Farewell to one of the best journalists in the business
Sad news to report in this issue of Owner Breeder, which celebrates its 20th birthday this month, with the passing of Howard Wright, our much-admired and respected columnist, at the age of 79.
Howard had contributed articles to this magazine before being handed his own column in 2014. That he was still writing for the publication a decade later shows how popular he was with the readership, not to mention the editorial team.
The ethos behind the creation of Owner Breeder was to provide a quality magazine for owners and breeders, designed to inform, educate and entertain. That was no problem for Howard – in a few hundred words he would tackle the most serious of subjects, get to the root of the issue and provide his own viewpoint, often sprinkling over a little humour for good measure.
‘Find something that you enjoy doing and do that’ – those words could have been invented for Howard. He started his career in racing with Timeform in 1964 and was still penning pieces about the sport he loved some 60 years later. How many other people are so lucky?
Yet racing journalism was lucky to have Howard. He was known for having the best contacts in the industry and he used them to provide exclusive, thought-provoking articles that would often challenge the establishment and point out where it had failed.
A founding member of the Racing Post in 1986, first as News Editor and later as Industry Reporter, Howard stepped away from full-time writing in 2012, but as former Racing Post and Pacemaker Editor Michael Harris says in his tribute, he never really retired (pages 8-9).
I would often see him at an AGM, press conference or at the races. I once asked him why he never seemed to ask questions when the opportunity arose at industry events. His answer was simple – why would he let other journalists know his lines of enquiry and what he was thinking? It wasn’t only through
Edward Rosenthal Editor
reading his copy that one could learn from Howard Wright.
From one proud Yorkshireman to another –owner Paul Teasdale, with wife Rachael, is having a terrific time on the racecourse, enjoying a recent Group-race double at Glorious Goodwood with sprinters Big Evs and Big Mojo.
Teasdale, who started off his ownership journey in Spain with Les Eyre, has put his faith in trainer Mick Appleby and has been rewarded with a string of big-race successes, though as he points out, you need the right foundations in place to build a successful business.
“I am a Yorkshireman born and bred,
“It wasn’t only through reading his copy that one could learn from Howard”
cautious in my approach,” he tells Marcus Townend (The Big Interview, pages 32-36).
“It is not always about results but how hard people try and the effort they put in.
“You can’t always be successful, but I think we have built up quite a close and successful team. Once we have built those relationships, we are keen to invest and back up what we want to do with the right talent.’’
Porta Fortuna has been one of the stars of the Flat season, recording brilliant triumphs in the Coronation Stakes and Falmouth Stakes for her team of American owners.
The filly, trained by Donnacha O’Brien, was bred by the O’Briens’ Whisperview Stud and Nancy Sexton caught up with Ana O’Brien to hear how the family’s breeding operation is going from strength to strength (pages 38-42).
Cover: Porta Fortuna, bred by Whisperview Trading and trained by Donnacha O’Brien, wins the Falmouth Stakes on Newmarket’s July Course under Ryan Moore
Photo: Bill Selwyn
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ROA Leader
Premier trial must lead to further innovations
As the Labour government gets its feet under the table of power, those who will be responsible in the crucial areas for racing have been identified, with Lisa Nandy appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. It is essential that the industry, led by the BHA, establishes strong communication lines with the new minister’s office and continues to work with the staff at DCMS to make racing’s case.
The reform of the levy, which was supposed to be concluded in April of this year, remains a vital step in securing future funding plans, not only in terms of prize-money but also in other areas such as welfare and the about-to-be-launched people strategy.
The BHA has been charged with bringing the levy reform proposal back to the table with the hope that a timely resolution can be achieved. This is even more pressing given that the first quarter of the new levy year has seen a fall in betting turnover. Whilst a clash with the European Championship can be partly blamed, pressure on leisure spend cannot be overlooked. It is hoped that the second quarter will see a bounce back to 2023 levels, which is vital in setting the funding proposal that will sit alongside the 2025 fixture list published in early August. Next year sees the continuation of the two-year trial of Premier racedays and protected Saturday window, combined with greater investment in Sunday racing.
It is obvious that the clock is now ticking on what happens next. Plans must be in place to build on the trial and hopefully see the Premier product refined to become a truly global investment opportunity that can generate new sources of revenue for the sport. It is fundamental that new revenues allow investment into the core racing product and the National Hunt sphere so that the whole ecosystem benefits and can grow.
Alongside the refinement of the strategy, the industry must fully commit to understanding the world in which we live today. Traditional platforms to promote, engage with and bet on racing are becoming marginalised by the habits of the younger generations. The research on how people aged 25 and under consume their media is astonishing, with terrestrial and digital television becoming less and less relevant. The raceday experience remains a key engagement for all, and while we have seen some excellent work completed on attracting different audiences there remains no overarching strategy, which must be addressed.
The ongoing dispute between Flutter and Arena Racing Company (ARC) has seen Flutter betting brands, including Sky Bet and Paddy Power, not offering prices for races staged at ARC meetings. Whilst the disagreement is obviously between the two contracting parties and could well end up being the subject of litigation, the wider racing community needs to take heed.
On the one hand, it can be interpreted that the bookies are
digging in ahead of the next round of levy reform negotiations, raising the flag that they already pay too much for the racing product. Some commentators have not taken that view and have focused on the media rights payments themselves and asking where the money has gone.
Either way, an agreement between the media rights holders, ultimately the racecourses, and the sport is needed to ensure that we, racing, are on the same side and benefit from the changes that we have been making over the last few years and will be asked to make going forward.
I would certainly have a cynical view of the bookmakers’ position. It is less than three months since we saw the Betting and
“Hopefully we see the product refined to become a truly global investment opportunity”
Gaming Council walk away from a year-long negotiation, then have the audacity to blame racing for not agreeing a deal. We must work together to produce the most beneficial arrangement for all parties, but as owners we know that our net investment is far larger than anyone else’s and our views must be heard and acted upon.
The year is flying by and the end-of-season Flat showpiece events will soon be upon us, followed by the rumblings of the new jumps campaign. Whilst significant issues remain, I hope that with the addition of some fresh names in high-profile industry positions, we can find solutions to unlock the sport’s potential.
There will also be a new face at the Levy Board following the untimely passing of Chairman Paul Darling. Some lovely words have been written since the awful news broke and it is clear that he will be a tough act to follow.
Charlie Parker President
CHARYN
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TBA Leader
Time to wake up and act over climate change
Our planet is changing rapidly and we are in danger of sleepwalking into a future that none of us want. Many quotes have attempted to sum up the situation, but I like Barack Obama’s pithy remark: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it”.
I like it because it recognises the problem, creates a sense of responsibility and urgency but importantly gives us hope that we can change the outcome. There are many interconnected things that we need to combat. Water usage and management, waste and pollution, biodiversity and conservation, poverty, hunger and food security, and of course climate change to name some of the big-ticket items.
However, in this column I am going to focus on climate change, as whilst all of the above need addressing urgently, it is often climate change that is at the root of many of the issues. Climate change leads to violent storms or droughts and disrupts food production. Climate change often drives the availability of water. Climate change alters habitats and puts even more pressure on biodiversity, exacerbating other man-made actions such as deforestation and over-exploitation of resources.
There are three levels at which action must be taken, namely individual, organisational and governmental.
Individually, we ultimately make the difference. It is our relatively recent fixation with having or consuming ‘stuff’ that is the root cause of so many of our issues. Small individual changes taken at a population level add up to massive effects. Changing how we eat, travel, use energy and water and generally buy or consume is the real key. If everyone reading these words makes one impactful change, this would have been worth the carbon footprint of printing and distributing this magazine. If not, I’ve just added to the problem!
At an organisational level, we can make further huge inroads by ensuring whatever service we provide or goods we make is done ever more efficiently with a lower carbon footprint.
At a governmental or global level, setting the right laws and policies – and acting on them – will further accelerate progress.
So how are we doing as an industry? I would say that we can and must do better. There are some encouraging signs, such as the BHA commissioning a report by White Griffin and following up with a permanent appointment of Katie Carr to co-ordinate efforts. Numerous racecourses have net zero commitments, a hugely positive stride, and here at the TBA, supported by the Racing Foundation and individual breeders, we commissioned ADAS to help us develop and launch a carbon calculator tool for stud farms. This allows us to measure our carbon footprint hotspots and take action accordingly.
However, as an industry that uses huge amounts of energy, water, feed, fuel and fertiliser, our actions overall are at a pace and a level that will not be good enough either to be in the vanguard of fighting climate change or indeed in keeping up with likely legislation or public opinion in this area.
The thoroughbred industry is already well-positioned to excel in this area, being considerable landowners with low chemical input grassland management, including a large volume of woodlands and hedgerows, which store carbon, create habitats for wildlife and offer the space for renewable energy sources. The sector should
“The sector should embrace the opportunity to be leaders and high achievers in this area”
embrace this opportunity to be leaders and high achievers in this area.
We need to come together to enthusiastically agree a vision and plan with a genuine desire to put racing and breeding of racehorses at the forefront of change for the better. We then need to take collective and individual action in support of this plan. The fact that we do not have this agreed makes us laggards in the world of sport.
In an industry that already faces many challenges, allocating sufficient time can be difficult. However, apart from a moral obligation to act, done well it can be a solution to attract sufficient numbers of young people for our industry to grow and thrive.
Younger people are generally more aware, concerned and discriminating in this area. “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” – words that should guide those of us in privileged positions of leadership or influence to make the right decisions. As the last generation able to act before irreversible damage is done, we simply must do better.
‘He set the highest standards’ –Howard Wright dies aged 79
The world of horseracing journalism lost one its most enduring, talented and respected ambassadors following the death of Howard Wright on August 16 after a short illness. He was 79.
Friends, former colleagues and senior industry figures lined up to pay tribute to a man who had been writing about the sport he loved for 60 years, during which time he contributed to numerous publications including Timeform, The Daily Telegraph and the Racing Post, where he was a founding member.
Born in the racing town of Doncaster on July 22, 1945, the St Leger, the world’s oldest Classic, remained close to Wright’s heart throughout his life. He attended his first Leger aged three and returned to Town Moor every year subsequently.
“I was born half a mile from the Doncaster winning post,” Wright told this magazine in a 2012 interview with former boss Michael Harris. “To my mind, Doncaster is the best racecourse in the world, which stages the best racing in the world.”
Wright had moved to London to embark on a career as a civil servant in the Estate Duty Office when one day he called in to a branch of William Hill in Shepherd’s Bush on his way to work.
Perusing The Sporting Life, he saw a classified ad for a Halifax-based company called Timeform, applied for a job he “wasn’t qualified to do” and was soon being interviewed by Reg Griffin at the Mayfair Hotel.
Wright started at Timeform in June 1964 aged 18, accepting an annual salary drop from £550 to £500, thus kickstarting a career that would take him through the next six decades.
In 1969, Wright moved to the Sheffield Morning Telegraph where he become racing correspondent and later Deputy Sports Editor, spending 11 years on the paper. His duties included preparing the racecards, writing the main column of the day and tipping.
He also covered other sports, interviewing a young Sheffield-based runner named Sebastian Coe – who later became a dual Olympic 1,500-metre champion – as part of a series on the state of athletics in South Yorkshire.
The Daily Telegraph came calling for his services in 1980 and Wright returned to London, this time with his family in tow, a move he described as “definitely a step up”, becoming the broadsheet’s Deputy Racing Editor.
It was while working in Fleet Street on the Telegraph that a fax came through announcing the launch of a new racing paper, backed by Sheikh
Mohammed, with Graham Rock as Editor.
Wright’s reputation as a journalist of skill and integrity was well-established by this point and Rock offered him a job on a two-year contract on the fledgling Racing Post – launched in 1986 to take on The Sporting Life – which he accepted, his new colleagues including Brough Scott, Jeremy Thomson and Graham Dench.
Dench recalled: “I first got to know Howard only by reputation when I joined Timeform, which he had not long departed, and then properly at the Racing Post, where in those early days at Raynes Park we all knew not only each other but also partners and children.
“Howard set the highest standards at work. He was the ultimate professional and his contacts – often euphemistically referred to in copy as ‘the fly on the wall’ – were beyond compare.
“He had a great nose for a story and his writing was always tight and to the point. He never wasted words and I’m sure many of us at the Racing Post learned much from him.
“His interests extended well beyond our small world and so he was always great company. For example, besides his
GEORGE SELWYN
Wright (right) and Tony Stafford work on The Daily Telegraph’s racing pages in 1982
GEORGE SELWYN
well-known passion for Doncaster Rovers and all things Yorkshire, he loved seeing Helen Shapiro and her like on a 60s revival tour, and on racing trips abroad he would always make time to explore the local culture.
“Spending time with Howard was never dull.”
With Rock running the business side of the Post, Wright found himself covering a multitude of roles in the office as the Life and the Post went head-to-head, a period in his life he described as “really exciting”. The younger title eventually saw off its more established rival in May 1998.
However, the pattern of working 14 hours a day, six days a week had started to take its toll. Having acknowledged that his family were coming second to his job, a re-organisation saw Wright become Industry Reporter, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Post in July 2012.
His astute observations on racing politics, allied with an ability to turn often complicated and sensitive subjects into easily digestible copy, ensured he was held in high esteem throughout the industry.
Wright had been a contributor to numerous other racing publications throughout his career, including The Racehorse, Irish Horseman, Stud & Stable, Pacemaker, The Sporting Life Weekender and Al Adiyat, and was the author of four books, including a biography of Phil Bull.
A Howard Wright article was essential reading – always wellresearched and carefully constructed – and his regular column in Owner Breeder, which ran for ten years, was invariably the first thing most readers would turn to each month. He submitted his final piece, lauding the role of the Levy Board, shortly before he passed away.
Wright, who loved to travel the world and continued to cover racing conferences around the globe in his ‘retirement’, was a longstanding Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the National Horseracing College – he was keen to extol the achievements of the Doncaster-based organisation – and a member of the British Flat Pattern Committee between 1986 and 2009.
BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington said: “On behalf of everyone at the BHA, I extend condolences to the family and friends of Howard Wright.
“Howard was a giant of the racing press room and his influence on the racing media as we know it today
Stories from the racing world
Michael Harris, former Editor of the Racing Post and Pacemaker, offers a personal tribute
I knew Howard Wright for the best part of 50 years, first as an acquaintance, then as a friend and colleague. As Editor of the old Pacemaker magazine, I would commission Howard to write often complex and esoteric pieces on the industry and then, when I joined the Racing Post as Editor, I inherited him as News Editor.
Howard was an unquestionably good and accurate writer, not only with an almost unique grasp of racing industry matters, but also with a skill of conveying detail in a way that readers could absorb. His constituency might not have been numerically big, but it contained virtually all of racing’s ‘movers and shakers’.
As such, he was very popular among racing industry figures and particularly with racecourse executives, almost all of whom liked and trusted him. The same was true of those politicians who took an interest in racing.
I always felt Howard was amused and slightly flattered that he, as a working-class boy from Doncaster, could comfortably hobnob with the public-school fraternity without feeling the least bit patronised.
Specialist journalists like Howard often have to walk that difficult path of maintaining the co-operation of their constituents, but at the same time keeping an independence and objectivity that allows them to be critical when the occasion arises. To the best of my knowledge, Howard rarely upset racecourse people with anything he wrote, though I recall he did attract the displeasure of members of the old British Horseracing Board who frequently accused him of bias.
In the latter part of my career, working for the Racehorse Owners Association, I too felt that Howard sometimes showed favour towards the cause of racecourses rather than owners, though I, of course, was also then seeing things from a biased perspective.
There were times in the early days when we were on the Racing Post together when I recall a few clashes, though they never compromised our
cannot be overstated. Through his work he brought our sport, one he cared about so passionately, to fans across Britain and the world and created a
generally good relationship.
In those days on the Post, Howard was a good News Editor but an even better producer of industry stories. A replacement for the first job was easily achievable, but not for the second. Prising Howard away from the role of News Editor meant coming up against some of his legendary Yorkshire grit, though I believe he would later acknowledge that it was the right decision, both for the newspaper and his career.
Howard had a love of international racing and, in his later life, rarely passed up an opportunity to go off to somewhere like the Japan Cup. Sure, these trips were ‘freebies’ but, with Howard, there was always a well-written and researched story at the end of them. Racing conferences around the world were another of his passions as he networked with like-minded specialists, so much so that for years he would take delight in going to Paris on the Monday after the previous day’s Arc de Triomphe for the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities. It was typical of Howard that he never really retired. Like an old soldier, he wrote his last published piece for this magazine from hospital before he died. What a fitting epitaph for a man who spent almost all his working life in carving his own special niche in the world he so loved.
legacy that will live on for generations to come.”
He is survived by wife Anne and daughters Andrea and Karen.
GEORGE SELWYN
Wright and Michael Harris share a laugh during a 2012 interview
Fixtures hold steady in 2025 as BHA puts faith in Premier plan
British racing’s 2025 fixture list was published last month, featuring the continuation of the two-year trial of various changes designed to deliver more competitive racing and boost the sport’s appeal.
A total of 1,460 fixtures have been programmed, the lowest number for several years, including 162 Premier racedays, with minimum prize-money criteria raised by ten per cent. The Saturday afternoon protected window continues, as do efforts to strengthen Sunday racing.
There are changes to the fixture list breaks on the Flat, with the aim of supporting improved participant wellbeing.
The British Horseracing Authority’s Director of Racing, Richard Wayman, said: “The 2025 fixture list continues the two-year trial started in January this year, designed to enhance the quality and competitiveness of our racing, increase customer engagement and improve the financial returns to those who own, train and run their horses here in Britain.
“We are just seven months into the trial, and it was at an even earlier stage when the principles of the fixture list were agreed. As such, there were no plans to fundamentally alter anything for 2025, given how short a period this has been in terms of accurately assessing the performance of the changes.
“The volume of fixtures and races remains largely consistent with last year, but the race programme will fluctuate as more agile planning allows us to better tailor supply to the needs of the horse population – ensuring sufficient opportunities for connections to run their horses.”
He added: “We have published the fixture list much sooner this year, which will support earlier production of the Programme Book. We hope this will help field sizes in early 2025 by giving connections more time to plan their campaigns.
“Having increased the minimum prize-money criteria for Premier racedays, we did expect to see a contraction in the overall number, but, while some meetings have returned to core status, others have met the new thresholds. Hopefully this extra prize-money will be welcome news, as will the strengthened offering on a Sunday.”
The November Flat break has been moved to start immediately following the end of the turf season, so jockeys and others can take a break before returning for the all-weather season.
Additionally, there will be three days of rider-restricted meetings added on, creating an increased 11-day break for a large percentage of jockeys.
A five-day run of rider-restricted fixtures has been created in February, allowing multiple jockeys a break during the half-term school holidays.
Professional Jockeys’ Association
Racing Director Dale Gibson said: “The shape of the fixture list dictates the working lives of all participants, impacting partners and families. The relentless schedule, featuring multiple and repetitive evening fixtures followed by early-morning work-riding, takes its toll.
“We welcome the key improvements… alongside other programming elements that must continue to evolve.
“That being said, continuing to produce a fixture list where little changes from one year to the next is unsustainable and hardly likely to reverse the sport’s fortunes.”
Legendary hurdler Istabraq dies at 32
Tributes to Istabraq flowed following the death at 32 of the three-time Champion Hurdle hero who became a household name.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien for JP McManus, the hugely popular super-slick jumper chalked up a hat-trick in the two-mile hurdling championship at Prestbury Park between 1998 and 2000. He was cruelly denied the chance to become the first and only winner of four Champion Hurdles when the foot and mouth outbreak led to the cancellation of the 2001 Festival.
The son of Sadler’s Wells also won the Royal Sunalliance Novices’ Hurdle in 1997, and formed a formidable
partnership with jockey Charlie Swan, the pair also securing four Irish Champion Hurdles, an Aintree Hurdle and two Hatton’s Grace Hurdles.
In all, they combined for 14 Grade 1 strikes and won 23 of their 29 outings together over hurdles. Istabraq was retired after being pulled up in the 2002 Champion Hurdle, spending his retirement at McManus’s Martinstown base.
Istabraq started out on the Flat, winning two of his 11 starts for John Gosden and owner-breeder Hamdan Al Maktoum, and was picked up at the sales for 38,000gns by Timmy Hyde and his son-in-law John Durkan.
BILL SELWYN
The BHA is hoping to increase customer engagement and boost field sizes
Tributes to popular and respected Levy Board Chairman Paul Darling
Paul Darling, Chairman of the Levy Board and a King’s Counsel who specialised in commercial and construction law, died suddenly last month. He was 64.
Darling was named Chairman of the Levy Board by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in April 2020, succeeding Paul Lee.
He had begun a second four-year term as Chairman in April, having previously been a governmentappointed Board member of the organisation between 2008 and 2014.
During his chairmanship, the Levy Board played a vital role in the resumption of British racing amid the Covid-19 pandemic, when it provided additional prize-money at a time when racecourse finances were badly hit by the absence of racegoers.
In a statement, the Levy Board said: “The Board members and staff of the Horserace Betting Levy Board are devastated to learn of the sudden death of our Chairman, Paul Darling.
“Paul was a hugely respected and popular colleague and friend. He was devoted to the Levy Board, combining great ability with extraordinary enthusiasm, energy and a sense of fun.
“His passing will leave a gap in the lives of everyone at the Levy Board. We will miss him deeply but will remember his love of racing and all that he did for the Levy Board and for the sport over
Durkan had been working for Gosden but died in January 1998 after being struck down with leukaemia just months after acquiring the horse as he assembled a team to begin his own training career.
In a statement announcing the news, McManus said: “Sadly, Istabraq passed away at 1.15am this morning at the ripe old age of 32. He was a very special horse who gave us many great days of fun and enjoyment.
“Our thanks to Lara Hegarty, Johnny O’Brien and all the staff at the Martinstown Stud who took such fantastic care of him over many years. We are pleased that we gave him a good celebration for his most recent birthday in May. He leaves [wife] Noreen,
many years. Our thoughts are with his family and in particular his wife Camilla.”
In addition to his work for the Levy Board, Darling was a Board member of the Tote between 2006 and 2008, and Chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers from 2014 to 2019.
As a racehorse owner he was a member of the Royal Ascot Racing Club, which campaigned 2005 Derby hero Motivator.
He was Chairman of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority between 2009 and 2015 and was awarded an OBE for services to safety at sports grounds and horseracing.
The Newcastle United fan was also a director of his family’s south Tynesidebased business, Darling’s Pharmacy.
The warmth and esteem in which Darling was held was evident from numerous tributes across the industry.
ROA President Charlie Parker said his “unwavering commitment to protecting the sport and ensuring it thrived was unmatched.”
He added: “His absence will be profoundly felt by all who worked with him at the Levy Board and the wider racing community.”
British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Julie Harrington said she was “shocked and deeply saddened” by his death.
“The thoughts and prayers of
everyone across British racing will be with Paul’s family and friends as they try to come to terms with this desperately tragic news,” she said.
“I had the privilege of serving under Paul’s chairmanship as a member of the Levy Board. He was a steadfast advocate for our sport, and this is a devastating blow for everyone who knew and worked with him.
“We owe Paul a huge debt of gratitude. On a personal note, I will certainly miss his wit and wisdom.”
Julian Richmond-Watson, Chair of the Thoroughbred Group and a Levy Board member, said Darling’s leadership would be greatly missed.
He added: “His diligence and hard work as both a Board member and then Chair positioned the HBLB to provide generous support to British racing in recent years, not least during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
me and the family with wonderful memories.”
O’Brien said: “We were down there for his birthday and it was incredible to see him. He was treated like an absolute God through every part of his life, and he seemed super that day.
“People who are at the coal face in racing now, when they were growing up Istabraq was in his prime, so you would still hear people talking about him. He was kind of an almost mystical character really and it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing to get a horse like him.”
The trainer added, referring to Durkan: “We also have to remember John – it was well known that we were kind of looking after him for John. JP and Noreen bought him for John to train.”
GEORGE SELWYN
Paul Darling: huge loss to racing
Istabraq: horse of a lifetime
Changes People and business
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid
Owner removes all ten horses from Roger Varian’s Newmarket stable, including Irish Derby fourth Matsuri and Listed winner Boiling Point.
Aga Khan Studs
Makes decision to remove all horses from the care of Jean-Claude Rouget, who will enter into a training partnership with Jerome Reynier.
Ryan McElligott
Chief Executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association is taking up a new role as a race planner for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing.
Sam James
Jockey hit with 34-day ban, nine of which have been suspended, under totting-up rules for whip use.
Paddy Mathers
Northern-based jockey, 42, will be out of action until October at the earliest after sustaining serious injuries in a fall on the gallops in Malton.
Stuart Williams
Newmarket trainer enjoys his 1,000th winner with Bonaventure at Windsor on August 12, 30 years after his first success with Greenback in ‘94.
Alice Procter
21-year-old amateur rider leaves intensive care following a heavy fall at Cartmel, suffering a spinal fracture that required surgery.
Guy Lavender
Former MCC Chief Executive is appointed new Chief Executive at Cheltenham, succeeding Ian Renton, who moves to a new senior position at the Jockey Club.
People obituaries
Paul Darling 64
Levy Board Chairman and horseracing devotee was a highly-respected construction lawyer who managed his own litigation and arbitration practice.
Tim Frost 86
Dorset-based farmer owned and bred National Hunt horses for over 50 years from Childhay Manor Farm, enjoying Grade 2 glory with recent star chaser Sam Brown.
Pierre Hoyeau 91
Well-respected figure in French NH racing bred Nicanor, winner of Grade 1s at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in 2006.
Howard Wright 79
Hayley Turner
Record-breaking jockey partners her 1,000th winner in Britain aboard Expressionless at Yarmouth on July 25.
Bob Baffert
Trainer’s ban from having runners at Churchill Downs is lifted after three years. The sanction followed Medina Spirit’s failed drug test after winning the Kentucky Derby in 2021.
Michelle Payne
Woman who created history by winning the Melbourne Cup on Prince Of Penzance in 2015 retires from race-riding aged 38.
RacehorseClub
Qatar Racing drops its 50 per cent stake in the microshares company, writing off £928,000 in liabilities.
Tattersalls
Shirley Anderson-Jolag and Katherine Sheridan are appointed as sales managers at the auction house.
Much-admired racing journalist whose career took in Timeform, The Daily Telegraph, the Racing Post and Owner Breeder magazine.
John Thomson 83
Former Ladbrokes ante-post manager and odds compiler, he spent over 40 years with the bookmaker until his retirement in 2005.
David Hillyard 86
Managing Director of Racecourse Holdings Trust when it bought Epsom, Sandown and Kempton from the Levy Board.
Racing’s news in a nutshell
Racehorse and stallion Movements and retirements
Vandeek
Son of Havana Grey, a dual Group 1 winner at two, is retired from racing and will stand his first season at Cheveley Park Stud in 2025.
Goliath
US owner John Stewart buys a majority stake in the King George winner and hopes to campaign the Adlerflug gelding on the international stage.
Rouhiya
Daughter of Lope De Vega, winner of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, is retired from racing to join the Aga Khan Studs broodmare band.
Metropolitan
Zarak’s Poule d’Essai des Poulainswinning son will stand at Haras d’Etreham upon the conclusion of his racing career.
Horse obituaries
Istabraq 32
Three-time winner of the Champion Hurdle for JP McManus, Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Swan who won 25 races in all, including 14 Grade 1s, and over £1 million.
Crystal Delight 5
Talented gelding for the Harry Eustace stable, winner of two valuable handicaps this year, suffers a fatal injury in the Ebor at York.
Smiling Tiger 17
Triple Grade 1 winner in California for owners Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz went on to sire top-level victor Spiced Perfection.
Court Cave 23
Stalwart of the Irish jumps stallion scene from his base at Boardsmill Stud, siring Grade 1 winners City Island and Willoughby Court.
Liable 29
Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 2010 as the dam of Blame, who famously denied Zenyatta in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Kingsbarns
Son of Uncle Mo, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes, is retired from racing and will stand at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky in 2025.
Joshua Tree
Sire of top-class hurdler Irish Point moves to Haras de Cercy having stood previously at Haras du Grand Courgeon and Kilbarry Lodge Stud.
Free Wind
High-class daughter of Galileo, winner of three Group 2s, is retired aged six and will join her owner George Strawbridge’s broodmare band.
Ropey Guest
Popular gelding for George Margarson and John Guest Racing is retired aged seven. He won the 2023 Clipper Handicap and earned £300,000.
Thomas Crapper 17
Seven-time winner for the Robin Dickin stable, achieving Grade 3 success in the 2017 Greatwood Gold Cup Chase at Newbury.
Mister McGoldrick 27
Richard Longley’s popular chaser won 15 races, including the 2008 Plate at Cheltenham, later joining charity New Beginnings.
Gemologist 15
Son of Tiznow, winner of the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes in 2012, dies at stud in South Korea.
Black Caviar 18
Champion Australian sprinter won all of her 25 races, taking 15 Group 1s including the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Big Picture
Goliath slays rivals
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes witnessed an upset as French raider Goliath recorded a ready success over Bluestocking under ace Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon. The winner, a gelded son of Adlerflug trained by Francis Graffard (inset), attracted the interest of US owner John Stewart, who subsequently bought a majority stake in the four-year-old from his breeder Baron Philip von Ullmann.
Photos Bill Selwyn
The Big Picture
Speech silences foes
Godolphin’s Notable Speech made up for a disappointing effort in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot by recording a decisive success in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood under William Buick. The 2,000 Guineas victor was providing trainer Charlie Appleby (left) with his first strike in the Group 1 contest.
Photos Bill Selwyn
The Big Picture
Kyprios pure class
Six-year-old Kyprios is a fabulous example of the qualities passed on by sire supreme Galileo, who recently enjoyed his 100th individual Group/Grade 1 winner. This was the dual Gold Cup winner’s sixth success at the top level and his second Goodwood Cup, as he stormed home four lengths clear of Sweet William in the hands of Ryan Moore. Kyprios, trained by Aidan O’Brien, is owned by the Coolmore partners and his breeder Moyglare Stud Farm.
Photos Bill Selwyn
The Big Picture
Below from l-r: Godolphin’s two-year-old Aomori City sees off Wolf Of Badenoch in the Vintage Stakes; Get It, trained by George Baker for MyRacehorse & Partners, is welcomed back after taking the Stewards’ Cup under Pat Cosgrave; Lizzie Jelfs steers Reins Reigns Rains to victory in the Magnolia Cup; Opera Singer and Ryan Moore prove too good in the Nassau Stakes
Big moments
A winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival means plenty and for owner Paul Teasdale the meeting provided a famous double. His Big Evs came home in front in the King George Stakes under Tom Marquand while Silvestre de Sousa partnered two-year-old Big Mojo (left) to victory in the Molecomb Stakes, both winners sent out by Mick Appleby, who ended the week as leading trainer.
Photos
Bill Selwyn
The Big Picture
Legend of Troy
Twelve rivals took on City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York but only French raider Calandagan got close enough to throw down a serious challenge inside the final furlong. City Of Troy, sent to the front by Ryan Moore after breaking from the stalls, showed a superb attitude, galloping on strongly to take the prize by a length from Calandagan and Stephane Pasquier, with Ghostwriter three and a half lengths further back in third place.
The Big Picture
Trainer Aidan O’Brien (inset, far right) was effusive in his praise after the race, describing City Of Troy, previously successful in the Derby and Eclipse, as the best horse he has ever trained. A trip to the US for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt at Del Mar in early November beckons for the son of Justify, who will confirm his status as an all-time great if he can beat the Americans in their own backyard.
Photos Bill Selwyn
CITY OF TROY (USA)
scored his fourth Group 1 win with an emphatic victory in York’s Juddmonte International S. (G1), a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). His final time of 2:04.32 established a new course record
Owners: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, & Derrick Smith
Breeders: Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
OPERA SINGER (USA)
recorded her second Group 1 victory with a front-running win in the Nassau S. (G1) at Goodwood.
Owners: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, & Westerberg
Breeder: Mrs. Evie Stockwell
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
BLACK FORZA (USA)
made it back-to-back wins with a strong late surge to take the Richmond S. (G2) for 2-year-olds at Goodwood.
Owner: Eleanora Kennedy
Breeder: Dash Goff
Trainer: Michael O’Callaghan
Faces at the Races
GLORIOUS GOODWOOD
Elsa Sherwood, Paul Nicholson and Clare and Toby Lawes
Padma Drabble and Sally McCarthy
The riders ahead of this year’s Magnolia Cup
Black Forza and Dylan McMonagle struck for Eleanora KennedyTim Andrews, Ros Hargreaves and Laurence Andrews
Khadijah Mellah and Aamilah Aswat
Richard Hannon and Tara Gold
Megan Nicholls and Ella McNeill
Coral’s Simon Clare (left) with the delighted connections of Get It, winner of the Stewards’ Cup
Tallulah and George Baker
Photos by Bill Selwyn
BAHRAIN
2024/25 Race Programme
Racing around the World
BY GRAHAM DENCH
Shining a light on progressive Bahrain
The Bahrain Turf Club could not have picked two better equine ambassadors to promote its ambitions than Spirit Dancer and Isle Of Jura, whose wins in the latest runnings of its two most important races provided a platform for the kind of publicity money cannot buy.
Now the Turf Club’s fast-evolving programme is set for another major boost through the installation of floodlights, which will both elevate the spectacle and just as importantly enable Bahrain to host its best racing within its international calendar.
Sir Alex Ferguson, as part-owner and joint-breeder, had no hesitation in hailing his delight at Spirit Dancer’s win in last November’s $1m Group 2 Bahrain International Trophy as “the best ever in racing, without question.” When the Richard Fahey-trained gelding went on to follow up in the even more valuable Neom
Turf Cup at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, it was just the endorsement that the newly upgraded race wanted.
Fast forward to the three-month Bahrain Turf Series and George Scott’s Isle Of Jura, bought specifically for the purpose on behalf of Shaikh Nasser’s Victorious Racing, won four of his five races and pulled off a notional ‘Triple Crown’ of sorts, after which Scott described the thrill as “unbelievable” and “the absolute pinnacle of my career so far.”
Once again, that was not the end of the story. Isle Of Jura won a Listed race at Goodwood on his return and followed that up with such a spectacular success in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot that he’d have had a live chance against Goliath and company in the King George but for an unfortunate setback.
Ed Veale, the Bahrain Turf Club’s Director of Racing and International Relations, could not have scripted it better himself.
“Sir Alex’s horse winning was a PR dream and a very special day,” Veale agrees, “but then for Spirit Dancer to go on and win in Saudi showed how good he was.
“Then Isle Of Jura embodied what the Bahrain Turf Series was set up to do in terms of having progressive handicappers come and win what were domestic Grade 1 races and which, since the Bahrain Turf Series’ inception, have established themselves as internationally recognised races. He won three of our most important races of the season, including both the Crown Prince Cup and the King’s Cup.”
The Bahrain International Trophy is something of a standalone event for which international challengers fly in and out. Its positioning makes it an attractive option at the end of the European season, especially for fast-ground horses.
Recent winners have also been trained by David O’Meara and Saeed bin Suroor, while there have been runners too from a who’s who of top trainers, including both Aidan and Joseph O’Brien, Charlie Appleby, Andrew Balding, Ralph Beckett, ››
BAHRAIN BAHRAIN TURF CLUB
Isle Of Jura won four times in Bahrain for owner Victorious Racing, trainer George Scott and jockey Callum Shepherd (inset)
Racing around the World
John and Thady Gosden and Jessica Harrington.
French maestro Andre Fabre, no less, paid it a handsome compliment when he visited for the first time last November, saying: “More and more we have to go for the international competition and Bahrain is part of the circuit. I’m sure it’ll be really important for the coming years.”
With the Bahrain International Trophy having been so successfully upgraded, the focus now is on the Bahrain Turf Series, the initiative launched in 2021 to attract international runners to compete in Bahrain and which targets horses rated between 85-102 to compete against locally-trained horses, of whom there are currently north of 600, many of them imported.
Three years after its launch, it was felt the time was right to build on the success of the series and expand the international programme to incorporate all the premier races from the second half of the season. With that in mind, the new floodlights will allow much greater flexibility and they will mitigate some of the programming issues created by Ramadan, which advances by ten days every year.
“The new stables are fantastic and the training facilities are great too”
For 2024-25, the series has been expanded to comprise 12 races, now worth a total of $1 million, with a further $80,000 available in bonuses. It will start later, on December 20, and run until March 7, with two additional handicaps, each worth $100,000, set to be run alongside the King’s Cup at the season’s finale weekend.
All of the premier races in the second half of the season will now fall within the dates of the international programme, which makes it easier for horses to follow the Isle Of Jura path.
The Crown Prince’s Cup, the Shaikh Nasser Cup, Al Methaq Mile and the King’s Cup, along with further valuable races, will now all fall within the same window of the international programme as the 12 Bahrain Turf Series races.
Veale says: “It’s fantastic to have floodlights now, as it unlocks such flexibility with the programme going forward. It has been an ambition of the Bahrain Turf Club, and so we are proud to
have achieved it.
“We’ve been able to add the two additional handicaps, but more importantly the floodlights mean that the three-month window during which the internationals are here will now conclude at the two-day King’s Cup fixture in early March, which we are trying to elevate as an international day.
“Without floodlights, you start having to move key fixtures just when you are trying to establish them. The floodlights ensure that our key races retain their position in the calendar both for the sake of trainers, but also within the region, so the King’s Cup will stay typically two or three weeks after the Saudi Cup and around three weeks before the Dubai World Cup.
“The King’s Cup is currently at Listed level, but we hope that in years to come it will have Group status and will be attracting better horses year on year. Isle Of Jura can only have helped in that respect.”
Scott rents his Newmarket stables from Fawzi Nass, who is a long-time owner in the UK and also a significant trainer in his native Bahrain, so it was only natural that he would look at the opportunities there. Having sent one runner for the Bahrain Turf Series as a ‘sighter’ two winters ago, he knew what was required and last winter could not have gone better.
He hopes to send a significantly bigger team this time, when he anticipates plenty of new names will be joining him and other regulars who include George Baker, Hugo Palmer, Sean and John Quinn and Ian Williams.
Scott says: “We’ve got a strong connection to Bahrain through my landlord Fawzi Nass and it was always an ambition to send horses out there.
“When you get there, you are so well looked after. The stables are fantastic – all new, with air conditioning – and the
training facilities are great too, with two different tracks, a big one and a small one, and two different surfaces.”
The training tracks and two turf tracks, an outer track of 2,300m round with a straight 1,200m chute, and a slightly shorter inner track, both flat and righthanded, are expertly managed by former Chelmsford City Clerk of the Course Andy Waitt, who succeeded Neil Mackenzie Ross last October and is loving life in Bahrain.
Plenty of other familiar faces can be found in key positions, including the BHA’s former Head of Stewarding Paul Barton and racecourse vet Rob Van Pelt.
The facilities are all being constantly upgraded and drew praise from Scott, who says: “The actual track is very fair. It’s fast ground, but it’s level and very safe. Isle Of Jura was very comfortable on it.
“The prize-money is really good. Handicaps which might be for £30,000 here are $100,000 there, and they are arguably a little weaker, although I suspect racing will continue to become more competitive.
“The Bahraini people are the kindest and everyone gets incredibly well looked after. They want you there and they want you to have a good time. There are great hotels close to the racecourse and it’s just a really great experience all round.”
He adds: “We know how it works out there now and Rocket Rodney won a $80,000 race for us too last winter, so we are trying to put together a proper team of between five and ten, some of which will be horses already in the yard and others we’ll probably buy.
“I should think Isle Of Jura has done a really good job of promoting racing there and they’ve increased the prize-money again, so I’d hope that they get really well supported.”
There can’t be much doubt about that.
BAHRAIN TURF CLUB
The Crown Prince presents Sir Alex Ferguson with the Bahrain International Trophy
Paul Teasdale
Sangria and CHAMPAGNE
Paul and Rachael Teasdale’s ownership adventure started in Spain before going into overdrive with Rutland-based Mick Appleby, trainer of star sprinters Big Evs and Big Mojo
Words: Marcus Townend • Photos: Bill Selwyn
One of the most compelling stories to emerge from the Flat racing world in the last two seasons has its roots in the Costa del Sol.
Paul Teasdale and his wife Rachael are getting used to dining at racing’s top table thanks to the exploits of their Group 1-winning sprinter Big Evs, the quicksilver Mick Appleby-trained colt who has become one of the most popular horses in training.
Their success has been built on significant investment allied to some considered planning and the starting point was at the Hipódromo de Mijas, close to Malaga.
It was in Spain where the foundations for their racing operations were laid at the beginning of this century, with the highlight being victory in the Mijas Cup courtesy of the Les Eyretrained Mushajer, a horse previously owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum and trained by Marcus Tregoning.
Paul, who lives in East Yorkshire with Beverley his closest racecourse, recalls: “For many years I was a normal punter who liked going to the races and having a bet. I was into it in a big way but in the early 2000s someone persuaded me to buy a horse in Spain with Les.
“We were based in England but spending time in Spain. I bought one and we did well, so I bought more.
We ended up having a lot of horses with Les and winning plenty of races.
“We won the Mijas Cup in 2006 with Mushajer, the premier race in Spain at the time. In fact, we were first, second, third and fourth in four goes at the race.
“I was with Les for the best part of 19 years. When he came back to England, we ended up having a few horses with him, including Bedford Flyer, before he retired last year.
“Then I was looking around and decided on Mick as a trainer, so sent three horses to him and said, ‘We have lost a bit of our energy in racing but if we build it up and get it back, we will buy some more horses.’”
Appleby has certainly delivered his side of the deal and the Teasdales have reciprocated, spending close to £1 million on the four yearlings that they sent to the trainer’s Rutland stable for this season.
Teasdale continues: ‘‘Les didn’t advise us to go with Mick, but I narrowed it down to a couple of trainers I liked and admired.
“I wanted a yard big enough to be professional but not too big that there was not that personal feeling.
‘‘Also, my best horse at the time was Bedford Flyer. He was probably not quite as good as he had been but was still strong on the all-weather. I thought Mick was a good place to send him.
“There are some very good trainers in the north and we respect them. It wasn’t because Mick was better or they were worse, it was just we decided to go with Mick. We have built up a good relationship.”
Teasdale has put plenty of thought into who he should trust with his horseracing investment.
He says: “We are careful who we work
The Big Interview
Big Evs (noseband) proved too good for crack Australian mare Asfoora in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood under Tom Marquand
›› with. We think Mick is a great trainer and he has a good team. What struck us more than anything at first was that it was just such a happy yard, a real joined-up stable with good staff and good people, who work hard. We think that helps the horses.”
After Big Mojo, the son of Mohaather bought by Teasdale for 175,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls December Yearling sale, won the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in July, Teasdale referenced a “good man in Ireland” responsible for sourcing his new recruits.
That man is Conor Quirke, who operates out of Hunting Hill Stud near Castletownroche in County Cork.
“Conor has bought everything recently,’’ says Teasdale, the founder of Castleford-
based compliance testing business Premier Technical Services Group, which employs 3,000 people and serves 30,000 customers.
“He is a quiet, unassuming guy backed up by wife Kathryn. They are careful what they select and conscious of what they spend and how they spend it.
“He does a lot of research and puts a lot of effort in. The link came through Les – he was buying for him and bought Bedford Flyer.
“I haven’t been to the sales for many years, although I may go in October or November this year. I let Conor do the buying, although I sometimes watch online while we are bidding.
“You trust good people to do certain things and you get to know which
ones are the right ones – and which ones aren’t.
“I am a Yorkshireman born and bred, cautious in my approach. It is not always about results but how hard people try and the effort they put in.
“You can’t always be successful, but I think we have built up quite a close and successful team. Once we have built those relationships, we are keen to invest and back up what we want to do with the right talent.’’
After Teasdale transferred his horses from Eyre to Appleby, Big Evs, a son of Blue Point, was the first horse he specifically bought for his new trainer.
The latest effort of Big Mojo, who appeared not to stay six furlongs when cruising into the lead before fading
Paul Teasdale
into fourth in the Gimcrack Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting, reflects the intention to stay involved at the sharp end of the sport.
Yet no matter what Teasdale’s future purchases achieve, they will struggle to match the emotions stirred by Big Evs. His big following is in part due to the thread of poignancy which runs through his story, being named after Teasdale’s late friend Paul Evans.
As Teasdale puts it, the colt “has been nothing short of sensational’’, his wins last season including the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and a thrilling victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, beating the US speedballs in their own backyard.
This summer, Big Evs has successfully mixed it with older opponents, winning two
of his four races, including a thrilling success in the King George Qatar Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
He was also a creditable third to Aussie sprinter Asfoora in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and although Big Evs could only finish eighth to Bradsell in York’s Nunthorpe Stakes last month, his chance had been significantly reduced when handed an unfavourable draw.
The results have justified the decision to keep Big Evs in training after his two-yearold career, but Teasdale admits there was a risk attached to the decision, especially with some tasty cheques being waved in his direction.
Plenty advised the wisest course of action was to quit with the colt while
the going was good and whisk him off to stud, but Teasdale resisted, just as he had rebuffed the lucrative offers for the colt last year.
It has been reported that those included a bid of £1 million for a 50 per cent stake, a figure his owner dismisses as being “ridiculously low.”
The reality is that cash was never going to prise the colt named after the pal he lost to cancer from Teasdale’s grip.
He and Evans had been friends for four decades and shared trips to the races, most notably their beloved York, for 25 years.
It was Evans who Teasdale took to Doncaster for a behind-the-scenes tour and breakfast as guests of Channel 4’s The Morning Line, which he had purchased at a charity auction.
“The most important thing was keeping the memory of Paul alive”
“We had some substantial offers to retire Big Evs or to sell him at two for someone else to race,” says Teasdale, who splits his working week between Yorkshire and London.
“We wouldn’t entertain someone else racing him with the name meaning so much. I suppose we took a risk deciding to keep him in training. We had over 30 offers for him last year!
“For me, the most important thing was keeping the memory of Paul alive. We had some fantastic days together. We were very close. He would have absolutely loved every minute of what has happened.
“Big Evs was one of the best two-yearolds in the country, if not Europe, last year. He has certainly trained on when a lot of people didn’t think he would. He is now standing up in Group 1 sprints, which is a big feat.
“At the end of this year it will be time for him to have a quieter life and go to stud. We are very satisfied with what he has done. We have an idea of where he is going but we are still trying to finish it off.
“We have had some great people come to talk to us about him. There have been rumours, but it will not be announced until the end of the season because we want to focus on his racing until he finishes running.
“I don’t think being commercial comes ››
The Big Interview
Paul Teasdale
›› into it. It is about choosing the right home for Big Evs and keeping a legacy alive.
“To see Big Evs become a great stallion and [his progeny] running will be delightful for us. More than anything, it has been about doing the right thing for him.’’
Before retirement arrives, the dream now is for Big Evs to make a successful curtain call when he returns to the Breeders’ Cup, this year run at Del Mar in California.
“We got an invite to go to the Breeders’ Cup after Goodwood last year and went into it not quite knowing everything about it – but we learnt quickly.
“My wife and I only went out on the Thursday with the race on the Friday, but we had a brilliant experience and they looked after us enormously well.
“When we got there, we understood how difficult it would be to win. You realise how far you have come with the races set up for an American-style horse racing around a bend.
“We knew it would take a great horse to travel all that way and win it after being in quarantine for 48 hours. We were so proud of him when he won. That just spurred us on to go back if he is good enough – and we think he is.”
Paul and Rachael race under the RP Racing banner – a name taken from their
respective initials. They have planned for when Big Evs’s racing career is eventually over.
He says: “Last year I was lucky enough to buy a lifetime breeding right to Blue Point, Big Evs’s dad, from Sheikh Mohammed so I have a nomination every year without queueing.
“I’ve always wanted to win the Ebor and then go for the Melbourne Cup”
“We have bought a Sea The Stars mare called Light The Stars and sent her to him this February. We have a little filly coming in February next year and have also recently bought a mare called Georgeta, who is in foal to Havana Grey.
“We are very keen to re-invest. We will support Big Evs at stud, but also have his legacy living on by widening our investment
into the breeding side.”
Teasdale continues: “I’m wary of Book 1 – there are some great horses, but it is very expensive. Book 2 is probably more the value end.
“We have had a great year with Big Evs, and Big Mojo is just starting. We are pleased with what we have done, and we still have a lot to come out of the twoyear-olds, particularly a Lope De Vega filly called Loopey, who is a back-end two-yearold/early three-year-old type, so we were not expecting anything this year.
“We would like to continue on the track we are on, to be competitive in Group 1s, own some decent horses and enjoy it while we are doing it.”
The victories so far achieved by the Teasdales have largely been in sprints, but that has not been by design. One of Paul’s big ambitions is to win York’s Ebor Handicap, a dream inspired by Eyre’s 1997 success in the race with Far Ahead.
“I have always wanted to win the Ebor and then send the winner to the Melbourne Cup,” he relates. “That has been the dream, but I have not managed to get there yet. Maybe that is something for the future.”
Given the Teasdales’ success so far, you wouldn’t bet against it happening.
The Teasdales are keen to have another crack at the Breeders’ Cup with Big Evs before his retirement at the end of the season
Whisperview Trading
A view to EXCEL
It’s not all about training when it comes to the O’Briens – as the likes of Porta Fortuna and Heavens Gate have illustrated once again this season, the family are excellent breeders too
Words: Nancy Sexton
There was a sense of deja vu as Porta Fortuna entered the Ascot winner’s enclosure following her win in the Coronation Stakes. A glance at her enthusiastic American ownership group, made up of Medallion Racing and Reeves Thoroughbreds among others, told plenty on how important the filly has become in promoting British and Irish racing to an international audience. Yet her background is a familiar one that represents one of Irish racing’s most successful dynasties.
As with Ribblesdale Stakes winner Port Fairy the day before, Porta Fortuna was bred by the O’Brien family’s Whisperview Trading, run under the eye of Ana O’Brien, out of an inexpensively sourced female line that has been in the family’s hands for several generations. Both are also daughters of stallions once trained by Ana’s father Aidan O’Brien and are now themselves in the hands of an O’Brien – Porta Fortuna is the current leading light of Donnacha O’Brien’s Bawnmore Racing, while Port Fairy’s Ribblesdale victory contributed to Aidan O’Brien landing a 13th leading Royal Ascot trainer title.
Another quality representative, Heavens Gate, also nearly went from pillar to post in the Albany Stakes, only to be overhauled in the last 100 yards by her Ballydoyle stablemate Fairy Godmother and Simmering.
Only Coolmore bred more winners during the week, but when it came to the production of Group winners, Whisperview jointly shared the
accolades with that leviathan as well as Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, whose Reem Three family supplied him with Rosallion and Inisherin.
“It’s not something you’d ever expect,” says Ana O’Brien, looking back to that week. “We were so delighted
Qualify: Oaks heroine is a former graduate
Porta Fortuna: Group 1-winning miler is currently flying the flag for Whisperview Trading
last year when we had one winner [when Porta Fortuna won the Albany Stakes] and going back this year we never thought or expected to have two. We had a few runners and so you’d always be hopeful, but to have two winners was great.”
Success has already extended beyond Royal Ascot, however. Porta Fortuna has since taken the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket while Heavens Gate won the lucrative Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas, thereby becoming the second Whisperviewbred winner of the race in three years following Voce Del Palio in 2022.
Usdi Atohi, a Ten Sovereigns filly trained by Donnacha, also won the Listed Tipperary Stakes while the Aidan-trained Mountain Bear, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up,
recently ran a fast-finishing second in the Desmond Stakes as he continues his return from injury.
Of course, such Group 1 exploits are
“Going back this year we never expected to have two winners”
nothing new. In the years since Rock Of Gibraltar flew the flag for Joe Crowley and Aidan and Annemarie O’Brien
as breeders with his championship three-year-old campaign in 2002, Whisperview-breds have regularly featured at the top level, among them Oaks heroine Qualify, Dewhurst Stakes victor Beethoven, Racing Post Trophy winner Kingsbarns and National Stakes scorer Thunder Moon alongside the Group 1-winning siblings Iridessa, Order Of Australia and Santa Barbara. Plenty descend from mares originally sourced by Annemarie and her father Joe Crowley and while the availability of leading sires Galileo and Danehill have in some instances been important contributory factors, several have also turned out to be among the better performers produced by their sires, the multiple Group 1 heroine Iridessa, by Ruler Of The World, and Beethoven, by Oratorio, being cases in point.
Whisperview Trading
Recent achievements, however, also coincide with the arrival of Ana O’Brien as stud manager.
O’Brien could still be enjoying a career in the saddle had fate not taken a cruel turn in July 2017. She was riding Druids Cross at Killarney when the horse slipped up and fell, firing his jockey into the turf. Although she escaped serious brain injury, O’Brien fractured vertebra in her neck and T6 in her back, thereby bringing an abrupt and sad end to a successful career as an apprentice. At the time, she had clocked up 18 winners for the season and given her lead in the Irish apprentice race was only overhauled several months later in October, would have most likely ended the year as
They say though that as one door shuts, another one opens and once her recovery was complete, a gateway into the world of bloodstock awaited.
“It was a big change but it kind of fell that way really,” she recalls. “I did initially miss the riding. It was very unfortunate. I was probably having my best year ever. It was a dream of mine to win the apprentice title but I missed out on that probably because of the fall. But I can’t complain because at the same time I was so lucky to come out the other
“I always had a good interest in the stud but I wouldn’t have had much knowledge of the day-to-day goings on while I was racing. Even though we had our own place, I was never here day to day. So I had to learn an awful lot very quickly. I’m still learning every day. But then you never stop learning in this business – every day is a school day.”
Good staff and land are important elements to any stud farm. But the O’Brien team have another advantage in that different members of the family are likely to have either ridden or trained various runners in their horses’ pedigrees, including the sires.
One horse close to the farm’s heart in that regard is Arya Tara. By former Ballydoyle Horse of the Year Dylan Thomas and bred by Whisperview from a fine Aga Khan family, Arya Tara was partnered by Ana O’Brien in all of her nine starts, including when successful in the Stanerra Stakes
Ana O’Brien won four races on Arya Tara, now an important member of the Whisperview broodmare band
at Leopardstown. Now part of the Whisperview broodmare band, she hit the ground running at stud as the dam of the classy Caravaggio filly Agartha, who was trained by Joseph to win a trio of Pattern events including the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old.
“It’s a massive advantage knowing the families, and that’s from the lads training them to us then working with the mares and knowing their personalities,” says O’Brien. “I go back a long way with Arya Tara. I won four in a row on her, including the Stanerra Stakes and Apprentice Derby at the Curragh, and also rode her when she was third behind Order Of St George in a Group 3 [Irish St Leger Trial] at the Curragh.
“Now we have her on the farm and her first runner was Agartha, who was as tough as nails. Having bred the mare, ridden her and got on well with her on the track, it’s very satisfying to have her here doing well at stud.
“We’re very lucky that Dad is training most of the stallions we use as well. So we get a good insight into them from different angles. Not many people can say that, so we’re definitely lucky in that way. Everything I’ve learnt has been off Mum and Dad, Joseph, Sarah and Donnacha as well. We all work together, bouncing ideas off each other and making the decisions.
“We have a great team as well. We
“We’ve done very well with Australia – he’s a stallion who is underrated”
couldn’t do it without everyone helping each other. We’re very lucky that way. Mitch Barry is my right-hand man and I have a good few young people working here who have been with me for a couple of years now.
“We also sell a few at the sales under Mount Richard Stud and I’d like to continue doing that, maybe grow that side a bit.”
She adds: “I suppose the farm is known for being a good vein of land. We’re very lucky to have it. A few studs around us seem to breed a few good
horses. You’d often hear the old farmers saying that ‘this is a good field’ or that ‘this one is better than another’. It’s interesting to hear an owner talk of the land and their knowledge of a farm. I think it counts for a lot.”
Whether it’s the land, the raising and training of them or the pedigrees, the family are doing something right when it comes to producing above-average racehorses. For instance, Porta Fortuna is the best sired by the now Japanesebased Caravaggio, who was trained by Aidan to win the Phoenix Stakes and Commonwealth Cup, and the first foal out of Too Precious, a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor who was trained by Joseph to win four races.
Too Precious was bred by Whisperview out of the High Chaparral mare Delicate Charm, another homebred whose progeny include Australian Group 2 winner Numerian. This family joined the fold with the purchase of Porta Fortuna’s third dam Kantikoy for €10,000 at the 2003 Goffs November Sale.
“We always liked Porta Fortuna as a young horse,” says O’Brien. “She was very straightforward without being too flashy. She always did everything right, never caused any trouble or stood out for the wrong reasons.
“She’s out of a young mare that Joseph trained – she did well for Joseph, she was a good racemare and well-rated. We still have her dam Delicate Charm. She’s been a great mare and is still breeding away.”
She adds: “If there’s a family we like, we try to hold on to plenty of the stock. We still have Port Fairy’s granddam [Eccentricity], though she’s in retirement now. She was a great mare too – it’s been a lucky family for us.”
Eccentricity, a Niarchos-bred daughter of Kingmambo, cost just €11,000 at Goffs in 2013. So far, she is the dam of nine winners but Fabulae, her 2015 filly by Fastnet Rock, was not one of them, instead achieving the lowly rating of 35 in six starts for Joseph O’Brien. Yet it is a very classy Niarchos family, one that goes back to Stavros Niarchos’ Prix de Diane winner Northern Trick via champion Shiva, and for whatever reason it’s now clicked in the case of Fabulae’s first foal Port Fairy. The filly is one of 41 stakes winners for the Ballydoyle-trained Derby hero Australia, a horse that the O’Briens have a lot of time for.
“We’ve done very well with Australia,” says O’Brien. “We’ve always really liked his progeny and we have some really gorgeous yearlings by him again this year. I think he’s probably a stallion who is underrated a little bit. They also have great temperaments. From the minute they’re born, they’re very easy to have anything to do with. You’d nearly know going into a field which is an Australia by its temperament.
“I remember in training that he was a gentleman of a horse himself, you couldn’t fault him and he was so straightforward.”
Ana, Aidan and Sarah O’Brien celebrate at the ITBA Awards as breeders of Porta Fortuna
Whisperview Trading
While Porta Fortuna and Port Fairy are out of young mares, Heavens Gate is proof that with the right management, age can be no barrier to success. An imposing filly in the mould of her sire Churchill, she is out of 22-year-old Itqaan, surely one of the last Danzig mares with youngstock on the ground who is a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas heroine Ghanaati and granddaughter of Height Of Fashion.
“She’s a lovely filly, a great specimen with plenty of power,” says O’Brien. “She’s actually the last foal out of the mare. It just shows that even the older mares can breed a good performer.
“We like the Churchills. We’ve had a bit of luck with him. She’s a lot like him – she has that strength and presence that he has. He’s a straightforward horse to use, especially as you know that he’ll put a bit of size into them, which is a massive plus.”
There is the impression that no stone is left unturned when it comes to buying into successful families at a reasonable level. After all, it’s a strategy that continues to serve the family well; for that, look no further than the 82-rated juvenile Shimmy Jimmy, a homebred with Donnacha who is the only runner to have graced Britain and Ireland by the €2,500 French stallion Jimmy Two Times.
“We bought the mare Anayasa [for €9,500] carrying him,” says O’Brien of the Navan winner. “He’s by a sire you wouldn’t see much of but he’s a fun horse and he should be competitive in some of those nice handicaps going forward. He was always a character here.
“It just shows that even the older mares can breed a good performer”
“Same with Mountain Bear. He’s a real character, always the pick of the field – you’d go into the field with him and he knew he was good-looking.”
She adds: “It’s about trying to find the value with mares. There’s always a good bunch of mares that people want to buy but only the very few can afford, so we try to find the value where we can.”
In that, the gold standard is arguably the purchase of Senta’s Dream for
14,000gns through the BBA Ireland in 2013. Then a nine-year-old, she was catalogued to that year’s Tattersalls December Sale as the dam of a single winner from three runners. But she was also extremely well connected as a Danehill daughter of the tough Mendocino mare Starine, who carried the colours of her trainer Bobby Frankel to victory in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Under her new ownership, the mare proceeded to produce Iridessa, Order Of Australia and Santa Barbara, between them the winners of seven Group/Grade 1 races including two Breeders’ Cup contests.
“Senta’s Dream really was good for us,” says O’Brien. “I think all the foals we bred out of her won Group 1 races. Dad was responsible for buying her. It was an American family and whatever was in the pedigree caught his eye. He wasn’t too far wrong!”
If the likes of Senta’s Dream, Heavens Gate and Porta Fortuna have illustrated anything, then it is that pedigree nearly always comes to the fore, even if the immediate generations of a mare or filly appear a little exposed. Ignore those types at your peril. As Whisperview have repeatedly shown, they could be the next Group 1 producer.
BILL SELWYN
Port Fairy: the Australia filly is pictured with connections, including Michael Tabor and Ryan Moore, after her win in the Ribblesdale Stakes
The biggest purse in racing.
Irish yearling sales
Ireland’s FINEST
With the season’s early auctions in the books, the European yearling circus swings on to Ireland for the Goffs Orby and Tattersalls Ireland September Sales, where a selection of quality stock awaits
Words: James Thomas
Ireland is inextricably linked with the thoroughbred. The country has produced so many champions throughout Turf history, as well as countless important horsemen and horsewomen, and in September it opens its doors to the world with not one but two yearling sales of international consequence.
The headline event is the four-day Goffs Orby Sale at Kildare Paddocks starting on October 1. The Orby is often referred to as the Irish National Yearling Sale, and the makeup of this year’s 516-lot Book 1 catalogue offers a crystal clear illustration as to why.
The sire index features so many of Ireland’s high-achieving names, both
This €1.85 million daughter of Frankel was one of two seven-figure lots sold at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale
established and up-and-coming. From Acclamation and Blue Point, Dark Angel and Lope De Vega, through to No Nay Never, Sea The Stars and Wootton Bassett. Other heavy-hitting names from throughout Europe are represented too, most notably champion sires Dubawi, Frankel and Siyouni.
Among the world-renowned nurseries represented are the likes of Airlie Stud, Ballylinch, Baroda, Barronstown, Camas Park, Glenvale, Kildaragh, Lodge Park, Norelands, Staffordstown, Tally-Ho and Yeomanstown, to name but a few. In short, the lots being offered here are among the cream of the Irish yearling crop.
Last year saw €61,814,000 spent on 784 yearlings between Books 1
and 2. The market was headed by a Frankel half-sister to Tilsit who was sold by Camas Park Stud to Coolmore’s MV Magnier for €1,850,000. Make no
“We spend a huge amount of money and resources flying people in”
mistake, this is big business indeed.
“The Orby is the most important sale of our year because it’s our biggest
earner and our most high profile,” says Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby. “Orby Book 1 is arguably the most important two days of the year for Irish breeders. It provides them with a gateway to the world and we spend a huge amount of money and resources flying people in to ensure the sale has the widest audience. It’s a massive deal for us.”
The Orby has become an increasingly big deal for international buyers too. American participation played a particularly significant role in underpinning last year’s market, with the likes of Glen Hill Farm, Jacob West, Mike Repole, Clay Scherer, Kim Valerio and Wells Watson just a few of the names to figure prominently on the buyers’ sheet.
“As things stand we anticipate at
Irish yearling sales
›› least the same amount of American interest, if not more given there’s some new faces set to join in,” says Beeby. “We’re very proactive about attracting American buyers and they love the horses we’re providing and the hospitality. A great advantage for us is that they like working the sales grounds because it’s so easy. We’ve spent a lot of time in the Middle East as well, we have agents everywhere, because it’s important we market this sale in every corner of the globe.”
Those sentiments were echoed by John O’Connor, Managing Director of Ballylinch Stud. “It’s very important to have a top-level international sale in Ireland, that’s hugely important to the Irish breeding industry,” says O’Connor. “It brings people to Ireland to buy the best horses and they expect to find some really good ones when they get here – and I believe they will. This sale has become more international in recent years and is certainly trending in the right direction. Goffs are doing a very good job of promoting the sale globally and I’m confident they’ll bring a strong international buying bench to the Orby.”
Another name among the buyers last year was Classic-winning ownerbreeder Imad Al Sagar. The driving force behind Newmarket-based Blue Diamond Stud purchased six yearlings at last year’s Orby Sale, including recent Gowran Park debut winner Nancy J, and was so struck by the strength of the market that he has returned this year as a seller.
“Imad really liked the Orby, he thought they did a very good job of looking after him and felt there was more depth to certain areas of the market, so he thought we’d give selling there a try,” says Blue Diamond Stud’s Chief Executive Ted Voute.
“He was very impressed by the variety and number of American buyers that were there last year and he loves to try new things – he bought a farm in America last year [Stonereath Farm] and we’re selling at Keeneland too – so he wants to try several angles and see where we end up. I’m sure we’ll learn along the way but Goffs have been very helpful and have made the path a lot easier, as they did when Imad went over there to buy.”
Blue Diamond’s debut Orby draft consists of six yearlings, most notably the Frankel colt out of Tisa River (Lot 10). The youngster is not only a halfbrother to the Listed-placed juvenile Bolt Action but is out of a half-sister to the Group/Grade 1-winning trio Iridessa, Order Of Australia and Santa Barbara.
“He’s a lovely, easy going colt,” says Voute. “He’s a real Classic type of horse with three Group 1 winners – two of them Breeders’ Cup winners – under the second dam. He’s our star turn.”
The Blue Diamond draft also features a Siyouni filly out of a daughter of Majestic Sakeena (374). This means the six black-type performers beneath the second dam include two winners of the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes, namely Aljazzi, a 1,000,000gns purchase by Newsells Park Stud whose
Tatts Ireland September out to continue steep upward trajectory
The Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, which takes place at Fairyhouse from September 24, is another event riding the crest of a wave. Last year’s renewal bucked the wider trend at the commercial end of the yearling market with trade not only strong for the level but consistent too. This was reflected by the sale recording a record median price of €28,000.
The strength of 2023’s renewal has resulted in the catalogue expanding from 506 lots to 555 this time around. Hope is high that the growth in numbers will help the September Sale maintain its upward trajectory.
“There was a huge demand for places,” says Tattersalls Ireland’s Chief Executive Simon Kerins. “There was such a demand that handling the volume of applications was something of a challenge. As always, vendors ideally want you to keep catalogue numbers tight, but then they want you to get that yearling of theirs into the sale, so you’re always walking a tightrope when it comes to managing numbers in the sales.
“The critical number is somewhere in or around 500 lots, and we have 555 this year. We were under a lot of pressure to get horses into the sale and there were plenty of people left disappointed whose horses we couldn’t get in, but it’s a select sale and unfortunately we can’t take everything.”
Reflecting on the events of 2023’s September Sale, Kerins says: “It was a very, very strong sale last year. That was underpinned by a lot of European and UK buyers, which really helped to shore up the strength of the middle market. It was solid the year before too but it was even more solid last year. I’ve always believed that there was huge potential with this sale, so I think it can grow even more.”
The September Yearling Sale has produced 19 Group/Grade 1 winners who have landed 29 top-flight contests between them. These range from top notch two-year-olds like The Wow Signal and Unfortunately,
TATTERSALLS
Blue Diamond Stud’s CEO Ted Voute and racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe
a high-performing sprinter in Lethal Force, Classic runners such as Galileo Gold and Saoire through to those who improved with time and distance like Champers Elysees, Helvic Dream and Sonnyboyliston.
There is also a strong international theme running through the sale’s roll of honour, with celebrity names on the world stage including Lucky Nine, Time Warp, Waikuku and Xtension.
Although those graduates speak to the diversity on offer, the sale’s stock in trade in more recent times has been those who come to hand early. The September Yearling Sale produced more two-year-old winners than any other European sale in 2023, and has maintained that market-leading source of juvenile success deep into August of this year.
“You generally get a good mix in this sale,” says Kerins. “You get the two-yearold types – the breeze-up guys have done really well pinhooking yearlings here and trading them for very good rewards –and you’ll find the bigger models that will make a three-year-old too. Of the yearlings I saw during inspections, I’m very happy with what we are getting. There’s some really nice types.”
Among the standout pedigrees in this year’s catalogue are a Starspangledbanner filly out of a Frankel sibling to Middle East and Nayef Road (16); a Cotai Glory half-brother to the aforementioned Champers Elysees (105), while the same sire also supplies a halfsister to September graduate and Irish Oaks third Purple Lily (478); and a Ten Sovereigns half-sister to Technician (450). Lot 134 has already received a notable update as the Galileo Chrome colt out of Love On My Mind is now a sibling to a two-time Group 1 winner after Al Riffa
Al Riffa: a half-brother to the recent Group 1 winner is catalogued to the Tattersalls Ireland September Sale
added the Grosser Preis von Berlin to his victory in the National Stakes.
“A lot of vendors like to send their nicer horses to this sale and they invariably get well rewarded,” says Kerins.
“There’s a good cohort of loyal breeders who always support us, so vendors like coming to the sale and purchasers seem to like it too. It’s an easy sale to work and they’re well looked after – we make a big effort to look after everyone who
“We get a lot of Europeans and have some very active agents, and ITM are very helpful as well, while our own marketing team do a great job visiting the various different countries throughout the year. A lot of people are already booked in for this year’s sale.”
With the global bloodstock market appearing to be on the downward leg of its perpetual cycle, there are understandable concerns about the more commercial tiers of trade. However, while Kerins acknowledges those concerns, he
says there are still plenty of causes for optimism as well.
“There’s still a good demand for horses globally,” he says. “The Flat market, as we know, is an international market and there’s still a healthy appetite for horses, so I’ve no major concerns.
“There’s volatility out there in the wider world, for sure, but traders need to buy yearlings to trade, trainers need to buy yearlings to train and agents need to conduct their business. You’re always cautious before any sale rather than bullish, but I’d be cautiously optimistic. I think there’s a danger of us becoming professors of doom at times because I don’t think it’s ever as bad as some vendors or purchasers will make out prior to a sale.
“There’s a good, solid bunch of horses in this year’s catalogue and I think people coming to the sale will buy lots of winners, as they always do,” adds Kerins. “We often have horses running in Classics, A Lilac Rolla being one this year. So I think we always punch above our weight, and I think at the end of the year people always feel they’ve bought value here.”
Simon Kerins: ‘We make a big effort to look after everyone who comes’
BILL SELWYN
Irish yearling sales
›› Frankel filly is bound for Book 1 at Tattersalls, and this year’s wide-margin winner Running Lion.
“The Siyouni is a beauty and would stand up well against the sire’s yearlings that I saw at Arqana,” says Voute. “She’s a good, strong filly. Having bought Le Brivido a few years ago, I think this filly is the type that fits the profile of the good ones by the stallion.”
This year’s Orby Book 1 catalogue contains 29 fewer lots than in 2023, a decision Beeby says was taken to ensure the emphasis was on quality over quantity.
“We had 545 lots last year but we set out to tighten things up on the basis that we understand what the market is doing, and that people have also told us that number over two days is probably as many as we could fit in,” he says. “We’ve seen over the last ten or 12 months that there’s been a tightening of the market, so you’ve got to have exactly what the market demands at the time.
“We’ve been very well supported and I think we have a better selection than we had last year because the major Irish breeders have given us a higher concentration of their best. An illustration of the point is that last year we had four Frankels, this year we have eight. We’ve really focused on quality.”
Among the selected highlights of the stacked catalogue are: a fullsister to Winter Power (11); a Palace Pier half-sister to Anmaat (61); a Camelot full-brother to Luxembourg (93); the Dubawi colt out of Group 3 winner Dawn Wall (181); a St Mark’s Basilica half-sister to Sovereign (187); a Wootton Bassett half-sister to Continuous (232); a Frankel full-sister to Mohaafeth (243); a Dark Angel halfsister to Phoenix Of Spain (328); No Speak Alexander’s first foal, a colt by Frankel (383); and a Frankel half-sister to three-time Group 2 winner Sandrine (465).
Ballylinch Stud is among the Irish breeders to have thrown its support behind the Orby, with a 19-strong draft promising to add to the nursery’s already considerable roll of honour. “We’ve sold a lot of good horses down the years at the Orby, including Red Rocks, who won at the Breeders’ Cup, Together Forever and Forever Together, two outstanding fillies, the former of which is the dam of City Of Troy,” says O’Connor.
“Agnes Stewart was another good race filly, and she’s now the dam of Fallen Angel. We’ve sold a lot of very
good racehorses there and I think this year’s draft will contain plenty of good ones as well. We’re not short of good pedigrees and there’s some very nice individuals among the draft too.”
“The bonuses this year have made a massive difference”
The profiles of the youngsters Ballylinch is bringing to market certainly promise plenty. The standouts among the eight lots by the operation’s own Lope De Vega appear to be the half-brother to Saffron Beach (219), described by O’Connor as “a very nice colt”, and the filly closely related to Max Vega (131).
O’Connor also highlights the New Bay half-sister to Francesco Guardi out of a sibling to Treve (15), the St Mark’s Basilica colt out of Monroe Bay (360) and the New Bay halfbrother to Lumiere and Sheika Reika (455) as among his best. There is also the Waldgeist colt out of blue hen Green Room who is closely related to Together Forever and Forever Together (257).
“We always bring a very strong draft to Goffs and this year is no different,” adds O’Connor. “There’s no point going with anything other than a good draft and we’ve picked these accordingly. The market is particularly strong for the top-level individuals, we saw that at Arqana both selling and buying. It’s been difficult to buy anything that has a big pedigree and the physique to match and I’d expect that trend to continue across all the sales. There’s probably a degree of softening below that level but it will be interesting to see how the sales pan out. We all know there’ll be some top-level racehorses coming out of every level of the market.”
All yearlings in both books of the Orby Sale are eligible for the Goffs Two Million Series in 2025. As well as 20 €50,000 bonus races split equally between Britain and Ireland, the centrepiece of the programme is the seven-furlong Goffs Million, Europe’s richest two-year-old race. There is prize-money down to tenth place and winning is worth over €600,000. The last two runnings have been won by the €65,000 One Look and the €45,000 Galeron.
“We introduced the Million two years ago and it’s been very well received,” says Beeby. “The two runnings so far have been won by good commercial horses, which is what you want because it shows that everyone has a chance. The bonuses this year have made a massive difference and really caught the imagination.”
Jock O’Connor: will oversee a 19-strong draft from Ballylinch Stud at this year’s Orby Sale
A LEADING SOURCE OF 2YO WINNERS
Incentive and bonus schemes
Money MATTERS
Purse sizes in British racing are often the subject of negative comments yet a range of self-help initiatives and bonus schemes have been introduced with the aim of boosting ownership and the breeding ranks
Words: Edward Rosenthal
Far away in a parallel universe, British racing is enjoying millions of extra pounds in prize-money, funded by a consortium that includes some of the biggest players in the sport, whose successful collaboration was achieved in double-quick time.
It sounds fanciful, yet this is no work of fiction – high-value development races are taking place in the here and now, just one of the incentive and bonus schemes in operation aiming to stimulate both ownership and breeding on these shores.
In 2023, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) programmed a series of 63 races for two- and three-yearolds, financed by its Development Fund, the Levy Board and breeding powerhouses Juddmonte and Darley, that offered significantly enhanced prize-money, with host racecourses ‘match-funding’ contributions.
The series was designed to cover all bases – as well as two-year-old open maiden and novice races, two-year-old restricted maiden and novice races would cater for more economicallybred runners, with three-year-old maiden and novice races looking after later-maturing and staying types.
Staging these valuable contests for horses at the beginning of their careers would not only provide a financial incentive to owners, but also support the longer-term objectives of boosting the domestic breeding industry and ensuring more high-class young horses bred in Britain are retained to race in the country.
This year saw the British European Breeders’ Fund (BEBF), which for
EBF
“The first cheque received by a racehorse owner is the most important”
many years had funded a series of ‘super maidens’, including the Convivial at York, come on board along with bloodstock auctioneer Tattersalls. The series has grown to 85 races, each worth £30,000 or £40,000, creating a total prize fund of £3.2 million.
With many owners stocking up on next year’s two-year-olds at the
autumn yearling sales, the message is clear – there is plenty of prize-money available in development races, which will continue in 2025.
“These races offer a chance for owners to get a really good return on their investment, whether they have produced homebreds or purchased at the sales,” says Kerry Murphy, Chief Executive of the European Breeders’ Fund, which contributes over £2m each year to UK prize-money, including for its sire and dam restricted staying race series.
“It is vital we make owners aware that there is good prize-money on offer here – this collaboration from the bloodstock industry is a real positive.”
She continues: “The negativity around our prize-money has become something of a theme. We felt that if there was a whole series of races from spring through to autumn, then it would go a long way to answering that narrative.
“With these races, we want winning owners to come away really happy and satisfied that they feel like they’re getting some tangible prize-money for their horses.”
Jimmy George, Tattersalls Marketing Director, concurs. “These races are great opportunities for racehorse owners,” he says. “Providing prizemoney at maiden and novice level, where it is most important, makes Britain more than competitive with its European counterparts.
“Even on a global scale, the amount being won compares favourably with jurisdictions which people regard as the ‘poster boys’ of prize-money.”
CEO Kerry Murphy says there is too much pessimism around prize-money
‘We targeted the race – it made a huge difference’
Stephen Antram has owned shares in horses on and off for 25 years but hadn’t had a winner until June, when two-year-old Caburn scored on his debut in a restricted novice development race at Salisbury, bagging £15,462.
Caburn, who is co-owned with Sue Lancaster, Charles Pemberton and Michael Harrod, subsequently took the Weatherbys Super Sprint – and with it a first prize of £128,907 – before finishing fifth in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York.
Antram says: “The first win made a huge difference. We did target the race because of the prize-money on offer – it was all part of the plan.
“Although Salisbury is a fair distance, it was the right trip and compared to other races it was a huge pot.
“It’s expensive to have horses – I’ve got five in training now – so balancing the books is really important.”
Antram has used some of the prize-money won with Caburn, based with up-and-coming trainer Jack Jones in Newmarket, to reinvest at the sales, where he is also targeting GBB-qualified fillies.
“Recently I bought a yearling at Doncaster,” he explains. “I’ve also kept my foal – she didn’t make the right price, so I’ve retained her as she is GBB-qualified. I’m happy to race her. I’m also going to buy some fillies and target the GBB prizes.
“These bonuses really are making a massive difference – without them you’d definitely have to ease off in terms of the number of horses you have.
“I’m not in racing to make a profit, I just want to cover the costs, or get close to covering the costs as it’s a hobby.
“The bonus we won with Caburn – that kick-started everything. If he hadn’t have won so much money, I wouldn’t have bought my Time Test colt at Doncaster.
“These bonuses and initiatives are great. It’s so important for racing, especially for smaller owners.”
Tattersalls has its own incentive scheme, the £25,000 Book 1 Bonus, available to graduates of its premier October yearling auction that go on to win a maiden or novice race in Britain (Class 2-4) or open maiden in Ireland as a two-year-old.
The cost to enter the Tattersalls Book 1 Bonus scheme is £2,000, paid by the owner, with take-up at around 90% for horses in training in Britain and Ireland.
Over £9.5m has been paid out in bonuses by Tattersalls, and George feels the focus on rewarding young horses is the right move for British racing.
He explains: “The thinking with the Book 1 Bonus was that the first cheque received by a racehorse owner is almost the most important.
“You’ve bought your shiny new yearling for 50,000 guineas – the trainer’s told you it’s a nice horse – then you win your maiden or novice only to pick up £5,000. That might have been at a Group 1 racecourse.
“But if that £5,000 becomes £30,000 – that’s a massive statement and the sort of thing a racehorse owner can really get excited about. They can then pay a year’s training fees, or thereabouts, with that one win.
“The same ethos is driving the highvalue development races and the Great British Bonus.”
The Great British Bonus (GBB), launched by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in 2020 and funded by the Levy Board and through registration fees, has so far paid out over £15.5m to successful connections.
Designed to boost the appeal of British-bred fillies and mares, including those sent to the sales, the scheme, open to all filly foals born in Britain, offers core bonuses of up to £20,000 per race.
There are two entry levels: 100%
Caburn: winner of a development race on debut
Incentive and bonus schemes
›› GBB fillies, sired by stallions based in Britain at the time of covering, and 50% GBB fillies, sired by stallions standing anywhere else in the world.
Bonuses are distributed across the board, with 80% shared by the racing element (65% owner, 7.5% trainer, 5% jockey and 2.5% stable staff) and 20% to the breeder(s).
More than 3,000 races per year –maiden, novice and conditions contests – are GBB eligible, though the full bonuses apply solely to fillies-only races. Fillies can win multiple bonuses up to £100,000 if they are 100% Britishbred.
Last year, Adaay In Devon, trained by Rod Millman for Horniwinks Racing Syndicate, became the first Flat filly to land four bonuses, earning her delighted connections £80,000.
GBB aims to change attitudes towards buying fillies, and it’s clearly working, as demand for GBBregistered fillies and mares in the sales ring has resulted in an increase in the prices of Flat-bred fillies of 16% – halving the difference that existed between the colt and filly value – and an even bigger increase for NH fillies that are offered for sale.
A recent extension to the scheme, GBB Plus, will incentivise and reward middle-distance and staying fillies, along with chasing mares, boosting the potential return up to £40,000.
“GBB has been a fantastic innovation for the industry – I do believe it encourages breeders to choose Britishbased stallions,” says Julian Dollar, Stud
Director at Newsells Park Stud, which stands stallions Nathaniel, Without Parole and A’Ali.
“We are keen to see the proposed extension rolled out. Britain has an illustrious history for breeding great middle-distance horses, but recent trends have seen the commercial market turn away from yearlings that need a bit more time, or a longer trip, leaving farms like ours, which not only produce these types of horses but also stand two superb stallions who won over a mile, finding it more challenging to get support.
“I have no doubt that this new extension to the GBB scheme will both drive additional traffic to our consignments at the sales and also mares to our stallions.”
Looking at the gamut of bonuses available, it would be possible for a GBB-eligible filly sold at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale to win a development race, in the process pocketing upwards of £65,000 in a single race.
Yet in such a scenario, only the development race winnings would be recorded in the official prize-money statistics on the horse’s race record.
“It seems a lot of this prize-money is unrecognised,” George says. “That’s not helping the sport promote itself or sell the idea of racehorse ownership.
“Whereas on the France-Galop website, you can see prize-money, premiums and a combined figure –every penny is recognised officially in France.
“I don’t think we are making the most of what we have and perhaps a conversation should start where we look at ways in which we can pull all these strands together.”
All-weather riches
While the industry is focused on boosting rewards for horses in the early part of their careers, excellent opportunities for older horses and handicappers exist on the all-weather when the turf season is over.
The Arena Racing Company (ARC) £1 million All-Weather Bonus Scheme returns for a third season, with races staged over the winter and running up to Good Friday 2025.
Horses racing across ARC’s four all-weather racecourses –Lingfield, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton – will compete for a range of bonus prizes, including five Horse of the Month competitions and the overall Horse of the Year title, which carries a first prize of £100,000.
Runners accrue points for their finishing positions in the first three runs in each month at an ARC all-weather track, up to a total of 15 qualifying runs across the season.
The bonus scheme will include all races across the four ARC all-weather racecourses from Tuesday, October 22 to Good Friday, April 18, 2025, including the valuable All-Weather Championships Finals and Vase fixtures at Newcastle and Lingfield.
The five Horse of the Month competitions will operate in October/ November, December, January, February, and March/April. The January competition will join February and March/April in offering £70,000 worth of prizes to the top three horses.
In addition, there are bonuses for the stables associated with the horses successful in each of the five Horse of the Month competitions, plus cash prizes for the top jockey and apprentice jockey at each of ARC’s four all-weather racecourses over the season.
Mark Spincer, Managing Director of ARC’s Racing Division, said: “We are delighted to confirm the third running of the £1,000,000 All-Weather Bonus Scheme this winter.
“The competition proved incredibly popular in years one and two, and we were really pleased with the level of engagement from owners and trainers across the country. We are looking forward to getting underway again in October and seeing who will come out on top come the end of the season.”
The Makyowners’ Artisan Dancer (right) was All-Weather Horse of the Year in 2024
returns to ARC All-Weather Racecourses this winter!
Starts from Tuesday 22 October 2024 and runs to Good Friday 18 April 2025
Scan here for
Horses placing in the top five in every all-weather race at an ARC racecourse win points that go towards monthly and end of season bonus prizes.
HORSE OF THE MONTH BONUS POT
Paying to 3rd place
HORSE OF THE MONTH BONUS POT
Paying to 3rd place
Oct & Nov - Dec
Jan – Mar & Apr
Prizes to 20th place Oct – Apr competition rules and full terms & conditions
HORSE OF THE YEAR FIRST PRIZE
Breeders’ Digest
‘Galileo
Nancy Sexton Bloodstock Editor
is incredible’ - star stallion still breaking records
The first yearlings by Galileo were just heading to the sales when the first edition of this magazine went to press in September 2004. At the same time, Sadler’s Wells was on his way to a record 14th sires’ championship, making it almost inconceivable that his place as the dominant sire of the recent era would be challenged before too long.
Come the end of 2005, it was still very much watch and see when it came to Galileo. There had been just the one stakes winner, Juddmonte’s homebred Washington Singer Stakes scorer Innocent Air, among those first two-year-olds. In fact, I vividly remember one industry player declaring that it was Fantastic Light, Galileo’s rival on the track who also had his first two-year-olds that year, who was then showing the most promise at stud.
Looking back of course, it is unfathomable that Galileo should have been questioned. Within 12 months, there had been a first Classic winner in Nightime, the first three home in the St Leger led by Sixties Icon and a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner in Red Rocks ahead of a long stud career that would redefine the idea of brilliance.
Much of what this magazine has covered in the years since then has been influenced in some way or another by Galileo. There were the 12 British and Irish sires’ championships, one achieved with an incredible total of £12 million in 2017, the year that Churchill, Hydrangea, Rhododendron, Waldgeist and Winter combined to carry all before them for the sire. There was also the five Derby winners, New Approach, Australia, Ruler Of The World, Anthony Van Dyck and Serpentine, enough to make him the most successful sire in the race’s history, and of course the horse regarded by many as the barometer of excellence in Frankel.
For all his strengths, Sadler’s Wells was more inclined to throw a middledistance horse, sometimes with a knee action more suited to softer ground. Galileo, a medium-sized horse with tremendous balance and athleticism, had no such restrictions and in that
had the upper hand; send him the right mare and there was the possibility that a champion two-year-old, Classicwinning miler, Derby winner or Gold Cup winner could follow. In particular, he clicked with faster mares far more effectively than his sire ever did, an asset that appropriately came to the fore in the case of his 100th Group/ Grade 1 winner, Content.
Content’s win in the Yorkshire Oaks at York’s Ebor meeting last month came on the same track that her dam, Mecca’s Angel, won back-to-back Nunthorpe Stakes for Michael Dods. With Content having inherited a major dose of stamina from her sire, mother and daughter possess very different race records save for their Group 1 class. But the Coolmore homebred is yet another example of Galileo shining with a fast mare, thereby replicating the pattern behind the likes of Gleneagles, Churchill, Adelaide, Winter, Magician, Seventh Heaven and of course Frankel.
It is also very appropriate that Galileo’s century of top-flight winners should arrive in the form of a filly in the hands of Aidan O’Brien, the man behind so many of the stallion’s best horses. It’s long been a mutually beneficial partnership; O’Brien knows how to get the best out of the Galileos
and the typical one by the stallion thrives on the Ballydoyle regime.
“Galileo is incredible, they are so honest and so genuine,” O’Brien said following the Yorkshire Oaks. “The mark he’s going to leave on pedigrees is incredible. Content is a typical example of a Galileo. Even if there’s no more left, if their legs can move they put them out there and that’s what she did.
“Right to the end, Ryan [Moore] said there was no stopping her. Ninetynine per cent of thoroughbreds will get to that stage and hold up the flag, but Galileos don’t. They’re so genuine; they could be tired today and come out the next day and still put up their best. It’s a very unusual trait in an animal.”
Galileo’s achievement of siring a century of top-flight winners is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon. However, also very worthy of recognition is the achievement of his son Frankel in hitting 100 Group/ Graded winners, a landmark which arrived in early August courtesy of another Ballydoyle inmate in Lake Victoria, winner of the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket.
Frankel achieved his century in a record time of 3,144 days, a timespan that sits ahead of the likes of Danehill, Deep Impact, Galileo and Dubawi. Out of a particularly fast mare in Kind, a five-furlong Listed winner for Roger Charlton more in the mould of her sire Danehill than her middle-distance family, Frankel is another whose range of assets includes clicking with a variety of mares.
Like Galileo, some of those highquality fast mares have served as a complement to Frankel on various occasions; Lake Victoria, as a daughter of Haydock Sprint Cup heroine Quiet Reflection, is a case in point as is Content’s half-sister Bedtime Story, who brought up Group/Graded stakes winner number 99 for her sire in the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown in July. Now unbeaten in four starts following her success in the Debutante Stakes over fellow Frankel filly Exactly, it must be short odds that she will be another Group 1 winner for her sire and dam come the end of the year.
GEORGE SELWYN
Galileo: landmark 100 Group 1 winners
Sales
Carl Evans
Tempered start to yearling sales season in France
Arqana August Yearling Sale
This epitome of a luxury goods market –choice products in a unique location –could not swerve the realities of buyers’ budgets in 2024.
There were no €2 million horses and the overall figures were down, albeit they were following on from a record sale 12 months ago. There were falls of 18 per cent in the median price (€140,000) and seven per cent in the average (€216,004), while turnover fell 11 per cent to just under €50m. It crept close to that mark by virtue of 16 private sales, double the number of the previous three years and a sign that buyers were cautious in the ring but prepared to talk prices with vendors.
Once again the sale took place in the seaside town of Deauville over three sessions, starting on a Friday afternoon and continuing after some quality racing at the local track on Saturday and Sunday evening. Observers had to wait until the final session for the sale topper, a €1.7m filly from the first crop of Coolmore’s St Mark’s Basilica and out of the top-class mare Prudenzia, the dam of eight successful foals including Group 1 fillies Chicquita and Magic Wand.
The last-named was bought at this sale in 2016 for €1.4m by Coolmore and associates who have invested in a number of Prudenzia’s offspring down the years,
and it was no different with the latest yearling. MV Magnier signed for the filly, who was bred by the Henri Bozomanaged Haras des Monceaux and the late Lady Chryss O’Reilly. Magnier complimented the breeders for sending such an outstanding broodmare to a first-season sire, and while he owns the said stallion, it was a good point.
Eight of the top ten prices across all three days were fillies, and it was the same statistic at the final session where two made €1m. They were a Ballylinch Stud-bred and consigned daughter of Lope De Vega, who was knocked down to Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of Bahrain’s Sheikh Nasser, and a Night Of Thunder filly who joined Al Shira’aa Racing after a bid from its representative Kieran Lalor. Abu Dhabi-based Al Shira’aa Racing is headed by Sheika Fatima bint Zayed Al Nahyan, a granddaughter of Sheikh Mohammed.
The colts who prevented female domination of the top-ten board were a son of Wootton Bassett from Haras d’Etreham who fetched €1.4m to a bid from Resolute Racing, and a €850,000 Night Of Thunder colt who joined the ever-growing Wathnan Racing fold having been offered by Monceaux.
David and Diane Nagle of Barrronstown Stud bred the Wootton Bassett, who became a first French purchase by free-spending American John Stewart of Resolute Racing and Bloodstock. Stewart also bought a Monceaux-consigned Dubawi colt for €550,000, while the Night Of Thunder colt had been bred by a Monceaux, Qatar Racing and Barbara Keller partnership. Frankel was bound to feature and one
This St Mark’s Basilica filly became the seventh million-euro yearling out of Prudenzia
John Stewart of Resolute Racing struck at €1.4 million for this Wootton Bassett colt
of his daughters from Haras des Capucines made €800,000 when selling to Japan’s Yoshito Yahagi, who two years ago purchased the yearling’s Kingman half-brother Awaking. Expect to see him among Japanese raiders on Arc weekend at Longchamp where he is set to tackle the Prix de la Foret.
Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing headed buyers when investing €3,135,000 in ten yearlings, led by a €550,000 daughter of St Mark’s Basilica offered by Monceaux. That operation cantered to the position of leading vendor through sales of 32 lots for nearly €13m, some 26 per cent of the event’s turnover.
Wootton Bassett had the numbers to
take leading stallion honours by aggregate, his 21 sold lots changing hands for just over €6.5m at an average of €314,048.
The leading stallion by average was Night Of Thunder, whose five lots sold for just over €3m at €612,000 each, a handsome return on his 2022 covering fee of €75,000.
Statistics
Sold: 240 (82% clearance)
Aggregate: €49,982,000 (-11%)
Average: €216,004 (-7%)
Median: €140,000 (-18%)
Arqana August Yearling Sale
F St Mark’s Basilica - Prudenzia Monceaux
TALKING POINT
• Not for the first time, the buying position of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation had an impact at a major bloodstock auction, in this instance at Arqana’s August Yearling Sale. In 2023 Godolphin accounted for nine lots worth a total of €4.5m, but it trimmed that to one purchase for €400,000 at this latest edition. The colt in question was not a son of Dubawi or any other Darley stallion, but Galiway, who stands at Haras de Colleville.
1,700,000 MV Magnier
C Wootton Bassett - Dardiza Etreham 1,400,000 Resolute Bloodstock
F Lope De Vega - Normandel Ballylinch Stud
F Night Of Thunder - Paix Monceaux
C Night Of Thunder - Enchanting Skies Monceaux
F Frankel - Waldjagd Capucines
F Night Of Thunder - Encapsulation Baroda Stud
F Sea The Stars - La Vie Castillon
F Siyouni - Flaunt Monceaux
F Siyouni - Right Hand Monceaux
Arqana August v.2 Sale
Buyers, mostly French, stayed on or returned to Deauville for Arqana’s v.2 yearling sale, a single session which took place two days after the August Sale had been completed.
With 170 lots, three more than last year and the biggest catalogue since the sale was founded in 2013, there was plenty of choice for horses bred with an emphasis on precocity. Once again the figures were down, yet they did not collapse, and in a statement by Arqana’s Olivier Delloye and Freddy Powell, the event was described as “one of the best v.2 sales since its creation”. That comment was made despite more than €1m being knocked off turnover.
With private sales it reached a figure of €4,558,000, which was down 19 per cent, while there were falls of 14 per cent in the average price to €33,504 and ten per cent in the median to €27,000. The clearance rate fell three points to 82 per cent.
Delloye replaced Eric Hoyeau in the top job at the start of the year, but you cannot keep a good name down, and that of Arthur Hoyeau – Eric’s son – appeared
1,000,000 Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock
1,000,000 Al Shira’aa Racing Ltd
850,000 Blandford Bloodstock
800,000 Yoshito Yahagi
780,000 Richard Knight/Salhia Stud
730,000 Solis/Litt
700,000 Dream With Me Stable
650,000 Thoroughbred Racing Corporation
alongside the top lot, a grey daughter of Starspangledbanner who was sold by Fairway Consignment for €115,000.
Hoyeau Jnr, a bloodstock all-rounder who
has offices in Lexington and Saint-Cloud, said the filly would remain in France.
A €100,000 Siyouni filly generated echoes of a dramatic moment at the Goffs
A Starspangledbanner relation to Mangoustine was the star turn of the August v.2 Sale
Sales Circuit
London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot. On that occasion Prix de Diane winner Sparkling Plenty was thought to have been sold for a thumping £8.1m, although the final bid had been made by her owner-breeder Jean Pierre Dubois, who subsequently struck a deal with Al Shaqab Racing to create a partnership for his Classic winner around the sum of £5m.
The two parties have clearly enjoyed the arrangement, for Al Shaqab bought the aforementioned Siyouni yearling and Dubois, who bred her, was said to have retained a stake.
French trainers Jean-Claude Rouget and Fabrice Chappet respectively picked up a filly by Goken for €90,000 and a Kendargent colt – bred by Chris Wright’s Stratford Place Stud – for €85,000. The same sum enabled Sussex-based Frenchman David Menuisier to buy a filly from the first crop of Armor, a €5,000 stallion standing at Haras de Bouquetot. The son of No Nay Never won Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes in 2021. Menuisier trains another Goodwood winner, the recent Golden Mile victor Toimy Son, who is a half-brother to the
F Starspangledbanner - Spanish AngelFairway Consignment
F Siyouni - Undertake Capucines
Goffs UK Summer Sale
A dramatic dispersal of horses owned by Chris Giles created a world-record auction price for a jumper at this one-day sale held in Doncaster.
It hardly needed a name change – from August to Summer – to give it renewed pep once Giles decided to clear an 11-strong hand of cards which contained five aces and various kings, queens and jacks. Giles had announced he needed to spend more time with his family while balancing work commitments at home and abroad, a blow to ebullient 14-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls who housed most of the horses.
Yet Nicholls is adept at palming off difficulties, and instead of lamenting the loss while brooding in his Ditcheat office, he scouted around owners, put together groups who could buy Giles’s cast-offs, and headed to Doncaster where he swept up a goodly proportion. The Koh-i-Noor in this particular crown of jewels – all offered through Juliet Minton’s Mill House Stud – proved to be Regent’s Stroll, a five-yearold Walk In The Park gelding, unbeaten after two impressive bumper victories and
TALKING POINT
• Figures achieved at horses-intraining sales are not necessarily a guide to the marketplace or the racing and bloodstock industries.
More often than not they simply reflect the quality of horses put up for sale, and if a few stakes
Armor filly. Rouget bought five lots totalling €222,000 to become leading buyer, while Normandy’s Haras des Capucines led the table of vendors through sales of 11 lots that generated €466,000.
Statistics
Sold: 140 (79% clearance)
Aggregate: €4,558,000 (-19%)
Average: €33,504 (-14%)
Median: €27,000 (-10%)
Arthur Hoyeau
Mandore/Al Shaqab Racing
knocked down for £660,000.
Bloodstock agent Tom Malone made the winning bid on Nicholls’ behalf, securing the gelding for a partnership involving John Hales and Ged Mason among others. Hales is also involved in a group which in February set the previous
winners or graded jumpers join the catalogue, the figures can swing wildly from year to year.
Take the example of Doncaster’s Summer Sale, where, with a glittering array of young talent being offered in the Chris Giles dispersal, the sale’s figures went into orbit,
highest mark for a jumper in training when paying €740,000 for Caldwell Potter at the Andy and Gemma Brown dispersal staged by Tattersalls Ireland. That sum, equivalent to about £631,000, eclipsed the £620,000 given for Interconnected at Doncaster in 2019.
with turnover rising 220 per cent, the average price gaining 138 per cent and the median 80 per cent.
Heady stuff for Goffs, but hopefully a one-off, otherwise we will be reflecting on the exit of another high-profile racehorse owner.
Arqana August v.2 Sale
F Goken - Ponte Bawi Colleville
90,000 Le Marais/JC Rouget
Regent’s Stroll set a new mark for a jumps horse in training when sold for £660,000
GOFFS
Regent’s Stroll was tipped to top the sale, but he was not the poster boy for the event. That role was taken by his Gilesowned stablemate Stay Away Fay, winner of last year’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and since successful at Grade 2 level over fences. Nicholls clearly believes there were good reasons why the seven-year-old was subsequently pulled up at Cheltenham and in the Scottish National, for he instructed Malone to fend off rivals with a bid of £325,000. Also listed as a buyer in the son of Shantou was Dave Staddon, who owned a share of the gelding with Giles.
Another racehorse owner, Brendan McManus, had shares with Giles in Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Rubaud, and he retained his interest when the six-year-old returned to Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard following a bid of £200,000, while the same sum enabled the trainer to leave with unraced fouryear-old Rocket Scientist, a son of Blue
from the family of his
Denman. With all 11 lots finding a buyer, the Giles draft turned over £1.9m. Not that Mill House Stud was focused solely on orchestrating its dispersal, for Minton’s team also offered the high-class five-year-old July Flower on behalf of owner Caolan Woods. His mare, a four-time winner in France where she was also placed at the top level, will be joining Henry De Bromhead, who trained her to run in the mares’ bumper at Aintree in the spring of 2023. Unplaced on that
Stay Away Fay 7 g Shantou - Augusta Bay Mill House
Rubaud 6 g Air Chief Marshal – Fulgence Mill House Stud
Rocket Scientist 4 g Blue Bresil - Potters Den
Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale
Tattersalls Ireland gave this sale a fresh look by changing the format of Parts 1 and 2 into a straight two-day sale of supposedly equal stock.
Such a change can give an auction a shot of adrenalin, but the July Store Sale is designed for slightly lesser horses, those who are too immature for an earlier, higher-profile sale, plus the unlucky ones who are kept back due to minor setbacks. As such, and at a time when gems find buyers but base metal is harder to sell, the revamped auction was a low-key event.
The sales company did not produce comparative figures due to the changed format, but a 60 per cent clearance rate summed up the difficulties faced by vendors.
If, for nominal interest sake, the average and median prices from Part 1 last year (€13,595 and €11,000 respectively) are placed alongside the average and median figures for the latest renewal over two days (€9,040 and €6,500), you get another angle on the challenges facing breeders and foal buyers who sell stores.
occasion, but frequently in the money since, she was sold to De Bromhead for £350,000, a terrific sum for this event, but slightly overshadowed by the Giles dispersal.
Statistics
Sold: 135 (72% clearance)
Aggregate: £3,644,000
Average: £26,993
Median: £9,000
Tom Malone/Dave Staddon/ Paul Nicholls
Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls
Malone/Paul Nicholls
A miserably wet spring, creating a glut of abandoned and heavy-ground point-to-points on both sides of the Irish Sea, has been a theme at store sales this summer, and while July feels a long way from mid-winter action, the trainers of pointers were in no mood to forget the stock they could not race in the spring –or who performed moderately on unsuitable ground – and have yet to shift. Such traders were on the sales ground and still willing to purchase a good model, but with a tight rein on the price they were prepared to pay.
Bresil
great chaser
Paul Nicholls (left): retained plenty on offer
Henry De Bromhead will take charge of the classy mare July Flower
Goffs UK Summer Sale
Sales Circuit
County Wexford’s Matty Flynn O’Connor has become one of the boldest members of this particular tribe, and it was his bid of €65,000 which gained him the sale’s star lot, an Order Of St George gelding offered on day two from the Hore family’s Mount Eaton Stud.
Bought as a foal for €23,000, the horse at the centre of this transaction –whose valuation equalled the July Store Sale’s highest price recorded in 2022 – is a half-brother to two winners under Rules having been foaled by the unraced Shernazar mare Miss Cilla, a half-sister to Grade 1-winning hurdler Peddlers Cross. O’Connor said he will have “50 or 60” pointers for next season, an indication of the size of operation at the top-end of Irish point-to-pointing.
Either through chance or because buying options were drying up, day two produced stronger average and median figures than day one, albeit the clearance rate was two points lower. County Antrim’s Stuart Crawford found €45,000 to buy a Wings Of Eagles gelding, while another native of Northern Ireland, County Down’s Terence Steele, gave €38,000 for a son of Telescope who had been bred in England by Bryan Mayoh, but sold as a yearling for €14,000.
JJ Bowe’s €35,000 gained him a Jukebox Jury filly who proved the best of her sex. She will be trained by Sam Curling.
Trade on day one was headed by a
€36,000 Valirann gelding consigned by A C Bloodstock and knocked down to trainer Cian Collins, whose purchase came from the family of Grade 1-winning chaser Banbridge, successful in the Champion Chase at the latest Punchestown Festival for owner Ronnie Bartlett and trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Visitors from Britain included Somerset trainer Jeremy Scott, who paid €32,000 for a Malinas gelding, while British point-to-point handlers who crossed the
Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale
G Order Of St George - Miss Cilla Mount Eaton Stud
G Wings Of Eagles - Sleep By Starlight Cooladurragh House
G Telescope - Indian Stream Ballincurrig House Stud
G Valirann - Blanaid Of Ossory A C Bloodstock
F Jukebox Jury - Soeur Dee Burgage Stud
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale
The top end of the American yearling market is in rude health judging by the boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in New York, writes Nancy Sexton. Records were demolished over the course of two evening sessions that featured 12 milliondollar yearlings. No fewer than 70 lots made $500,000 or more – 45 per cent of those sold – which in turn helped fuel a record average of $533,506.
A total of 154 yearlings changed hands in the ring, exactly the same number as in 2023, yet for a greater turnover of $82,160,000. And while the clearance rate
at these top-end sales can be shaky, there were no such issues on this occasion as illustrated by a figure of 81.5 per cent.
Taylor Made Stallions’ Not This Time, recently represented in Britain by Norfolk Stakes winner Shareholder, has helped numerous breeders as he’s shot up the ladder from his initial level of $15,000 and the Saratoga Sale was no exception. Led by the $3.4 million sale-topper, who was knocked down to Donato Lanni on behalf of Amr Zedan’s Zedan Racing, Not This Time returned a sale average of $846,000 for ten sold, an impressive return off his 2022 fee of $45,000.
Irish Sea and bought horses included Dorset’s Chris Barber and Devon’s Dean Summersby and Ian Chanin.
Statistics
Sold: 264 (60% clearance)
Aggregate: €2,386,650 (No comparative figure)
Average: €9,040
Median: €6,500
Cian Collins
JJ Bowe
The sale-topper was bred by Susan Casner out of the stakes-placed Kayce Ace, a Tiznow sister to Grade 1 winner Colonel John whose earlier foals include the Grade 3-winning two-year-old Comical. He was the only horse offered by Kim Nardelli’s Nardelli Sales.
As is typical of Zedan’s string, the colt will join trainer Bob Baffert.
“We came here to try to buy a horse that you can get to the [Kentucky] Derby,” said Baffert. “That’s why we bought him.” Baffert finally has good reason to target America’s iconic Classic, even if the horse in question is still only a yearling. In late
An Order Of St George gelding topped the Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale at €65,000
A Not This Time colt was one of 12 million-dollar yearlings sold in Saratoga
July, Churchill Downs Incorporated lifted its ban on Baffert’s runners at its tracks, thereby ending a near three-year-long saga that was triggered when the ill-fated Zedan-owned and Baffert-trained Medina Spirit returned a failed drugs test after finishing first past the post in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
TALKING POINT
• This time last year John Stewart was a relative unknown in the bloodstock world. That all changed at the Keeneland September Sale, where through agent Gavin O’Connor he spent $8,425,000 on 13 yearlings.
Then the floodgates opened. Not long after, Stewart spent $13,350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale, including $6m on the top lot Goodnight Olive, then purchased a former Shadwell property in Kentucky before underbidding the A$10m Pierro filly out of champion Winx at the Inglis Easter Sale in Australia.
Stewart, who made his fortune in private equity, engages avidly with social media, with his posts on X ranging from live activity on the
C Into Mischief - Sweet
C Gun Runner - Secret Sigh
F Curlin - Matera
C Gun Runner - Lady Godiva
An Into Mischief grandson of champion grass mare Perfect Sting, meanwhile, paid a fine tribute to his co-breeder Martin Wygod, who died in April, when selling for $2.4m to Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner’s Speedway Stable through agent Marette Farell. Wygod bred the colt with his wife Pam out of the stakes-placed Sweet Sting, a $310,000 purchase by the couple in November 2020.
The Coolmore team, working with Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, were also typically active, in this instance going to $1.9m and $1m for colts by Gun Runner and Into Mischief. It was at the 2022 Saratoga Sale that the partnership came away with a $2.3m son of Gun Runner who turned out to be Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone. Their latest acquisition by the sire was bred by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine and is out of a Tapit half-sister to Frankel’s top Japanese miler Mozu Ascot. As for the Into Mischief, he is bred on the same
sale grounds to public clashes with Mike Repole, another big personality within the American racing scene.
Anyone following Stewart would have been left in no doubt ahead of Saratoga on his plans to make an impact at the sale, which he duly did to the tune of $9,085,000 on 11 yearlings including $1.7m on a colt by Gun Runner.
A buying spree in Europe was surprisingly missing from Stewart’s CV until the Arqana August Sale several weeks later, where his Resolute Bloodstock signed for €2.17m worth of stock, including a €1.4m son of Wootton Bassett. And it won’t be long until Britain or Ireland welcomes this character judging by his comments during a live stream hosted by the man himself on X.
Distorted Humor cross as Coolmore’s successful young sire Practical Joke and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner She Can’t Sing.
Godolphin made a single purchase, going to $1m for a Justify colt from the family of Canadian champion Inglorious sold by Hunter Valley Farm. His sale contributed to an outstanding two days for his co-breeder the Solari family, whose Don Alberto Corporation also bred and sold a Curlin filly out of Matera for $1.9m to Jacob West on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low, and a Tapit colt out of Mopotism for $1.5m to Travis Boersma’s Flying Dutchmen.
Statistics
Sold: 154 (81.5% clearance)
Aggregate: $82,160,000 (+9%)
Average: $533,506 (+9.5%)
Median: $425,000 (+13%)
In an enlightening insight into Resolute Bloodstock on the eve of the Saratoga Sale that was watched by about 2,000 people – and shared by countless others –Stewart outlined his hopes to make his presence felt in Europe, as long as he is able to make it to the sale grounds.
“Goffs want us to come this year, and we would have come last year [for Goffs November] but myself and Gavin were over there and Coolmore intercepted us,” he explained very matter of factly to the camera.
“Coolmore were supposed to be giving us a farm tour… but I don’t think they were going to let us leave unless we bought horses.
“This time the Goffs people have said they want to get us before we are kidnapped.”
Sales, agent
F Gun Runner - Pure Clan Gainesway, agent
C Tapit - Mopotism Lane’s End, agent
C Charlatan - Goldfield
Resolute Bloodstock
Hill Farm LLC
Dutchmen
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale
John Boyce cracks the code
Two decades of change
Given that this month’s issue marks the 20th anniversary of Owner Breeder magazine, it is perhaps a good opportunity to ponder on some of the structural changes that have taken place since 2004 among European stallions as well as looking back at some of the stars of 2004.
It seems that with each passing generation of stallions, there is always debate about increasing crop sizes and what implications there are for the breed. In 2004, it was a live issue and if proponents of smaller book sizes were worried then, they will be horrified now.
We can gather plenty of data trends by simply comparing the leading European sires list of 2004 to the current one when they are both cut off at the same date, in this case August 13. For the period in 2004, there were 1,791 sires with a European runner compared to this year’s 1,037. That represents a massive decline of 754 sires or 42 per cent.
The 2004 group had produced 25,370 runners by mid-August, while this year’s cohort have been represented by 21,815, which confirms what we all know to be true, that crop sizes have gone up while the number of individual stallions has fallen. For the record, the 2004 group of sires had an average of 14 runners apiece, considerably below the 21 of their modern-day counterparts.
We can also see a decline in the number of times a horse has competed up to mid-August, the 2004 group running an average of 4.4 times compared to the 2024 cohort who have managed a 4.1 average. It is hard to argue that this particular metric is completely unrelated to the reduction in the number of stallions available to breeders today. The logic of the argument would be that many more mares are invested in individual stallions that ultimately fail. A counter argument might suggest this is in part due to there being fewer races nowadays, which at 9,510 is 16 per cent below the 11,296 of 2004. However, that view is undermined by the fact that this year’s runners have had an average of 2.3 races to target, more than the 2.2 back in 2004.
The degree of change over the past 20 years also behoves us to modify how we evaluate stallions as the baseline metrics change. For instance, the average percentage of winners to runners by sire has fallen from 42.7 per cent in 2004 to 39.4 per cent in 2024, and among the top
20 sires the average has declined from 39.4 per cent to 37.4 per cent. These changes might seem small, but they are nonetheless significant. Similarly, larger book sizes have led to a reduction in the average percentage of stakes winners to runners from 7.3 per cent to 7.1 per cent.
Not every metric is falling and it is interesting to note that £119 million of prize-money had been distributed by mid-August in the 2004 season. That amounted to £4,711 per runner. In 2024, £174 million has so far been won, an average of £7,980 per runner. That represents an increase of 69 per cent over the 20-year period which, on the face of it, looks healthy.
However, the increase of £3,269 per runner doesn’t even cover inflation in the intervening period. According to the Bank Of England, its inflation tracker tells us that £4,711 in 2004 would have the purchasing power today of £8,237, so in reality prize-money in Europe has regressed slightly and, moreover, we can be certain that costs have increased over the period.
Anyone who has a sense that the 2024 season is missing something probably has a point. When compared to the same point of the 2004 season, some of this year’s winning performances at Group 1 level in Britain have an ‘unfinished business’ vibe to them. Not all divisions have yet established a clear pecking order. This is evident from Timeform race ratings, which show that the equivalent winners back in 2004 of British Group 1 races run so far this season posted an average Timeform rating of 124, compared to this year’s group at 121.
Furthermore, only five of the 18 races, excluding the Commonwealth Cup (not yet in existence) and King Charles III Stakes (a Group 2 in 2004), have posted higher Timeform race ratings than their counterparts back in 2004.
Timeform saw fit to award higher ratings to all 2004 Classic winners, assessing Haafhd at 129 compared to Notable Speech’s 125. Attraction, the 1,000 Guineas winner, got a mark of 116, higher than Elmalka’s 112. North Light, the 2004 Derby winner, was a pound better than City Of Troy at 125, while Oaks heroine Ouija Board was rated 6lb higher than Ezeliya. The five horses from this season with better ratings than their counterparts 20 years ago include both the QEII Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem (120) and July Cup scorer Mill Stream (122). It just goes to show that finding top sprinters has been an issue for a long time.
Kyprios’ Gold Cup effort (125) is considered superior to Papineau’s (123) 20 years ago, while Rosallion (124) has 3lb to spare over Azamour in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Other higher-ranked winners from the 2004 group include Doyen, Refuse To Bend, Rakti and Favourable Terms. And let’s not forget that Dubawi and Shamardal emerged as the two Timeform top-rated Group 1-winning juveniles later in 2004. Only one horse in 2004 topped 130 by the end of the year, the 132-rated Doyen. At the time of writing we haven’t seen a 130 performance, but if Charyn, Notable Speech and Rosallion were to line up together, one of them might just get there.
GROUP 1 RACES RUN IN BRITAIN, MAY TO JULY IN 2004 AND 2024
BRED, CONSIGNED OR RAISED IN 2024
CARL SPACKLER
2020 Lope De Vega – Zindaya (More Than Ready)
Won Gr.1 Fourstardave H., Saratoga
Won Gr.3 Kelso Stakes, Saratoga
Won LR Opening Verse Stakes, Churchill Downs
Bred by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock
GOING THE DISTANCE
2021 Lope De Vega – Colonia (Champs Elysees)
Purchased by MC Calmont Bloodstock for €160,000
Won King George V Stakes, Royal Ascot
SPIRITUAL
2021 Invincible Spirit – Wild Irish Rose (Galileo)
Purchased by Blandford Bloodstock for €280,000
Won LR Distaff Stakes, Sandown
JANCIS
2021 Tamayuz – Blame The Ruler (Ruler Of The World)
Won Gr.3 Brownstown Stakes, Leopardstown
Bred by Mr Arturo Cousino
FIVE TOWNS
2020 Lord Kanaloa – Guilty Twelve (Giant’s Causeway)
Won LR Dahlia Stakes, Laurel Park
2nd Gr.3 Gallorette Stakes, Pimlico
3rd Gr.2 Canadian Stakes, Woodbine
Bred by Merry Fox Stud
ROYAL
SUPREMACY
2021 Make Believe – Adelasia (Iffraaj)
Purchased by JS Bloodstock / Andrew Balding for 65,000gns
2nd Gr.2 Derby Italiano, Milan
2nd Gr.3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes, Newmarket
3rd Gr.2 King Edward VII Stakes, Royal Ascot
Bred by John O’Connor
Sexton Files
Evergreen Oasis Dream still firing
For the best part of two decades, British bloodstock has benefitted greatly from the presence of Oasis Dream, whether through his own capabilities as a sire or via his sons and daughters.
Now aged 24, Oasis Dream is one of those rare horses to have operated at a high level throughout his life. He has been a wonderful servant for Juddmonte Farms, which bred him out of its Dancing Brave mare Hope and has stood him for the past 20 years at its Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket. During that time he has supplied 18 Group/Grade 1 winners among 138 stakes scorers and stood for a peak of £85,000, all of which makes his 2024 fee of £15,000 look good value, particularly for those breeders looking to start off a young mare.
That’s especially true when it’s considered that Oasis Dream’s current two-year-old crop includes one of the most promising youngsters of the season so far in Aomori City, who followed up a placing in the July Stakes at Newmarket with a comfortable win in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. The colt, bred in France by Haras de Saint Pair and Ecurie Peregrine out of the Shamardal mare Setsuko, is one of five winners so far from Oasis Dream’s 18th crop, conceived when the stallion was 21-years-old.
Such a long and successful career means that there are no shortage of sons of Oasis Dream at stud. Some have been more effective than others, notably Showcasing, whose own position as a sire of sires is currently being emphasised by Tasleet and Mohaather; Tasleet now resides in India, having been sold by Shadwell late last year, but did leave behind a top-notch sprinter in Bradsell, who recently added a second Group 1 to his CV when taking the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, while Mohaather has gone some way to making up for a slow start with his first juveniles by firing in the stakes-winning duo Yah Moh Be There and Big Mojo.
The latter’s win in the Molecomb Stakes, in which he broke the juvenile course record, formed part of an extremely productive Qatar Glorious Goodwood meeting for the Oasis Dream clan, one that also promoted his daughters in a particularly good light.
Oasis Dream has long been regarded
as a premier broodmare sire. With 15 crops aged four and above working for him, he naturally possesses a wealth of opportunity to excel in that department. However, in return his daughters are rarely far from the action, between them responsible for 108 stakes winners including 15 at Group/Grade 1 level.
The current season has been notably fruitful to the point that Oasis Dream now sits within the top five European broodmare sires. As is often the case, those around him on the list – including the top three Galileo, Shamardal and Dansili – are either dead or retired. Only Invincible Spirit, another long-lived son of Green Desert, sits ahead of him in terms of leading active broodmare sires, and narrowly at that.
At the time of writing, Oasis Dream’s high standing was fuelled by the presence of 11 stakes winners, several of them operating at the top table and representative of a wide range of stallions.
Big Evs, one of the highlights of Blue
Stockwell legacy
When it came to developing Justify into a potential worldwide force, Coolmore left very little to chance, sending him an array of high-performing and well-bred mares before placing a number of the resulting progeny in training at Ballydoyle. It was a calculated risk. His sire Scat Daddy had been quick to bridge the North American-European divide, supplying the likes of No Nay Never, Caravaggio and Skitter Scatter despite operating early on in Kentucky off a low enough level. But the North American Triple Crown winner Justify was quite a different type of beast to those accomplished European two-year-olds, instead being a sizeable, rugged individual who did all his racing on dirt.
Quite whether Justify is at the stage where his progeny can be labelled as “Galileos with more class”, as described by Aidan O’Brien following City Of Troy’s Derby victory, remains open to debate. However, what isn’t questionable is that Coolmore’s strategy of supplying him with a wealth of high-class Sadler’s Wells line mares is paying off handsomely thanks to a growing group of eight stakes
Point’s powerful first crop, was one of the stars of the Goodwood meeting for the second year in a row when narrowly fending off Asfoora to take the King George Stakes. Successful in last year’s Molecomb Stakes, he was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock out of Hana Lina, a daughter of champion two-year-old Queen’s Logic.
Cheveley Park Stud’s Ladyship, a homebred Oasis Dream daughter of its top miler Peeress, is also doing her connections a good turn as the dam of Audience, who proved that his earlier win in the Lockinge Stakes was no fluke with a similarly authoritative win under a penalty in the Lennox Stakes. This son of Iffraaj, who appears to be growing up with time, isn’t the only current stakes winner out of Ladyship since her three-year-old Esquire, by Harry Angel, won the Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April.
Come the end of Goodwood week, Oasis Dream’s influence stretched on into Germany, where he also featured as the damsire of the Preis der Diana heroine Erle. The filly is from the penultimate German crop of Reliable Man, a rare but welcome representative of the Darshaan sire line who now resides permanently in New Zealand at Westbury Stud, and hails from a well-established Gestut Rottgen family that previously tasted Preis der Diana success
Evie Stockwell: late breeder campaigned plenty of Opera Singer’s family
winners on the cross, led by City Of Troy and Opera Singer, both champion two-year-olds of last year who have gone on to taste Group 1 success this season. Neither has found the path to Group 1 stardom straightforward this season. City Of Troy’s wins in the Derby and Eclipse Stakes followed a dismal showing in the 2,000 Guineas while a spring setback meant that Opera Singer didn’t appear until the Irish 1,000 Guineas in late May, when she ran creditably under the circumstances in third.
GEORGE SELWYN
Bloodstock world views
with her granddam Enora. Judging by the powerful manner in which Erle made all the running to score, it probably would be wise
Since then, Opera Singer has progressed with her further outings, running second to Porta Fortuna in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot before making all under an excellent ride from Ryan Moore on her first try over a mile and a quarter in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. There is chat of a crack at the Arc, but surely there will be other rewards before then.
Although Opera Singer is the highestrated runner out of her dam Liscanna, this is also a case where Justify owes plenty to the capability of the mare as well.
The exploits of Liscanna and her dam, the Listed winner Lahinch, are readily associated with the Madonna blue and brown silks of John Magnier’s mother Evie Stockwell, a successful owner-breeder in her own right. Stockwell passed away in September 2022 aged 96, so sadly didn’t live to see the achievements of her homebred Opera Singer. There is no doubt that she would have taken great enjoyment from Liscanna’s latest star, as she did from her earlier Group 1-winning siblings Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna.
From a line that goes back to a noted George D. Widener family responsible for his champion two-year-old Evening Out,
not to discount her chances should she venture out of Germany in the future for trainer Maxim Pecheur.
Lahinch was by far the most expensive Danehill Dancer yearling of her generation when knocked down for Ir200,000gns to Stockwell at the 2000 Goffs Orby Sale. It was a punchy price considering Danehill Dancer stood for Ir4,000gns at the time but as history relates, he was a champion sire in the making and in the case of Lahinch it proved to be money well spent when she became a dual Listed winner in the Entrepreneur Stakes at two and Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial at three.
Lahinch had plenty of pace herself and although latterly the dam of an Oaks runner-up for Stockwell in Ennistymon to Galileo, also produced a rare quick one to Sadler’s Wells in Liscanna, winner of the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes over six furlongs. Lahinch also boasted a relatively rare distinction of producing a classy runner, Group 3 winner The Bogberry, by the swiftly exiled Hawk Wing.
Liscanna was utilised as a mate for War Front during the years of Coolmore’s backing of the Claiborne Farm stallion and to great effect as the resulting progeny landed 20 races between them headed by Hit It A Bomb, whose finest moment came in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup
The list doesn’t end there. Sir Alex Ferguson’s homebred Spirit Dancer, a Frankel gelding who won the lucrative Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia back in February, represents a variation of the Galileo - Oasis Dream cross also responsible for recent Arlington Million hero Nations Pride, top stayer Quickthorn, last year’s Prix de la Foret heroine Kelina, Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment, the Group 1-placed Maximal and Group 2 winner Obligate (who is currently in the news as dam of Lead Artist, winner of the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood). Over in the US, meanwhile, Oasis Dream mares have also provided this year’s Grade 1 winners Progam Trading (by Lope De Vega), Whitebeam (by Caravaggio) and the aforementioned Nations Pride (by Teofilo).
As for Oasis Dream himself, his own midsummer success wasn’t restricted to Aomori City’s Vintage Stakes win. Just days later, he pulled off an international Listed double courtesy of Quinault, who skipped around Chester to land the Queensferry Stakes for Stuart Williams, and three-year-old Columbus, who broke through at stakes level in the Prix Michel Houyvet at Deauville for Christophe Ferland. Both could yet take higher order for their evergreen sire.
Juvenile Turf, and Brave Anna, winner of the 2016 Cheveley Park Stakes.
As that group indicates, Stockwell was keen to maintain a golfing theme when it came to handing names to the Lahinch family.
“We’ve had the Lahinch line a long time and it’s been good to us,” she told me in an interview during Brave Anna’s juvenile campaign. “It can be very difficult to get a name.
“With Hit It A Bomb, I wanted to get the Lahinch connection [Lahinch golf club] in. One day I was playing golf with an American friend. We were playing on an elevated part of the course on the 17th tee and there were people watching. And I remember her announcing that she was going to ‘hit it a bomb!’ It became a joke. It’s a fun name.”
Both Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna were best at two, a trend that can be associated with War Front. What Justify appears to have done in the case of Opera Singer is add further scope and a dose of stamina. With that in mind, there is the sense that another rise up the ladder is on the cards to provide a further tribute to Stockwell and her management of the Lahinch line.
GEORGE SELWYN
Oasis Dream winning the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in his heyday
PREP CONDITION
STAY IN CONTROL
From reduced starch to traditional levels
A range of options to suit diferent temperaments and degrees of gastric sensitivity
All designed to support condition, top line, growth & development
reduced starch
PREP-EASE
13.5 MJ/kg
18% starch
15% protein
STUD & YOUNGSTOCK CUBES
13 MJ/kg
23% starch
15% protein
PREP MIX
13.5 MJ/kg
30% starch
15% protein
STUD & YOUNGSTOCK CUBES
12.5 MJ/kg
32% starch
16% protein
+ Equine Health Update
Supporting a yearling’s transition from the sales ring to the stable
Words: Laura Steley
Yearlings prepped for sale will look somewhat different to those that remain in paddocks, roaming in herds as nature intended. Yearling sales are notoriously competitive – top prices are only achieved by outstanding black-type pedigrees coupled with the appealing physical attributes widely considered to make a sound and talented racehorse. Although conformational desires may differ between countries, the generic stamp of a well-prepped yearling is one that has sufficient topline, optimum body condition, athleticism, bright eyes, shiny coat and a ‘presence’ which allows the buyer to easily envisage them as a soonto-be two-year-old.
Of course, achieving this ideal physical stamp isn’t as easy as it may sound. Many factors will play a role in the chosen sales prep and feeding regime, such as the yearling’s conformation, foaling date and pedigree. Sales prep will usually commence around eight to 12 weeks prior to the intended sale. This is not a lot of time to achieve the sought-after sales-ring look, and this often results in yearlings receiving excessive calories via highenergy/high-starch feed, creating a topline based more on the deposition of fat rather than muscle development. Due to the compressed annual calendar of the foaling, covering and sales season, attempting a longer prep period is challenging for many reasons but it would certainly benefit many horses in the long term.
The transition from yearling sales to beginning ridden education and entering training is arguably one of the most stressful life events a racehorse will go through. Nutritionally, the needs of the yearling are going to change drastically over a very short space of time. How we choose to manage this change is going to impact the individual in the long run – the more considered choices we make, the best chance we have of producing the much-desired strong and sound two-yearold.
Once the yearling has ventured through the sales ring, their next phase of life begins almost immediately. Horses, like most living beings, are creatures of habit. Any change of environment, management or routine will have a great effect on them physically and psychologically.
Richard Morgan-Evans, of Morgan-Evans Equestrian, comments: “Our main aim with all our yearlings is to provide as smooth a transition as possible into their new routine and environment. Minimising stress is one of our main focuses; for this reason, we ensure turnout is part of their routine – the benefits of allowing them the freedom to get their head down grazing cannot be underestimated.”
Alongside turnout, the supply of goodquality forage fed at an absolute minimum of 1.5% body weight per day is vital. It is good practice to obtain a full nutritional analysis on your chosen forage, providing you with a breakdown of nutrient levels. Minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and copper can vary enormously as they are dependent upon factors such as grass type, soil composition and climate. The testing will highlight any mineral excesses or deficiencies, allowing you to adjust your concentrate feed or supplement as necessary.
Liz Bulbrook, Director of Nutrition at Baileys Horse Feeds, advises: “Adequate forage is essential, not only to ensure that they get digestible fibre for gut health, but it also supports the transition to a more stabled environment. Chewing creates saliva and this acts as a natural buffer against the acids in the stomach, therefore reducing the risks of ulcers and digestive upsets synchronistic with changes to routine and environment.”
Extensive research has been carried out on equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) and we now know that other than weaning, sales prep is one of the most high-risk life events for horses regarding developing EGUS, or more specifically equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). It is inevitable that some yearlings will arrive at pre-trainers following the sale with pre-existing ulcers and the breaking process will only add fuel to the fire.
Morgan-Evans adds: “As a matter of routine, we start all our yearlings on pre/ probiotics and gut balancers on arrival, to help combat EGUS. We also provide electrolytes, helping to replace any losses sustained via sweating at the sales and during transportation. All new arrivals are wormed as a matter of course, with faecal worm egg counts taken.” Bulbrook says: “A diet containing digestive enhancers such as prebiotics (Digest Plus) and probiotics (yeast cultures) helps also with immune response and general health and wellbeing, especially with the challenges of moving to new yards and being with a mix of horses from various stud farms.”
If the yearling is to be turned away for a short period before the breaking process begins, good-quality forage alongside either a youngstock balancer or small amount of concentrate feed should be adequate for meeting the growing yearling’s needs. As they will have been on a high-calorie diet previously, close
Yearlings must look in peak physical condition to command top prices at auction
+ Equine Health Update
›› attention should be paid to their body condition during rest time and adjustments made accordingly. In many cases, there will be no indication of feed type or routine prior to sale. One of the most basic rules of feeding is to implement feed changes gradually over time.
Dr. Stephanie Wood, Head of Nutrition at Dodson & Horrell, advises: “Any change in diet, whether that be a change in concentrate feed, supplement, or forage, should be made gradually, ideally over ten to 14 days. This gradual change allows the yearling to become accustomed to the smell, taste, and texture of the new feeds, helping to minimise feed refusals and disruption to their energy and nutrient intake.
“This gradual process is also important for the yearling’s digestive health, as the microbial populations within the gut are influenced by the feeds the yearling eats. Gut microbes thrive in a stable environment, therefore dietary changes should take place over multiple days to allow the microbial population time to adapt to the new feeds. If sudden dietary changes must take place due to arriving at a new yard, providing a mixture of fibre sources can help to encourage microbial stability. Hay or haylage fed alongside a chopped fibre, such as Fibre Fusion, is an excellent option.”
“Yearlings require high amounts of energy, protein, minerals and vitamins”
Bulbrook continues: “Initially, pretraining diets may focus on slightly lower calorie, lower starch feeds so as to provide slow release, more controllable energy. This will help to avoid over-exuberance, especially when initially introducing ground work or long reining, followed by the initial experiences of having a rider introduced.”
Another important consideration is whether the yearling is overweight on arrival post sales. Morgan-Evans explains: “Due to the sales prep period, the majority of yearlings will be carrying excess condition and will be tight through their bodies. The breaking process requires the yearlings to soften muscularly and it is of benefit for them to lose any excess weight prior to this. The introduction of exercise
can cause inflammation issues such as tendonitis, epiphysitis and sesamoiditis.
“If excess condition can be lost prior to a step up in exercise, this will help to decrease the risk of these conditions occurring, due to there being much less weight on the horse’s limbs. Checking legs twice a day is pivotal in catching any issues promptly, thus restricting the severity of the relevant condition. This said, feeding will therefore be eased back from prep amounts, concentrating on providing slow-release energy, non-heating feed whilst still supporting bone and muscle development.”
Although thoroughbred yearlings are said to have reached approximately 90% of their adult height, their bones are not fully mature until around five or six years of age. They still require high amounts of energy, protein, minerals (most importantly calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc) and vitamins such as A, C, D, E and K, in order to facilitate optimum growth and development.
Bulbrook reiterates: “Many of our yearlings and/or rising two-year-olds may not actually physically turn two until the spring of their juvenile year. It is therefore essential that the feeding programme satisfies their nutritional requirements to support continued growth and maturation as well as increased exercise demands.”
Bone strength and development can be compromised during the transition from sales to pre-training. Increased stabled hours and decreased pasture turnout is unavoidable. However, this has been proven to cause bone demineralisation (loss of minerals from the bone) and therefore a decrease in bone strength.
Research has shown a drop in bone density is commonly seen in racehorses in the first 60 to 90 days of training. There is also an increased risk of developmental orthopaedic diseases (DOD) in yearlings and two-year-olds.
The causes of DODs are multi-factorial, with management, genetics and nutrition being three of the main sources. Overfeeding, leading to a rapid and unnatural growth rate, as often seen during sales prep, will increase a yearling’s risk of DODs. Not only this, but it has also been proven that obese yearlings go on to perform substantially less well on the racecourse, concluding that there really is no logical reason that youngstock presented for sale in this manner should be desirable.
There are also links between high insulin and inadequate cartilage development; this can be controlled by feeding small amounts of starch per feed as well as adding chromium, which has been found to increase glucose metabolism and in turn reduces insulin and cortisol levels. Of course, genetically predisposed individuals will always carry more of a risk, but with the correct nutrition and management this can be significantly reduced.
The thoroughbred skeleton responds to loading (exercise) by laying down or adding bone (bone mineralisation), which is why turnout is so crucial in early life. During this time period we must ensure the yearling’s feed is providing adequate minerals to assist bone development and exercise must be increased gradually to allow bone mineralisation to ‘catch up’. Any concentrate feeds or balancers produced specifically for youngstock or young racehorses should have the correct vitamin
GEORGE SELWYN
The feeding programme for yearlings must satisfy their nutritional requirements
+ Equine Health Update
to mineral ratios, as should any targeted bone health supplements available from recognised and research-backed companies. Although rare, a toxicity can occur if vitamins and minerals are unbalanced and nutrient absorption could be inhibited.
Ensuring protein requirements are met is also a very important component in helping to support the yearling through this transition into becoming a two-year-old and entering training. Dr Wood says: “It is easy to focus on the importance of protein for supporting muscle development, however protein is also integral to skeletal development, comprising approximately a third of bone tissue.
“To support growth and training, a diet containing 13-17% crude protein is advised, with this protein being quality protein that supplies essential amino acids. If the diet contains poor protein sources, more needs to be fed to meet essential amino acid requirements, increasing the amount of overall feed needed to be given.”
Three of the essential amino acids are known as limiting amino acids: lysine, threonine and methionine. If these are not included in the diet in adequate amounts, the horse will have limited ability for muscle growth and repair. Lysine is supplied in its most optimum form via soy. Dr Wood continues: “For youngsters who go off their food during stressful situations, this can mean protein and other nutrient requirements aren’t met, leading them to be behind their peers in the training process. It can also increase the feed bill, which no one wants.”
Bulbrook says: “Depending on the nature of the yearling and the need for calories, then typically the options would be to remain on feeds designed for rest to moderate work such as a lower starch ration of Racing Light cubes/mixes [fed in
the region of 2.5-4 kg per day depending on the individual]. This can then be topped up with a proportion [0.5-0.75 kg] of a ration balancer such as Stud Balancer. This provides quality protein in terms of the amino acids supplied as well as vitamins and minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, zinc and copper, which support the skeletal bone and tissue development.
“Adequate essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine are required for muscle development and function. The skeletal development responds to exercise and bio-mechanical loading but lean muscle, quality topline and strength requires a combination of exercise and nutritional support.”
Hoof health is an important subject throughout a horse’s life, however, during this transitional phase extra care should be taken. Pasture and quality forage naturally contains many of the essential nutrients for hoof health, but due to the change in pressures put on the yearling’s hooves, e.g. shoeing, increased loading though exercise and decreased turnout, supplementation may be required. Other than the previously mentioned important nutrients, B vitamins (biotin and niacin) are known to help maintain optimum hoof health.
Dr Wood explains: “Sore, cracked and chipped feet can lead to training days being lost, which can negatively impact a yearling’s training progress. Horses produce biotin via microbial fermentation in the hindgut, however, some horses benefit from additional biotin in their diet. Feeding a minimum of 15mg/day is recommended for an average adult horse, with most feeds supplying some biotin. For brittle hooves, the addition of omega-3 fatty acids can also be beneficial. Grass is the easiest way of supplying omega-3 and explains why the condition of many horses’ hooves improve in the summer months.
Linseed meal, linseed oil, or algae oil are other dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids accepted by horses.”
Once the yearling has been ridden away, a higher energy feed will be required. Again, changes should be implemented gradually, with the individual’s condition and temperament monitored closely. It is now widely known that a low-starch, highfat feed is significantly more beneficial. The horse’s digestive system is much more efficient at breaking down fat than starch, and you will often need to feed a higher quantity of grains (corns or oats) to achieve the same calorie intake compared to fat (oil or rice bran). Feeding large amounts daily greatly increases the risk of EGUS, particularly when coupled with limited forage and/or turnout.
High starch intake can also cause diarrhoea, colic, laminitis, and issues such as excitable behaviour – not desirable during ridden education. By ensuring access to high-quality, readily-digestible fibre in the diet, it will help to reduce the need for large portions of hard feed to maintain condition and also help keep excitable behaviour under control whilst ensuring a sufficient amount of chewing. The best and most readily available forms of fibre are alfalfa and soaked beet pulp.
To summarise, a well-balanced diet containing all the required nutrients critical for youngstock health and development is paramount. Careful and routine monitoring of the yearling will reap massive rewards in the long term. Make turnout a priority where possible and introduce any feed or management changes gradually. Implementing a feed regime based on as higher-quantity high-quality forage as possible, coupled with a formulated concentrate feed specific for yearlings and rising two-year-olds from a reputable feed company, is the formula for nutritional success.
Research has proven a drop in bone density is commonly seen in racehorses in the first 60-90 days of training
Big Evs, trained by Mick Appleby winning the King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2)
Kitai, trained by Mick Appleby winning the HKJC World Pool British EBF Fillies’ Handicap
Big Mojo, trained by Mick Appleby winning the Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes (Group 3)
OATAALIN
by Highclere Castle Horse Feeds Ltd.
OATAALIN mix is designed to give your horse the best performance, energy and shine, as well as contributing to the avoidance of stomach ulcers in horses in training.
WHY USE OATAALIN?
OATAALIN mix is designed to give horses the best of whole natural foods in three key grains: the digestibility and energy of Oats, the Calcium & Vitamins and buffer to acidity in Alfalfa.
Linseed aids skin & coat condition and is antiinammatory with slow release energy.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
• Superior Rolled Oats from Highclere Estate
• Pelletised Alfalfa
• Micronised Linseed
“At Highclere we have been feeding OATAALIN to our thoroughbreds. Highly palatable, its excellent qualities are reected in the shine of their coats, their energy levels and their relaxed attitudes.”
Lily. 3YO
Lord Carnarvon), winning at Goodwood, over 1m 1f, jockey A Voikhansky, 7th June 2024.
Pink Lily. 3YO (Owner: Lord Carnarvon), winning at Bath, over 1m 2f, jockey A Voikhansky, 22th May 2024.
Pink
(Owner:
Richard Hannon Jr., Pink Lily’s trainer, commented:
“Pink Lily when she came in she looked great, she has managed to put on all that weight over the winter and looks better than ever. She is a month further ahead than most of mine in her coat and I am looking forward to running her. Very happy with her indeed!”
Pink Lily (3YO) returning to training 23/1/2023 after 8 weeks of rest and being fed OATALLIN as part of a balanced diet.
Paddock maintenance
Preparing paddocks for autumn/winter
Words: Joe Grimwade and Paul Overton
Dairy cows can thrive on lush, forced grass but horses cannot. As a result, we have developed relatively low input land management systems built around permanent pasture using minimal chemicals and relatively small amounts of fertiliser to maintain soil health and a good variety of plants in our swards.
We knew that this gave us good ‘green credentials but, in these times of increased awareness of our impact on the environment, it is wonderful to hear confirmation that good paddock management – and management of the other green features of a stud farm like hedges, trees and tracks – really benefits the environment.
Even better, in many cases our contribution to protecting the environment can now attract funding through the Sustainable Farming Incentive; more on this later.
There are several aims regarding good paddock management; we want to provide palatable and nutritious grazing, with unrestricted access to clean drinking water and protection from the worst of the elements, as well as wanting our paddocks to be accessible and away from
potential disturbance where our horses can live and self-exercise safely, mainly in social groups. It is the best environment that we can provide for their physical and mental wellbeing. Achieving this doesn’t need to be over-complicated.
Basic principles
Understanding the character of your land may not be as appealing as understanding the character of your horses – but it will help you to understand its performance and its needs. Texture (or the proportion of clay, silt and sand), structure (how those particles accumulate to form crumbs or larger aggregates), and profile (or the layers of soil to the sub rock) will all be particularly important in determining both how the land will stand up to grazing in the different seasons as well as what maintenance work is appropriate and when.
The nutrient content of the soil is obviously key to getting the grass to grow and it is essential to recognise the difference between maximum growth and optimum growth. Structure (as above), aspect (with a gentle, south-facing slope normally optimising safety and sunlight) and the plant species within the sward can also be particularly important to
productivity.
A factor which is critical but can be overlooked is pH, which is often determined by the soil profile. Many breeding operations are on a chalk profile, which is likely to be alkaline (with a high pH). The key point is that you can have all the nutrients that you might require in the soil, but they will only be fully available to the plants if the pH is correct – with 6.8 (or slightly acidic) as the standard target.
High pH (alkaline) can tie up important micro-nutrients like manganese, copper and zinc whilst low pH can limit the availability of macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium as well as sulphur.
As a general guide, pH should be checked every three to five years; lighter soils (sandy) are likely to need more frequent checking than heavier (clay) soils. High pH is difficult to correct but should be a consideration when designing hard feed rations; low pH is normally easily corrected with local variations of lime applications.
Some features of your paddocks cannot be changed – it can be particularly helpful to know the potential strengths and weaknesses of a property before committing to it; soil texture, gradient and aspect are examples. Whilst they cannot be changed, they can be managed – for instance, using all weather turn-outs to protect land with a clay texture from winter grazing.
Safe and secure fencing, as well as a reliable and easily maintained water supply, can normally be added relatively easily, albeit at considerable expense. There are pros and cons for a variety of fencing types, gates and water troughs, so it is valuable to make sure that your selections are appropriate for your specific requirements.
Equally, shelter from the prevailing winter winds (normally on the north side of the paddock) and shade from the high summer sun (on the south side of the paddock) can usually be added by planting belts or high hedges or, alternatively, by building wind breaks or field shelters.
Sustainable paddock management
So, do we need to change much to earn the sustainable badge? First and foremost, grazing rates will have an enormous impact on the health of your paddocks. As far as possible, we want to avoid close grazing and using paddocks when they are going to sustain significant hoof damage. Rotations should include periods when paddocks are rested whilst recovery can be encouraged with surface repairs, overseeding and fertilising.
GEORGE SELWYN
Good paddock management benefits horses – and the environment
Improving soil structure to encourage good root formation and support a dense, leafy sward across the whole paddock helps to provide extra nutrition and a safe exercise surface for our horses as well as being a key factor in carbon capture. Spikers and slitters can play an important role in improving soil structure whilst sward lifters are more invasive and need to be used with caution. Improving drainage can be an important factor in improving soil structure and mole draining remains a valuable process on clay soils.
Toppers remain important to encourage tillering and control weeds as well as maintaining productivity and palatability. It is good practice to set your topper as high as you can without losing the benefits – and consider leaving sections of the paddock or areas between paddocks uncut – especially during the spring. As
“Horse manure is treated as a lowgrade industrial waste if shipped off the farm”
with all tractor operations, aim to use grass tyres and remove unnecessary equipment (like front loaders) to minimise soil compaction.
Fertilising is still fine but with lowrate applications to address specific shortages without creating flushes of grass production (which we don’t want anyway). Occasional soil sampling is key to selecting appropriate fertilisers and you might also
want to consider supplementing this with more regular herbage samples to tell you what nutrients are available to the horses.
Harrows are a useful tool to improve the surface area and encourage tillering –but remember that we want to minimise compaction, so rolling should be avoided where possible and only used when the ground is dry. We don’t want to pull out huge mounds of grass with the harrows but we do want to encourage old, dead grass to return to the soil as organic matter.
Practices like dropping picking and rotational grazing (with sheep or cattle) remain essential to minimise parasitic worm burdens on our paddocks as well as the unsightly ‘lawns and roughs’ typical of overgrazed paddocks. Some wormers remain toxic for considerable periods in horse droppings – impacting dung beetle populations for example – so dropping picking combined with carefully targeted worm control policies can have wide benefits.
Burdens of anthelmintic resistant worms are a significant and increasing challenge; using harrows to spread droppings is more likely to increase the
problem unless conditions are ideal. There is some excellent content online on TB-Ed (free to TBA members) about the increasing concern around parasitic worms.
An area of concern is muck heaps; horse manure, rather bizarrely, is treated as low-grade industrial waste if shipped off the farm. Run off from muck heaps can cause significant environmental damage, which we should try to avoid.
Overseeding is compatible with sustainable farming but consider using a broad spectrum of grasses; perennial ryegrass, fescues and smooth stalked meadow grass are popular choices. As a separate operation, consider adding herbs; grass and herb seeds don’t mix well for broadcasting and herbs probably warrant drilling.
Having mentioned worms, it is interesting to note that there are plants like chicory, sainfoin or birdsfoot trefoil which claim to have anthelmintic properties. Plantain, dandelion, yarrow and clover are common herbs in our pastures with potential benefits for grazing horses, while clover has the additional benefit of ‘fixing’ nitrogen. By encouraging a polyculture
Liming soil to neutralise acidity can create favourable conditions for biological activity
Paddock maintenance
with a variety of grasses and herbs we can increase nutritional value and palatability whilst supporting wider ecosystems.
Even in sustainable farming there remains a role for spraying – but it needs to be minimised and targeted. Carefully selected chemicals applied with weed lickers or spot sprayers can help to minimise applications whilst avoiding collateral damage.
Finally, if you want to minimise the impact of your breeding operation on the environment, the carbon calculator on the TBA website – free to TBA members – can help to identify areas for improvement and monitor changes that you implement.
Sustainable Farming Incentive
The real beauty of the Sustainable Farming Incentive is that it wants us to be doing what we are probably doing anyway and a number of organisations including ADAS offer free consultations to explain the scheme – a list by county can be found if you search ‘Future Farming Resilience Fund’ online, but not all will be familiar with bloodstock breeding.
John Johnstone of Keylocks has worked with Paul Overton to provide assistance to a growing number of studs, with the following eligibility criteria:
• Open to operations undertaking livestock production
• Minimum holding size of 12.5 acres (5 hectares)
• The holding must be registered with Rural Payments Agency
• Minimal requirement for soil analysis including organic matter test (but this can be part funded)
• There can be some additional testing amongst the specific conditions of each ‘standard’
Industry experts
With autumn and winter months approaching, now is your last opportunity to prepare your grazing land. The dark nights, hours of driving rain, snow and frosts can harm your sward – so it is vital your fields are in top shape, writes Agrigem’s Gavin Young.
Good seed bed preparation is the key to establishing successful pasture. It pays to give extra attention to clearing weeds.
How to over-seed or seed successfully:
• Prepare the surface up with a harrow or raker it to make a reasonably fine surface.
• Sow the grass seed at the recommended rate – usually 7kg/acre for over-seeding and 14kg/acre for completely re-seeding a new field.
• Birds could be a problem so it may be useful to use bird scarers.
• Nitrogen should ideally not be applied until the new grass is established as this could cause ‘scorch’ to the new sward.
• Try to leave the grass to establish roots for as long as possible (no less than six weeks) before lightly grazing, to prevent churning.
Having a soil analysis can ensure your soil has the correct nutrients and avoid spending money unnecessarily. The removal of moss and other debris from the base of the sward will stimulate ryegrass plants to grow. This will help the grass to be better equipped to compete against weeds.
Goof paddock maintenance such as rotation, collecting manure and keeping on top of weeds will all help the longevity of your newly sown paddock.
Agrigem can conduct an analysis of the soil in your paddocks and compose a complete treatment plan.
Standards and incentives
There are a wide range of ‘standards’ that can be included in a claim, many likely to be suitable for studs including:
• Herbal leys: established and maintained with a mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs – an annual grant of £382/ha over the three-year duration of the scheme. Paddocks are likely to qualify for this standard with the existing sward content.
• Assess soil (£6 per acre)
• Hedgerow management (Assess @£5 per 100m and manage @£13 per 100m)
• Maintain hedgerow trees (£10 per 100m)
• Ditch management (£4 per 100m)
• Grass buffers around paddocks (alleyways/double fenced areas etc. of four to 12m, £235 per ha)
• Protecting infield trees (£295 per ha)
• Other standards include:
• Habitat strips adjacent to watercourses
• Low input (fertilizer) grassland
• Ponds, marsh or wetland
For studs that want to set aside areas to establish pollen nectar flower mix, the incentive is £739 per ha.
Applying for the grant
Applications should be made through the Rural Payments Agency and for those already registered, an option for the scheme will be available. There is no current deadline for applying under the scheme and the initial payment will be made three months after approval, with payments quarterly over three years.
For more information on Agrigem’s range of services and products email gavin.young@agrigem.co.uk or see agrigem.co.uk.
Campey Turf Care Systems works with horse owners and breeders to ensure that wherever there is a natural grass surface, the horses receive the best and safest surfaces possible.
Keeping the surface decompacted and well drained produces a better routing system and aids drainage, helping to produce high-quality surfaces on the track and paddocks. This is achieved with a number of aeration techniques, including the linear aeration from the Imants ShockWave.
Campey’s range of equipment covers everything from turf renovation with the Koro FTM and Campey Universe Rotor, to seeding with a range of tailor-made Vredo precision seeders, spreading with our large or small Dakota Turf Tenders, to an array of aeration equipment for a variety of techniques to relieve compaction.
For further details see campeyturfcare.com.
Tow and Collect offers an outstanding pasture cleaner and manure collector, helping to save time in both picking up manure and dethatching your pasture to ensure maximumquality grazing for your horses.
The Tow and Collect, which comes in two sizes - the 700 Mini and 1500 Pro – hitches to any tow bar system, compatible with any vehicle, 4x4, quad bike, ATV or tractor and cleans up to half an acre in less than 12 minutes.
Specially designed counter rotating nylon brushes sweep up manure and other debris into the large rear mounted catcher, while the front-mounted tines are height adjustable for use on any terrain and grass length.
For further details see towandcollect.co.uk.
MAKING BEDDING BETTER
Agrigem Equine Range
• Agrigem’s extensive range of fertilisers are especially suited to equine pastures and training areas.
• A specialist manufacturing process ensures every granule of fertiliser contains the optimum balance of nutrients for animal and pasture nutrition.
• The unique organic base ensures steady grass growth and healthy pasture.
• Includes a wide spectrum of natural trace elements such as zinc, copper, cobalt, and selenium which all contribute to overall animal health.
For further information and advice, please contact: Gavin Young on 07763 567043
Email: gavin.young@agrigem.co.uk
Visit: agrigem.co.uk/equine
ROA Awards: tickets now on sale
With the Flat season in full flow and any number of exciting performances already this year, our thoughts are turning to the 2024 ROA Horseracing Awards. Taking place at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on Thursday, December 5, the evening celebrates the top horses and their owners of the past year, whilst also recognising those special horses who have contributed to the season.
The evening starts with a champagne reception, followed by a three-course dinner with wine, before the Awards ceremony itself. The night will finish with dancing to the ever-popular Chance Band.
Tickets are now available to purchase at £300 per person (including VAT) or a table of ten for £3,000 (including VAT)
from roa.co.uk. We will soon announce the nominees for the National Hunt season and voting will take place during November.
Frankel and Juddmonte lead the way
The ROA Horseracing Awards are now in their 42nd year and we have gone through the archives to look at the most successful owner during that period.
With their roll of honour including Frankel, Enable and Dancing Brave, it is no surprise that Prince Khalid Abdullah tops the league table of titles won.
Over three seasons of racing, Frankel won six titles during a time when the ROA Horseracing Awards were changed to reflect the categories for the British Champions Series.
Frankel triumphed in the following categories: 2010 Two-Year-Old Colt, 2011 Three-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year, and 2012 Miler, Middle Distance Horse and Horse of the Year.
Because of the make-up of the award categories and her longevity, Enable is the late Prince’s winning-most horse, with nine awards to her name. In 2017, 2018 and 2019 she won the same three awards: Outstanding Middle Distance Horse, Outstanding Filly or Mare, and Horse of the Year.
Along with Frankel’s two Horse of the Year titles and Enable’s three, Kingman and Workforce also captured the major accolade for Khalid Abdullah.
Prince Khalid himself was recognised with five Owner of the Year titles, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017 and 2018.
Annual General Meeting set for September 26
We invite owners and guests to join us for the 80th Annual General Meeting of the Racehorse Owners Association, scheduled for Thursday, September 26 at The Queen’s Club in London.
The morning begins at 10.30am with tea and coffee, providing a perfect opportunity to meet with Board members and fellow owners to discuss all aspects of racing and ownership.
The AGM will commence at 11am. Following formalities, including notices and resolutions, President Charlie Parker will address the floor. After his address, there will be a short
session focused on key talking points, during which the Board will discuss themes of interest to our members.
Before concluding the meeting there will be an opportunity for attendees to raise questions on matters of interest should they wish to do so. For those unable to attend in person, we would be delighted to receive your questions via email at agm@roa.co.uk. These questions will either be answered during the meeting or via email.
The formal notice with all essential details will be sent to members in early September.
Please confirm your attendance online at roa.co.uk/AGM24.
Team Lord North collect their trophy at the 2023 ROA Horseracing Awards
Our contact details:
My racing role
Carrie Ford, Regional Education Officer at Racing to School
What is Racing to School and how is it funded?
Racing to School is an education charity that delivers free, interactive educational events for young people. We use racing’s unique venues, like racecourses, studs and training yards as an outdoor classroom for curriculum-led learning and to help us introduce the next generation to horseracing.
Last year, we achieved a record 400 events to over 16,200 participants and we’re on track to surpass that this year. The charity is funded entirely by voluntary donations, and we receive fantastic support from the Levy Board, a number of other grant givers, plus racecourses and our schools.
You finished fifth in the 2005 Grand National on Forest Gunner. How did you make the transition to Racing to School?
I came out of retirement to ride in the Grand National; my daughter Hannah was one at the time. It was a year or so later when I first got involved with Racing to School, or
BHEST as we were called then. I worked on a freelance basis initially, doing a couple of days per month, mainly at Aintree and Haydock. I soon realised what a fantastic initiative it was, introducing children to racing through education, so when the opportunity arose to join the team on a full-time basis, I literally jumped at the chance!
Tell us about your role?
As a Regional Education Officer, I’m responsible for organising and delivering our events across the north of England and Scotland and as far south as Leicester. During a typical racecourse event, we run activities in all areas, from the weighing room to the parade ring and even out onto the track itself, focusing predominantly on maths but covering most of the school curriculum.
I’m biased I know, but I think it’s a pretty cool way for pupils to learn and see how people apply all that subject knowledge in everyday life, particularly in their jobs. I like that I get to share my experience
and knowledge of racing with the children, and adults, along the way.
We like to think we offer something unique and meaningful for all our young people, regardless of their background or academic profile – active, outdoor fun with strictly no screens.
We aim to give everyone the chance to connect with the sport and the environment, while soaking in so much new information. We then hope that many of our groups will make their way back to a racecourse and develop a new interest in our great sport.
How can I get my child’s school involved?
There’s lots of information about all the Racing to School programmes on our website www.racingtoschool. co.uk and if you email info@ racingtoschool.co.uk we will provide details on upcoming dates and availability. It’s great to welcome new schools on board!
How can owners get involved in Racing to School?
Our beneficiaries are easily spotted by the colourful silks they wear, and we are always grateful to receive new designs to be used at our activity days across the country. If you would like to donate some silks or find out about other ways to get involved, contact Jen Gates at jen@racingtoschool.co.uk.
Carrie Ford: jockey-turned-educator
Former smart chaser Smad Place is still working his magic on the racecourse
ROA Forum
Racehorse retirement: what to do next
If your filly or mare enjoyed a successful career, then a life in the paddocks could beckon, whether you want to breed from them yourself or sell them on. But what if your horse’s record isn’t strong enough or if you own a gelding? Many of these horses, retrained by a competent and experienced person, can go on to a second career and often be very successful in other disciplines.
How do I decide if my horse is suitable for retraining?
The best person to ask is your trainer –they will be able to tell you if the horse is physically sound enough to be retrained and of a suitable enough temperament. They may also be able to suggest people they know who are looking for a horse to retrain or rehome and will have an idea as to what sort of discipline(s) may best suit your horse.
If there is a question over the suitability of a horse, either physically or temperamentally, for a leisure career, contact Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) – they will be able to advise on the options available and whether it would be appropriate for the horse to receive an independent assessment with one of our aftercare partners.
Former racehorses have gone on to success in a wide range of fields, from polo to showing to eventing. Even those that raced solely on the Flat often adapt quickly to jumping, and many can go on to enjoy long and active second careers.
My horse appears suitable for retraining – what do I do now?
RoR is the racing industry’s official charity dedicated to safeguarding the wellbeing of former racehorses. The charity is part-funded by the British Horseracing Authority and contributions from racehorse owners through a surcharge on each race entry. ROA Board member Celia Djivanovic sits as a Trustee on the RoR Board.
The RoR website has a wealth of information for owners and prospective owners wishing to take on a retired racehorse, including a comprehensive retrainers’ directory.
All centres will charge a fee, and this is individual according to the particular centre, the owners’ requirements, and
whether the horse is to remain in the care of the centre for life or not.
Are there any other options aside from retraining/rehoming?
An alternative option is the sales ring. All the main auction houses hold sales of horses in and out of training, and your trainer will be able to advise as to the most suitable options.
How can I ensure that my horse does not race again?
Owners who want to prevent their horse from racing again under Rules can register a Non-Racing Agreement with the BHA. Registration is free and forms can be obtained from the Racing Admin site.
Why can’t my horse be retired to a field? Many racehorses’ careers end whilst they are still young and mentally and physically fit – they need experienced care and attention and without it may develop temperament or health problems.
Olympic Gold steeped in racing
One discipline your ex-racehorse might excel in could be eventing, where Team GB won an Olympic Team Gold in Paris last month.
One of the successful horses – JL Dublin – is part owned by Deirdre Johnston, mother of trainer Charlie Johnston. Deirdre is a keen hobby eventer who has competed at the grassroots version of the Badminton Horse Trials.
She has owned JL Dublin in partnership with James and Jo Lambert since Nicola Wilson bought him as a four-year-old from a Holsteiner sale in Germany, with the Olympics always in mind for him. A career-ending and life-changing injury to Nicola meant that JL Dublin is now ridden by Tom McEwen, whose father is wellknown Rossdales racecourse vet Bobby McEwen.
James and Jo Lambert have also dipped their toe into racehorse ownership, owning five-time winner Mountain Brave. Congratulations to them all!
Of course, if your horse has retired unfit for further work, then a retirement home may be the best option, but this would be best discussed with your trainer and a reputable centre.
However, if it is apparent that due to age, injury, or temperament, and bearing in mind the special responsibilities of looking after a thoroughbred, that a decent quality of life cannot be assured, then having the horse humanely put to sleep might need to be considered. Owners should take account of their trainer and/or veterinary surgeon’s advice on this matter.
Euthanasia is not an easy option to contemplate. However, horses that change hands with physical or behavioural problems may otherwise be vulnerable to being taken on by someone without the experience, facilities or resources necessary to care for them, which is not in the best interests of the horse.
Is there any other paperwork that I should prepare before selling/gifting my former racehorse to someone?
An owner should only give or sell their horse to a responsible person. If they
are not known to you, ask for a written reference from a vet or someone else you trust. Sometimes a horse can be sold or given away in good faith, but the new owner’s circumstances may change, or they may decide to sell. To avoid such a situation, an owner may consider drafting a sale contract. This can give a seller a right of refusal on any future sale, but it should be borne in mind that such a clause might be difficult to enforce.
Check that the new owner has public liability insurance, to minimise the risk of any claim for liability reverting to you. Likewise, you might recommend veterinary insurance cover is in place for the horse. RoR can give advice on competitive insurance providers.
It is a requirement under the Horse Passport (England) Regulations to register a change of ownership with the relevant Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) within 30 days of acquiring a horse. A non-racing, non-breeding ownership will be required for all horses that have been retired from
Saphir Du Rheu, a high-class chaser in his younger days, has transitioned to the eventing and dressage world under the guidance of Charlotte Alexander, while below, horses parade for RoR at Cheltenham racecourse
Owners’ essential checklist:
• Ensure the horse’s passport is up to date with ownership details – and if the horse is being signed out of racing, ensure the person you have sold or gifted the horse to does this as soon as possible (the legal requirement in 30days)
• Encourage the new owner to register with RoR (it’s free and gives racing ongoing traceability on your horse)
• Send the passport back to Weatherbys when any thoroughbred dies at any stage of its life. If you want to keep the passport for sentimental reasons, you can request this and provide a stamped addressed envelope for the return.
who pays for vet bills). You should also consider taking out third-party liability insurance to cover yourself in the event that your horse injures the loaner or a third party.
racing. When this process is complete, the passport will need to be handed over to the new owner of the horse.
What if I want to maintain ownership of the horse?
If you intend to loan your horse to another keeper, then you need to ensure that a legally binding loan agreement is agreed and signed by both parties. This will set out the exact terms of the loan (e.g. duration) and the responsibilities of each party (e.g.
The British Horse Society has produced a template loan agreement that can be edited as required.
If you are loaning a horse, then you should keep a full copy of the horse’s passport and notify the Weatherbys passport team that the horse is on loan. We would also recommend checking the horse in its new home at regular intervals – any organisation or individual who is not happy about you doing so should immediately raise alarm bells.
ROA Forum
MAGICAL MOMENTS
Hats off to Bill Simpson after surveying another win with Master Milliner
It’s been a fascinating, interesting and emotional journey – and an expensive one!” Bill Simpson’s summary of his ownership experiences will resonate with plenty of other owners in a sport where events rarely turn out as planned.
Simpson was at last month’s Qatar Goodwood Festival – better known as Glorious Goodwood – when a plan did come together perfectly, as his redoubtable eight-year-old Master Milliner – whose stable name is ‘Ginger’ – saw off 17 rivals to take a valuable two-and-a-halfmile handicap in decisive fashion.
It was a victory that meant a lot to his owner; Master Milliner had previously raced in the name of Bill’s wife Jennie –her colours had previously belonged to Lord Gainsborough – who passed away in December.
He says: “My wife was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in March last year. My focus was on distraction – anything to distract Jennie from the reality of her condition.
“We bought a yearling at Tattersalls, now named Silver Ghost, who has run four good races this year and will make a good three-year-old next season. I’ve also reserved the name Jennie’s Girl for a homebred yearling.
“I had four or five friends with me to cheer on ‘Ginger’ and they were all in tears after the race. It’s been an emotionally draining time – but Goodwood was fabulous.”
Simpson’s initial interest in horseracing was triggered during childhood visits to local track Taunton with his father and sisters, but it wasn’t until his working life began as a chartered surveyor that thoroughbreds really came into his life.
His first job was with the Inland Revenue – one day he was asked to assess a rating appeal on a trainer’s gallops. The National Trainers’ Federation (NTF) was acting for the trainer and when the case had finished, the NTF asked Simpson to act as its property consultant. He agreed to take on the role.
“That’s how it all started for me,” he says. “I would visit training yards all over the country – in Newmarket, the likes of John Gosden and Sir Mark Prescott, Tony Newcombe down in the West Country and the Easterbys in the north.
“It was while I was at Mark Tompkins’ stable that I saw this beautiful grey horse called Joe The Coat. ‘Take a share!’ he said – so we did!
“However, Mark’s favourite racecourse was Yarmouth, which wasn’t convenient for us as we lived near Hungerford, so we then became owners with Peter Makin and Eve Johnson Houghton.
“When Emma Lavelle bought Peter Makin’s yard, I rang her and asked if she would be interested in training some Flat horses. She said yes. I was planning to send her one horse, Vixen, but the horsebox turned up with Master Milliner too!
“I have been impressed with Emma and Barry [Fenton]. They work so hard looking after the horses and being a predominantly jumps yard, the training fees are competitive compared with Flat trainers in the area, which makes a difference with five horses in sole ownership.”
Master Milliner’s Goodwood strike was his ninth career victory – not bad for a horse who was on the sidelines for 21 months with a tendon injury and suffered severe health problems in his youth.
“He had meningitis as a two-year-old,” Simpson explains. “He was in hospital for ten days.
“Bobby McEwen, a very good vet, helped him pull through. I think only around 5% of horses get through meningitis.
“Master Milliner’s half-brother, Silver Ghost, was also talented and rated 94, but sadly he died of colic.”
Simpson is referring to the first Silver Ghost, a Dark Angel gelding who won three races in 2017.
Fast forward to the present and the owner has a second runner named Silver Ghost, this one a two-year-old daughter of Phoenix Of Spain who has been placed on three occasions and looks like making up into a decent performer.
Equally exciting, if not more so, is fellow juvenile Silver Wraith, a Havana Grey filly who made a hugely promising debut at Sandown in July, finishing a never-nearer fourth having endured a troubled passage on the sprint track.
Silver Wraith is Simpson’s first homebred to race, being out of the Showcasing mare Resolute Bay, who was in training with Lavelle but never raced.
BILL SELWYN
Bill Simpson with jockey Charles Bishop after Master Milliner’s recent Goodwood victory
Simpson says: “Resolute Bay suffered a stress fracture of her pelvis, so we took the decision when she was three to breed from her.
“We chose Havana Grey as a first-year sire hoping for a grey offspring, not anticipating what a fabulous success story he has become, and I’m pleased to say Silver Wraith is grey!
“She also has a yearling by Ulysses – that’s Jennie’s Girl – and is in foal to Sergei Prokofiev.
“Silver Wraith and Silver Ghost are models of Rolls-Royce. I think a horse deserves a nice name – and you can’t get better than a Rolls-Royce!”
It is horsepower of a different kind, however, that is occupying Simpson’s thoughts, with Master Milliner a possible for the Cesarewitch in October. His latest triumph at Goodwood may have been his most valuable, but not necessarily the most magical for his owner.
“Funnily enough, I think that first win at Bath, in September 2020, stands out the most,” Simpson relates. “It was during Covid, so nobody was there.
“When we sent Master Milliner to Emma [after one race where he was beaten 33 lengths] I asked her if he was going to make a racehorse. She said she wasn’t sure, which was very honest!
“He was/is a big, long, rangy horse – you’d have looked at him and asked, what assets has he got? He relishes two and a half miles on the Flat and wouldn’t make a hurdler as he has a daisycutting action and wants quick ground.”
With Master Milliner maintaining his form at the age of eight – “touch wood he’ll carry on next year” – and two smart fillies to look forward to, not forgetting Grey Fox and Grey Owl plus
“Did Frank Sinatra pay to perform in Vegas, hoping to get some money back?”
homebred runners to come, Simpson looks set for many more exciting days in the sport.
One side of ownership he would like to see addressed concerns entry fees – Master Milliner not taking up an engagement at York saw Simpson lose £500, not a huge amount, but unwelcome when set against all the other costs owners face.
“Did Frank Sinatra pay to perform to audiences in Las Vegas, hoping to get some money back on a good night?” Simpson says. “The entry cost was around £500 but he was not declared as Emma felt he was not quite right, so it’s money lost. The total cost of sending a horse to York – or other northern tracks –including the entry fee is offputting.”
He adds: “Who benefits from my horses running? The racecourses and the bookmakers. We’re sending runners to entertain and being charged for the privilege.
“If owners stood up and said entry fees are nonsense, perhaps something could be done.”
OUR PARTNERS SECTION
Bid for a luxury woodland getaway plus hospitality at Uttoxeter
This month’s Bid to Give auction package available to ROA members in conjunction with Racing Welfare is a luxury two-night stay for two at Wildhive Callow Hall, as well as hospitality for two at Uttoxeter racecourse.
You’ll stay in a luxury woodland hive in the Derbyshire countryside, perfectly positioned at the gateway to the Peak District. These secluded woodland bedrooms offer couples a tranquil escape that feels a whole world away. You’ll find a king-size bed, en suite rainfall shower, chefs’ cupboard housing sink, microwave, fridge and crockery.
Each hive has an outdoor seating area on your very own deck. Included in the package is breakfast, dinner in the garden room restaurant for one night, woodland pizzas in your hive for the second night, as well as bike hire, access to the interactive gym, sauna and two treatments.
Completing the lot is hospitality at nearby Uttoxeter racecourse, with a table for two in the 1907 restaurant. This ‘rustic-modern’ restaurant brings the outdoors indoors, whilst providing magnificent panoramic views across the racecourse. In the 1907, you can be sure to enjoy first-class service and exquisite food from the four-course a la
carte menu.
Dates are to be agreed with Wildhive and the racecourse. Place your bid at www.bidtogive.co.uk before Friday, September 27 to be in with a chance of winning this special package. All funds raised go towards funding Racing Welfare’s vital work in supporting everyone working in or retired from the racing industry.
Trust’s latest donation tops the £1m mark for Racing Welfare
The Thompson Family Charitable Trust, which was formed in 1985 by David and Patricia Thompson, continues to generously fund Racing Welfare. A recent donation of £100,000 means the amount donated to support the charity has now passed the £1 million mark.
David and Patricia bought Cheveley Park Stud near Newmarket in 1975 and turned it into one of the country’s leading horseracing breeding and ownership operations. Sadly, David passed away in 2020, but the charitable legacy continues with trustees Patricia Thompson and daughter Katie Woodward, along with Roy Copus, overseeing the Trust’s work. Since its inception, it has given over £102 million in grants to numerous charities.
Dawn Goodfellow, Racing Welfare’s Chief Executive, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have continued support from The Thompson Family Charitable Trust. David and Patricia’s dedication to the sport, seen in their many notable achievements, as well as the trust’s willingness to donate funds to Racing Welfare to support stable, stud and racecourse staff should be celebrated.
“Our work aims to help people, from recruitment to retirement, to thrive in day-to-day life and through a range of life’s challenges and this latest donation from The Thompson Family Charitable
Trust, added to all the funds we’ve received from them since 2013, will help to ensure we can continue to deliver our vital services.”
Of David and Patricia’s many achievements, notable highlights include their Gimcrack winner, Music Boy, who they stood at Cheveley Park in 1977 and from 17 foals was leading first-season sire, with his progeny earning over £2.5 million. The mighty Pivotal, who was born and bred on the stud, went on to win the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes in 1996 and during his stud career sired over 150 individual stakes winners, including 32 Group 1 scorers. Homebred mare Inspiral is one of the current stars with six Group 1 wins to her name.
The Thompsons’ interest also extends to jump racing – Party Politics won the Grand National in 1992 and spent his
retirement at the stud, while A Plus Tard captured the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2022.
Patricia Thompson, Trustee of The Thompson Family Charitable Trust, said: “The Trust was set up in 1985. My husband and I felt that we would like to help others less fortunate than ourselves.
“Fairly soon after that decision, I became a Trustee of Racing Welfare, and was in a position to understand how responsibly and thoughtfully Racing Welfare handled the donations they were given. It is so important that the people who ‘make the wheels turn’ are looked after, particularly when they retire.
“I am delighted to hear that The Thompson Family Charitable Trust’s donations [to Racing Welfare] total over £1 million.”
Woodland luxury at Wildhive Callow Hall
Patricia Thompson: big supporter of Racing Welfare
BILL SELWYN
KÜBLER RACING – HOW ANALYTICAL HORSEMANSHIP GIVES YOU A WINNING EDGE
With a 19% strike rate in 2024 and having already achieved a personal best winners total, Daniel and Claire Kübler’s blend of exceptional horsemanship with a data-driven, analytical approach is giving the horses in their care at Sarsen Farm a winning edge. The dedication to quality and continuous development ensures that each horse is primed for success. The couple work together with a talented team of horsemen and women at Sarsen Farm, a state of the art yard in Upper Lambourn.
Claire, a Cambridge Natural Sciences graduate, underscores the role of science in their training: “Training is about watching and listening to each horse, science then enhances our understanding allowing us to maximise every horse’s winning potential.” The Küblers’ commitment to staying updated with sports science enables them to use data to enhance performance and care.
Daniel emphasises the importance of combining quality horsemanship with analytical insights: “Feedback from our team of work riders and grooms is crucial. They provide insights into each horse’s mental and physical development, helping us fine-tune our strategies for winning.”
Beyond the traditional intuitive feel for a horse the meticulous approach includes monitoring heart rates, stride patterns, analysing genetic markers and optimising feeding regimes. They carefully analysed the airflow in the barns at Sarsen Farm to ensure top-quality respiratory health. Daniel adds, “The more data you collect, the more you can learn. We’re always looking for new ways to develop our horses and enhance their winning chances.”
The Küblers have a notable track record in transforming horses trained elsewhere into consistent winners. Their analytical methods and horsemanship also excel at developing yearlings into high-performing racehorses. This proven ability to turn potential into success is a hallmark of their training. The five yearling colts they purchased in 2022 have all won races, four of them landing novices, two of them landing £30,000 two year old novice races. They also work closely together with owner breeders to develop their families.
Astro King, purchased for just 36,000 Guineas, earned over £200,000 in prize money under the Küblers’ guidance. His impressive victory in the Cambridgeshire Handicap highlights their capability to bring out a horse’s winning potential. Andaleep has transformed from a 65 rated handicapper, to win nine times under their care and well over £150,000. These are just two out of an ever increasing list of horses that have benefited from the switch to Sarsen Farm.
Owners who switch to Sarsen Farm benefit not only from more wins but also from a deeper understanding of their horses’ development and potential. The Küblers take pride in working closely with owners, making it a team effort to achieve the best results and ensure their horses are consistently winning.
Aerial shot of the first-class
If you want to maximise your racehorse’s potential and secure more wins, consider making the switch to Sarsen Farm. With a combination of analytical rigour, quality horsemanship, and a commitment to developing winning horses, Daniel and Claire Kübler can help elevate your horse to the next level. Contact them today to explore how they can enhance your horse’s winning chances, source a horse at the sales or join one of their exciting new partnerships launching this autumn n
British racing expands initiatives.
In 2021, the Horse Welfare Funding Review and the management and aftercare segment.
Contact Daniel on 07984 287 254 or Claire on 07714 294 172
The report found that provision has grown organically provide a blend of promotional opportunities for thoroughbreds career. While retraining offered by a mixture of charitable bodies, there assessment, methodology health and welfare provision to forecast and budget
The review’s recommendations areas to improve the sector welfare commitments: traceability and data; accreditation; education; communication. improvements on behalf Retraining of Racehorses to be provided by the Team.
TBA Forum
Richardson and Thormans take top honours
Chippenham Park hosted the TBA’s annual Flat Breeders’ Awards evening during July week. Celebrating successes achieved from 2023, British bloodstock industry stalwarts Chris Richardson and Paul and Sara Thorman received the highly prestigious Dominion and Andrew Devonshire Bronzes respectively.
The Dominion Bronze recognises Richardson’s outstanding contribution and long-term commitment to the British breeding industry. Having joined Cheveley Park Stud in December 1986, Richardson has guided the stud to become one of Britain’s most successful mare and stallion operations.
Meanwhile, the Thormans picked up the Andrew Devonshire Bronze, which acknowledges outstanding achievement and contribution to the industry. Amongst Britain’s leading sales consignors for more than 30 years, they were connected with the 2,000 Guineas winners George
Washington and Cockney Rebel, selling both as yearlings, the latter as a pinhook and the former for 1.15 million guineas.
The Harper family and Whitsbury Manor Stud were also big winners on the evening, collecting three trophies. Havana Grey was the recipient of the BEBF Stallion Special Merit award, while the H J Joel Silver Salver, sponsored by Barton Stud, was awarded to Suelita, who was named Broodmare of the Year. The third trophy collected was the Silver Rose Bowl, awarded for Breeder of the Year. Amongst the successes in 2023 was the Classic victory of Chaldean, a son of Suelita, in the 2,000 Guineas.
Havana Grey’s son Vandeek won both the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes in 2023 and his breeder, Kelly Thomas of Maywood Stud, was crowned Small Breeder of the Year and awarded the Langham Cup.
The Filly of Merit award was presented to Jane Allison, representing the
Morera Partnership, on account of the sparkling Stateside successes of Anisette, victorious in both the Del Mar and American Oaks.
Branton Court Stud, owned by Steve Parkin, was awarded the TBA Silver Salver, a special merit award. The Yorkshirebased stud was rewarded in no small part for the Moyglare Stud Stakes win of Fallen Angel.
Fallen Angel is a daughter of Too Darn Hot, who was crowned leading firstseason sire and awarded the Tattersalls Silver Salver.
Also previously announced was that Shadwell had won a third Queen’s Silver Cup for leading British-based breeder. Frankel regained the BBA Silver Cigar Box for leading British-based sire by earnings, and Kingman was named the Barleythorpe Stud Silver Cup winner, having supplied the most winners in the season by a British-based stallion.
All photos by Adam Smyth
The Flat breeding community celebrated successes from the 2023 season at Chippenham Park on July 10
Chris Richardson (r) received the Dominion Bronze from TBA Chairman Philip Newton
The EBF's Cheryl Caves with Ed Harper of Whitsbury Manor Stud
Chris Harper discusses star broodmare Suelita with Aly Vance
Royal Ascot-winning breeders celebrated
Any winner is a special achievement, but one at Royal Ascot even more so. Celebrating breeders from around the world, the TBA would like to extend its thanks and gratitude to Ascot Chairman Sir Francis Brooke and the executive for inviting the winning breeders from this year’s Royal Ascot to its annual lunch in late July.
Philip Newton presented the Andrew Devonshire Bronze to Sara and Paul Thorman
Ollie Fowlston with Simon Mockridge (r), who picked up the BBA Silver Cigar Box
Sam Bullard with Jane Allison, representing the breeders of Anisette
Kelly Thomas of Maywood Stud was crowned Small Breeder of the Year
Juddmonte's Jason Imeson discusses Kingman with Aly Vance
Sam Bullard (Darley) and Simon Marsh (Watership Down Stud) with the Tattersalls Silver Salver
Fabienne Parkin collected the TBA Silver Salver on behalf of Branton Court Stud
Shadwell's Chris Kennard (left) with TBA Trustee Colin Bryce
TBA Forum
Godolphin grab Group 1s either side of the Atlantic
The American division of Charlie Appleby’s satellite yard is firing on all cylinders and in July, Cinderella’s Dream put in an impressive flourish to capture the Belmont Oaks, her maiden top-level win. Star Of Mystery has kept rolling through the season and added the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga to her CV.
On the final day of the month, 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech, a son of Dubawi, bounced back to take the Sussex Stakes, whilst fellow miler Quddwah, a son of Kingman, captured the Summer Mile. All four were bred by Godolphin.
Juddmonte were in triple-winning form during the month. Whitebeam recorded back-to-back wins in the Diana Stakes at Saratoga, whilst Babouche – subsequent winner of the Phoenix Stakes – won the Anglesey Stakes. Completing the trio was Study Of Man’s daughter Kalpana, who took the Glasgow Stakes.
Whitsbury Manor Stud were also three-handed in July, the trio all progeny of Havana Grey. The juvenile filly, Arabian Dusk, won the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, whilst the three-yearold Elite Status landed the Hackwood at Newbury. Earlier in the month, the four-year-old Shouldvebeenaring won the Prix de Ris-Orangis.
Andrew Stone’s St Albans Bloodstock was represented by Phantom Flight, winner of the Steventon Stakes.
However, his biggest successes in the month came Stateside when Silver Knott took the Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga, whilst a week earlier, Ziggle Pops had won the Grade 1 A P Smithwick Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Having been fourth in the Oaks and Ribblesdale Stakes, You Got To Me became the latest top-level winner for Nathaniel when winning the Irish Oaks at the Curragh. She was bred by Mark Tompkins and Richard Marriott.
A number of breeders were at the double, including Cheveley Park, represented by Audience in the Lennox Stakes and Vetiver in the Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes.
Alflaila was successful in the York Stakes for Shadwell, who also bred the Winter Championship Final hero Munhamek.
The second crop by Too Darn Hot made a mark. Royal Ascot placegetter Simmering, bred by Lofts Hall Stud, took the Princess Margaret Stakes, whilst in Ireland, the Blue Diamond Stud-bred Hotazhell was an impressive winner of the Tyros Stakes.
Arabie, bred by Robert Cornelius, won the Prix Robert Papin in good style. Closer to home, Celestial Orbit, bred by Ben Sangster, captured the Star Stakes at Sandown. Another juvenile stakes scorer was the Stuart McPhee and Nigel Kelly-bred Yah Mo Be There, who became freshman sire Mohaather’s first stakes winner in the Listed Rose Bowl
Stakes at Newbury.
The Brightwalton Stud-bred Makarova made the breakthrough at Group level when capturing the Charge Stakes, likewise the Al Wasmiyah homebred Alsakib (Kingman) in the Silver Cup and George Strawbridge’s homebred Friendly Soul (Kingman) in the Valiant Stakes. Meanwhile, the Simple Verse Partnership-bred Queen Of The Pride upgraded her CV after taking the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks.
There were stakes victories for The Euphrates, bred by Bobby Flay, in the Marble City Stakes, Meon Valley Stud homebred Mistral Star in the Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes, the Wertheimer brothers’ Left Sea in the Prix du Pays d’Auge, and Al Muhir, bred by Rabbah, in the Gala Stakes. All four are by Frankel.
The Overbury Stud-bred Start Of Day is an improving filly who won the Prix Madame Jean Couturie, as is the Jarosa Stud-bred Fair Angellica (Harry Angel), winner of the Prix Amandine.
The Ahmad Al Shaikh-bred Al Shabab Storm (Advertise) won the City Plate Stakes at Chester, the same day that Starlust took the City Walls Stakes at York. He was bred by Branton Court Stud. The Hunscote Stud homebred Caernarfon returned to form in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.
Following the closure of his beloved Golden Gate Fields, Lammas won the Pleasanton Mile Stakes on dirt. He was bred by Peter Onslow. On the other side of the country, the Stone Roses Bloodstock-bred Fuente Ovejuna won the Indiana General Assembly Distaff Handicap.
Results up to and including July 31. Produced in association with GBRI.
Notable Speech's turn of foot proved decisive in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood
BILL SELWYN
Bowers celebrated with Stud Employee Award
The winner of this year’s TBA Stud Employee Award, sponsored by New England Stud, was Carla Bowers, who was nominated by her employer David and Caroline Brocklehurst of Charlock Stud.
Carla has been in the industry all her working life, having started her career on the National Stud’s NVQ course, and from there developing her skills and knowledge in a variety of roles, including spending time at Catridge Farm, Marston Stud and Haras d’Etreham prior to her current position as Stud Manager at Charlock.
Described by Caroline and David as a “real glass half-full person”, one of the standout reasons for her nomination was not only her attention to detail and ability to rise to any challenge, but her keenness to motivate others and share her extensive expertise, an attribute which cannot be underestimated in its role for developing and retaining new and existing employees within the industry.
Aside from being an integral part of the Charlock team, whilst juggling family life, she also finds the time to rehome and rehabilitate exracehorses, run in marathons and get involved in the local community. Carla is described as a “true horsewoman” and represents many individuals across the country who work to support the industry, giving our horses the best care and attention, and mentoring those who work alongside them.
In our thoughts
Much has been written by others better qualified about the loss of Howard Wright, his importance, longevity and contribution to the racing industry. However, the TBA would like to record our personal appreciation of Howard for his support, counsel and commitment to the TBA and the breeding industry over many years. He will be much missed by everyone at the TBA and our thoughts are with his wife Anne and daughters Andrea and Karen.
Carla Bowers: devoted horsewoman
“It really is quite lovely,” Carla said when asked how it felt to win, adding: “I couldn’t do it without that lot of nutters! It’s all down to the team.”
The award aims to formally recognise the excellence of industry employees, whether that be as an integral member of a team or exceptional performance in a specific situation.
Nominations come in all forms from managers, colleagues and owners, all highlighting how these individuals have made a difference to them or their workplace, making for an incredibly difficult task in whittling such worthy nominees down to a shortlist and eventual winner.
The other finalists were Chris Constantine (Shadwell), Jason Parkin (Culworth Grounds), Kelly Coole (Trinity Park), Rebecca Platt (Little Lodge Farm) and Laura Wright (Hazelwood Bloodstock). Each received £250 in acknowledgement of their achievement.
Spaces available for final 2024 regional days
There are just two remaining TBA regional days left in 2024, scheduled to take place in September for which tickets can be purchased via the website.
The first is a morning visit to Dan Skelton’s training yard in Alcester on September 17, where members will be able to get up close to stars such as Cheltenham Festival winner Langer Dan. Following lunch at a nearby pub, attendees will make their way to Alne Park Stud, which is run by Grace Skelton and stands Dink, Midnights Legacy, Ocovango and Subjectivist.
Our final regional day of the year will take place on September 26, courtesy of Nunstainton and Elwick studs.
Home to Grade 1-producing stallions Cannock Chase, Dragon Dancer, Falco and Kingston Hill, the Dawson family will welcome attendees to their Nunstainton Stud, which is based just outside of Ferryhill. Lunch will be taken in a nearby pub.
The afternoon will be spent at the Turnbulls’ Elwick Stud, which has been going for over 25 years. As well as being known for owning the likes of Mondialiste and Lord Glitters, the family have this year tasted success with Lava Stream, winner of the Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes and runner-up in the Ribblesdale Stakes.
Both events are priced at £50 per person (including VAT) for TBA members and £60 per person (including VAT) for guests and joint members.
ADAM SMYTH
TBA Forum
‘Incentivisation and intervention works’
This year’s Annual General Meeting took place at Newbury racecourse on Tuesday, August 13. The 107th AGM witnessed TBA Chairman Philip Newton reiterate the importance of evidence-based strategies being essential to making a difference despite ongoing challenges. He highlighted that incentivisation and intervention, such as with the Great British Bonus, was working and that it was the way forward if the industry was to ensure a sustainable future.
Noting the impact that the Elite Mares’ Scheme and GBB were having, he said: “We believe that additional money needs to be set aside to reward breeders and owners that adopt policies and behaviours that deliver and influence positive change and participation for the whole health of the sport.”
Newton went on to talk about the role of the TBA as a member of the Thoroughbred Group who work and deliver for the industry, as well as the breeders who supply the product, and where usually through this channel that collective decisions are reached and then promoted to the BHA. However, Newton shared his frustration regarding self-interests within the industry, which have different and more immediate agendas and were slowing down progression.
Similarly, Newton discussed the need for transformational change to racing’s finances, saying: “To rely upon the structure and funding model that has existed since 1962 and with media rights from 1986 is to plan to fail. I am
not being dramatic or overstating the potential crisis that we are facing.”
On the more specific issues faced by breeders, Newton commented: “Evidence-based strategies have been at the heart of the TBA’s work since the initial EIS study in 2014 and led the subsequent 2018 and 2023 studies, providing a sound basis for areas of focus in our work to support breeders and the industry. The results of the most recent study ensure that our work is directed on activities that deliver the greatest positive impact to our sector.”
The meeting’s official matters of business included confirmation of the extension of Newton’s term of office to 2027 to ensure he could carry out a full term as Chair and the appointment of two new elected trustees in Joe Callan and Jan Hopper. It was also confirmed that Kate Sigsworth had been reelected for a second term and would continue as Deputy Chair.
Newton thanked Colin Bryce, who stepped down after four years as a Trustee, saying: “Colin has been a rock and contributed to every respect and the Trustee who when he speaks you listen. The Board will be the less without him, but I know he is generous enough to be available when we are certain to need his wise head in the future.”
The AGM was used to formally launch the 2023 Annual Report, which is available to members in the members section of the website.
Following the AGM, the TBA hosted an educational event titled ‘Alles ist Gut’, which discussed a holistic
approach to gastrointestinal health.
Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the University of Surrey Vet School, was the first to speak. He has recently published a fascinating study which points to the potential of a racehorse found by analysing bacteria in a monthold foal’s gut.
Researchers at the University of Surrey analysed 438 faecal samples from 52 foals, who eventually went into training at 27 different stables in Britain, and tracked veterinary issues and racecourse performance from birth to the age of three.
Proudman said: “I am delighted to be able to present the outcomes of the recent study by the University of Surrey to thoroughbred breeders, who will hopefully find this insight beneficial to raising healthy young stock and optimising their chances of fulfilling their full potential on the racecourse.”
He was joined by additional speakers in Dr Laura Peachey, senior lecturer in veterinary parasitology, University of Bristol, who specialises in livestock microbiome research, and Professor Celia Marr, who covered antimicrobial stewardship.
Chairman of the TBA Veterinary Committee, Dr James Crowhurst, said: “We are really pleased to offer these types of quality educational events for our membership base. We are lucky to have leading experts in their field with us today talking on extremely relevant subject matter, including Chris’s recently published study on gut bacteria and their significance in the long-term health and performance of the thoroughbred.”
For those unable to attend in person, the recordings of the three presentations will be made available via the TBA’s e-learning platform TB-Ed in due course at www.tb-ed.co.uk
TBA Chairman Philip Newton delivers his address at the AGM, while Professor Chris Proudman (r) spoke at the following educational event
Sales welfare guidelines updated
Two years on from their original publication, the TBA and Irish TBA have collaborated to broaden and strengthen the sales welfare guidelines, with the full backing of Goffs and Tattersalls.
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents has also endorsed the guidelines, acknowledging the collective responsibility of industry stakeholders and demonstrating the sector’s commitment to optimising the experience and wellbeing of thoroughbreds at all life stages. These organisations recognise that the health and welfare of all horses whilst being prepared and sold at public auction are the paramount concerns of all participants engaged with buying and selling horses.
The ability to manage every horse as an individual is often the key to achieving the best sale outcome for each thoroughbred and this approach
extends to the sales complex, where alternative bedding materials can be provided for those with medical conditions; the handling, stabling and exercise regime for each horse can be tailored to meet their requirements; and feed rations and the dosage rate of medications should be administered according to the body weight and demeanour of each horse.
The thoroughbred industry has been an early adopter of digital solutions, and the updated guidelines reflect the growing ability to monitor the temperature of horses at the sales using their biothermal microchips (2023 foal crop onwards) and to initiate General Stud Book processes, such as post-sale transfer of ownership, via the e-passport. These technologies allow routine tasks to be more efficient, bio-secure and facilitate a greater level of traceability.
Great British Bonus: foal registration deadline looms
Stage 1 Great British Bonus registrations for 2024-born fillies close at the end of September and full TBA members are given a £200 discount, bringing the cost of registration down to £200 per filly. Registration to the scheme is via www.greatbritishbonus.co.uk.
If you have a filly to register and are not a TBA member, then why not join the association? In addition to receiving the member discount on Great British Bonus registrations,
take advantage of some of the other benefits, which include: free tax and legal advice line, third-party public liability policy, access to the breeders’ badge scheme, and many more.
Membership costs £170 plus a £50 joining fee. So, after a £200 discount on a single GBB filly foal registration, £20 will give you access to TBA member benefits.
For more information visit www.thetba.co.uk.
New: Warwick breeders’ day
The TBA is delighted to announce a partnership with Warwick racecourse to host a breeders’ day on Thursday, November 21, day two of their Winter Festival. Prior to racing, the TBA will host a dedicated forum for members and non-members, featuring some topical themes, panel sessions and Q&A for members, with the full details to be published in due course. This will be followed by lunch in the pavilion, before an afternoon of top-quality racing action.
The fixture, where the highlight is a Class 2 veterans’ chase, has been put together to highlight breeder-friendly races, and will feature four mares’ only races, as well as a National Hunt junior hurdle.
A special all-inclusive package will cost £35 for members and £55 for non-members and will include general admission, refreshments on arrival prior to the seminar, a hearty lunch in the pavilion with a pay bar, plus a racecard. We would like to encourage members to come along and bring a nonmember friend for the member price.
For more information and to book, visit the events page of the TBA website. Further details will be announced via membership emails and in next month’s forum pages.
Diary dates
Tuesday, September 17
Wales & Midlands regional day
Spend the day with the Skeltons. The morning will be hosted at Dan Skelton’s Lodge Hill yard prior to lunch in a local pub. It is then around the corner to Grace Skelton’s Alne Park Stud.
Thursday, September 26
North regional day
Enjoy a morning with the Dawsons at their Nunstainton Stud, before lunch, which will be followed by a visit to Elwick Stud.
Tattersalls and Goffs fully support the strengthened codes
Breeder of the Month
DULLINGHAM PARK STUD & SARABEX
When You Got To Me battled her way to victory in the Irish Oaks for Ralph Beckett, she also helped another trainer enter into elite company. The filly was co-bred by Mark Tompkins, who joins the likes of Jim Bolger and Aidan O’Brien in having not only trained a Classic winner, but bred one too.
“It’s unbelievable and people probably don’t appreciate how hard it is to breed a Classic winner,” says Tompkins, who brought an end to his 40-year training career in July 2019. “It never happens to people like us – we’re the only ‘ordinary’ people who’ve bred a Classic winner in Britain or Ireland this year. To train a Classic winner was a great day, and to breed one is just as good.”
Tompkins, who landed the 1993 St Leger with Bob’s Return, bred the filly in partnership with Richard Marriott, who races and breeds under the banner of Sarabex.
“If you lived in Newmarket you’d have heard me screaming… and I live 44 miles away!” Marriott says as he reflects on You Got To Me’s Curragh triumph. “It’s something you’d never dream would happen. Whilst it wasn’t in our ownership, it still means an awful lot to be part of the breeding.”
Tompkins also enjoyed racing success with You Got To Me’s homebred dam Brushing, who won four times before retiring to the paddocks. “She was a good racehorse once she matured,” he says. “She was a very backward two-year-old but won her maiden at three over six furlongs at Yarmouth and just kept on improving. The further she went, the better she was. She won the Cumberland Plate, which I’d always wanted to win, then she won the Listed Galtres Stakes at York under Kieren Fallon. She was pretty good so we kept her at stud.”
You Got To Me was bred at Dullingham Park Stud, which Tompkins has since sold to Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics, meaning the mare is now under the care of Stuart Thom at Galloway Stud in Woburn.
Brushing raced in the colours of John Brenchley, and Marriott says he was simply “in the right place at the right time” to acquire a third of the mare after her racing career. Marriott first became involved in racing in the 1980s when he owned Greysby, the winner of a bumper, novice hurdle and novice chase for Owen Brennan.
He took a break from ownership when “family and a mortgage came along” soon after, but re-entered the fray in 2009 when he purchased a five per cent share in six twoyear-olds trained by Tompkins. Family continues to shape his involvement in the sport, as the Sarabex monicker is an anagram of his daughters’ names, Sarah and Rebecca.
The owner branched out into the world of breeding when he invested “a chunk of money” won on the Tote’s Ten to Follow competition on a broodmare prospect named Nice Time. “Unfortunately she didn’t live up to her name because she absolutely hated her foals, so that first foray into breeding wasn’t especially successful,” he says.
Marriott has enjoyed better fortune with Battery Power, a winning daughter of Royal Applause who now resides at Colin and Melba Bryce’s Laundry Cottage Stud. She has bred four winners, each of whom have carried Marriott’s own colours, namely Velvet Voice, Velvet Vision, Velvet Vista and Velvet Vulcan.
Better was to come when he bought into Brushing, however. Her third foal is the homebred 100-rated fourtime winner Ziggy, a son of Sixties Icon who was last seen contesting the Ebor Handicap at York. You Got To Me is the
Words: James Thomas
mare’s fifth offspring, and Tompkins’ wife, Angie, is credited with devising the Classic-winning mating.
“The Galileo - Mr Prospector cross is a great nick,” says Tompkins. “My wife is very hot on her crosses, she spends hours doing research. That’s why we went to Sixties Icon, who’s by Galileo, and then Nathaniel, who’s by Galileo too.”
Marriott adds: “When you look at what Nathaniel has done, it’s quite inspiring to be across National Hunt and Flat and to have produced some wonderful horses in both spheres. He’s got such a presence. I’ve been to Newsells Park a number of times and it always sticks out.”
You Got To Me first changed hands as a foal when she was presented by the National Stud at the 2021 Tattersalls December Sale. BBA Ireland signed the ticket at 62,000gns, a price that proved a welcome surprise for her breeders.
“You look back and think we made a mistake by selling her, but at the time it was the right decision,” says Marriott. “We were gobsmacked when she went through the ring. She was a lovely foal but we thought we’d have been lucky to get 30,000gns at the time.”
Although Brushing is not in foal this year there should still be plenty more for Marriott and Tompkins to look forward to. They have retained her two-year-old Time Test filly, while the mare delivered a daughter of Pinatubo earlier this year.
“The Pinatubo flies around her mother like the wall of death!” says Tompkins. “She’s flat out while Brushing just stands there looking at her. She’s a cracking foal though and hopefully she’ll get sold as a yearling next year.
“The Time Test is in pre-training but as both of us have a few horses in training we might try and find a partner to come in with us. She’s cantering every day so hopefully by the end of the month she’ll have gone into training.”
Mark Tompkins: former trainer is co-breeder of You Got To Me
Think Tank
Graham Dench asks our jury the big questions: Does the recently-announced 2025 fixture list get your approval?
Eve Johnson Houghton Group 1-winning trainer
“ I think that there was a general feeling of disappointment among trainers when the fixture list was published, when we saw that 2025 would essentially be just more of the same.
We need to be more radical and for that to happen we need to be more collaborative. Racing’s various vested interests all say they are going to be more collaborative, but when it comes down to it it’s unfortunately a case of ‘every man for himself’. Whether it’s the racecourses, bookmakers or others – and I’m afraid that includes trainers – everyone is looking at the issue from their own point of view rather than thinking about the sport as a whole. Nobody is prepared to make a sacrifice. What’s the point of all the talking when nothing gets done?
We’ve got to cut the fixture list back as there’s just too much racing – far too many bad races, too many small fields, and we need to cut them out. If you look in the calendar through the summer months, there are loads of 0-55s and 0-60s, but we shouldn’t be having them at this time of year. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got my share of horses who race in the lower grades, and as a trainer I might welcome opportunities that come along in small fields, but it’s not healthy.
We need to be more aspirational: everyone has to try harder.
Dr Jim Walker Group 1-winning owner and ROA Board member
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The comment in the BHA’s 2025 fixture list announcement that said it all was: ‘There were no plans to fundamentally alter anything for 2025, given how short a period this has been in terms of accurately assessing the performance of the changes.’
It makes me wonder why it even bothered with a press release. To plan properly for the 2026 fixture list, the BHA will have to cut off the data assessment period at the end of this year, giving it only 12 months of information to assess the Premierisation experiment and plan for the future. Will that be enough time, when the leadership of the organisation is in turmoil and unlikely to be settled before late autumn? I doubt it.
My biggest fear is that in summer 2025, the BHA will announce that it needs another committee to be set up to explore the way forward given the information that is available and, just
maybe, something meaningful will happen by the time the 2027 fixture list is due.
Even when that information is available it will tell the regulator exactly what we all know already –Premierisation isn’t working, the fixture list is too big, prize-money is woeful, and good horses continue to be sold abroad.
The message that should have been sent loud and clear with this announcement is that unless every race meeting aims for Premier level prize-money, their future fixtures will be cut by at least 10% every year. Relying on owners to provide the raw material for everyone’s enjoyment, every day, on a ‘hobby’ basis – i.e. assuming that we will just keep paying up no matter what – is an antiquated concept and the road to disaster for British racing.
Think Tank
John Sanderson Chief Executive of International Racecourse Management Ltd
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We all signed up to a 24-month experimental period to enable the BHA to test its philosophy of Premier racing, of which only seven months have been completed, so I cannot see any logic in complaining that significant changes should have been made in 2025.
I was sceptical about the fact that the compilation of the 2026 fixture list will have to commence early in the second quarter of 2025 when the BHA will not have 24 months’ worth of data available. At least by then we will have 15 months of factual data available, which may be sufficient to enable some serious decisions to be made if required.
On the question of the total number of annual fixtures and the imposition of any limitation on that and/or the number of races to be advertised for each fixture, my view is that this should be driven by a detailed and open review of the number of horses in training, both Flat and jumps, together with a forecast of the number of foals being bred, before any changes are made.
I can recall a time when, apart from Cartmel and Epsom, all racecourses were required to give up one fixture, which was reinstated when the overall statistics relating to the available horse population and the central funding of the fixture list by the Levy Board was able to return to ‘normal’.
That was before the advent of all-weather racing, which has been allowed to proliferate to the detriment of competitive turf racing.
Whether a draconian step of this nature will be necessary in 2026 or 2027 remains to be seen, but as far as the 2025 fixture list is concerned, it is largely what I expected, given that British racing is only just over a quarter of the way through the experimental period.
William Woodhams Chief Executive of bookmaker Fitzdares
A short-term view in both profitability and funding racing via bookmaking is to have a lot of racing all of the time. It is a more attractive product to higherstaking punters than greyhounds and low-level tennis.
So there seems some logic in keeping a steady flow of racing most of the time.
It is also true to a certain extent that your core gambling audience will bet the same on every meeting. However, your fair-weather punters’ ears do prick up considerably more for the bigger meetings, so what we need is a regular supply of high-quality and competitive racing and incentives to encourage a more even spread of quality racing throughout the week.
However, I’m interested in the future of
Max McNeill Prominent jumps owner
“There’s nothing better than a day at the races, win, lose or draw, but we have to keep it competitive and make sure it’s a spectacle by minimising the number of small fields and odds-on chances.
I’m talking principally about jump racing, because that’s where I’m mostly involved, but I do think we’ve got too much racing. I accept that we need to keep people interested at all levels, but I don’t think we have the horse population to support the number of meetings we put on.
I love having runners at Newton Abbot and Cartmel for example and they are fantastic tracks which have their place, but we have too much jump racing in July and August. We want to keep everyone happy and not put owners off, but if we could consolidate some of those meetings we could have a proper break, which would be good for competition and help to keep the jockeys fresh. I also feel that at the higher levels it’s far too easy for the good horses to dodge one another. That goes right to the top of the sport at the Cheltenham Festival, where there are too many races competing against one another for the same horses.
The best horses should be obliged to take each other on in the big races – it’s what we all want to see – but with the programme as it is there are too many instances where there is an easier option. It’s not just Cheltenham, either – there are occasions throughout the winter when different racecourses are competing against each other to attract much the same horses.
I appreciate that it’s difficult, because racecourses understandably want to protect their fixtures, but it’s time to be radical. Nobody seems to be looking at the bigger picture. ”
racing and really, we’ve had the conversation already around quality over quantity. I’m disappointed no-one really wants to tackle this head on.
We also seem to lack the ability to force good horses to race against each other; we need more battles in racing, especially over jumps, and I’m looking to the BHA to create these magical moments weekly, not annually. I’d also like to see a more dynamic approach to removing small fields and the substitution of races by division or re-opening, plus more extensive use of fixture transfers to plug holes caused by abandonments.
With affordability checks and an ageing audience, now is the perfect time to make dramatic changes rather than tweaks.
So less racing, more excitement, more money.
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Young Darley stallions: their first yearlings are always a must-see.
FANTASTIC
How about the debut crop of World Champion miler and Kingman’s best ever, Palace Pier? Peerless.
DYNASTIC...
20 years ago, Dubawi and Shamardal were stepping on to racecourses as two-year-olds. This sales season, see the first yearlings by two remarkable sons – and remarkably well-bred sons: each is also from the female families of their sires.
Breeders’ Cup Mile winner (and so much more)
Space Blues is from Dubawi’s damline, while Lagardère and Poule d’Essai hero Victor Ludorum descends from Shamardal’s grandam.
