19 minute read
TBA Forum
Covid-19 protocol for thoroughbred breeders
The below guidance for the breeding community in Britain was released on March 26
General
1. Only staff who are essential to the care of horses, and who absolutely cannot work from home, should continue to travel to work during the period of these restrictions. 2. The s tandard of care should be focused primarily on upholding the welfare of the horses in their care. Any non-essential activity beyond this must be carefully considered and, where possible, avoided. 3. Studs mus t close to any visitors, other than those that are essential for the welfare of the horses in their care. 4. Staff mus t follow all government advice relating to good hygiene and virus transmission, and carry out prescribed hand washing and sanitising procedures including any surfaces/handles/equipment. 5. Hygiene is vitally important when handling ne w equine arrivals. Staff will use hand wipes, gels, disinfectants to clean any related equipment both before and after handling. 6. Staff must follow all government advice on social distancing at all times. Staff must remain at least two metres apart and avoid gatherings of more than two people, apart from members of their own household. Gatherings of more than two should be avoided except where absolutely essential for horse welfare. In these instances numbers should be limited and social distancing rules must still apply. 7. Contact betw een staff of studs and any essential suppliers must also comply with the government advice on social distancing, with no more than two people present unless they are of the same household. 8. Vet erinary advice by phone and email should be sought on ensuring effective sanitisation and isolation. 9. Local pr ocedures must be recorded and displayed as appropriate and there must be records that staff have been fully trained.
Transport
1. Any appointments must be made in advance of travel (also see item 8.). 2. Associated paperwork must be completed and sent electronically in advance, including passport information and completion of the
COVID-19 transport form. 3. The vehicle used for transport must be disinfected before and after every visit including any handles, the ramp or other areas where stud staff may have had, or will have, contact. 4. Staff travelling in the horsebox must comply with government advice on social distancing (as outlined in item 6 above). 5. Unless there is an emergency or human or animal welfare requirement related to the animal being transported or the driver, it is
The UK breeding industry is still open for business with strict regulations in place
prohibited to stop on the journey. 6. At the destination, the unloading and reloading of the horse must be conducted by the staff at the destination with no contact with the travelling staff. Hygiene precautions must be followed at every stage of this loading process, using robust disinfection processes of the horsebox handles and any equipment, and hand washing. 7. Staff travelling in the horsebox should only exit the horsebox at the location they are visiting to use welfare facilities, using all sanitary precautions. There must be no direct contact with the staff on the site. 8. All these mov ements between premises must be recorded online at: https://horsemovement. weatherbysgsb.co.uk.
Chief Executive Claire Sheppard on how the TBA has responded to the coronavirus pandemic
What has the TBA been working on since the Covid-19 outbreak?
The pandemic has had an unprecedented social and economic impact domestically and globally, and presented complex challenges to the TBA and the breeding and bloodstock industries as it is doing throughout the wider world. Since the beginning of March, the TBA team have become almost solely focused on responding to the crisis. In the short term this has involved responding to immediate questions from our members and ensuring continuity of essential operations for studs during the busiest time of the year.
We have been liaising with specialist advisers, and the UK government, carefully considering the instructions and advice, to ensure that the breeding industry can continue to operate safely in the current environment. The TBA Protocols for Thoroughbred Breeders were developed to ensure that breeders could continue to send mares for coverings and other essential activity whilst adhering to government social distancing guidance. Health and hygiene advice for the workplace and workplace training were also developed to help stud teams remain safe.
Another part of our team’s work has been to ensure that our members are kept regularly updated with developments, and that the government support schemes that may help breeding industry businesses and their people are promoted on our website’s Covid-19 hub and social media channels.
The TBA has also been actively involved in the industry’s Covid-19 working group and representing breeders’ interests at an industry level.
How is the TBA updating the membership?
We have been sending regular email updates to members since Monday, March 16. If you have an email address but haven’t received any notices, we recommend checking junk folders or adding info@thetba.co.uk to your address book. You can also check if we have your email address on record by calling the TBA.
We have also created a Covid-19 hub on the TBA website, which holds all relevant information and documents for the thoroughbred breeding industry, links to useful UK government resources, racing industry information and support services available from Racing Welfare.
Our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) have also been of great help in getting news out to our members during this time. Please search for the TBA and follow our accounts to view our latest updates. For those without internet access, we have sent direct mail, which included the TBA Protocols for Thoroughbred Breeders. However, due to the rapidly changing nature of the Covid-19 outbreak, we are unable to send all updates via mail.
How has Covid-19 affected TBA operations?
For the health of our team and our members, the TBA office in Newmarket is closed for the foreseeable future. We are following government guidelines and most of the team are working from home. Members can contact the team with any queries on 01638 661321 between the hours of 9am–4pm on weekdays or info@thetba.co.uk.
What is happening to TBA events?
The health and safety of our members is of upmost importance. All of our events up to September 30 have been cancelled. Members already booked on to events have been contacted and asked if they would like to keep the booking or prefer a refund. We will assess whether it is possible to re-schedule events at a later date.
Where can I find information on help for employers and the selfemployed?
The TBA website’s Covid-19 hub contains links to a number of official UK government resources that are available to the self-employed and employers. We have also published guidance documents, general information and templates specific to the British thoroughbred breeding industry on both the hub and the Employer Information page in the members’ area of the website.
Is there any other support available for people within the breeding industry at this time?
The Levy Board and Racing Foundation have announced a £22m package of funding support for the industry during this time. The TBA has also worked with other stakeholders on a submission to government for additional support We are all very conscious of acting as quickly as possible to address hardship throughout the sport. The support from industry funders to address the immediate hardship needs is very welcome, however people’s livelihoods are being threatened and there remain major challenges ahead.
Help on a more personal level is available from Racing Welfare, which runs a 24-hour support line service to anyone working in the breeding industry. The Racing Welfare website also offers useful guidance on its hardship fund and application process, as well as information on childcare, benefits, and other services.
What is the Weatherbys Horse Movement System (DEMS)?
The recording of horse movements between premises is something we have been working on with Weatherbys for some time in order to ensure that Britain meets the standards of future EU Animal Health Law. However, thanks to the team at Weatherbys, they have been able to deliver this for use in the current situation, so we have the ability to record and trace all movements. The TBA considered it very important to demonstrate to the government that all possible measures were being put in place. A user guide can be downloaded from the TBA website’s Covid-19 hub.
Brits continue to flourish behind closed doors
GM Hopkins (nearside): still winning aged nine
Whilst racing in the majority of European jurisdictions came to a close one way or another in March, racing continued to play out behind closed doors in other parts of the world. Before the closures in France and Britain, Nature’s Colors and Urban Icon both landed their first stakes successes on the all-weather venues at Deauville and Wolverhampton. Godolphin’s Nature’s Colors, a four-year-old son of the late Poet’s Voice, easily took the Listed Prix Altipan. A day later and the Minster Stud-bred Urban Icon, a son of Cityscape, came out best in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes.
That same day across the Atlantic at Tampa Bay Downs, Outburst put in a gutsy front-running display to take the Grade 3 Florida Oaks. Bred by Rainer Stockli and Manfred Wurtenberger, the three-yearold filly provided her Dalham Hall Studbased sire Outstrip with his first Group or Graded stakes winner.
Twelve months ago GM Hopkins was victorious in the Group 3 Abu Dhabi Championship over 1m3f and the evergreen nine-year-old retained his title under Pat Cosgrave in the middle of the month. The gelding took the spoils by half a length from fellow son of Dubawi, Seniority. The pair were followed home
by Muzdawaj and Zamaam for a Britishbred clean sweep.
Not to be outdone, British-breds have enjoyed a good run in Australia, where racing has continued in all states bar Tasmania. Three entered the winner’s enclosure after stakes success in March. The Juddmonte-bred Imaging set the ball rolling on March 14 in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill. Victory for the entire son of Oasis Dream, who was making his second antipodean start, was his biggest to date.
A week later and the Hesmonds Stud Ltd-bred Aktau, a son of Teofilo, continued his ascent up the Australian ranks with victory in the Listed Mornington Cup. This was a third win in four Australian starts for last August’s Goodwood scorer.
The third and final British-bred winner came in the shape of Cascadian. The Godolphin homebred, a five-year-old son of New Approach, improved off his third to Imaging two weeks earlier to take the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude Handicap at Rosehill.
This year’s Cheltenham Festival will be remembered for a variety of reasons, but one that should stick in the mind is that seven mares entered the hallowed winner’s enclosure across the four days.
NH MOPS WINNERS
Friday, March 6
FFOS LAS
British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle Winner: LEGENDS RYDE Owner: Awtp Racing Partnership Bonus: £5,000
Tuesday, March 10
SEDGEFIELD
Willie Thompson 60th Birthday Celebration Mares' Novices' Hurdle Winner: RED REMINDER Owner: Mrs H N Eubank Bonus: £10,000
Tuesday, March 10
CHELTENHAM
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (registered as the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) Winner: HONEYSUCKLE Owner: Kenneth Alexander Bonus: £10,000
Saturday, March 14
NEWCASTLE
Sports Betting At betuk.com Mares' Novices' Hurdle Winner: STAINSBY GIRL Owner: Alistair Duncan Bonus: £5,000
Amongst them was Honeysuckle, who stretched her unbeaten record to eight under Rules and nine in total. Bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy and a daughter of the late Yorton Stud-based Sulamani, the sixyear-old fended off the attentions of the odds-on favourite Benie Des Dieux in the Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.
30-day foal notification remains in place
It is essential that breeders/owners remember to notify the General Stud Book (Weatherbys) of a foal’s birth when it is bred for racing in Great Britain, and its whereabouts within 30 days of its birth (day one being the date of birth). Notification is FREE and should be done through the online portal: www.weatherbysgsb.co.uk.
The foal notification provides the key to timely traceability of horses at all stages of their lives, to strengthen and further demonstrate the industry’s absolute commitment to the highest possible welfare standards. Effective systems to provide traceability are rightly seen as instrumental in dealing with disease risks and in maintaining high standards of health and welfare.
Please be aware that 30-day foal notification is different from foal registration, this must still be completed with the General Stud Book in accordance with the legislative requirements and any other Rules of Racing.
Breeders can check whether a foal has been successfully notified by using the following link: https://selim. britishhorseracing.com/potro/.
BREEDER IN FOCUS – Henry Cole
Losing last month’s Randox Health Grand National in the Covid-19 lockdown had many consequences. One of the more unusual was missing the chance properly to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fi nal race of a mare whose grandson won a Grade 3 chase in February.
This longstanding link between Dubacilla, who ran fourth to Royal Athlete in the 1995 National, and this year’s Kempton winner Mister Malarky goes back a further 15 years, to the day that Somerset-based Henry Cole bought his foundation mare. Forty years on, he is trying to give up horses, although with some reluctance behind his endeavour.
“I’ve already gone ten years beyond with the horses,” he confi des. “I said I wouldn’t keep any more after I was 70, but I’ll be 80 in October this year. I’ve only been a small breeder, because I was a dairy farmer all my life, and carrying on in a small way has been my passion, and we’ve had great fun with it.”
Cole’s recollection of the start of what he describes as “a good hobby” remains crystal clear. “I’ve had this family for over 40 years,” he recalls, “ever since I went to Newmarket in late-October 1979 and
bought Lot 1 at the fi ve-day sale for 1,200gns, a yearling fi lly by the American stallion Ascertain out of Princess Camilla, a very good staying mare in her day, who ran in two of Red Rum’s Grand Nationals and won the Warwick National.
“I named her Just Camilla. She never ran, but from her came Just So and Dubacilla, and so on down to Priscilla and Chilla Cilla and Drucilla today.
“They’ve been great fun. I won the Dudgeon Cup for broodmare of the year at the TBA awards 25 years ago, and the TBA Breeder of the Month last year. Not bad for a small breeder.”
Just So, who began his career in pointto-points, and Dubacilla, who took the more traditional route of a bumper debut followed by three runs over hurdles, were staying chasers in the mould of Princess Camilla. Cole trained both under permit before sending Dubacilla to make the most of “the best facilities for the best mare in the country” at David Nicholson’s for her fi nal season.
The pair ran a total of 64 times under rules; Just So won three times and was placed on ten occasions, while Dubacilla won nine races and was placed seven times, but both ran the races of their lives in defeat.
Just So, a strong-fi nishing sixth in the 1992 Grand National, fought Miinnehoma to the line at Aintree two years later and was beaten only a length and a quarter, 20 lengths clear of the third horse, while Dubacilla looked a real threat turning for home in the 1995 Cheltenham Gold Cup but had to give best to Master Oats, before she fi nished fourth to Royal Athlete in the National on her fi nal outing.
“Just So and Dubacilla paid off the mortgage,” Cole says, pointing out that in the latter years of Dubacilla’s racing career she was plagued with foot trouble. “Anyway, she did us proud and her progeny keep throwing up a good one, right down to Desert Queen, who won two Listed mares’ chases, and Mister Malarky.”
Desert Queen and Mister Malarky are out of Dubacilla’s daughter Priscilla, a Teenoso mare who produced Chilla Cilla and Hameldown Tor, in his time the best point-to-pointer in the West Country.
Cole relates: “Priscilla was a damn good mare but unlucky. She would have
Mister Malarky is the latest in a long line of winners bred by Henry Cole (inset)
won a novices’ handicap chase at Taunton in January 2006 but for pecking badly at the last and unseating her rider.”
Priscilla died in 2015 but the legacy lives on through Cole’s broodmare duo of her daughters Chilla Cilla, dam of the three-time chase winner, Midnight Chill, whom Cole sold for £31,000 at the DBS May sale as a three-year-old in 2015, and Drucilla, whose fi rst foal, a two-year-old Clovis Du Berlais fi lly, will go to auction next year.
Cole says: “I’ve got a nice Kayf Tara three-year-old gelding out of Chilla Cilla, who’s very correct and will go to the store sales when he can. He’s with James Read at Wincanton at the moment. It’s best to send them away because you want to get them off their home ground, so they see something fresh.
“And then there’s Drucilla, a beautiful mare who has been bred to Affi nisea, a young sire by Sea The Stars and a threeparts brother to Soldier Of Fortune. I’ll have her covered again.”
So, the immediate future appears sorted, which tends to give the lie to Cole’s hope for full retirement.
“I can’t lunge the horses now, because I get giddy, but doing them in the morning and putting them on the walker in the winter keeps me fi t,” he says.
“I’m still into the breeding part, studying pedigrees and following the stallions coming through. It’s my passion, and the fi ve or six horses here, including the couple of mares, keep me interested. You could keep going until you’re a hundred, couldn’t you!”
Words Hyperion Promotions Ltd
Sponsored by Manufacturers of
BREEDER OF THE MONTH – MARCH
RICHARD KELVIN HUGHES
Sport is often about fi ne margins. That was certainly the case at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, both with the decision to stage the meeting in the face of the escalating coronavirus pandemic to the racing itself that produced numerous close fi nishes.
After failing to get on the scoresheet last season, there was some relief among British breeders on the opening day when Honeysuckle ensured there would be no repeat by coming out on top of a titanic tussle with Benie Des Dieux in the Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
Dr Geo rey Guy and his joint-owners of The Glanvilles Stud, Doug and Lucy Procter, are the breeders of the undefeated daughter of former Yorton Stud resident Sulamani. The Dorsetbased stud has already collected a Breeder of the Month award this season for the exploits of Honeysuckle and Sam Spinner in December and was therefore not eligible for the March award.
Two days later in the closest fi nish of the week, the shortest of margins denied Melon victory in the Marsh Novices’ Chase with the Irish-bred Samcro prevailing by a whisker. The Newsells Park-bred Melon now possesses the frustrating distinction of fi nishing runner-up in four Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham Festival.
Frustration and disappointment, mixed with an enormous amount of pride, must surely have been among the emotions experienced by Richard Kelvin Hughes in the immediate aftermath of the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. His homebred Santini had come within a fast
Santini: fi ne second in the Gold Cup
GEORGE SELWYN
diminishing neck of fulfi lling a long-held ambition to breed the winner of jump racing’s blue riband event with his fi rst ever runner in the race.
The steady early pace in a contest more often run at a blistering gallop had counted against the strong fi nishing Santini, who was in front of the winner Al Boum Photo 20 yards after the winning post.
Like Melon, Santini has become a Festival specialist without actually winning. His Gold Cup near miss follows a narrow defeat by Topofthegame in last year’s RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and a third place in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2018.
The eight-year-old was having only his sixth race over fences in the Gold Cup and has an excellent chance of going one better next year when his main opposition could come from one of his stablemates at Seven Barrows in the shape of the Irish-bred Champ.
Santini is out of the Sleeping Car mare Tinagoodnight, a winner on the Flat at Clairefontaine before her private sale to Kelvin Hughes, who put her into training with Nicky Henderson.
After easily winning a juvenile hurdle at Kempton, signs of temperament were on show when she next appeared on the racecourse, being reluctant to go to post and then refusing to jump o with her rivals.
She was retired to Trull House Stud soon afterwards and her fi rst covering by Midnight Legend resulted in the very smart Dusky Legend, a three-time winner and twice placed in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, a race sponsored by her breeder.
She is also the dam of Rockpoint (by Shirocco) who seems to have inherited her ability and perhaps some of her temperament as his record includes a Grade 2 win over hurdles at Cheltenham and a refusal to race on his most recent start.
There have been no such alarms with Santini, the outcome of Tinagoodnight’s mating with the St Leger winner Milan. He has never been out of the fi rst three in ten starts under Rules, his six victories including the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree and the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January.
Kelvin Hughes’ Trull House Stud dispersed some of its stock at Go s UK in 2018. Tinagoodnight was retained as was My Petra, whose three-year-old colt by Kayf Tara is being primed as a jumping sire by his ambitious breeder.
The broodmare band is now stabled at Little Lodge Farm in Worcestershire under the care of Robert and Jackie Chugg.
CALPHORMIN TM
For Optimum SKELETAL DEVELOPMENT & CONFORMATION
FOOTPAD
TRAINED BY TRM CUSTOMER
WILLIE MULLINS
