Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder

Oct_146_Cover3_OwnerBreeder 22/09/2016 15:28 Page 1

Incorporating

£4.95 | October 2016 | Issue 146

The final look Wildenstein dispersal offers buyers a unique opportunity at Goffs

Plus • Richard Hannon’s strategy shift in quest for quality • Tattersalls celebrates 250 years of sale-ring drama • Jason Maguire acclimatising to life out of the saddle

10

9 771745 435006

www.ownerbreeder.co.uk

34430_PrideOfDubai_TBOB_Oct'16.qxp_34430_PrideOfDubai_TBOB_Oct'16 19/09/2016 13:13 Page 1

Speed Genes Invincible Spirit and his half-brother Kodiac are two of Europe’s most popular sires of 2-year-olds. Invincible Spirit failed to win a Group 1 until he was a 5-year-old while Kodiac never made the placings at that level.

Their close relative Pride of Dubai, the fastest son of champion sire Street Cry, won two of Australia’s three Group 1’s for juveniles over six and seven furlongs.

In fact he became the first horse in history to record the Blue Diamond Stakes/Sires’ Produce double.

__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ _____ STREET CRY (IRE) PRIDE OF DUBAI (A (2012) US)

MACHIAV ELLIAN

HELEN ST REET

AL ANOO D (AUS) (2003)

DANEHILL

MR PROS PECTOR COUP DE FOLIE TROY WATERW AY DANZIG RAZYAN A ARTAIU

PRIDE OF S ELJAZZI DUBAI (A $1 ,3 36 ,1 US) BORDER placed tw 00 viz Blue Diam on (c by St reet Cry BOUNTY ice inc luding (IRE)), won d St ak es, Caulf second in 2 races at Blue Diam ield, Gr.1 and Sire 1st Dam ond Prelude s' Produc e 2 years in Aust ra lia (c &g), Caulf St ak es, Ra Al Anood. ndw ick , Grand ield, Gr.3 inc luding th (AUS) (f by Dane . .1, dam of th ird in Dequet teville hill), won 2 races ree at St PRIDE OFwinners inc ludingak es, M orphet tv ille, 2 and 3 years in Au L.; st ralia and ENAAD (A DUBAI (AUS) (c placed 4 tim . by St reet US) (c . by es Cry), se Grey vil High AL ANEE le, Gr.2 and SA BC Chaparral), won e abov e.

4 D (A Go races in So St ak es, Ca US) (c . by M ore ld Vase, Grey ville, Gr ut h Af ric a Th ulf ield, L., inc . Elan placed secoan Ready), won 3.3.

Gold Cup, 2nd Dam races in Au nd in Gold Coast Guine st ralia inc ELJA ZZI (f. . D' Urban as , Gold Coas Gothic PITCAIRN by Artaius), won t, Gr .3. dam of te (m ult iple Group w 1 race at 2 years nw and inn RAFHA (f inners inc luding- er and Cham pion sir placed tw ice from e); only 4 st ar by ts (half -sist Hill St ak es Kris), 5 races at 2 er to St ak es, Ep , Donc aster, Gr.3 and 3 years inc . Pr INVINCIBsom , L.; dam of : , Oaks Trial St ak es ix de Diane Herm es , Lingf ield LE SPIRIT , Chantilly, Park , L. an Gr Gr.1, (IRE) d Princ ess .1, M ay SADIAN Duke of York St ak es(c by Green Desert Elizabeth (GB) (c

by Shirley , York , Gr.3, Bolan), 7 races inc . Sprin Orm onde d t He St Cu S. ights), 7 ak es, Curra , Chester, p, Haydoc ACTS OF race Gr k gh MASSARRGRACE (USA) (f .3, placed third in Ges inc . John Porte, Gr.3; leading sire.Park , by r S. A of second in (GB) (f by DanehilBahri), w on Princ es frey Freer S. , New bu, New bury , Gr.3 s , l), ry , Gr Roya 3 races inc Cape Cros Prix Robert Papin, . Em press l St ak es, Ascot, Gr .2. .3.

St ak es, Ne Gran Crite s), Champion 2y M aisons-Laffitte, Gr w r riu m ol .2 m ar d , ; ke filly in It M ilan, Gr.1 dam of NA t, L., place Flash St ak aly , YA d Sprint St akes, Leopardstow n, WONDERFULLY in 2011, 1 race at RRA (IRE) (f by Palac e St akes, Naas, L., Mar Gr.3, CUFF (IRE)(IRE) (f by Galileo) 2 years viz Prem io , s es 2 (f (IR , ra by Ascot, Gr ces inc . Si 2 races inc .1; grandaE) (c by Galileo), 1 Galileo), 2 races inc lver . Derby Kodiac (G m ra B) (c by DaTrial St ak es, Lingf of KILIMANJAROce, placed third in . Naas Juv. ield St Jam es' Ne ne (IRE) (g by CHIANG w bury , Gr.3; leadinhill), 4 races and £1Pk , L. Hi gh Chapar s MAI g sir 01 ,7 21 , pla ral), Leopardsto (IRE) (f by Sadle e. ced second in Hack w oo CHINESE w n, L., placed secor' s W ells), 4 races d St ak es, Blandf ord nd in Prix WHITE (IR S. , Jean Blandf ord E) S. , Curra (f by Dalak hani) de Chaudenay, SaCurragh, Gr.3, Ey re Ta Franky Futtersalls Gold Cup, gh, Gr.2, Danc e , 7 races inc . Pret int -Cloud, Gr.2; da field S. , ty Po Design S. m of Al Anood rbo (IRE) (c by SuCurragh, Gr.1. , Curragh, lly S. , Curragh, Gr: Gr.3, pla Chamela (AUS) (f by Dane av e Danc er), 3 race ced third .1, hill), see ab s, third in in Fayfa (IR Bay (IRE) (f by Sa ov Pr e. ix de Conde, Lo E) dle ngcham p, New bury , (f by Slip Anchor), r' s W ells), 1 race, pla Gr.3.

L. from on 1 HILLFA (A ly 6 st arts race at 2 years anced second in Diam ; da U ond d placed se of WALKS) (f by Danehill), 2 m of : cond in Fil S. , Curragh, L. races in Au WITH AT lies Trial St Desirab TI st ak es, Love Jeddle Plat e, Flem ingtoTUDE (AUS) (f ralia inc . Desirable H.

by Husson n, L. , Flem ingto ah (AUS) et M ariby rnon n, L.; dam ), 2 race (f by Dane s g hil in Pl l), at e, Flem ing Impulsiv Aust ralia 1 race at e Dr inc .

3 years in to Aust ralia an St ak es, Ea eam (AUS) (f by n, Gr.2.

Encost a gle Farm d placed se SHE' S ALLU cond in RING (A US, Gr.2, third in Ch de Lago), 1 race, pla am Ro ) (f ce W osait a (Gck ), 3 races and pla by Lure), 2 races;pagne Classic , Doom d second in Sires' Produc e ced da B) be WHAZZIS(f by Generous), pla third in Cham pagnm of Fast And Se n, Gr.2. e ce (G St d ak B) on es ce (f by Dese , Randw ickxy (AUS) (f by Fa WHAZZAT at 3 years; rt st net , Pr Gr da (GB) (f by inc e), 3 ra m of : .1.

El Jazirah ces inc Dayla (GB) MOUNT (f by Kris),; dam ofm i), 2 races at 2 ye . Prem io Sergio Cu ELBRUS m ani, M ila ars inc . Ch : n, Gr (GB) (f by esham St ak dam of LA Ba es, Ascot, .3.

L., Strobi VA FLOW (IRE) rathea), 3 races L. Gran Crite lus (GB) (g by M(f by Dalak hani), 2 inc . Prix Petit e Et oil ra riu ar e, ce k m Sa s of Esteem ,M FRINGE (G ), 2 races inc . Prix de la Seine int -Cloud, L.; B) (f by In ilan, Gr.1. at 2 years , Lo Th M asterc ra and place ngcham p, ftsm an), 5 e W ings), 1 race; d second dam of M races inc in Prix D ASTER

• AUSTRALIA • CAMELOT • CANFORD CLIFFS • DYLAN THOMAS • EXCELEBRATION • FASTNET ROCK • FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND • GALILEO • GLENEAGLES • HENRYTHENAVIGATOR • • HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR • IVAWOOD • KINGSTON HILL • MASTERCRAFTSMAN • MOST IMPROVED • NO NAY NEVER • POUR MOI • POWER • • REQUINTO • ROCK OF GIBRALTAR • RULER OF THE WORLD • STARSPANGLEDBANNER • WAR COMMAND • ZOFFANY •

34430_PrideOfDubai_TBOB_Oct'16.qxp_34430_PrideOfDubai_TBOB_Oct'16 19/09/2016 13:13 Page 2

At 2: 1st Sires’ Produce Stakes-Gr.1, Randwick, 7f.

1st Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr.1, Caulfield, 6f.

2nd Blue Diamond Prelude-Gr.3, Caulfield, 5½f.

FO NE R2 W 017

At 3: Suffered a career-ending injury on his only start

PRIDE OF DUBAI

Contact: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Tel: 353-52-6131298. Fax: 353-52-6131382. Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Tim Corballis, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Mathieu Legars or Jason Walsh. Tom Gaffney, David Magnier, Joe Hernon or Cathal Murphy: 353-25-31966/31689. Kevin Buckley (UK Rep.) 44-7827-795156.

E-mail: sales@coolmore.ie Web site: www.coolmore.com All stallions nominated to EBF.

Red Mills OB Oct 2016_Red Mills OB Oct 2016 20/09/2016 09:45 Page 1

Oct_146_Editors_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 16:41 Page 3

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR Publisher: Michael Harris Editor: Edward Rosenthal Bloodstock Editor: Emma Berry Designed by: Thoroughbred Group Editorial: First Floor, 75 High Holborn, London WC1V 6LS Tel: 020 7152 0209 Fax: 020 7152 0213 editor@ownerbreeder.co.uk www.ownerbreeder.co.uk @OwnerBreeder Advertising: Giles Anderson Tel: 01380 816 777 USA: 1 888 218 4430 Fax: 01380 816 778 advertise@anderson-co.com Subscriptions: Keely Brewer Tel: 020 7152 0212 Fax: 020 7152 0213 subscriptions@ownerbreeder.co.uk Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder incorporating Pacemaker can be purchased by non-members at the following rates: 1 Year 2 Year UK £55 £90 Europe £66 £105 RoW £99 £154 Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder incorporating Pacemaker 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 ABC Audited Our proven average monthly circulation is certified by the Audit Bureau of Circulation at 9,500* *Based on the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 Racehorse Owners Association Ltd First Floor, 75 High Holborn, London WC1V 6LS Tel: 020 7152 0200 Fax: 020 7152 0213 info@roa.co.uk www.roa.co.uk 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

Incorporating

£4.95 | October 2016 | Issue 146

The final look Wildenstein dispersal offers buyers a unique opportunity at Goffs

Plus • Richard Hannon’s strategy shift in quest for quality • Tattersalls celebrates 250 years of sale-ring drama • Jason Maguire acclimatising to life out of the saddle

10

9 771745 435006

www.ownerbreeder.co.uk

Cover: The Wildenstein silks sported by Anthony Crastus at Clairefontaine racecourse Photo: George Selwyn

Follow us on... @OwnerBreeder

EDWARD ROSENTHAL

Classic bloodlines on sale at Wildenstein dispersal

T

he Wildenstein silks fall into the category of ‘iconic’ and bring to mind any number of topclass runners, depending on your age group.

Peintre Celebre’s breath-taking Arc win and Westerner’s Gold Cup triumph at York stand out for me but others will no doubt recall the names of Allez France, Sagace and All Along to name but three.

Breeding operations that produce top-class runners season after season represent the pinnacle of achievement in our sport, involving years, often decades, of wise investment and diligent decision making, not to mention careful culling. It is why Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms and the Aga Khan Studs, for example, are so admired today.

The families nurtured by these breeders tell the story of the thoroughbred through the generations, as Chris McGrath’s superb article on the Wildenstein family explains (pages 52-56). Blue hen producers rarely come on the open market, yet that will change at Goffs’ November Sale when the Wildenstein mares are to be sold. It is, unquestionably, a unique opportunity for breeders worldwide to buy into some illustrious bloodlines.

Of course, deep pockets will be required to snag any of the stars on show, such as Classic heroine Beauty Parlour.

However as Richard Hannon jnr puts it in this month’s Big Interview, “some people don’t mind spending quarter of a million on a racehorse.” (Beauty Parlour will likely make upwards of ten times that amount when she goes through the ring – Chicquita was bought for €6 million at Goffs in 2013).

Hannon inherited his training operation from his father, also Richard, in 2014 and junior has carried on where senior left off. A winners tally in three figures for the season hints that all is fine and dandy down in Wiltshire yet the lack of a genuine Group 1 performer and a blank Royal Ascot in June tell Hannon that there is room for improvement.

“You can’t moan when you’ve had 140 winners but

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

it hasn’t been as good as when we had the stars in the last two seasons,” Hannon explains to Julian Muscat (The Big Interview, pages 40-44).

“I inherited Sky Lantern, Olympic Glory, Toronado – I mean, I had 28 Group winners in my first year, which was unbelievable. It just shows how many good horses we had, and on top of them we had some good two-year-olds, too, like Tiggy Wiggy and Gutaifan. But

by God, you miss them when they’re not there.

“We were also disappointed not to have had a winner at Royal Ascot. I’m sure people noticed but noone said anything to me. It’s so important to have winners there but we didn’t have a star horse this year.

“I trained two Royal Ascot winners in my first year and two in my second. My first ever runner was Toronado and he won the Queen Anne, the first race on the first day. I’d only been in the racecourse ten minutes and the monkey was already off my back.”

The Hannon operation has become synonymous with twoyear-old success, quick off the blocks in the early part of the season and bagging juvenile contests left, right and centre.

Staying horses and Classic runners have been fewer in number – and this is something Hannon is keen to remedy.

“We are getting a better class of animal now and some of them want a trip,” he continues. “These horses take a little bit longer. People have probably noticed we hardly have any smash-and-grab two-year-olds that go out blistering away in March, April and May, after which they are finished.

“We have a lot of nice, seven-furlong two-year-olds for the backend. We used to have a choice of 20 horses for all those maiden auction races [for inexpensivelybought yearlings]. Now we only have three or four that are qualified to run.”

If Hannon is searching for future Group 1 winners, perhaps he can persuade some of his wealthier owners to take a trip to Ireland for the Wildenstein dispersal.

They won’t be disappointed.

“Deep pockets will be required to snag any of the stars on show such as Beauty Parlour

”

3

Oct_146_Contents_Contents 22/09/2016 16:45 Page 4

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2016

52

40

NEWS & VIEWS

28

Tony Morris

30

Howard Wright

Phar Lap by far the best

7

ROA Leader

9

TBA Leader Time to support stayers

INTERNATIONAL SCENE

10

News

32

View From Ireland

12

Changes

34

Continental Tales

37

Around The Globe

All-weather concerns

ITV’s racing schedule revealed

Your news in a nutshell

Harbour Law pounces late under George Baker to land the St Leger for Laura Mongan’s Epsom stable

4

Name changes spell trouble

Racecourse improvements

Helder Pereira puts Portugal on map

Brilliant fillies to the fore

Oct_146_Contents_Contents 22/09/2016 16:40 Page 5

46

58

FEATURES

FORUM

16

The Big Picture

82

The Thoroughbred Club

24

From The Archives

84

ROA Forum

40

The Big Interview

98

TBA Forum

104

Breeder of the Month

108

Vet Forum

46 52

From Doncaster and Leopardstown

Urban Sea’s Arc victory

With trainer Richard Hannon

Talking To...

Former jockey Jason Maguire

Wildenstein dispersal Famous families under the hammer

58

Tattersalls turns 250

68

Sales Circuit

79

Caulfield Files

112

Dr Statz

120

24 Hours With...

History of the famous sales house

Careers Course agenda

Tickets for the ROA Awards on sale

Peter Mendham’s taxation advice

Humor tops US sires

Bloodstock agent Amanda Skiffington

Pelvic fractures: why do they occur?

DATA BOOK

114

European Pattern

118

Stallion Statistics

Dark Angel yearlings flying at Goffs

Flintshire dazzles for Dansili

Meon Valley Stud

Latest Group winners

Sir Prancealot dances clear

Our monthly circulation is certified at

9,500 Can other magazines prove theirs?

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

5

RED

C H E V E L E Y PA R K S T U D Y E A R L I N G S S E L L I N G AT

TAT T E R S A L L S O C T O B E R S A L E S B OOK 1 22

B.c. DALAKHANI

ex Echelon (Danehill) • An full-brother to dual Gr.1 winner Integral • Dam a Champion Gr.1 winner

107 B.c. INTELLO ex

Hooray (Invincible Spirit) • Dam a Gr.1 winning Champion 2yo Filly • 2nd dam Stakes winning half sister to 3 other Stakes winners

212 B.c. MAYSON ex Moonglow (Nayef) • Second foal of a half sister to Gr.1 winner and sire Medicean and to Gr.1 producing dam Moon Goddess

• 2nd dam was Joint Champion 2yr old filly in England 278 B.c. AL KAZEEM ex Resort (Oasis Dream) • A half brother to 2 winners from 2 runners • 2nd dam a Gr.1 winning dam of 3 Stakes horses including dual Gr.2 winner Byron 338 Ch.c. INTELLO ex Spacious (Nayef)

• Half brother to 2016 2yo winner Spatial 485 Ch.c. DUTCH ART ex Barynya (Pivotal)

ex Nannina (Medicean) • Dam a dual Gr.1 winner of Fillies’ Mile Stakes and Coronation Stakes • Half brother to 3 winners

• Full brother to 2016 Gr.3 winner and Gr.2-placed Zonderland • Dam full-sister to dams of Spangled and Marenko

244 Ch.c. FRANKEL ex Peeress (Pivotal)

• A half brother to a Stakes winner

• Dam a Gr.1 winner and Gr.1 placed 4 times

• Dam a Group winner and Classic placed sister to Gr.2 winner Dimension

224 B.c. NEW APPROACH

• Dam a dual Gr.1 winner and Classic placed

274 B.c. INTELLO ex Red Bloom (Selkirk)

514 B.c. DUBAWI ex Canda (Storm Cat) • Half brother to Gr.3 winner and sire Evasive • Dam out of a Champion filly, from the family of Kingmambo

S TA L L I O N S F O R 2 0 1 7 :

DUTCH

ART :: GARSWOOD :: KYLLACHY :: LETHAL

M AYS O N : : M E D I C E A N : : P I V O TA L : : T W I L I G H T

FORCE

SON (NEW FOR 2017)

Cheveley Park Stud Duchess Drive, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 9DD Tel: (01638) 730316 • Fax: (01638) 730868 • enquiries@cheveleypark.co.uk • www.cheveleypark.co.uk

Cheveley_Owner_October_2016v2.indd 6

22/09/2016 14:19

Oct_146_ROA_Leader_Layout 1 22/09/2016 15:56 Page 7

ROA LEADER

NICHOLAS COOPER President Racehorse Owners Association

All-weather expansion shows no sign of let up Lower-tier turf fixtures vulnerable as tracks put profit before tradition

A

ll-weather racing in Great Britain has increased to such an extent since its inception at Lingfield in 1989 that in 2017 nearly 22% of the fixture list – about 25% of all races run – will be on an artificial surface.

Racing on the all-weather has moved from being a desirable development for our industry to an essential part of the race programme. Originally set up to ensure there was an unbroken run of racing fixtures during the winter months when racing was either frozen or rained off, it is now very much part of the furniture of British horseracing.

The real increase in all-weather racing began in October 2006 with the introduction of 40 so-called ‘twilight’ Flat fixtures to be run under floodlights in October, November and December. They were put on primarily for the betting industry and now around 100 of these fixtures are staged from September to mid-April.

The controversial digging up of Newcastle’s cherished turf to create an all-weather track heralded Britain’s sixth allweather track, the fifth owned by Arena Racing Company (ARC). It seems distinctly possible Catterick will soon be following suit.

The arguments for racing on an artificial surface are well-rehearsed and irrefutable. All-weather provides an immense number of running opportunities for owners and drives horseracing betting turnover, particularly at times when there is little or no racing on turf. It creates the means for racecourses to earn millions of pounds (primarily ARC) in media rights income and therefore plays a pivotal role in keeping the industry going, its workforce employed and the betting public engaged.

More often than not the all-weather racing fare is played out in front of near-empty stands, with moderate horses running for prize-money that sometimes does not allow the horsemen involved even to meet their direct costs.

But this is not to belittle the attempts to inject quality into the all-weather programme, most notably Good

Friday’s All-Weather Championships, which, by any measure, has been a success. Neither to bemoan Newcastle’s first all-weather running of the Northumberland Plate which, it has to be said, attracted a great field and a fine spectacle watched by a big crowd.

Yet, for all this, there remains a lingering concern about all-weather racing in this country – not so much about the product but about its rapid growth.

Once artificial tracks have been built, they are easier and cheaper to maintain than turf courses and provide a racing surface that is virtually inexhaustible. Against this background, market forces will continue to exert a constant pressure to expand the all-weather programme, quite possibly to the point where the number of fixtures will be challenging those of turf racing – and therefore at the expense of turf racing.

To some, this may not matter; just a few might actually welcome it. But I believe there is a hard core of racing fans, owners and professionals who find this a worrying prospect, not because they do not recognise the huge benefits brought by all-weather, but because British racing is and always will be fundamentally about racing on turf.

Newcastle has already shown that fixtures once destined for the turf can end up as all-weather fixtures and it is not difficult to see this trend developing, especially as racecourses believe they are on firm ground over their ownership of fixtures. To date, jump racing has remained virtually unaffected and it has to be hoped that no racecourse would ever challenge the BHA’s rule that prevents a jump fixture being converted into a Flat fixture.

The big festival meetings are the important punctuation marks in the racing calendar and one can be fairly sure they will always remain safe against this encroaching tide.

Not so the numerous lower-to-middle rung Flat turf meetings, which look increasingly vulnerable as allweather fixtures continue to proliferate and the horse population inevitably gravitates towards them.

“Once artificial

tracks have been built, they are easier and cheaper to maintain than turf courses

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

”

7

Oct_146_TBA_Leader2_TBA 22/09/2016 13:47 Page 9

TBA LEADER

JULIAN RICHMOND-WATSON Chairman Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Enhancing the appeal of stayers and fillies is vital Owners and breeders need promise of suitable rewards for their patience

I

t is that time of year when the many thoroughbred sales dominate breeders’ lives, and those few precious seconds in the auction ring decide the success, or disappointment, of many years of planning.

The debate about the faster, more precocious two-yearold versus the slower-maturing stayer is topical, and one that many of us wish to address. Whatever the pros and cons, though, it is certainly wrong to blame commercial breeders, who are supplying a demand-led market, for using sprinter stallions and speedy mares to produce earlymaturing two-year-olds.

With the percentage of horses heading into the market higher than ever, those market forces are bound to dictate.

If we wish to see that situation change, there must be a long-term strategy to support the slowermaturing stayer.

It is now two years since the TBA produced its Stayers Report, which first highlighted the problem and illustrated the alarming decline in the number and quality of horses bred or able to populate a part of the race programme that contributes so significantly to the variety in British racing. I am delighted to say that both the BHA and the European Pattern Committee have taken the issue on board and are looking creatively at supporting and nurturing a programme for these horses.

As part of the process, the BHA recently canvassed opinions on the stayers’ programme and asked how any deficiencies should be addressed. The findings will be debated and acted upon wherever and whenever practical.

Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of respondents felt that programming further suitable opportunities for staying horses, especially high-profile ones, would influence their decision either to breed or own a horse who was likely to develop into a stayer.

There cannot be any quick solutions to a trend that has been evident for years, and initiatives are to be welcomed.

What’s more, we should not be frightened if some of the ideas fail. Better to try and fail than not to try at all.

Straight-line achievement will be impossible, and progress is bound to have its ups and downs, but for the sake of racing’s future and the diversity of the thoroughbred, we must persevere with the challenge.

The extra cost and time involved in delivering a slowermaturing horse to be competitive at the races is considerable, and breeders and buyers will have to be persuaded that suitable rewards are available at the other end, and that their patience is worthwhile. So it is up to racecourses and those in charge of the racing programme to continue to create a variety of worthwhile opportunities, with appropriate conditions.

As events unfold, longer-distance races are exciting to watch – witness last month’s St Leger, in which Harbour Law came out best of a three-way photo-finish – a British-bred, who was unsold at 24,000gns as a yearling and changed hands for £30,000 as a two-year-old, leading home four Irish-breds!

Stayers often last longer and have a higher resale value than those that run over shorter distances, so I would urge everyone to work hard to preserve and enhance the variety that makes British racing such a fascinating spectacle.

It is always rewarding when initiatives such as the TBA’s Stayers Report are embraced by others. The same can be said of our joint review with the BHA into opportunities for racing fillies and mares, in which many misconceptions were exposed.

Our campaign #thisfillycan is aimed at showing potential purchasers just how much fillies can achieve and what opportunities there are for them. I hope that everyone going to the sales is now aware of the possibilities offered by buying a filly, often priced more competitively than a colt, not only from the tailored race programme but also the resale value which a filly offers.

Good luck to vendors and buyers alike, and let’s hope that by the time your yearling is racing we have a replacement levy system in place.

“For the sake of racing’s future and the diversity of the thoroughbred we must persevere with the challenge

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

”

9

Oct_146_News_Owner 22/09/2016 15:42 Page 10

NEWS Stories from the racing world

Craven meeting returns to the limelight ITV4 will show two days of the Newmarket fixture as 2017 schedule is revealed The Craven Stakes, won this year by Stormy Antarctic, has received the backing of ITV, as has broadcaster Matt Chapman (inset)

T

he Craven meeting at Newmarket is to make a very welcome return to free-toair television after ITV released further details of their 2017 coverage.

The broadcaster’s four-year contract kicks in from January 1 and there will be 40 days of racing on the main ITV channel.

Racing’s new partner had already committed to a minimum 34 days’ racing on ITV, and among the additional days will be the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket – only the 2,000 Guineas was originally guaranteed main channel coverage.

Perhaps the best news of all concerned the Rowley Mile, with the revelation that two days of the Craven meeting in April will be shown on ITV4. Despite being controversially excluded

from the Stobart jockeys’ title parameters, the meeting marks the ‘proper’ start of the Flat season for many race fans, and ITV will gain much kudos by returning it to the limelight.

Less positively for Newmarket, the first two days of the July meeting did not make the cut for ITV and will be shown on ITV4. Around

two-thirds of the broadcaster’s days will be shown on ITV4.

Personnel-wise, Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani have been revealed by ITV as part of their presenting team, while Matt Chapman, known for his opinionated views on At The Races, will be the channel’s betting pundit.

Chapman will report from the betting ‘jungle’ as ITV seeks to inject some excitement and personality into a role that was associated for many years with John McCririck.

Mick Fitzgerald, Rishi Persad, Hayley Turner and Sally Ann Grassick will also be among the ITV squad. Alice Plunkett and Oli Bell are likewise thought to be part of the new broadcaster’s plans.

Lee lauds resumption of racing at Hereford Presteigne trainer Kerry Lee, who enjoyed a terrific debut season that yielded success in the Welsh Grand National and a Grade 1 in Ireland, is looking forward to sending her first runners to local track Hereford.

The racecourse closed its doors in December 2012 and was widely thought likely to never reopen. However this month it will make a hugely welcome return to the fold when it stages its first meeting on October 6.

Lee said: “Rebecca Davies has done a fantastic job getting Hereford up and running again. Here at Bell House we are thoroughly looking forward to having lots of runners there during the coming season.

“It’s great news for the county as a thriving racecourse is exactly what we need.”

The closure of Hereford caused widespread anger and dismay when it was announced,

10

along with that of Folkestone, in 2012.

Bregawn, the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, was one of dozens of high-class jumpers to run at Hereford, which staged its first meeting in 1771 and always had a reputation as a flat, fair track that offered an ideal rung for a horse making its way up the ladder.

Kerry Lee: Hereford supporter

Falling crowds were said to have made the track unviable, and Hereford will be hoping for support not just from horsemen but racegoers as it seeks to reestablish itself.

A crowd of more than 2,500 turned up for what was expected to be Hereford’s last meeting on December 16, 2012. At the time, it was the first British track to close for nearly 30 years, though it held that status for only 48 hours until Folkestone, also owned by Arena Leisure, a forerunner of Arena Racing Company, also staged racing for the final time.

Since its closure, Hereford has staged pointto-points and Purebred Arabian meetings.

Rebecca Davies, Executive Director of Hereford racecourse, said: “We are full steam ahead with preparations for racing on October 6. We cannot wait to welcome everyone through the gates.”

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_News_Owner 22/09/2016 15:42 Page 11

The 2017 Flat season in Ireland will begin and end at Naas, while the Curragh will have a truncated season

Blank days in Ireland set to aid stable staff There will be just two blank racing days in the whole of 2017 in Britain, but Horse Racing Ireland have reintroduced two blank days as they unveiled their fixture list for next year.

While the BHA’s controversial move to get rid of Good Friday as a non-racing day (at a cost to the open days in Lambourn and Middleham – which didn’t take place at all this year – and the Professional Jockeys Association Lesters Awards, which will not happen in 2017 as there is no suitable day and whose future is in doubt) means the only break for trainers, jockeys and stable

staff is at Christmas time, Ireland has bucked the trend.

At the request of the Irish Stable Staff Association, and with the agreement of the racecourses concerned, blank racing days have been reinstated on the two September Sundays featuring the All-Ireland hurling and football finals.

In addition, there will be no Flat racing on Sunday, July 9 to give stable staff in Flat yards a break during what is a hectic period of the year.

The total number of fixtures in Ireland in 2017 is the same as this year at 355.

However the Flat season will begin and end at Naas, while the Curragh’s season has been shortened from mid-May to mid-September to facilitate its proposed redevelopment.

HRI Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh said: “An important change to the fixture list is the reintroduction of blank racing days on the two All-Ireland Sundays in September.

“Combined with a Sunday where there will now be no Flat racing in July and the existing blank Sunday before the Galway festival, this will give stable staff some welcome breaks, and HRI was happy to facilitate this with the full support of the racecourses.”

ABP agrees 50-race sponsorship deal with JCR 188BET, one of British racing’s authorised betting partners, is the new sponsor of the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase at Aintree this month and the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in November.

The online bookmaker has agreed a package of 50 race sponsorships across Jockey Club Racecourses through until January 2017, with 25 at Exeter and another 25 spread around the JCR tracks.

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “188BET lending their support to 50 races, including some of our sport’s best quality jumps handicaps, is a really important commitment.

“We value both this and their ongoing support for British racing as an authorised betting partner. I’m sure we’ll see some fantastic racing over the course of our partnership and good promotion for the 188BET brand.”

188BET’s Managing Director Nigel Singer added: “We have been delighted to be associated with a number of horseracing sponsorships throughout the summer and we are now looking forward to the autumn National Hunt campaign.

“These sponsorships reinforce our commitment to the continued support of UK horseracing at an important time in its development.”

Betfair, Bet365 and BetVictor are among the firms to have attained ABP status, but the big high street firms, such as Ladbrokes, William Hill and Coral, have refused to sign up and have lost race sponsorships as a result.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

The Old Roan Chase at Aintree, won three times by Monet’s Garden, forms part of 188BET’s new sponsorship portfolio

11

Oct_146_Changes2pp_Layout 1 22/09/2016 15:54 Page 12

in association with

Racing’s news in a nutshell PEOPLE AND BUSINESS Davy Russell Links up with leading owner and Ffos Las founder Dai Walters and will ride for him in Britain whenever available, while continuing to be based in Ireland.

Shane Shortall Recruited as number one rider by up-andcoming dual-purpose trainer Iain Jardine.

Welsh Champion Hurdle Cathy Gannon Rider will not be seen on the track again this year – she needs more time to recover from an incident in which she broke all five toes on her left foot.

Ffos Las moves its most high-profile race to this month, from February, in the hope of better ground and weather.

Jim Best Trainer’s rehearing in well-known corruption case is put back to November.

Godolphin

Caroline Keevil

Bloodstock operation is undergoing a largescale worldwide "pruning", a senior official at Sheikh Mohammed's racing and breeding empire explained.

Trainer cites prohibitive costs of running a small yard as the main reason for handing in her licence; her best horse was Grade 3winning chaser Bally Legend.

Racing Post

Sir Peter O’Sullevan

Sport’s daily newspaper is sold to Exponent Private Equity, having been owned by Dublin-based private equity company FL Partners since 2007.

The late legendary commentator and journalist’s Chelsea home is put on the market for £2.5 million.

Bill Moyes

Adrian Heskin 24-year-old is appointed stable jockey to Tom George, replacing Paddy Brennan.

Named the new Chairman of the Gambling Commission with a five-year term; he takes over from Philip Graf.

David Wachman Trainer of such high-class runners as Legatissimo, Curvy and Again announces that he will retire at the end of the season.

Also...

Dubai, sponsor of terrestrial racing on Channel 4, will not be backing the sport on ITV. Cross-country regular Any Currency is stripped of this year’s Cheltenham Festival victory after a positive drug test. Dual-purpose jockey Mikey Ennis quits race-riding for fulltime role with Godolphin as a work-rider.

Stewart Kenny steps down as a nonexecutive Director of the Paddy Power-Betfair board after 28 years with the Irish firm. The Jockey Club unveils plans for an iconic new all-weather gallop in Newmarket that is likely to cost in excess of £10m. Adam Brickell, BHA Director of Integrity, Legal and Risk, will leave the body this month. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will be run at Chantilly in 2017 as well as this year, with Longchamp undergoing extensive redevelopment. The Hatchfield Farm long-running saga finally comes to an end with the decision not to allow housing to be built on the Newmarket site.

Jockey Club Racecourses repeat £1m Chase Triple Crown bonus to any horse that can win the Betfair Chase, King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season.

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TWEENHILLS TIMES AN EYE FOR SUCCESS

OCTOBER 2016

Stay on Watch for Gold yearlings Havana Gold’s first yearlings have made a big impression at the early European yearling sales.

At Goffs UK’s Premier Sale in Doncaster one of his colts (right) sold for £160,000 to Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estates.

Racing and bloodstock manager Angus Gold said of the colt: “I thought he was one of the best of the day,” while Paul Thorman of consignors Trickledown Stud, said: “He was as good as I’ve sold.”

Other buyers of the sire’s yearlings included Stephen Hillen, Kevin Ryan, Ed Dunlop, Stroud Coleman, Gill Richardson and

David Redvers, on behalf of Qatar Racing.

Havana Gold’s seven Premier Sale yearlings sold for an average of £49,571, well above his £8,500 covering fee. More of his yearlings are due to go through the ring at Tattersalls Ireland’s September Sale and Goffs’ Orby and Sportsman’s Sales, and he will be represented by two horses in Tattersalls’ October Sale Book 1, 12 in Book 2 and 15 in Book 3.

Fellow Tweenhills Stud sire Harbour Watch is compiling an impressive list of first-crop winners, and he has five yearlings catalogued in Book 1 and eight in Book 2.

staff PROFILE

It’s going to be champion

Olivia Johnston Yearling preparation

QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot (Saturday, October 15) promises to be a fantastic finale to the turf season.

First job?

After A-levels I joined Julie full time for two seasons, but I wasn’t going to become a jockey, and when offered a job in Australia I headed there, and stayed for three years.

Australian odyssey At Three Bridges Thoroughbreds I started working with foals, and then went on to yearling prep. A year later I joined Ryan Arnel as he set up Stonehouse Thoroughbreds in Victoria.

It was great to see a farm start up from every angle. I later joined Scott Holcombe at Milburn Creek.

memor able double

by Legacy and Verse Qatar Racing and trainer Ralph Beckett enjoyed a superb afternoon at Doncaster during the St Leger meeting.

First the Beckett-trained Rich Legacy landed the Gr.2 May Hill Stakes, then her stablemate, Simple Verse, last year’s St Leger winner, roared back to winning form after a summer break when taking the Gr.2 Park Hill Stakes. It was a sweet victory for everyone involved with Simple Verse, who enjoyed a holiday with Lou Cornwell at Sheikh Fahad’s Longholes Stud in Newmarket after a below-par run at Royal Ascot.

Top-flight racehorses will run at the meeting, which involves £4.2 million in prize money, four Group One races, a Group Two and Europe’s richest mile handicap. Qatar Racing’s Simple Verse will be among champions taking part, and Ascot will utilise the hurdles track, which has not been raced on since the spring, in order to provide the best possible ground.

After racing there will be music from Sigala and BBC Radio 2’s Sara Cox, which will appeal to the 2,500 students who will be gaining free admission, alongside a sell-out crowd.

Read David’s Mongol Derby account Few horseback adventures can beat the Mongol Derby.

Home sweet home I’m enjoying being back in Britain, and it’s a great set up at Tweenhills – I’m looking forward to doing the October and December Sales in Newmarket.

Tweenhills’ David Redvers can now say he has joined ‘The Club’ of Mongol Derby veterans after completing the 1,000 kilometre race in August, with Sheikh Fahad as part of a Qatar racing team. David crossed the line in joint-seventh after a gruelling eight days on native ponies who made his heart soar and sink in equal measure. He lost stones in weight, and suffered in a variety of ways – including falls, and a strange Mongolian phenomenon called Rusty Water – during his crossing of the Steppe, but it helped raise money for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund.

Ambitions?

To learn about this industry - and do some more boarding on sea, river or snow.

You can read an auto-biographical account of the epic – with hair-raising and hilarious passages – at www.qatarracingltd.com.

All contributions to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund will be most welcome.

Photo: Richard Dunwoody/The Adventurists

Let’s get to the point I was taught to ride ponies by Julie Mansell, who later started training pointto-pointers. When old enough I began riding out for her, and at 16 she let me ride a schoolmaster in a race. Going to the start I wondered what I was doing there, but I got round.

(l to r) Simple Verse wins the Park Hill Stakes, and Rich Legacy with Kevin Darley and Oisin Murphy

David Redvers, who suffered for his part

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

Oct_146_Changes2pp_Layout 1 22/09/2016 15:55 Page 14

RACEHORSE AND STALLION MOVEMENTS AND RETIREMENTS Mehmas Two-year-old will take up stallion duties next year at Tally-Ho Stud after they purchased a 50% share in Al Shaqab’s Group 2 winner.

Adaay Kodiac’s son, a dual Group 2 winner, will stand at Whitsbury Manor Stud in 2017 following deal with Shadwell.

Haafhd Shadwell’s Classic-winning son of Alhaarth moves from Beechwood Grange Stud to Batsford Stud in Gloucestershire.

The Gurkha Top-class son of Galileo, a dual Group 1 winner this season in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Sussex Stakes, is retired from racing and will relocate to Coolmore Stud for 2017.

Kamsin Triple German Group 1 winner will relocate to Haras d'Etreham from Gestut Ohlerweiherhof for the 2017 breeding season.

Bobby’s Kitten

Thousand Stars

Grade 1 winner will retire to Lanwades Stud for the 2017 breeding season and becomes the first son of Kitten's Joy to stand at stud in Europe.

Tough and talented hurdler for Willie Mullins’ stable is retired aged 12. He won four Grade 1s including back-to-back renewals of the French Champion Hurdle.

Stopchargingmaria

Eagle Top

Outstanding daughter of Tale Of The Cat, winner of three Grade 1s in the US including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 2015, is retired aged five.

Lady Bamford’s Group 2-winning son of Pivotal, beaten a whisker in last year’s King George, is retired aged five and is set for a stallion career.

Megalala Having made history by winning on the Flat this year at the age of 15, the John Bridger-trained gelding is set to race on next season as a 16-year-old.

HORSE OBITUARIES

PEOPLE OBITUARIES Tom O’Ryan 61 Hugely respected racing journalist, television presenter and former jockey who was a mentor to many young riders in the north.

Roger Lewis 72 Former amateur rider and well-known face on the West Country and Welsh racing scene in his role as hospitality host for past 20 years.

Herbert Jones 83 Former Ebor-winning jockey who went on to become a successful trainer.

14

Linamix 29 Classic winner and influential stallion, bred by Jean-Luc Lagardere and bought by the Aga Khan, he sired 14 Group/Grade 1 winners in total.

Stratum 14 Australian sire who was trained by Paul Perry to win the Group 1 Golden Slipper and the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Oct_146_Big_Picture_StLegerV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:40 Page 16

THE BIG PICTURE

LAW RULES Laura Mongan secured Epsom’s first Classic triumph in 47 years with Harbour Law’s gutsy St Leger victory under George Baker.

A dramatic renewal saw hot favourite Idaho unseat Seamie Heffernan after appearing to take a false step with half a mile to run.

For Mongan (pictured right), the first female to train the winner of the world’s oldest Classic, it was a fairytale success, as she trains around 20 horses at Condover Stables, where she is assisted by her exjockey husband Ian. Harbour Law, owned

by Jackie Cornwell, is set to race on next season as a four-year-old Photos George Selwyn

Oct_146_Big_Picture_StLegerV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:40 Page 17

ST LEGER

Oct_146_Big_Picture_SimpleVerseV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:41 Page 18

THE BIG PICTURE

VERSE PERFECT Simple Verse (far side) proved she retains all her ability with a superb performance to take the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, running home strongly despite a troubled passage to deny Pretty Perfect under Oisin Murphy. Last year’s St Leger heroine, owned by Qatar Racing and trained by Ralph Beckett, will likely go up in trip to contest the QIPCO Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot Photo George Selwyn

Oct_146_Big_Picture_SimpleVerseV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:41 Page 19

PA R K H I L L S TA K E S

Oct_146_Big_Picture_Almanzor_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:42 Page 20

THE BIG PICTURE

NEXT STOP ASCOT The best race ever run in Ireland?

Possibly. But what is certain is that Almanzor (light blue) is a colt of the highest order after his last-to-first victory in the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, defeating the filly Found by three quarters of a length under Christophe Soumillon.

Almanzor, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, will be aimed at the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15 Photo Bill Selwyn

Oct_146_Big_Picture_Almanzor_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:42 Page 21

Q I P C O I R I S H C H A M P I O N S TA K E S

NEW AT LANWADES FOR 2017

BOBBY’S KITTEN 2011 by Kitten’s Joy – Celestial Woods (Forestry)

Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Won

6

races at 2, 3 and 5 years and

$1,424,417

in the USA and Ireland, all on Turf

Graded Stakes winner at 2 and 3 years

View videos of his races on www.lanwades.com Own brother to two Stakes winners; dam by 2016 Leading Broodmare Sire in USA First stallion son of

KITTEN’S JOY

(Champion Turf racehorse & multiple Champion sire) in Europe

A G R E AT O U T C R O S S F O R M O S T E U R O P E A N M A R E S

LANWADES Lanwades_OwnerSpread_Oct16.indd 22

The independent option TM

22/09/2016 14:17

ARCHIPENKO (Kingmambo – Bound, by Nijinsky)

• Group 1 winner with an unbeatable pedigree • Won 6 races at 2, 3, 4 & 5 years and over $3m in prize money • Group 1 sire with his first crop • In 2016 sire of Group 3 winners ALGOMETER and VA BANK (unbeaten in 12 races) • Sire of 42 individual 2yo winners (6 in 2016) • Yearlings made up to 115,000 gns, 110,000 gns in 2015

SEA THE MOON (Sea The Stars – Sanwa, by Monsun)

• Sensational German Derby winner; CHAMPION 3yo and HORSE OF THE YEAR, 2014 • Winner at 2 on debut by 4 lengths • First sire son of SEA THE STARS – Classic German female family

FIRST YEARLINGS 2017

SIR PERCY

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

• Undefeated CHAMPION 2yo; CHAMPION 3yo and Derby winner • Sire of 36 individual Stakes horses including WAKE FOREST, winner of the Group 1 Man O’War Stakes in 2016.

• Sire of 58 individual 2yo winners • In 2016 yearlings have so far made up to £120,000, £88,000 and £65,000 • A consistent and proven sire of STAKES winners

info@lanwades.com • www.lanwades.com • Tel: +44 (0)1638 750222 • Fax: +44 (0)1638 751186

Lanwades_OwnerSpread_Oct16.indd 23

22/09/2016 14:17

Oct_146_FromTheArchiveV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:46 Page 24

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The story behind the photo Urban Sea’s victory in the 1993 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, in which she defeated White Muzzle (8) and Opera House, was her headline moment on the track. However, this daughter of Miswaki would go on to have a far greater influence on the global racing scene in her next career as a broodmare.

From nine progeny to make the racecourse, every one attained black type, a remarkable record in itself. Yet Urban Sea’s biggest achievement was to produce Derby-winning brothers Galileo and Sea The Stars from matings with Sadler’s Wells and Cape Cross.

Sea The Stars was retained by the family of David Tsui, the owner-breeder of Urban Sea, and raced by his son Christopher, who is seen (right) with his father after Urban Sea’s shock victory at Longchamp (returned at 37-1) under Eric Saint-Martin for trainer Jean Lesbordes.

Now an outstanding sire, Sea The Stars is set to represented in this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – staged at Chantilly while Longchamp is redeveloped – by dual Derby winner Harzand, who races for his breeder the Aga Khan.

Photos George Selwyn

Oct_146_FromTheArchiveV2_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:46 Page 25

URBAN SEA, OCTOBER 3, 1993

Ditcheat OB Oct 2016 f-p_Ditcheat OB Oct 2016 f-p 20/09/2016 09:52 Page 1

Ditcheat OB Oct 2016 f-p_Ditcheat OB Oct 2016 f-p 20/09/2016 09:52 Page 2

Oct_146_Tony_MorrisV2_Owner 22/09/2016 15:13 Page 28

THE MAN YOU CAN’T IGNORE COMMENT

Tony Morris It is 90 years since the birth of Phar Lap, the best horse ever bred in New Zealand and the best horse ever trained in Australia – and he is also one of my special equine heroes

W

e read a lot these days about how racing should set about safeguarding its future by recruiting a younger fan base. I confess I know of no master plan for furthering that cause, and can only reflect on the fact that I hail from L.P. Hartley’s foreign country, the past, where things were done differently.

Aged 11, I spent a shilling on the 1956 News Chronicle Racing Annual at a station bookstall, and my life was never to be the same again. I was hooked, virtually from the moment I opened that book, and by the time I’d reached my destination I was eager to learn more about the most fascinating subject I’d ever come across.

Like most kids I had to have heroes, and my first in the equine line was sorted when, aged 12, I found a cheap second-hand copy of Bob Lyle’s biography of Brown Jack, the immensely popular stayer who won at six consecutive Royal Ascots in the years between the wars. Why shouldn’t a horse take rank alongside such as Stan Matthews, Denis Compton and Jim Laker in my pantheon of sporting greats? His was a romantic tale, and it led me to seek out other inspiring equine subjects .

It didn’t take me long to appreciate that racing was a global sport and that every nation had special champions who had become part of its sporting folklore. I lapped up all I could find on those equine celebrities from foreign parts, like Man o’ War, who had acquired something akin to legendary status in America, French-bred English Triple Crown winner Gladiateur, and Kincsem, that amazing Hungarian mare who had never been beaten in 54 starts all over Europe.

And, no less distinguished than those superstars, there was the gelding to whom two nations laid a claim. Phar Lap was the best horse ever bred in New Zealand, and just as obviously the best ever trained in Australia. He merited those accolades when I ‘discovered’ him 60 years ago, and he still rates as number one in both respects 90 years after his birth on NZ’s south island on October 4, 1926.

Everything about Phar Lap was out of the ordinary, not least his breeding, as his sire Night Raid had raced exclusively in selling company as a two-year-old, failing to win in six efforts. His

28

Phar Lap, who landed the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate twice, is rightly revered

last outing was at Warwick, where he finished a poor fourth under Harry Wragg, carrying 6st 12lb. Under three weeks later he was sold for 120gns at the 1920 December Sales and sent to New Zealand, stopping off en route in Australia, where he won one minor race and dead-heated in another.

Phar Lap was consigned as a yearling to the Trentham Sales in Wellington in 1928.

Australian trainer Harry Telford liked his catalogue page and instructed his NZ-based brother Hugh to bid up to 190gns for him, intending to pass him on to his client David Davis, an American businessman; in fact, 160gns was sufficient to secure him. As it turned out, Davis did not like the look of the colt when he arrived in Australia and declined to pay for his training. Telford, still keen on the purchase, agreed to train the horse for nothing in return for two-thirds of any earnings.

The idea of earnings might have seemed fanciful when the now gelded Phar Lap finished last on his racecourse debut, and after three more efforts as a two-year-old had still failed to reach the first three. But his initial season finished on a brighter note with a half-length victory in a maiden handicap.

His three-year-old campaign began inauspiciously with four unplaced outings, but

Telford retained belief in his charge and had him entered in numerous high-class races. His judgement was sound. After a promising second in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick, Phar Lap rattled off four consecutive wins, including the Sydney and Melbourne Derbys, performances that led to his starting even-money favourite for the Melbourne Cup. The gelding was not quite up to that calibre yet, finishing third, and he filled the same position in the St George Stakes on his reappearance after a three-month break.

Best yet to come The rest of his three-year-old season proved a total triumph – nine wins in as many starts between March 1 and May 17, including the St Legers in Melbourne and Sydney. But Australia still had not seen the best of Phar Lap, who ruled as the nation’s dominant performer at both four and five.

He had 16 starts as a four-year-old, finishing second in the first and last of them, and winning everything in between. The sixth race in that sequence was the Cox Plate, and he followed that with four successes in eight days at the Flemington spring carnival – the Melbourne Stakes, the Melbourne Cup (under top weight of 9st 12lb), the Linlithgow Stakes and the C.B. Fisher Plate. He dominated at all distances from THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_Tony_MorrisV2_Owner 22/09/2016 15:13 Page 29

a mile to two miles, his winning margin never less than three lengths.

Phar Lap won his first eight races as a five-year-old, including a second Cox Plate, but the handicapper defied him to add a second Melbourne Cup, allotting him the huge burden of 10st 10lb. He finished eighth, while the winner White Nose carried 6st 12lb.

By now Telford and Davis were equal partners in the gelding, whose career record showed 36 wins from 50 starts. Having established his overwhelming supremacy in his adopted nation, it was time for a fresh challenge in the Agua Caliente Handicap, billed as the richest race in the world, at Tanforan in Mexico. Phar Lap travelled there via the country of his birth, where he was rapturously welcomed as a returning hero.

The visitor was done no favours by the Tanforan handicapper, being set to concede between 9lb and 39lb to ten rivals over the ten-furlong trip, but he trounced them in course record time, darting from last to first in a matter of strides and easing down to register a two-length victory.

Where were the fresh worlds to conquer now? Discussions were ongoing about the gelding’s next venture, but they were brought to an abrupt halt 16 days after the triumph in Mexico when he died, evidently in excruciating pain, in the California paddock chosen for his rest and recuperation. The news of the champion’s demise naturally caused shockwaves throughout the racing world, most especially in Australia and New Zealand, where conspiracy theories were readily bandied about.

What could have caused the death of a horse as renowned for the toughness of his constitution as for his brilliant performances on the racecourse? Speculation over the tragic event that occurred in April 1932 has never ceased, and while it is generally accepted that poison played a part, just how he came to ingest it continues to defy convincing explanation.

Of course, premature death, in whatever circumstances, tends to add to the legend of the famous victim – think Mozart, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and countless others – and I don’t doubt that Phar Lap’s cruel end, when evidently at the peak of his powers, was a factor in my adopting him as one of my special equine heroes nearly 60 years ago.

My visit to New Zealand earlier this year was supposed to be largely about visiting relations and old friends, while exchanging a chunk of England’s winter for a slice of southern hemisphere summer, but there were always going to be excuses for paying homage to the great horse who helped to fire my passion for racing as a kid.

One port of call had to be the Te Papa Museum in Wellington, where Phar Lap’s skeleton is the number one attraction among thousands of exhibits that celebrate the rich history of New Zealand. And while I might have taken any one of several routes to explore the south island, a visit to Timaru, where Phar Lap first saw the light of day, had to feature.

The kind curator of the local museum there pointed me in the direction of two sites where the town’s most celebrated former resident was commemorated. One, on the property where the horse was foaled, could hardly have been more disappointing. It was hard enough to recognise the image displayed there as any kind of horse, let alone a thoroughbred champion, but the bronze statue that decorates the entrance to the local racecourse does full justice to my hero, depicting the gelding in glorious action.

I’d like to think that 21st century kids might fall in love with a racehorse, as I did all those years ago, but the world is such a very different place now.

“Speculation over the tragic event that occurred in April 1932 has never ceased”

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Oct_146_HowardWright_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:12 Page 30

HOWARD WRIGHT COMMENT

Keeping tabs on horses sold to race overseas and who also undergo name changes is an unnecessarily tricky business – it is time the IFHA stepped in

The blurring of form lines

W

illiam Haggas is enjoying his best season, numerically at least. It might have been even better had Heartbreak Hero not left his Newmarket yard to a bid of 42,000gns at Tattersalls’ horses-intraining sale a little under a year ago, although an atlas, a computer and an inquiring mind are required to explain why.

Heartbreak Hero, a winner twice from 14 starts for Haggas but most productive through earning the thick end of £110,000 when second in Jeff Smith’s colours in a Doncaster sales race, no longer exists. Instead, he can be found racing under a new name, Bingo Champion, in Macau, where he recently won his second race from four starts.

Keeping tabs on exported horses, whichever countries are involved, is a minefield, made all the more hazardous when subsequent name changes are involved.

In Heartbreak Hero’s case, he remains in the Racing Post database, which acts as the BHA’s official form book, up to the point of exit from the Haggas stable, yet his latest efforts will not figure under any guise in the comprehensive overseas record compiled for Group and Graded races by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The Macau Jockey Club, while a member of the IFHA, does not submit its results to the Paris-based body.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club does contribute, and most fastidiously at that, to the IFHA memory bank, but here’s the best – or worst – illustration of the confusion that can be caused on a whim. Nowhere are names more prized than among Hong Kong’s racehorse owning community, leading to the worst excesses of alteration.

Take, for example, George Strawbridge’s homebred Born In Bombay, who climaxed four races as a three-year-old in 2014 by winning the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot and was promptly traded off to Hong Kong, where he has resumed his racing career – as Born In China. Presumably his new local owners thought more luck would come from his being associated with the mainland rather than colonial India, since luck, and the perceived connection with positive images, are behind most name changes in this part of the world.

Thankfully, for those racing in Hong Kong at least, the Jockey Club-produced racecard always

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Born In Bombay (noseband) wins at Royal Ascot – or was it Born In China?

includes a three-season guide to overseas form for imported horses – an idea that cosmopolitan racecourses in Great Britain (Ascot and Newmarket, I’m thinking of you) would do well to copy.

Hence on the day of Hong Kong’s international races last December it was possible to catch up with the newly-named Born In China, carrying top weight in the tenth race and meeting such as Friends Of Ka Ying, whom observant Australian race fans would have known as Almalad, winner of a Group 1 two-year-old race in Brisbane and well beaten behind Adelaide in the Cox Plate before being shipped overseas.

They were among 66 imported horses listed on the card. Of these, 40 – or almost 61% – had new names, a typical illustration of how lines of form can become blurred, and made all the worse by the treatment of such occurrences by other territories.

For instance, once a name is changed in Hong Kong, the Racing Post database expunges

every previous original reference. So Lines Of Battle has become Helene Super Star in all his races, even before his departure from Aidan O’Brien’s care. Which will come as a surprise to those who saw him win the UAE Derby in 2013 as Lines Of Battle, under which name, and adding to the potential confusion, he still appears in the Emirates Racing Authority’s results database.

The BHA has strict rules about name changes.

It is still possible to make alterations – Sheikh Mohammed took advantage when he decided Dubai Millennium was more suitable than the initially registered Yaazer – but not after a horse has run.

The IFHA, which announces the latest additions to its list of protected names during its Paris conference in October, has no such instructions. Its secretariat would do everyone a service by adding a clause to the international agreement. Whether Hong Kong’s inveterate name-changers would take any notice is another matter.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Oct_146_View_From_Ireland_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 16:36 Page 32

VIEW FROM IRELAND

By JESSICA LAMB

Development at Tramore was a long time coming but thanks to the Racecourse Capital Development Fund is well under way

Tramore and Naas smarten up Competition between courses driving improvements in service and facilities

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urf has been turned at Tramore and soon Naas will follow as the relentless Racecourse Capital Development Scheme continues to fund what has become a complete overhaul of all Ireland’s 26 racecourses.

Last month the latest big development partfunded by the €100 million scheme was unveiled in the south west, as Listowel opened its €1.3m modern food hall, bar and viewing area.

Its contemporary, spacious design was completed by Galway firm Monami Construction, well inside the allocated fivemonth schedule from January and allowed bumper crowds to flow freely during the 158th Listowel Harvest Festival.

It was a much-needed upgrade for the ageing course, and follows similar projects of rejuvenation at the likes of Ballinrobe, Killarney, Sligo and Tipperary.

These developments – predominately aimed at improving the racegoer experience – have been made possible by the reopening of the Horse Racing Ireland finance scheme. A decline in funding from the government

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halted the programme in 2013, but when funds increased and stabilised at the end of 2014, it was relaunched, to a flurry of applications.

“The grant scheme certainly made it easier to make the decisions we have,” Tramore racecourse Manager Sue Phelan explained. “It was 2005 when the project to build an entire new racecourse for Tramore at a new site started. From then until now it had to be shelved, despite all the time and resources that were put into it.

“Since then, we have spent [money] on nothing except health and safety at the course.”

When the course celebrated its 100th year in 2012, it was resolved that they must completely give up on the new site and move forward.

This month work continues on the new parade ring, which will extend the current surface area and add ringside seating to create an amphitheatre, not unlike that seen at Punchestown and Cheltenham, though on a smaller scale.

It will be fully completed by their December

15 meeting and then on January 2 work will begin on a new stand, due for completion in April.

“We were starting from scratch,” said Phelan. “We are trying to use what we can from very old buildings to make something new, something better. Maybe when we get down to the stable yard improvements, we might be using something from the old plans, but not for the stand or the parade ring.”

By 2020, the southern course will have replaced its 20 wooden stables with 30 modern ones, taking total capacity to 78 horses, and it will also construct a new entrance building, modernising the structure to make it future-ready – e-ticketing is on the way for Irish racing.

More ambitious is the work scheduled to begin at Naas next month as the Leinster course plans to demolish the stand closest to the parade ring and erect a brand new one in its place.

Tom Ryan, Manager at Naas, believes racecourses are now driving each other on to be more ambitious, thanks to the influx of THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_View_From_Ireland_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:16 Page 33

VIEW FROM IRELAND

available capital.

He said: “We are all still catching up on an inability to invest that spanned maybe two or three generations. There were decades when racecourses were just surviving day-to-day.

We’re left with a lot of old buildings that aren’t up to the standards people expect, so we have to make the most of this period.

There is a certain competitiveness now between racecourses to become the best, to try new things.”

Phelan agreed, adding: “People are so connected nowadays through social media and travel so much that we can’t stand still.

Listening to what people want is core to both projects here.

“Downpatrick decided to start subsidising catering for owners to improve it and to keep the catering company going. Now I have owners coming to me asking why my catering isn’t as good for them.

“We’re all pushing each other to collectively achieve higher levels of service and facilities.”

Racing will be unaffected at Naas while the new curved stand is installed, the only changes to the artistic impressions first revealed at last year’s October Birdcatcher meeting being the lowering of the rooftop terrace. That open-air area will now be a raised patio, though still offering panoramic views of the course.

“A mid-April finish is realistic,” Ryan said.

“We will put hoarding up and race around it, and a lot of the outside of the main feature THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Trainer Jessica Harrington will start this winter’s jumps campaign with two surprise recruits after Ann and Alan Potts split with Henry de Bromhead.

Having begun their careers as racehorse owners with de Bromhead in 2004, the Potts’s had begun dispersing horses around the country a few years ago, adding Jim Dreaper to the roster first.

This year they brought on board Colm Murphy, sending him Sizing Granite and Mick Thonic in January, and then Mouse Morris, sending the Grand Nationalwinning trainer A Sizing Network and Exxaro.

Now he also gains Smashing, as their newest trainer Jessica Harrington takes over the training of Sizing John, an elite novice chaser last year, and Supasundae, a top novice hurdler, all four trainers also taking the remaining de Bromhead inmates owned by the Pottses.

For de Bromhead this is a big blow; it has meant losing 27 of the 90-odd horses

he ran over jumps last season – one which was profitable, he and the Pottses winning the Galway Plate with Shanahan’s Turn.

Neither party could be drawn on a reason for the separation sparking speculation of a rift, as results and form do not appear on paper to be culpable.

However, the less cynical could see this as a positive change for both parties; the Potts’s are tough business people, priding themselves on their self-built Sizer empire, Mining Machinery Developments. They have also come through ill-health during their 12 years as racehorse owners, changing their priorities and perspectives.

It’s common policy for a medium-tolarge owner to keep horses with several trainers, and large scale movements are also regular. This was highlighted this time last year by the exit of Paul and Clare Rooney from the Donald McCain yard, causing a loss of 50 horses, which were shared among a number of different trainers.

CAROLINE NORRIS

CAROLINE NORRIS

Change as good as a rest

Smashing has moved from Henry de Bromhead to Mouse Morris

building will be done by March. It will be a case of fitting out the interior then and opening sometime in May or April.”

That stand will form the bulk of a €2.6m revamp, €1m of which paid for by HRI. A new stand is on Punchestown’s horizon, too. The €3.8m facility will be erected near the final fence, where an existing concrete stand sits. The Kildare venue has been given the go-ahead for €6.2m in improvements, HRI stumping up €2.5m, and will complete its first phase at the end of this year, the new

stand going in after next year’s spring festival.

Almost two years on from the start of the Racecourse Capital Development Scheme and projects totalling more than €33m have been approved, with the scheme providing more than €13m in funding for those racecourse enhancements.

An additional €1.7m going specifically to racetrack improvements, like drainage, levelling and equipment purchases (one of the most significant being the levelling of Cork’s sprint track).

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Oct_146_Continental_Tales_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:18 Page 34

CONTINENTAL TALES

By JAMES CRISPE, INTERNATIONAL RACING BUREAU

Pereira’s remarkable success Underdog carrying all before him in Spain with Flanders Flame

LUIS HORCAJADA

RTUGA PO

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Helder Pereira and jockey Ricardo Sousa with Flanders Flame, who has caused a stir in Spain for the Portuguese partnership

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t’s every up-and-coming young trainer’s dream. Go to one of the world’s most famous auction houses, shell out a meagre but just about affordable sum on a handful of other people’s casts-offs at the Horses In Training Sale, and end up unearthing a diamond who allows you to travel around Europe, winning a Classic and more than holding your own in stakes company.

This is exactly what 36-year-old Hélder Pereira, a jockey-turned-trainer from Guimarães, a 50,000-inhabitant city in northern Portugal, has managed to achieve with a gelding called Flanders Flame.

Following five unplaced efforts as a juvenile for Richard Fahey, this British-bred progeny of Dutch Art cost just 2,000gns at Tattersalls in Newmarket a year ago. Since then he has won around 50 times that amount in prize-money in Spain, including – fittingly enough given his purchase price – the Spanish 2,000 Guineas in Madrid and the Copa de Oro (or ‘Gold Cup’) in San Sebastian.

Now he is being prepared for his toughest assignment yet: the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Chantilly in France on Arc weekend.

Pereira is not your ordinary retired jockey

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who knows nothing other than racing, so is almost forced to try his hand at the training lark.

For starters, he has kept his jockey’s licence and does not rule out making a comeback to raceride on Flanders Flame or any other members of his 16-strong string.

And he is a jockey of some considerable pedigree. Nowadays times are hard for the Portuguese racing industry, but when Pereira won most of his eight national jockey titles there it was doing fine, mainly because neighbouring Spain was struggling and La Zarzuela racecourse in Madrid was closed, so those gongs were hard won against the best of the Spanish riders.

Since then Portuguese racing has gone into decline to the extent that Pereira scaled down his involvement in the sport, instead devoting the majority of his time to his family’s clothing factory in Guimarães.

Then, a year ago, some owners encouraged him to increase his training commitments, and he ventured to Tattersalls to make four acquisitions, for a combined total of a paltry 5,300gns.

Flanders Flame has turned out the best of the quartet by far, but it also included Half A Billion, a six-year-old former inmate of the Michael

Dods yard, who has since repaid tenfold his 800gns purchase price during nine Spanish starts.

“I currently take no part in Portuguese racing, it’s just not worth it” Pereira admits.

“Race purses here are little more than symbolic, about £500 to the winner, which is not enough to cover your costs, and there is only an average of one race meeting a month.”

Two years ago this column suggested that racing in Portugal was on the cusp of a big leap forward, thanks to a proposed new law legalising gambling on racing, but progress has been excruciatingly slow.

“The new law was passed and we now have in place all the legal conditions to start racing with betting,” Pereira reveals.

“But the law stipulates the need for three new racecourses to be built, one in the north, one in the centre and one in the south, and we are still waiting for the government to start building – there is no date set for the work to commence.

“So racing in Portugal remains indebted to the goodwill of sponsors and the support of town councils. The sport gets minimal publicity and we urgently need to build the THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

N DE

Chini seeking to influence public perceptions of sport

Joséphine Chini aspires to be Scandinavia’s answer to Clare Balding – she is already a winners’ enclosure interviewer at Bro Park and Gothenberg and a prolific blogger on the pages of Sweden’s biggest horseracing website, www.atg.se.

Though in terms of overall profile she still has a long way to go to reach the ‘national treasure’ status of Balding, lead presenter of the BBC’s Olympic coverage plus a regular behind the mike on both Radio 4 and Radio 2 on top of her racing commitments, Chini can trump ‘Our Clare’ in one notable aspect – jockeyship (rather than disc jockeyship).

For 34-year-old Chini is currently mounting a spirited defence of the world champion amateur rider crown she gained by winning the Longines-sponsored Fegentri series in 2015.

With four legs to go, and 20 points up for grabs for each victory, she sits in third place, 27 points behind the leader, the French representative Lara Le Geay.

Speaking after closing the gap by landing one of two Turkish legs of the 30-race competition that encompasses 18 countries on five continents, Chini said: “It’s going to be difficult to catch Lara and after I won it last year I’m trying not to put any pressure on myself this time around.

“Representing your country abroad is a real honour, and a lot of people don’t know that we have Flat racing in Scandinavia – they think that polar bears walk down our streets!

“I’m loving the opportunity to open their eyes and I can’t tell you how lucky I feel being able to take part – I can only do it thanks to the generosity of my sponsors, in particular Kirsten Rausing and Lanwades Stud.”

Infectiously enthusiastic, Chini’s passion for racing knows no bounds yet is completely self-inflicted as she has no family background in the sport. It really took off when she came to England to complete a course at the British Racing School in Newmarket – she is still in contact with her instructor there, Richard Perham, another of her sponsors – and then spent a spell working for trainer Julia Feilden.

Her first ride in Britain was a winning one, beating Darryll Holland in a four-way photo aboard Get To The Point at Yarmouth in August 2005, and she has since had over 50

ELINA BJORKLUND/SVENSK GALOPP

new racecourses and start betting on track and online.”

All this makes Pereira’s recent success all the more remarkable – he is a standard bearer for Portuguese racing yet does not actually participate in his native country.

His training set-up is modest, with a fivefurlong artificial gallop but no luxuries like a horse-walker or a pool. He employs just two lads while he himself acts as work-rider, groom and farrier.

But he’s not complaining.

“Although very near the centre of Guimarães, it’s a quiet and secluded wooded location, which benefits the horses and their willingness to work daily,” he stresses.

“La Zarzuela in Madrid is a five-and-a-halfhour box ride away, but I prefer to have the horses in the quiet of their own stables, so they will stay away overnight only when they have two runs very close together, or on the eve of the most important races.”

Initially, the reaction of the Spanish racing public to Flanders Flame winning their Guineas by over seven lengths was less than enthusiastic, carrying a degree of disdain that the upstart neighbours had plundered such a showpiece.

However, since Flanders Flame contested the two biggest races in San Sebastian – the Copa de Oro over a mile and a half and the Gobierno Vasco over a mile – just six days apart in late August, winning the first and going down narrowly to the French challenger, Fourioso, in the second, they have begun to embrace this wonderful underdog story.

His trainer reports: “Flanders Flame’s best trip is a mile and a quarter but he is very versatile and likes soft ground. We will wait and see how he does in the Dollar but he could even go to England.”

If he does, he will be the second recent Portuguese import to our shores, as jockey Manuel Fernandes has been making waves this summer in his role as apprentice to Sir Mark Prescott.

“I know Manuel well, he is a very respectful and careful boy,” Pereira says. “He has a lot of quality and will win more races if he gets the chance – he has a very promising future.”

Regardless of where Flanders Flame goes, Pereira will be back in England this autumn at the Horses In Training Sales, hoping to source more bargains and adopting the same buying policy as last year.

“I will study the catalogue, make video analysis and check lots before they go under the hammer,” he says. “I don’t know how many horses I will buy or how much I will spend – it depends if I find anything that I like.”

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Oct_146_Continental_Tales_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:18 Page 35

Chini is an accomplished performer behind the camera and in the saddle

winners in her native Sweden, winning the amateur championship there in 2014.

But her time in the saddle has suffered plenty of dips, four broken vertebra suffered in one accident keeping her out for five months and then a broken knee cap putting her entire riding career in jeopardy.

Initial diagnosis was that she could never again throw her leg across a horse, but a second opinion was sought and, following lengthy rehabilitation and an absence of five years that at least allowed her to revert to amateur status, she returned in triumph with another first ride winner.

The hiatus did allow her to extend her racing education, as she spent time in France acting as assistant to trainer Yann Barberot and also worked in both Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

Now, after some recent mentoring from none other than At The Races presenter Derek Thompson, her heart is set on changing the public perception of Flat racing in Sweden, which she feels is seen as a “snob” sport.

“Because I am younger and a woman, some people might find it more helpful listening to me rather than an older man,” she says. “I hope to bring new people into the racing industry, be they owners, punters or just general fans. I want them to know that Flat racing is a really, really open sport which brings people together.”

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Oct_146_AroundtheGlobe_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:21 Page 37

AROUND THE GLOBE THE WORLDWIDE RACING SCENE

NORT H A M E R I CA

by Steve Andersen

Vintage period say vintage riders

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“To be honest, it’s incredible to see what Songbird is now. I’m trying to really enjoy it”

American Pharoah. “The way he’s running now, yes,” he said when asked about each horse.

Songbird was the champion juvenile filly of 2015, a season highlighted by a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland.

After winning four stakes races at Santa Anita from February to June, Songbird was the easy winner of two Grade 1 races at Saratoga during the summer – the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama Stakes. Songbird has won by an average of 5.4 lengths. The closest any THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

GEORGE SELWYN

etween them, jockeys Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith and Gary Stevens have won more than 13,700 races in careers that began from the late 1970s to early 1990s. They don’t have to reflect into the past to find their favorite mounts.

Espinoza, the young man of the trio at 44, is the regular rider of California Chrome, the 2014 American Horse of the Year and winner of the Dubai World Cup in March. Stevens, 53, rides Beholder, the three-time champion and the leading older female this year. Smith, 51, has partnered the unbeaten Songbird, America’s top three-year-old filly, to wins in her first ten career starts.

Despite their accomplishments over the years, the three riders are in awe of their top mounts.

California Chrome won the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on August 20, leaving him at the fore of the nation’s older horses. “This is the best horse I’ve ever ridden,” Espinoza said.

In 2015, Espinoza was the regular rider of American Pharoah, the Horse of the Year.

American Pharoah became the first winner of the Triple Crown since 1978 and the first Triple Crown winner to win a Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Despite all that, Espinoza said after the Pacific Classic that California Chrome is better than Songbird has won her first ten races under Mike Smith, the rider of Zenyatta

rival has got to Songbird is three and threequarter lengths.

“To be honest, it’s incredible to see what she is now,” Smith said. “I’m trying to really enjoy it.”

Smith knows his mares. He was the regular rider of Zenyatta, who won her first 19 races before finishing second to Blame in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in her final start. “I didn’t think there would be anything like that again,” Smith said.

Beholder has been the leading mount for Stevens since he returned to riding in early 2013 after taking a seven-year break caused by knee problems. Beholder and Stevens have teamed up to win 11 of 14 races together since September 2013, although one of the losses was a second to California Chrome in the Pacific Classic in August. In 2015, Beholder won the Pacific Classic, the first female to win a race first run in 1991.

Stevens rode Beholder to a win in the Grade

1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita in June against Stellar Wind, the champion three-year-old filly of 2015. The result was reversed in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar in late July, when Espinoza guided Stellar Wind to a victory over Beholder.

Still, Stevens holds Beholder in the highest regard.

“She’s like family to me,” Stevens said during the summer. “I’m blessed to be on her back.”

Those high-profile runners have provided a much-needed spark for American racing this year. They give racing its best chance for attention in a sports market crowded by American football each autumn.

As of early September, all three were on schedule for starts in Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on November 4 and 5 – Beholder and Songbird in a first-ever meeting in the Distaff, and California Chrome in the Classic.

For three riders, those are the most highlyanticipated races of an already remarkable year.

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Oct_146_AroundtheGlobe_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:21 Page 38

AROUND THE GLOBE

AUST R A L I A

by Danny Power

When star mare Winx won the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick on September 17, it was her 11th consecutive win and her seventh at the highest level.

It was another dominant performance from a mare who is not only growing in reputation, but also keeps her on track for her second A$3 million Group 1 William Hill Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 22.

Winx hasn’t been beaten for nearly 18 months and her arrival as a superstar gives the Melbourne Spring Carnival a huge boost, as she is filling the void in Australian racing left by the retirement of the unbeaten Black Caviar in 2013.

The daughter of Street Cry is the latest in a line of incredible racemares that have dominated Australian racing in the past two decades – starting with the powerhouse New Zealander Sunline and followed by three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, Royal Ascot heroine Miss Andretti and Gai Waterhouse’s brilliant More Joyous.

Sunline, who won two Cox Plates in 1999 and 2000, is the mare most compared to Winx because of her middle-distance record, although they have completely opposite racing styles. The brutish Sunline charged from the gates and ran her rivals ragged, while Winx ‘parks’ inconspicuously in the field before unleashing outstanding sectionals.

Jockey Hugh Bowman said he feels no pressure riding Winx when the expectations are so high from an adoring public. “It’s a privilege, humbling, to be able to ride her; to show her off. It’s my job to put her in a position in a race where she can show how good she is,” he said after the George Main.

Bowman said he has dreamed for 20 years of riding a horse such as Black Caviar, Makybe Diva, Sunline or Lonhro, and can’t believe he’s found a horse that deserves equal billing in Winx.

“She’s proved she’s worthy of being mentioned in that company, but I think she has more to offer.”

Winx has now won the same number of Group 1s as Makybe Diva, her bank balance has topped $7 million and her winning sequence of 11 is equal to that of the legendary Kingston Town.

It’s possible she might be in England at Royal Ascot next year as trainer Chris Waller would love to travel his “once in a lifetime horse.”

For Bowman, the boy from outback Dunedoo in western NSW, such a journey would be a ride worth taking for the former

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BRONWEN HEALY

Could Winx be bound for Britain?

Winx makes it 11 wins on the spin under regular rider Hugh Bowman at Randwick

pony club champion.

Steven Arnold once said of So You Think, “I wipe my feet before I get on him”, which is a quote Bowman could easily use to reflect his privilege to be riding Winx.

Let’s hope the Poms get to see her. Put on your best shoes.

Compromise in breeders’ battle The argument between Australia’s thoroughbred breeders and racing’s controlling body, Racing Australia, which was becoming a Mexican stand off and increasingly ugly, is over.

Breeders were incensed at RA’s announcement in April to bring all thoroughbred breeders under the Australian Rules of Racing.

After hours of behind-the-scene discussion of the past month, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia accepted an RA compromise regarding farm access and then registration of foal owners.

New rules will be redrafted.

The result means that the contentious point of racing’s stewards and integrity departments having carte blanche access to breeding farms has been scrapped.

According to a TBA announcement on September 16, stewards will only have access to studs and farms to test for anabolic androgenic steroids in young horses, prohibited substances in racehorses and to monitor the health and welfare of horses.

“Racing Australia has clarified that a representative of a foal owner (such as a farm manager) can return the Foal Ownership Declaration when they have written approval to act as an agent for that owner,” TBA President Basil Nolan said.

“This clarification will provide comfort to many farms and studs, especially those with large numbers of clients or those which complete paperwork on behalf of clients.”

In addition, a new body, named the Australian Racing and Breeding Committee, has been formed with representatives of racing and breeding. This body will meet four times a year to thrash out conflicting issues.

This averts another bone of contention for breeders – the lack of representation on the board of Racing Australia.

Importantly, the compromise means that RA can achieve its aim of an early notification of foal ownership in an ongoing push for more integrity and transparency at the time of sale of weanlings and yearlings in the future.

RA was left with no option but to come to the table with the breeders – who regard themselves as primary producers and not bound by the Rules of Racing – after an almost 100% rejection of the new rules, which include a growing media campaign that had the backing of some of Australia’s politicians, particularly in the main thoroughbred breeding regions across the eastern seaboard of Australia.

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Oct_146_Hannon_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 16:42 Page 40

THE BIG INTERVIEW RICHARD HANNON

Keen for more

QUALITY

A quiet day for Richard Hannon would be a noisy nightmare for most people, but the trainer takes everything in his stride as he strives to upgrade an already very successful operation Words Julian Muscat • Photos George Selwyn

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he request to set up this interview was met with the briefest of pauses before Richard Hannon replies: “Yes, Tuesday 9am is perfect. It should be a quiet day here.”

Come the appointed hour and Hannon offers a warm welcome before repeating his earlier pledge. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk about whatever you want. I’ll just get the entries and declarations out of the way first.”

What follows is a veritable hive of activity.

Countless individuals take part in an openended conversation, every thread of which passes through Hannon. His office personnel outline every horse’s rating and entry options later in the week, while Hannon simultaneously liaises with vets over the latest scopes and blood tests. With up to 30 entries to process each day, decisions are made within seconds.

No sooner is this done then Hannon takes to his 4x4 to oversee second lot, when he fields a battery of calls from owners and racing managers all wanting information. A sales company representative calls to ask about reserves on lots Hannon has sent to the horses-in-training sales. Another call triggers a discussion on whether a horse from another stable that is due to sell later that morning – with a £170,000 reserve – would make a suitable pacemaker for one of his own.

And for the duration of this bout of brainstorming, Hannon’s three-year-old son, Jack, is perched on his knee asking a barrage of questions of his own. If this is quiet, you would be left pretty breathless were the tempo to quicken.

The grandson of a trainer, Hannon describes his own son as a fourth-generation

40

trainer in the making. That may come to pass but for now Jack is less interested in horses than the stash of Liquorice allsorts he knows are kept in the compartment under his father’s left arm.

If Jack was allowed to eat one sweet for every winner his father saddled, he’d be more than content. However, in the previous two years he’d have gorged himself to the extent that he’d have needed a doctor.

A look through the stats reveals that Hannon is slightly behind last year’s schedule, which was itself a little slower than the one preceding it. That was when he took over the licence from his father, also Richard, and galloped headlong to the trainers’ title.

Of course, as with the “quiet” morning, these things are relative. It’s not the sort of downturn to raise eyebrows, much less sound the alarm. And that’s because there has been a subtle but perceptible ground-shift at Hannon’s combined premises of Herridge House and East Everleigh Stables, set a few miles apart in Wiltshire. It relates to the quality of inmates.

“We are getting a better class of animal now and some of them want a trip,” Hannon explains. “These horses take a little bit longer.

People have probably noticed we hardly have any smash-and-grab two-year-olds that go out blistering away in March, April and May, after which they are finished. We knew that before the season started.

“We have a lot of nice, seven-furlong twoyear-olds for the backend,” he continues. “We used to have a choice of 20 horses for all those maiden auction races (for inexpensivelybought yearlings). Now we only have three or four that are qualified to run.”

This change of emphasis demonstrates two

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Richard Hannon: trains fewer of the ‘smash-and-grab’ juveniles that win early season races as he focuses on horses that mature later and stay longer trips

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RICHARD HANNON >> things. It reflects the spending power among

new owners Hannon has recruited to the yard since he assumed the reins, and it underlines that the man who succeeded his father, undoubtedly the most prolific producer of winners among his peers, is determined to raise the bar still higher.

“You do need horses at every level but ultimately I think you’re there to train Group 1 winners,” he says. “However they come doesn’t bother me; it’s getting them that matters. And I think we have a better chance of getting them with the sort of horses we are training now. I don’t know if we’ve got one this year – but one is going to come along sooner or later.”

Those new owners have also helped to alleviate what was once a constant source of pressure.

“If we do get a big horse and the owner wants to sell, we can pass it on to someone internally to keep the horse here,” Hannon says.

“That’s a massive help. In the past we’d have to sell them and didn’t know whether

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we’d be keeping them. That used to cause us a lot of worry.

“And with the newer owners we have, you can tell them straight away if their horse is ordinary and they will send you another one.

That’s a nice position to be in, because in the

“Some people don’t

mind spending quarter of a million on a racehorse. It’s neither here nor there” past we felt under pressure if a horse for a new owner wasn’t working out. We were always rushing; we’d be sending horses to anyone we could. We couldn’t be too picky.

“I’m not being snobbish or anything, but some people don’t mind spending quarter of

a million on a racehorse. It’s neither here nor there to them. But when you see good horses at the races, nine times out of ten they are by good sires and/or out of Group-winning mares. As a trainer, you’re more likely to come across a good one when those bloodlines are available to you. It increases your chances.”

The logic is inescapable. And vindication arrives from the most unlikely source. Come the St Leger meeting in mid-September and Hannon had saddled fractionally more threeyear-old winners than juvenile winners. That may not have happened in any of his father’s 43 years with a licence.

Nevertheless, a mildly defensive tone accompanies Hannon’s assessment of the campaign to date. “It’s been a good year,” he says. “You can’t moan when you’ve had 140 winners but it hasn’t been as good as when we had the stars in the last two seasons.

“I inherited Sky Lantern, Olympic Glory, Toronado – I mean, I had 28 Group winners in my first year, which was unbelievable. It just shows how many good horses we had, and on top of them we had some good two-

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RICHARD HANNON

Mehmas, who will stand at Tally-Ho Stud in 2017, with his trainer and Toni Syddall, and left, collaring Godolphin’s Blue Point in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood

Virus or not, it’s part of training No sooner had Roger Varian acknowledged the impact of a virus on his horses in late July than much of the racing community surfed in on his wake. From Newmarket to Chantilly, trainers spoke of an infection that was laying their horses low in significant numbers.

For Richard Hannon, who trains on his own property far away from established training centres, the virus has been nothing more than a minor irritant. It is business as usual within the Hannon emporium at Herridge and East Everleigh.

“Throughout the year we have had some horses that haven’t scoped right, but I don’t think it’s any different to usual,” he says. “I can’t categorically say, ‘We have had a virus’, and I’m not sure I believe in those things anyway. Nine times out of ten it’s just an excuse for a bad horse that can’t win.”

With Hannon increasingly embracing winters on the all-weather, his horses are regularly exposed to its contagious influence.

“Horses are rubbing their nose up against the

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

front of the stalls where another horse was standing 30 minutes earlier, or they are standing next to one with a virus for a minute or two before the off,” he says.

“That could be how the thing spreads. We put ours on antibiotics but there are so many different strains and things. And there are times of the year when you know infections will be in the air.

“For instance, it is mid-September and we already have yearlings 30 on the place.

Obviously we try to keep them away from the string but whenever you scope horses there are always a few that aren’t right. You expect that.”

He continues: “I know there has been a lot of complaints about it but we have our own place here. We are pretty much self-sufficient.

The horses live in their own micro-climate, which is an advantage.

“But as I said, I’m not really sure what it all means because we deal with it here and there throughout the year. It’s almost like it is part of training these days.”

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RICHARD HANNON

Richard Hannon jnr took over the licence from his father, Ricard snr, in 2014 but the operation has been a partnership for years

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year-olds, too, like Tiggy Wiggy and Gutaifan.

But by God, you miss them when they’re not there.”

He continues: “We were also disappointed not to have had a winner at Royal Ascot. I’m sure people noticed but no-one said anything to me. It’s so important to have winners there but we didn’t have a star horse this year.

“I trained two Royal Ascot winners in my first year and two in my second. My first ever runner was Toronado and he won the Queen Anne, the first race on the first day. I’d only been in the racecourse ten minutes and the monkey was already off my back.”

Mention of the top-class horses Hannon inherited emphasises the way his father had refined his training regime to perfection. Yet Hannon has embarked on an expensive upgrade of facilities – particularly at Herridge, which is now the fulcrum of his operation. He craves an infrastructure befitting the quality of horse in his care.

In less than three years every gallop has been resurfaced. The stable’s livery has been redefined with new rugs, saddle cloths, mandatory staff jackets and horseboxes. The stable lads’ hostel, from where the smell of Indian cuisine wafts tantalisingly towards the new owners’ complex, has been completely overhauled.

The yards have also been turned over.

There’s a new tack room, new laundry room, new silks room and rows of warm-water showers, all located around the atmospheric original yard with its old wooden beams.

Hannon’s website, now a bespoke facility, has

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“We give the horses

carrots every day, which is why we have so many winners at evening meetings” been upgraded to allow owners visual images of their horses.

It doesn’t stop there. Hannon is working on a new app, which will deliver a more personal experience to his owners. But the extent to which he is prepared to go for the slightest of edges is manifest in his efforts to buy a tract of woodland behind a sweeping gallop where horses warm up and warm down after daily exercise. He wanted to cut a four-furlong pathway through the trees so that horses could find tranquillity and respite from summer flies.

The horses are already more than adequately catered for, yet to Hannon, the hefty investment would have been warranted “just so that the horses could enjoy a bit of variety on the walk back after exercise.” But the plan ran aground: the woodland could not be disturbed.

Yet within this new-broom philosophy comes acknowledgement of the tried and trusted. The key personnel – the likes of vet

Jamie O’Gorman, senior head lads Tony Gorman and Steve Knight, and racing secretary Kevin Mason – remain in place, and Richard Hannon snr is a reassuring backstop.

His feed recipe for the daily mash hasn’t changed in nearly 40 years.

“We also give the horses carrots every day,” quips Hannon, “which is why we have so many winners at evening meetings.”

For all Hannon’s desire to put his own stamp on proceedings, reference points to the past are embedded within him. As much becomes clear when he makes the short drive from Herridge to East Everleigh, with its maze of boxes squeezed into a plot from where Hannon’s grandfather, Harry, started it all back in 1959.

Hannon grew up at East Everleigh. The playground where he frolicked with his five brothers and sisters is still there. So is ‘Millionaires’ Row’, the small line of boxes opposite the old office which housed the 2,000 Guineas winners Don’t Forget Me and Tirol. There is a nostalgic look in Hannon’s eyes as he retraces familiar steps.

“The house was always full of people,” he reflects. “You’ve never seen so many people coming and going – and I mean every day. So lots of fond memories, but at the same time, our set-up has moved on a good bit. It had to.

I find that owners these days like to be a lot more involved. You need a smart place to bring them to.”

Whatever the future holds, nobody can accuse Richard Hannon of resting on family laurels.

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It’s not Cheltenham: Jason Maguire in his best attire to watch My Dream Boat win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June

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TALKING TO...

JASON MAGUIRE

New hat, new

THRILLS Nothing will ever replace the buzz of powering up the Cheltenham hill, but ex-jockey Jason Maguire is loving his role as Racing Manager to Paul and Clare Rooney – he is also spending quality time with his family and raiding the fridge

By Tim Richards

Y

CAROLINE NORRIS

our successful riding career was brought to a premature end by two nasty accidents at Stratford and Musselburgh. You had to endure a series of complicated operations and lengthy recovery periods. What did such a stressful experience tell you about yourself?

I learnt what an impatient person I am! More importantly, I realised how lucky jockeys are to have the backing of the whole team at Oaksey House along with Dr Philip Pritchard. They were not only a help physically but, very importantly, mentally as well during a time of great frustration.

Of course, my family – wife Lauren and two daughters, Darcy, 2, and Freya, 1 – were a massive support too, though I’m sure I got under their feet when I was moping around and feeling very restricted. There were times when I would go for a look round at Kim Bailey’s or Ben Pauling’s yard, which would give me a break – as well as giving the missus a break from me. I am grateful for all their encouragement, particularly at times when I would not have been the best person to be around.

How challenging has been the change from race-riding to managing 120 jump and Flat horses spread among 24 trainers for Paul and Clare Rooney?

Having ridden many of the jumpers yourself must be an advantage…

Yes, it is a big, big change and very challenging.

But at the same time very enjoyable. I am there to be the middle man, to help Paul and Clare, who are very easy people to work for. Also the trainers, to whom we allocate the horses, make

my job easier. We keep in constant touch largely by email or phone. You must trust the trainers’ judgement – I don’t want to interfere too much.

It is an advantage that I know the tracks, having ridden a winner on every National Hunt course in the country.

I don’t ride very much these days because I am due to go for a final fusion in my spine following three back operations. I don’t enjoy riding so much these days, though I do miss the riding out in the mornings because it helps you to feel part of the scene. But, unfortunately, it upsets the old injury. So I’m afraid that’s the way it is and I have to accept it.

You were talked about as a potential champion jockey. Did you ever believe it could happen?

After finishing second in the jockeys’ championship in 2012 it became more of a realistic target, in the hope that the great Sir Anthony McCoy would retire one day. But even with AP gone, no way would it have been easy with Richard Johnson still around, particularly when you look at his fantastic record season on season. I am not one for regrets; I always look forward. Now I have a great opportunity, thanks to Paul and Clare, to be an even more successful racing manager. And with a bit of luck and help from our trainers and bloodstock agent Kevin Ross, I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.

What are the priorities in a job involving such a variety of personalities, both human and equine?

The horses’ welfare is very important, probably the most important part of the >>

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JASON MAGUIRE >> whole

operation. Every horse is different, physically and mentally, and it is a case of finding the trainer most suited to each horse.

So we look at every horse individually and try to allocate it to the right trainer to achieve the best results. I do reports regularly and communicate with the Rooneys and the trainers. All I’ve ever done is ride horses so I am now learning all the time.

What made you leave your racing roots in Ireland and come to England?

At the time I was a 3lb claimer in Ireland and through a family friend, Tom O’Mahoney, the chance of a good job at Tom George’s came my way. I jumped at it and was working at Tom’s Gloucestershire stables for seven years. Chris Broad, my agent, has probably been the biggest influence on my career and life. Chris and his wife Jane were excellent people to have behind you. They were always there at the end of the phone to give sound advice and support, be it six in the morning or ten at night. It made you feel good just to know they were available.

You have already been involved with success at the highest level on the Flat with My Dream Boat in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. How tough has it been to find your way round the Flat racing world?

The Flat was all a little bit new to me at first, but you do discover there isn’t a huge difference. Clive Cox was our first Flat trainer and he has made it a lot easier by basically introducing me to the system. I used to ride on the level in Ireland and started with Joanna Morgan and Mick Halford and rode my first winner at Dundalk.

How does Royal Ascot measure up to the Cheltenham Festival for

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GEORGE SELWYN

You have switched from player to manager – has it been difficult coming to terms with missing the craic between all your weighing-room colleagues?

Of course I miss the lads in the weighingroom. After all, it is not every day people start work sitting naked next to their work colleagues in the sauna, but that’s how it happens in the jockeys’ world. We all take the mickey and have a good laugh, specially the jumping lads. You can never take yourself too seriously because you’re involved in a dangerous job. At the end of the day the lads are very competitive and we respect each other out on the track. I used to find myself sitting next to any of Robert Thornton, Timmy Murphy, Tom Siddall and Paul Moloney, all good lads. I was getting closer to the door as I moved into my 30s and events have made me realise racing waits for no man and time moves on.

“The Flat was all a

little bit new to me at first, but you do discover there isn’t a huge difference” atmosphere and the ‘wow’ factor?

Both meetings are like the Olympics. There is more fashion at Royal Ascot and certainly a different atmosphere, but from my own point of view being out in the middle riding the track at Cheltenham was a terrific thrill. You simply cannot buy the buzz you get from success at the Festival. Coming up that hill on a winner is almost like riding into an unreal world. But then with my new role on the Flat, I got so much pleasure seeing Paul and Clare step up onto the winners’ podium at Royal Ascot after

My Dream Boat’s success – especially when you consider what they put into the game.

They love their horses and get such a kick out of winning, particularly a Group 1 at the Royal meeting.

Are you involved with the fledgling breeding side of the Rooneys’ bloodstock operation?

I am serving my apprenticeship, taking sound advice from Richard Kent of Mickley Stud, where Paul and Clare have some of their mares. I have been active at the sales under the watchful eye of bloodstock experts Kevin and Anna Ross from Northern Ireland, who have been trying to educate me. Kevin bought the Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander and he and Anna [Arthur Moore’s daughter] are very knowledgeable on horses’ conformation, movement and breeding.

You have been active at the sales.

What is it you look for in the young Flat horse or potential jumper – and who helps you source stock?

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JASON MAGUIRE What is it you miss most about the life of a jockey – and what are you happy to have left behind?

Riding winners, I suppose, I miss most.

Though anyone that’s seen me recently will realise I haven’t missed raiding the fridge. I have probably put on a stone and a half since the days of doing 10st 7lb! I certainly don’t regret giving up the dieting and sweating.

Watching your weight and having to drive three hours to work and three hours back were the worst parts of the job. Now I have more time at home, which is great with our two young girls.

The Last Samuri, owned by Paul and Clare Rooney, jumping in second en route to finishing a gallant runner-up in this year’s Grand National, a race Jason Maguire captured in 2011 on Ballabriggs (below)

This aspect of racing is new to me and I absolutely love it, seeing young horses, foals and just learning how to inspect each individual. I got a real buzz from riding, now I am in the fortunate position of being able to go round the sales. I have got the bug for it and want to learn more and more. My uncle Trevor Maguire, who works for Wood Park Stud in County Meath, is also a great help. If there is anything I need to know about mares and foals he is the first person I go to.

Kieren Murphy does a lot of the breaking for us in Ireland and looks after the stores over there and I enjoy going across to see how each horse is developing.

Richie McGrath, my former weighingroom colleague, does a lot of the breaking for us in Middleham.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

How badly needed is the new JETS video ‘Jockey Matters’, explaining fitness, nutritional and weight loss techniques for jockeys?

It was badly needed. It is a huge asset and I hope it will help to change the lifestyle of jockeys. I imagine if it had been in place when I was riding it would have played a big part in preventing my weight from yo-yoing up and down so much. It seemed to be either feast or famine. Now with all the new information available jockeys should be able to control their weight and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

I used to visit Dr George Wilson, the sports physiologist at Liverpool University, and he was a great help as he specialises in dietary practices and the health of jockeys. At some stage I am sure he would have had an input into ‘Jockey Matters’. My advice to a young jockey starting out would be: ‘Listen, speak when you’re spoken to and respect your elders. And don’t forget that in racing

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GEORGE SELWYN

JASON MAGUIRE

Maguire in action on Peddlers Cross, the horse who meant more to him than any other due to his class and Festival win

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you are learning every day and never going to know everything.’

At times you have said you could be a bit grumpy in the weighing room.

Without all the pressures of raceriding are you much more at ease and outgoing in your new role?

I’m more outgoing now and more approachable; I have to be because I am there to help the trainers and their staff. When I was riding I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well; that probably affected me. Imagine the routine of having to be in the car for three or four hours on the way to the races and then spending an hour in the sauna trying to lose 5lb. After that, your mount stepped out on to the track and everything rested with you. But now as racing manager the riding is out of my hands. The lifestyle is more relaxed but I am still very competitive.

You won the 2011 Grand National on Ballabriggs. Now you must have high hopes of helping to point the Rooney-owned The Last Samuri, runner-up at Aintree last year, in the same direction. When will we see him again?

The Last Samuri is being aimed at the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby at the end of October.

The main target is to get him back to the National in one piece. He’s done really well out in the field and is in good nick. He was in the lead and got taken on going to the last fence in the National and Rule The World outran him in those last 150 yards. The Last

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Samuri jumped unbelievably round there and David [Bass] gave him a great ride. It was something special to be involved in the finish.

Paul and Clare felt the same as me, the thrill of finishing second and happy the horse got round safely, but also we couldn’t help wondering what might have been.

You rode so many good horses, including Peddlers Cross and Overturn. Is there one horse that means more to you than any others?

If so, why?

I’d have to say Peddlers Cross, who was the one horse I have ever thought was a certainty at Cheltenham when he won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle. He finished second to Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle the following year; I think that might have broken his heart. He had wind problems but without those he would have been something very

special and gone right to the top. He had such a high cruising speed, his jumping was so accurate; he was electric over hurdles. His acceleration and change of gear were fantastic.

That extra gear would help him to quicken like no other horse I rode. Overturn was a very special horse, too. He would go out in front at a good gallop and keep it up. But Peddlers Cross was class, through and through.

Can you give us a young horse to follow that you are particularly excited about ahead of the new jumps season?

Willoughby Court, who won a couple of bumpers at Southwell and Warwick last season and has done really well through the summer. His form is pretty decent and Ben Pauling will be sending him hurdling.

Willoughby Court is a nice horse and full of promise.

CLOSE UP AND...

PERSONAL

CLOSE UP AND...

PROFESSIONAL

Favourite meal… spaghetti bolognese

Most underrated jockey(s)… Brian Harding and Andrew Thornton

Guilty pleasure… too much chocolate One person I’d like to meet…

Usain Bolt Four dinner party guests… Micky Flanagan (comedian), Jim Old, Chris Broad and Lauren, my wife I relax away from racing… with my wife and daughters

Racing hero… Sir Anthony McCoy Horse I’d love to have ridden…

Edredon Bleu, a champion two-mile chaser Biggest disappointment of my career… being forced to retire early Alternative career… jockey coach

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

– TDN, September 2016

The Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal at

Goffs November Sale 13 – 19 November 2016 Foals and Breeding Stock

Oct_146_Wildenstein_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 16:27 Page 52

THE WILDENSTEIN DISPERSAL

Brush with

GREATNESS The sale at Goffs of 108 members of the Wildenstein family’s racing and breeding operation offers breeders a rare chance to buy into some of the world’s most illustrious bloodlines Words Chris McGrath • Photos George Selwyn

I

t was at Deauville in the summer of 1925 – the year F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby – that Georges Wildenstein gave 57,000 francs for a colt bred by Atanik Eknayan. Diamonds had been Eknayan’s line; Wildenstein was trading in art. His new colt, given the name Licteur, would become the first elite performer to carry the dark blue silks and light blue cap, taking the Prix de la Foret as a two-year-old before finishing fourth in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. For the rest of the century, year by year, generation by generation, the family’s parallel empires – in bloodstock and art – consolidated to a point so rarefied that

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they gradually obtained a Jazz Age, Gatsby mystique, their immensity and lustre shadowed by secrecy.

In 1970, Georges Wildenstein’s grandson Alec stunned the art world by becoming the first to pay more than £1 million for a painting, a Velázquez, at auction. In the process, for good measure, he also became the first to pay £2 million. This was never a family to do things by halves. They had mansions in Manhattan and Paris, exotic estates in Kenya and the Caribbean. Their racing stable housed four Arc winners, including the great Allez France. But a plain old world can seldom bear the weight

of so rich a fable, and the newspapers have in recent years become ever more agog at the possibility that the whole thing may unravel almost as melodramatically as it does for Jay Gatsby.

The family’s inscrutability, for so long relieved only by an acerbic freedom in the criticism of trainers or jockeys, has been mercilessly dismantled – first by an ex-wife; then by a stepmother; and now, as though to demonstrate that Hell does have at least one fury exceeding that of a woman scorned, by the taxman. Alec died in 2008, and his brother Guy and nephew David now find themselves

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presiding over a dispersal of bloodlines that have long served to corroborate the grandeur of their own dynasty. Wildenstein thoroughbreds always appeared to attest to the same aesthetic flair, the same eye for lasting class, as Wildenstein paintings. But now some of the most precious and symbolic of these elegant heirlooms are to be sold off.

Though the family will retain the rump of a stable – through Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd, which raced Miss France to win the 1,000 Guineas in 2014 – the dispersal of Wildenstein Stables Ltd at Goffs this autumn unmistakably represents one of the most remarkable such sales in the modern era. An aggregate of 108 bluebloods will go through the ring, comprising 18 yearlings and 41 horses-intraining offered at the end of the Orby Sale, on

“There may never

again be a chance to buy a part of racing and breeding history like this ” September 28; plus 27 mares, two fillies out of training, and 20 foals to be catalogued at the November Sale.

The draft is being prepared by Castlebridge Consignment, whose Bill Dwan expresses a due sense of awe. “There may never again be a chance to buy a part of racing and breeding history like this,” he says. “The huge attraction of any dispersal by a long established breeder is that decades of selective racing and breeding are available to provide a short cut for anyone involved in bloodstock. I grew up watching in awe such wonderful racehorses as All Along, Peintre Celebre and recently Beauty Parlour, and it’s so exciting to be involved in a small way in a part of breeding folklore. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for Goffs, and for Ireland, to host such a unique dispersal – one that should attract a worldwide audience.”

It was Castlebridge that prepared Irish Oaks winner Chicquita to fetch €6 million, the highest price paid for a horse at auction in Ireland, at Goffs November three years ago.

She was the highlight of the Paulyn Dispersal,

>> THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Olivier Peslier celebrates Peintre Celebre’s Arc victory in 1997; Daniel and Alec Wildenstein in 1988, below left

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THE WILDENSTEIN DISPERSAL >> the success of which appears to have influenced

the Wildenstein family in choosing a host for their own sale.

“I think it’s fair to say that success follows success,” says Henry Beeby, the delighted Chief Executive of Goffs. “They’ve been kind enough to say that they appreciated our proactive approach, our enthusiasm, and they have also seen how that follows through – that when we have a good horse, we have on many occasions in recent years exceeded the expectations of vendors. Not just at the Paulyn sale. You could look at Jet Setting, or the fact that we have sold

sister to Bright Sky. Among the horses-intraining, the good-looking Achibueno is an unraced Dansili two-year-old from a wonderful family and it’s no surprise that he holds a Derby entry.”

The whole draft is saturated with Turf history.

Take, for instance, Adventure Seeker: an eightyear-old Bering mare, in foal to Siyouni, and grand-daughter of none other than All Along, the first US Horse of the Year to have been based overseas. Within six weeks of her success in the 1983 Arc, Patrick Biancone saddled her to win three Grade 1 races in North America, a

“Daniel would grow up to bring the Wildenstein bloodlines to their apogee”

measure not only to her own toughness – she was runner-up in the Japan Cup at three, and in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Turf at five – but also to the sense of adventure animating her owners.

They surpassed even that mark in 1993 when Arcangues landed one of the all-time shocks as 133-1 winner, on his dirt debut, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He was a son of Sagace, who had retained the Arc trophy for Daniel Wildenstein (son of Georges, and father of Alec and Guy) the year after All Along.

Arcangues was trained by Andre Fabre, who also provided his patron with a fourth Arc win with homebred Peintre Celebre in 1997.

Other mares to be sold include Abyssinie, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Aquarelliste out of a half-sister to Arcangues, in foal to Le Havre; half-sisters to Beauty Parlour, and to champions Loup Sauvage and Loup Solitaire, both these in foal to Australia; and a Group 2-winning half-

Alec Wildenstein receives Westerner’s Gold Cup from the Queen

the world’s highest-priced Frankel yearling and highest-priced Frankel foal, which you would not necessarily expect when he stands just down the road from a leading competitor.

Wildenstein Stables is a huge name in racing, and this is a historic occasion, so we hope we can repay the faith they have shown in us.”

The most luminous name in the catalogue is perhaps that of Beauty Parlour, winner of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and runner-up in the Prix de Diane. By Deep Impact out of a halfsister to the Australian champion Might And Power, she has a pedigree as cosmopolitan as it is classy. “Obviously with over 100 horses to sell, it is difficult to pick out standout lots,” Dwan says. “But Beauty Parlour, in foal to the mighty Kingman, has to be a headline act. Her Dubawi yearling colt is an exciting type and a good advertisement for the mare and so, too, her Dansili foal.

There are also some beautifully bred maiden fillies such as Lady of Kyushu, who is a Listed winner and multiple Group-placed filly by Smart Strike, from the family of Roderic O’Connor; or Beata, a dual winner and half-

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The outstanding All Along wins the 1983 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in which the first

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THE WILDENSTEIN DISPERSAL sister to Peintre Celebre in foal to Dansili.

It is difficult to imagine that the dispersal of such a storied legacy can be unconnected to difficulties with the French tax authorities, source of excruciating publicity for a family that has always treasured its privacy. David Wildenstein has simply said: “The time has come for us to move in a different direction.”

Whatever its context, and whatever the future may hold, for now this sale would seem to represent a poignant denouement in a saga tracing to the emigration from Alsace of Georges Wildenstein’s father, Nathan, after the region’s annexation by Prussia in the 1870 war.

Though Nathan initially dealt in fabrics, his salesmanship impressed a customer who asked him to dispose of some paintings on her behalf.

Nathan immured himself for ten days in the Louvre, to get his eye in, and made a sufficient commission to buy a couple of pieces by Rococo artists of the previous century: a Boucher, a Quentin de la Tour. Within days, he had sold them on at a profit. And so began a business that would one day provide authenticating accessories to some of the great magnates of 20th century capitalism, thanks to an infallible instinct for taste and trends.

But their grandson would be indebted to Nathan and his wife for another family trademark. At just four years of age, Daniel was standing on tiptoes at Auteuil and Longchamp and Saint-Cloud to slide his pennies over the counter, his grandmother standing behind to bet on every other horse. “Je gagnais donc dans

four home were all fillies

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour is a standout in the dispersal

toutes les courses,” he would remember wryly.

If not able to sustain quite the same strikerate, Daniel would grow up to bring the Wildenstein bloodlines to their apogee. That first good horse, Licteur, had been sold to the French National Stud but Charlemagne and Rieur, consecutive winners of the Grand Prix de Deauville, became the first in-house stallions in the 1930s.

Nonetheless things had evolved only slowly by the time Daniel hired Maurice Zilber as trainer. The Egyptian later remembered amazing his new boss with his temerity: “‘You have very bad horses,’ I said. ‘What?’ (He cannot believe this.) ‘Yes, you do.’ But I

promised him the top of the list in five years, and we make it in four.”

Then Zilber joined Nelson Bunker Hunt, leaving behind a Sea-Bird filly named Allez France. She went on to win the Pouliches, Diane and Vermeille for Albert Klimscha, before chasing home Rheingold in the Arc. Allez France then passed into the care of Angel Penna Sr., who would go on to train several other outstanding Wildenstein fillies, including Waya, Flying Water, Madelia and Pawneese.

Zilber, now training Dahlia, soon gave up trying to beat the bruising Allez France – some called her masculine; Zilber preferred “ugly” – and sent his elegant filly to become an overseas

The 1976 Oaks winner Pawneese has four female descendants in the sale

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Oct_146_Wildenstein_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 15:11 Page 56

THE WILDENSTEIN DISPERSAL

Alec Wildenstein, centre, at Longchamp, with Andre Fabre, right, in 1997

>> champion instead. Allez France, who crowned

that vintage season in the Arc, was so formidable on the gallops that Penna would set up relays of three leads for a piece of work.

After the death in 2001 of the formidable patriarch, Daniel, Alec’s role in their Turf success became clear. Having been heavily involved in the matings for 30 years, he proceeded to race such Group 1 winners as Bright Sky, Aquarelliste, Westerner and Vallée Enchantée.

Defeats for this latter pair extended the sense of continuity to the offstage atmosphere: that of Westerner prompted a breathtaking remark that

“the dope-testing machine must be broken”, while Vallée Enchantée, far from being unlucky, was “ridden by an asshole who didn’t follow instructions.”

There had, of course, been a long history of big-name break-ups: Henry Cecil and Peter Walwyn, over their respective stable jockeys Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery; and even Fabre, who lost 42 horses within four years of Peintre Celebre’s Arc. The headlines, it must be said, have since become rather more serious. But if the Goffs dispersal potentially marks the end of an era,

then who knows? Perhaps someone out there, no less than Georges Wildenstein buying his first yearlings in the 1920s, will set in motion a great new cycle. The females, in particular, offer the deepest of foundations – whether proven producers, or still in training, or barely weaned.

Besides her yearling colt by Oasis Dream, Peintre Celebre’s half-sister will be preceded through the ring by three daughters: a placed three-year-old by Smart Strike; an unraced twoyear-old by Dubawi; and a foal by Invincible Spirit. In fact, for a typical flavour, look no farther than the first Wildenstein yearling in the catalogue: a grand-daughter of the Classicplaced Sadler’s Wells mare Gagnoa, herself a half-sister to Pour Moi. The horses-in-training draft, meanwhile, includes a precious two-year-old daughter of Verveine, bordering on top-class herself and already responsible for two Group 1 winners.

“I’m lucky enough to visit a lot of nice farms and see a lot of nice horses every year,” Beeby says. “But I must say it’s very rare that you can stand there and see just one after another that are not only regally bred but look the part as well. The yearlings I’d say are as good a collection as I’ve seen in a long time, if ever. All these horses represent generations of breeding the best to the best – and not just hoping for the best, but getting the best. It’s a once-in-ageneration sale. At most.”

No less than those seeking the seeds for an empire of their own, of course, the Wildensteins themselves need only remember the Licteur era – and borrow the faith of Jay Gatsby. “Can’t repeat the past? …Why of course you can!”

Arcangues becomes the longest-priced winner of any Breeders’ Cup race, winning the Classic under Jerry Bailey in 1993 at 133-1

56

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Oct_146_Tattersalls_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:09 Page 58

250 YEARS OF TATTERSALLS

Truly local, totally INTERNATIONAL Nestled in the heart of a small market town in East Anglia, Tattersalls, which this year celebrates its 250th anniversary, now plays host to visitors from more than 50 countries, with annual turnover closing in on £300 million Words John Berry

W

hen Richard Tattersall established his auctioneering business in 1766, he naturally did so in London which, as capital of England, could be viewed as the centre of the world. Hyde Park Corner was an obvious base for a horseman of ambition. Even at the start, though, Mr Tattersall had close links to Newmarket, then as now the centre of the racing world. Nowadays the firm which he established 250 years ago is a Newmarket icon. Richard Tattersall was clearly a man of vision, but not even he, surely, could have foreseen how mighty would be the oak which has sprung from the acorn that he planted.

The Tattersalls Fox is an enduring emblem

58 58

While selling racehorses was only a small part of the business of any horse auctioneer in the 18th century in the days when the horse was everywhere and did everything, Richard Tattersall made himself a bloodstock specialist. There was money to be made by cornering the bloodstock market, and there was also money to be made by owning thoroughbreds. In fact, the bedrock of his fortune turned out not to be the shillings which he earned as commission from the guineas, but the income generated by his champion stallion Highflyer during a prolific stud career at Tattersall’s Highflyer Hall near Ely. On the expiration of the 99-year lease which Richard Tattersall had secured for the Hyde Park Corner property, the cousins ‘young’ Richard and Edmund Tattersall secured premises in Knightsbridge. The firm actually only moved its headquarters up to Newmarket after the Second World War, but it was already well established at HQ long before then. Initially Tattersall’s principal yearling sales had been at Doncaster during St Leger week or (in the early days, anyway) on the studs. However, the 1957 St Leger Sale was the last conducted by Tattersalls in Doncaster, and Park Paddocks has been the firm’s sole venue ever since.

Tattersalls first leased premises in Newmarket in the 1870s before buying Park Paddocks in 1884. Within a handful of years, both the July Sale and the December Sale were firmly established as major events in the bloodstock calendar. Each sale has had its moments of pure theatre, and one of

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2 5 0 Y E A R S O F TAT T E R S A L L S >> the most notable July Sales came in 1900

when the catalogue featured the dispersal of the stock of the late 1st Duke of Westminster.

The 2nd Duke intended to keep his grandfather’s spectacularly successful stud going, albeit on a reduced scale. Unable to attend the sale, he left instructions with his trainer John Porter that he should buy what he believed to be the choicest lots. Top of the list, naturally, had to be what was widely regarded as the cream of the yearling crop: a beautiful filly, a member of the first crop of Derby, St Leger and Gold Cup winner

“The filly proved to be a bargain even at that unthinkable price; Sceptre ran in all five Classics and won four”

Persimmon, out of Orme, a sister to the 1st Duke’s 1886 Triple Crown winner Ormonde.

However, the mercurial sportsman Robert Sievier was in funds at the time. This was the era of the great owner-breeders when the most choicely-bred yearlings generally did not come on the market. Sievier had spotted a rare opportunity to buy a true blue-blood.

Leaving nothing to chance, and mindful that he was not always considered credit-worthy, he button-holed Somerville Tattersall in the Rutland Arms the night before the sale, presenting him with £20,000 (which equates

250 GLORIOUS YEARS 1833 Tattersalls start holding sales in Doncaster, outside the Salutation Inn

1920 Blue Ensign tops the St Leger Yearling Sale at Doncaster at a world-record 14,500 gns

1865 Tattersalls’ lease on the Hyde Park Corner property expires; the firm moves to Knightsbridge

1922 Mumtaz Mahal tops the St Leger Yearling Sale at Doncaster at 9,100 gns

1766 1833 1865 1884 1886 1900 1920 1922 1900 Sceptre is sold as a yearling at the July Sale at Park Paddocks for a world-record 10,000 gns

1766 Richard Tattersall Establishes the firm with a 99-year lease on premises at Hyde Park Corner

1886 Tattersalls’ first December Sale is held at Park Paddocks

1884 Tattersalls buys Park Paddocks in Newmarket

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2 5 0 Y E A R S O F TAT T E R S A L L S to roughly £2,000,000 in today’s terms) in £500 notes.

Mr Tattersall probably slept very little that night holed up with the cash in his hotel bedroom while the Turf’s worst rascals prowled the Newmarket night outside. The following afternoon, to John Porter’s consternation, Sievier just kept bidding, prompting the Duke’s trainer to admit defeat once the price had gone through the roof.

The hammer eventually came down at a mind-boggling 10,000 guineas, a record which lasted two decades until a son of The

Tetrarch fetched 14,5000 guineas at Tattersalls’ St Leger Sale in Doncaster in 1920.

The filly, incidentally, proved to be a great bargain, even at that unthinkable price.

Sievier initially sent her to Charles Morton, but had to find another trainer when the latter accepted an offer to take up a position as private trainer to Mr Jack Joel.

Consequently, Sievier decided to train the filly himself. In 1902 he thus became the only owner-trainer ever to be champion trainer of Great Britain (a distinction which

1939 Tattersalls conducts its final Knightsbridge Green sale

1961 Tattersalls annual turnover exceeds 3,000,000 guineas for the first time

he might well hold forever) when the filly, named Sceptre, ran in all five Classics, winning them all bar the Derby. Sievier subsequently sold her for £25,000 to Mr (later Sir) William Bass.

Another magic moment in the history of Park Paddocks came at the December Sale of 1967.

Major Lionel Holliday, thrice champion owner between 1956 and ’62, died in 1965, the year in which the best horse he ever bred, Vaguely Noble, was born.

It took Major Holliday’s executors a couple of years to complete the formalities

1965 A new sale ring in Park Paddocks is completed

1985 Tattersalls completes the purchase of Ballsbridge Sale in Ireland, thus setting up Tattersalls (Ireland)

1939 1946 1957 1961 1965 1967 1985 1989 1957 Tattersalls conducts its final St Leger Yearling Sale at Doncaster

1967 Vaguely Noble tops the December Sale at a world-record (for a horse in training) 136,000 gns 1989 Tattersalls holds its first Breeze-Up Sale

1946 Tattersalls sells its Knightsbridge Green property THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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2 5 0 Y E A R S O F TAT T E R S A L L S >>

concerning the estate, but eventually Vaguely Noble came under the hammer. He did so as the last-start wide-margin winner (in the colours of Major Holliday’s son Brook) of the Observer Gold Cup (now Racing Post Trophy) at Doncaster.

There was not an empty seat in the house when, coming from the Lagrange stable of Major Holliday’s private trainer Walter Wharton, Vaguely Noble strode into Tattersall’s newly-constructed auditorium. A few minutes later, he strode out just as Sceptre had done 67 years previously, as a world-record holder: the final bid (made by American agent Albert Yank) of 136,000 guineas had smashed the previous best price for a horse in training. Like Sceptre, Vaguely Noble too proved to be a bargain. The following year he beat Sir Ivor in the Prix de

“There was not an

empty seat in the house when Vaguely Noble strode into the new auditorium” l’Arc de Triomphe, after which a quarter share in him was sold to John Gaines of Gainesway Farm in Kentucky for $1,250,000. His offspring included Empery, Dahlia, Jet Ski Lady, Exceller, Gay Mecene and Noble Bijou.

Since then, there has been drama aplenty in Park Paddocks, where records continue to fall. The likelihood is that they will continue to do so indefinitely. The show is set to run and run in this truly local and totally international theatre of dreams. Newmarket is the heart of the racing world, and Tattersalls is one of the key elements which keeps that heart beating. Integral to the local community and economy as well as to the entire bloodstock world, Tattersalls last year had turnover in excess of £275,000,000 and attracted buyers from over 50 countries, as well as employing approximately 130 staff during its busiest periods.

Richard Tattersall probably guessed that his legacy would be substantial. Not even he, though, could have guessed how massive it would become.

250 GLORIOUS YEARS (continued) 2000 A colt by Sadler’s Wells ex Darara becomes the most expensive yearling ever sold in Europe, at 3,400,000 gns

2008 Tattersalls buys a 20% share in William Inglis & Son Ltd sale company in Australia

2013 A filly by Galileo ex Alluring Park becomes the most expensive yearling filly ever sold, at 5,000,000 guineas; Immortal Verse, right, becomes the most expensive broodmare ever sold in Europe, at 4,700,000 guineas

2000 2006 2008 2013 2014 2015 2006 Magical Romance tops the December Sale at a world-record (for a broodmare) 4,600,000 guineas; Tattersalls’ turnover tops 200,000,000 guineas for the first time

2015 Tattersalls buys Brightwells Bloodstock Sales, whose auctions at Ascot and Cheltenham become a subsidiary of Tattersalls (Ireland).

2014 Just The Judge becomes the most expensive filly in training ever sold at auction in Europe, at 4,500,000 guineas; Tattersalls’ turnover tops 250,000,000 guineas for the first time; Tattersalls buys a majority share in Osarus Sales in France

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2 5 0 Y E A R S O F TAT T E R S A L L S

Beyond Galileo, Dubawi and Frankel...

There are two certainties ahead of this autumn’s Tattersalls’ October Sale, which runs from October 4 to 14: there will be some spell-binding bidding duels for the most cherished lots, and the sale will throw up a few champions. The glorious uncertainty of the sport, of course, means that the horses involved in the first part of that prediction will not necessarily be those that subsequently take the starring roles. It is, though, fairly easy to predict that many of the yearlings on offer by stallions such as Galileo, Dubawi and Frankel will spark some fierce bidding, and that many of these youngsters will subsequently take high order over the next two or three years.

The inauguration last year of Tattersalls’ Book 1 bonus (which pays a £25,000 bonus to the connections of graduates winning specified maiden races) and the list of horses who have so far collected this perk act as a pertinent reminder that success stories will emerge from every tier within the sale. Any serious buyer is going to have every yearling by Galileo, Dubawi and Frankel, plus the handful by leading American sires Tapit, Kitten’s Joy and War Front, on his or her long list. Happily, however, the catalogue isn’t dominated solely by the handful of most obvious sires. Here are a few yearlings who might help to spread the market over a broader stallion base: 22 Bay colt by Dalakhani ex Echelon (Danehill) Consigned by Cheveley Park Stud

His first three dams were all top-class fillies and collectively they have bred such stars as Integral, Chic and Entrepreneur 40 Bay colt by New Approach ex Fallen Star (Brief Truce) Consigned by Norris Bloodstock

Out of a stakes winner who has become an excellent broodmare, he hails from the family of Highclere, Nashwan and Deep Impact 51 Bay colt by Oasis Dream ex Filia Regina (Galileo) Consigned by Stanley House Stud

The first foal of his winning dam, a daughter of Ouija Board and sister to dual Derby winner Australia 104 Bay colt by Sea The Stars ex Hoity Toity (Darshaan) Consigned by Watership Down Stud

A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry, dam of the mighty Minding 107 Bay colt by Intello ex Hooray (Invincible Spirit) Consigned by Cheveley Park Stud

His dam was an outstanding two-year-old, showing brilliant speed when winning the Cheveley Park Stakes and Lowther Stakes in 2010

A half-brother to Oaks winner Dancing Rain and to Maybe’s stakeswinning dam Sumora, from a half-sister to Derby winner Dr Devious 279 Bay/brown filly by Kendargent ex Restia (Montjeu) Consigned by Haras de Colleville

By the hugely progressive French sire Kendargent, she is a full-sister to the stakes winners Restiadargent and Restiana 311 Bay filly by Lope De Vega ex Sheer Spirit (Caerleon) Consigned by Ballylinch Stud

A half-sister to Group 2 winner Manieree from a winning half-sister to Derby winner Oath 320 Bay colt by Pivotal ex Side Of Paradise (Sadler’s Wells) Consigned by Mount Coote Stud

From a top Kilfrush Stud family, a full-sister to dual Group 1 winner Immortal Verse (who fetched 4.7 million gns in 2013) 356 Chestnut filly by Sepoy ex Swain’s Gold (Swain) Consigned by Minster Stud

A half-sister to last year’s Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs from the family of Australian Derby winner Dance The Day Away 422 Bay filly by Shamardal ex Yummy Mummy (Montjeu) Consigned by Newsells Park Stud

141 Chestnut filly by Exceed And Excel ex Lady Of The Desert (Rahy) Consigned by Cheveley Park Stud

A half-sister to last year’s 1,000 Guineas heroine Legatissimo, from a winning full-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory

Bred to be a top-class two-year-old: his dam and his half-sister Queen Kindly are both Lowther Stakes winners

460 Bay colt by Declaration Of War ex Another Storm (Gone West) Consigned by Clare Castle Stud

146 Bay colt by Acclamation ex Land Army (Desert Style) Consigned by Corduff Stud

A half-brother to four stakes winners including champion stayer Order Of St George; grandson of former US champion two-year-old filly Storm Song

Perfect credentials to be a top sprinter: a half-brother to Lethal Force from the immediate family of G Force 162 Bay colt by Dream Ahead ex Logica (Priolo) Consigned by Kildaragh Stud

A half-brother to the international star Doctor Dino, as well as to the excellent Japanese stayer Bande 230 Bay colt by Redoute’s Choice ex Navajo Queen (Monsun) Consigned by Gestut Etzean

A son of an outstanding Australian stallion, from a winning full-sister to the German champion Novellist 272 Bay colt by Invincible Spirit ex Rain Flower (Indian Ridge) Consigned by Camas Park Stud

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469 Chestnut filly by Dawn Approach ex Artisia (Peintre Celebre) Consigned by Drumachon Stud

A half-sister to the redoubtable Red Cadeaux, from a grand-daughter of the great filly and broodmare Al Bahathri 498 Chestnut colt by Sir Percy ex Bombazine (Generous) Consigned by Glebe Stud

A half-brother to five stakes winners, from a Listed-placed half-sister to Irish Guineas winners Barathea and Gossamer 521 Grey colt by Iffraaj ex Cassandra Go (Indian Ridge) Consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud

A speedily bred half-brother to three Group winners out of a King’s Stand winner and from the immediate family of Verglas

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Oct_146_Bloodstock_Intro_Owner 22/09/2016 14:13 Page 67

BREEDERS’ DIGEST

By EMMA BERRY, Bloodstock Editor

Our bloodstock coverage this month includes:

• Sales Circuit: Yearling wrap from Goffs UK, BBAG, Osarus and Keeneland – pages 68-77 • Caulfield Files: Flintshire excelling on fast conditions in the US – pages 79-80 • Dr Statz: When it comes to speed figures, Distorted Humor is out in front – page 112

An anniversary gift from Tattersalls I

What a great scheme – we will be back looking for more Book 1 Bonus winners for Heart of the South Racing this year.”

Such an endorsement will certainly be music to the ears of Tattersalls’ Marketing Director Jimmy George, and this is far from the only notable example. The two least expensive bonus winners to date – Kilmah and Mistime – are both trained by Mark Johnston. Bought for 32,000gns, Kilmah won £37,028 on debut in May, which compares hugely favourably to the £22,684 she earned for subsequently winning the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood.

Similarly, Mistime – a 28,000-guinea yearling – earned £29,528 for her maiden win and owner John Brown has already pledged that he will be reinvesting some of those funds at Tattersalls this year.

1 with the introduction of the £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus. Launched last year, it has further enhanced the 250th celebrations of the firm by spreading plenty of extra cheer among those connections lucky enough to have benefited from winning one of the first wave of races this turf season.

The Tattersalls Millions series – valuable though it was – never really fired the imagination of owners and trainers, but the bonus races have been widely welcomed and it’s easy to see why. At the time of writing, 30 graduates of last year’s sale had claimed a £25,000 bonus, and while some were sixfigure yearlings owned by some of the sport’s most powerful owners, a number sold for far more reasonable prices and have quickly recouped much, if not all, of that initial outlay for their connections.

Among the owners to have benefited recently is the Heart of the South Racing syndicate courtesy of the victory of the Marco Botti-trained Raven’s Lady in a fillies’ maiden at Kempton on September 19.

Speaking after the race, representative John Penny commented: “Raven’s Lady only cost 38,000gns at Book 1, she has just won almost £37,000 for winning her maiden and we think she could well be Group or Listed class.

Give initiative a chance

PRESS ASSOCIATION

t’s a safe bet that the person responsible for having the final say as to which yearling ends up in which book of the Tattersalls October Sale has one of the most thankless jobs in the industry.

Diplomacy is number one on the list of requirements for the task, while a thick skin would also come in useful.

The Book 1 conundrum is one which has doubtless had the Tattersalls bigwigs scratching their heads over the years.

Arguably, the three days over which Book 1 is held constitute the most important 72 hours in the European bloodstock industry.

Yet, despite a congregation of wealthy buyers from around the globe in Newmarket for that time, there’s been a reluctance from a number of breeders and vendors to assign their yearlings to that premier slot. This is perhaps through fear that the air is indeed so rarefied during Book 1 that anything bar the best both physically and on paper will struggle to find favour with a highly selective buying bench.

Well the head-scratching appears to have come up with a highly acceptable solution to the ‘all duck or no dinner’ perception of Book

Kilmah, left, earned more for her maiden success than she did for a Group 3 victory

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

While this initiative was quick to find favour, one which has been slower to catch on is the idea to frame races for the offspring of stallions standing in Britain for £15,000 or less, with a 3lb weight allowance for each £5,000 reduction in fee. There has been consternation that the first two pilot races – run at Goodwood on September 21 and the following day at Newmarket – attracted fields of only nine and five respectively but this alone should not be a reason for the TBA and BHA, who worked together on this project, not to persevere in staging such races.

Tweaks to conditions may be necessary but the principle at the heart of the idea – to give smaller owners and breeders the chance to avoid clashing with some of the top-flight operations – is a sound one.

The early yearling sales have already confirmed the fears of many in the industry that, once again, the supply of thoroughbreds significantly exceeds the demand, and it is the lack of demand in the lower tiers which continues to be of most concern. Any incentives for owners to be given a fair chance to race what may be perceived to be lesser individuals should be considered and given a proper chance to succeed.

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SALES CIRCUIT

By CARL EVANS

Angel flies high as British season begins in style at the Premier Sale Effects of over-production already telling at Goffs UK’s secondary auction

Dark Angel was the stallion to follow at Britain’s first yearling sale of 2016, his name appearing liberally among the event’s higher-priced lots.

The top two were sired by the Yeomanstown Stud-based sire, and they, appropriately, were sold to a pair of buyers who in recent years have been key players at this particular auction. Ross Doyle signed for the colt who headed trade at a price of £280,000, a joint-record for the sale. He was consigned by Highclere Stud on behalf of the Harris Family’s Lordship Stud, and one of 19 yearlings bought by Doyle, albeit that was 12 fewer than in 2015.

The leading buyer then, and once again this year, was Angus Gold of Shadwell Estates, who also showed a penchant for stock by Dark Angel. Gold corralled 22 horses in total, headed by a Dark Angel colt from Frank and Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud.

Siyouni is another sire that vendors are happy to have on side, and that certainly applied to French-based Anna Sundstrom of Coulonces Consignment, which consigned under its own

EMMA BERRY

Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale

Lordship Stud’s colt by Dark Angel, the first foal of treble Listed winner Swiss Dream

Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

C Dark Angel — Swiss Dream (Oasis Dream)

Highclere Stud

Price (£) Buyer 280,000 Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock

C Dark Angel — Diva (Oasis Dream)

Manister House Stud

250,000 Shadwell

C Acclamation — Melbourne Memories (Sleeping Indian) Brightwalton Stud

230,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club

F Siyouni — Recambe (Cape Cross)

Coulonces Consignment 220,000 Salcey Forest Stud

F Dark Angel — Cover Girl (Common Grounds)

Yeomanstown Stud

210,000 BBA Ireland

F Dark Angel — Jadanna (Mujadil)

Mountarmstrong Stud

205,000 Stroud Coleman B/s/Cool Silk

C Farhh — Comeraincomeshine (Night Shift)

Newsells Park

170,000 Jill Lamb Bloodstock

F Dark Angel — Oeuvre D’art (Marju)

Cooneen Stud

170,000 Dean Ivory

C Dark Angel — Cut No Ice (Verglas)

Yeomanstown Stud

165,000 SackvilleDonald

F Zoffany — Just Joey (Averti)

Worsall Grange

160,000 Amanda Skiffington

C Havana Gold — Roslea Lady (Alhaarth)

Trickledown Stud

160,000 Shadwell

EMMA BERRY

Five-year tale

Lucy Horner of Worsall Grange teamed up with Ted Voute to sell a Zoffany filly

68

Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Top Price (£)

2016

394

17,381,000

44,114

34,000

280,000

2015

410

17,644,000

43,034

30,500

280,000

2014

418

15,512,500

37,111

27,000

230,000

2013

410

13,300,700

32,441

25,000

215,000

2012

396

10,641,500

26,872

20,000

185,000

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

EMMA BERRY

Oct_146_Sales_Circuit_Sales 22/09/2016 16:15 Page 69

Andreas Jacobs teamed up with Markus Jooste and Peter Doyle at the BBAG sale

Goffs UK Silver Yearling Sale

Goffs UK Silver Yearling Sale

Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

F Monsieur Bond — Saphire (College Chapel)

Catridge Farm Stud

Price (£) Buyer 46,000 Federico Barberini

C Lethal Force — Madam Valentine (Primo Valentino) Wadacre Stud

41,000 Bobby O’Ryan/Keith Dalgleish

C Royal Applause — Sonko (Red Clubs)

Suzie Sands

37,000 Powerstown Stud

F Foxwedge — Lavinia´s Grace (Green Desert)

Castlebridge Consignment

36,000 Clive Cox

C Swiss Spirit — Marmot Bay (Kodiac)

Green Oaks Farm

34,000 Con Marnane

C Equiano — Ivory Silk (Diktat)

Limestone Stud

33,000 Stuart Dobb

C Royal Applause — Jade (Cadeaux Genereux)

West Moor Stud

32,000 Ahmad Aldowaisan

F Mayson — Neyraan (Lujain)

Rosyground Stud

28,000 James Tate

F Foxwedge — Royal Pardon (Royal Applause)

Trickledown Stud

27,000 James Tate

Comparative figures Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

Top Price (£)

2016

112

1,239,500

11,067

7,000

46,000

2015

99

1,350,500

13,641

10,000

40,000

2014

105

1,252,500

12,160

10,000

55,000

BBAG Yearling Sale Top lots Price (€)

Sex/Breeding

Vendor

F Sea The Stars — Estefania (Acatenango)

R Rauscher

500,000

F Soldier Hollow — Elora (Alkalde)

Gestut Rottgen

300,000

Jamie Railton

C Soldier Hollow — Wilddrossel (Dalakhani)

Gestut Rottgen

250,000

Jeremy Brummitt

C Maxios — Waldtraut (Oasis Dream)

Gestut Brummerhof

240,000

Mayfair Speculators

C Soldier Hollow — Astilbe (Monsun)

Gestut Schlenderhan

240,000

Hong Kong Jockey Club

C Maxios — Wildfahrte (Mark Of Esteem)

Gestut Brummerhof

220,000

Ronald Rauscher

C Iffraaj — Neuquen (Rock Of Gibraltar)

Gestut Fahrhof

200,000

Hong Kong Jockey Club

Buyer Mayfair Speculators

C Shamardal — Nevada (Dubai Destination)

Gestut Brummerhof

190,000

Sauren

C Exceed And Excel — Nianga (Lomitas)

Gestut Fahrhof

180,000

Mayfair Speculators

Comparative figures Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Avg (€)

Mdn (€)

2016

174

7,982,500

45,876

26,000

500,000

2015

148

6,402,050

43,257

30,000

400,000

2014

166

8,171,500

49,226

30,000

450,000

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

name at Doncaster for the first time.

Sundstrom’s Siyouni filly fell to racehorse owner John Dance, whose £220,000 bid headed interest from Gold – little wonder the consignor said this would not be her last visit to the Premier Sale.

Stiff competition for the pick of yearlings created new record average and median prices that rose 3% and 13% respectively. A slightly smaller catalogue, from which 20 fewer horses appeared in the ring, was a factor in turnover dipping 2%, but an 87% clearance rate was another positive element from which Goffs UK executives could take pride.

No fewer than 32 horses made a six-figure sum, twice the number who breasted that figure as recently as 2013, and a mark of the calibre of horse – and buyer – involved in the action in Doncaster in August.

Top Price (€)

This single-session auction takes place one day after the Premier Sale, providing an early insight to the market’s view across a wide section of yearlings.

In its third year as the Silver Sale, it had grown in size by an additional 39 lots, but with only 15 extra sold, the figures once again warned breeders of the dangers of overproduction. The clearance rate of 72%, down from 83%, underlined the position.

Turnover dipped 7% and there were falls of 19% and 30% in the average and median figures.

Federico Barberini bought the top lot, a daughter of Monsieur Bond, on behalf of Clipper Logistics’ Steve Parkin, while Lethal Force’s promising start in the ring with his first crop of yearlings continued when one of his colts made £41,000.

Also on the leader board was Thomas Whitehead’s Powerstown Stud, which bought a Royal Applause colt for £37,000. Whitehead consigned the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Quiet Reflection at Doncaster’s breeze-up sale last year, seven months after the daughter of Showcasing had been pinhooked at this sale.

Geoffrey Howson picked her up for just £32,000 on that occasion, a reminder that Silver remains a valuable commodity.

BBAG Yearling Sale

Furniture has made South Africa’s Markus Jooste a wealthy man, but he is not one for merely sitting back in a comfy chair at his holiday home in the Cape.

In addition to his business interests, the head of Steinhoff International Holdings has

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Oct_146_Sales_Circuit_Sales 22/09/2016 16:15 Page 70

SALES CIRCUIT >> established a vast racing and breeding empire which needs regular top-ups of fresh blood.

Initially that involved serious investment in Australian bloodlines, but, having turned his attention to Europe, he is proving an important and valuable new force – at this sale his Mayfair Speculators, taking guidance from agent Peter Doyle, romped away with four of the top ten lots, including a filly by Sea The Stars who headed proceedings with a €500,000 price tag.

Mayfair purchased seven lots for a total of €1,349,000, and, having shown willing in the past to join partnerships – notably with Coolmore in Europe – it was no great surprise when he joined in with Gestut Fahrhof to secure a €110,000 filly by Siyouni.

Jooste’s enthusiasm for German bloodstock seemed to rub off, for despite a slightly larger catalogue (14 extra horses walked the ring) the figures held up well. The aggregate rose 25% and the average by 6%, while the clearance rate improved from a moderate 67% in 2015 to 74%. The only negative was a 13% decline in the median. The sales company said increased interest from the east of Germany and Scandinavia had been a handy factor, particularly in the lower-to-middle tiers of the market.

Maxios, who stands at the Jacobs family’s Gestut Fahrhof, proved the first-crop sire with most to brag about, for two of his sons made the top-ten board – albeit he had a large number of representatives – while Gestut Brummerhof headed consignors by trading 12 yearlings for €1,177,000.

Goffs UK September Sale Top lots Name/Breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

Bright New Dawn (Presenting — Shuil Dorcha) Gigginstown House

56,000

Stroud Coleman B/s/V Williams

Cogryhill (Presenting — Rare Gesture)

Gigginstown House

44,000

Adam Potts

Imperial Prince (Subtle Power — Satco Rose)

Battlefield Stud

42,000

Charlie Longsdon (PS)

Vincent’s Forever (Pour Moi — Glen Rosie)

Clarehaven Stables

40,000

Tom Malone/David Pipe

Papa Luigi (Zoffany — Namaadhej)

Middleham Park Racing 38,000

Hamad Al-Jaheni

Bachelorhood (New Approach — Most Charming) Godolphin

34,000

Hamad Al-Jaheni

Gone Too Far (Kayf Tara — Major Hoolihan)

Barbury Castle Stables

30,000

David Pipe

Ravished (Oscar — Fair Present)

Gigginstown House

29,000

Countrywide Vehicles

Altiepix (Fragrant Mix — Naltiepy)

Gigginstown House

28,000

Kerry Lee

Visage Blanc (Champs Elysees — Russian Empress)

West Ilsley Stables

25,000

Tom Malone/Graeme McPherson

25,000

BAS

Beau Et Sublime (Saddler Maker — Jolie Jouvencelle) Gigginstown House

Five-year tale Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Avg (£)

Mdn (£)

2016

127

1,104,150

8,694

5,500

Top Price (£) 56,000

2015

283

2,771,900

9,795

6,000

78,000

2014

250

2,658,050

10,632

6,000

185,000

2013

266

2,685,875

10,097

5,750

175,000

2012

219

1,804,700

8,240

4,500

140,000

Goffs UK September Sale

SARAH FARNSWORTH

Goffs UK has shuffled its horses-in-training pack, reintroducing an August Sale and reducing this to a single-session auction.

As a result 200 fewer horses came under the hammer at this event, meaning the aggregate figure bears no comparison to 2015. A 78% clearance rate, and falls of 11% in the average

SARAH FARNSWORTH

Bright New Dawn has switched stables from Gordon Elliott to Venetia Williams

Adam Potts bought Gigginstown’s 125-rated chaser Cogryhill for £44,000

70

and 8% in the median prices are worth recording, while turnover for both the August Sale and this one was slightly up in comparison to the two-day September Sale of 2015.

A one-day sale is not going to appeal to all long-distance international buyers, but it did not deter Qatar trainer Hamad Al-Jaheni from making his Doncaster debut, and he bought two horses for a total of £72,000. That is not on the same scale as his compatriot, Jassim Al Ghazali, who has been such a force in the middle-toupper market at horses-in-training auctions, but his was a welcome new face nonetheless.

While Al-Jaheni was batting for Flat stables, jumps buyers proved the most dominant force.

They will have been drawn by a cull from

Gigginstown House Stud, which duly sold the top two lots, headed by the nine-year-old Bright New Dawn, a Grade 2 winner over fences for Gordon Elliott’s stable. A bid of £56,000 enabled Matt Coleman to sign for the horse, and he said Venetia Williams will now train him in a bid to recover his best form, which peaked with a chase rating of 154.

Goffs Champions Sale There cannot be much wrong with a sale where the average price is €280,000, can there?

On the face of it, no, and since this event is just a small part of Ireland’s Champions’ Weekend, and attracts a big crowd to the THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

>>

CC3057 TOB October (Roster) No Fees_Layout 1 13/09/2016 12:33 Page 1

SHADWELL

STALLIONS

Muhaarar Oasis Dream - Tahrir

Mukhadram Shamardal - Magic Tree

Nayef Gulch - Height Of Fashion

Discover more about the Shadwell Stallions at www.shadwellstud.com Or call Richard Lancaster, James O’Donnell or Rachael Gowland on

01842 755913

Email us at: nominations@shadwellstud.co.uk

Oct_146_Sales_Circuit_Sales 22/09/2016 16:15 Page 73

SALES CIRCUIT

Goffs Champions Sale Those who sold Name/Breeding

Vendor

Siamsaiocht (Teofilo — Halla Siamsa)

Glebe House Stables

Price (€) 300,000

Buyer China Horse Club

Madam Dancealot (Sir Prancealot — Sisal)

Tuite Racing

260,000

Lillingston & Meath

Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Avg (€)

Mdn (€)

Top Price (€)

2016

2

560,000

280,000

280,000

300,000

2015

5

925,000

185,000

150,000

450,000

2014

9

2,043,000

227,000

185,000

470,000

Osarus September Sale

EMMA BERRY

Comparative figures

Federico Barberini bought 11 yearlings on his first visit to Osarus September

Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

F Le Havre — Talwin (Alhaarth)

Haras des Granges

Price (€)

F Intense Focus — Borghesa (Galileo)

Haras de le Montaigu

Buyer

110,000

Vidal/Broadhurst

87,000

Norbert Leenders

F George Vancouver — Porza (Septieme Ciel)

Haras d’Ommeel

80,000

Liam Norris

F Le Havre — Golding Star (Gold Away)

Fairway Consignment

80,000

Broadhurst

F Siyouni — Landora (Lando)

Haras d’Ommeel

77,000

Haras Du Saubouas

F Evasive — Marella (Desert Prince)

Haras de Grandcamp

77,000

Philippe Sogorb

C Fuisse — Sea Life (Anabaa)

Haras du Quesnay

62,000

Federico Barberini

F Rajsaman — Lisselan Firefly (Monashee Mountain) Fairway Consignment

58,000

MAB Agency

C Le Havre — Allmia (Johann Quatz)

55,000

Mandore/Doyle

Haras de l’Hotellerie

F Siyouni — Mappa (Linamix)

Haras d’Haspel

52,000

Bahen Bloodstock

F Dabirsim — Nelly Dean (Pivotal)

Haras des Granges

52,000

Federico Barberini

Five-year tale Sold

Agg (€)

Avg (€)

Mdn (€)

Top Price (€)

195

3,465,500

17,772

13,000

110,000

2015

190

3,921,000

20,637

18,000

68,000

2014

195

3,404,600

17,459

13,000

130,000

2013

95

485,500

5,213

4,500

85,000

2012

87

464,100

5,512

4,000

46,000

EMMA BERRY

Year 2016

Mathieu Daguzan-Garros (pink shirt) sold the Osarus top lot to Sylvain Vidal and team

>> paddock at Leopardstown, does it matter that only four horses turned up, and two of those failed to find a new home?

Yet an event that offered 11 horses at the inaugural sale in 2014, and nine last year, and has seen turnover fall from in excess of €2m to THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

just under €1m and now just over €500,000, seems to be losing the support of vendors.

Trainer Jim Bolger left without cause for complaint, however, for he sold his homebred three-year-old Siamsaiocht – a sister to Dewhurst Stakes winner Parish Hall – for

€300,000, but then took her home to continue racing for new owners the China Horse Club.

They will have had a long-term breeding plan in mind for the daughter of Teofilo, but were happy to let her take her chance in a handicap the following day at the Curragh, where she finished unplaced.

Also happy was racehorse owner Olivia Hoare, whose Joe Tuite-trained Madam Dancealot made €280,000 just a couple of weeks after winning Salisbury’s Gr.3 Dick Poole Stakes, and only three months after being bought at Goffs’ London Sale for £100,000.

Goffs CEO, Henry Beeby, described proceedings as “the epitome of quality over quantity”, and said the sale would return.

Osarus September Sale Fillies dominated the catalogue at this two-day sale in the South West of France.

Of the 293 yearlings on offer, fillies outnumbered colts by 155 to 138, they matched them in terms of the median price of €13,000, and pulled clear on average price, beating the colts €20,141 to €15,475.

Fillies also provided the sale’s only six-figure horse, a daughter of France’s leading sire Le Havre, and who made €110,000 to a bid from Sylvain Vidal and Alban Chevalier du Fau – she was only the second yearling to push into six figures in the sale’s nine-year history. Vidal said she would race for Le Havre’s owner, Gerard Augustin-Normand, and a new associate.

This highlight could not mask downturns in the figures, for a bigger catalogue did not make beautiful results, and an additional 48 horses could not prevent turnover dropping 9%. Also down were the average and median figures, by 13% and 22% respectively, while the clearance rate dropped to 67%.

Marc-Antoine Berghgracht of MAB Agency was the sale’s leading buyer, parting with €297,000 when gaining 11 lots, while ace breeze-up consignor Con Marnane was notably active, reeling in 17 lots for €264,000 at an average of €15,529. >>

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Oct_146_Sales_Circuit_Sales 22/09/2016 16:15 Page 74

SALES CIRCUIT

Daddy dearest as Coolmore laments loss of star stallion

KEENELAND

Keeneland September Yearling Sale Books 1&2 overview, by Nancy Sexton

Clarkland Farm’s Scat Daddy half-brother to Into Mischief and Beholder is likely to race in Europe after being bought for $3m

Nine million-dollar yearlings and a top price of $3 million were the highlights of an encouraging first week of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington, Kentucky.

Following a sticky first session at which the clearance rate was just 64.3%, trade rebounded to the extent that Book 1 ended its three-day run with increases in average and median. In all, 346 yearlings were sold for a total of $120,225,000 and average of $347,471, up 14.6% from 2015. The median rose 20% to $300,000.

The clearance rate for Book 1, meanwhile, stabilised at 69.3% to remain on a par with 2015. A total of 82 yearlings realised $500,000 or more, up from 62 in 2015.

Total sales were down approximately $14.4m from 2015 but against that, Keeneland catalogued 117 fewer yearlings for their premier book than in 2015.

74

The top price of $3m paid by MV Magnier for a Scat Daddy half-brother to champion Beholder came during an extraordinary final session that saw six million dollar yearlings change hands.

“The first day of Book 1 was a bit sticky but it gained momentum from there and I thought the third day was phenomenal,” said Padraig Campion of Blandford Stud, whose Book 1 draft included a $575,000 son of Shanghai Bobby.

“But from what I heard from buyers, that was the way the catalogue played out - it’s alphabetical but the better horses were later in the sale.

“We brought what we thought were some nice horses. They sold accordingly and we were very pleased.”

By the close of Book 2, 812 yearlings had changed hands over the week for $189,506,000. The average was up 10.25%

at $233,382 while the median was running 13.3% ahead of 2015 at $170,000.

“We ended the second day thinking the market was solid and fair,” said agent Alex Solis of Solis/Litt Bloodstock whose purchases included a $500,000 Galileo sister to Queen’s Vase winner Aloft. “But the third day was really strong and the sale started to gain momentum.

“The trainers showed up for Book 2, so then there was new money. That market was strong. I thought the quality of horses in that book was very good.”

The sale-topper is from the penultimate crop of the late, much-missed Coolmore stallion Scat Daddy and was bred by Fred Mitchell’s Clarkland Farm out of the Listedwinning Tricky Creek mare Leslie’s Lady. The farm purchased Leslie’s Lady for $100,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November Sale, since when she has become one of the most

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

>>

Oct_146_Sales_Circuit_Sales 22/09/2016 16:16 Page 76

SALES CIRCUIT

“Unlike in previous years, Magnier did not sign for a single War Front yearling”

successful American producers of modern times; her third foal, Into Mischief, won the 2007 Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at two and is now a leading sire at Spendthrift Farm while her eighth foal, Beholder, has won ten Grade 1 races and just under $5m for Spendthrift’s owner B. Wayne Hughes.

Understandably, given Spendthrift’s connection to both siblings, it was 82-yearold Hughes who pushed Magnier all the way to $3 million.

Magnier implied that the colt will race in Europe, where Scat Daddy is currently enjoying an outstanding season through Caravaggio and Lady Aurelia.

He was one of five purchases worth a total of $5.25m made by Magnier while Coolmore also partnered with the Florida-based Bridlewood Farm to purchase a Tapit halfbrother to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man for $2m.

Unlike in previous years, Magnier did not sign for a single War Front yearling.

War Front, however, did supply two million-dollar lots in a colt out of the Listedwinning Prize Match that sold for $1.9m out of the Lane’s End draft and a colt out of dual

Top lots Sex/Breeding

Vendor

Price ($) Buyer

C Scat Daddy - Leslie’s Lady (Tricky Creek) Clarkland Farm

3,000,000 MV Magnier

C Tapit - Ponche De Leona (Ponche)

Eaton Sales

2,000,000 Bridlewood Farm & MV Magnier

C War Front - Prize Catch (A. P. Indy)

Lane’s End

1,900,000 Shadwell Estate Company, Ltd

F Tapit - Quiet Giant (Giant’s Causeway)

Taylor Made Sales Agency 1,400,000 Whisper Hill Farm

C War Front - Love And Pride (A. P. Indy)

Four Star Sales

1,300,000 Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

C Tapit - Hooh Why (Cloud Hopping)

Baccari Bloodstock

1,200,000 Crupi’s New Castle Farm, J. J Crupi

F Tapit - Quiet Temper (Quiet American)

Taylor Made Sales Agency 1,100,000 Whisper Hill Farm

C Medaglia d’Oro - Spring Party (Smart Strike) Taylor Made Sales Agency 1,000,000 MV Magnier C Curlin - Glinda The Good (Hard Spun)

Hill ’n’ Dale Sales Agency 1,000,000 E 5 Racing, Mike Ryan, agent

C Pioneerof The Nile - My Tina (Bertrando) Warrendale Sales

Grade 1 heroine Love And Pride that cost $1.3m from the Four Star Sales draft. Both were bought by Shadwell Estate Company, who ended the week as leading buyer with 15 purchased for a total of $10,715,000.

They also included the sole Frankel filly catalogued, a $900,000 half-sister to Grade 1 winner Laragh.

The Love And Pride colt capped a great week for his breeder Three Chimneys Farm, which also co-bred with Besilu Stables a pair of Tapit fillies, a half-sister to Kentucky Derby third Gun Runner and a daughter of Grade 2 winner Quiet Temper, that realised $1.4m and $1.1m to Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm.

The pair contributed to another outstanding sale for champion sire Tapit, who recorded an average of $639,839 for 31 yearlings sold.

Pope had garnered her share of the

KEENELAND

>>

Keeneland September Yearling Sale Books 1&2

Coolmore teamed up with Bridlewood Farm for Mucho Macho Man’s Tapit half-brother

76

925,000 MV Magnier

headlines the day before when retaining her War Front colt out of Horse of the Year Havre De Grace in error. The colt was led out unsold when bidding halted at $1.9m – it was later stated that Pope had agreed a reserve of $1.19m with consignors Wayne and Cathy Sweezey of Timber Town and that a figure of $1.9m had been mistakenly placed.

One talking point has been the lack of buying activity from Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson. It was officially confirmed during the sale that Godolphin is in the midst of downsizing and was offering more than 60 yearlings in the sale.

However, Ferguson did make his presence felt on the buying front by signing for five yearlings worth $2,245,000. They included a War Front filly out of Irish Group 3 winner Aloof from the immediate family of National Stakes winner Churchill.

Juddmonte Farms, which purchased breathtaking Travers Stakes winner Arrogate at the sale in 2014, came away with four yearlings worth $1,680,000 bought to race in California.

Japanese interests were also particularly active as were the China Horse Club, which had signed for nine yearlings – eight in partnership with Maverick Racing – by the close of Book 2.

Blandford Bloodstock, Margaret O’Toole, David Redvers, Willie Browne and Tally-Ho Stud were among the European buyers to strike during the first week. There was also a distinct European flavour among the sires catalogued, primarily through Galileo and Declaration Of War. Buoyed by a pair of $500,000 yearlings, Galileo ended the week with an average of $393,750 for four sold while ten members of Declaration Of War’s only Irish crop sold for an average of $161,000 led by a $400,000 colt knocked down to MV Magnier.

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Oct_146_Caulfield_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:14 Page 79

CAULFIELD FILES ANDREW CAULFIELD REPORTS ON THE BLOODSTOCK WORLD

Dansili’s influence spreading through his sons Transatlantic star Flintshire yet another advertisement of Juddmonte sire’s prowess

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

GEORGE SELWYN

A

s Flintshire quickened away to take the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes for a second time, having trailed by more than 13 lengths, the son of Dansili once again prompted a string of superlatives. Flintshire’s new trainer Chad Brown – admittedly a biased observer – said: “He’s the greatest horse I’ve ever seen,” while winning rider Javier Castellano said: “I’ve never seen any horse with that much acceleration on the grass.”

I’m sure that Europeans would argue that Brown and Castellano should get out more, but Flintshire’s display also drew high praise from impartial journalists. The Thoroughbred Daily News likened Flintshire to a Ferrari and described his display as breathtaking. The theme of the Daily Racing Form’s review was that Flintshire’s acceleration had been explosive.

The six-year-old Juddmonte star has now won his last four starts in the US, consisting of three Grade 1s and the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes. In reviews of his earlier successes, the Blood-Horse referred to “his brilliant turn of foot,” the TDN to “his jaw-dropping turn of foot” and such words as ‘scintillating’ and ‘dazzling’ were other adjectives employed to describe the style of his victories.

Flintshire’s first appearance for Chad Brown had come in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes, after which the trainer explained that: “He [Flintshire] has an indescribable amount of class. He’s so intelligent. He picks things up at light speed, oozes class, and is a privilege to work with every day.” While this may smack of hyperbole, Flintshire had covered the last halfmile of the Manhattan’s ten furlongs in a stunning 44.56 seconds. Similarly, his final time of 2:23.45 in the latest Sword Dancer missed the long-standing track record by less than three-tenths of a second.

The constant references to Flintshire’s powers of acceleration are a reminder that all four of his American wins have been gained on firm ground – ground which allows him to use his main asset. These are the only occasions he has raced on firm ground, but he landed the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase on good to firm and his seconds behind Treve and Golden Horn in the Arc came on good ground. While in Europe Flintshire encountered soft or good to soft ground on four occasions and was beaten every time.

His record acts as a reminder that Dansili was another who put up his best performances on good ground or firmer. On the three occasions

European export Flintshire is impressing American racing followers with his acceleration

“All four of his US

wins have been gained on firm ground which allows him to use his main asset” he tackled ground faster than good, he was beaten half a length in the Queen Anne Stakes, three-quarters of a length in Giant’s Causeway’s Sussex Stakes and a neck, when unlucky, in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. In the circumstances, it isn’t surprising that Dansili’s progeny have achieved their highest winning percentages when the ground was either good or firmer.

The question now is what does the future hold for Flintshire, whose career earnings equate to more than $8.8 million. From 22 starts, he has achieved eight wins (five of them at the highest level) and ten seconds. He is by a stallion who has been champion sire in France and runner-up to Galileo in Britain and

Ireland, and his grandsires are the multiple champion sires Danehill and Sadler’s Wells.

There’s not much fault to be found, either, with his female line. His dam, the Group 2 winner Dance Routine, was second in the Prix de Diane; his second dam Apogee was a Group 3 winner; and his third dam Bourbon Girl was second in the Oaks and Irish Oaks.

No doubt much will depend on how Flintshire fares during the rest of 2016, when his targets are said to be the Grade 1 Turf Classic on October 1 and then the Breeders’ Cup Turf. With his enthusiasm intact, there is no reason why he can’t continue to race.

Because soundness – or lack of it – has become such an issue in the US, one would hope that American breeders would be keen to embrace a good-looking, enthusiastic horse who is still coping extremely well with firm ground after 22 starts. Flintshire’s rock-steady temperament has also allowed him to win at the highest level on three different continents.

Although there is a prejudice against turf horses as stallions in the US, perhaps breeders should be reminded of the champion turf males Theatrical and Kitten’s Joy. The Irish-bred Theatrical developed into an American champion after a solid career in Europe, with

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CAULFIELD FILES >>

the Bowling Green and Sword Dancer Handicaps also figuring among his American wins. Theatrical went on sire around 20 Grade/Group 1 winners and more than 80 black-type winners. More recently, Kitten’s Joy has been champion sire and champion sire of two-year-olds. He already has nine Grade/Group 1 winners to his credit from his first seven crops.

Flintshire’s appeal as a potential stallion also reflects the bright start made by some of Dansili’s other sons. Several are being represented by their first runners during 2016.

By the time this appears in print their statistics will have been overtaken, but at the time of writing Bated Breath has been represented by two Group-placed fillies; Famous Name, from a crop of around 50 sired at only €4,000, has sired the impressive Listed winner Escobar; and Requinto, another with a comparatively small

crop sired at a modest fee, is responsible for Broken Stones, third in the Group 2 July Stakes in between wins on his first and third starts.

Delegator, another inexpensive first-crop sire, has a good proportion of winners to runners.

Down in New Zealand, the Group 2 Celebration Mile winner Zacinto did so well with his first runners during the 2015-16 season that his fee has been more than doubled for 2016. His 11 first-crop runners included the Listed winners Ugo Foscolo and Zigwig.

These newcomers are following in the footsteps of several other stallion sons of Dansili, including Zoffany, the champion firstcrop sire of 2015. Although Zoffany spent his first three years at a fee no higher than €7,500, he has been represented by an impressive total of six first-crop Group winners, including the German 2,000 Guineas winner Knife Edge.

Another Classic performer from this crop is

the Oaks and Irish Oaks second Architecture.

Even the Group 3 winner Thousand Words has been represented by Top Notch Tonto (Timeform 123) and Opal Tiara, winner of the Group 3 Supreme Stakes in 2016. Strategic Prince, another who started out at a modest fee, sired 2016 Derby Italiano winner Saent, having earlier sired dual Group 1 winner La Collina.

Dansili’s Grand Prix de Paris and Arc winner Rail Link probably wasn’t helped by being a very big individual and he certainly wasn’t helped by his failure to race in 2007, before his stud debut in 2008. The size of his crops soon began to dwindle, to the extent that his first six crops averaged only 46 foals.

He still numbered a pair of Group 1 winners among his eight Group winners, the latest addition being that very game filly Chain Of Daisies, who upset the odds-on Ulysses in the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes.

Whitsbury Manor a thriving concern for Harpers Delving through some old reference books stored in my garage, I recently came upon the early issues of The Thoroughbred Breeder, the official publication of the TBA which I helped launch in 1985. As editor, I owed a debt of gratitude to Chris Harper of Whitsbury Manor Stud, whose patience was sometimes sorely tried in the production of a series called This Month On The Stud.

At the time Whitsbury was home to three stallions in Young Generation, Electric and Known Fact. Many of the studs which stood a stallion or two in the 1970 and 1980s are no longer in the business, with the emphasis having switched to larger stallion stations. I’m delighted to say, though, that Whitsbury Manor has continued to thrive for the Harper family, even though it has become increasingly difficult for independent studs to compete for any highly qualified stallion prospect.

Whitsbury owes its longevity partly to the aforementioned Young Generation. Although Young Generation had been high class at two and three, winning the Richmond Stakes, Lockinge Stakes and the Prix Jean Prat, he wasn’t exactly bred in the purple, as he was by the sprinter Balidar and neither of his first two dams had managed to win.

Unfortunately, Young Generation was to die as a ten-year-old in 1986, before he’d had much chance to capitalise on his strong early results. He is credited with having sired just 228 foals, but among them were Prince Sabo (Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes and Group 3 Palace House Stakes) and Cadeaux Genereux. The latter became Europe’s champion older sprinter in 1989, thanks to victories in the July Cup and William Hill Sprint Championship. Although he was owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, Cadeaux Genereux retired to Whitsbury, where he sired a variety of top winners, ranging from such fast juveniles as Bahamian Bounty, Embassy and Hoh Magic to that redoubtable stayer Red Cadeaux.

Whitsbury has also been home to Distant Relative, Compton Place and Averti, but its current team is potentially its best for a long time, even though none of the stallions won at Group 1 level.

The Group 2 Gimcrack winner Showcasing has already demonstrated his talent, to the extent that his fee has risen from £4,500 to £25,000 in the space of three years. It is worth remembering that this son of Oasis Dream has only 42 two-year-olds from his third crop to represent him this year.

However, he will eventually have every chance of adding to the

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Chris Harper with the late Whitsbury sire Cadeaux Genereux

six Group/Graded winners which have emerged from his first two crops, especially as one of them is that smart filly Quiet Reflection.

The Australian shuttle stallion Foxwedge is also showing plenty of potential. As one of the fastest sons of champion sprinter Fastnet Rock, Foxwedge could be expected to sire speedy progeny (even if they are likely to improve from two to three). His first-crop winners have already reached double figures, with Urban Fox and Seafront both being Group placed.

Next in line is Invincible Spirit’s sizeable son Swiss Spirit. His failure to win at higher than Group 3 level owed something to bad luck, as he was hampered at the start when beaten only a neck in the Group 2 Temple Stakes. However, the yearlings from Swiss Spirit’s first crop drew plenty of praise from the agents at Goffs UK’s Premier Yearling Sales, where Shadwell paid £110,000 for a colt and the Doyles paid £80,000 for a filly. These Premier yearlings averaged £45,800, which is roughly ten times Swiss Spirit’s initial fee.

The Whitsbury team was completed in 2016 by the arrival of Due Diligence. This son of the highly talented War Front was another ‘nearly horse’, as he won nothing more prestigious than a Listed race for Aidan O’Brien, taking the Lacken Stakes by nearly four lengths.

However, his next appearance saw him beat all bar Slade Power in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee, after which he was then out of action for ten months.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

PROLIFIC

SIRES lifetime stakes winners lifetime stakes winners/runners

----------

The two most prolific blacktype producers among the active sires from the Danzig line in Europe are Dansili and Oasis Dream.

Both have sired over 100 stakes winners and over 11% stakes winners/runners in their lifetime.

Contact us to discuss 2017

01638 731115 nominations@juddmonte.co.uk www.juddmonte.com

DANSILI 1996 bh Danehill - Hasili (Kahyasi) OASIS DREAM 2000 bh Green Desert - Hope (Dancing Brave)

ÂŽ

Oct_146_ThoroughbredClubV2_Owner 22/09/2016 14:54 Page 82

Impressive line-up announced for

The Thoroughbred Club Careers Course • Longholes rehabilitation and pre-training centre • Roger Varian’s Kremlin House Stables • Newmarket Racecourse

The Careers Course takes place at Tattersalls in Newmarket on November 14-15

T

he Thoroughbred Club is delighted to announce the programme of workshops and visits for their forthcoming Careers Course, which runs on November 14 and 15 at Tattersalls Park Paddocks, Newmarket.

This unique course is aimed at those seeking employment in the thoroughbred industry, those already working in the industry and who are looking to move up the career ladder or sample a new sector. The two informative days will showcase the variety of opportunities available within the breeding and racing industry through a broad range of professional and influential speakers who have developed successful careers.

A generous contribution from The Racing Foundation has enabled this course to build on the success of the 2014 Careers Course, which was held under the banner of TTC’s forerunner, the Next Generation Club, and which received universal praise from those who attended.

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TTC is committed to providing educational opportunities that will bring young people into the industry, and foster a lifelong engagement with thoroughbred racing and breeding.

The programme for both days will consist of a series of plenary sessions on core topics, supported by related workshops, which will allow delegates to explore in depth the roles that appeal to them.

The workshops supporting these sessions will offer a choice of four options, allowing for informative discussions to take place in a more personal environment. They will focus on the workshop leader’s current role and background, and will also give an overview of the sector in which they are involved and the roles available.

The programme also offers a number of exclusive external visits including: • Tour of Tattersalls followed by a visit to Juddmonte Farms’ Banstead Manor Stud

Delegates will have the chance to network with industry employers and professionals at a champagne and canapé evening reception, taking place in the new National Heritage Centre of Horseracing and Sporting Art, Newmarket on Monday, November 14.

The Thoroughbred Club Chairman, Harry Williams, said of the announcement: “Like every industry, horseracing is constantly looking to attract young talent into its ranks, but for many that first step into a role, or moving up the career ladder, can be a daunting task.

“It’s an exciting opportunity, therefore, for The Thoroughbred Club, with the support of The Racing Foundation, to stage its second industry recognised Careers Course and help guide a younger generation through employment within the sport.

“In such a diverse industry it can sometimes be difficult to cover all careers paths in only a two day course, but with such a comprehensive and inspiring list of speakers it’s clear that there will be something for everyone.

Not only that, but for delegates who have an interest in a specific area, for the first time there will also be the option to drill down and select the sessions that are most relevant to better ensure they achieve their goals within the sport.”

The course is free of charge for all TTC Full Members and will be open to non-members at a cost of £60 for both days, and alternatively at £40 for one day. The full programme is now available at thethoroughbredclub.co.uk and bookings can be made online. If you require a hard-copy form please contact Tallulah Lewis on, info@thethoroughbredclub.co.uk.

Booking forms can be returned via email or to Stanstead House, 8 The Avenue, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 9AA. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_ThoroughbredClubV2_Owner 22/09/2016 14:54 Page 83

www.thetho ro ug hb re d clu b . co . u k •

The Thoroughbred Club Career Course Day 1

The Thoroughbred Club Career Course Day 2

8.15:

Registration Opens

9.00:

Welcome & Introduction To The Day

9.30:

Plenary 1 > The Breeding Industry

8.15: 9.00: 9.15:

10.00: Plenary 2 > The Industry’s Supporting Services

9.15:

10.30: Tea/Coffee Break 11.00: Round 1 Workshop Choices Workshop: Stud Farms Workshop: Rehabilitation & Complementary Therapies Workshop: Bloodstock Agents

9.45: 10.15: 10.45:

Workshop: Bloodstock Accountancy & Insurance 11.45: Round 2 Workshop Choices Workshop: Stallion Nominations & Marketing

11.20:

Workshop: Sales Preparation, Consigning & Sales work

11.40:

Workshop: Veterinary Services

12.00: 13.00:

Workshop: Nutrition and Land Management 12.30: Lunch Break 13.30: Industry Visit 1 > Tattersalls Tour followed by Juddmonte Farms & Stud Industry Visit 2 > Longholes rehabilitation and pre-training centre 15.30

Return to Tattersalls & Tea/Coffee

15.45: Plenary 3 > Media (panel session) Including: Zoe Vicarage, Trainee, Bloodstock Journalist, Racing Post Ellie Harrod, Advertisement Executive, European Bloodstock News Vanessa Binnie Ryle, Assistant Producer, At The Races

15.00 15.15: 15.45: 16.00:

16.45:

17.00: Closing Summary Evening Reception at the National Heritage Centre of Horseracing and Sporting Art

MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS Open to all 16- to 30-year-olds £50 per year (£35 per year for 16- to 22-year-olds)

Full Member • Access to all TTC events • Follow our TTC broodmares and horse in training • Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder magazine subscription • Annual Thoroughbred Stallion Guide • Blogs, webinars, vlogs with exclusive access on our website • Career course and educational opportunities

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

17.30:

@T T C_ GB

Registration Opens Welcome & Introduction To The Day Plenary 4 > Education and Continued Professional Development Industry Qualifications, including; Tabbi Smith, Training Director, National Stud, Carol Bramhill, Recruitment Manager, British Racing School, Joanne Ellis, Operations Director, Northern Racing College Continued Professional Development Session led by Annie Lee, Annie Lee Associates Tea/Coffee Break BHA Courses led by Zoe Elliot, Careers Marketing and Recruitment Manager and Michelle Douglas, Careers Marketing and Recruitment Adviser, British Horseracing Authority Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA led by Neil Coster, Director of Studies Godolphin Flying Start led by current Godolphin Flying Start Trainees Lunch Break Industry Visit 1 > Roger Varian’s Kremlin House Stables Industry Visit 2 > The Jockey Club’s Newmarket Racecourses Tea/Coffee Break Plenary 5 > Racehorse Training Plenary 6 > Industry Administration Services Round 1 Workshop Choices Workshop 1: Racing Yard and Training Workshop 2: Racecourse Operations Workshop 3: Industry Marketing Workshop 4: Travel and Transport Round 2 Workshop Choices Workshop 1: Racing and Stud Secretary Workshop 2: BHA & Weatherbys Administration Workshop 3: Pre-Training Workshop 4: Sales Houses Closing Summary

Associate Member - Free • Six-month membership • Limited TTC events access • Limited TTC website access

HOW TO JOIN • Visit thethoroughbredclub.co.uk to sign up • If you would like to discuss membership options please contact Tallulah Lewis at info@thethoroughbredclub.co.uk

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Oct_146_ROA_Forum_Owner 22/09/2016 16:03 Page 84

ROA FORUM T he spec i al sec ti on for ROA members

ROA Awards tickets on sale Anthony and Emily Oppenheimer with their awards last year, courtesy of Golden Horn

CHRIS RENTON

T

he 2016 ROA Horseracing Awards will be held on Thursday, December 1 at the InterContinental on Park Lane in London.

The black tie evening is always well supported and celebrates the outstanding equine performers of the year, both Flat and jumps, and their owners and connections.

Tickets include a champagne reception and three-course dinner (with half a bottle of wine per person). The Awards ceremony will be co-compered by the inimitable duo of Nick Luck and Mike Cattermole.

Entertainment will also be in the form of a silent auction, and the evening is rounded off with dancing to the ever-popular Chance band.

Tickets for the evening are priced at £180 per person. Tables of ten can be booked for £1,550. Bookings can be online at www.roa.co.uk or by calling the ROA office.

Owners are invited to showcase their racing colours in the awards brochure for a minimum donation of £100 per set.

This initiative will benefit Racing to School, a charity that supports young people’s learning and development through encouraging a broad interest in horseracing, both as a leisure activity and as a possible future career path.

Racing to School offers a racing education programme free to schoolchildren and students, delivered at racecourses, trainers’ yards and studs across Britain.

Members will be sent details of how to vote for each of the award categories next month.

We hope to see many of you on the evening!

Ownership roadshow launched in Bristol Bristol’s scenic harbour saw the successful launch of the Ownership Matters roadshow. Around 30 owners exchanged views on a wide range of topics, including the treatment of sole owners and syndicate members on racedays, owners’ access to owners’ and trainers’ facilities when racing with, and without, a runner, allocation of prize-money and sales ring fees.

The discussion was enriched by trainers Eve Johnson Houghton and Jamie Snowden, who provided insights and ideas, with Snowden calling for better prize-money for novice hurdlers as a catalyst. Melissa Jordan from Tattersalls expertly fielded questions on buying and selling thoroughbreds.

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The roadshows were conceived by the ROA’s Chief Executive Charlie Liverton, who explained “We wanted to emulate our popular regional meetings, which take place on racecourses across the country.

“These meetings give members an opportunity to ask me and the ROA team questions; these questions often lead to lively debates. I wanted Ownership Matters to be in the same spirit, although I made a conscious decision to make them evening events in order to give more people the chance to attend. As well as owners, we have representatives from the Horsemen’s Group to facilitate a rounded debate.”

After Harrogate, which was the following week, the ambition is to launch a monthly meeting in different areas starting in 2017.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_ROA_Forum_Owner 22/09/2016 16:04 Page 85

www.roa.co.uk

LAURA GREEN

ROA members make a fuss of Frankel

Memorable visit to Cheveley Park and Banstead On a balmy day in early September, 50 ROA members and their guests were treated to a unique and highly memorable visit to two of Newmarket’s top stud farms.

The morning was spent at Cheveley Park Stud, and a date with their stallions, including the magnificent Pivotal, who fails to look anywhere near his 23 years of age.

Members enjoyed meeting all the stallions, including Kyllachy and Lethal Force, after they paraded and also received a highly informative tour by coach around the outer reaches of the stud, courtesy of Stud Manager Andrew Snell. From there members were taken to the Red Lion pub at Brinkley for a well-deserved lunch.

In the afternoon members headed to Banstead Manor Stud, home to Frankel. As usual the superstar rose to the occasion and posed beautifully for the multitude of cameras. Members enjoyed viewing the stud’s roster of stallions, which includes Dansili, Oasis Dream and Kingman. It was a neverto-be-forgotten day for all who attended.

The ROA is undertaking a survey of ownership costs for 2015, to provide valuable data on the average costs of racehorse ownership and how costs vary between owners of Flat and jumps horses.

With prize-money remaining a key issue to owners, it is important to obtain an update of the cost of having a horse in training, and to establish the extent to which, on average, owners might expect to recover their costs.

The survey will also show how costs break down across various elements for owners, e.g. training fees, racing costs, vet bills, registration and admin fees, etc.

Gathering this data is timely, as the recent National Racehorse Ownership Survey revealed that, when asked what would have helped their experience, 44% of owners (current and lapsed) felt there wasn’t enough available information on costs and trainers.

A direct mailing of the ownership costs survey has been sent out to a sample of over THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

STEVE WALL

Costs survey will provide valuable data

Wanted: details from owners about the cost to have your horse(s) in training

1,400 members and a flyer about the survey was included as a loose insert with this issue.

The survey and explanatory notes as to its completion can also be downloaded at the ROA website, www.roa.co.uk/tcsurvey.

We would welcome participation from any members who owned at least a 25% share of a horse in training in the UK during 2015. The findings of the survey will be published at a later date.

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Oct_146_ROA_Forum_Owner 22/09/2016 16:04 Page 86

ROA FORUM

M AGICAL M OM E NT S with ROA member Niall O’Brien

Cheers! From l-r: Simon Bridge, Alexandra and Thomas Whitehead, Dougie Costello, Niall O’Brien, Karl and Elaine Burke

N

iall O’Brien savours his moments of quiet reflection on and off the track.

On the track, some have been

magical.

Whether or not Quiet Reflection ends the year champion sprinter is likely to be determined at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day, but 2016 will always be memorable for the driving force behind her syndicate owners Ontoawinner.

O’Brien has worked hard to make the yellow and white silks a familiar and successful brand, and flying filly Quiet Reflection has taken him and the syndicate to new heights and profile with Group 1 victories in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and Haydock Sprint Cup. It’s remarkable how many dads have been cited in this feature when it comes to the first spark of racing interest from an owner of the future, and O’Brien strengthened the trend, saying of his background: “I’ve always been obsessed by horseracing. From a young age it was a sport that captivated my imagination, fuelled by my dad, who took myself and young brothers to Leopardstown, Fairyhouse and Phoenix Park from our south Dublin home.

“I love racehorses first and foremost; they’re the most magnificent athletes and creatures. I keep one of my retired racehorses at home, Quiet Times, and he’s part of the family, he’s an absolute gentleman.

“I love the characters in racing, the theories, the stories and the people behind the stories.

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I’ve met some great people and they’ve become lifelong friends. Many of my heroes have become my friends and associates.”

He adds: “I’ve worked hard to make Ontoawinner the success story it is, with the help of a fantastic management team. But I still find the success we’ve had, and congratulations that we get, all a bit humbling.”

O’Brien has been an owner for 18 years, over which time he has been involved in 70-plus horses, with more than 130 winners.

He continues: “The yellow and white

“We felt like kings in the winner’s enclosure and for weeks afterwards”

colours have been going for 18 years under different partnerships I’ve led. I had a lot of success with Kevin Ryan in the early years, when I ran Yorkshire Racing Syndicates; he taught me a lot, we remain good friends and he’s one of Ontoawinner’s trainers now.

“We had great fun and success from 2001 to 2008 with Quiet Times, Up Tempo, Tedstale and Wahoo Sam. Up Tempo was an absolute diamond, nicknamed ‘Cash Machine’ in our

house, as every time we needed a payday, Tempo delivered. He gave Neil Callan his first ever 100 winners in a season. Seeing his victory pictured on Neil’s wall in his house in Newmarket gave me immense pride.

“Kevin flew Nina Carberry from Ireland to Chester for a ladies’ race and we landed a nice touch with Tedstale. Quiet Times raced in Dubai for us at the second carnival held – they were really fun times.”

It was the Ryan-trained Dilsaa who provided O’Brien and longstanding racing partner and close friend Simon Bridge with their first winner in July 2001, when scoring at Nottingham under Ollie Pears, who was to become O’Brien’s good friend and trainer.

“Dilsaa was 20-1 but we all really fancied him,” recalls O’Brien. “We felt like kings in the winners’ enclosure and for weeks afterwards; your first winner is a wonderful experience.”

The Ontoawinner brand is the brainchild of O’Brien and his wife Sally and has been going for five years.

O’Brien says: “I’d taken a small break from running syndicates to concentrate on my working career between 2008 and 2010. Once I summoned the energy and funds for a relaunch, I was a lot clearer in what I wanted my syndicates to look like, and what was needed to achieve it.

“I turned to Simon and my much missed friend, the late Alan Vaux. I brought Chris Patten and Ronan, my brother, on board.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_ROA_Forum_Owner 22/09/2016 16:04 Page 87

w w w. r o a . c o . u k

Goffs Breeze Up in 2014, is an absolute phenomenal filly.

“She’s the real deal, having now won the Cornwallis, Prix Sigy, Sandy Lane, Commonwealth Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup. “Winning the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot is my proudest moment in racing. All the Ontoawinner management team was there. It was the reward for all our hard work and it gave me immense satisfaction that I got to share the day and celebrations with Alan Vaux’s widow Jean. Alan was key to any success our colours have had.

“I was delighted for us and more so for Karl and Dougie Costello, never was a first Group 1 UK success more deserved for a trainer and jockey combination. Quiet Reflection’s carer and work-rider, Jordan Vaughan, is key to her success too. His personality matches hers and they are a deadly duo, going about their work quietly and confidently.”

There could be more to come too, as O’Brien reveals: “We’ve got loads of nice young horses with Karl in an expanding string.

“London Protocol, who we own with the astute Rob McKeown, has been placed in a Listed race, and Parnassian is an exciting

Ontoawinner then had a strong, experienced management team. As we grew we brought Steve Bedworth and Jonathan Adams on board for their energy and people skills. It was time to buy the right horse to launch with.”

So who was the right horse?

O’Brien explains: “I’d bought a lot of very sound horses off Tim Easterby and he was the one I trusted to get the Ontoawinner brand rolling. I owe a lot to Tim, who recommended we buy into Fast Shot straight away. He won two days later and went on to win some big Saturday handicaps, and he wasn’t beaten far in an Ayr Gold Cup on unsuitable ground.

“I love Tim and his family, they’re a proud racing family and I have a deep admiration for Peter, Tim and Sarah, and the way they go about their business and the way they’ve raised their wonderful family.

“Then it was possibly a case of being in the right place at the right time when Simon, Chris and I visited Karl Burke’s yard looking to buy our second Ontoawinner horse. Karl had just bought a nice Dutch Art yearling colt, who we bought into and we allowed John O’Shea and Wayne Rooney to name him Yourartisonfire.

Our first two purchases were very successful and the brand had a platform.”

That platform has been built on, culminating in this season’s triumphs with Quiet Reflection, and there have been plenty of magical moments for O’Brien and his partners.

“We’ve attracted some brilliant owners, they’re patient and knowledgeable,” he says.

“They deserve all the success we’ve shared and will continue to share.

“We’ve had some great fun with Tim, and the owners really enjoy his company. Fast Shot, Flying Pursuit and Sakhee’s Return have given Ontoawinner owners some brilliant days out.

“We’ve been extremely lucky with Karl and Elaine Burke from the start of our association – we’ve just clicked as a team.

“We’ve had some cracking fillies for little money, Ticking Katie, Katie’s Diamond and Little Lady Katie have been really lucky for us and for Mark Hulin, who named the fillies after his daughter Katie. Karl is one of the hardest working guys in the sport, supported by a top class family in Elaine, Kelly and Lucy.

“We’ve been ridiculously successful. We won a Mill Reef with Toocoolforschool, and Quiet Reflection, who we bought with Karl at

GEORGE SELWYN

Ontoawinner off to a flyer

youngster coming through.

“We also have horses with Ollie and Vicky Pears, who work tirelessly for their owners. I’ve had five winners with Ollie and have a lot of time for him; he’s shrewd, hard-working and deserves a nice horse. This year we’ve got involved with John Quinn, Adrian Keatley and Ben Haslam, and look forward to having success with them.

“I enjoy the part I play in running the syndicate.

The achievements and entertainment the sport has given me far outweighs the hours and effort I have put in to driving the success of the Ontoawinner brand.”

In addition to those hours and effort, there is actually a day job, as O’Brien says: “When I’m not in the Ontoawinner office, I work hard as Operations Manager for Reckitt Benckiser at their Hull manufacturing facility, where we make great brands like Nurofen, Gaviscon and Lemsip. I have an equally fantastic team at RB as I do at Ontoawinner.

“Racing is a great release from the pressures of the day job and I switch off by burying my head in Owner & Breeder magazine, the racing programme and sales catalogues. On a bad day I allow myself some quiet reflection, smile, and thank my lucky stars.”

Dougie Costello and Quiet Reflection return to the Royal Ascot winner’s enclosure

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Oct_146_ROA_Forum_Owner 22/09/2016 16:04 Page 88

ROA FORUM

The latest news from the UK’s racecourses

NIGELKIRBYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

TRACK TALK

The faller-rate with padded hurdles is significantly less than with traditional birch

Thumbs up for padded hurdles Racehorse safety is a subject close to every owner’s heart, so it is good to hear that one development in this area – padded hurdles – looks to be yielding positive results. The first racecourse to trial this ‘one-fit’ design was Newton Abbot in 2013.

In the three years since then, the 3,306 runners over padded hurdles has shown a faller rate of 1.6%. In the current year to July 25, the faller rate at that track is 1.4%. This compares with a ten-year national average faller rate over traditional hurdles of 2.1%. If a 0.5% reduction is maintained, it represents, nationwide, over 90 fewer fallers per annum.

Taunton became the second course to use the new hurdles in October 2014. Padded hurdles were also introduced at Bangor in July and at Kelso in September, with part-funding from the BHA to increase awareness of the enhanced hurdles.

Uttoxeter introduced padded hurdles at their September fixture, fully funded within ARC. Charlie Moore, Clerk of the Course, reported: “The new padded hurdles are a significant improvement on the traditional birch hurdles, as has been shown during the trials, with injury rates reducing, which helps owners keep their horses ‘on the road’ and racing, with the added benefit of a reduction in the number of fallers too, which is encouraging.

“The hurdles are all totally consistent, with the added bonus for the hard-working groundstaff in that they are easier to maintain. I am delighted for Uttoxeter and Arena Racing that we are one of the first to embrace this BHA initiative; I’m sure they’ll grow rapidly in popularity.”

Uttoxeter’s previous hurdles have been transferred to Hereford, where they will be in action again on October 6, when Hereford reopens having closed its doors in December 2012.

Mares’ Listed chases

PASS reminder

The BHA has announced that four additional mares’ Listed chases have been added to the 2016/17 National Hunt programme as further incentive to keep jumping mares in training. This means that the number of mares’ races in the jumps calendar has risen from 182 in 2008/9 to 328 in 2015/16, with 29 mares’ black-type races now being held in Britain.

The new races are: November 3, Market Rasen, 3m mares’ chase; November 9, Bangor, 2m mares’ novices’ chase; December 8, Warwick, 2m4f mares’ novices’ chase; January 23* Leicester, 2m71/2f mares’ chase (*provisional date).

We let members know in August that the Racecourse Association is introducing a new PASS (Privileged Access Swipe System) for entry into racecourses.

The system deals with the collection of raceday badges for owners, and the new system is designed to make the allocation of badges more simple and enhance the arrival experience.

If you have not already done so, you will need to complete the online form at britishracecourses.org/pass/ to provide the RCA with a copy of your email address.

This information will be key in allowing the RCA to provide you with access to the online

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‘concierge’ part of the PASS System.

Implementation of the new system is being phased in at most courses this autumn.

Kempton Park RBSO badges Kempton Park has joined the list of generous courses that offer members on the Racecourse Badge Scheme for Owners two complimentary admission badges. The Middlesex venue now mirrors the offering to members whose card has been activated for the RBSO scheme.

Five other courses – Ascot, Epsom Downs, Hamilton Park, Sandown Park and Windsor – already offer two badges to members on the scheme when they don’t have a runner.

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Diary dates and reminders OCTOBER 6 Ayr Regional meeting

OCTOBER 15 British Champions Day at Ascot Exclusive facility for members

NOVEMBER 4 Warwick Regional meeting

NOVEMBER 15 Nichola Eddery private view Osborne Studio Gallery

DECEMBER 1 An image of how the new-look Newbury will appear this time next year

Newbury redevelopment on track The redevelopment of the owners’ experience at Newbury racecourse is well under way, with that section of the racecourse’s £20 million ‘heartspace’ rebuild starting in August.

The new owners’ and trainers’ facility is due to be completed in early autumn 2017 and looks set to totally transform the raceday experience.

Situated adjacent to the owners’ and trainers’ car park, the facility will contain a VIP entrance for badge collection, a large private bar and a 200-seat restaurant for the use of owners and trainers. There will also be a lawn next to the pre-parade ring, and a first-floor private viewing platform offering an outstanding view of the preparade ring, saddling boxes, parade ring and winners’ enclosure.

The redevelopment will also include a completely new pre-parade ring and closed

Newbury also offers members free admission for up to two to almost all of their fixtures.

For more details see roa.co.uk.

AWT bend at Fontwell Arena Racing Company has committed to installing a new cambered all-weather bend at Fontwell Park. Plans have been submitted for the installation on the course’s bottom bend, where three horses had slipped in June.

Due to the unique configuration of the track, horses race anti-clockwise around the outside in hurdle races and clockwise around the inside on a split bend in steeplechases. At the height of the summer both hurdle and steeplechase races THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

saddling boxes, an enlarged parade ring with enhanced viewing, as well as a new winners’ enclosure and unsaddling and wash-down area for unplaced horses.

Owing to the redevelopment works, the current raceday arrangements are subject to some alterations. As has been the case for the past year, owners can park in Car Parks 2 (the traditional O&T car park) and 4 (closer to the new bridge), with the former experiencing a slightly reduced capacity over the next few months.

A temporary owners’ and trainers’ badge collection marquee is situated next to The Lodge in Car Park 2, and a temporary owners’ and trainers’ bar is located on the raised level and terrace of the Premier Lawn Bar adjacent to the Crafty Filly. There will also be a temporary pre-parade ring during the next few months in the early stages of construction.

are run on a common bend.

The introduction of a cambered all-weather section of around 330 metres of the mile round courses would provide a consistent surface around the ideal racing line.

Similar projects have successfully been undertaken at other racecourses, including Kempton Park and Musselburgh.

The installation is expected to take place during Fontwell’s summer break between June and August 2017 and will take approximately six weeks to complete. Prior to the installation, ongoing work will be carried out with the aid of agronomists to ensure an optimum racing surface.

ROA Horseracing Awards Further details and how to book for ROA events can be found at roa.co.uk/events, by emailing info@roa.co.uk or by calling the office on 020 7152 0200

Pip Kirkby joins team Pip Kirkby has joined the ROA as Industry Liaison Officer, a role that will see her work three days a week for the organisation.

Pip (pictured with her dog Fig) will be well known to owners as she has a wealth of experience on the racecourse. She spent 17 years at Jockey Club Racecourses, most recently working as General Manager at Market Rasen and Nottingham. She has worked for the past 15 months as Chief Executive at The Pony Club.

She said: “I’m delighted to be on board at the ROA. Having worked for the Jockey Club, managing Market Rasen and Nottingham, where we had a key focus on the delivery of an excellent experience for owners, I hope that I can utilise this experience to benefit the ROA, and very much look forward to working on a range of projects with the team.”

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Ten categories in RCA Awards event

Fontwell Park: in the running for the Owners’ Experience Award

The RCA Showcase & Awards on Thursday, November 17 is the Racecourse Association’s own dedicated awards night. Now into its seventh year, the event commences with a daytime seminar session focussing on raceday excellence and innovation, followed by the evening awards ceremony.

Ten categories are up for grabs in 2016, and ROA members were directly responsible for the shortlisted racecourses in the Owners’ Experience Award.

The five racecourses that featured most prominently, and consistently, amongst the feedback posted on the ROA website by its members following their raceday

experiences have been given the opportunity to submit their reasons why they believe they deserve to win this prestigious award: •Ascot •Chester •Fontwell Park •Nottingham •Sedgefield

In Brief greater our voice. If you recommend a friend to join, we’d be delighted to send you – and the new member when they join – the full choice of goody options.

For further details see www.roa.co.uk or call the office on 020 7152 0200.

Race replays

Fine wine if you recommend the ROA

Reward for recommendations We now have three ways to thank members who recommend a friend to join the ROA. The ROA branded lightweight jacket continues to prove popular, and these are available in a range of sizes. To widen the choice of options, we are now also offering a £25 Marks & Spencer gift voucher or a £25 Corney & Barrow gift voucher to order wine.

We hope this will help to incentivise members to grow our membership.

The more members we represent, the

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Trying to catch a previous race online? The ROA website at www.roa.co.uk/replays lists a number of options to view racing replays.

Thoroughbred Daily News has been added to the list of website links which appears in our Resources section, showing selected replays of UK, European and US courses, for maidens, stakes and Graded races.

around Britain’s coastline.

All money raised will go towards building a further 40 stables at the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre in Lancashire. The aim is to double the size of the current facility.

To take part, riders are asked to sign up to ride and donate £10.

See www.britishtrc.co.uk or call the BTRC on 01524 812649.

Programme Book Volume 4 of the Programme Book is available to order, covering all UK racing for the final three months from October to December.

The UK price is £51, available to order from Weatherbys through 01933 440077.

25 years of re-homing The British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

To mark this, a unique challenge has been launched to raise £100,000 by riding around the equivalent of Britain’s coastline.

Horse riders from the length and breadth of Britain are invited to take part to tally up a total mileage of 7,723 – the distance

EBF-registered juveniles The European Breeders Fund report that of two-year-olds in training in Britain, 4,230 (99.4%) of the 4,265 two-year-olds registered as in training are eligible to run in EBF races.

To check upcoming races and eligibility online see www.ebfstallions.com.

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This shortlist was only possible thanks to ROA members’ feedback, and as usual we are offering one lucky person a month £50 worth of Love To Shop vouchers as a thank you for completing a feedback form.

This month’s winner is Marie Steele, who left feedback following a racecourse visit to Stratford.

Alan Pickering, Chairman of the Raceday Committee, said: “Without the support of owners, racecourses would have nothing special to showcase. Without racecourses, we would have nowhere to race our horses.

“Working together is a winning combination and I am delighted to see at first hand the steps that courses are taking to make

our members’ special day seem really special.

“Those courses that have been nominated by our members reflect the diversity which makes British racing truly unique.

“Congratulations to those who have been shortlisted and, dare I say, onwards and upwards for those who would want a similar accolade next year.”

Your chances for Jackpot joy ROA members have four opportunities to win £2,000 with the weekly ROA Owners Jackpot during October.

To qualify for an Owners Jackpot, ROA members must own horses at least 51%. In the case of a racing partnership, both nominated partners must be members of the ROA. ROA OWNERS JACKPOT RACES IN OCTOBER

October 6 Ayr 1m2f Class 5 3yo+ 0-75 Handicap October 12 Bath 6f Class 5 3yo+ 0-75 Handicap October 18 Exeter 2m1f Class 4 4yo+ 0-110 Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle October 26 Nottingham 1m Class 4 3yo+ 0-85 Handicap The first fixture this month at Ayr coincides with an ROA regional meeting and we look forward to meeting some of our members who live locally on the day. Details of upcoming races and full terms can be found at www.roa.co.uk/jackpot

Book of dreams How to Make a Small Fortune: The Diary of a Racehorse Owner’s husband, by John Timpson, recounts the epic journey of how John and his late wife Alex pursued their dreams of ownership. When John bought his wife Alex a racehorse in 2002, a friend commented that it would be ‘a marvellous way to lose money.’ Fulfilling this long-held dream led to them owning 20 racehorses.

John Timpson CBE is one of the UK’s most successful businessmen. He is Chairman of the eponymous high street cobblers, key cutters, engravers and watch repairers, with more than 1,400 branches in the UK and Ireland. The book, published this month, costs £14.99 and can be ordered at www.UnderOrders.co.uk. Sales will raise money for the Injured Jockeys Fund.

limited edition canvasses and photographic prints three years ago and has a huge archive of images spanning decade from, including the greats of Arkle, Red Rum and Frankel.

To view a selection of images and to contact him, see www.horseracingart.co.uk.

The discount code can be found in the member login area at www.roa.co.uk

A dramatic canvas can be a unique decorative feature, or make a personal gift.

ROA members can enjoy a discount of 20% off all canvases purchased through Horse Racing Art. Renowned photographer Mark Cranham set up the business selling

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

MARK CRANHAM

Horse Racing art offer

Horse Racing Art: the perfect Christmas present for a horseracing fan

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RoR continues to be roaring success story

By Sheila Bailey Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is British horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses that have retired from racing.

The charity has had a busy year, with a number of key developments. First, following the sudden death of Rory McDonald last year, the BHA nominated Andrew Merriam as their representative on the RoR board. He brings a huge amount of experience and skill to the organisation. He was elected to the Jockey Club in 1997 and is Chairman of Jockey Club Estates, as well being an independent non-executive director of the BHA. Sam Hoskins’ term representing the TBA came to an end and Nicholas Jones takes his place. Ex-Chairman of Lazard, he now owns Coln Valley Stud and is also a Steward of the Jockey Club.

It is good practice for the board of every charity to review its governance on a regular basis and it was with this in mind that Chairman Paul Roy approached all the stakeholder associations to consider appointing independent non-executive board members.

The intention is to achieve a balance of interests, knowledge and experience, including from

Monet’s Garden: one of the stars

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other equestrian disciplines and reflect RoR’s growth and reputation in the wider equestrian community. The first independent director to be appointed is former eventer and the voice of equestrian sport at the Olympics, Mike Tucker.

Many will have heard his commentary in Rio, when he took every opportunity to educate the viewers on the adaptability of retrained racehorses, including Summon Up Theblood.

In terms of personnel, the last appointment was that of Sir Anthony McCoy as a Patron. The 20-time champion jockey said: “It is an honour to have been asked to take on the role of Patron of RoR. As I said on my retirement, I rode in nearly 18,000 races and I owe a debt to all the horses I rode, as without them none of my success would have been possible. So I am delighted to be in a position where I can assist in promoting the increasingly varied options available for racehorses after racing.”

Of course, most of the focus is on the horses.

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, RoR hosted its second RoR championship show.

Nearly 300 former racehorses competed in a variety of classes culminating in a Grand Final on Sunday night. It is almost impossible to describe how emotional it was – some all-time favourites on the racecourse showed just how versatile they are as they demonstrated their new skills as show horses or jumpers – or both!

Monet’s Garden, Forpadydeplasterer, Purple Moon and Jack The Giant were some of the famous old boys taking part.

Joe Grimwade and Deirdre Johnston had a tough task in judging the supreme champion but awarded it to Beware Chalk Pit. Since leaving racing, after a fairly modest career, he has had enormous success in the show ring with Rebecca Court.

Jilly Cooper judged the Glamour Stakes – an in-hand class where the handlers were as much an attraction as the horses. The show has become an integral part of RoR’s calendar and plans are already afoot for the 2017 event.

It was CEO Di Arbuthnot who realised a few years back that RoR needed a regional network to adequately deal with educating potential riders in how to find and select a retrained racehorse. This network is now operating nationally, with Anne Walker appointed as National Co-ordinator. The show is Walker’s brainchild and she, together with Arbuthnot, has made it a truly spectacular event.

More about RoR’s work can be found online at www.ror.org.uk

Gemma Hogg: 2016 overall winner

Nominate stud and stable staff Owners have a chance to acknowledge the efforts of the stable staff that care for their racehorses throughout the year by nominating them for the prestigious annual Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

The Awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the BHA in association with the Racing Post, are now in their 13th year and offer more than £120,000 in prize-money, with up to £40,000 available to be shared among the staff at a single yard or stud.

Nominations have opened earlier than usual and can be made online between now and November 16 at www.studandstablestaffawards.co.uk.

The website has been redesigned to provide more information to potential nominators and features an improved nomination form.

As well as recognising and rewarding stud and stable staff, the awards are a great advertisement for racing as a whole, highlighting some of the very best things about our sport – as a great place to work and an industry that looks after its horses and its people. The ‘Rory MacDonald Community Award’ recognises the contribution from people to benefit the wider community.

The prizes will be presented in front of an invited audience on the evening of Monday, February 20 at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Guidance for a sales season in full swing member third party liability insurance scheme is effective from fall of hammer, provided the intention is to start preparation

for training, i.e. breaking in, following the sale. Full details of the scheme can be found on the ROA website.

TATTERSALLS

The sales season is very much upon us and there are plenty of resources for owners thinking of purchasing a new horse that provide helpful guidance.

The Resources section of the ROA website includes a ‘going to the sales’ guide at www.roa.co.uk/sales. Tattersalls and Goffs also publish guides.

Tattersalls ‘Guide to Sales’ is a 24-page guide covering a host of subjects. These include how to obtain the latest updates on lot information, the importance of listening to announcements from the rostrum, how bidding can be made by telephone, the use of reserves and information on what and where the repository facility is at the sale. The guide can be downloaded at www.tattersalls.com.

Goffs UK produce a guide entitled ‘So you want to buy a racehorse’. The 14-page guide includes hints and tips for owners from presale through to post sale and veterinary examinations relevant to the sale in question.

This can be downloaded at www.goffs.com.

Members are reminded that the ROA

The ROA’s third party liability insurance scheme is effective from fall of hammer

Rise in minimum rates for stable staff revised terms will take effect from October 1 to September 30, 2017 as approved by the National Trainers Federation Council: • 5% increase on minimum rates for all pay scales.

GEORGE SELWYN

A Memorandum of Agreement between the National Trainers Federation and National Association of Stable Staff sets out terms for minimum pay and conditions of employment for stable staff. The following

Stable staff will receive a 5% pay rise effective from this month

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• The National Living Wage (NLW) is forecast to increase by 5.6% in April 2017.

If required by changes to NLW or National Minimum Wage (NMW), there may be minor adjustments within some scales in April 2017.

• The hourly rates for time worked away from the yard outside normal hours will increase with NMW legislation from October 1 to £6.95 for workers aged less than 25 (it is currently £7.20 for workers aged 25+.) From April 2017, there will be one rate for all employees at the expected new NLW of £7.60.

Additional time off to compensate weekend working has been a central part of the NASS claim for the past two years. The NTF position remains that they do not agree with a mandated way of providing additional time off as it is felt that trainers must retain flexibility to choose the method that suits their business. Instead, it has been agreed that the National Joint Council would hold regular meetings in the coming year to consider how the wording of the Memorandum of Agreement could be altered to increase time off over the ‘consolidated week’ without specifying when it should be taken.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Project4_Layout 1 22/09/2016 08:46 Page 1

From the syndicate that offered: Group Winners QUIET REFLECTION & TOOCOOLFORSCHOOL Listed winner KATIES DIAMOND, Listed placed LONDON PROTOCOL Tough horses TICKING KATIE, FAST SHOT, FLYING PURSUIT, SEDUCE ME, LITTLE LADY KATIE, SAKHEES RETURN and PARNASSIAN. Shares available in this years crop of yearlings by precocious sires HELMET, ELZAAM, MAYSON and SIR PRANCEALOT. QUIET REFLECTION

In training with: Karl Burke, Tim Easterby and Ollie Pears 2 person, 4 person joint ownership available, aswell as our traditional partnerships We will be represented at all the leading yearing sales if you want to discuss opportunities

www.ontoawinner.net Contact – Niall on 07824 597 466 or Simon on 07866 807 052 niall@ontoawinner.net • simon@ontoawinner.net

Ontoawinner OB Oct 2016 f-p.indd 1

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Flat Racecourse League Table Ptn Racecourse

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

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

Figures for period September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016

Ownership

Avg racecourse spend per fixture (£)

Avg HBLB spend per fixture (£)

Avg owner spend per fixture (£)

Avg prizemoney per fixture (£)

Total no. of fixtures

Total prize-money (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2014-15 (£)

Up/ down

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

437,463 212,625 167,034 130,586 113,599 83,644 76,829 70,541 62,236 52,177 47,095 42,220 41,047 36,888 36,743 36,510 34,553 32,813 32,066 29,947 29,444 28,873 27,408 26,576 25,414 25,309 25,069 24,879 23,948 22,827 22,800 20,655 20,451 18,971 17,730 10,210 52,144

129,726 91,151 80,174 65,299 75,090 42,377 56,546 55,428 45,859 41,089 23,610 18,544 15,908 26,611 21,644 35,946 30,113 24,755 0 20,160 18,420 16,768 19,433 15,008 12,165 19,963 21,445 20,646 13,684 14,054 19,853 18,553 18,115 19,481 15,244 25,348 31,500

251,249 121,033 66,217 104,963 98,606 10,552 36,433 32,438 28,699 18,183 9,763 4,916 5,241 5,368 4,647 10,644 3,856 4,211 4,185 4,084 4,146 5,323 5,187 4,553 3,603 5,534 5,166 4,322 3,851 3,622 4,226 11,750 2,768 3,403 2,761 2,496 20,953

818,438 425,514 313,425 300,847 287,295 136,573 170,714 158,562 137,169 112,025 80,468 65,680 62,196 68,992 63,033 83,267 68,522 61,868 36,250 54,191 52,010 50,964 52,028 46,137 41,182 50,806 51,679 49,882 41,483 40,502 46,879 50,958 41,333 41,894 35,735 38,054 104,673

18 17 20 12 39 15 16 24 16 23 12 63 17 16 17 18 16 85 2 19 20 16 28 13 5 23 20 57 23 15 15 18 18 93 21 37 887

14,731,886 7,233,740 6,268,502 3,610,159 11,204,494 2,048,591 2,731,428 3,805,498 2,194,705 2,624,575 965,619 4,137,816 1,057,332 1,103,869 1,071,566 1,498,800 1,096,354 5,258,740 72,500 1,029,633 1,040,195 815,425 1,456,779 599,779 205,910 1,168,538 1,033,579 2,843,299 954,101 607,534 703,192 917,250 744,000 3,896,188 750,439 1,408,000 92,890,011

400,392 183,726 168,192 148,795 92,944 86,167 67,612 64,662 57,272 49,479 24,076 38,563 40,387 31,173 33,971 38,070 32,507 30,790 32,205 26,747 24,629 27,081 21,181 25,180 21,230 22,665 23,907 22,378 20,944 16,709 23,612 18,589 18,888 15,716 14,426 10,079 46,139

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

Up/ down

Jumps Racecourse League Table Ptn Racecourse

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

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

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Ownership

Avg racecourse spend per fixture (£)

Avg HBLB spend per fixture (£)

Avg owner spend per fixture (£)

Avg prizemoney per fixture (£)

Total no. of fixtures

Total prize-money (£)

Avg racecourse spend per fixture 2014-15 (£)

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

249,064 235,323 139,862 94,827 89,392 56,101 48,608 41,260 33,912 33,371 30,843 30,154 29,800 28,778 28,588 28,469 27,808 27,132 24,976 24,023 23,094 22,971 22,635 21,742 21,650 20,276 20,074 19,976 19,528 18,171 17,595 17,371 16,870 16,838 16,543 15,855 15,689 14,962 14,186 13,936 37,314

131,882 115,233 86,051 86,945 78,929 78,430 59,635 38,295 41,652 27,037 17,023 44,404 38,554 17,596 31,574 22,214 27,175 28,839 26,602 21,967 33,896 23,721 25,134 19,350 27,022 22,792 30,072 27,123 29,770 26,219 23,346 20,334 22,823 24,111 18,281 26,864 25,998 21,003 23,146 21,039 34,544

70,590 61,573 19,014 16,507 16,784 20,946 10,140 12,896 8,416 2,908 5,156 8,385 8,277 3,969 5,310 3,288 4,791 0 4,652 4,294 5,136 0 5,339 4,654 6,661 4,638 5,573 4,204 5,185 4,546 3,373 3,879 3,964 4,012 2,962 3,348 2,917 3,207 3,350 3,551 8,188

451,723 412,129 247,427 200,500 191,405 157,477 119,537 92,452 83,980 63,816 53,022 83,360 76,631 50,750 65,636 53,971 59,773 55,971 56,330 50,284 62,776 46,692 53,107 45,746 55,604 47,999 57,414 52,557 55,420 48,936 44,314 41,584 43,886 44,960 37,971 46,067 44,834 39,727 40,681 38,692 80,506

8 16 8 9 9 10 13 11 8 13 9 12 14 16 14 16 15 17 15 23 10 12 13 14 24 17 17 13 16 10 21 21 21 10 14 6 10 20 15 9 549

3,613,784 6,594,067 1,979,413 1,804,503 1,640,613 1,574,775 1,553,978 1,016,973 671,839 829,606 477,198 1,000,318 1,072,828 811,992 918,910 863,532 896,600 951,512 844,950 1,156,528 627,762 560,310 690,392 640,446 1,334,502 815,984 976,038 683,238 886,722 489,356 930,586 873,260 921,601 449,600 531,600 276,400 448,339 794,541 610,221 348,231 44,163,045

244,870 223,142 135,525 96,862 98,706 45,631 50,823 31,902 21,606 29,390 25,256 27,022 25,177 23,559 26,585 24,648 26,487 22,830 24,479 22,953 26,507 25,040 15,750 17,716 18,082 19,747 21,988 20,352 20,007 12,844 15,832 12,323 15,470 17,781 17,684 13,076 15,602 14,061 14,044 11,532 34,496

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

EXPLANATION The tables set out the average prize-money at each fixture staged by a racecourse over the last 12 months. They show how this is made up of the three sources of prizemoney: 1. Racecourses’ contribution 2. Levy Board (HBLB) 3. Owners The tables also confirm the number of fixtures staged and the total amount of prize-money paid out by each racecourse throughout this period.

The racecourses are ordered by the average amount of their own contribution to prizemoney at each fixture. This contribution originates from various sources including media rights, admission revenues and racecourse sponsors.

If a racecourse has increased its average contribution at each fixture compared with the previous 12 months, it receives a green ‘up’ arrow. If its average contribution has fallen, however, it receives a red ‘down’ arrow.

As these tables are based on the prize-money paid out by each racecourse, the abandonment of a major fixture could distort a racecourse’s performance.

OWNERSHIP KEY JCR Jockey Club Racecourses

ARC Arena Racing Company

I Independently owned racecourse Gold Standard Award

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TBA FORUM T he spec i al section for TBA members

Taxation advice for members

TBA board member Peter Mendham writes:

O

ne of the many services the TBA offers to members is free access to a taxation helpline operated by James Cowper LLP – the specialist bloodstock accountants and tax advisers. Whilst the helpline is not intended to cover advice on the more complex issues, most members’ queries will be dealt with during the call, and if the matter does fall outside the terms of the helpline, Smith and Williamson will provide a steer as to how to proceed.

The queries dealt with on the helpline cover many different issues, but a number do come up on a recurring basis. These are: the treatment of a racing activity operated in conjunction with the breeding trade; whether or not the breeding activity constitutes a trade; and the tax treatment of sponsorship payments. I have set out below some thoughts on these issues but would remind readers that taxation issues are determined according to the facts of each specific situation and therefore any advice given must be taken in that context.

The interaction between breeding and racing has long given rise to problems, particularly given that the two arms of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) take a different view of the racing side of the activity. For VAT purposes, racing can in many circumstances be treated as a business activity, whereas from an income or corporation tax standpoint, racing is almost invariably treated as being a non-business activity. Anyone wishing to persuade the Revenue that racing costs are business related will therefore be facing an uphill struggle and it is likely that only businesses owning horses for promotional purposes will succeed.

One issue that is common to both sides of HMRC is when it comes to determining whether or not the breeding activity constitutes a trading activity and is therefore within the scope of tax. Ironically in most business sectors

resource for TBA members, there is also a large amount of information freely available from other sources. The Horsemen’s Group Taxation Guide can be found on the members’ section of the TBA website and in addition to that, the website www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ hm-revenue-customs has a large number of guides and information leaflets. The guides are generally written in a reader-friendly style and if it is a question of finding the latest tax rates and allowances, then this is the best place to go.

A recent example of an important change in procedure that can be found on the HMRC website relates to a change in procedure for paying tax-free subsistence and travel payments to racehorse training and stud farm staff. In the past, providing the industry-agreed rates were not exceeded, employers were not required to deduct tax on the payments.

However, we are now advised in www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/ employment-income-manual/eim30250 that with effect from April 1, 2016 employers must now notify HMRC that they wish to pay these rates. HMRC will then issue an approval notice.

The notice will be valid for five years and will cover any agreed increases in the scale rates. A failure to obtain an approval notice could result in the payments being subject to PAYE. Whilst it is still too early to anticipate taxation changes following the Brexit vote, it is almost certain that the VAT treatment of cross-border movements will have to be rewritten, and that could potentially lead to a surge in the number of VAT-related queries for the helpline (and for Stanstead House).

However, the TBA is constantly monitoring the position and will be publishing specific information as and when we have it, so at this stage we would urge members to wait for that information before raising specific queries.

it is the potential taxpayer who is arguing that the activity is not a trade – particularly in this age of internet trading, whereas with bloodstock it is often the reverse. This is of course because of the likelihood of losses being accumulated in the early years. There is no hard and fast test for determining when something is a trade, and in the early years it is not possible to have the benefit of past performance as a guide. HMRC will take into account a number of factors e.g. numbers of stock, sales results, the possibility of profit, and possible indications of a ‘hobby’ interest. However, their statistics will tell them that a high proportion of breeding operations operate at a loss so they will look at these indicators with a critical eye. To combat this, it is important that as far as possible contemporaneous evidence demonstrating the business intention is retained, as that evidence will carry more weight than subsequent unsubstantiated assertions.

The advent of the racehorse owners VAT Scheme led to an increase in the amount of sponsorship coming into racing, and some owners and breeders have used associated companies to provide sponsorship for their racing activities. HMRC also look at the tax deductibility of these payments with a critical eye as they are concerned that payments are not really commercial and therefore seek to disallow the costs.

Once again it is imperative that contemporaneous records are kept, evidencing the commercial benefit of making these sponsorship payments. You should also bear in mind that any payment that leads to some form of business entertainment e.g. entertaining clients at the racecourse, will not assist the argument as that type of expense is automatically disallowed.

Although the helpline provides a valuable

In praise of Micheala Robinson – the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ The September TBA Stud Staff Award winner is euphemistically described as a ‘Swiss army knife’ by her employer, a term which epitomises her talent for turning her hand to any job on the stud.

Micheala Robinson has been employed by Sarah Jane Barker at Tibthorpe Stud, near Driffield, for three years. She not only cares

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for four mares and their followers, but also takes on the tractor driving, repairs, maintenance and the general problem-solving so essential on a small stud.

Sarah Jane describes Micheala as “a great team player who nevertheless will work alone when necessary and who tackles everything with a smile on her face”.

She adds: “Foals are handled expertly from birth, which eases the sales preparation process, and we can confidently rely on Micheala to cope in any situation and to always have the welfare of all stock at heart.”

All of these attributes make Micheala a very worthy winner of the TBA Stud Staff award for September.

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www.thetba.co.uk

TBA diary dates SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 TBA £25,000 Bonus for the EBF Breeders’ Fillies Series Finale Newmarket racecourse, Suffolk

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19 The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novice Hurdle Worcester racecourse, Worcestershire

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TBA NH Stallion Parade Cheltenham racecourse, Gloucestershire

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 TBA Mares’ Novice Hurdle Warwick racecourse, Warwickshire

The full list of stallions parading on November 11 will be announced on the website

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

The TBA National Hunt Stallion Parade

Lingfield Park racecourse, Surrey

The annual National Hunt stallion parade will be held on Friday, November 11 at Cheltenham on Countryside Day. A number of top British EBF-qualified stallions will be paraded in the paddock – the list will be finalised in the coming weeks and announced on the website. The TBA is grateful for the generous and continued support for the parade from Goffs UK and the BEBF. TBA members can gain free entry to the racecourse on the day by producing a valid TBA membership card to the owners’ and trainers’ desk at either the North or Hall of Fame entrances only. If you wish to purchase additional badges, they can be bought at a special advance rate of £25 per person by contacting the ticket hotline on 0344 5793003 up until Thursday, November 3.

TBA members and their guests are also invited to the TBA Stallion Parade marquee, where facilities will include a cash bar and light refreshments. TBA membership cards must be shown in order to gain entry to the marquee.

Employers are encouraged to nominate their staff for the TBA Stud Staff Award, which consists of £200, membership of the TBA and a certificate, and will be announced in Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder. Employers who wish to nominate should contact Caroline Turnbull at the TBA on 01638 661321 or email caroline.turnbull@thetba.co.uk.

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It is here that the connections of the stallions will be on hand to answer any questions which you may have, and there will also be a silent auction of stallion nominations which will be held to support TBA National Hunt initiatives.

Silent auction In order to help support the TBA’s fundraising efforts for National Hunt breeding, a nomination to each stallion on parade has been very generously donated by the respective stallion owners.

If you are unable to attend the parade but wish to support the TBA by placing a bid (including telephone bids on the day) to

TBA Mares’ Maiden Hurdle

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 TO FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 Annual TBA Stud Farming Course British Racing School, Newmarket

NEW MEMBERS Mr Dermot Farrington, Wiltshire Ms Julie Whatley, Dorset Mr Michael Haggas, Suffolk Mr Tim Dykes, Hampshire Mr Paul Nicholson, Devon

purchase a nomination, please contact Pauline Stoddart at Stanstead House for further information.

The worthy winner Micheala Robinson

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TBA FORUM

Northern Regional Day Blue skies and a refreshing breeze welcomed TBA members to Willow Farm, the new training centre of David O’Meara in Upper Helmsley, Yorkshire.

More than 40 TBA members made the journey to see these new racing facilities which O’Meara moved into in October 2015.

The project to turn what was previously farmland and derelict buildings into a stateof-the-art training facility is well under way, and it was impressive to see the progress that has been made in such a short space of time.

Despite the extensive building work being carried out in his surroundings, the trainer made us very welcome with coffee and biscuits on arrival. He gave us a brief rundown of the short history of his tenure at Willow Farm, which now has a mixture of new facilities including American barns, horse walkers and wash-down bays.

The older, almost derelict buildings on the site will eventually be turned into office space and accommodation for the team, but with 140 horses in training, the equine facilities have taken priority in the new redevelopment and the results (66 winners and 97 runnersup this season) prove their welfare is firmly at the top of the list.

Assistant trainer Jason Kelly took over to lead the group to the American barns, which house some very impressive horses, with Mondialiste (winner of the Grade 1 Arlington Million) and Amazing Maria (winner of the Group 1 Prix Rothschild and Falmouth Stakes) among them.

A new wooden box yard is home to the fillies and due to the frantic efforts to get the building work completed and horses in, Kelly pointed out that the boxes were literally being occupied one at a time whilst they were being built; as soon as one was ready a filly was installed, while work continued to ready the adjacent box and so on.

Amazing Maria enjoying her new surroundings at Willow Farm

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TBA members gather for another memorable Northern Regional Day

Following a tour of the barns and fillies’ yard we headed over to the new gallops, passing the new turn-out paddocks, where we were greeted by some of the horses that had been out on the gallops already earlier in the morning.

There is a five-furlong grass gallop where extensive drainage has been installed to protect from flooding and also a six-furlong all-weather Polytrack gallop. We were lucky to be able to watch the sixth lot being put through its paces.

Our thanks to O’Meara, Kelly and the team for making us so welcome and allowing us to enjoy seeing his new project unfold. It would be a treat to be able to return to Willow Farm in the future when the refurbishment and building work is complete as it will surely be a very impressive set-up. We wish the trainer and his team every success in the future, which looks very promising indeed.

From Upper Helmsley the members enjoyed a very tasty lunch at the Old Lodge at Old Maltongate before heading off to the Jack Berry Centre for injured jockeys.

Jo Russell was our guide and she ably showed us around this wonderful facility and

one could not fail to be impressed.

Straight away there is an acknowledgement of the generosity of a number of people who bought bricks and raised funds for the project in the form of a wall with all the names on the bricks. The members invaded what is clearly a quiet and tranquil atmosphere within the brand new setting full of state-ofthe-art fixtures and fittings. The most impressive of these is the hydrotherapy pool complete with treadmill floor, where we saw a number of varied exercises performed by one of the patients.

The mechanical horse riding room, gymnasium, physiotherapy room, along with many others, made the whole building a great place to recover, all under the watchful eye of the bronze statue of Jack Berry, the powerhouse behind the project.

Members came away thinking that this great nation of horse lovers has made steps towards looking after those whose endeavours have made it great but have paid the price with injury.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this a very memorable and enjoyable regional day.

The newly installed American barn at David O’Meara’s impressive stable

The sixth lot of the day make their way up the all-weather gallop

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Major Richard Wilson MBE The TBA board and the executive were deeply saddened to learn of the death of member Major Richard Wilson of Hockham Lodge Stud on August 15.

Richard was a stalwart of the TBA for 30 years and together with his wife Rachel was responsible for arranging many successful regional days for the eastern region. Every event was organised in exemplary fashion, with great attention to detail, and nothing left to chance, for which the TBA team at Stanstead House was always enormously grateful.

He represented the TBA at race meetings and point-to-points, and was a loyal and enthusiastic participant in many Association events. Latterly, Richard helped the TBA in its quest to promote the thoroughbred breeding industry to young people, by planning and hosting visits from Pony Clubs to Newmarket studs and training yards.

His extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport ensured these days were a unique experience for the young people who participated in them and helped to sow the seed for further involvement.

Richard also worked unstintingly for his local community and for the armed forces charity Ssafa, for which he received an MBE, and the TBA is enormously grateful that he chose to spend some of his valuable time in supporting the TBA in so many ways. He will be greatly missed, and our thoughts are with Rachel and his family at this sad time.

Major Richard Wilson and young Pony Clubbers on Newmarket Heath

#Thisfillycan activity The #thisfillycan initiative launched in June and has been active on social media covering the latest fillies’ news stories from the summer’s premier race meetings.

The campaign is promoting the benefits of buying, owning and training fillies and mares on the Flat. It is hoped this activity will support breeders by increasing the number of fillies in training and thereby increase demand for them at the sales.

The #thisfillycan team will be present at domestic thoroughbred yearling sales, increasing awareness of fillies’ value, the large number of race opportunities available to them, and also highlighting the recent successes of fillies on the racecourse.

Coincidentally, 2016 has been a vintage year for fillies on the track, with the highprofile successes of Quiet Reflection, Mrs Danvers and Mecca’s Angel bolstering the campaign’s key messages.

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Both Goffs and Tattersalls will be raising awareness of the campaign through the publication of the #thisfillycan logo on appropriate catalogue pages and a supporting explanatory advert.

Promotional merchandise will also be available to consignors of fillies at yearling and foal sales this autumn. Visit our website www.thisfillycan.co.uk to learn more or follow us on Twitter @ThisFillyCan. If you are selling a filly this sales season, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information on the campaign and supporting merchandise. Logos can also be provided for stable door cards. Please contact the TBA office on 01638 661321.

Please share any photos or posts of your fillies on social media and remember to use the hashtag: #thisfillycan

Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards Nominations are still open for the 2017 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, for which the prize-money now totals over £120,000, with prizes awarded to studs and yards as well as individual winners.

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony at the Jumeirah Carlton Hotel in London, attended by the three finalists in each category, their guests and industry supporters.

Nominations can be made by employers, colleagues, owners, trainers and managers, so if you know someone who deserves the recognition, send your nomination in by the closing date, Wednesday, November 16, 2016.

Further information and nomination forms are available at www.studandstablestaffawards.co.uk.

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TBA FORUM

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

Mares-only Racecourse Award for Cartmel

National Hunt Mare Owner Prize Scheme

TBA member Peter Airey presenting the award to Lord Cavendish

Cartmel racecourse was recently presented by the TBA with the Mares-only Racecourse Award for its efforts in hosting one of the highest ratios of mares’ jumps races on its fixture list. As part of the award, the racecourse also received a £750 contribution of prize-money from the TBA towards the Hadwin Motor Group TBA Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. Run on the same day as the presentation, Saturday, August 21, it was won by the Donald McCain-trained mare Cowslip.

Stud Farming Course Don’t miss the chance to top up your knowledge by attending the TBA’s well respected Stud Farming Course, which takes place at the British Racing School from Wednesday, December 7 to Friday December 9, and which now has formal recognition as a professional development course for the industry.

The course covers over 20 stud management topics, ranging from conception and mare reproductive management to care of the young horse, with sessions delivered by veterinary and industry experts in an informal setting, allowing plenty of opportunities for interaction between delegates and speakers. External visits and a course dinner are also included, and delegates will go home with a comprehensive set of notes accompanying the lectures.

The course is endorsed by the industry-awarding body 1st4Sport, which qualifies it as a recognised professional development opportunity, and all delegates completing will receive a certificate confirming this.

The course fee is £395 for TBA members and further information is available from Melissa Parris at Stanstead House via email melissa.parris@thetba.co.uk or telephone 01638 661321.

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The deadline for registrations for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 crops has been extended until December 31, 2016.

Registration forms can be downloaded from the TBA website on the NH MOPS page with the National Hunt Racing section.

Alternatively, please call the office on 01638 661321 or email annette.bell@thetba.co.uk to request a form. Full details on the scheme can also be found on the website.

Breeders’ badge offer for Ascot We are delighted to announce that following on from the success of the breeders’ badge offer at Royal Ascot in June, Ascot racecourse has kindly offered TBA members the opportunity of owner and trainer badges for QIPCO Champions Day on Saturday, October 15. Tickets will be limited to two per breeder if they have bred a runner at the meeting. Tickets are exclusive to TBA members so if you would like to take up the offer but are not a member please contact Annette Bell (annette.bell@thetba.co.uk) for a membership application form.

A number of TBA members took advantage of a similar offer by York racecourse for breeders with a runner at the Ebor Welcome to Yorkshire Festival on August 17 to 20. Breeders were also given access to the parade ring prior to the race in which the horse they had bred was running.

The TBA is grateful for the co-operation of all racecourses participating in this initiative, which helps to promote the contribution of breeders to the racing industry. It is hoped that we can encourage more racecourses on board with the scheme for future meetings across the calendar.

Vital insurance benefit for TBA members Insurance is often on our to-do lists at this time of year so it’s worth issuing a reminder about the unique insurance benefit available to all TBA members.

Over the past couple of years Amlin Plus has provided bloodstock insurance to TBA members and now they also provide the TBA Third Party Liability Insurance Policy, which is included within the price of the TBA membership.

If you have a renewal due in the next couple of months, or are considering insuring your bloodstock, please do take advantage of this unique benefit and contact John Needham, Amlin Plus’s

appointed representative and TBA Regional Chairman, or the Insurance Team on 01892 890482 to obtain a quotation or for any valuable insurance advice. Amlin Plus can provide cover for all your needs: • Colic/life-saving cover for up to £5,000 veterinary fees • All types of cover are available for your mares, foals, yearlings, racehorses and stallions • Foal insurance from 24 hours, 30 or 90 days old • Stallion infertility • Competitive rates exclusively for TBA members

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BREEDER OF THE MONTH

www.thetba.co.uk

Words Alan Yuill Walker Sponsored by

Manufacturers of

has not been a comparable benefactor. “For whatever reason we just don’t seem to have been lucky with him,” reflects Mark Weinfeld.

SPECIAL MERIT – August 2016

GEORGE SELWYN

Rachel Hood

Speedy Boarding, a descendant of One In A Million

BREEDER OF THE MONTH – August 2016

Meon Valley Stud In 2012 the Weinfeld family’s Izzi Top was awarded the Prix Jean Romanet on a disqualification, but in August they won this Group 1 for fillies and mares at Deauville outright with another homebred, Speedy Boarding.

Egon Weinfeld, who died in November 2013, left his children Mark and Helena an amazing legacy as the 30 or so mares that constitute their celebrated Meon Valley Stud, near Bishop’s Waltham in Hampshire, represent an unprecedented nucleus of homebreds.

The vast majority of these individuals belong to one of two distaff families acquired as yearlings in 1977. Izzi Top stems from the most successful of the duo, Reprocolor, while Speedy Boarding goes back to One In A Million, winner of the 1979 1,000 Guineas – carrying the colours of Helena Springfield, the family’s textile business, she became the first company-owned winner of an English Classic.

The Shamardal filly Speedy Boarding was unsold at Tattersalls’ October Yearling Sale Book 1 in 2013, where the Meon Valley lots have made such an impact over the years. Last autumn Izzi Top’s first foal, an Oasis Dream colt, realised 1.1 million guineas. Speedy Boarding’s half-brother by Frankel is the first of 14 lots from Meon Valley in this year’s Book 1 catalogue.

Sadler’s Wells has been a major contributor to the stud’s success, both on the racecourse and in the sales ring, so it’s surprising to find that Galileo

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There is an unusual discrepancy when it comes to the breeder of recent Group 2 Hungerford Stakes winner Richard Pankhurst.

Originally the General Stud Book stipulated that he and his year junior half-brother, Crazy Hose, were bred by their trainer, John Gosden, but Weatherbys now give the credit for breeding all the progeny of their dam, Mainstay, to his wife Rachel Hood.

Richard Pankhurst and Crazy Horse were smart juveniles for their owner-breeder, the former winning the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot (before being sold to Godolphin), while the latter triumphed in the Horris Hill Stakes.

Crazy Horse’s Newbury victory came 50 years after Gosden’s father Towser saddled Charlottown to win the Horris Hill Stakes – this colt went on to win the following year’s Derby trained by his successor at Lewes, Gordon Smyth.

Mainstay is one of five mares Hood boards at Colin Murfitt’s local Pantile Stud at Soham, near Ely. So far she has been mated exclusively with former Gosden-trained horses – Richard Pankhurst (by Raven’s Pass) and Crazy Horse (by Sleeping Indian) are followed by Lydia Becker, a two-year-old sister to Crazy Horse, a yearling colt by Nathaniel and a filly foal by Kingman; and she is in foal to Golden Horn.

Mainstay was also trained at Clarehaven Stables. Placed second on her only start at three, she was sold a fortnight later at Tattersalls’ December Sale by Juddmonte Farms to Blandford Bloodstock for 10,000gns. Having won a maiden at Doncaster, the sister to Lateen Sails was then withdrawn from the next December Sales.

Both sides of Mainstay’s pedigree are Juddmonte in origin, albeit the official breeder of her sire Elmaamul is Rhydian Morgan-Jones, one of Khalid Abdullah’s confidants. Incidentally, her dam Felucca has the same name as the great foundation mare of Dick Hollingsworth’s Arches Hall Stud.

Richard Pankhurst’s family has certainly had its highs and lows – Lateen Sails started joint-second favourite for the 2003 2,000 Guineas and finished last, while Al Bahathri (Irish 1,000 Guineas), after whom one of Newmarket’s prestigious gallops is named, bred the 2004 2,000 Guineas winner Haafhd.

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Oct_146_Vet_Forum_Owner Breeder 22/09/2016 14:01 Page 108

VET FORUM: THE EXPERT VIEW

By ROB PILSWORTH MRCVS

Pelvic fractures A common problem – but why do they occur and are they preventable?

F

racture of the pelvis in the racehorse is a relatively common cause of lameness, and can on occasion result in retirement, or even worse, the death of the horse. So why does this injury occur, how do we diagnose it, and is there any way we could prevent the injury in the first place?

Historical perspective It’s an interesting reflection of the huge advances made in veterinary medical imaging and diagnostics that we are now able to categorically classify the pelvic fracture in the racehorse as an athletic repetitive strain injury or ‘stress’ fracture.

When I first arrived in Newmarket in the early 1980s, the ‘bible’ for equine lameness was Adam’s Lameness in Horses (4th edition). In the chapter under Pelvic Fracture, causation was described in this textbook as invariably the result of trauma (i.e. the horse falling down, being hit or colliding with some object).

No mention at all is made in the entire chapter on the possibility of this injury occurring as a spontaneous result of athletic overload during normal locomotion and yet that is just the case with most of the fractures we see in the racehorse.

This remarkable change in perception over the last 40 years has come about mainly because of our ability to ‘see’ the pelvis (Figure 1) without having to take radiographs of it. Prior to the development of these new imaging technologies, the only way of definitively confirming a pelvic fracture was by radiography, which had to be carried out under a general anaesthetic in order to position the horse correctly. This in itself was a danger to the horse, more particularly if the clinician suspected that there may genuinely be a fracture present, as the last thing one wants to do with a horse with a non-displaced fracture is to anaesthetise it.

Diagnostic imaging The two major advances that have come into equine racetrack practice in that intervening 40 years are scintigraphy and ultrasound examination. Both of these modalities allow us to image the pelvis in the standing, conscious horse.

In scintigraphy, the horse is injected with a

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Figure 1: The equine pelvis as viewed from above; in fact, from the skeleton of the great Eclipse. The two broad blades of bone (yellow arrows), the ilia, act as the origin for all the main muscles of the quarters, and also take the weight of the horse and transmit it to the hind limbs via the hip joints (blue arrows)

radioactive isotope which has been attached to a molecule similar to phosphate. Bone is largely composed of calcium and phosphorous, and these ions are a constant process of exchange with calcium and phosphorous in the blood stream as it is critically important to the nervous system to keep the levels of calcium and phosphorous constant.

The body uses the skeleton as a ‘store room’ and lays down or takes up required amounts during normal metabolism. We can use this process to our advantage in scintigraphy, in that once we have injected the radioactive isotope, it is taken up by all the bones of the body in direct relation to the rate of blood flow to them and to their own innate metabolic activity.

We then use a very expensive piece of equipment called a gamma camera to detect the radiation being given off by the bones which, through a clever system of computer modelling,

allows us to see an image of the bone in situ inside the horse. The more metabolically active is the bone, the more isotope it takes up, and the more isotope it takes up, the more radiation it gives out.

Our resultant picture of the bone is therefore a grey scale, from black through to white, where white represents very inactive inert bone and black represents intense activity. When bone fractures, the repair activity begins almost immediately and ‘revs up’ the bone metabolism so we can see these areas of injured bone very clearly on gamma camera scans. An example of a typical fracture to the wing of the ilium of the pelvis is shown in Figure 2.

While scintigraphy gives us very good twodimensional image of the position and bone activity of the skeleton within the horse, ultrasound in contrast is used to give us only information on bone surfaces. Ultrasound THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

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Figure 2: A gamma camera bone scan of a horse with a stress fracture of the right ilium (black arrows). The shape of the bones in Figure 1 can clearly be seen, with the spine running through the centre. The fracture has resulted in an increase in bone turnover, reflected in the ‘blacker’ areas seen on the right

scanning depends on the transmission of ultrasound waves by water. The scanner produces very high frequency sound-waves which will transmit effectively in fluid but are immediately reflected completely by solid objects. The degree of reflection depends on how much water is present within the solid object and this is the principle of differential

Figure 3: The same pelvis as seen in Figure 2, this time imaged with ultrasound.

The sound is reflected by the bone surface, which appears white, and this allows any irregularity or fracture to be clearly visualised (white arrows)

scanning of the soft tissue structures of the forelimbs. Structures such as tendons and the suspensory ligament contain a lot of fibrous tissue, which reflects ultrasound, whereas the

Can pelvic fractures be prevented?

Some years ago a Newmarket physiotherapist, Kate Hesse, studied for a Masters thesis at the Royal Veterinary College in London, researching the subject of pelvic fracture. Kate was interested to know whether it was possible by the results of a physiotherapy examination to predict which horses were at risk of developing pelvic fracture.

An excerpt of her Masters thesis was published in Equine Veterinary Journal, in conjunction with her supervisor, Kristien Verheyen. This study drew on a total of 513 horses of which 14 later developed a pelvic fracture. The study was retrospective, in other words they went back through the physiotherapy findings of all the fracture cases, and compared them to the horses which had not gone on to develop pelvic fractures. Certain tell-tale signs seem to stand out. For instance, horses showing asymmetry of the bony landmarks of the pelvis were 11 times more likely to develop a pelvic fracture than horses which were not. Horses showing significant muscle atrophy over the pelvis were five times more at risk compared to the controls. And horses that showed muscle spasm on firm palpation of the muscles of the quarters were almost seven times more likely to go on to develop pelvic fracture than horses which did not show this sign.

Unfortunately, some horses show all of these signs, and do not go on to develop pelvic fracture, so there is an association but not a 100% link. However, this was useful information to equine clinicians, at least alerting them to the possibility of this condition in horses showing these symptoms. From personal experience I would add to this ‘at risk’ list horses which come in walking as if ‘tied up’ with a short hindlimb action, and yet have normal muscle enzymes on blood analysis, and horses which track up to one side (in other words when they trot, the spine is bent either to the left or right and the hind feet do not follow the front feet). Although both of these symptoms can be representative of other conditions, they are almost invariably present in horses developing the early stages of pelvic stress fracture.

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remaining soft tissue structures equate more to fluid and allow the ultrasound beam to pass.

It is the reflections which we gather to produce the image in an ultrasound scan. When scanning the pelvis, we make use of this phenomenon by using a relatively low frequency beam which penetrates to significant depth through the fluid-filled muscle, but is reflected immediately it impacts on a bone surface, so although we don’t see the detailed anatomical structure of the pelvis, we can see its surface. We can therefore look for breaks in this surface or for the accumulation of soft callus, which is often the prodromal sign of injury in an impending pelvis fracture (see Figure 3).

Combinations of scintigraphic and ultrasonographic examination allow us to be pretty confident whether or not a fracture is present in most cases, and, if it is present, whether or not it is displaced.

Why do they occur?

The pelvis bears the full weight of the spinal column and internal organs, transmitting it through to the supporting structures of the hind legs. As with every bone in the horse, the architecture of the bone is a compromise between strength and weight. For a prey animal such as the horse everything has to be a tradeoff. The lighter the horse is, for the same size and body weight, the faster it can move and the more likely it is to evade the predator.

Although the pelvis is a large set of bones, the

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VET FORUM

How do horses perform after pelvic fracture?

There have been several well-documented, high-profile successes in horses that have sustained a pelvic fracture. Well Armed, initially trained by Clive Brittain in the UK but eventually by Eoin Harty, went on to win the Dubai World Cup in 2009 having sustained a pelvic fracture in the UAE Derby three years before.

Rule The World, the Grand National winner, was well documented in the press for having come back from not one but two pelvic fractures before he won his big race.

Michael O’Leary decided to retire his horse at the relatively young age of nine to avoid the risk of a further fracture.

Sarah Peters, a worker at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, summarised the prognosis for pelvic fracture in a paper submitted to the American Association of Equine Practitioners in 2014. She drew these cases from 136 fractures diagnosed at the Rood and Riddle practice in Lexington between the years 2000 and 2010. Peters assessed success in both the short term and long term. Short-term success was a successful discharge from the clinic and 86% of horses presented with pelvic fracture fell into this group. Longterm success was marked by a return to racing, and of the 86% which successfully left the clinic, 77% of them eventually returned to the racecourse.

The average time from injury to first race was seven months. This study would confirm the view of most clinicians dealing with the young racehorse that pelvic fracture carries a reasonable prognosis for not only a return to racing, but a successful return to racing.

Figure 4: Although wide when viewed from above (Figure 1) the ilium is a very thin ‘plate’ of bone, no thicker than this ballpoint pen when seen ‘end-on’, and thus prone to cracking if repeated excessive bending takes place

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actual structure of the blade of the ilium, the bit which spans from the weight-bearing socket of the hind leg to the ‘clamp’ of the spine, is extremely thin, no thicker than a ballpoint pen (see Figure 4). When the horse is galloping at full speed, this thin blade of bone bends repeatedly as the weight is borne by each hindlimb in turn, and just as repeated bending of a piece of plastic eventually results in cracking on the surface, and eventually complete breakage, so repeatedly bending of a bone which is not sufficiently conditioned and strong results in stress ‘cracks’ which can accumulate and eventually allow full fracture. This is how we think most pelvic fractures develop.

Why are they sometimes fatal?

Although most horses will make a full recovery from the pelvic fracture, there are sadly some who do not. The two major causes of death are internal haemorrhage and intractable lameness.

Internal haemorrhage happens because the thin blade of the pelvis shown in Figure 4 has some major blood vessels running very close to it. When this bone breaks the sharp edge of the blade of the ilium can sever these blood vessels,

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causing massive haemorrhage into the thigh muscles which can be fatal (see Figure 5).

Unfortunately this can happen at any stage during recovery if the fracture displaces, and I have personal experience of two horses which were tied up by the head for a period of four weeks to allow bridging of the fracture and which succumbed to a fatal haemorrhage on the first day they were allowed to lie down.

Although this was extremely regrettable, there is a welfare issue involved in just how long one can keep a horse from lying down, and in both of these cases we all felt that everything that could have been done had been done.

In cases of intractable lameness there is usually involvement of the actual hip socket itself, in other words the fracture involves the acetabulum, or on occasions the shaft leading forward from the hip socket to the main part of the pelvis. Because the bone fragments can be separated by some distance here, they are often reluctant to form a bony union and every time the horse bears weight, the movement of these un-united bone fragments causes intense pain.

If this goes on for a sufficient period, the horse learns to stop standing on that hindlimb, and overload in the other foot can result in laminitis or fatal ‘sinking’ of the pedal bone.

Does pelvic fracture affect future breeding potential?

Most studies of pelvic fracture show it to be over-represented in fillies and so we are commonly in the position of assessing whether the injury will impact on future breeding soundness.

The two halves of the pelvis unite in the midline at the symphysis pubis and it is through this pelvic canal that the foal has to emerge. Obviously fracture of these bones can result in changes in the shape and angle of this pelvic canal, which could prevent the foal

Figure 5: Pelvic fracture often leads to a ‘stoved in’ appearance to the bony part of the pelvis (black arrow) as the parts of the pelvis displace. Here, bleeding as a result of laceration of blood vessels by sharp fractured bone edges has caused a large swelling in the thigh (blue arrow) as the blood percolates downwards. In extreme cases, this blood loss can be fatal

from emerging. The bad news is that it is extremely difficult to be absolutely certain whether or not this will be the case from prior manual examination.

The good news nowadays is that if there is a suspicion that the pelvic canal is compromised, Caesarean section is another possibility and arrangements made for early intervention if needed if the pelvic canal is markedly compromised.

Pelvic fractures are by no means the end of an athletic career in most horses, but the earlier they are diagnosed, the better the potential outcome – which should act as a spur for thorough investigation of suspected ‘at risk’ horses.

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DR STAT JOHN BOYCE CRACKS THE CODE

Veteran Humor ranks clear leader Grade 2 winner was not top-notch himself but he produces very good mature racehorses

T

he vexing question of how to evaluate sire performance is never far away.

Every so often all of the old pros and cons are rolled out and pored over, leaving most of us scratching our heads. The truth is that there is rarely one number that adequately explains all of the nuances of a sire’s strengths and weaknesses.

Some stallions are good at getting high ratios of quality horses but not great at producing top horses, and vice-versa. And the criteria by which we measure success is also often problematic. I must say at this point that I prefer ratings, whether they be the official variety, Timeform or even speed figures.

The drawbacks with ratings are largely twofold. One, they tend to cover only limited geographical areas and are therefore difficult to use for analysis across national boundaries.

More importantly, in most racing jurisdictions, rewards are not always ideally aligned to a racehorse’s racing class. In Europe, a two-yearold rated 115 is almost certainly a Group winner, if not a Group 1 winner. But a 115rated five-year-old gelding will be struggling to win at Group level. Yet the ratings say quite correctly that these two animals are of equal merit.

In North America, the speed figure is king, as it suits the style of racing there, where horses break quickly and are required to run close to or at their top speed from the start and then show pure strength and determination to maintain as much of their early velocity all the way to the winning post.

From a bloodstock perspective, North America has drifted back to the era when it concentrated on producing stallions for its own domestic racing. Hence, the speed figure has gained more traction in describing a stallion’s success. Breeders and stallion farms simply have to know how a stallion is faring on the main dirt tracks and the speed figure can definitely help. There is, however, one major caveat with speed figures and that is that they’re not age adjusted. They don’t take account of weight-for-age or weight carried for that matter. That said, they are a very powerful tool in evaluating a sire’s performance.

The table of sires included here features active sires with 200 or more career starters in North America, ranking them by the number of individual horses that have posted a Beyer speed figure of 95 or more. Conventional wisdom suggests that you add 15 to a Beyer to get the equivalent Timeform figure. So, here

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SIRES RANKED BY % BEYER 95+ (200+RUNNERS) Sire Distorted Humor Giant’s Causeway Speightstown Curlin Medaglia d’Oro War Front Awesome Again Tapit Elusive Quality Hard Spun Bernardini Ghostzapper Lemon Drop Kid Forestry Unusual Heat Candy Ride (ARG) Smarty Jones English Channel Midnight Lute Mineshaft

Rnrs

AvBeyer

95+

%95+

876 881 500 265 563 252 669 695 719 341 417 369 684 658 539 614 293 252 225 438

75.3 73.4 74.7 71.1 72.3 73.2 68.7 73.1 72.3 69.1 70.4 71.3 71.9 68.5 71.5 69.8 68.5 65.1 64.7 68.7

104 101 55 28 59 26 66 62 59 27 31 27 50 48 38 42 20 17 15 29

11.9% 11.5% 11.0% 10.6% 10.5% 10.3% 9.9% 8.9% 8.2% 7.9% 7.4% 7.3% 7.3% 7.3% 7.1% 6.8% 6.8% 6.7% 6.7% 6.6%

we are talking horses rated 110 or better by Timeform.

Six sires stand out as being very good at producing top runners, all being able to get at least 10% runners capable of a 95 or higher Beyer. Oddly enough, North America’s champion sire Tapit is not among them. His 8.9% puts him in eighth place. What conclusions should we draw from this ranking? The obvious thing to bear in mind is

Drosselmeyer, one of the best sired by leader of the pack Distorted Humor

that the table favours sires that produce very good mature racehorses. With no weight-forage allowances, sires that do well with their two-year-olds and less well with their older horses will struggle to climb high on this table.

Giant’s Causeway has just the right profile to rank high as many of his runners are late maturing, as are those by Distorted Humor, Curlin and Medaglia d’Oro. Tapit, meanwhile, has sired many high-class juveniles who tend to be marked down when using raw Beyer speed figures. A 95 Beyer by a two-year-old would equate to a 126 Timeform rating, so many of Tapit’s better runners wouldn’t count for him here.

If we were to rank the table by best overall average Beyer, Curlin falls down to 11th place, which suggests he’s a stallion that looks good when we focus on his elite rather than all of his runners. And that is exactly what other stats suggest too – he’s sired numerous quality runners this year, including Exaggerator, Stellar Wind, Curalina and Off The Tracks.

There is no question that Distorted Humor is the clear leader. Now a veteran stallion who stood at WinStar for $100,000 in 2016, it’s sobering to know that this son of Forty Niner never won above Grade 2 level and was essentially a miler. That, however, didn’t stop him siring some of the very best performers beyond a mile, including Classic winners Funny Cide and Drosselmeyer.

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DATA BOOK ANALYSIS BY ANDREW CAULFIELD

European Pattern 218 KEENELAND PHOENIX STAKES G1 CURRAGH. Aug 7. 2yoc&f. 6f.

1. CARAVAGGIO (USA) 9-3 £104,779 gr c by Scat Daddy - Mekko Hokte (Holy Bull) O-Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith B-Windmill Manor Farms Inc & Petaluma Bloodstock TR-Aidan O’Brien 2. Courage Under Fire (USA) 9-3 £34,926 b c by War Front - Charming (Seeking The Gold) O-Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor B-Charming Syndicate TR-Aidan O’Brien 3. Medicine Jack (GB) 9-3 £16,544 ch c by Equiano - Agony Aunt (Formidable) O-Mr Sean Jones B-Downfield Cottage Stud TR-G. M. Lyons Margins 4, 2.75. Time 1:11.79. Going Good to Firm.

Age 2

Starts 3

Wins 3

Places 0

Earned £117,425

Sire: SCAT DADDY. Sire of 61 Stakes winners. In 2016 - CARAVAGGIO Holy Bull G1, CELESTINE Monarchos G1, DACITA Seeker’s Reward G1, HARMONIZE Sky Mesa G1, KITCAT Fly So Free G1, LADY AURELIA Forest Wildcat G1, EL BROMISTA Seeker’s Reward G2, IL REY IVAN Seeker’s Reward G3, BAUXITA Dushyantor LR, CONQUEST DADDYO Thunder Gulch LR, DON LUCAS Wild Rush LR, PANZER BARCELONA A P Jet LR. 1st Dam: MEKKO HOKTE by Holy Bull. 3 wins at 2 and 3 in USA, Delta Miss S. Dam of 5 winners: 2007: MY JEN (f Fusaichi Pegasus) 4 wins at 2 and 3 in USA, Gallant Bloom H G2. Broodmare.

2008: NINJA BLADE (c Johannesburg) 2 wins at 3 and 4 in USA. 2009: AFRICANIST (c Johannesburg) 3 wins at 2 to 4 in USA. 2010: Never Touch a Star (f Henrythenavigator) ran on the flat in USA. 2012: SUSIE’S BABY (f Giant’s Causeway) Winner at 3 in USA. 2014: CARAVAGGIO (c Scat Daddy) 3 wins at 2, Keeneland Phoenix S G1, Coventry S G2, Cold Move EBF Marble Hill S LR. 2nd Dam: AEROSILVER by Relaunch. 2 wins at 3 and 4 in USA. Dam of MEKKO HOKTE (f Holy Bull, see above) Broodmare Sire: HOLY BULL. Sire of the dams of 33 Stakes winners. In 2016 - CARAVAGGIO Scat Daddy G1, EUPRHATES Curlin LR, SILENT CAT Mountain Cat LR.

CARAVAGGIO gr c 2014 Hennessy Johannesburg Myth SCAT DADDY b/br 04 Mr Prospector Love Style Likeable Style Great Above Holy Bull Sharon Brown MEKKO HOKTE gr/ro 00 Relaunch Aerosilver Silver In Flight

Storm Cat Island Kitty Ogygian Yarn Raise A Native Gold Digger Nijinsky Personable Lady Minnesota Mac Ta Wee Al Hattab Agathea’s Dawn In Reality Foggy Note Silver Series Winter Wren

Following in the footsteps of his grandsire Johannesburg, Caravaggio ran out a wide-margin winner of the Gr1 Phoenix Stakes. In the process this unbeaten colt maintained the fine run of European success enjoyed by the two-year-old progeny of Scat Daddy.

His first crop contained Daddy Long Legs, winner of the Gr2 Royal Lodge Stakes in 2011, and since then we have also seen such flyers as No Nay Never, Acapulco and Lady Aurelia.

Caravaggio’s juvenile prowess is no great surprise when you look at the members of his immediate male line,

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which has regularly contested the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Scat Daddy finished fourth in the 2006 Juvenile, having earlier won three of his four starts, including the Gr1 Champagne Stakes. Johannesburg won the 2001 Juvenile, to become a Gr1 winner in four different countries. Next in line is Hennessy, who was beaten a neck by Unbridled’s Song in the 1995 Juvenile, having previously won the Gr1 Hopeful Stakes. And Hennessy’s sire Storm Cat was a close second in the Juvenile of 1985, when he was also a Gr1 winner.

This suggests that Caravaggio should have no difficulty in eventually staying a mile, especially when he appears amenable to restraint. If there is any doubt, it stems from his dam Mekko Hokte, who – like so many American fillies – raced mainly over sprint distances.

She won the Delta Miss Stakes over 6.5 furlongs as a two-year-old but was also third in a stakes race over a mile at three. The other concern is that Mekko Hokte’s previous stakes winner, the Gr2 Gallant Bloom Handicap winner My Jen, was a sprinter, even though she was by the Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus.

On the bright side, Mekko Hokte’s sire Holy Bull earned the title of Horse of the Year at three, when his Gr1 victories included three over nine furlongs and one over a mile and a quarter. He later sired winners of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby.

Caravaggio’s next two dams, the dirt and turf winner Aerosilver and the Gr2-placed Silver In Flight, were daughters of Relaunch and Silver Series. Relaunch was once a close second in the Gr1 San Luis Rey Stakes, a mile-and-a-half race run in world-record time, and Silver Series won the Gr1 Widener Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

If Caravaggio proves not to stay a mile, the blame could perhaps be attributed to Holy Bull’s sire Great Above (who also appears in Lady Aurelia’s pedigree, as the sire of her third dam).

This former Florida-based stallion once set a track record in winning the Gr3 Toboggan Handicap over six furlongs. He was also a son of the flying filly Ta Wee, who twice took the title of champion sprinter in the USA – a feat matched by her half-brother Dr Fager.

219 LARC - PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST G1 DEAUVILLE. Aug 7. 3yo+. 1300m.

1. SIGNS OF BLESSING (IRE) 5 9-2 £159,656 b h by Invincible Spirit - Sun Bittern (Seeking The Gold) O-I.Corbani/Pandora Racing/A.Mouknass B-Mr S. Boucheron TR-Francois Rohaut 2. Donjuan Triumphant (IRE) 3 8-12 £63,874 b c by Dream Ahead - Mathuna (Tagula) O-Middleham Park Racing LXXXVII B-Patrick Cosgrove & Dream Ahead Syndicate TR-Richard Fahey 3. Jimmy Two Times (FR) 3 8-12 £31,937 gr c by Kendargent - Steel Woman (Anabaa) O-Haras de Saint Pair B-No breeder TR-A. Fabre Margins 1.25, Neck. Time 1:16.74. Going Good.

Age 2-5

Starts 19

Wins 8

Places 4

Earned £390,658

Sire: INVINCIBLE SPIRIT. Sire of 96 Stakes winners.

In 2016 - PROFITABLE Indian Ridge G1, SIGNS OF BLESSING Seeking The Gold G1, GRENDISAR Mark of Esteem G3, RIVELLINO Pivotal LR, SPIRIT QUARTZ Rainbow Quest LR, SPIRIT RAISER Classic Cliche LR. 1st Dam: Sun Bittern by Seeking The Gold. unraced.

Dam of 3 winners: 2009: LUCRECE (f Pivotal) 3 wins at 3 and 4 in France. Broodmare.

2010: ADMIRE FUJI (c Oasis Dream) 4 wins to 2016 in France.

2011: SIGNS OF BLESSING (c Invincible Spirit) Sold 80,952gns yearling at ARAUG. 8 wins at 2, 3 and 5 in France, Germany, LARC - Prix Maurice de Gheest G1, Burda@Turf Goldene Peitsche G3, Prix Cor de Chasse LR, Criterium de Vitesse LR, Prix Sigy LR, 2nd Prix de Saint-Georges G3, 3rd Diamond Jubilee S G1, Prix de Ris-Orangis G3.

2012: Borgia Gold (f Cape Cross) unraced.

2014: (c Redoute’s Choice) 2015: (f Invincible Spirit) 2nd Dam: Sunray Superstar by Nashwan. 1 win at 3, 3rd Victor Chandler Cheshire Oaks LR. Own sister to NADIA. Broodmare Sire: SEEKING THE GOLD. Sire of the dams of 121 Stakes winners. In 2016 - GIULIA Sky Mesa G1, LORD NELSON Pulpit G1, SIGNS OF BLESSING Invincible Spirit G1, UP WITH THE BIRDS Stormy Atlantic G2, AWESOME SLEW Awesome Again G3, INNOVATIVE IDEA Bernardini G3, PLAINSWOMAN Zensational G3.

The Invincible Spirit/Seeking The Gold cross has produced: SIGNS OF BLESSING G1, STEVIE GEE LR.

SIGNS OF BLESSING b h 2011 Danzig Green Desert Foreign Courier INVINCIBLE SPIRIT b 97 Kris Rafha Eljazzi Mr Prospector Seeking The Gold Con Game SUN BITTERN ch 05 Nashwan Sunray Superstar Nazoo

Northern Dancer Pas de Nom Sir Ivor Courtly Dee Sharpen Up Doubly Sure Artaius Border Bounty Raise A Native Gold Digger Buckpasser Broadway Blushing Groom Height of Fashion Nijinsky La Dame du Lac

The owners of Signs Of Blessing had a big decision to make in September 2015. Their accomplished sprinter – already a winner of a Gr3 and two Listed races – seemed to have lost his way. They decided to have him gelded – a decision which can’t have been easy when Signs Of Blessing is by a very fashionable stallion out of a mare from an outstanding female line.

The subsequent revival in Signs Of Blessing’s career arguably makes it regrettable that he is no longer entire, but he wouldn’t have become such a high achiever without the operation.

Signs Of Blessing’s victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest was his third in five 2016 appearances. Although only one of Signs Of Blessing’s 19 starts has been over a distance as long as seven furlongs, it wouldn’t have been a major surprise had he developed into one of Invincible Spirit’s better stayers. His first four dams are daughters of Seeking The Gold, Nashwan, Nijinsky and Round Table, all winners over at least a mile and a quarter.

His fourth dam, La Dame du Lac, was a daughter of the celebrated Cosmah. Not only did Cosmah produce the two-time champion sire Halo, but she was also a half-sister to Natalma, dam of Northern Dancer and third dam of Danehill. La Dame du Lac and Signs Of Blessing are linked

by Nazoo, winner of all four of her juvenile starts in 1990; Sunray Superstar, a Listed-placed sister to Nadia, winner of the Gr1 Prix SaintAlary; and Signs Of Blessing’s unraced dam Sun Bittern.

Sun Bittern once produced consecutive foals by three sons of Green Desert – Oasis Dream, Invincible Spirit and Cape Cross. She also has a yearling sister to Signs Of Blessing which sold for €300,000 at Arqana, and she was covered by Oasis Dream’s champion son Muhaarar in 2016.

The incentive for this policy is the substantial success that Green Desert’s sons have enjoyed with mares by several Mr Prospector stallions. Cape Cross sired the superb Sea The Stars from a Miswaki mare, while Oasis Dream sired the topnotch Midday from a Kingmambo mare, plus two Gr1 winners, Naaqoos and Goldream, from Machiavellian mares. Invincible Spirit, for his part, owed his Classic-winning son Lawman to a daughter of Gulch and his Gr1 winners Hooray and Territories to mares by Machiavellian.

220 HENKEL PREIS DER DIANA GERMAN OAKS G1 DUSSELDORF. Aug 7. 3yof. 2200m.

1. SERIENHOLDE (GER) 9-2 £220,588 b f by Soldier Hollow - Saldenehre (Highest Honor) O- Gestut Wittekindshof B-Gestut Wittekindshof TR-A Wohler 2. Sarandia (GER) 9-2 £73,529 b f by Dansili - Salontasche (Dashing Blade) O-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof TR- P Schiergen 3. Architecture (IRE) 9-2 £36,765 b f by Zoffany - Brigayev (Fasliyev) O-Lael Stable B-Mr M. Passamonti TR-Hugo Palmer Margins 0.5, 1.75. Time 2:14.49. Going Good.

Age 2-3

Starts 6

Wins 3

Places 2

Earned £251,847

Sire: SOLDIER HOLLOW. Sire of 18 Stakes winners.

In 2016 - IVANHOWE Sternkoenig G1, SERIENHOLDE Highest Honor G1, WAI KEY STAR Danehill G3.

1st Dam: Saldenehre by Highest Honor. Winner at 2 in Germany, 2nd Diana Trial-Las Vegas-Slenderella Rennen LR. Dam of 4 winners: 2006: SERIENHOEHE (f High Chaparral) 3 wins at 2 and 3 in Germany, Maurice Lacroix-Trophy G3. Broodmare.

2007: (c One Cool Cat). died.

2008: SERIENSCHOCK (g Sholokhov) 7 wins, Gde.Crse de Haies de Printemps Hp Hurdle G3.

2009: Semyon (c Next Desert) ran on the flat in Germany.

2010: SERIENLOHN (c Lomitas) 2 wins at 3 and 4 in Germany.

2012: Serien Rock (c Rock of Gibraltar) unraced.

2013: SERIENHOLDE (f Soldier Hollow) 3 wins at 3 in Germany, Henkel Preis der Diana German Oaks G1, BMW Preis Dusseldorf LR, 2nd Preis der Winterkonigin G3.

2016: (f Holy Roman Emperor) 2nd Dam: SALDE by Alkalde. 3 wins at 3 in Germany Dortmunder Stutenpreis LR. Dam of

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Caulfield on Caravaggio: “If he proves not to stay a mile, the blame could perhaps be attributed to Holy Bull’s sire Great Above, who was a son of the flying filly Ta Wee”

SALDENSCHWINGE (f In The Wings: Deutscher Stutenpreis G3, P.Jubilaum.Firma Jungheinrich Gabstapler G3, 3rd G.P. Casino Hohensyburg St Leger G2), SALDENTIGERIN (f Tiger Hill: BadenWurttemberg-Trophy G3, 2nd Preis von Europa G1, 3rd P. der Diana Deutsches Stuten Derby G1), SALDEN LICHT (g Fantastic Light: Prix Le Fabuleux LR, 3rd John Smith’s Aintree Hurdle G1), SALDENNAHE (f Next Desert: Premio Baggio LR), Saltas (c Lomitas: 2nd Rheinland-Pokal G1, 3rd Idee Deutsches Derby G1, 3rd Prix de Beaune H. Hurdle LR), Saldenehre (f Highest Honor, see above), Saltango (g Acatenango: 2nd The Sportsman H. Hurdle LR, Blue Square Silver Trophy H’cap Hurdle LR). Grandam of SALOMINA, SALUT, SALDENART, SWINGING DUKE, Saldario.

Broodmare Sire: HIGHEST HONOR. Sire of the dams of 65 Stakes winners. In 2016 - SERIENHOLDE Soldier Hollow G1, REVE MISTRAL King Kamehameha G2, SAENT Strategic Prince G2, FLY WITH ME Beat Hollow G3, SHEIKHZAYEDROAD Dubawi G3.

SERIENHOLDE b f 2013 Northern Dancer Fairy Bridge Shirley Heights High Hawk Sunbittern SOLDIER HOLLOW b 00 Kris Common Grounds Sweetly Island Race Caerleon Lake Isle Inisfree Kalamoun Kenmare Belle of Ireland Highest Honor Riverman High River Hairbrush SALDENEHRE gr 00 Konigsstuhl Alkalde Astra Salde Marduk Saite Salesiana Sadler’s Wells

In The Wings

Victory in the Preis der Diana meant that Serienholde became the third Group 1 winner for her increasingly popular sire Soldier Hollow after Pastorius and Ivanhowe, and the second member of her immediate family to land the fillies’ Classic.

The Gestut Wittekindshof homebred followed up her Listed victory at the same track in June when seeing out the extra halffurlong well to gain her Group 1 laurels.

She hails from a family replete with stamina, with her half-brother Serienschock – by another Sadler’s Wells line stallion in Sholokhov – having won over 11 furlongs on the Flat in Germany before winning six times over hurdles in France, including the G3 Grande Course de Haie de Printemps at Auteuil.

Continuing the Sadler’s Wells theme, Serienholde’s half-sister Serienhoehe, by High Chaparral, showed enough early speed to win the seven-furlong G3 Maurice-Lacroix Tropy at Baden-Baden as a two-yearold and went on to win the following year’s Listed Derby Trial at Bremen.

Their dam Saldenehre, placed in the Diana-Trial, is a half-sister to the former German champion three-yearold Saldentigerin, herself dam of another domestic champion and Preis der Diana winner, Salomina.

221 LONGINES GROSSER PREIS VON BERLIN G1 BERLIN-HOPPEGARTEN. Aug 14. 3yo+. 2400m.

1. PROTECTIONIST (GER) 6 9-6 £80,882 b h by Monsun - Patineuse (Peintre Celebre) O-Australian Bloodstock Stable B-Dr Christoph Berglar TR- A Wohler 2. Nightflower (IRE) 4 9-3 £29,412 ch f by Dylan Thomas - Night of Magic (Peintre Celebre)

O-Stall Nizza B-J. Imm TR-P. Schiergen 3. Guignol (GER) 4 9-6 £11,029 b c by Cape Cross - Guadalupe (Monsun) O-Stall Ullmann B-Stall Ullmann TR-Jean-Pierre Carvalho Margins 2.5, 1.25. Time 2:41.10. Going Good.

Age 2-6

Starts 21

Wins 8

Places Earned 5 £2,357,201

Sire: MONSUN. Sire of 122 Stakes winners. In 2016 PROTECTIONIST Peintre Celebre G1, VADAMOS Peintre Celebre G2, ARAB SPRING Darshaan G3, THE JULIET ROSE Dubai Destination G3, ARLES Danehill LR, LOPERA Anabaa LR. 1st Dam: Patineuse by Peintre Celebre. unraced. Dam of 2 winners: 2009: PRIMATIST (g Manduro) 4 wins at 3 in France, Germany.

2010: PROTECTIONIST (c Monsun) Champion older stayer in Europe in 2014, Champion stayer in Australia in 2014-15. 8 wins to 2016 in Australia, France, Germany, Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin G1, Emirates Melbourne Cup G1, Darley Prix Kergorlay G2, Lucky Speed Hansa Preis G2 (twice), Preis SWB Derby Trial LR, 2nd G. P. der Badischen Unternehmer Rennen G2, Grosser Preis Herzog von Ratibor Rennen G3, Preis von Dahlwitz LR, 3rd Iffezheimer Derby-Trial LR. 2011: Pescara (f Samum) ran on the flat in France.

2012: Prana (f Siyouni) unraced.

2014: Perceptionist (c Mizzen Mast) unraced to date.

2015: Posillipo (c Hat Trick) 2nd Dam: PARISIENNE by Distant Relative. 2 wins at 2 in France Grand Criterium de Bordeaux LR. Broodmare Sire: PEINTRE CELEBRE. Sire of the dams of 45 Stakes winners. In 2016 - PRECIOUS GEM Econsul G1, PROTECTIONIST Monsun G1, ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN Fastnet Rock G2, THE JUSTICE LEAGUE I Am Invincible G2, VADAMOS Monsun G2.

The Monsun/Peintre Celebre cross has produced: PROTECTIONIST G1, VADAMOS G1, Pure Brise G1.

PROTECTIONIST b h 2010 Dschingis Khan Konigsstuhl Konigskronung MONSUN br 90 Surumu Mosella Monasia Nureyev Peintre Celebre Peinture Bleue PATINEUSE b 04 Distant Relative Parisienne Poughkeepsie

Tamerlane Donna Diana Tiepoletto Kronung Literat Surama Authi Monacensia Northern Dancer Special Alydar Petroleuse Habitat Royal Sister II Sadler’s Wells Pawneese

Monsun’s partnership with Peintre Celebre mares produced only five representatives, but two of them went close to recording a terrific Gr1 double on August 14.

The five-year-old Vadamos failed by only half a length to withstand Ribchester’s late challenge in the Prix Jacques le Marois. Then the six-yearold Protectionist made all to win the Grosser Preis von Berlin, in which his nearest challenger was Nightflower, another with a dam by Peintre Celebre.

Another with a dam by Peintre Celebre was that admirable international performer Red Cadeaux, who finished second in three editions of the Gr1 Melbourne Cup. Coincidently the last of those three defeats, in 2014, came at the hands of the German-bred Protectionist,

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

who scored by four lengths.

That victory resulted in Protectionist being transferred full time to Australia, but he failed to shine in numerous appearances during 2015 and he was returned to Andreas Wohler in Germany. This has proved an inspired move, as the son of Monsun is unbeaten in three starts since his return.

It is worth pointing out that Peintre Celebre is one of three Nureyev stallions that figure among the broodmare sires of Group winners by Monsun. Of course it was a Nureyev mare who produced another of Monsun’s best sons, the Prix d’Ispahan and Prix du Moulin winner Maxios.

Protectionist comes from a female line which once shone for the Wildenstein family. His fourth dam is the remarkable Pawneese, who made all to land the 1976 King George, having earlier taken the Oaks very easily and the Prix de Diane.

Pawneese proved a major disappointment as a broodmare, but her Sadler’s Wells filly Poughkeepsie did better. One of her daughters, the Listed winner Parisienne, is the second dam of Protectionist, and another, the Bering filly Private Life, visited Monsun to produce the dual German Gr3 ten-furlong winner Persian Storm.

222 P. FRESNAY LE BUFFARD JACQUES LE MAROIS G1 DEAUVILLE. Aug 14. 3yo+c&f. 1600m.

1. RIBCHESTER (IRE) 3 8-13 £294,103 b c by Iffraaj - Mujarah (Marju) O-Godolphin B-A. Thompson & M. O’Brien TR-Richard Fahey 2. Vadamos (FR) 5 9-5 £117,662 b h by Monsun - Celebre Vadala (Peintre Celebre) O-Haras de Saint Pair B-Scea Haras De Saint Pair TR-A. Fabre 3. Ervedya (FR) 4 9-2 £58,831 b f by Siyouni - Elva (King’s Best) O-H.H. Aga Khan B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs S C TR-Jean Claude Rouget Margins 0.5, 1.75. Time 1:36.16. Going Good.

Age 2-3

Starts 8

Wins 3

Places 4

Earned £599,479

Sire: IFFRAAJ. Sire of 40 Stakes winners. In 2016 RIBCHESTER Marju G1, TURN ME LOOSE Danehill G1, NATHRA Danehill G3, LISTEN Centaine LR, MEHRONISSA Beau Genius LR, TICKLE ME BLUE Groom Dancer LR, WHO DAT SINGA Danasinga LR, XIONG FENG Tale of The Cat LR. 1st Dam: Mujarah by Marju. ran a few times at 2 and 3.

Dam of 1 winner: 2013: RIBCHESTER (c Iffraaj) Sold 83,333gns yearling at GOOY1. 3 wins at 2 and 3 at home, France, P. Fresnay le Buffard Jacques Le Marois G1, Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S G2, Jersey S G3, 2nd Irish TB Marketing Gimcrack S G2, 3rd Qatar Sussex S G1, Qipco 2000 Guineas G1.

2014: Golconda Prince (c Arcano) 2016: (f Raven’s Pass) 2nd Dam: Tanaghum by Darshaan. 1 win at 3, 2nd EBF Harvest S LR. Dam of TACTIC (g Sadler’s Wells: At The Races Curragh Cup G3), YAAZY (f Teofilo: Prix Joubert LR, 2nd Prix Minerve G3, 3rd Prix de Malleret G2), Zahoo (f Nayef: 2nd totesport.com EBF Gillies S LR). Grandam of CONVERGENCE. Broodmare Sire: MARJU. Sire of the dams of 41 Stakes winners. In 2016 - RIBCHESTER Iffraaj G1, AL WATHNA Nayef G2, MARSHA Acclamation LR.

RIBCHESTER b c 2013 Gone West Zafonic Zaizafon IFFRAAJ b 01 Nureyev Pastorale Park Appeal Last Tycoon Marju Flame of Tara MUJARAH b 08 Darshaan Tanaghum Mehthaaf

Mr Prospector Secrettame The Minstrel Mofida Northern Dancer Special Ahonoora Balidaress Try My Best Mill Princess Artaius Welsh Flame Shirley Heights Delsy Nureyev Elle Seule

When Ribchester won the Gr2 Mill Reef Stakes, his trainer Richard Fahey revealed that Ribchester could be his 2,000 Guineas horse, describing him as “a big baby with a big frame” who “will get better with time.” Fahey has been proved right, with his son of Iffraaj going on to finish third behind Galileo Gold in the 2,000 Guineas.

He has indeed continued to get better with time, with his victories in the Gr3 Jersey Stakes and Gr1 Prix Jacques le Marois sandwiching a close third behind The Gurkha and Galileo Gold in the Sussex Stakes.

Ribchester comes from the sixth crop by Iffraaj, as does Nathra (Gr3 Nell Gwyn Stakes and runner-up in the French 1,000 Guineas).

Appropriately he is the sixth Gr1 winner for his sire, the first being Wootton Bassett, whose Prix du Jockey-Club-winning son Almanzor was in fine form at Deauville the day after the Marois, when he won the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano. Iffraaj’s sixth crop was sired at a fee of €10,000, so there is reason to be optimistic about his crops of 2015 (sired at €25,000) and of 2016 and 2017 (both sired at £22,500).

Ribchester was a €78,000 foal, so he provided his breeders with an immediate profit on the 18,000gns paid for his dam, the very well connected Mujarah, when this daughter of Marju was culled from Shadwell at the 2011 December Sales. I guess she also provided them with another substantial profit when they sold her privately to Ribchester’s owner, Godolphin, who in 2016 sent this one-time cast-off to Dubawi (creating a foal inbred 4 x 5 to Fall Aspen).

It was understandable that Mujarah was considered surplus to Shadwell’s requirement, as she showed little sign of ability. However, her female line could hardly have been better. Her fourth dam is Fall Aspen, who produced a remarkable seven Group/Graded winners, including Mujarah’s third dam Elle Seule.

Elle Seule in turn became the dam of the Gr1 July Cup winner Elnadim and ancestress of further Gr1 winners in Occupandiste, Intello and Mondialiste. Mujarah’s second dam, Mehthaaf, was another of Elle Seule’s Gr1 winners, taking the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and Mujarah’s dam Tanaghum is a successful daughter of the highly-prized Darshaan. Mujarah’s sire Marju is also the broodmare sire

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DATA BOOK STAKES RESULTS

European Pattern of Canford Cliffs and his fellow Gr1 winners Ribbons, Marcel, Vedelago and Sanagas.

224 DARLEY YORKSHIRE OAKS G1 YORK. Aug 18. 3yo+f. 12f.

223 JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES G1 YORK. Aug 17. 3yo+. 10f.

1. POSTPONED (IRE) 5 9-6 £546,543 b h by Dubawi - Ever Rigg (Dubai Destination) O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum B-Ashcroft Stud Farm LLP TR-Roger Varian 2. Highland Reel (IRE) 4 9-6 £207,206 b c by Galileo - Hveger (Danehill) O-Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor B-Hveger Syndicate TR-Aidan O’Brien 3. Mutakayyef (GB) 5 9-6 £103,700 ch g by Sea The Stars - Infallible (Pivotal) O-Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd TR-William Haggas Margins 1.25, 1. Time 2:06.50. Going Good to Firm.

Age 2-5

Starts 17

Wins 9

Places Earned 7 £4,362,188

Sire: DUBAWI. Sire of 117 Stakes winners. In 2016 POSTPONED Dubai Destination G1, DARTMOUTH Galileo G2, MOVE UP Soviet Star G2, SAFETY CHECK Royal Academy G2, TIME TEST Dansili G2, JOURNEY Montjeu G3, LEFT HAND Singspiel G3, NEW BAY Zamindar G3, RASEED Fantastic Light G3, SHEIKHZAYEDROAD Highest Honor G3, SO MI DAR Singspiel G3, TANAZA Dalakhani G3.

1st Dam: EVER RIGG by Dubai Destination. Winner at 3. Dam of 1 winner: 2010: Neamour (f Oasis Dream). Broodmare.

2011: POSTPONED (c Dubawi) Sold 360,000gns yearling at TAOC1. 9 wins at 2 to 5, 2016 at home, France, UAE, Juddmonte International S G1, Investec Queen Elizabeth Coronation Cup G1, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S G1, Longines Dubai Sheema Classic G1, Neptune Great Voltigeur S G2, Qatar Prix Foy G2, SkyCargo Dubai City of Gold S G2, EBF Stallions Glasgow S LR, 2nd bet365 Gordon Richards S G3, 3rd Tattersalls Gold Cup G1, Hardwicke S G2, Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven S G3, Tercentenary S G3.

2013: Avoidable (g Iffraaj) 2014: God Given (f Nathaniel) unraced to date.

2015: (c Makfi) 2016: (c Dubawi) 2nd Dam: BIANCA NERA by Salse. Champion 2yr old filly in Ireland in 1996. 3 wins at 2 Moyglare Stud S G1.

Dam of Bite of The Cherry (f Dalakhani: 2nd Golden Square Centre Chester H LR, Stowe Family Law LLP Grand Cup LR), Pietra Dura (f Cadeaux Genereux: 2nd Victor McCalmont Memorial EBF S LR). Grandam of ROBIN HOODS BAY, TURNING TOP.

1. SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE) 3 8-11 £207,417 b f by Galileo - La Traviata (Johannesburg) O-Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor B-La Traviata Syndicate TR-Aidan O’Brien 2. Found (IRE) 4 9-7 £78,636 b f by Galileo - Red Evie (Intikhab) O-Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier B-Roncon, Wynatt & Chelston TR-Aidan O’Brien 3. Queen’s Trust (GB) 3 8-11 £39,355 b f by Dansili - Queen’s Best (King’s Best) O-Cheveley Park Stud B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited TR-Sir Michael Stoute Margins 2.75, 1.25. Time 2:28.50. Going Good to Firm.

Age 2-3

Starts 7

Wins 4

Places 1

Sire: GALILEO. Sire of 243 Stakes winners. In 2016 ALICE SPRINGS Danehill Dancer G1, DEAUVILLE Danehill G1, HIGHLAND REEL Danehill G1, MINDING Danehill Dancer G1, MONDIALISTE Kaldoun G1, ORDER OF ST GEORGE Gone West G1, SEVENTH HEAVEN Johannesburg G1, THE GURKHA Danehill Dancer G1, THE UNITED STATES Pivotal G1, CHURCHILL Storm Cat G2, IDAHO Danehill G2, RHODODENDRON Pivotal G2, SWORD FIGHTER Grand Lodge G2.

1st Dam: LA TRAVIATA by Johannesburg. 3 wins at 3 in USA, Victory Ride S G3. Dam of 4 winners: 2009: CRUSADE (c Mr Greeley) 2 wins at 2, Emaar Middle Park S G1.

2010: Cristoforo Colombo (c Henrythenavigator) 2 wins at 2 and 3, 2nd Dubai Duty Free Railway S G2.

2011: Ms Cha Cha (f Henrythenavigator) unraced.

Broodmare.

2012: SIR HENRY RAEBURN (g Henrythenavigator) Winner at 3.

2013: SEVENTH HEAVEN (f Galileo) 4 wins at 3, Darley Irish Oaks G1, Darley Yorkshire Oaks G1, Betfred Oaks Trial S LR. 2014: Kiss Me Not (f Galileo) in training.

2015: (c Galileo) 2nd Dam: Piedras Negras by Unbridled. unraced. Dam of LA TRAVIATA (f Johannesburg, see above) Broodmare Sire: JOHANNESBURG. Sire of the dams of 15 Stakes winners. In 2016 - JET SETTING Fast Company G1, SEVENTH HEAVEN Galileo G1, COLLECTED City Zip G3, ROYAL TITHE Show A Heart G3, COOL CHAP High Chaparral LR, VERO DA VINCI Peintre Celebre LR, ZARANTZ Choisir LR.

Fairy Bridge GALILEO b 98 Miswaki Urban Sea Allegretta Hennessy Johannesburg Myth

Dubai Millennium DUBAWI b 02 Zomaradah

Dubai Destination EVER RIGG b 05 Bianca Nera

Seeking The Gold Mr Prospector Con Game Colorado Dancer Shareef Dancer Fall Aspen Shirley Heights Deploy Slightly Dangerous Dancing Brave Jawaher High Tern Mr Prospector Kingmambo Miesque Alleged Mysterial Mysteries Topsider Salse Carnival Princess Carwhite Birch Creek Deed

See race 55 in the July issue

116

Starts 18

Wins 10

Places 6

1st Dam: Folga by Atraf. 6 wins at 2 to 4, 2nd EBF Lansdown S LR. Dam of 2 winners: 2011: MECCA’S ANGEL (f Dark Angel) Sold 16,000gns yearling at TAOC2. Champion older sprinter in Europe in 2015, Champion older mare in England in 2015. 10 wins at 2 to 5, 2016 at home, France, Coolmore Nunthorpe S G1 (twice), Kilfrush Stud Sapphire S G2, Dubai International Airport World Trophy G3, Prix de Saint-Georges G3, John Smith’s Original Scarbrough S LR, 2nd Temple S G2, Invincible Spirit Sapphire S G2, Shadwell EBF Stallions H.Rosebery S LR, Julia Graves Roses S LR. 2012: MARKAZ (c Dark Angel) 3 wins at 2 to 4, John Sunley Memorial Criterion S G3, Betfred Chipchase S G3, 2nd Saint Gobain Weber Park S G2.

2014: Dirayah (f Dark Angel) unraced to date.

2015: (f Dark Angel) 2nd Dam: DESERT DAWN by Belfort. 3 wins at 2 and 3 at home, France Prix d’Arenberg G3. Dam of DESERT KAYA (f Bikala: Prix de Lieurey LR), Folga (f Atraf, see above) Broodmare Sire: ATRAF. Sire of the dams of 4 Stakes winners. In 2016 - MECCA’S ANGEL Dark Angel G1, MARKAZ Dark Angel G2.

The Dark Angel/Atraf cross has produced: MECCA’S ANGEL G1, MARKAZ G2.

MECCA’S ANGEL gr m 2011 Royal Applause Acclamation Princess Athena DARK ANGEL gr 05 Machiavellian Midnight Angel Night At Sea

Atraf

LA TRAVIATA b/br 04 Unbridled Piedras Negras Provisions

Nearctic Natalma Bold Reason Special Mr Prospector Hopespringseternal Lombard Anatevka Storm Cat Island Kitty Ogygian Yarn Fappiano Gana Facil Devil’s Bag Atzimba

See race 171 in the September issue 225 COOLMORE NUNTHORPE STAKES G1 YORK. Aug 19. 2yo+. 5f.

1. MECCA’S ANGEL (IRE) 5 9-8 £236,622 gr m by Dark Angel - Folga (Atraf) O-Mr David T. J. Metcalfe B-Yeomanstown Stud & Doc Bloodstock TR-Michael Dods 2. Limato (IRE) 4 9-11 £89,709 b g by Tagula - Come April (Singspiel) O-Mr Paul G. Jacobs B-S. Phelan TR-Henry Candy

Earned £650,526

Sire: DARK ANGEL. Sire of 29 Stakes winners. In 2016 - MECCA’S ANGEL Atraf G1, MARKAZ Atraf G2, DIVINE Common Grounds G3, NATIONS ALEXANDER Whipper G3, PERSUASIVE Choisir G3, BIRCHWOOD Exceed And Excel LR, EASTON ANGEL Elnadim LR, GABRIAL Mtoto LR, LOG OUT ISLAND Footstepsinthesand LR, VONA Dansili LR.

Flitteriss Park Northern Dancer

POSTPONED b h 2011

Age 2-5

Clantime

SEVENTH HEAVEN b f 2013 Sadler’s Wells

Broodmare Sire: DUBAI DESTINATION. Sire of the dams of 17 Stakes winners. In 2016 - POSTPONED Dubawi G1, DUTCH CONNECTION Dutch Art G2, SILENT SEDITION War Chant G3, THE JULIET ROSE Monsun G3, ALWAYS SMILE Cape Cross LR, SMUGGLER’S MOON Danehill Dancer LR.

Earned £409,520

3. Take Cover (GB) 9 9-11 £44,896 b g by Singspiel - Enchanted (Magic Ring) O-Norcroft Park Stud B-Norcroft Park Stud TR-David C. Griffiths Margins 2, 2. Time 0:56.20. Going Good.

FOLGA b 02 Belfort Desert Dawn Cast Pearls

Waajib Flying Melody Ahonoora Shopping Wise Mr Prospector Coup de Folie Night Shift Into Harbour Music Boy Penny Pincher Beldale Flutter Geopelia Tyrant Belle de Retz Cutlass My Girl Pearl

Fillies and mares have a terrific recent record in the Nunthorpe Stakes, with Mecca’s Angel’s 2016 win being their fifth in the space of six years.

Previous female winners feature such as Lochsong and her half-sister Lochangel, Lyric Fantasy, Committed and Habibti, but none of them matched Mecca’s Angel’s feat of winning two in a row.

Mecca’s Angel is very much a fivefurlong specialist; in a 17-race career this daughter of Dark Angel has tackled a distance as long as six furlongs only once. Her broodmare sire, the Cork and Orrery winner Atraf, was a sprinter and so was his sire Clantime, a five-furlong specialist with two victories in the Gr.3 Palace House Stakes among his nine wins.

Clantime himself was a son of Music Boy. Although this sprint-bred horse won the Gimcrack over six

furlongs, Timeform’s final assessment of him was that he was ideally suited by five furlongs on top of the ground.

Sprinting was also the vocation of Folga, Mecca’s Angel’s dam, while Mecca’s Angel’s smart brother Markaz has thrived over six and seven furlongs. Folga’s six wins were divided between five and six furlongs, and the next dam, Desert Dawn, did all her winning over the minimum trip, her best win coming in the Gr3 Prix d’Arenberg. Desert Dawn once finished a good fifth at 100-1 in the King’s Stand Stakes. Folga’s second daughter by Dark Angel made 825,000gns in 2015, compared to Mecca’s Angel’s 16,000gns. Named Dirayah, the younger sister hadn’t started by the end of August, whereas Mecca’s Angel won in the June and July of her first season.

All this speed in the bottom half of her pedigree is reinforced by Dark Angel, Acclamation and Royal Applause, the first three stallions in her sire line. Dark Angel did all his winning over five and six furlongs, notably taking the Middle Park.

226 DARLEY PRIX JEAN ROMANET G1 DEAUVILLE. Aug 21. 4yo+f. 2000m.

1. SPEEDY BOARDING (GB) 4 9-0 £105,037 b f by Shamardal - Dash To The Front (Diktat) O-Helena Springfield Ltd B-Meon Valley Stud TR-James Fanshawe 2. Ame Bleue (GB) 4 9-0 £42,022 ch f by Dubawi - Aquarelliste (Danehill) O-Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd B-Dayton Investments Ltd TR-A. Fabre 3. Steip Amach (IRE) 4 9-0 £21,011 b f by Vocalised - Ceist Eile (Noverre) O-Mrs J. S. Bolger B-J. S. Bolger TR-J. S. Bolger Margins 1.75, Head. Time 2:07.10. Going Good.

Age 2-4

Starts 10

Wins 4

Places 3

Earned £217,389

Sire: SHAMARDAL. Sire of 102 Stakes winners. In 2016 - DARIYAN Selkirk G1, SPEEDY BOARDING Diktat G1, TRYSTER Riverman G1, BLUE POINT Royal Applause G2, BOW CREEK Most Welcome G2, ROYAL SOLITAIRE Nashwan G2, USHERETTE Maria’s Mon G2, ALRAHMA Oasis Dream G3, ARTISTRY Belong To Me G3, TOSCANINI Panoramic G3.

1st Dam: DASH TO THE FRONT by Diktat. 2 wins at 3 and 4, Tweenhills Farm & Stud Warwickshire Oaks LR. Dam of 3 winners: 2009: MISS DASHWOOD (f Dylan Thomas) 4 wins at 3 and 4. Broodmare.

2010: Fanzine (f Medicean) 2012: SPEEDY BOARDING (f Shamardal) 4 wins at 3 and 4 at home, France, Darley Prix Jean Romanet G1, Prix Corrida G2, Lord Weinstock Mem. Ballymacoll S LR, 2nd EBF Stallions John Musker S LR. 2013: NEXT STAGE (c Dubawi) Winner at 2.

2014: Joshua Reynolds (c Nathaniel) unraced to date.

2015: (c Frankel) 2016: (c Dansili) 2nd Dam: MILLENNIUM DASH by Nashwan. 1 win at 3. Dam of DASH TO THE TOP (f Montjeu: EBF TSG IBM Hoppings S LR, 2nd Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks G1, 3rd Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile S G1), DASH TO THE FRONT (f Diktat, see above). Grandam of Dynasty.

Broodmare Sire: DIKTAT. Sire of the dams of 12 Stakes winners. In 2016 - SPEEDY BOARDING Shamardal G1, KLUGER King Kamehameha G2, CONSELICE Showcasing G3.

THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER

Oct_146_DataBook_Layout 1 22/09/2016 14:28 Page 117

Caulfield on Mecca’s Angel: “She is very much a five-furlong specialist; in a 17-race career this daughter of Dark Angel has tackled a distance as long as six furlongs only once”

SPEEDY BOARDING b f 2012 Storm Cat Giant’s Causeway Mariah’s Storm SHAMARDAL b 02 Machiavellian Helsinki Helen Street Warning Diktat Arvola DASH TO THE FRONT b 03 Nashwan Millennium Dash Milligram

Storm Bird Terlingua Rahy Immense Mr Prospector Coup de Folie Troy Waterway Known Fact Slightly Dangerous Sadler’s Wells Park Appeal Blushing Groom Height of Fashion Mill Reef One In A Million

Of the two fillies bought as future foundation mares for Meon Valley Stud as yearlings in 1977, Reprocolor has left the richer legacy, with no fewer than nine Gr1-winning descendants. However, the 18,500gns invested in One In A Million continues to pay handsome dividends for Meon Valley/Helena Springfield Ltd. Not only did this daughter of Rarity develop into a winner of the 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, but she also became the dam of Milligram.

Although Milligram couldn’t quite match her dam’s Classic success – she was second to the great Miesque in the 1,000 Guineas and was beaten a short head in the Irish equivalent – she emulated her dam’s Coronation Stakes success before progressing to win the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Another of One In A Million’s daughters, Someone Special, produced the Gr1 Juddmonte International heroine One So Wonderful.

Now another Gr1-winning filly has emerged from this family in the shape of Milligram’s great granddaughter Speedy Boarding. This four-year-old

by Shamardal was gaining her second Group victory in France when she landed the Prix Jean Romanet, just a day after Shamardal’s son Blue Point had impressed in the Gr2 Gimcrack Stakes.

The nicely-named Speedy Boarding is connected to Milligram via her dam, the Diktat mare Dash To The Front, and second dam, the Nashwan mare Millennium Dash (a three-partssister to One So Wonderful). A winner over a mile and a quarter, Millennium Dash also produced the Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Dash To The Top. Speedy Boarding’s dam was also above average, showing surprising stamina for a daughter of Diktat when she won a Listed race over nearly 11 furlongs as a four-year-old. Speedy Boarding’s attainment of Gr1-winner status was timely, as her yearling halfbrother by Frankel is Lot 5 in Tattersalls Book 1. The mare visited Golden Horn in 2016, after producing a colt by Dansili.

227 DARLEY PRIX MORNY G1 DEAUVILLE. Aug 21. 2yoc&f. 1200m.

1. LADY AURELIA (USA) 8-10 £147,051 b f by Scat Daddy - D’ Wildcat Speed (Forest Wildcat) O-Stonestreet Stables/G Bolton/P Leidel B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC TR-Wesley A. Ward

2. Alrahma (GB) 8-10 £58,831 br f by Shamardal - Albaraah (Oasis Dream) O-Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum B-Shadwell Estate Co Ltd TR-F. Head 3. Peace Envoy (FR) 9-0 £29,415 b c by Power - Hoh My Darling (Dansili) O-Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith B-Team Hogdala A.B. TR-Aidan O’Brien Margins 0.75, Head. Time 1:10.61. Going Good.

Age 2

Starts 3

Wins 3

Places 0

Earned £229,840

Sire: SCAT DADDY. Sire of 61 Stakes winners. In 2016 - CARAVAGGIO Holy Bull G1, CELESTINE Monarchos G1, DACITA Seeker’s Reward G1, HARMONIZE Sky Mesa G1, KITCAT Fly So Free G1, LADY AURELIA Forest Wildcat G1, EL BROMISTA Seeker’s Reward G2, IL REY IVAN Seeker’s Reward G3, BAUXITA Dushyantor LR, CONQUEST DADDYO Thunder Gulch LR, DON LUCAS Wild Rush LR, PANZER BARCELONA A P Jet LR. 1st Dam: D’ WILDCAT SPEED by Forest Wildcat. 16 wins in Puerto Rico, USA, Rampart H G2. Dam of 3 winners: 2007: D’Lovely Cat (f Unbridled’s Song) unraced.

2008: DISTORSIONADA (f Distorted Humor) 2 wins at 3 and 4 in USA. Broodmare.

2010: Titletown Five (c Tiznow) Winner at 2 in USA, 2nd Gazebo S. 2011: Wild Bird (f Birdstone) 2013: Sudden Fame (f Congrats) 2014: LADY AURELIA (f Scat Daddy) 2 wins at 2 at home, USA, Darley Prix Morny G1, Queen Mary S G2.

2nd Dam: VELVET PANTHER by Pentaquod. 31 wins in Puerto Rico Clasico Santiago Iglesias Pantin LR, Clasico Prensa Hipica LR (twice), Clasico Wiso G LR. Dam of D’ WILDCAT SPEED (f Forest Wildcat, see above), D’ broken Speed (c Broken Vow: 2nd Foolish Pleasure Breeders’ Cup S LR), D’court’s Speed (g Doneraile Court: 2nd Foolish Pleasure S LR) Broodmare Sire: FOREST WILDCAT. Sire of the dams of 30 Stakes winners. In 2016 - LADY AURELIA Scat Daddy G1, CAT BURGLAR Unbridled’s Song LR, OKANA Zamindar LR.

debut, D’ Wildcat Speed won 14 straight races, including four local Gr1s, and earned the titles of champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year in 2003. Her exceptional record earned her a move to Florida, where her best win came in the Gr2 Rampart Handicap over nine furlongs at Gulfstream Park in 2005. That Gr2 success helped D’ Wildcat Speed sell for $1,000,000 at Keeneland a few months later, to Stonestreet.

D’ Wildcat Speed’s American trainer stressed that nine furlongs had been her most successful distance in Puerto Rico. As Scat Daddy also thrived over that distance, notably winning the Gr1 Florida Derby, Lady Aurelia theoretically has every right to stay beyond a mile. However, one of her main weapons is her extraordinary early pace, so it will be interesting to see how she fares if her connections try to eke out her stamina by restraining her over a mile.

If Lady Aurelia ultimately proves to have more speed than stamina, there are several possible sources. Her broodmare sire Forest Wildcat raced exclusively over sprint distances and once equalled a track record over six furlongs. Although Velvet Panther’s sire Pentaquod won at up to 8.5 furlongs, his best win came in the Hialeah Sprint Championship over seven. Great Above, the sire of Lady Aurelia’s third dam Blue Eyed Cat, was another whose stakes victories came over sprint distances. Lady Aurelia and Harmonize are both inbred to the champion Storm Cat, the former 4 x 3 and the latter 4 x 4.

2. The Tin Man (GB) 4 9-3 £61,490 b g by Equiano - Persario (Bishop of Cashel) O-Fred Archer Racing - Ormonde B-Mrs E. M. Grundy TR-James Fanshawe 3. Suedois (FR) 5 9-3 £30,774 b g by Le Havre - Cup Cake (Singspiel) O-Mr George Turner B-Mme E. Vidal TR-David O’Meara Margins 1.75, 2.5. Time 1:13.40. Going Soft.

Age 2-3

Starts 9

Wins 7

Hennessy Johannesburg

1st Dam: MY DELIRIUM by Haafhd. Winner at 2. Dam of 1 winner: 2013: QUIET REFLECTION (f Showcasing) Sold 30,476gns yearling at DNSIL. 7 wins at 2 and 3 at home, France, 32Red Sprint Cup G1, Commonwealth Cup G1, 188Bet Sandy Lane S G2, Dubai Cornwallis S G3, Prix Sigy G3, Shadwell EBF Stallions H.Rosebery S LR, 3rd Darley July Cup G1.

2014: Full Intention (c Showcasing) 2nd Dam: CLARE HILLS by Orpen. 2 wins at 2 Hilary Needler Trophy LR. Broodmare Sire: HAAFHD. Sire of the dams of 4 Stakes winners. In 2016 - QUIET REFLECTION Showcasing G1, VENTURA STORM Zoffany G3, RAINBOW ROYAL Paco Boy LR.

QUIET REFLECTION b f 2013 Green Desert Oasis Dream Hope SHOWCASING b 07 Zafonic Arabesque Prophecy

Myth SCAT DADDY b/br 04 Mr Prospector Love Style Likeable Style Storm Cat Forest Wildcat Victoria Beauty D’ WILDCAT SPEED ch 00 Pentaquod Velvet Panther Blue Eyed Cat

Haafhd Storm Cat Island Kitty Ogygian Yarn Raise A Native Gold Digger Nijinsky Personable Lady Storm Bird Terlingua Bold Native Abifaith London Company Enamor Great Above Another Cat

228 32RED SPRINT CUP G1

Al Bahathri MY DELIRIUM b 08 Orpen

HAYDOCK PARK. Sep 3. 3yo+. 6f.

1. QUIET REFLECTION (GB) 3 8-12 £162,191 b f by Showcasing - My Delirium (Haafhd) O-Ontoawinner, Strecker & Burke B-Springcombe Park Stud TR-K. R. Burke

Earned £626,699

Sire: SHOWCASING. Sire of 13 Stakes winners. In 2016 - QUIET REFLECTION Haafhd G1, PRIZE EXHIBIT Inchinor G2, CAORUNN Bertolini G3, CONSELICE Diktat G3, CYLINDER BEACH Rainbow Quest G3, TASLEET Cadeaux Genereux G3, MAXIMUM AURELIUS Deputy Minister LR, RAGHU Zabeel LR.

Alhaarth

LADY AURELIA b f 2014

Places 1

Clare Hills Morale

Danzig Foreign Courier Dancing Brave Bahamian Gone West Zaizafon Warning Andaleeb Unfuwain Irish Valley Blushing Groom Chain Store Lure Bonita Francita Bluebird Shebasis

See race 122 in the August issue

Quiet Reflection: sprint queen

The much-lamented Scat Daddy was scheduled to stand the 2016 season at a considerably increased fee of $100,000. The big races in August demonstrated why. Caravaggio maintained his unbeaten record in the Gr1 Phoenix Stakes, then two daughters of Scat Daddy shone two weeks later, on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Harmonize came out on top in a tight finish to the Gr1 Del Mar Oaks on turf, while Lady Aurelia added the Prix Morny to her stunning success in the Gr2 Queen Mary Stakes.

Lady Aurelia is unusual in that her first two dams raced with distinction on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Lady Aurelia’s second dam, the Florida-bred Velvet Panther, won 31 of her 52 starts there and her daughter D’ Wildcat Speed did even better. Having been beaten on her

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Oct_146_DataBook_Layout 1 22/09/2016 14:29 Page 118

DATA BOOK STAKES RESULTS

Group 2 & 3 Races Date 02/08 04/08 06/08 06/08 07/08 07/08 11/08 11/08 13/08 13/08 13/08 14/08 15/08 15/08 15/08 17/08 17/08 18/08 19/08 19/08 20/08 20/08 20/08 20/08 20/08 20/08 20/08 21/08 21/08 21/08 21/08 21/08 23/08 25/08 27/08 27/08 27/08 27/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 28/08 01/09 01/09 01/09 03/09 03/09 03/09 03/09

Grade G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G2 G2 G3 G3 G2 G3 G3 G2 G3 G2 G2 G3 G2 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G2 G2 G2 G3 G3 G2 G3 G2 G3 G3 G3 G2 G2 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 G2 G3 G3 G2 G3 G3 G3

Race (course) Irish Stall.Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes (Cork) Ballyroan Stakes (Leopardstown) Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes (Haydock Park) germantb.com Sweet Solera Stakes (Newmarket) Qatar Racing Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Curragh) Haras de la Pomme (Argentine) P. de Reux (Deauville) Invesco Desmond Stakes (Leopardstown) Totepool Sovereign Stakes (Salisbury) Shadwell Prix de Pomone (Deauville) Betfred Hungerford Stakes (Newbury) Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes (Newbury) Prix Minerve (Deauville) Prix Guillaume d’Ornano-Logis St Germain (Deauville) Prix Gontaut-Biron-Hong Kong Jockey Club (Deauville) Prix de Lieurey (Deauville) Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes (York) Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (York) Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (York) Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup (York) Sky Bet City of York Stakes (York) Irish TB Marketing Gimcrack Stakes (York) Ballycullen Palmerstown St Leger Trial (Curragh) Jimmy O’Neill Curragh Stakes (Curragh) P. du Calvados - Association des Jockeys (Deauville) Red Rock Entertainment Atalanta Stakes (Sandown Park) TCA Abu Dhabi Solario Stakes (Sandown Park) Betfred Strensall Stakes (York) Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes (Curragh) Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes (Curragh) Darley Prix Kergorlay (Deauville) Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip Stakes (Curragh) Grosser Audi Sport Preis Audi Zentrum (Hannover) Prix de la Nonette - Beachcomer Hotels (Deauville) Coolmore Stud Fairy Bridge Stakes (Tipperary) Doom Bar Celebration Mile (Goodwood) Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe (Baden-Baden) Prestige Stakes (Goodwood) Winter Hill Stakes (Windsor) Goldene Peitsche powered by Burda@turf (Baden-Baden) Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville (Deauville) Flame of Tara EBF Stakes (Curragh) Round Tower Stakes (Curragh) Snow Fairy Dance Design Stakes (Curragh) Prix Quincey - Barriere (Deauville) Prix de Meautry- Barriere (Deauville) Doom Bar Supreme Stakes (Goodwood) Darley Oettingen Rennen (Baden-Baden) Prix d’Arenberg (Chantilly) BathwickTyres Dick Poole Stakes (Salisbury) T von Zastrow Badener Stutenpreis (Baden-Baden) 32Red Superior Mile (Haydock Park) Totequadpot Sirenia Stakes (Kempton Park) Totescoop6 September Stakes (Kempton Park)

Dist 12f 12f 10f 7f 6f 12.5f 8f 8f 12.5f 7f 13f 12.5f 10f 10f 8f 12f 7f 6f 16f 7f 6f 14f 5f 7f 8f 7f 8.5f 7f 7f 15f 10f 10f 10f 7f 8f 10f 7f 10f 6f 12.5f 8f 6f 9f 8f 6f 7f 8f 5f 6f 12f 8f 6f 12f

Horse Best In The World (IRE) Stellar Mass (IRE) Royal Artillery (USA) Nations Alexander (IRE) Toscanini (IRE) Ventura Storm (IRE) Tribal Beat (IRE) Zonderland (GB) Highlands Queen (FR) Richard Pankhurst (GB) Kings Fete (GB) Golden Valentine (FR) Almanzor (FR) New Bay (GB) Trixia (FR) Idaho (IRE) Syphax (USA) Queen Kindly (GB) Quest For More (IRE) Nemoralia (USA) Blue Point (IRE) Order of St George (IRE) Hit The Bid (GB) Cavale Doree (FR) Persuasive (IRE) South Seas (IRE) Scottish (IRE) Rhododendron (IRE) Churchill (IRE) Nearly Caught (IRE) Success Days (IRE) Wai Key Star (GER) La Cressonniere (FR) Tanaza (IRE) Lightning Spear (GB) Va Bank (IRE) Kilmah (GB) Chain of Daisies (GB) Markaz (IRE) Savoir Vivre (IRE) Sea of Grace (IRE) Intelligence Cross (USA) Somehow (IRE) Siyoushake (IRE) Finsbury Square (IRE) Opal Tiara (IRE) Pas de Deux (GER) Afandem (IRE) Madam Dancealot (IRE) Parvaneh (IRE) Hathal (USA) The Last Lion (IRE) Arab Spring (IRE)

Age 3 3 3 2 4 3 3 3 3 4 5 3 3 4 3 3 2 2 6 3 2 4 2 2 3 2 4 2 2 6 4 3 3 3 5 4 2 4 4 3 2 2 3 4 4 3 6 2 2 3 4 2 6

Sex F C C F G C C C F C G F C C F C C F G F C C C F F C G F C G C C F F H C F F C C F C F F G F G C F F C C H

Sire Galileo Sea The Stars War Front Dark Angel Shamardal Zoffany Street Cry Dutch Art Mount Nelson Raven’s Pass King’s Best Dalakhani Wootton Bassett Dubawi Siyouni Galileo Arch Frankel Teofilo More Than Ready Shamardal Galileo Exceed And Excel Sunday Break Dark Angel Lope de Vega Teofilo Galileo Galileo New Approach Jeremy Soldier Hollow Le Havre Dubawi Pivotal Archipenko Sepoy Rail Link Dark Angel Adlerflug Born To Sea War Front Fastnet Rock Siyouni Siyouni Thousand Words Saddex Vale of York Sir Prancealot Holy Roman Emperor Speightstown Choisir Monsun

Dam Red Evie Juno Marlowe Masseuse Party Whip Tuzla Sarawati Tashelka Barynya Queen of Poland Mainstay Village Fete Gold Round Darkova Cinnamon Bay Tianshan Hveger Much Obliged Lady of The Desert No Quest Alina Scarlett Rose Another Storm Selinka Sweet Alabama Choose Me Let It Be Me Zeiting Halfway To Heaven Meow Katch Me Katie Malaica Wakytara Absolute Lady Tanoura Atlantic Destiny Vinales Perfect Star Puya Folga Soudaine Lady Dettoria Good Vibes Alexandrova Shakeyourbody Diamond Square Zarafa Palucca Al Mahmeyah Sisal College Fund Girl Sleepytime Mala Mala Spring Symphony

Broodmare Sire Intikhab Danehill Dynaformer Whipper Panoramic Haafhd Mujahid Pivotal Polish Precedent Elmaamul Singspiel Caerleon Maria’s Mon Zamindar Lahint Danehill Kingmambo Rahy Rainbow Quest Came Home Royal Applause Gone West Selkirk Enrique Choisir Mizzen Mast Zieten Pivotal Storm Cat Danehill Roi Gironde Danehill Galileo Dalakhani Royal Academy Dilshaan Act One Kris Atraf Monsun Vettori Unbridled’s Song Sadler’s Wells Giant’s Causeway Dyhim Diamond Fraam Big Shuffle Teofilo Danehill Kahyasi Royal Academy Brief Truce Darshaan

Index 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281

Leading sires of two-year-olds 2016 by earnings Name

Kodiac Galileo War Front Scat Daddy *Sir Prancealot Acclamation Dark Angel Shamardal Exceed And Excel *Frankel Choisir Mountain Cat Lion Heart *Power *Bated Breath *Helmet Dandy Man *Dragon Pulse Kaneko Equiano Myboycharlie Hellvelyn Sageburg Arcano *Harbour Watch Fast Company Fastnet Rock *Mayson Three Valleys Invincible Spirit Kendargent Luxor *Elzaam *Native Khan Victory Gallop

YOF

2001 1998 2002 2004 2010 1999 2005 2002 2000 2008 1999 1990 2001 2009 2007 2008 2003 2009 2001 2005 2005 2004 2004 2007 2009 2005 2001 2008 2001 1997 2003 2000 2007 2008 1995 Holy Roman Emperor 2004 2007 *Rajsaman More Than Ready 1997 2008 Zebedee 2008 *Sepoy 1991 Dehere 2009 *Torok 1995 Bosporus 2004 Dutch Art 2009 *Requinto 2006 Rip Van Winkle 1991 Unaccounted For 2008 *Casamento

Sire

Rnrs

Wnrs

Danehill Sadler's Wells Danzig Johannesburg Tamayuz Royal Applause Acclamation Giant's Causeway Danehill Galileo Danehill Dancer Storm Cat Tale Of The Cat Oasis Dream Dansili Exceed And Excel Mozart Kyllachy Pivotal Acclamation Danetime Ishiguru Johannesburg Oasis Dream Acclamation Danehill Dancer Danehill Invincible Spirit Diesis Green Desert Kendor Distant Relative Redoute's Choice Azamour Cryptoclearance Danehill Linamix Southern Halo Invincible Spirit Elusive Quality Deputy Minister Singspiel Night Shift Medicean Dansili Galileo Private Account Shamardal

69 39 13 7 61 57 81 18 53 15 17 6 33 31 34 40 50 34 22 36 38 14 25 47 48 44 23 32 18 41 33 14 28 16 28 44 34 3 49 29 10 7 20 33 25 28 11 32

30 15 10 4 23 15 24 9 16 9 7 1 13 14 13 14 15 13 8 10 13 7 7 14 10 8 11 12 6 12 6 7 13 9 7 14 7 3 16 8 4 5 6 12 10 9 5 9

%WR

43.48 38.46 76.92 57.14 37.70 26.32 29.63 50.00 30.19 60.00 41.18 16.67 39.39 45.16 38.24 35.00 30.00 38.24 36.36 27.78 34.21 50.00 28.00 29.79 20.83 18.18 47.83 37.50 33.33 29.27 18.18 50.00 46.43 56.25 25.00 31.82 20.59 100.00 32.65 27.59 40.00 71.43 30.00 36.36 40.00 32.14 45.45 28.13

Races

AWD

Earnings (£)

Top horse

Earned (£)

40 22 15 8 32 21 27 12 23 17 11 5 17 17 17 20 19 16 13 14 13 11 10 20 12 12 12 14 10 14 9 10 17 11 10 14 9 6 18 11 9 9 9 14 15 9 9 10

5.9 7.3 6.3 5.7 6.4 5.7 6.4 6.1 5.9 6.5 5.8 5.9 6.0 6.3 5.8 6.2 5.5 6.1 6.0 5.6 6.3 5.4 5.9 6.4 6.2 5.6 6.6 5.6 6.1 6.2 6.1 6.0 5.9 6.1 6.1 6.5 6.5 6.1 6.0 6.7 5.5 5.8 6.1 6.2 5.8 7.0 6.0 6.5

622,856 538,420 538,148 479,745 473,992 437,648 352,680 351,247 329,225 309,717 272,071 271,489 266,053 253,418 247,663 246,089 228,710 211,872 207,516 205,638 205,304 203,231 195,682 190,217 186,441 176,327 175,316 170,453 168,043 164,746 157,514 155,981 154,993 154,805 154,560 152,206 146,543 145,998 145,646 143,860 143,004 142,979 142,844 131,194 128,317 128,313 126,620 126,403

Prince Of Lir Churchill War Decree Caravaggio Stormy Clouds Mehmas Nations Alexander Blue Point Yalta Queen Kindly The Last Lion Waneta Denizcanim Peace Envoy Al Johrah Thunder Snow Big Time Baby Legendary Lunch Andiamo Medicine Jack Nofoemaypass Mrs Danvers Spain Burg Rusumaat Tis Marvellous Red Onion Rivet Global Applause Copperfield North Thunder Xaarino Finesse Clem Fandango Mean Of Life Ayrton Notte a Roma Brametot Boynton Smokey Lane Baileys Showgirl Salamis Piano Sonata Utkunbaba Clef Broken Stones Arcada Triton La Casa Tarifa

76,084 142,701 138,334 240,128 213,760 237,688 58,683 175,525 60,158 128,498 113,599 262,182 63,782 130,158 89,372 49,553 51,729 37,055 40,472 83,329 20,779 150,868 43,526 70,191 75,513 61,333 41,078 53,391 63,513 20,294 42,221 56,508 47,573 30,135 25,789 22,560 45,375 70,123 17,540 47,058 65,516 61,646 27,990 25,709 24,457 19,738 46,181 20,365

Sir Prancealot the surprise package Kodiac is top in number of winners and earnings, and with a lead of six over Dark Angel in the first category will take some catching. His four stakes winners put him joint-second with War Front behind Galileo.

Fifteen of the sires are freshmen, a higher proportion than usual. The numerical leader – and surprise package – is Sir Prancealot. The Tally-Ho stallion, who stood at €5,000 this year, resembles seventhplaced Dark Angel in having raced solely at two, when he was rated 112 after winning the Flying Childers.

His total of 61 runners is exceeded by only Dark Angel (81) and Kodiac (69) and his 23 winners give him a lead of nine over Helmet and Power.

Frankel – nine winners, with three in stakes – has made a cracking start, while the other newcomers with stakes winners are Sepoy on two, and Born To Sea, Dragon Pulse, Harbour Watch, Mayson, Power and Sir Prancealot with one apiece.

Statistics to September 8; *first-season sire

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24 HOURS WITH… AMANDA SKIFFINGTON

120

TREVOR JONES

I

don’t sleep very well, and even less during the sales.

But I am still up by six. I let out our two border terriers, Myrtle and Goose, make some tea and then try and chill for a while.

At sales time I find myself going through lists, double checking the horses I’m planning to look at and reading through my notes. I like to do that first thing; it’s a time of day when I’m not the most friendly person in the house because my mind is full of so much detail.

I get to the sales as early as possible and will do as much work inspecting before grabbing some breakfast. I am a great believer in taking a break whenever you feel you need one, which in my case is several times a day. Another big thing for me is changing my shoes during the day; varying my heel height helps to prevent my feet from hurting. When I feel like some breakfast I find my way to the Newsells Stud office, where they make the best coffee, which I’ll have with a yoghurt and slice of toast.

On a good day I’ll inspect 140 horses. My memory is pretty rubbish for most things in life, but luckily I do remember horses. Even if I haven’t seen them for two or three years I can still recognise them when I come across them again. I have somebody with me carrying my phone because I don’t like answering at the sales unless it’s a client. I find any break in concentration is not good.

I actually love Fairyhouse because I’ve been so unbelievably lucky there. I usually carry a bit more clout because the Arabs are not in evidence there and I find I have more chance of buying.

Other sales are tougher simply because it’s more difficult to buy what you like.

It was Fairyhouse where I bought Galileo Gold [2,000

Not being ‘horsey’ has not prevented AMANDA SKIFFINGTON from becoming a top bloodstock agent; indeed, she feels it gives her and her all-female firm an advantage to exploit Guineas and St James’s Palace] for €33,000 and Hawksmoor [German 1,000 Guineas] for €80,000.

Architecture, second in the Epsom and Irish Oaks, is another of mine running this season. I got her for £26,000.

I also found Toronado [Sussex Stakes and Queen Anne] and Havana Gold [Prix Jean Prat] in the same year and they went on to win three Group 1s between them. So the last few years have been pretty phenomenal.

I am very competitive and enjoy the competition at the sales. I take great delight in finding a horse I love; it gives me such a happy feeling. I fell in love with Toronado the minute I saw him. He is the best horse I have ever seen.

He has such presence, is a beautiful specimen and

moves like a dream. Luckily for me he was a weaver and that put a lot of people off.

Believe it or not, I am not very horsey. I haven’t ridden for years and was never a good rider. But my early days, when I used to have breakfast with Jeremy Tree at Beckhampton on Saturdays during my school holidays, were enormously influential.

Jeremy got me my first job in racing and had a great bearing on my life and career.

He was a strong character and I loved him dearly. I enjoy looking at animals generally and trying to see the athlete in them. I possibly have a slight advantage not being horsey because I don’t necessarily look at horses in the same way other people do – one different aspect is trying to visualise them

skeletally. The way they move and their balance is also vital in my view. I like to spend as much time as I can going round studs in England and Ireland and my working lifestyle means lunch is whatever I can find, whenever.

Being a woman agent is a disadvantage in that some global buyers will never use me, otherwise it’s no disadvantage. When I started in the late 1970s Susan Piggott was about the only female bloodstock agent, now there’s Gill Richardson, Mags O’Toole and myself. My team at Anglia Bloodstock is entirely female. We have about ten horses in Anglia Bloodstock syndicates and the aim is to help racing by attracting new people to the sport, so we buy at the cheaper end of the market for them.

I do have spare time between January and June, when I go to South Africa and work the sales there. Away from racing I watch a lot of cricket and have twice been to Newlands cricket ground in Cape Town. A day at Lord’s can be great fun, too. Playing bridge is another enjoyable pastime.

We have our evening meal about eight-ish and I love cooking. My favourite is roast grouse followed by gooseberry fool. My husband, Thomas, is pretty deaf and doesn’t enjoy the theatre, but we go to the cinema.

Bedtime is about 11pm. I get totally wound up during the sales so when I go to sleep at night I even see horses walking up and down in front of me. It’s really horrendous, even my feet hurt in my sleep! I have been known to walk round the house in the middle of the night studying sales catalogues.

Interview by Tim Richards

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DAR8877 OB page-Teofilo 29 SEP16.qxp 15/09/2016 10:13 Page 1

The Classic sire club: it’s the toughest market to break into.

The uncompromising Teofilo has done it with force!

His progeny have won or placed in the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, Irish 1,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks, Irish Derby, and Irish St Leger. In fact, they’re thumping good...

TEOFILO

Galileo – Speirbhean (Danehill) +353 (0)45 527600 +44 (0)1638 730070 www.darleystallions.com

Darley