Jan_113_Clairemont_Owner Breeder 13/12/2013 14:52 Page 69
CLAIREMONT STUD
A thriving partnership Lee, Eve and Martin Taylor receive the Oaks trophy from Bernard Kantor, left
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with Liam acting in an advisory capacity alongside his role as bloodstock consultant and agent. Jenny, whose picture appeared across national papers and news bulletins as she led Dancing Rain around a jam-packed ring at Tattersalls, managed the late David Hardisty’s Oaklands Farm for five years after a three-year stint at the Irish National Stud, while her husband formerly managed nearby Highclere Stud. Liam also grew up in the area at Polhampton Stud, run by his father Sean during his 37-year service to the Queen. “From the start we wanted to go into this in a completely open way,” says Liam. “It’s about trying to produce the best horses we can and bringing them to the sales to let people see that. “Primarily we’re traders, we want to trade and that’s one of the reasons we sold the mare [Dancing Rain]. We also sold all five of our yearlings earlier in the year. The most important thing is breeding good horses and producing results, and we’re fortunate we’ve got some really good land to do that on.” While Dancing Rain is no longer the star player on the Clairemont team, the addition of the black-type Dalakhani filly Aniseed, whose dam Anna Karenina is a half-sister to Arcangues, has further augmented the clutch of wellcredentialed young mares in residence, as, it is hoped, will Valtina, a winning daughter of Teofilo who remains in training. As any successful breeding operation knows, it’s the long game that matters and reputations hewn in the paddocks are earned over time with careful management. All connected with Dancing Rain are realistic in their belief that the excitement derived from her all-the-way victory at Epsom to her last star turn at Tattersalls may well be as good as it gets. “All in all it was an extraordinary experience,” says Martin Taylor. “We’ll probably never go through something like this again – outside family events those were the greatest days of our lives.” They are days that anyone in racing and breeding would gladly settle for, but it would be unwise to bet against the name Clairemont Stud looming large in major events on the track and in the sales ring in years to come. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER
Liam Norris and William Huntingdon started buying horses together in 2006 and have forged an increasingly successful partnership, the highlight naturally being the purchase of Dancing Rain for €200,000 at Goffs in 2009. Only a short time spent in their company reveals the level of mutual respect, often cloaked in wisecracks and leg-pulling, but genuine nonetheless. A former trainer, Huntingdon brings a different eye to the selection process to the avowed stockman Norris, who has spent a lifetime on stud farms. Their contrasting personalities and equine tastes make for an intriguing double act. But what do they make of each other? Norris says: “I’m a sounding board for Jenny at the stud and William and I do all the consultancy work and buying for Martin and Lee Taylor, but we also advise and buy horses for other people. “I’m very strict. I have a certain type of horse I like and William is probably more forgiving than I am but we’ve got to know each other well. I know the horses he will like and vice versa. A lot of it is instinctive. “William’s really well-read, is great fun and through all the people he knows we do plenty of socialising, but the most important thing for us is that we cover a sale well. We like to look at everything and that gives you a good feel for what’s there and the general quality of the sale. That way, if someone rings us and asks what a particular horse is like we’re very happy to give our opinion. We like to offer that service, too.
“For us it’s all about getting there early and looking at as many horses as possible – that way you get a much better feel for the job.” Huntingdon says: “We usually like similar horses, which is always a good sign and we both agree on the horses we buy, though neither of us are complete ‘yes men’, so there’s always discussion and different points of view. “Liam is very strict on conformation, whereas I trained for a lot of owner/breeders
“We like to get to a sale early and look at as many horses as possible”
so I learned to accept that horses come in all shapes and sizes. I also like to add an historical and analytical side to the process. “Liam has a very good work ethic and we do get around and see lots of horses. That way, at the cheaper end of the spectrum, you can follow them in and have a chance of buying something with a little value. “We’re very selective about what we have vetted and very few of those ever fail the vet, which I think is testament to Liam’s thoroughness on the conformation side. “Of course we both also enjoy a good meal and bottle of wine, which helps too.”
LAST YEAR’S FOAL-TO-YEARLING PINHOOKS Sex/breeding C Equiano-Mail The Desert F Exceed And Excel-Welsh Diva C Lawman-Fonda C Invincible Spirit-In The Light
Foal price
Yearling price
€90,000
140,000gns
75,000gns
160,000gns
110,000gns
280,000gns
55,000gns
120,000gns
One’s strict, the other’s more forgiving, but both agree on good red wine
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