove them from the gut.”

A more stable hindgut environment can also help reduce the risk of colic, says Lorraine Fradl, Connolly’s Red Mills’ senior equine nutritionist.

“Prebiotics and probiotics feed and populate the hindgut with good bacteria,” she says. “There is still a lot of research needed in this area of equine nutrition but advantages of supplementation into the diet include increased fibre digestibility, a more stable hindgut environment, which may help to reduce the risk of colic, and a decrease in the population of harmful bacteria, thereby decreasing immune challenges.”

THE OWNER BREEDER 39

››

Equine nutrition ›› Supporting the immune response at stud

Prebiotics come into their own at times of stress, such as when a horse undergoes a change of routine or dietary change. However, they can also assist in the maintenance of a healthy digestive system for a horse in strong work, and even in breeding stock.

“Broodmares can benefit from a prebiotic throughout pregnancy and lactation, as improved gut health and digestive efficiency can help with better utilisation of the feed and forage,” says Grinwood. “Prebiotics can also play a role in supporting the immune response.

“For a breeder, supplementing the foal with a prebiotic can be beneficial at times of stress or risk of digestive upset, such as during foal heat, weaning and around the time of the sales.

“Establishing foals on a good diet pre-weaning can help lessen any setbacks resulting from the stress of weaning.

Digestive enhancers like prebiotics are particularly helpful in reducing the stress on the digestive system at this time by supporting the beneficial bacteria in the hindgut and aiding fibre fermentation as well as overall gut health status.

“Probiotic protected yeast can also be beneficial to support optimum gut health, and this is also included as part of many stud and young stock feeds.

Yeast helps to stimulate fibre-digesting bacteria, resulting in improved fibre digestion as well as improved utilisation of the micronutrients supplied within the feed. This is of particular benefit for growing young stock to support optimum growth and development.”

“I would recommend the use of a prebiotic supplement for foals and yearlings coming in for sales prep,” she says. “This can be a stressful time for horses possibly being stabled for the first time away from their friends and it is usually aligned with a significant change to their diets – going from a grass-based diet to a high concentrate diet will have a big impact on the hindgut population.

“For stock preparing for sales it is key that they are eating well, are well conditioned and muscled, and that skin, hair and feet are in good condition.”

Fradl continues: “Foran Equine’s Muscle Prep is a really nice product for sales prep horses. It contains hydrolysed plant protein to support topline and muscle definition, alongside B-vitamins for improved energy utilisation of feed and antioxidant vitamin E to support repair and recovery of muscle post exercise.

“Copper-Max paste is another product that is very popular year round on stud farms. This product contains 100% chelated copper and zinc. Copper and zinc are needed for many functions in the body and are key to healthy skeletal development as well as good coat condition and hoof strength.

“European grazing is a poor source of both so supplementing is necessary if horses are not receiving it through their feed already. Minerals such as iron are often high in soils and grazing and too much can inhibit the digestion of copper and zinc, which are adsorbed at the same place as iron along the digestive tract. Chelated minerals are bound to an amino acid and therefore absorbed in an alternative location, thus increasing the availability to the horse.”

Pre- and probiotics are a common addition to feeds. In the case of Baileys, the key supplement is its Digest Plus, which is present in its Stud Balancer and much of its young stock range. For instance, it is a component within Prep Mix and Prep Ease, two popular options for young horses in sales prep.

“Feeds containing additional digestive support like prebiotics can absolutely be beneficial for horses being prepped for the sales,” says Grinwood. “This helps to support the digestive system as their routine may be adjusted and they may experience

“Broodmares can benefit throughout pregnancy and lactation” higher stress levels. Additionally, the beneficial bacteria (which are supported by prebiotics) are involved in a number of different functions, including playing a role in the immune response and supporting the body’s defences against harmful cells. This is advantageous to support all round health and condition, which is of course the aim when presenting a horse at the sales.”

Fradl is in agreement when it comes to using them during sales prep.

GEORGE SELWYN

Helping the horse in training

Providing mares and foals with prebiotic supplements can also be beneficial

40 THE OWNER BREEDER

Horses in training quite often have access to limited forage and, should they be in strong work, this is again a time when the use of prebiotics can come into their own, especially if the horse is already prone to digestive upsets.

“For racehorses I think they are useful as a constant in the diet,” says Fradl. “Racehorses often live in stressful environments with limited turnout and high workloads. Their forage consumption is often limited. Restricted hay diets and high cereal meals can cause the hindgut pH to drop, which can reduce the population of good bacteria and increase harmful bacteria.

“Supplementing with MOS and FOS will limit the population of E.Coli and salmonella and feed the good bacteria, supporting overall health.”

Grinwood adds: “They can be used in the short term, to help a horse through a particular upset, or during a change of routine such as moving yards or changes to forage and turnout.

“They can also be useful for those that are on, or have been on, oral antibiotics, as these can be damaging to the beneficial gut bacteria, and also used on an ongoing basis for horses whose digestive health may continually suffer due to regular travelling or stress, such as horses in training who are regularly travelling to race meetings.

“A maintenance dose can be beneficial for horses in work due to the stresses of training, limited turnout in most cases, and reduced forage intakes with higher intakes of concentrate bucket feed. Many racing feeds will include a maintenance level of a prebiotic as part of the formulation, to help support optimum digestive health. For example, Baileys No. 10 Racehorse Mix contains our Digest Plus prebiotic.

“At times of higher risk, for example a change of diet, increased travelling, during the racing season, or if they need to be on any medication, then a more concentrated dose of a prebiotic supplement can be used.”

It is estimated that around 90% of racehorses in training will at one time or another suffer from gastric ulcers and for that low forage intake is a culprit. Gastric ulcers are a problem that can naturally affect performance and, as with many such issues, prevention is preferable in the first place.

“To understand why gastric ulcers occur, it is necessary to be familiar with the simple anatomy of the stomach,” says Grinwood. “It can be divided into two regions; the bottom half is referred to as the glandular region and the top half is the squamous region.

“The glandular region is where acids and enzymes are secreted to break down food and it has built-in protection systems to stop the acid from damaging the stomach lining.

“The squamous region acts as a reservoir for food as it makes its way down to the bottom of the stomach and has no built-in protection system. Instead, it relies on the almost continuous supply of grass and other fibrous material trickling into the stomach to defend it against acid attack.

“Fibre is provided primarily by the forage (hay/haylage/grass) and has two important functions; firstly, it acts as a

“They can be used to help a horse through an upset or change” physical barrier mopping up the acid and literally stopping it from coming into contact with the stomach lining.

Secondly, chewing produces saliva which contains bicarbonate that helps to buffer the acid in the stomach. Unlike humans, horses produce saliva only when chewing, so the more a horse eats, the more saliva is produced. As it takes the horse longer to chew fibre than concentrates, more saliva is produced and so the acid is neutralised to a greater extent than when concentrates are consumed.

“Therefore, eating grass, hay or haylage almost continuously would produce an almost constant supply of saliva.”

A lower starch diet is also a recommendation for horses in training that are prone to or at risk of gastric ulcers.

“With regard to the concentrate portion of the ration, a higher starch diet has been noted as a risk factor in the development of gastric ulcers, and so using a lower starch feed in horses prone to ulcers is preferable,” says Grinwood. “Cereals like oats, maize and barley will naturally provide higher levels of starch, so using a feed lower in cereals is ideal.”

The use of pre- and probiotic supplements has become widespread and, as such, they can be found in a variety of products. Grinwood notes that the Baileys racehorse feed No. 21 Ease & Excel includes a bespoke in-feed formula from Protexin that contains natural antacids to buffer excess stomach acid.

“Its pre- and probiotics support a healthy gut microflora,” she says, “to encourage digestive efficiency and stimulating fibre digestion, of particular importance for horses whose forage intake may become limited.”

Similarly the Connolly’s Red Mills Care Range feeds contain MOS, FOS and live yeast to support digestive health, while the company’s Foran Equine’s B-Complete contains a blend of B-vitamins and a prebiotic.

“This supplement is great if you need a shorter-term support for horses with high workloads, poor appetites, or horses which are easily stressed or fatigued,” says Fradl.

With such supplements becoming a popular addition to a range of products, there is a depth of choice like never before. Those requiring further assistance in maximising their use need look no further than their own merchants with their wealth of knowledge to draw upon.

THE OWNER BREEDER

41

SARAH FARNSWORTH

Prebiotic supplements can also help to alleviate the impact of changes in diet and routine during sales prep

www.bbag-sales.de

Lancade

winner 100. German 1.000 Guineas, Gr.2

Classic Winners Miss Yoda

winner 162. Henkel-Preis der Diana - German Oaks, Gr. 1

Talk to us and we will assist you!

Premier Yearling Sale 3rd September

October Mixed Sales

15th and 16th October

Entries close: 6th September

Breeders’ Digest

Nancy Sexton Bloodstock Editor

‘Here to stay’ - online bidding helps fuel July Sale trade

importance of online bidding showcased to such good effect than at the July Sale, which attracted a total of 1,400 internet bids from 136 individual bidders. Of the 574 horses offered, 401 attracted at least one internet bid.

Tattersalls was among the first auction houses in the northern hemisphere to offer online bidding in 2008. However, buyers were slow back then to embrace the concept and Tattersalls shelved the idea. Now, of course, we are in different times.

“We were ahead of our time when we originally launched online bidding,” says George. “But it has been a godsend these past 12 months. And it’s here to stay, even when we return to normal.”

DIGITAL STAR

The idea of internet bidding has long been embraced by the Australasian bloodstock market, something that stood the industry in good stead last year when Inglis was forced to switch its Easter Yearling Sale online amid the Covid outbreak.

Last month, the concept hit new heights when Inglis hosted the sale of Group 1 winner Funstar for a digital world record price of A$2.7 million (£1.45 million) to Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm in Japan. It was online bloodstock trading showcased in its finest light; offered up for sale as almost an afterthought in light of the bullish markets that underpinned the recent Australian breeding stock auctions, the daughter of

Adelaide opened at A$1 million (£540,000) and attracted bids from eight individual bidders there on in.

Funstar’s managing owner Olly Koolman, who had originally paid just A$80,000 (£43,000) for the filly, a granddaughter of Clive Brittain’s Oaks heroine User Friendly, was effusive in his praise for the system.

“I’m absolutely stunned,” he said. “It’s hard to fathom just how much of an amazing result this is.

“She was a fabulous race filly and mare and we had a lot of fun with her but never in our wildest dreams did we expect she would sell for A$2.7 million in any sale, let alone a digital sale.

“We’ve been glued to our computers since mid-afternoon, we opened a bottle of champagne at A$1.3 million to celebrate, so it’s incredible to be sitting here now with her having made A$2.7 million.”

Much is spoken about the global nature of the bloodstock business and, as in every walk of life, technology is now serving to make the industry that much smaller. Funstar now joins her Group 1-winning half-sister Youngstar in Japan having proven that an elite offering can sell above the odds over the internet.

Online auctions have proliferated in Europe over the past 12 months and with Funstar’s record sale fresh in the memory, perhaps it won’t be long until we see a similarly high-profile offering testing such waters in Europe.

PA

C

ovid is never far from the news but to anyone at Park Paddocks last month in Newmarket, there was at least some welcome sense of normalcy to the Tattersalls July Sale.

Figures rose across the board against the Covid-ravaged edition of 2020 and back to levels seen in the pre-pandemic era. The presence of 21 six-figure lots also confirmed that the higher end of the market is in rude health.

An unrelenting demand for quality stock has helped underpin bloodstock markets worldwide over the past 12 months. Predictably, it has been the middle to lower ends that have suffered.

Which is what made several aspects to the Tattersalls July Sale so noteworthy.

Breeding stock aside, this is a sale that deals in tried horses. Put bluntly, many are second-hand goods. So an overall clearance rate of 94% is a pretty remarkable statistic; 538 of the 574 horses offered found new homes to bidders from around 30 individual countries.

The final day of the sale took matters to another level. Of the 161 horses through the ring that day, only four failed to sell, with an unheard of 100% clearance during the morning session.

It is, of course, a further reminder of the esteem in which British and Irish racing is held worldwide. Yet not to be underestimated is the increasingly important role of the digital arena.

The onset of Covid last spring had sales companies striving to accelerate development of their online platforms.

With many of their facilities up and running by the summer sales of 2020, they seamlessly became an integral part of the sale experience and a year on account for a significant proportion of business at all levels of the market.

“Live bidding has allowed bidders from all those countries that would attend under normal circumstances to remain active, just in a slightly different way,” says Jimmy George, Marketing Director of Tattersalls.

“Some buyers still make use of their contacts on the ground before bidding and our live phone bidding service is also very popular. Without all of that, sales over the past 12 months would have been very different.”

Nowhere was the new found

Funstar: Group 1 winner recently sold for a digital sale record of A$2.7 million

THE OWNER BREEDER 43

Sales Circuit • By Carl Evans

Records set as Covid travel chaos fails to dampen trade

44 THE OWNER BREEDER

This son of Walk In The Park will race for Bective Stud after selling for €280,000

reinstated would have been applied, but gorgeous store horses with pinhook or Festival potential are the height of bloodstock fashion at present, and the buyers feasted. Comparisons with 2020 were largely pointless for this was a much bigger catalogue with an additional 79 sales, but trade went ahead of pre-Covid days and achieved a clearance rate of 86%. No less impressive were the average and median prices of €54,018 and €48,000, which were both Derby Sale records.

Coolmore stallion Walk In The Park held on to his position as leading sire, his

TATTERSALLS IRELAND

A Covid-related decision by the Irish government on the eve of this auction caused disruption at Tattersalls Ireland’s Fairyhouse complex and is impacting on upcoming sales in Ireland.

One outcome could be that Goffs’ headline-making Orby Sale takes place within the hallowed walls of Tattersalls’ Park Paddocks in Newmarket, an unimaginable scenario were it not for a pandemic which has been testing human intelligence and interaction since the end of 2019.

The fallout at this sale required buyers based in the UK to think on their feet – or, more appropriately, from their hotel rooms – for after travelling to Fairyhouse for the usual pre-sale inspections they were suddenly barred from attending the auction. Covid’s Delta variant, which had created rises in positive cases across the UK, was the root of the problem, and one which led to the Irish government revoking the essential bubble for work purposes.

Fortunately the quality of the catalogue and prevailing demand for jumping stores meant the sale produced some record-setting results and UK buyers secured their share of the goodies on offer via telephone or online bids.

However, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said: “While we are delighted the 2021 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale has shown such vibrance, there can be no doubt this would have been an even more successful renewal without the last-minute disruption encountered by so many of our leading buyers.”

He went on to speak of wider implications and, while he did not spell them out at that stage, it was not long before his company’s May Store Sale, which had been delayed until July, was shunted into August, as was the July Store Sale, while the September Yearling Sale was slated to return to Newmarket. A statement by Goffs that its Orby Sale, with agreement from Tattersalls, would also head to Newmarket was totally unexpected, and in any normal year would have been a superb April Fool, although it remains a possibility that the sale will go ahead as normal in Kildare.

Had the Derby Sale’s figures collapsed, additional pressure for the ‘bubble’ to be

TATTERSALLS IRELAND

Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale

Walk In The Park was also represented by a €200,000 half-brother to Hurricane Fly

small army of representatives – 39 in total, of which 32 found a buyer – giving him the oomph to blow the opposition away.

His fee at Grange Stud has been private since he moved to Ireland from France in 2015, but given that the average price of his progeny at this sale was in excess of €76,000, he is nothing if not profitable.

Unsurprisingly his name featured heavily on the top-ten board and included the sale topper, a €280,000 three-yearold bred by Grange Stud and sold to Eddie O’Leary on behalf of Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud. The gelding becomes yet another formidable arrow for Gordon Elliott to fire once back in his role as trainer.

The next three highest-priced horses – sons of Walk In The Park, Westerner and Doctor Dino – were all sold to pinhookers who will race them in point-to-points with a view to selling them on as proven performers but with untapped potential.

Paul Holden and his adviser, Michael Shefflin of Annshoon Stud in County Kilkenny, bought two of the trio and admitted they were hoping for another Jonbon. He was the brother to Vautour who they sold for a point-to-point record sum of £570,000 at Goffs UK in November.

Peter Vaughan’s Moanmore Stables was narrowly the leading consignor, trading 12 lots for €875,000, slightly more than Ballincurrig House Stud’s 12 for

€835,000, while the Doyle brothers of County Wexford’s Monbeg Stables headed buyers with 29 purchases worth a total of €1,226,000. It says plenty about the level of pinhooking that the Monbeg acquisitions averaged slightly more than

€42,000 each, and most of the other leading Irish point-to-point handlers were spending an average of at least €40,000 to €50,000 on stores. On another level was Holden and Shefflin’s six buys that averaged €130,500.

Without serious financial backers British point-to-point handlers cannot compete at that level, but they did gain some lesser lights and will hopefully be active at the slightly lower-quality store sales ahead.

Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale Top lots Sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Buyer

G Walk In The Park – Cuteasafox

Ballincurrig House Stud

280,000

Bective Stud

G Walk In The Park – Scandisk

Yellowford Farm

200,000

Michael Shefflin/Paul Holden

G Westerner – Mirazur

Castletown Quarry Stud

160,000

Michael Shefflin/Paul Holden

G Doctor Dino - Ladies Wish

Oak Tree Farm

155,000

Joey Logan Bloodstock

G Authorized - Belga Wood

Kilminfoyle House Stud, agent

155,000

Highflyer Bloodstock

G Walk In The Park - Stephanie Frances

Glenwood Stud

150,000

Joey Logan Bloodstock

G Walk In The Park - Toledana

Ballincurrig House Stud

150,000

Milestone Stables/Ballyboy

G No Risk At All - Tornade D’Ainay

Lakefield Farm

150,000

Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls

G Presenting - Kneeland Lass

Redpender Stud

145,000

Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls

G Authorized - Etoile D’Ainay

Sluggara Farm

140,000

Highflyer Bloodstock

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

2021

299

16,151,500

54,018

48,000

280,000

2020

220

9,015,700

40,980

32,000

300,000

2019

338

17,093,500

50,572

42,000

220,000

2018

347

17,890,500

51,558

42,000

365,000

2017

341

17,655,500

51,776

43,000

220,000

Under pressure to perform by the introduction of a new four-day Tattersalls August Sale, this long-running July auction more than held its own.

The 94% clearance rate – 538 sales of 574 lots – was particularly meritorious given that a number of overseas visitors could not attend, although they were able to bid via online or telephone and countless lots were subject to such bidding. The 2020 sale was reduced to a Covid-affected two-day event, but with a return to three days came a surge in the figures which carried them back to happier times.

Turnover of 12.3 million guineas (-3.5%) at an average of 22,865gns (-4%) were figures slightly down on those of two years ago, but the median held steady at 12,000gns.

Day one opened with a session of fillies and broodmares, most notably a selection of well-bred types consigned by Godolphin. From this draft came the top lot Aureum, a four-year-old daughter of

TATTERSALLS

Tattersalls July Sale

The well-related Medaglia d’Oro mare Aureum headed trade on a bid of 220,000gns

Medaglio d’Oro with an Invincible Spirit cover and who was sold to Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock for 220,000gns.

Aureum was not the only Godolphin offering to have made a sizeable sum as a yearling – in her case $800,0000 – and

nor was she the only mare of interest to Team Coolmore.

Goff said only that he was acting for an established breeder in Ireland, a comment also made by agent Cormac McCormack after he bought three six-figure mares. It

THE OWNER BREEDER 45

››

Sales Circuit

TATTERSALLS

Coolmore, but the horses they gained tended to be by non-Coolmore sires and therefore easy to mate with that stud’s resident stallions.

Charlie Gordon-Watson’s 200,000gns purchase of the Barton Stud-consigned Excellent View, a ten-year-old mare with a Mehmas filly foal and in foal to the same sire, was for one of his stud-owning clients in England, while John Dance secured the three-year-old filly Desert Star for his Yorkshire-based Manor House Stud with a 150,000gns bid which he placed online.

Of the 21 horses that made 100,000gns or more, 13 were broodmares or fillies with breeding aspirations. Heading trade from the horses-in-training section was Man Of The Night, a four-year-old colt by Night Of Thunder who made 175,000gns when exiting Richard Hannon’s stable. A €350,000 Arqana yearling, Man Of The Night had won twice for Hannon, victories which caught the eye of his new owner, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Hamoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah of Kuwait. A spokesman said that the sheikh had yet to decide whether to take his horse home or leave him in the UK. As mentioned earlier, overseas buyers had travel restrictions to contend with, and it is particularly costly and challenging, if not impossible, to journey from Australia to Britain or vice versa.

Given that Australian buyers have become key operators at this sale’s top end, that was disappointing for Tattersalls and some vendors, but Mark Player of Victoriabased International Thoroughbred Solutions found a way around the problem when asking his former Hong Kong Jockey Club colleague Mark Richards to buy him Restitution with a bid of 150,000gns.

Richards, whose purchase had won at Yarmouth for John and Thady Gosden ahead of the sale, has returned to Britain and taken up a position with Goffs.

Tom Goff: Blandford Bloodstock agent signed at 220,000gns for Aureum

46 THE OWNER BREEDER

TATTERSALLS

›› could be that neither man was buying for

Stakes producer Excellent View sold for 200,000gns alongside her Mehmas filly foal

TALKING POINTS

››

• From the Melbourne Cup to the Dubai Carnival and the Cheltenham Festival, a wide range of targets are in buyers’ minds when securing horses at the July Sale. Few will be thinking of a private race, and worthless at that (at least in terms of prize-money). A contest fitting that criteria is now on the cards for Rhebus Road, a three-year-old gelding trained by Ralph Beckett and knocked down for 70,000gns to bloodstock agent Will Douglass of Charlie GordonWatson Bloodstock. He was acting for Tim Syder and Dominic Burke, Jockey Club members whose horses are therefore eligible to run in the Newmarket Challenge Whip. Held on the Rowley Mile each autumn, it rarely attracts more than a few runners, and brings little to that great driver of British racing – betting turnover – but it was given to the Jockey Club by King Charles II, who reigned from 1660 to 1685, and contains tail (and possibly mane) hairs from the breed-shaping racehorse Eclipse.

The Whip’s place in the racing calendar has been reviewed on at least one occasion, but it is a piece of history that does no harm and provides a link to the roots of racing around the world. For that reason it is worth preserving – fortunately Syder and Burke think so too.

• Apart from buying Rhebus Road, Will Douglass was also active for his Qatari client, champion trainer Jassim Al Ghazali, although he expects to be busier at the forthcoming August Sale (August 30 – September 2), which Tattersalls introduced last year. An advocate of the fledgling auction, Douglass says its timing gives racehorse owners a chance to run their steeds at important meetings such as Newmarket, Goodwood, Deauville and York before sending them to the ring, but it also benefits Middle East buyers who find the Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale later than ideal if they are to give horses some easy time in which to acclimatise.

He also expressed the frustration felt by many agents who have been unable to visit overseas clients during the pandemic, saying: “In this industry if you don’t travel and get to meet people it is very hard to get anywhere. In January I’m going to start travelling and be prepared for going into quarantine if that’s what it takes – it will have been nearly three years since I last saw some of my clients.”

Now taking entries for all the major Mare, Foal, and Horses-in-Training Sales …

Yearlings, Foals, Broodmares, Horses-in-Training To discuss all your sales options throughout the year please contact: Bill Dwan | +353 (0) 87 648 5587 | dwan@castlebridgesales.com Andrew Mead | +44 (0) 7940 597573 | mead@castlebridgesales.com

Sales Circuit Tattersalls July Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (gns)

Buyer

Aureum 4 m Medaglia d’Oro – Alina

Godolphin

220,000

Blandford Bloodstock

Excellent View 10 m Shamardal - Pearl Grey

Barton Sales

200,000

C Gordon-Watson Bloodstock

Man Of The Night 4 c Night Of Thunder – Mandheera

Rabbah/East Everleigh Stables

175,000

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Hmoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah

Birdwatcher 4 m Uncle Mo - Bizzy Caroline

Godolphin

160,000

Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock

Subella 4 m Teofilo – Suba

Godolphin

150,000

Highclere Agency

Desert Star 3 f Dubawi - Desert Blossom

Godolphin

150,000

Manor House Stud

Restitution 3 c Frankel – Restiana

Jamie Railton, agent

150,000

International Thoroughbred Solutions

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (gns)

Average (gns)

Median (gns)

Top price (gns)

2021

538

12,301,300

22,865

12,000

220,000

2020

330

5,940,900

18,003

10,000

130,000

2019

535

12,748,800

23,830

12,000

450,000

Eager for a chance to trade horses in something like normal conditions, Arqana put together its biggest Summer Sale catalogue involving 513 offered lots.

Trade was a little patchy on the first day, but the numbers led to record turnover in excess of €8.6 million, and, pleasingly, the clearance rate achieved an overall mark of 80%, a figure above any that had been attained at previous editions of the auction. It was a far cry from last year’s single-session auction which involved fewer than 200 lots.

Bloodstock auctions mean business in any language or currency, but after the latest edition of the sale Arqana President Eric Hoyeau allowed himself to reflect that: “The atmosphere was joyful and friendly, and everyone is happy to be back to a bit of normality.”

It will be fingers crossed that anything approaching ‘normality’ remains in place for the company’s August Sale in Deauville, although the emergence of a

ZUANNA LUPA

Arqana Summer Sale

Italian Derby second Juan De Montalban cost €400,000 and was bound for David O’Meara

Beta variant of Covid is worrying for every industry, let alone bloodstock sales.

Doubly-jabbed Britons entering France on business were allowed to

attend this auction, but they had to take PCR tests while there and then isolate for ten days once back on home soil.

This could be shortened to five days if a paid-for test was taken and proved

FOR ALL OF YOUR CONSIGNING NEEDS Please Contact either Andrew Mead +44 7940 597573 mead@castlebridgesales.com Patrick Diamond +44 7745 526233 patrick@castlebridgesales.com ANDREW MEAD

48 THE OWNER BREEDER

PATRICK DIAMOND

BILL DWAN

www.castlebridge.eu

Bill Dwan +353 87 648 5587 dwan@castlebridgesales.com

››

SOM E RVILL E Y E A R LIN G SAL E Newmarket, 7 September

CHIPOTLE WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES, Listed ROYAL ASCOT purchased for 10,000 gns at the Ascot Yearling Sale (now the Somerville Yearling Sale)

featuring the all new £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes Further details can be found at www.tattersalls.com

Catalogue Online Now

New name, new location,

SAME ETHOS Somerville Tattersall

a pivotal figure in shaping the modern Tattersalls.

T: +44 1638 665931 sales@tattersalls.com www.tattersalls.com

Sales Circuit ›› negative, although they were phoned

Ireland’s champion trainer Willie Mullins left with the sale’s second highest-valued horse, the winning three-year-old gelding Parmenion, a son of Soldier Hollow who made €230,000, while Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland gained a winning three-year-old Galileo colt called Zileo, who leaves Carlos Laffon-Parias bound for Mick Halford.

French agent Robert Nataf bought the sale’s top-priced mare, Saiga, a fouryear-old daughter of Teofilo with a Le Havre cover, but he was acting for Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud.

The pick of the two-year-old breezers proved to be a son of Creative Cause, who had been bought for just $12,000 at Keeneland in September but who made €100,000 when selling to Nicolas de

daily at home during this period to ensure they were staying put. Such restrictions discouraged some buyers from attending, but Irish buyers arrived in quantity, predominantly looking for jumping stores which were offered on the first day.

The importance of these foreign visitors could be summed up in the sale of top lot Juan De Montalban, who had finished runner-up for trainer Roberto Biondi in the Derby Italiano and who sold for €400,000 to Jason Kelly and Alareen Racing. Kelly assists Yorkshire-based trainer David O’Meara, who said the son of Lope De Vega would race on in the colours of Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah.

Watrigant. Consigned by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill, the colt had nicked himself during a breeze at the Arqana May Sale in Doncaster and had to be withdrawn, but it proved an inconvenience, not a financial disaster.

The stores section took a while to warm up, and discerning pinhookers looking for horses with size and pedigree found it was a case of feast or famine.

Trade was headed by a two-year-old colt

by Zarak, a son of Dubawi standing at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval. Paul Basquin of Haras du Saubouas brought the hammer down with a bid of €110,000.

Bloodstock agent Guy Petit proved the leading buyer across the two days, securing 20 horses for an aggregate of €440,500.

Arqana Summer Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Buyer

Juan De Montalban 3 c Lope De Vega – Abilene

Channel Consignment

400,000

Jason Kelly/Alareen Racing

Parmenion 3 g Soldier Hollow - Pearls Or Passion

Channel Consignment

230,000

PB B’stock/Harold Kirk/Willie Mullins

Caliyoun 3 c Maxios – Clarinda

Aga Khan Studs

200,000

RPG Bloodstock

Saiga 4 m Teofilo – Vorda

Haras des Cruchettes

190,000

Horse France/Castlehyde Farm

Zileo 3 c Galileo - Lady Zuzu

Wertheimer & Frere

150,000

BBA Ireland

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

2021

414

8,626,500

20,888

10,000

400,000

2020

158

2,897,501

18,915

9,000

240,000

2019

312

7,662,002

25,786

15,000

380,000

Within days of the 2019 edition of this sale one of Japan’s greatest stallions, Deep Impact, was euthanised after complications following surgery.

His stock filled the top ten places at this sale in 2016 and the top eight in 2017, and were barely any less dominant in the next three years.

So deep was his impact on Japan’s bloodstock industry, and with no foals, just yearlings, to represent him at this latest edition of the event, some feared a decrease in trade at this two-day sale on the island of Hokkaido, among them Teruya Yoshida, a member of the family which has driven Japanese breeding and racing forward in the manner of the Magniers in Ireland.

Yet at the sale’s conclusion, Yoshida, the head of Shadai Farm and Chairman of the Japan Racing Horse Association, said: “As the catalogue this year did not include King Kamehameha and very few

50 THE OWNER BREEDER

››

JRHA

JRHA Select Sale

A Kizuna colt out of German Group 2 winner Selkis was the star act of the JRHA Select Sale

A LEADING FIRST CROP SIRE WITH AN INCREDIBLE 50% WINNERS/RUNNERS E XC I T I N G F I R S T 2 YO ’ S O F 2 0 2 1 WINNERS OVER 5-7f

THE KING’S HORSES (GB) Dual winner and Gr.3 placed, from only 3 starts

ROMANTIC TIME (GB)

TARDIS (GB) Impressive winner of 5.5f Bath Maiden by 2¼l

N O M I N AT I O N E N Q U I R I E S J O E C A L L A N 07872 058295

T I M L A N E 07738 496141

Winner of 5f Yarmouth Novice by 1½l, defeating several previous winners

Sales Circuit would shrink, but I was wrong. I’m very impressed to see so many new players active throughput the two days.”

He singled out for praise the firsttime buyer Susumu Fujita, who was underbidder on the ¥410m (£2.7 million) top lot, yet invested ¥2.367bn (£15.8m) on other horses, contributing 10% to turnover. Fujita, 48, is founder, Chairman and President of Cyberagent Inc., which employs more than 5,000 people in media, advertising, foreign exchange and gaming industries.

With his input, turnover at this sale climbed 20% year on year, reaching a total of ¥22,561,000,000 (£151m) at an average of ¥51,391,780 (£343,747) and with a clearance rate of 93%.

The aforementioned top lot, a son of Japanse Derby winner and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fourth Kizuna, emerged during the second day’s foal session and was knocked down to Yoshihisa Ozasa, who bid through his trainer, Yoshito Yahagi. Their purchase was the ninth foal out of German-bred Selkis, who won her country’s Group 2 Diana-Trial and was subsequently bought by Teruya Yoshida.

She has since foaled Velox, who was placed in several Group 1 races including Japan’s Derby.

This will have been the final JRHA Sale at which progeny by Deep Impact will appear and it was fitting that one of his final yearlings headed the session for that age group. First into the ring, he

JRHA

›› Deep Impacts I thought the market

Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm dominated the consignor standings

was knocked down for ¥300,000,000 (just over £2m) to Hasegawa Yuji, having been foaled by the Ghostzapper mare Go Maggie Go, a $750,000 Fasig-Tipton purchase in 2017 by Yoshida’s brother Katsumi.

European buyers are rare at this auction, and there were just a handful of foals catalogued by a European sire, among them Northern Farm’s handsome Frankel colt out of the Grade 1-winning Street Sense mare Callback. She was sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $2m at Keeneland November in 2019, but he gained that back with the sale of the foal for ¥240m ($2.162m).

Juddmonte Farms’ Frankel, who is now established as one of the world’s

best stallions, has sired three Group 1 winners in Japan.

Japan’s acquisition of top-quality European and American mares is paying dividends on the racecourse and in breeding sheds, and therefore in the ring. More than 700 buyers, up 10%, registered to bid at this auction, a sign of racing’s popularity with the country’s well-heeled entrepreneurs, many of whom are benefiting from the Yoshidas’ boldness in spending big on bloodstock they sourced outside of Japan.

As their broodmare bands have grown so they can part with top-quality stock, which is then raced by their fellow countrymen and women.

JRHA Select Sale Top lots Sex/age/breeding

Vendor

C (F) Kizuna - Selkis

Northern Farm

410,000,000

Price (Yen)

Yoshihisa Ozasa

Buyer

C (F) Lord Kanaloa - Yankee Rose

Northern Farm

370,000,000

Danox Co., Ltd

C (Y) Deep Impact - Go Maggie Go

Northern Farm

300,000,000

Hasegawa Yuji

C (Y) Lord Kanaloa - Finest City

Northern Farm

300,000,000

Fujita Susumu

C (F) Heart’s Cry - Loves Only Me

Northern Farm

280,000,000

Miki Masahiro

C (Y) Silver State - Guillem

Northern Farm

260,000,000

Tetsuhide Kunimoto

C (F) Frankel - Callback

Northern Farm

240,000,000

Thoroughbred Club Lion Co. Ltd

C (Y) Lord Kanaloa - Epic Love

Northern Farm

240,000,000

Danox Co., Ltd

C (F) Epiphaneia - Alterite

Northern Farm

220,000,000

Y’s Consignment Sales

C (Y) Lord Kanaloa - Queens Ring

Shadai Farm

220,000,000

Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (Yen)

2021

439

22,556,000,000

51,380,410

34,000,000

410,000,000

2020

432

18,761,000,000

43,428,241

30,000,000

510,000,000

2019

416

20,516,000,000

49,317,308

30,500,000

470,000,000

52 THE OWNER BREEDER

Average (Yen)

Median (Yen)

Top price (Yen)

FASIG-TIPTON

The popular yearling segment of this mixed sale made a successful return to the marketplace in Kentucky with a renewal that surpassed the levels set back in the pre-Covid world of 2019, writes Nancy Sexton.

Forced to sit out last year due to the pandemic, this year’s yearling auction featured the sale of 208 lots for a total of $21,605,500, up 16% from 2019. The average hit $103,887, which marked a 13% increase over 2019, while the median of $80,000 represented a rise of 7%.

As its name suggests, the Fasig-Tipton Select July Sale is an auction that prides itself on the selection of forward, well conformed yearlings capable of passing the rigours of a strict commercial market.

Even so, the level of enthusiasm shown by buyers in Kentucky still came as a

Aron Wellman: his Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners co-signed for the sale-topper

FASIG-TIPTON

Fasig-Tipton July Sale

Demand for the progeny of Into Mischief peaked with the $800,000 sale of this filly

welcome surprise, especially in light of the lingering uncertainty emanating from the pandemic, and provides confidence for the rest of the year’s North American yearling sales season.

“It was a strong start to the 2021 yearling sales season,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We were very encouraged when we went to the farms to inspect yearlings by the quality of horses we were seeing, and certainly the two-year-old sales were encouraging, so we had a lot of optimism. I don’t think any of us [hoped] to surpass the 2019 numbers… so to be over 2019 is very, very, very encouraging.”

Only six yearlings by North America’s champion sire Into Mischief were catalogued and predictably they were in

demand, accounting for three of the top four lots.

They were led by a filly out of Cashing Tickets who sold for $800,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and LNJ Foxwoods. Consigned by Burleson Farms, the filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Leggs Galore and out of a sister to Grade 3 winner Conveyance.

Into Mischief also supplied the second most expensive lot in a filly out of the stakes-placed Anahauc. Mike Rutherford, owner of Manchester Farm, went to $350,000 to secure the filly, who was sold by Four Star Sales on behalf of Spendthrift Farm, who have cultivated Into Mischief into such a potent force.

The return of the ‘First-Crop Sires Showcase’, last staged in 2010, was

››

Fasig-Tipton July Sale – Selected Horses Of Racing Age & Breeding Stock Sale Top lots Name/sex/age/breeding

Vendor

Price ($)

Buyer

Front Run The Fed 5 h Fed Biz - Lawless Miss

ELiTE, agent

440,000

George Sharp

Stilleto Boy 4 g Shackleford - Rosie’s Ransom

Paramount Sales, agent

420,000

Steve Moger

Josie 4 f Race Day - Spirited Away

ELiTE, agent

300,000

Katierich Farms

Devils Sky 3 c Into Mischief - Glorious Sky

Four Star Sales, agent

250,000

Joseph Bucci, Donato Lanni, agent

Jeweled Princess 4 m Cairo Prince - Jersey Jules

Gainesway, agent

225,000

Stoneriggs Farm

Horses Of Racing Age Statistics Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Average ($)

Median ($)

Top price ($)

2021

79

5,905,500

74,753

50,000

440,000

2020

81

5,072,000

62,617

30,000

475,000

2019

95

6,548,500

68,932

45,000

510,000

Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Average ($)

Median ($)

Top price ($)

2021

44

2,012,000

45,727

31,000

225,000

Breeding Stock Statistics

THE OWNER BREEDER 53

Sales Circuit ›› also well received. Approximately 140

yearlings by this year’s first-crop stallions were catalogued, the majority of them within the first 100 lots. Lane’s End Farm’s City Of Light emerged best among his contemporaries thanks to an average of $165,000 for four sold, while the former Aidan O’Brien-trained Mendelssohn also

enjoyed a strong yearling auction debut with an average of $151,667. The sole offering by American Triple Crown hero Justify, a filly, made $210,000 to The Elkstone Group LLC. The sale’s opening session consisting of horses in training and an inaugural slot featuring breeding stock was also

vibrant; 79 horses of racing age sold for $5,905,500 and average of $74,753, while the breeding stock session featured the sale of 44 mares, some with foals at foot, for $2,012,000 and an average of $45,727.

Stakes winner Front Run The Fed headed the horses in training section, selling for $440,000 to George Sharp.

Fasig-Tipton July Sale – Selected Yearlings Top lots Sex/breeding

Vendor

Price ($)

Buyer

F Into Mischief - Cashing Tickets

Burleson Farms, agent

800,000

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and LNJ Foxwoods LLC

F Into Mischief - Anahauc

Four Star Sales, agent

350,000

Mike G. Rutherford

C Candy Ride - Beyond Grace

Taylor Made Sales Agency

350,000

James Bernhard

F Into Mischief - Vaudevillian

Taylor Made Sales Agency

345,000

Bullet Bloodstock

C Hard Spun - Lots O’ Lex

War Horse Place LLC, agent

300,000

F Brothers, agent for Starlight Racing

Yearling Statistics Year

Sold

Agg ($)

Average ($)

Median ($)

Top price ($)

2021

208

21,608,500

103,887

80,000

800,000

202

18,621,000

92,183

75,000

440,000

2020 No Sale 2019

ONLINE SALES A breeding right to Overbury Stud stallion Ardad headed trade at this online sale when being knocked down for 52,000gns, which is 13 times his 2021 covering fee.

The buyer was Ed Player of Nottinghamshire’s Whatton Manor Stud, who may well have pulled off one of the year’s bloodstock bargains given Ardad’s excellent first-crop results. As Player put it: “Six juvenile runners at Royal Ascot is great going,” and if Perfect Power adds August’s Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes to his Group 2 Norfolk Stakes victory, his sire’s profile will rise higher.

In his sale summary, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said: “We were delighted to be the first online platform in Britain or Ireland to host the sale of a breeding right,” and since it gave the event a notable angle for promotion and resulted in the top lot it was a plus in many ways.

Otherwise trade was moderate, with 69 lots being offered and just 29 sales being completed (42%) at an average of 9,459gns and a median of 4,200gns.

On a good day for Overbury Stud, another of its sires – Schiaparelli – was

54 THE OWNER BREEDER

OVERBURY STUD

Ardad breeding right heads Tattersalls June Online

Ardad: flying start at stud saw a breeding right in the stallion sell for 52,000gns

responsible for the sale’s next-best, Sir Jackschiaparel, an Irish point-to-point winner who was knocked down to Dorset trainer Richenda Ford for 29,000gns.

Dual winner Wood Ranger to Qatar via Goffs July Online This was another online auction with an ordinary clearance rate involving nine sales from 18 offered lots, or 50%.

A three-year-old son of Kodi Bear named Wood Ranger – a winner of two races for trainer Willie McCreery – headed trade when selling to Qatar’s Hassan Abdul Malik for €64,000, while the first lot into ‘the ring’, the Aga

Khan’s Ebasari, joins Willie Mullins following his bid of €47,000. A maiden after six starts for Mick Halford, Ebasari had breeding and stamina on his side – third dam Ebadiyla won the Irish Oaks and Longchamp’s Prix Royal-Oak – and could find his forte over jumps.

He was one of six entries in the auction that were offered by the Aga Khan.

In summing up trade Goffs Group CEO Henry Beeby pointed out that €10.5 million had been turned over by his company’s online service since it was introduced in 2020, although that figure includes sales at all auctions, not purely the online events.

INTERNATIONAL OWNER IN FOCUS Siu Pak Kwan

Siu Pak Kwan is no stranger to international big race success. Not only have the owner’s distinctive red and black silks been carried to Group 1 glory by British export Time Warp in Siu’s native Hong Kong, but they have also graced winner’s enclosures across Europe since 2015.

We Listened.

We Adapted.

Fast-forward six years and 2021 is proving to be Siu’s most fruitful European season yet, with horses old and new delivering a flurry of notable victories on both sides of the English Channel of late.

Vendor sales commission reduced from 5% to 2.5% INTERESTED IN SELLING?

Trainer Ed Walker, in whose care the majority of Siu’s European horses are placed, was effusive in his delight when long-time servant Stormy Antarctic (pictured) showcased his enduring ability and enthusiasm at eight years of age with a facile victory in the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood in May. “It’s a successful and an enjoyable relationship and we haven’t been too far away from the top table,” Walker reflects. “I’m very grateful to the Siu family for giving me support over the last six years. They are great people and a pleasure to work with.”

While Stormy Antarctic remains Siu’s most high-profile horse in training, there are two particularly promising individuals challenging for flagbearer status this season.

For more information please contact Richard Knight on +44 7769 349240

Came From The Dark, also trained by Walker at his Kingsdown Stables in Lambourn, got the better of Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes runner-up Arecibo in the Group 3 Coral Charge on his last start, thus earning entries in both the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes and Group 2 King George Stakes.

or email: wesellbloodstock@gmail.com

Siu can also look forward to more from recent acquisition Atomic Force, who staged a pillar to post procession in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly in July. As is the case for many of Siu’s European horses, Hong Kong is the long-term aim for Atomic Force, however the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes and even the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye have been cited as possible targets in the interim.

Purchased as a horse in training, Atomic Force has been left in the care of Kevin Ryan, who joins Walker and Charlie Hills on Siu’s roster of trainers for 2021. The latter has also contributed to Siu’s haul this year, training three-year-old Ariel to win a hat-trick of contests across May and June.

All round dual code pre-training education.

Includes flatwork, polework, gridwork, XC schooling/hunter trials, fun rides, gallops trips.

‘

With the support of bloodstock agent Alastair Donald, who is responsible for sourcing the aforementioned trio among others, and his select group of trainers, Siu has developed a quality over quantity approach to ownership in Britain, and now more than ever his endeavours are being rewarded.

Ed and Polly are vital to the racing success of our homebreds.

The way young horses are prepared for racing like children becomes the foundation for being able to realise their potential.

RichaRd Kelvin hughes

’

POLLY WALKER RACING • Ottery St Mary, Devon +44 (0)7932 780621 • pollygundrytraining@live.co.uk

greatbritishracinginternational.com

THE OWNER BREEDER 55

Caulfield Files

Frankel: Banstead Manor Stud stallion is enjoying a spectacular summer

Noble Truth was one of only seven runners up to that point for Frankel in his fledgling role as broodmare sire.

Needless to say, Frankel’s pedigree gives rise to great expectations of him in this role. His sire Galileo appears to be well on his way to his second broodmare sire championship and there must be every chance that Galileo will eventually go close to matching the seven-year sequence of championships achieved by his own sire Sadler’s Wells. And don’t forget that Frankel’s own broodmare sire Danehill topped the broodmare sire table

BILL SELWYN

une and July could hardly have been much more enjoyable for Frankel’s legions of fans. In addition to siring winners of the Derby, Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the superstar son of Galileo was leading sire at Royal Ascot. His worldwide total of 2021 Group 1 winners currently stands at five with his imposing daughter Snow Lantern taking the Falmouth Stakes. He now has 17 Group 1 winners and a total of 52 Group/ Graded winners from his first five years at stud. There should be more to come from his large sixth crop, now two-yearsold.

Snow Lantern was one of three winners for Frankel on July 9, along with the Queen’s tough filly Light Refrain, who landed the Group 3 William Hill Summer Stakes over six furlongs. However, that wasn’t the full extent of Frankel’s impact on July 9. He also cropped up as the broodmare sire of Noble Truth, the Kingman colt who won the Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro British EBF Maiden Stakes in a manner which suggested he may one day justify his €1.1 million price-tag. His trainer Charlie Appleby, who has used this race to launch several future stakes winners, has high hopes for Noble Truth. Provided the colt continues to overcome his headstrong tendencies, he could be a candidate for the Group 2 Champagne Stakes or Group 1 Vertem Futurity.

BRONWEN HEALY

Early signs point to Frankel excelling as a broodmare sire J

Kingman: forging a productive relationship with daughters of Frankel

56 THE OWNER BREEDER

on three occasions.

The early signs are certainly encouraging. Four of the seven runners out of Frankel mares have won as two-year-olds in 2021 and another has been Listed-placed in Australia. In addition to Noble Truth, the winners include the potentially very useful Dark Angel filly Juncture, the talented Kingman colt Tolstoy, who has twice tackled Group 2 company, and the Starspangledbanner filly Little Miss Dynamo, a smooth winner of a sixfurlong novice race at Ripon. Like Noble Truth, Juncture holds a Group 1 entry and this may not be too far-fetched for the Juddmonte homebred, as this impressive Leopardstown winner went on to run second in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes.

An interesting aspect of these first seven runners out of Frankel mares is that none of their dams won a race.

Indeed, six of them never made it to the racecourse and the seventh, Omneeya, had a Timeform rating no higher than 70.

Needless to say, this doesn’t tell the whole story. Noble Truth’s dam Speralita was sold for €450,000 as a yearling in 2015, her price reflecting the fact that she was a half-sister to the excellent Stacelita, whose tally of six Group 1 victories featured the Prix de Diane and the Prix Vermeille. What wasn’t apparent in 2015 was that Soul Stirring, Stacelita’s filly from Frankel’s first crop, would develop into a champion in Japan, where her Group 1 successes included the Yushun Himba, the equivalent of the Oaks.

Juncture’s dam Occurrence also had plenty to recommend her. Her dam Arrive had the distinction of being a sister to the extraordinary broodmare Hasili, and Arrive herself was named Britain’s broodmare of the year in 2008 as the dam of smart fillies Promising Lead and Visit. Visit was easily the more precocious of these two, as she showed in winning the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes in the July of her first season.

There were also high hopes that Occurrence would help Frankel make a fast start. She proved herself a lovely mover in her early work on the Beckhampton gallops, arguably attracting more attention than Fair Eva, who was to become Frankel’s first Group winner when she easily landed the

Bloodstock world views Princess Margaret Stakes. By then, though, Occurrence’s career was over, following a life-threatening injury to a pastern. Tolstoy’s dam War And Peace was another with a good excuse for not making it to the racecourse, but this daughter of the Group 1-winning Emulous had plenty to recommend her as a broodmare for Sir Robert Ogden.

As might be expected, many of Frankel’s daughters are being sent to high-priced proven stallions. Occurrence has a yearling by Siyouni and is now in foal to Oasis Dream, sire of her Groupwinning half-sister Visit. Siyouni has been a popular choice for other daughters of Frankel, part of his attraction being that he has comparatively little Northern Dancer blood, with no Sadler’s Wells. He does though create 3 x 4 to Danehill. He has at least seven youngsters with dams

by Frankel, including a 2021 colt out of the Listed-winning stayer Aljezeera, a 2021 filly out of Ghalyah, herself a €1,150,000 yearling from the excellent Platonic family, and a two-year-old filly, Au Chocolat, out of Ambrosia, a threeparts-sister to Galileo’s triple Group 1 winner Decorated Knight.

Tolstoy’s dam War And Peace has a 2020 filly by No Nay Never named Balalaika, plus a 2021 filly by Lope De Vega. No Nay Never also has a 2021 filly out of Frankel’s fast and precocious daughter Queen Kindly, winner of the Group 2 Lowther Stakes. Lope De Vega was also selected as the mate for another of Frankel’s best daughters, siring the 2021 filly out of Oaks winner Anapurna. The Lope De Vega/Frankel partnership is also represented by a yearling filly out of the high-priced Ghalyah and a filly foal out of You Alone, a half-sister to Shamardal’s smart son Shaman, from the family of Intello.

Kingman, whose association with Frankel mares has started brightly with Noble Truth and Tolstoy, has some other well-connected youngsters in the pipeline, including a

BILL SELWYN

Noble Truth: exciting colt represents the Kingman - Frankel cross

“Four of the seven runners out of Frankel mares have won at two in 2021” 2020 filly out of Lady Frankel. This half-sister to Lope De Vega was a Group-winning miler with smart form at Group 1 level.

Naturally Juddmonte has entrusted some above-average daughters of Frankel to Kingman and has a 2021 colt out of Fount, a Group 3-winning daughter of the high-class American performer Ventura. There’s also a 2021 filly out of Icespire, a half-sister to Special Duty and to the dam of Expert Eye. Fount’s 2021 mate was No Nay Never, who isn’t the only son of Scat Daddy being entrusted with daughters of Frankel. The Triple Crown-winning Justify has three daughters out of them, including two out of Rubilinda, a very useful turf winner over six furlongs and a mile. Rubilinda is Frankel’s best winner out of an Invincible Spirit mare. Of course, Invincible Spirit also sired Kingman, whose bright start with Frankel mares is detailed above, and Invincible Spirit himself has several youngsters out of Frankel’s daughters, including a 2020 filly out of Icespire.

At this early stage it looks as though Juddmonte considers Dubawi to be arguably the prime option for Frankel’s daughters. We have already seen Frankel excel with Dubawi mares, notable siring the Derby and King George hero Adayar and his fellow Group 1 winner Dream Castle, so there is good reason for hoping that the reverse cross – Dubawi on Frankel mares – will prove similarly productive.

Juddmonte already has a 2020 filly and a 2021 colt out of Mori, a Listed-winning daughter of the excellent Midday, as well as 2021 colts out of Obligate, a Group 2-winning miler, and Sun Maiden, a Group-winning

half-sister to Midday. The Juddmonte mares which visited Dubawi this year included the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile winner Quadrilateral, the Listed-winning Franconia and the talented Portrush, a three-parts-sister to the great Enable.

The combination of Sea The Stars and Frankel’s daughters creates 2 x 4 inbreeding to that exceptional racemare and producer Urban Sea. Masar, the 2018 Derby winner, is another inbred to Urban Sea (3 x 4 in his instance) and he too has a pedigree which combines Galileo and Cape Cross, the stallions responsible for Frankel and Sea The Stars. It will be interesting to see whether Sea The Stars’ youngsters possess nearly as much talent as Masar.

They include a 2021 colt out of Lady Livonia, an unraced sister to Lady Frankel and half-sister to Lope De Vega, and a 2021 filly out of the Musidora Stakes second Frankellina.

Frankel’s success this year with the likes of Snow Lantern, Light Refrain and Mehnah is a reminder that he can sire horses which shine at up to a mile. An earlier example was Lightening Quick, who landed the Group 3 Athasi Stakes over seven furlongs. Speed should therefore be the forte of this mare’s yearling filly and colt foal by the top Australian sprinter Zoustar.

The groundwork has clearly already been done for Frankel to build an impressive career as a broodmare sire, but it is worth adding that progress in this area can be slow for any young stallion. It is usually only when a stallion’s broodmare numbers start to grow exponentially that he stands a chance of competing on level terms and this may take Frankel a little while, as his second, third and fourth crops were each smaller than its predecessor. It is only now that his fifth and largest crop is three years old that – at least temporarily – he has been able to displace his sire Galileo from his customary position at the top of the general sires’ table.

The next few years will also start to tell us whether Frankel has inherited Galileo’s ability as a sire of sires. The first of his Group 1-winning sons to face the racecourse test will be Cracksman, who has around 100 yearlings in his first crop.

It’s interesting to think that – just as Frankel defeated Nathaniel on his debut at Newmarket – Cracksman had the redoubtable Stradivarius back in fourth when he too made a winning debut as a juvenile. Next in line is Without Parole, Frankel’s St James’s Palace Stakes winner, who was well received in his first season at Newsells Park Stud.

THE OWNER BREEDER 57

Dr Statz

John Boyce cracks the code

History repeating itself in Cotai Glory’s fast start

58 THE OWNER BREEDER

TALLY-HO STUD/AMY LANIGAN

I

t looks as though we might yet again be in for a record-breaking attempt at the number of individual winners sired by a first-season stallion. Only last year we witnessed Tally-Ho Stud’s Mehmas shatter a record held by Iffraaj for the previous ten years. By the end of play last year Mehmas had sired a remarkable 56 individual winning youngsters, 18 more than Iffraaj’s total of 38.

Well, this year Tally-Ho has another freshman sire setting a scorching pace in Cotai Glory – a son of Exceed And Excel and the Elusive Quality mare Continua.

With the world’s most prolific source of juvenile stakes winners since he retired to stud as his sire, Cotai Glory was always going to interest stud masters as a potential recruit. Moreover, he represented the very successful union between Exceed And Excel and daughters of Elusive Quality. In the northern hemisphere, this pairing has a 14% strike-rate of stakes winners to runners, and also includes Group winners Yalta and Sound And Silence. The combination has performed even better in Australia with 21% stakes winners and features the brilliant filly Guelph, a four-time Group 1 winner who won both the Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.

Typically, Cotai Glory got going early, posting two victories from his seven outings as a two-year-old for Charlie Hills.

After he broke his maiden, he ran second to Limato in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes and then won the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes in performances that earned him an annual Timeform mark of 109.

Better form was to follow over the next three seasons, his most notable achievements being a second to fellow freshman sire Profitable in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes, his win in the Group 3 World Trophy and an excellent third to Marsha in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.

Unlike his record-setting stud companion Mehmas, Cotai Glory wasn’t quite as accomplished at two and therefore started out at a lower fee.

Predictably, from an organisation with the knack for producing quick-starting sires, Cotai Glory proved very popular, attracting 177 mares that went on to produce 129 foals. And with just 46 starters on the board by the third week in

Cotai Glory: setting a fierce pace at the head of this year’s first-crop sires’ list

July, there should be many more winners to come.

So far Cotai Glory has amassed 21 individual winners at a rate of 46%. His current tally of winning youngsters puts him ahead of every first-season sire not just this year but also every other year.

His closest pursuer among this latest batch of freshman sires is Overbury Stud’s Ardad, whose 14 winners is more than produced by any another British sire at the same stage of the year, the one exception being former Overbury stallion Bertolini, who had 15 at this stage back in 2005.

You may have already noticed that Mehmas is nowhere to be seen on our all-time leading sires of two-year-old winners list. With a two-month delay to the season last year, the Tally-Ho stallion had only nine winners by July 20 and it

took him another full month to reach the point where Cotai Glory is today.

There is no question whatsoever that such is the extent of the commercial broodmare population in Ireland that it hands a huge tactical advantage to Irish-based first-season sires. The top ten on our current-year list all started out in Ireland and only Dubawi (36) and Dutch Art (33) get among the top 20 all-time best freshman sires by winners.

However, an appearance on a leading first-season sire table certainly does not preclude a long and successful career. The likes of Dubawi, Invincible Spirit, Iffraaj and Dark Angel prove that point. Moreover, last year’s champion Mehmas has already come up with three second-crop stakeswinning juveniles, including Group winners Lusail and Beauty Inspire.

Whether Cotai Glory can follow suit is open to question, not least because he has 50 fewer foals in his second crop and fewer still in his third.

But what is not in dispute is the fact that Cotai Glory has come up with a fine juvenile in the shape of Atomic Force, who recently added the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin to his earlier success in the Group 3 Prix du Bois. There’s a lot to like about his dominant racing style and at the time of writing he is Timeform’s choice as Europe’s top-rated two-year-old on a mark of 112p, already more accomplished than his sire was at the same age.

Leading first-season sires by winners to July 20 of their respective year Stallion

YOB

Sire

Rnrs

Wnrs

%WR

COTAI GLORY

2012

Exceed And Excel IRE

Stood

2018

To Stud

46

21

46

INVINCIBLE SPIRIT

1997

Green Desert

IRE

2003

46

18

39

IFFRAAJ

2001

Zafonic

IRE

2007

44

17

39

KHELEYF

2001

Green Desert

IRE

2005

42

17

40

ACCLAMATION

1999

Royal Applause

IRE

2004

40

16

40 48

BUNGLE INTHEJUNGLE

2010

Exceed And Excel IRE

2015

33

16

FASLIYEV

1997

Nureyev

IRE

2000

47

16

34

ORPEN

1996

Lure

IRE

2000

40

16

40 29

ZEBEDEE

2008

Invincible Spirit

IRE

2011

56

16

BERTOLINI

1996

Danzig

GB

2002

47

15

32

CHOISIR

1999

Danehill Dancer

IRE

2004

45

15

33

DARK ANGEL

2005

Acclamation

IRE

2008

46

15

33

FAST COMPANY

2005

Danehill Dancer

IRE

2011

44

15

34

GUTAIFAN

2013

Dark Angel

IRE

2016

48

15

31

ARDAD

2014

Kodiac

GB

2018

31

14

45

If you’re not in it, you can’t #WINWIN it!

GBB is a fantastic initiative because it definitely encourages people to buy British-bred fillies.

I specifically went out looking for fillies with the GBB in mind, because we knew that, if they were half decent, we could easily add £20,000 to our prize money. Eve Lodge cost £12,000 and has already won a bonus and should be able to win a second.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer

Qipao is a Chasemore-bred filly. She went through the yearling sales with a reserve that wasn’t met. The Great British Bonus played a big part in my decision to buy her back as I thought she’d be an early type and we could win some bonus money with her.

Andrew Black, owner

Buy, breed and race GBB-registered fillies and mares GBB Jumps winners:

75

GBB Jumps bonus payments:

GBB Flat winners:

122

£910,500

GBB Flat bonus payments:

Total bonus payments:

£2,887,500

£1,977,000

All these GBB races are terrific. We’ve been trying to target those with a few of her runners and this is the jackpot in the small scheme of things.

Venetia Williams in Racing Post after Pink Legend’s win at Cheltenham – April 2021

We bred COUP DE FORCE, we bred her mother, and her grandmother was my first-ever winner, and now she has won us our first-ever Great British Bonus. I’m sure it will entice our other owners in future. It is absolutely helping out owners. It’s a big incentive.

Stuart Kittow, trainer

We’ll chase more black type and try to win another bonus. I’m not a wealthy man by any means, so the Great British Bonus is a terrific incentive to breeders to keep these mares in training.

Brian Eckley in The Owner Breeder. Owner of Liberty Bella

For more information on eligibility, visit greatbritishbonus.co.uk TBA GBB TOB Mailers A4_August.indd 1

Information correct at time of going to press

16/07/2021 15:01

ROA Forum

The special section for ROA members

BILL SELWYN

Latest guidance for owners going racing with a runner

Owners are now able to enjoy an experience at the racecourse that is much more familiar, though certain protocols remain

T

he relaxing of regulations on July 19, dubbed Freedom Day, marked a significant step in the return to a more traditional racecourse experience.

On most courses, the restricted area became limited to the weighing-room complex only, where existing infection control measures will remain in place.

Owners are able to access the parade ring to see their horse and speak to their trainer and jockey. To ensure this is a safe and managed environment, the Owners’ Protocols have been updated with new guidance.

60 THE OWNER BREEDER

Attendees

The number of owners (or representatives) per horse that can attend will be determined by individual racecourses in line with their own circumstances, configuration, and available facilities. Racecourses continue to liaise with local health authorities regarding guidance specific to the local area.

Booking

• Owners are encouraged to book in advance to help racecourses

ensure that appropriate facilities and arrangements are in place to enhance the raceday experience. However, advance booking is no longer essential and therefore badges may be collected on the day.

• Advance booking should be completed via the RCA’s Privilege Access Swipe System (PASS). To register attendees, owners should log into PASS (https://www.rcapass. com/) and submit the names of the individuals who will attend the racecourse. Owners with a runner at

New contact details:

www.roa.co.uk • 01183 385680 • info@roa.co.uk @racehorseowners

RacehorseOwnersUK

Racehorseownersassociation

Cheltenham, Kelso or Hexham will be contacted directly regarding their arrangements as these courses do not use PASS and badges cannot be requested through the system.

• Once a horse is entered to run, registered owners will receive a confirmation email inviting them to register those who will be attending the race meeting. Emails will be sent to the owner email address on the Racing Admin and PASS system, so please ensure your email is up to date on both.

• For assistance with the PASS system, please contact the PASS helpdesk on 01933 270333 or by email: pass@ weatherbys.co.uk.

• Please ensure you and your guests take photo ID with you.

when their attendance and experience at racecourses has been restricted by the pandemic, alongside the efforts made by participants and officials to observe on-course Covid protocols.

Face coverings and social distancing

If you want more information on specific racecourses, including contact details, latest news and how to watch the racing, visit roa.co.uk/raceday/ racing.html.

• Government requirements will vary across England, Scotland and Wales.

As such we advise carrying a face covering with you at all times. For instance, in England face coverings are no longer a legal requirement, whereas in Scotland and Wales they remain mandatory in certain settings, including indoor areas.

• Even where face coverings are not required by law, it is recommended that they are worn, particularly in enclosed and crowded areas. This will help reduce the risk to yourself and others.

• It is also important that anyone travelling to Scottish or Welsh fixtures understands the relevant government guidance before heading to the meeting.

Vaccination and lateral flow testing

• Vaccination against Covid-19 remains the most effective means of bolstering our own protection against the virus, but also safeguarding the racing industry from the risk of disruption.

• Therefore, everyone in racing is encouraged to accept their two doses of the vaccination or book an appointment if eligible as soon as possible.

• We also advise regular lateral flow testing (at least twice per week), which is available for people without symptoms of the virus. Please visit the NHS website for details on how to get regular tests.

Racing’s leaders and the ROA very much appreciate the commitment shown by owners over the past year,

Badge allocations

As explained above, each racecourse will have its own policy on the allocation of entry badges and paddock accreditation based on local authority edicts and the configuration of the course layout. Where possible, we have collated details of what each course expects to be able to provide.

Please refer to your letter upon entry and declaration for the latest and most up to date details.

How many badges can I have per runner?

Sole owners, partnerships and syndicate managers Prior to your horse being entered please ensure your email address is up-to-date at Racing Admin and PASS websites.

Upon entry

• A confirmation email will be sent by the racecourse outlining the PASS weblink to register the nominated names who will be attending the racecourse.

• In the case of horses owned by a racing syndicate or racing club, these emails will be sent to the syndicate manager or racing club manager.

• Please check your spam/junk mail filter in case the email has gone into these areas.

• For more information on how to use PASS or to set yourself up on the PASS system please refer to the ‘How to use PASS section’ below.

The RCA have produced a number of videos that will guide you through the PASS process and website at https://racecourseassociation.co.uk/ experiences/owners/

Upon declaration

• Once your horse has been declared a further confirmation of declaration email will be sent by the course, along with the PASS link, providing another opportunity to register the nominated names who will be attending the racecourse.

• This email will be after 2pm on the day of declaration.

• Owners will have until 4pm on the day before the race meeting to nominate the attendees’ names.

• For any PASS queries please contact the PASS helpdesk on 01933 270333 or by email: pass@weatherbys.co.uk.

Please note that the PASS helpdesk is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and 1pm-4pm at the weekend.

• If you have reduced mobility or a disability of any kind and require additional assistance on raceday, please notify the racecourse directly once you have registered your attendance through PASS, and they will assist you further.

Before you set out

• Assess your own health. If you are feeling unwell, please do not travel.

• Familiarise yourself with the latest industry protocols.

• Make sure you have a face mask and photo ID with you.

Syndicate members – how to reserve your tickets when you have a runner

If you have a runner and are part of a syndicate, your badges will need to be organised by your syndicate manager through the PASS system. If you are not the syndicate manager you will not have access to the PASS system.

Your syndicate manager will have been sent an email from PASS after 2pm on the day of declaration. They will need to log your intention to attend with PASS online and will be required to add an email and/or mobile number to ensure you receive a print at home guest pass. This information may also be used by the racecourse for test and trace purposes. You will then be sent an online ticket confirmation for the meeting to your email address.

All you need to do directly is

• Assess your own health. If you are feeling unwell, please do not travel.

• Familiarise yourself with the latest industry protocols (circulated in ROA daily Inside Track ebulletin).

• Make sure you have a face mask and photo ID with you.

Free admission when you don’t have a runner

News and updates around free raceday admission for members is being shared in the ROA’s daily Inside Track ebulletin. Details can also be found in the Members’ Area at roa.co.uk.

THE OWNER BREEDER

61

ROA Forum

MAGICAL MOMENTS

PA

James Callow is the former stable lad made good

Nicholas T (blue and red) was expertly ridden by Ben Robinson in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, coming from last to first

P

eople making good in business as a means of funding racehorse ownership would not be uncommon, but starting out as a stable lad is much more unusual.

That, however, was the case for James Callow, proud owner of recent Northumberland Plate winner Nicholas T, who from 1968 to 1972 cut his teeth in a way that would stand him in very good stead a quarter of a century later.

“I worked in racing from when I was about 19 to 23,” he says. “I was a stable lad. I had a few rides as a conditional in National Hunt yards, and worked for Les Kennard, and in Ireland for Aubrey Brabazon, who as a jockey won three Cheltenham Gold Cups and two Champion Hurdles. I also worked in France for a year.”

Callow subsequently turned his energies to making it in the world of business, and by 1997 was in a position to own racehorses, not just ride them.

“Our first horse was with Gordon

62 THE OWNER BREEDER

Richards, called Pile Driver – unfortunately he was not as good as the one running now!” he says.

The ‘Pile’ was a nod to Callow’s piling contractor business Taranto – the horses advertised the company by running under the ownership name of Taranto De Pol, with another being eight-time winner Toby, who provided a link from Gordon Richards to his son and successor Nicky, running first for Richards snr until his death in 1998.

There was also Bob The Piler, Fergal The Piler, Tony The Piler and Vic The Piler.

Asked to tot up how many horses he has owned, either outright or in partnerships or syndicates, down the years, Callow admits the exercise “got quite frightening!”

“I’m a bit worried my wife might read this, but I would say 60 to 70,” he continues. “Quite a lot have been on my own, though a number have also been in partnership, and I also ran a

couple of syndicates, for a maximum of eight people.

“One of the horses we had in a syndicate was Direct Access, who ran in the Grand National but was pulled up at the 19th, while there was also That’s Rhythm, who also ran in the National but fell.”

One of Callow’s ownership partners was Douglas Pryde, of Auroras Encore fame, and the two shared horses including with trainers David Barron and Jim Goldie.

Nicholas T’s handler Goldie is the owner’s main trainer nowadays, with the focus increasingly on the Flat, though Callow is not exactly local to his base in Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire, as he lives around six miles from Penrith.

Callow has also had horses with Martin Todhunter, Chris Bealby, Barry Murtagh, Dianne Sayer, Geoffrey Harker, Pauline Robson, Karen McLintock and the Pogsons.

“Jim and his staff do a great job, they keep him mentally sound” Having previously lived in Ireland, he has also supported Ian Duncan and James Lambe, while in France he has deployed Antoine de Watrigant.

Callow also likes to show his support for his horses. Asked if he was at Newcastle on Plate day, he replies quickly: “Of course I was! I don’t miss many days when they’re running and make the effort to go and see them, see how they’re looking and support them. Only a family commitment would keep me away. That was a great day, and there have been plenty of others too.

“He was 33-1 so it was a nice surprise, albeit we were actually expecting him to run well. He’d won at York the time before, though he’d had to really to get in the Plate. As a youngster he was difficult, and he still is to some extent; it’s not that he doesn’t like stalls, it’s just he mucks around before consenting to go in.

“Jim and his staff do a great job with him, they keep him mentally sound, and Ben Robinson got him settled at Newcastle and rode him exactly as he was asked to.”

Nine-year-old Nicholas T, affectionately known as Bruce in the stable, as in Bruce Lee, after his rearing-up antics before and after he won his maiden at Ayr in 2016 – he didn’t race until he was four – dropped in trip to contest last month’s John Smith’s Cup at York, where he finished in the ruck, though not beaten that far.

On other magical moments, Callow continues: “We’ve always done quite well with cast-offs and one such was Silk Hall, who came from Alan King’s and we had a lot of fun with him. He

James Callow was delighted to win this year’s Northumberland Plate with Nicholas T

won at the Curragh and Galway, and also won the Grimes Hurdle.

“Billy Dane was bought to go jumping out of Richard Fahey’s but we took him back on the Flat after one run and he won his next two. He was with Barry Murtagh and we had some super fun.

“Natal was an ex-Paul Nicholls, and he was great fun. He repaid his purchase price on his very first run for us when winning at the Galway Festival – you can’t buy brilliant days like that.

“There was also Bygones Of Brid, who was with Karen McLintock.

He won nine times and ran in the Champion Hurdle; you don’t get many chances to do that.”

Being an owner gives you a chance to meet like-minded people and travel, often far and wide, two aspects of ownership that Callow, who currently has half a dozen racehorses, really enjoys.

“I have met some lovely people through being an owner – jockeys and trainers as well as fellow owners,” he says. “I’ve travelled to France and have

been to not far off all racecourses in Ireland and Britain.

“One thing I would say to any aspiring owner is to spread your risk.

Have shares in two horses rather than owning one outright. Also, to really enjoy the good days and make the most of them. They’re special because they don’t come along that often.”

Callow has been retired for more than 15 years now, having sold his business in 2005, and has lived in Britain since 2014 after moving from Ireland. He still rides out, and “fiddles around with horses at home”, a particular comfort during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s kept me sane,” he admits. “Last summer we had five two-year-olds and three-year-olds here and getting them going was a great thing to be able to do during the height of lockdown.

None of the five have done any good yet, but I’ve hopes that at least one of them will!”

Sanity, hope, enjoyment and memories. There’s a lot to be said for owning a racehorse, or 70!

THE OWNER BREEDER 63

ROA Forum

The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has agreed a contribution of £28.1 million towards the funding of British racing’s fixture list for September 1 to December 31, the period that comprises the sport’s Programme Book 3.

This concludes HBLB’s fixture funding decisions for 2021, with the allocation in the last four months of the year including £21.8m for prize-money.

This takes HBLB’s annual prize-money grants to just over £78m, 32% higher than the £59.3m originally approved for 2020 prior to the disruption caused by Covid-19.

The 2021 figures do not include the sums for further prize-money and regulatory grants announced as part of the £15m programme of expenditure from July 1 to June 30, following the Levy Board’s receipt of a loan from the government’s Sport Winter Survival Package.

The September to December prize-money package is made up of £18m via the prize-money rate card mechanism, £1.1m for the Great British Bonus, and estimated contributions to the Appearance Money Scheme of £2.2m and the Divided Races Fund of £500,000.

There are £6.3m in regulatory grants, which is comprised of the standard £5.7m in raceday services grants paid to every fixture along with a further £600,000 towards specific additional regulatory costs associated with ensuring the sport’s compliance with staging fixtures under current Covidrelated protocols.

Alan Delmonte, Chief Executive of HBLB, said: “This latest announcement confirms that HBLB will have been able to keep up significantly higher than usual contributions throughout the whole of 2021, as it has since June 2020.

“Even before taking into account the additional expenditure arising from the loan taken from government, HBLB expects to spend around £78m in prize-money for the year, 32% more than usual.

“Consideration is now being given to 2022, recognising that the recovery from the financial effects of Covid-19 will be gradual.

64 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

Levy Board funding 32% above normal level

The recovery for racing and its funding from the impact of Covid-19 will be gradual

“The majority of the additional £15m expenditure package announced last month will be spent in 2022 and the board will look to provide extra support next year for as long as this remains affordable.”

ARC confirms further £500,000 prize-money investment

Arena Racing Company (ARC) confirmed last month a further investment of £500,000 into prizemoney between August and December.

Prize-money increases will be targeted at Flat races during this period, spread over races run at classes 4, 5 and 6 at ARC racecourses.

This prize-money investment is in addition to the £250,000 increase into the Cazoo St Leger Festival programme, along with the extra £120,000 invested into Chepstow’s two-day jumps season opener in October, which was announced in April.

Managing Director of ARC’s Racing Division, Mark Spincer, said: “We have been pleased to have been working constructively with our colleagues in the Horsemen’s Group over recent months and are equally encouraged by the recent government updates

regarding the relaxation of restrictions at our venues.

“We have been looking closely at where we could best allocate further increases to prize-money following on from our specific commitments to the major meetings at Doncaster and Chepstow.

“As such, we will be offering further support to the cohort of horses running at classes 4, 5 and 6 across our Flat meetings during this time.”

Charlie Parker, President of the Racehorse Owners Association, said: “We are pleased to see ARC make this commitment at the grassroots end of the sport for the rest of the year alongside the previous investment in the other end of their programme.

“Prize-money across the race programme is key to the retention and growth of horses in training.

“As we emerge from the past 18 months, it is really important that the industry works in a collaborative manner to make sure that any such investment is targeted at the areas of the sport which is of mutual benefit for all.

“We look forward to continuing to work together on this positive trajectory through 2021 and beyond.”

ADVERTORIAL

Racehorse retirement at PASTURES NEW

T

housands of horses finish their racing careers in the UK every year, some through injury, and many due to the realisation of the owner and trainer that they are simply not going to make the grade.

What to do with a horse who was bought with such promise and potential, and at substantial cost, has become a dilemma for many owners who care about their horses.

Pastures New (charity no 1147630) was founded in 2011 to ensure a safe and secure future for retired racehorses through retraining into another discipline, such as dressage, eventing and so on, but as we evolved, our provision extended into equine therapy and learning for young people facing mental health and behavioural challenges.

Over the years we have had many requests from owners to retire their horses here, and now we are delighted to announce this new provision.

Coming soon (completion October 2021) :– *from £12.50 per horse per day Our recently developed retirement BAREFOOT TRACK system incorporates track grazing (variable surfaces and inclines), post and rail fencing, herbal forage borders and hedgerow browsing (addressing gut and hoof health), woodland walk, sandpit in communal area, hay stations,

pond and natural stream watercourse, organic wildflower hay meadow (closed currently to establish) and natural/man made shelters throughout.

In inclement weather horses will of course be brought in, as they will for hoof care, vaccinations, vet visits, etc. however we strive to give our horses as natural an existence in their retirement as possible.

Your support will also contribute towards our charity work; recovery and rehabilitation for rescued ex-racehorses and, through equine therapy, people who are in difficult times.

Advance bookings are now being taken (maximum 10 horses).

Email: info@pasturesnewcharity.org for further information or call Jacqui on 07912 305692.

...beyond the winning post to Pastures New *£380 PCM livery includes land management, maintenance, water, hay/haylage, rugs on/off, hoof trimming as needed, twice daily health check, hard feed in winter. Excludes transportation, veterinary care as needed, insurance, annual vaccinations - charged at cost.

PLEASE NOTE: this is an ongoing commitment to secure the future of your horse for his/her natural life (and a natural life is what they will enjoy!)…. you will receive regular herd updates and videos through closed group social media (or directly if preferred). Costs are subject to increase in line with inflation.

Pastures New Charity No. 1147630 Lane Foot Farm Ealees Littleborough Lancashire OL15 0HJ

THE OWNER BREEDER 65

ROA Forum

The BHA’s formal consultation on the use of the whip was launched last month. The consultation began on July 1 and will be open for ten weeks until September 6. The consultation on the use of the whip is part of the recommendations made in the Horse Welfare Strategy, ‘A Life Well Lived’.

A link to the consultation went live on July 1 and was shared with members via our ebulletin service.

The consultation consists of an online questionnaire, which can be accessed via consultation. britishhorseracing.com, alongside a series of focus groups which will also be held during the consultation period. There is an option in the online questionnaire that enables respondents to volunteer for participation in one of these groups.

Following the conclusion of the full consultation process, the data, views and suggestions from all parts of the consultation will be considered by the Whip Consultation Steering Group, which contains representation and expertise from across the racing industry – including Celia Djivanovic from the ROA – and wider sectors including politics, horse welfare and the media. The recommendations are expected to be submitted to the BHA board for approval in early 2022. It is important to note that any decisions or changes made will be racing’s decision alone.

Why is this happening now?

As the sport modernises and debates around welfare continue, it is of vital importance that we, as a sport, take

VAT Solutions

The ROA is delighted to be launching a new service to support owners dealing with HMRC in order to register and recover their racing-related VAT costs.

The ROA VAT Solution is here to support owners by acting on their behalf with HMRC and dealing with all of their racing VAT affairs. Once registered, owners are able to recover their racing-related VAT each quarter, with savings up to £4,700 per year in VAT excluding the purchase VAT that may have been incurred.

With the introduction of Making

66 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

WHIP CONSULTATION

Consultation on the use of the whip in British racing will run until September 6

control of our narrative around highprofile public concerns to ensure we protect the reputation and future of our sport.

The long-term health of British racing has never been more important in light of the impact of Covid in the last 18 months. Public trust in the sport will play a pivotal role in the sport’s recovery and plans for growth. The whip, rightly or wrongly, is often cited as a concern and poor perceptions distract from the positive progress the sport has made.

There is a need for the sport’s approach to welfare, and its response to perceptions of welfare, to be clearly understood by the wider public, specifically around the whip. We also need to show that our sport’s decision-making is rooted in evidence.

In addition to the issue of public perception, this is also about the question of fairness of our rules.

We must have rules and a penalty

Tax Digital, the ROA has partnered with Xero accounting software to offer owners a seamless and accessible digital system which is fully compliant with HMRC’s digital strategy. The VAT Scheme for Racehorse Owners was initiated in 1993 and has enabled racehorse owners to recover the VAT incurred on their racing activity. It has continued to be reviewed by HMRC and is a huge benefit to the racing industry.

Louise Norman, the ROA’s Head of Ownership, said: “We are delighted to bring together over 20 years of knowledge and experience in the

structure that are viewed as fair to participants and the betting public, which encourage riding within the rules and which deter rule breaches.

For more information on the Steering Group and the process, please see the BHA website and https://vimeo. com/565744788/ba3a790e08.

Further supporting videos and other materials have been developed to provide background information on the whip and how it is used in racing. These will be available on the BHA website, as well as in the online questionnaire.

You can also view the videos via the following links: • About the whip: https://vimeo. com/566627070/c05f143be3 • How the whip is used: https://vimeo. com/566294506/651809275a As ever, if you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please contact us at info@roa.co.uk.

Racehorse Owners VAT Scheme with a truly innovative digital accounting platform to support owners in reclaiming their VAT. “With racehorse owners contributing over £600 million per year to the industry, the VAT recovery is an essential mechanism and part of the owners’ experience. The team are excited to be launching this new service and look forward to working with our clients and supporting their needs.”

For further information on the ROA VAT Solution please contact the team on 01183 385685 or visit www.roa. co.uk/vat.

SY N

DI C AV ATE AI LA SHA BL R E ES

Patrick Owens Racing

Originally from Galway, Ireland, an ambitious horseman, I worked as an Assistant for Luca Cumani and also spent valuable time as an Assistant with trainers Eddie Kenneally in the USA, Mike Doyle in Canada and Erwan Charpy in Dubai. During this time, I learnt from some of the world’s leading racehorse trainers and played a key role in the development of top-class racehorses, which I now strive to train and develop for my owners.

THE AUTHOR I ZED YA R D

During my years of pre-training, I educated some quality racehorses for clients including Champion Trainer John Gosden, Ed Dunlop, Robert Cowell, Newsells Park Stud, Cheveley Park Stud, Qatar Racing and Rabbah Bloodstock to name a few, before obtaining my own licence to train in August 2019, when the BHA granted me my dual-purpose training licence.

• 25 Boxes • 5 Bay Horse Walker • Trotting Ring • Turnout Pen • Flexineb Equine Nebuliser Machine • Niagara Equissage Pulse Machine • Mobile Newmarket Salt Therapy Machine • Use of Swimming Pool

JOCKEY CLUB ESTAT ES TRAIN ING G R OUN DS • 2,500 acres • 50 miles of turf gallops • 14 miles of artificial gallops • Trotting rings • Starting stalls • Schooling grounds

I am based at The Authorized Yard, St Gatien Stables in Newmarket in close proximity to Warren Hill. I have 25 boxes and have a small select team of horses at the moment, and from those I have trained some nice winners and results in a very short space of time, including my first runner in the Weatherbys Super Sprint where Adnaan finished fifth at 100/1.

I have the support of fantastic owners that include Khalifa Dasmal, Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi, Paul Cairns, GB Horseracing, Heather Buxton and The Authorized Syndicate. We welcome enquires from any new owners, syndicates, partnerships and clubs.

My unique selling point is my honesty to my owners and their accessibility to me and one to one individual care and attention to each horse. I am in regular communication with my owners, whether they own 100% of a horse or 5%. Every owner is treated the same and I have an open-door policy.

Patrick Owens Racing Ltd, The Authorized Yard, St Gatien Stables, Vicarage Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8HP m +(44) 77960 36878 | e powens@patrickowens.co.uk | www.patrickowens.co.uk | @patowensracing

Daniel & Claire Kübler A WINNING COMBINATION Exciting days on the racecourse, memorable mornings at Sarsen Farm.

High quality horsemanship blends with an analytical approach to training.

Together we’ll develop your horse to succeed.

“If you want a welcoming second home and a five star facility for your thoroughbred where every opportunity is given to your horse to perform to it’s best ability then you are in the correct place” Owner, Andrew StOnehill.

To arrange a visit, discuss your horse and ownership opportunities contact Daniel & Claire on 07984 287254 or daniel@kublerracing.com

Sarsen Farm, Upper Lambourn RG17 8RG

THE OWNER BREEDER 67

ROA Forum

National Racehorse Week Running from September 12-19, National Racehorse Week will be a nationwide celebration of the racehorse. Trainers up and down the country will be opening their doors to the public during the week and those who work closest to the horses are very excited to welcome people in. Racehorse trainer Richard Phillips said: “National Racehorse Week is a fantastic opportunity for our wonderful owners, staff, trainers and jockeys to come together for a common love of the racehorse and a chance to share racing’s story with the public.”

Owners in particular have a key role to play in taking part in the open days, showcasing their fantastic horses and in talking to the public about the experience of owning a racehorse.

We would encourage as many owners as possible to participate in what we hope will be a fun and engaging week for all involved.

Firm supporter of National Racehorse Week, Jayne McGivern, who has a number of horses in training and retired racehorses, said: “I get as much satisfaction out of seeing my horses thrive and succeed out of racing as I do seeing them win on the track – it’s not always the superstars who are the superstars!

National Racehorse Week is a wonderful opportunity to share these experiences and to meet these brilliant horses in person.”

Equine welfare will always be the highest priority for British racing. This commitment was codified recently by an industry-agreed horse welfare strategy ‘A Life Well Lived’ that was published by the Horse Welfare Board in 2020. It truly is a strategy by the industry for the industry. This is clearly demonstrated by how well the racing community is coming together to make the first ever National Racehorse Week a success and we hope that you too will be a part of it. Please visit www.nationalracehorseweek.uk for more information.

Epsom Open Day

The racing yards of Epsom will open their doors to the public on

September 12. This year’s event has moved from its traditional slot on the August bank holiday to coincide with the start of National Racehorse Week.

The day provides a fantastic opportunity to look behind the scenes and meet the horses, trainers and stable staff of this historic training centre. More information can be found at www.epsomopenday.co.uk.

Malton Open Day

The Malton Open Day will take place on September 12, sponsored by ARC. This is a big weekend for Yorkshire racing with ARC hosting the final Classic of the season, the Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster, the day before.

See www.maltonopenday.co.uk.

Racecourses join Sunflower lanyard scheme The Racecourse Association (RCA) announced a collaboration in July with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to formally recognise the global symbol of invisible disabilities, the Sunflower lanyard, at all British racecourses. Sunflower wearers can feel confident when attending events that staff will be able to identify them and offer additional support or time. The Sunflower lanyard is widely recognised around the world, including in Britain, where it assists people in the retail, travel, health and public services sectors.

Training and information packs have been created by the RCA and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to assist racecourse staff in understanding what the sunflower means and why

68 THE OWNER BREEDER

The Sunflower lanyard is the global symbol of invisible disabilities

individuals may choose to wear one.

The scheme is a further layer to the sport’s equality, diversity and inclusion plan and builds on existing work in this area such as the Autism in Racing initiative, Ascot Racecourse’s Sunflower Lawn and #GoRacingGreen, which is currently in situ at Nottingham, Newbury and Chester racecourses.

Racegoers will be able to contact their chosen racecourse to request a Sunflower lanyard with pre-booked tickets, or in some cases a limited number will be made available at racecourse entrances. Racegoers will also have the option to bring their own Sunflower lanyard, which will be recognised in the same way by racecourse staff.

B R I A N B A R R R A C I N G – Where Winning Matters – Exceptional, modern state-of-the-art facilities all on site with two all weather gallops and a grass gallop in the middle of the Blackmore Vale in Dorset.

We have an impressive strike rate of turning horses round and winning with them that have lost their form and take real pleasure in seeing horses transform and gain confidence again.

We feel this is our strongest attribute and really enjoy taking on the challenge, so if your horse has lost its way then give us a call, we would be delighted to hear from you.

We try to include the owner in as much of it as we can, regular video updates and weekly communication.

Being so self sufficient our fees are also very competitive.

We also take horses in regularly for breaking/pre training & sales prep.

We have a stud barn on site that runs our own stud business and can take in foal broodmares or other stud stock to foal down, prep or just board. Large foaling boxes with 24hr CCTV.

You are welcome to come and visit us and have a look round, the kettle is always on. www.brianbarrracing.co.uk l @brianbarrracing brianbarrracing@hotmail.com l 07826867881 l 01963210173

Conveniently located in the West Midlands, our world class 220 acre racehorse training complex enjoys the enviable record of producing a winner at each and every racecourse in Great Britain – a unique achievement!

But that’s not all . . .

Leading dual purpose trainer in the country has also saddled • Winners at Royal Ascot & the Cheltenham Festival • Grade One winner in France • Group winner at Meydan We regularly have runners and winners in the main races on Saturdays and our training rates are very competitive.

For more information about how to join the winning team, check out our website at:

www.iwracing.com

THE OWNER BREEDER 69

ROA Forum

Sky Bet Sunday Series The Sky Bet Sunday Series is set to receive a major cash injection with the introduction of £200,000 in bonuses. The funds will be part of the ITV4 coverage of three meetings over the summer, which already offer £600,000 in prize-money.

The series, with each raceday featuring a seven-race card, kicked off at Musselburgh on July 25, and will continue at Haydock on August 8 and Sandown on August 22.

Any owner of a horse who wins at each fixture of the series will be entitled to a £100,000 bonus, with the money split in the case of multiple winners. A further £100,000 will also be offered to any jockey who rides seven winners across the three racedays.

Trainer George Boughey said: “I fully support new initiatives such as the Sky Bet Sunday Series, which is boosting prize-money, as well as facilitating better Sunday fixtures.

“I definitely have some candidates for the £100,000 Sunday Series bonus and we will be trying our hardest to win races at all three of these fixtures.”

A £10,000 bonus will be extended towards stable staff, with the series offering £250 for the best-turned-out of each race.

George Boughey (right): trainer is intent on supporting the Sunday Series

The pilot series was announced in May in a bid to promote Sunday racing across Britain and increase racing on terrestrial TV into 2022.

ITV Racing host Oli Bell will provide coverage that seeks to shine a spotlight on smaller trainers, owners, and jockeys, as well as showcasing behind-the-scenes elements of the sport.

London Middle Distance Series

All horses which start, and have started, in qualifying races this year at Kempton Park will be eligible to enter the London Middle Distance Series Final race, to

be run at Kempton Park over 1m3f on November 1, with a total prize fund of £40,000.

The same applies to all horses starting in qualifying races for the London Mile Series; they will be eligible to enter the London Middle Distance Series Final race to be run over a mile at Kempton Park on September 4, with a total race value of £40,000.

Any horse which has been eliminated from a qualifying race will also be eligible, subject to the Rules of Racing, to enter the Final.

For full terms check the Racing Admin website.

Racing to Cricket Trophy Eight teams from the world of racing will again come under starters’ orders in a limited overs knockout cricket tournament, hoping to win the RoR Racing to Cricket Trophy at the Wormsley Cricket Ground in Buckinghamshire on Sunday, September 5.

The competition is likely to be fierce and fun with teams including a combined Newmarket trainers’ team from Charlie Fellowes, George Boughey and James Ferguson, against representative teams from other leading trainers Charlie Hills, Nicky Henderson, Mick Channon, Richard Hannon, owner and former RoR Chairman Paul Roy’s team and John Pearce Racing.

There are a limited number of tables at the exclusive private marquee priced at £1,000 for a table of eight. This price includes

70 THE OWNER BREEDER

champagne on arrival, followed by a delicious buffet lunch and later in the afternoon a traditional cricket tea and, of course, the chance to enjoy a day at one of the most beautiful private cricket grounds in the world.

Charity auctioneer Martin Pope will again offer up fantastic auction lots on the day, including a top lot of a quarter share in a racehorse, as well centre court seats at Wimbledon, the use of a private fully-catered box at Ascot, VIP package to the Royal Ballet in Covent Garden, and the chance for everyone to win £2,500 worth of holiday vouchers.

In 2019 the inaugural event proved extremely popular and raised over £50,000 for Retraining of Racehorses.

For further details contact Sue Wallis on 0774 8653336 or email Laura at loneill@ror.org.uk. A booking form can be downloaded at roa.co.uk.

The inaugural Racing to Cricket event was popular with participants and visitors

INTRODUCING A QUICK, SLICK AND SIMPLE APPROACH TO YOUR RACING VAT When you own a racehorse, paying VAT along the way is unavoidable. But reclaiming yours is now easier than ever with the ROA VAT Solution. Whether you are an ROA member or not, allow our team to deal with HMRC on your behalf and take the trouble out of reclaiming VAT – giving you more time to focus on the sport you love.

CALL OUR TEAM ON 01183 385685 TODAY OR VISIT ROA.CO.UK/VAT YOU PUT SO MUCH INTO THE SPORT. START GETTING MORE BACK.

RACING WITH ADDED VALUE

TBA Forum

The special section for TBA members

Chairman highlights proactive approach in AGM address

Julian Richmond-Watson: keen to ensure movement of horses between European countries is made as easy as possible for breeders

D

ue to the extension of Covid restrictions, which prevented the TBA’s 104th Annual General Meeting from being held at the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, this year’s event was staged virtually on Wednesday, July 14.

In his Chairman’s address, Julian Richmond-Watson highlighted the need to make movement of horses between countries as smooth as possible, saying: “While our long-term aim must be to replicate, as closely as possible, the Tripartite Agreement that existed between us, France and Ireland, our focus is now to remove as many of the barriers to movement before the end of the year and the start of next year’s breeding season.”

Noting that strong sales were required to assist breeders coming out of the pandemic, he explained that there had not been a full recovery in foal numbers since the 2008 financial crisis, while there had been a recent decline since 2018. He added that further declines in foal crops would see issues with meeting an appetite for more fixtures and larger field sizes.

He said: “We are world leaders in breeding and racing, but without

72 THE OWNER BREEDER

substantial and focused financial uplift and support the industry will decline and leave us all the poorer.”

The Great British Bonus (GBB) scheme was noted as having attracted great attention and is already producing significant results.

In his address, the Chairman personally thanked Peter Mendham, who was stepping down from the TBA board following a ten-year period. It was noted that Peter would continue to remain on the Brexit Steering Group.

The Chairman also thanked Kirsten Rausing for her commitment as Chair of the Veterinary Committee, before welcoming James Crowhurst as her replacement.

The address closed with a message of thanks to payers of the sales levy and a reminder of the importance of breeders to the wider racing industry. The Chairman said: “We are the British TBA and so your Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. While of course we work with our colleagues in Ireland, France and around the world, we must make sure that our industry at home is supported first.

“I make no apologies for reminding you, the government, and the whole of

the British horseracing industry that without breeders producing foals to be the racehorses of the future, there is no racing, no crowds, and no industry.”

In the formal business of the meeting, it was agreed that the subscription rate for full members would be held at £150 for those paying by recurring payment (£175 for those paying by other means) and that the associate tier of subscription would remain at £60.

Following the Chairman’s address, four presentations were made. James O’Donnell, Assistant Director at Shadwell, also Chair of the TBA’s Environmental Sustainability Working Group, introduced Sarah Wynn, Managing Director at ADAS, who presented results from a couple of studies into the environmental impact of stud farms. Suggestions were made as to how stud owners could access government grant schemes aimed at improving sustainability.

There were further presentations that provided updates and information on current issues by Sam Bullard, Chair of the Education Committee, James Crowhurst, the incoming Chair of the Veterinary Committee, and from Deputy Chairman Philip Newton, on the GBB scheme.

New Export Health Certificates required

Members will have the opportunity to socialise during the regional days

Exciting schedule of regional days in 2021

Saturday, August 14 – Yorton Farm Stud with lunch (£38pp) Located on the Leighton Estate, in 300 acres of beautiful Powys countryside, is David Futter’s Yorton Farm Stud, home to stallions Arrigo, Gentlewave, Linda’s Lad, Masterstroke, Pether’s Moon and Scalo. The morning will be spent on the stud with a stallion parade and tour of the stud, before a delicious lunch at a local pub.

Tuesday, September 21 – Overbury Stud and Kim Bailey (£43pp) The first part of the morning will see members visit Overbury Stud, which is leased by Simon Sweeting from the Holland-Martin family. The stud is home to Ardad, Cityscape, Frontiersman, Jack Hobbs and Schiaparelli, while perennial NH champion sire Kayf Tara is also seeing out his retirement at the Gloucestershire-based stud.

Following this members will make the short journey to Kim Bailey’s Thorndale Farm for a behind-thescenes tour, including a trip to the gallops to see the horses put through their paces and an informative stable tour. A late lunch will be served at a local pub.

JOHN REARDON

With restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic having been relaxed, the TBA has scheduled two regional days for the rest of the year. These events, which are always well attended, give members the opportunity to come together and share ideas.

Places can be secured via the events page of the TBA website or by phoning the office and speaking with Membership Executive Alix Jones.

This year’s regional days will be limited to 30 guests and are available to TBA members and associates on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to those in the local region.

Schiaparelli: jumps sire is based at Overbury Stud

Under revised Animal Health Regulations, new Export Health Certificates (EHCs) must be used by anyone who is transporting horses to the EU from August 21.

Current EHCs signed by August 21 may be used until October for goods on route to the EU. Some of the main changes include: • The new equine EHCs require a registration number for the place of dispatch of the equine being sent to the EU. Not all equine establishments are currently registered. Equine establishments will be able to seek a County Parish Holding (CPH) number from APHA if they don’t already have one and that number will need to be included on the certificate. This will apply not only to equine holdings, but also racecourses, other sporting venues, sales yards and other locations from which equines are loaded to depart GB. OVs will be able to use a letter of evidence from APHA provided to the owner when signing the certificate.

• Under the AHR certificates, moves are no longer distinguished by whether they are permanent or temporary.

• Pre-export residency is now 40 days for all horses.

• Pre-export residency requirements now refer to residency in country of origin (previously referred to residency in specific holding(s) in country of origin).

• Pre-export isolation requirements have been removed for all registered horses but they will require veterinary supervision for 30 days pre-export.

• No equines need an Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) test pre-export under the new certificates.

• All moves can now have Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) testing done within 90 days of travel (previously this only applied to temporary moves of registered horses; all permanent and temporary moves of unregistered horses had to be tested within 30 days of export).

THE OWNER BREEDER 73

TBA Forum

Subjectivist the king of Ascot after Gold Cup triumph Subjectivist: decisive success in the Gold Cup

BILL SELWYN

Royal Ascot proved to be a happy hunting ground for British-breds with 15 gracing the hallowed winner’s circle at the royal meeting. On the opening day the first three races were won by British-breds.

Opening the show was Palace Pier’s victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.

The son of Kingman, who was bred by Highclere Stud & Floors Farming, was winning for the fourth time at the top level and brought his record to eight wins from nine starts.

The week proved to be a decent one for the Cheveley Park Stud team. On the mark as owners when Indie Angel took the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes on the Wednesday, they were also represented as breeders. Berkshire Shadow was victorious in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for the Newmarket-based stud, while later in the week, Significantly, a son of former resident stallion Garswood, took the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap.

Adding to the week was the victory of Oxted in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes.

The son of Cheveley Park Stud-based Mayson, who was bred by Homecroft Wealth Racing, was racing over the minimum distance for the first time and powered home to win in handsome style.

Another British-bred to win in Group 1 company at the Berkshire venue was Subjectivist. The Mascalls Stud-bred four-year-old stamped his authority on proceedings in the closing stages to run out the five-length victor of the week’s biggest race, the Gold Cup. Sadly, a leg injury will keep Subjectivist off the track

until next season at the earliest.

There were some wonderful homebred performances over the course of the week including in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, where the Trevor and Libby Harris-bred Loving Dream was victorious for her maiden Group win.

Kirsten Rausing’s homebred filly Sandrine captured the Group 3 Albany Stakes on the Friday, finding plenty in the closing stages to become the first Group winner for her sire, the Lanwades Studbased Bobby’s Kitten. Ms Rausing was also on the mark in Australia where Zaaki, by former Lanwades stallion Leroidesanimaux, won the Group 2 The Q22.

Other homebred winners at the meeting included the Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar-bred Amtiyaz (Frankel) in

the Copper Horse Handicap, the Juddmonte homebred Surefire in the King George V Handicap and Quickthorn (Nathaniel) for Lady Blyth in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap.

The Fittocks Stud-bred Kemari (Dubawi) made the leap from Yarmouth maiden scorer to Royal Ascot Group 2 winner when landing the spoils in the Queen’s Vase, while Juan Elcano (Frankel), bred by David and Trish Brown, won the Listed Wolferton Stakes. Brocklesby Stakes winner Chipotle, a son of Havana Gold and bred by Theakston Stud, won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.

The improving three-year-old Perotto, bred by China Horse Club, was a good winner of the Britannia Handicap, while the race that concludes the meeting, the

Theakston Stud has a rich and long history, including standing Dante, and was the birthplace of Sovereign Path.

Owned by the McIntyre family, the Yorkshire stud experienced the thrill of breeding a Royal Ascot winner when the Eve Johnson-Houghton-trained Chipotle (Havana Gold) ran away with the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes.

“He was the first [Royal Ascot winner] for a long time, there may have been one during my father or grandfather’s time, but certainly a first in my lifetime,” says Andrew McIntyre. “We

74 THE OWNER BREEDER

Chipotle and Charlie Bishop prove too hot to handle at Royal Ascot

took him to the foal sales but the sire was in his low year and he didn’t get any bids so we took him home. He was re-offered at the Ascot sale as a yearling – we thought we would get a bit more, but as he was a colt, he had to go. He ran in a time quicker than the Norfolk

and the Queen Mary, and it seemed like a decent race. As an April foal, he did so well to win the Brocklesby and it would be unusual for Eve to have one out that early. It was a welcome surprise.”

Chipotle’s dam, Lightsome, a daughter of Makfi, was sourced for

BILL SELWYN

Chipotle burns off rivals in Windsor Castle

Queen Alexandra, was won by the experienced stayer Stratum. The son of Dansili was bred by Al Asayl Bloodstock.

The month started off with a bang and a maiden Group 1 win for fairytale colt Pyledriver. Bred by Roger Devlin with brothers Guy and Hugh Leach, the four-year-old had to tough it out in the closing stages to win the Coronation Cup. The same day, another four-year-old son of the former Tweenhills Stud stallion Harbour Watch, Baron Samedi, was victorious on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, when taking the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup. A day later at Belmont Park and the Godolphin homebred Althiqa captured the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes.

Philippa Cooper’s Normandie Stud had a fine June. Breeder of Hurricane Lane and Mohaafeth, winners of the Irish Derby (and subsequently Grand Prix de Paris) and Hampton Court Stakes respectively, she also bred Glorious Journey, a son of Dubawi, who gained his fifth Group win in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes.

Having noted Cheveley Park’s good run at Ascot, June was a good month for the stud globally. Twilight Son was represented by a pair of stakes winners. His leading daughter, the Razza del Sole-bred Aria Importante, was a tenacious winner of the Group 3 Premio Carlo Vittadini, while later in the month, his juvenile daughter Little O’Kelly, bred by Shark Bay Racing, captured the Listed Premio Gino E Luciano Mantovani. Dutch Art was not to miss out – his son Stormbringer, unbeaten in three starts in 2021, won the Listed Prix Hampton. The six-year-old was bred by the Riva Royale Partnership.

Italy was a source of a number of British-bred victors in the month. The Lord Margadale-bred Windstormblack (Brazen Beau) was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Premio Primi Passi, while

8,000gns. “We took a punt on the pedigree,” says Andrew. “She is from the family of Attraction [a half-sister to Lightsome’s dam Aunty Mary] and we thought that Makfi would turn into a half decent broodmare sire. The only problem was she is a bit small. We covered her with Havana Gold as we wanted to replicate the Dubawi/Galileo cross and it has turned out quite well.

After a couple of barren years, she is now in foal to Advertise.”

With around ten mares and boarders, the stud often buys back into families that it has sold from and keeps one in a syndicate, which is raced with Richard Hannon before joining the broodmare

American Bridge was victorious in the Group 3 Premio del Giubileo. There were Italian Listed victories for the Mickley Stud, Harc Syndicate and Kate Whitehouse-bred Don Chicco in the two-year-old Premio Giuseppe de Montel, the Az Ag Francescabred Fambrus (Oasis Dream) in the Coppa d’Oro and for the Scuderia Blueberry-bred Cantocorale in the Premio Estate.

The Bugley Stud and David Clark-bred Velocidad was an impressive winner of the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh towards the end of the month, the same weekend which saw Chil Chil, a daughter of Exceed And Excel bred by Mick and Fiona Denniff, garner her maiden stakes victory in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes. In France, Erasmo, a son of Oasis Dream bred

by Car Colston Hall Stud, won the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac.

The Juddmonte homebred Set Piece put in a powerful home straight run to win the Group 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs. In Ireland, the Juddmonte homebred Sacred Bridge, a Bated Breath full-sister to Grade 1 winner Viadera, was victorious in the Listed Tipperary Stakes.

Bated Breath was also represented by the El Catorce Partnership-bred Space Traveller, winner of the Listed Ganton Stakes at York.

Ted and Gaynor Voute’s daughter Amelia bred her first stakes winner in June when Cable Bay’s son Atalis Bay won the Listed Scurry Stakes.

There were also Listed wins for the Essafinaat UK-bred Just Beautiful in the Maggie Dickson Stakes at Musselburgh, the Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar-bred Fourhometwo in the Celebration Stakes, the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoumbred Outbox (Frankel) in the Fred Archer Stakes and for the Wertheimer Et Frerebred Merveillo (Archipenko) in the Derby du Languedoc.

band. One of the stud’s recent successes is the Gold Away mare Indignant.

Purchased in-utero, she won the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury and was placed twice at Group 3 level.

“She is two from three,” says Andrew.

“We have her three-year-old daughter with Richard and she will win a race. The mare has a Pivotal and an Advertise to run for her, while she is in foal to Havana Gold – we have supported him well, having used him six or so times. We have a few of her family on the farm, but she is the best we have bred in recent years.”

Another mare on the stud is the unraced Shenir. A daughter of Mark Of Esteem, she has produced the Listed

GBB registration period opens for 2021-born fillies The registration period for entering 2021-born British-bred fillies into the Great British Bonus scheme opened on July 15 and will close on September 30.

The cost of registering a foal into the scheme at the first stage is £400 per foal. However, for TBA members, there is a 50% discount, so the cost is £200 per foal.

Since its launch in June 2020, the Great British Bonus scheme has awarded over £2.5 million to breeders, pinhookers, owners, trainers and stable staff, with over 135 fillies and mares and over 100 individual breeders being awarded bonuses.

One of the beneficiaries for the scheme is breeder, owner and trainer Brian Eckley, who said: “The bonus money is a huge, huge help to an operation like mine and means an awful lot. I have four broodmares and the money helps keep the show on the road. The cash is there ready to put into stud fees.”

To register please visit greatbritishbonus.co.uk.

The member discount is deducted on the website once the checkout process has been initiated.

winner Mountain Bell (Mount Nelson) and her three-time winning full-brother Future Investment. “They were both rated 90-plus,” says Andrew. “We have a yearling colt by Cityscape out of Shenir who is going to Book 2. We will consign him ourselves as we have all the facilities here to do it – as it is just him it is manageable.

"The mare is in foal to Masar and her two-year-old is with Jessie Harrington.”

He adds: "When we are not dealing with the horses, we have 400 head of Aberdeen Angus cattle to be getting on with."

Results up to and including June 30.

Produced in association with GBRI.

THE OWNER BREEDER 75

TBA Forum

Shortlist for NH Awards revealed Celebrating British-bred success from across the 2020-21 National Hunt season, this year’s TBA NH Breeders’ Awards Evening, supported by Goffs UK, will take place on Wednesday, August 4 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Doncaster.

Hosted by Nick Luck, the event will see breeders, owners, trainers and enthusiasts gather together for a three-course dinner, followed by the presentation of 14 awards.

Dashel Drasher: contender for leading chaser

The awards and nominees are as follows:

BATSFORD STUD TROPHY for Leading Chaser

HIGHFLYER BLOODSTOCK TROPHY for Leading Hurdler Honeysuckle – bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy Sams Profile – bred by Jane Micklethwait Thyme Hill – bred by Overbury Stallions Ltd

PEEL BLOODSTOCK TROPHY for Leading Chasing Mare Cabaret Queen – bred by Robert and Jackie Chugg & Mill House Stud Chilli Filli – bred by Goldford Stud Pink Legend – bred by Francis Mahon

MICKLEY STUD TROPHY for Leading Hurdling Mare Black Tears – bred by Rowland Crellin Honeysuckle – bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy Molly Ollys Wishes – bred by Dean and Keith Pugh

MIDNIGHT LEGEND TROPHY for Leading Novice Chaser Mighty Thunder – bred by Mr and Mrs Charles Wilson Remastered – bred by Elms Stud Co Ltd and Graham Peck Sky Pirate – bred by Cedric Brookes

GEORGE SELWYN

Dashel Drasher – bred by Camilla Scott Master Tommytucker – bred by Anthony Fear Nuts Well – bred by Chesters Stud Ltd

SHADE OAK STUD TROPHY for Leading Novice Hurdler

ERIC GILLIE TROPHY Special Achievement Award

Gentlemansgame – bred by Yorton Farm Stud and Maggie Luck Llandinabo Lad – bred by Peter Symonds My Drogo – bred by H & C Group Ltd

DUDGEON CUP NH Broodmare of the Year

OVERBURY STUD TROPHY for Leading Novice Hurdling Mare Anythingforlove – bred by Dr Bryan Mayoh Bourbon Beauty – bred by Alex Hales Martello Sky – bred by the late Tim Wood

YORTON STUD TROPHY for Leading NHF Mare Elle Est Belle – bred by Rita Vaughan Miss Lamb – bred by Sally Hall Rainyday Woman – bred by Pam Sly

DISTILLERY STUD TROPHY for Leading NHF Horse I Like To Move It – bred by Mr and Mrs John Dawson Peking Rose – bred by Coln Valley Stud Washington – bred by Jeremy Mactaggart

HORSE & HOUND CUP Leading active British-based stallion by individual chase winners in GB & Ire in 2020-21 WHITBREAD SILVER SALVER sponsored by the Beswick Brothers – Leading active British-based stallion by prize-money in GB & Ire in 2020-21 QUEEN MOTHER’S SILVER SALVER NH Special Achievement Award Tickets for the event, which includes a welcome reception, three-course dinner and the awards ceremony, are priced at £65 per person and can be purchased via the TBA website.

Flat Awards rearranged for September 2 Following the government’s announcement that lockdown restrictions would be extended by four weeks, the TBA took the decision to postpone the Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening, supported by Fitzdares, which rewards British-bred success from the 2020 Flat season. The event will now

76 THE OWNER BREEDER

take place on Thursday, September 2 – still at Chippenham Park, near Newmarket, starting at 7pm.

All tickets remain valid and will be transferred to the new date. However, if you had previously purchased a ticket and will be unable to attend the rescheduled event, please contact Olivia

May via email at olivia.may@thetba.co.uk or on 01638 661321.

For those interested in attending the evening, which will consist of cocktails and canapes, a two-course dinner and the awards ceremony, tickets can still be purchased at £80. They can be secured via the events page on the TBA website.

Breeder of the Month Words Howard Wright

Sponsored by

Manufacturers of

BREEDER OF THE MONTH (June 2021)

Using her own judgement when choosing mares or stallions has brought Susan Hearn and her family’s Mascalls Stud in Essex the accolade of being named TBA Breeder of the Month for June for Subjectivist’s victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, which was followed quickly by his half-brother Sir Ron Priestley’s success in the Princess of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.

“I think it is better that way!” she says about her approach to the stud’s buying and mating plans. “There’s no harm in asking other people’s opinions, of course, but I always make up my own mind.”

Hearn, whose sporting promoter husband Barry backs her judgement, describing her as “an overnight success after 30 years”, enjoyed being taken horseracing as a child by her father but did not think about taking up thoroughbred breeding until the mid1980s. “After having a few racehorses, someone suggested we might like a couple of broodmares,” she says. “So, despite knowing nothing about the business, I took it from there. It was a case of learning on the job.”

She clearly learned quickly, breeding the Group 1 Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes winner Urban Fox, £200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes winner Cape Fear and Middle Park Stakes runner-up Red Carpet in a period she describes as “plodding along for quite a few years with moderate broodmares,” before the decision was made to upgrade the stud’s broodmare band.

Among the new intake was Reckoning, a five-year-old who won

BILL SELWYN

MASCALLS STUD

Subjectivist: son of the excellent Reckoning

her first of seven races in training with Jeremy Noseda and reached an official rating of 99. “She seemed to fit the bill,” Hearn says. “I liked her pedigree, being

by Danehill Dancer, a top broodmare sire who crossed well with Galileo, and she also had a bit of black type.”

Reckoning was in foal to Dawn Approach when she made 160,000gns to Hearn’s bid at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2014, and the portents were not too promising when the resulting foal, named Dawn Of Reckoning, failed to set the racecourse on fire in the Mascalls Stud silks. Asked if she felt like giving up on Reckoning at this point, Hearn says: “Certainly not!

The filly was very good-looking for a first foal. She was due to go to the sales but injured herself at the prep stage, so I raced her myself, then gave her away as a polo pony. After the exploits of her half-brothers, I retrieved her and she is now in foal to Bated Breath.”

Those half-brothers are Sir Ron Priestley, described as “a very uncomplicated foal who never gave me

a moment’s worry,” Hearn recalls, and Subjectivist, “a bigger foal with more scope and always a favourite”.

She adds: “In Sir Ron’s case I particularly wanted to use a Galileo stallion and really loved Australia. In Subjectivist’s case I had actually booked the mare into Night Of Thunder but got cold feet for some reason. Darley kindly let me switch to Teofilo, an exceptional stallion who I have always admired.”

With Reckoning’s fourth produce, Alba Rose, the trio sold for a total of 232,000gns as yearlings to owners in Mark Johnston’s yard, where her latest progeny of racing age, a Ulysses filly, is trained.

Hearn explains: “She didn’t reach the value I put on her as a yearling, so I bought her back [at 140,000gns]. In view of what the boys have achieved since, I think I made the right decision.

It was a no-brainer to send her to Mark.

She is now named World Without Love and should be out in the autumn.”

Reckoning’s worth will be tested next in the yearling market by “a very nice yearling colt by Roaring Lion” in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale, while she has a colt foal by Too Darn Hot and is in foal to Ghaiyyath. Their future is assured.

Hearn’s other immediate concern is more intellectual than practical.

Having produced names such as Just Like A Woman, Always On My Mind, Sealed With A Kiss, Halfwaytoparadise and Your Love Is King for Mascalls Stud runners, she explains: “For years I have named most of my racehorses after song titles. It started with Addicted To Love and my latest is Turn Back Time. It certainly is becoming harder every year to find new names though.”

CALPHORMIN

TM

For Optimum SKELETAL DEVELOPMENT & CONFORMATION

INVEST IN THE FUTURE WITH...

Photo Credit: TRM clients Sledmere Stud

www.farmstable.com

THE OWNER BREEDER 77

Vet Forum: The Expert View

Lawsonia intracellularis infection: diagnosis and treatment

L

How is Lawsonia intracellularis infection spread?

Lawsonia intracellularis has been detected in several different species and the source of infection for horses has not yet been determined. Pigs are commonly infected by the bacterium resulting in a similar proliferative enteropathy. Research into the various strains of LI have revealed that the strains infecting pigs differ from those isolated in horses, suggesting pig farms are unlikely to be a source of infection for horses. The same strains from foals have, however, been detected in some species of wildlife and birds.

Rodents are considered a possible reservoir of infection and transmission on farms. Research has shown that once the infection becomes established in the intestinal tract it is transmitted between animals via the ingestion of infected faecal matter. In foals, the shedding of LI bacteria in faeces can persist for between ten and 27 days and the bacteria are able to persist in the environment for between one and two weeks, depending on the environmental conditions.

78 THE OWNER BREEDER

vaccination, deworming, transport or a change in social group, can be more susceptible to developing clinical disease.

Figure 1 Post-mortem picture of thickened small intestine from a weanling with Lawsonia intracellularis infection

What are the clinical signs of equine proliferative enteropathy?

Foals ingest LI and the bacteria becomes established in the small intestine.

The organism enters the cells of the small intestine and results in marked thickening of the intestinal wall (Figure 1). Although it is the small intestine that is predominantly affected, in more severe cases thickening of the large intestine can also occur. The thickening of the intestinal walls reduces the foal’s ability to absorb nutrients and results in protein loss through the damaged intestinal wall.

Clinical signs associated with EPE include lethargy, fever, reduced appetite, diarrhoea, colic and weight loss (Figure 2). Infected foals may also develop peripheral oedema (fluid swellings in the subcutaneous tissues) secondary to the loss of protein occurring through the damaged gut. This oedema is often seen under the jaw, along the bottom of the abdomen and in the limbs (Figure 3).

Earlier in the disease process the signs may be more subtle, with a reduced appetite and mild fever the only indication of infection.

What time of year is Lawsonia intracellularis most commonly seen in the UK? Lawsonia intracellularis infection is seen most commonly in the UK over the winter from August until late February.

Many foals will be able to overcome the infection without treatment but more vulnerable weanlings in the group, particularly those that have undergone additional stressors such as weaning,

How do you diagnose Lawsonia intracellularis infection?

In weanlings with LI infection, bloods often reveal low levels of total protein as a result of protein loss through the leaky, damaged intestines. Abdominal ultrasound can support a diagnosis of LI infection by revealing evidence of thickening of the small intestinal wall (Figure 4). The combination of compatible clinical signs, low total protein concentrations in the blood and consistent abdominal ultrasound changes, is often sufficient to suggest the disease is present. Confirmation of the disease by laboratory testing is recommended as the signs of EPE can resemble those of other gastrointestinal disorders such as parasites, bacterial and viral infections.

There are two laboratory tests that can be used to help confirm LI infection: molecular detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in the faeces, and positive serology. Faeces can be submitted for a test known as a PCR test, which is able to identify the presence of the bacteria’s DNA. This test is often used for diagnosis of sick foals but there are a number of limitations of this test to be aware of. If the foal is no longer shedding the bacteria in the faeces at the time the illness becomes apparent, then the test may be falsely negative.

Results can also be affected if treatment is started before the faecal

Figure 2 Photo showing the weight loss and ill thrift appearance typical of foals with Lawsonia intracellularis infection

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY FLOYD BVSC, DIPACVIM, MRCVS

awsonia intracellularis is a bacterial species that causes the transmissible gastrointestinal disease equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE), often referred to as ‘Lawsonia disease’. This is an age specific equine disease that usually infects horses less than one year of age and which has become more commonly diagnosed over recent years.

Isolated cases of Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) infection may be seen in weanlings on affected studs. Despite only individual weanlings on a stud becoming sick and displaying associated clinical signs, often this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are frequent lowgrade, sub-clinical infections of the other weanlings within an affected group, making this an important consideration for all breeders and foal owners.

Subclinical infection may manifest as failure to thrive or reduced weight gain without the weanlings appearing overtly ill. In one research study yearlings infected with LI sold for up to 60% less than unaffected foals from the same sire due to their smaller stature.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY FLOYD BVSC, DIPACVIM, MRCVS

By Charlotte Easton-Jones MRCVS

Figure 3 Photo showing oedema (fluidy swelling) under the lower jaw in a foal with Lawsonia intracellularis. These swellings result due to the loss of protein through the damaged gut

sample for testing is collected. For this reason, blood is often submitted for serology alongside the faecal PCR test.

Serology is a blood test that identifies the presence of antibodies in the blood.

Antibodies are made in response to the foal’s immune system trying to fight off the infection. A positive serology test therefore confirms recent exposure to Lawsonia intracellularis but not necessarily disease, as the foal may have already fought off the disease.

In sick foals early in the disease process, antibodies may not yet have been made and serology may be negative. The presence of positive serology with consistent clinical findings suggests an active LI infection.

What is the treatment for Lawsonia intracellularis infection?

Many foals can be successfully treated (up to 93% in one research study) with

prompt diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The aims of treatment are to eliminate the bacteria from the intestines and to provide supportive care.

Elimination of the bacteria requires an antibiotic with good penetration into the intestinal cells. The most frequently used are the tetracycline antibiotics such as oxytetracycline and doxycycline.

In severely affected foals, additional supportive care such as intravenous fluid therapy or plasma transfusions may be required to replace the proteins lost through the gut. A small number of foals may not survive LI infection, particularly if there are secondary complications such as intestinal necrosis or peritonitis.

In a group of foals where there are isolated cases, it is often helpful to check total protein concentrations in the blood of other foals to identify any foals that may be sub-clinically affected and not showing overt clinical signs. Foals that recover from the infection can have dramatic weight loss and take time to catch up with the rest of their cohort. It can take several months for the weanling’s small intestine to heal adequately and for the foal to replace the protein lost from the blood. In general, if foals are able to survive this initial infection, they usually do not suffer from any long-term problems.

What can be done to prevent Lawsonia intracellularis infection?

Sick foals should be isolated from other foals while they are undergoing treatment for LI infection until they are no longer shedding the bacteria in their faeces.

Recent research has identified wildlife, such as rodents and birds, as a possible reservoir of infection, therefore it is prudent to keep these species away from foal groups as much as possible.

0.55cm Figure 4 Ultrasound image of a foal with Lawsonia intracellularis infection showing thick-walled small intestine. The intestinal wall in the image measures 5.5mm (denoted by the red line, normal small intestinal wall thickness is < 3mm)

Vaccinations have been used in pigs for the prevention of LI infection. This porcine vaccine has been used in foals both in the USA as well as the UK and Ireland over a number of years with promising results. The vaccine is given via the rectum as an enema to ensure it reaches the intestinal tract Researchers found if the vaccine was given by mouth that the acidic pH of the stomach would destroy the vaccine before it could reach the intestinal tract.

The first dose of the vaccine is often given a month before LI cases were first identified in the previous year. This is followed up with a second vaccination 30 days later. Serology combined with blood testing can be used to help determine which foals require vaccinating. Foals that have a low total protein and positive serology may be subclinical cases that require treatment as opposed to vaccination.

THE

BESPOKE GIFTS

BESPOKE GiFTS FOR OWNERS Want to advertise in the next issue?

. .

WiNNiNG

COLOURS

Deadline for SEPTEMBER issue is: Wednesday 18th August

. . Your Racing . Colours To Life .

Bringing

ads@anderson-co.com • 01380 816777 (UK) 041 971 2000 (IRE) • 1 888 659 2935 (USA)

www.WiNNiNGCOLOURS.co.uk THE OWNER BREEDER 79 IrisUPC

The Finish Line with Lord Grimthorpe When it was announced that Lord ‘Teddy’ Grimthorpe would be standing down as Juddmonte’s Racing Manager after Royal Ascot, it was said that in his 22 years working for Prince Khalid, who had died two months earlier, he had worked with no fewer than 24 European trainers and managed the careers of more than 3,000 horses in training. Between them they had won more than 2,400 races, nearly 100 of them Group 1s, and they included all-time greats Frankel and Enable. He had already stood down as Chairman of York racecourse, but he is certainly not contemplating retirement.

Interview: Graham Dench

I have so many happy memories of my time with Juddmonte that it’s hard to single out my favourites, but Banks Hill winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Belmont was among the earliest of them. Prince Khalid had been a huge supporter of the Breeders’ Cup but he had never had a winner, so when Banks Hill won so impressively it was very special for him. Of course, with her brother Dansili it was also the beginning of the Hasili dynasty, which has been so vital to Juddmonte.

Another early highlight was when Prince Khalid won the French owners’ championship by €182 from the Aga Khan in what I think must have been 2006, the year Rail Link won the Arc. Two great owner-breeders had gone head-to-head throughout the autumn – both of them well aware of the situation – and it went down to the last day of Flat racing, which was an all-weather meeting at Deauville on December 30.

Our runner was balloted out and the Aga Khan needed fifth or better. His two runners came sixth and ninth!

If I’m to be pinned down to just one special day the obvious one has to be York on August 22, 2012 – a date I’ll

80 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

B

y the very nature of the game, 80% of the job involved bad news, even in quite a good year.

I learned a great lesson in my first year with Juddmonte when Bionic was our great hope. She was favourite for the 1,000 Guineas on the strength of a spectacular win in a Goodwood maiden and I remember she absolutely creamed Wince in a piece of work on Racecourse Side. We were really excited, but she fractured a pelvis before the Guineas and never ran again. In her absence Wince stepped up, and her win in the Fred Darling was the first winner of my management. That was a great relief, as we’d had far too many losers, and then of course she went on to win the Guineas.

Banks Hill strikes in the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Belmont Park

never forget. I was Chairman at York at the time and it was a day when so many factors came together perfectly.

Henry [Cecil] insisted on coming, even though he was very frail and Prince Khalid told him he didn’t need to, Frankel was tackling ten furlongs for the first time in the Juddmonte International, and the parade ring was packed from the first race with people waiting to see Frankel, having got up that morning determined to be there.

Frankel delivered spectacularly and it was a huge privilege to be involved.

I’ve always said that pulling on the green and pink strip is like pulling on an England shirt. It gave me enormous pride to be involved with both the people and the horses at Juddmonte, which was a huge collective in which everyone was rooting for each other as we sought to provide top-class horses for Prince Khalid, who was driving it from the front. It was just the same at York, where when you step on the course as Chairman you puff your chest out. There’s such a great ethos running through the whole organisation there too, with everyone endeavouring to deliver top-class prize-money, top-class racing, topclass facilities and so on.

The times I’ve spent on the gallops with some of the world’s greatest

trainers have been some of the happiest of my life – and sitting in the rose garden discussing Frankel with Henry was the stuff of dreams. The racing itself was always the proof of the pudding, and I enjoyed that of course, but seeing young stock developing at Juddmonte was exciting too – all the more so because I’d got to know the families so well, male and female. When you get to the races you don’t get that many surprises, and with Frankel I think it was pretty obvious even when he was a fairly young yearling that he might be something special.

Enable was a little different. She was nice, and she had an elegance about her, but it was Shutter Speed we were more drawn to, thinking she might be the one. It was when Enable won the Cheshire Oaks, having been beaten

by Shutter Speed at Newbury, that we really started to get excited. Enable really wanted it, like all good horses but even more so, and her combination with Frankie [Dettori], which started that day at Chester and remained unbroken, proved very special.

I had 22 fantastic years with Juddmonte but you’ve got to look forward. It’s different for me of course now, not dealing with all of the dayto-day phone calls about the horses, but I’m certainly not going to be idle.

I’ve got a non-horse project on the farm at home in Yorkshire which I want to pursue, and while I’m no longer Chairman at York I’m still on the board.

I also remain Deputy Senior Steward of the Jockey Club. I’m also talking to one other person about setting up a bloodstock enterprise. I worked for the BBA for 22 years and I think there is tremendous potential in what is inevitably a changing landscape following the deaths of Prince Khalid, Sheikh Hamdan and David Thompson.

It’s something of a watershed moment for the bloodstock industry, in Europe in particular.

It pays to buy Irish.

The IRE Incentive scheme is a new initiative from Horse Racing Ireland designed to stimulate and fortify Irish thoroughbred breeding, racing & Sales.

• Series of 150 races in Ireland in 2021 • €10,000 Sales voucher to owner if winner is Irish-bred • To spend on Irish-breds at Irish Sales • Over €400,000 in Vouchers already awarded

Terms & conditions apply For more information visit itm.ie/IRE_Incentive

World Champion

World Champion

The best by Frankel.

The best since Frankel.

Two G1s and three G2s.

The best colt in the Mehmas sire line.

Cracksman

Harry Angel

First yearlings at the sales: they’re by the best.

Darley