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The elephant in the room is prize-money, which is where incentive schemes have made a difference and eventually will help keep owners in the UK...
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year’s Cheltenham results. The British-based trainers have excelled, too – John and Thady Gosden, Sir Micheal Stoute, Andrew Balding, Mark Johnston, Archie Watson Charlie Appleby make up 70 per cent of the top ten trainers. The future for British breeding is strong, with many quality mares residing in England, while our stallion roster is strengthening all the time. Frankel could easily take over Galileo’s mantel as the sire to get you stamina, and a Derby winner. The elephant in the room is prize-money, which is where incentive schemes have made a difference and eventually will help keep owners in the UK instead of the country just becoming a nursery producing horses for other racing jurisdications. It will take many intelligent people to go to government and re-negotiate the mechanism and the current tariffs from bookmakers. With Royal Ascot behind us and the last chance of black-type pedigree catalogue updates from the best week’s racing in Europe for the Goffs Premier Sale and Arqana August Select Sale books, we find
ourselves readying for the yearling sales. Traditionally, both Arqana and Goffs UK make their choices for acceptance to their premier sales through Ascot week or a few days preceding. Preparation for both sales starts soon, and with the weather as wet as it is I should think the yearlings will thrive inside, warm and well fed. It’s been hard this year to think outside the box regarding sale planning – Tattersalls had it all their own way in 2020. The company managed to keep all its the sales dates and continued with “live” sales right the way through the season. If your yearling gets into Book 1 or Book 2 it’s a no-brainer, and it is hard to argue against selling at Tattersalls, especially if you are based in the UK. The reviving of the Goffs Million Sale adds interest to breeders to be part of another incentive scheme, again financed by the sports’ participants but it does provide a massive reward. It also produces the catalyst for agents and trainers to put
syndicates together to stimulate new owners or existing owners. This year will see the docket system increase in use for Irish, French and German vendors. For years we have had to use this system for horses coming in from America. The complication had always been if the horse failed to sell and the negotiations that followed with HMRC, but at least the return transport back to Europe is not as daunting as a return flight to the US. Much of this article proclaims that the business is holding its own or increasing, but it is worth mentioning that, since 1990, around 60 per cent of British studs have disappeared. Not only do the farms not breed horses anymore, but many have changed the use of the land. Yes, we have seen the newly estblished Rockcliffe Stud and a re-envigorated Old Mill Stud, as well as a few others enter the business, but not in the numbers needed to stem the exodus. It is refreshing to hear Newsells Park retained as an ongoing business to an English businessman, but on the flip side sad to see Lavington and Kirtlington up for sale. Let’s hope the farms are not lost from the bloodstock industry. It was good to see some smaller scale breeders win at Royal Ascot – Lady Blyth, The Hearns and Lordship Stud. They all have small broodmare bands and are families who enjoy breeding racehorse – it important that such can continue and enjoy success.
The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Loving Dream was bred by Newmarket-based Lordship Stud. While British breeders had a good time of it at Royal Ascot, Ted warns against thinking all is rosy – British stud farms are disappearing at an alarming rate
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