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THE £6.95 JANUARY 2022 ISSUE 209

‘Coming here made me’ Sam Thomas on why he swapped Lambourn for life in Lisvane

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ROA Awards

All the winners from racing’s big night out

Class of 2022

New stallions to suit every budget

Breeding stock boost

International demand fuels trade

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Expert Eye 2015 b h Acclamation - Exemplify (Dansili)

All eyes on the future TIMEFORM RATING

118

113

Acclamation

Dark Angel

115

124

Mehmas

Expert Eye

GROUP/STAKES WINNERS COVERED IN FIRST THREE BOOKS OF MARES

15

13

Acclamation

Dark Angel

15

59

Mehmas

Expert Eye

The only Gr.1 winning miler by sire of sires Acclamation Contact Shane Horan, Henry Bletsoe or Claire Curry +44 (0)1638 731115 | nominations@juddmonte.co.uk

www.juddmonte.com

Welcome Editor: Edward Rosenthal Bloodstock Editor: Nancy Sexton Design/production: Thoroughbred Group Editorial: 12 Forbury Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 1SB editor@ownerbreeder.co.uk www.theownerbreeder.com Twitter: @OwnerBreeder Instagram: ownerbreeder Advertising: Giles Anderson UK: 01380 816777 IRE: 041 971 2000 USA: 1 888 218 4430 advertise@anderson-co.com Subscriptions: Keely Brewer subscriptions@ownerbreeder.co.uk 01183 385 686 The Owner Breeder can be purchased by non-members at the following rates:

1 Year 2 Year UK £60 £100 Europe £90 £150 RoW £120 £195 The Owner Breeder is published by a Mutual Trading Company owned jointly by the Racehorse Owners Association and Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is a registered charity No. 1134293 Editorial views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the ROA or TBA Our monthly average readership is 20,000 Racehorse Owners Association Ltd 12 Forbury Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 1SB Tel: 01183 385680 info@roa.co.uk • www.roa.co.uk

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£6.95 JANUARY 2022 ISSUE 209

‘Coming here made me’ Sam Thomas on why he swapped Lambourn for life in Lisvane

PLUS

ROA Awards

All the winners from racing’s big night out

Class of 2022

New stallions to suit every budget

Breeding stock boost

International demand fuels trade

www.theownerbreeder.com

Cover: Trainer Sam Thomas puts sevenyear-old gelding Our Power through his paces at his Lisvane stable to the north of Cardiff Photo: Bill Selwyn

Edward Rosenthal Editor

Dunne ban tells racing to move with the times R

eaders may have seen the film The Naked Gun, starring the inimitable Leslie Nielsen as the incompetent Lieutenant Frank Drebin. In one scene, Drebin stands in front of an exploding fireworks store, the sky ablaze and people flying in every direction, shouting “Nothing to see here, please disperse” at the assembled onlookers. That sequence came to mind in the aftermath of the disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne, as assorted industry ‘professionals’ delivered their own judgements following the jockey’s 18-month ban for directing a campaign of bullying and harassment against colleague Bryony Frost.

Details of the case, leaked in advance to The Sunday Times, painted a damning and worrying picture of some aspects of weighing room culture, labelled as “rancid” by BHA counsel Louis Weston. That description of the inner sanctum was itself subsequently criticised by some commentators, including present and former jockeys, who took umbrage at the attack on their profession.

Rancid or not, a dispute was allowed to fester over many months that developed into an ongoing situation that in turn saw disciplinary proceedings brought by one jockey against another. One can argue about the severity of the punishment yet can anyone say honestly the current set-up is working well and safeguarding all jockeys? Clearly not.

Frost’s testimony and the verdict from the Disciplinary Panel leave little doubt where the problems lie and yet some of the reaction was at best naïve and at worst disgraceful, causing further embarrassment to the sport. Racing’s own Frank Drebin? Take your pick; there are plenty of candidates.

The saying ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ should work both ways and the task now is to ensure that British horseracing provides a weighing room environment that is safe, welcoming and appropriate for the 21st century.

Elsewhere it’s been a trying time for racing, Covid-related matters aside. The High Court claim brought by jockey Freddy Tylicki against

Graham Gibbons for causing the riding accident that left him paralysed had yet to deliver a verdict at the time of going to press but promises to yield more unfavourable headlines for the sport.

The issue of equine welfare, brought sharply into focus by unsavoury incidents involving trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Rob James, means that horseracing is under the microscope like never before (see Howard Wright, pages 24-25) and its big names under increased scrutiny. So it was disappointing to hear that champion jockey Oisin Murphy had relinquished his licence ahead of multiple disciplinary charges for breaking Covid travel restrictions in 2020 and failing two breath tests for alcohol in the last eight months.

“Some of the reaction was at best naïve and at worst disgraceful” Murphy is an outstanding rider and one of the sport’s biggest names and it must be hoped that a spell out of the saddle will enable the Irishman to focus on his wellbeing and overcome his problems.

Festive cheer might appear to be in short supply but that’s not the case for former jockey Sam Thomas, who is relishing his new life as a trainer at owner Dai Walters’ stable near Cardiff.

As Carl Evans discovers in this month’s Big Interview (pages 38-42), Thomas is full of optimism with a host of promising young horses to call on as he looks to compete at the same level as in his riding days, when Denman carried him all the way to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.

THE OWNER BREEDER

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Contents

January 2022

38

News & Views

27

ROA Leader Progress essential this year

7

TBA Leader Figures don't tell whole story

9

News Robbie Dunne banned for 18 months

11

Changes News in a nutshell

16

Howard Wright Time to strengthen relationships

24

Features The Big Picture From Newbury and Sandown

20

ROA Awards Equine stars and their owners celebrated

27

The Big Interview With trainer Sam Thomas

38

New sires Class of 2022 in focus

44

Stallion trails In Ireland and France

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An eye for success

January 2022

visit studlife online: tweenhills.com/studlife

TATTERSALLS SALES SUCCESS Team Tweenhills enjoyed another excellent Tattersalls Breeding Stock Sale.

All 15 foals consigned by Tweenhills at the Foal Sale sold – four for 100,000gns or more – as did all 28 mares offered by Tweenhills at the Mare Sale. Kalakaua sold for 105,000gns in foal to Havana Gold and a half-sister to champion Midday was sold by Juddmonte in foal to Tweenhills’ stallion Kameko for 400,000gns.

Dual Gr.1 winner Kameko again impressed breeders and bloodstock agents when parading alongside fellow Gr.1 winners Havana Gold and Lightning Spear (first two-year-olds in 2022) at Longholes. Merry Christmas to all our supporters!

Right: What a fantastic photo of Kameko and Joe Robinson by Niamh Clark

STAFF PROFILE

BEAT GOES ON

Noah McCain-Mitchell

Tweenhills’ Alice Thurtle (Nominations and Marketing) enjoyed a tremendous day’s racing on Saturday 4 December when her family’s homebred Edwardstone was an easy winner of the Gr.1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Stallions

Welcome to Team Tweenhills, Noah.

Tell us about yourself…

I was brought up in a racing family – my mum is Donald McCain’s sister – but wasn’t very involved at a young age and dreamt of being a footballer.

I went through academies but realised by 16 it probably wasn’t going to happen. I remembered doing my grandad’s sales catalogues as a kid so I decided to go down the bloodstock route. I went to Mickley Stud then Richard pushed me to go to The National Stud. I then did Cambridge Stud in New Zealand for 6 months and just over 2 years at Milburn Creek in Australia. I’ve just started at Tweenhills and helped show the stallions during the Tattersalls Sales. I already knew Joe Robinson from my time in Newmarket.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Cuban Beat, a 31st 2yo winner of the year for Havana Gold.

Qatar Racing homebred Cuban Beat, featured in our ‘Follow The Foals’ series and named by a social media competition winner, won at Kempton on December 8. It was a 31st individual 2-year-old winner of the year for Havana Gold.

‘Eddie’ was foaled and raised at the Thurtle’s home in Norfolk and holidays with them in the village of…

Edwardstone. Alice’s godparents Robert and Jane Abrey are cobreeders/owners and he’s now among the favourites for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The victory was certainly celebrated at the Tweenhills Christmas party!

Havana Gold’s 2-year-old son Chipotle also won the Special Achievement Award at the ROA Awards – not bad for a horse who cost 10,000gns!

What about your plans for the future?

I really enjoyed my time spent working abroad and I’ve heard great things about America so am hoping to spend a year in Kentucky at some point. Following the family tradition I would love to be involved with a Grand National runner or even a winner one day, but my main ambition is to become a successful stud manager or global agent depending on which way I go!

coffee vans The Tweenhills Aberdeen Angus burger and s with were again in operation at the Tattersalls Sale proceeds going to Racing Welfare.

Alice with her beloved Edwardstone – now a Gr.1 winner

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

Contents 44

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Features continued Breeders' Digest In praise of Pivotal

Sales Circuit Season ends on a high

Caulfield Files Precocity in the juvenile standings

Dr Statz High demand for top-end broodmares

The Finish Line With Andrew Snell

64 63 64 80 82 104

Forum ROA Forum Winter Million update

TBA Forum Tribute to Peter Rossdale

Breeder of the Month The Glanvilles Stud for Honeysuckle

Great British Bonus Latest news and winners

Vet Forum Dynamic endoscopy and wind conditions

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84 92 98 99 100

Did you know?

Our monthly average readership is

20,000

Showcasing - Roodeye (Inchinor)

Explosive Miler

Won a vintage renewal of the Group 1 Sussex Stakes in a faster time than Kingman

Exceptional Talent Group winner at two, three and four

Strong Foundations

Covered a top-class, full book of mares in 2021

His Sire’s Best Son Fee:

OR: 123 | TF: 129

£15,000 Jan 1 , SLF st

Also standing Eqtidaar (£5,000 Jan 1 , SLF) & Tasleet (£5,000 Jan 1 , SLF) st

st

Contact Tom Pennington for the best deal +44 (0)7736 019914 | tpennington@shadwellstud.co.uk www.shadwellstud.com

ROA_PrintAds_Support_2.pdf

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At the ROA we work tirelessly to support, protect and promote the interests of racehorse owners everywhere. We collaborate across the industry to make sure that owners’ voices are heard within racing – making it a more open, enjoyable and rewarding sport for everyone.

SUPPORTING YOUR OWNERSHIP JOURNEY AT EVERY STEP. DISCOVER HOW - ROA.CO.UK

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M

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CM

MY

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CMY

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SUPPORT AT EVERY STEP

ROA Leader

Charlie Parker President

New year brings fresh opportunity for progress

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ovid waves and government restrictions aside, 2021 has been a brilliantly exciting year for racing. We have kept the nation going, inspiring and entertaining people in the UK and around the world. Day in and day out, from the biggest festivals to the mid-week nights, we have continued to put on a show.

I am delighted to have held the ROA Awards in December to recognise those incredible sporting achievements and the contribution of owners to our sport. None more so than the two deserving winners of the headline awards – Honeysuckle as Horse of the Year and the late Trevor Hemmings as Owner of the Year.

It was a fantastic night and a great opportunity to show those both in and outside of the sport what an important role owners have in supporting racing but also their pure unadulterated passion for horses.

Yet as we reflect on the past 12 months, so too must we look ahead at what is coming down the track in 2022.

There has been an unnerving sense of déjà vu over the last few weeks as Covid has crept back into the rear-view mirror. I for one remain positive and am confident that racing is well prepared to manage the situation. We have already ridden out a few storms and our participants and venues have remained ready to address Covid-related challenges, even as the government focus on preventative measures subsided.

Beyond Covid, participants will be all too aware that racing has some additional challenges. Whether it is governance, fixtures or prize-money, the ROA is acutely aware that there is a lot to be done to ensure that participants’ interests are being properly represented and addressed. It is vital and indeed at the heart of our strategy, ‘For the Love of Racing’, to look at racing’s future and build the foundations to support growth in collaboration with other stakeholders.

Too many times this year I have seen participants frustrated by decisions that seem out of touch with what is needed at the grassroots of the sport.

On corporate governance, we want to see a structure that better represents participants and makes quicker decisions on key commercial or sporting decisions that can improve revenue, potential earnings, and audience. This is key to areas such as the fixtures and funding or the improvements to prize-money that were mooted. There have been initial discussions to look at the restructuring of the BHA and I am sure there will much more lively discussion on governance through 2022.

Regarding prize-money, it is widely agreed that we need to do something to ensure we can continue to retain and attract owners as well as compete internationally. Recent announcements by the Jockey Club, ARC and Ascot are welcome, but I believe

we need robust agreements that can give us certainty and allow investment to be maintained and enhanced. We are a sport with huge international significance and heritage yet our prize-money falls short. We need to protect our status and prize-money plays a vital part of the wider picture of improvement to the sport.

Whilst we have done what we can within the bounds of the current governance structure – with new changes to prize-money distribution supporting higher potential earnings further down the classes – we can and should be doing more. Through elements such as commercial agreements, changes to fixtures and funding, as well as levy development, we can see improvement for participants in 2022. It will again take serious collaboration and an

“Building the foundations to support racing’s growth in collaboration with other stakeholders is vital” honest look at governance to make real progress.

The ROA wants to go further still in its modernisation agenda to ensure that we really look to maximise opportunities for participants. A primary focus will be to explore the opportunities that effective data collection, management and sharing can bring to horseracing.

It is a real weakness of the industry that it lacks a centralised database, be it racegoers, syndicate owners or just fans in general.

How can we really claim to be a world-leading industry when our infrastructure is so outdated and not fit for purpose? This is low-hanging fruit and one which the ROA is keen to help harvest in 2022.

As ever in racing, I expect it to be a non-stop year and the team at the ROA will be determined as always to deliver for owners and the sport.

THE OWNER BREEDER

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A Leading UK-based 2nd Crop Sire in 2021

TWILIGHT SON Sire of 54 winners of 91 races and 8 individual Black Type horses in 2021, including the Gr.3 Cornwallis Stakes winner TWILIGHT JET, the multiple Group winner ARIA IMPORTANTE, the Listed winners BAGHED (also Gr.2 placed), TWILIGHT SPINNER and LITTLE O’KELLY, plus 2 other Group/Listed placed 2yos.

LEADING 2ND CROP SIRES IN EUROPE 2021 (by wins and BT horses in Europe, to 16th Dec.)

Sire

1 Mehmas

Wins

BT Wnrs

BT horses

141 10 21

2 TWILIGHT SON 91

5

8

3 Territories

91 1 6

4 New Bay

84 4 10

5 The Gurkha

74 2 6

6 Belardo

70 1 2

Statistics courtesy of Arion Pedigrees and www.stallionguide.com

TWILIGHT JET, winner of the Gr.3 Cornwallis Stakes and placed in both the Gr.2 Gimcrack Stakes and Gr.2 Champagne Stakes His 2021 yearlings made

135,000gns, 120,000gns, etc.

At the end of the day, it’s results that count!

Fee:

£7,000 (1st Oct. SLF)

Cheveley Park Stud Tel: (01638) 730316 • enquiries@cheveleypark.co.uk www.cheveleypark.co.uk • L@CPStudOfficial

TBA Leader

Julian Richmond-Watson Chairman

Headline sales figures mask true picture T

he strength and depth of virtually all the thoroughbred sales held here in Britain and in Ireland last autumn both pleased and surprised me and many others in the bloodstock world to whom I have spoken since.

Making comparisons with 2020, when the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic were at their height, is not helpful, but set against 2019 there have been some important advances and that must be a good situation for the breeding industry as we look forward to 2022 and beyond.

However, whilst record prices and the headlines they generate inevitably attract everyone’s immediate attention, it is still apparent that delving deeper into the figures, many breeders are at best breaking even while others are not obtaining the returns they need to keep going successfully.

Overall, the 2020 yearling sales across Britain and Ireland achieved roughly the same aggregate figure as in the previous year, yet I know that all of us involved in breeding and rearing bloodstock have had to absorb cost increases in the interim.

The foal sales are a very good bellwether of the industry’s health. Other than a few individual breeders and studs, usually at the higher end, who buy well-bred foals to keep and race themselves, the market is made up of pinhookers and those people looking to build a portfolio of stock to sell into the yearling market the following year. The foal market is very much an internal market built on the confidence of external yearling sales and expectations for the future.

At the moment, that confidence would appear to be high, but an average of £44,777 at the latest Tattersalls December foal sale, and more importantly a median of £26,250, leaves little room for overall profit amongst the vendors.

The average stallion fee to produce these foals is unlikely to have been under £10,000, and it is difficult to argue that keeping and insuring a mare for a year and her foal for six months costs less than £15,000, when preparation and sales entry are taken into account.

These calculations leave those people operating around the median near or at the break-even point, and that is without depreciating the mare or allowing for her replacement. The most recent breeding stock sales have again demonstrated that there is a high demand for either fillies and mares with ability or those who are well bred, and so good replacements for those being retired are expensive on the one hand and hard to find on the other.

Of course, all vendors can expect to have good and less good results, but whilst these figures are much better than we could have hoped for a year ago, they still leave many

breeders challenged and struggling to move forward.

As Peter Stanley said in an interview at the Tattersalls December Sale: “Every year we are selling the family silver. It’s marvellous that we’re part of a strong industry, but where will we be in ten years’ time?”

The investment needed in the future requires faith and optimism, which thankfully characterises many of us who love our horses and dream of success, whether in the sale ring or on the racecourse.

In the meantime, there is a polarisation in stallion numbers, as those who are popular cover larger and larger books of mares and fashion becomes the driver that consumes the breeding industry. Consequently, fees for those stallions who sell well in the market rise and make the need to achieve

“Many breeders are not obtaining the returns they need to keep going successfully” higher prices even more apparent and urgent.

Background statistics still show a decline in foal production, and the number of active broodmares in both Britain and Ireland is just stable. Also, it is very noticeable how jump-bred foals are increasingly becoming a lesser percentage of the foal crop as a whole.

While we can all celebrate the advances made in the market in 2021, we should remain cautious and realistic over how this will affect the overall industry over the next few years. Arresting that decline and supporting British breeders whenever and wherever we can are essential objectives if we wish to take the industry forward.

I wish you all the best for 2022, with strong foals and plenty of winners.

THE OWNER BREEDER

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WDC & Mattmu TOB January 2022:Layout 2

10/12/21

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Page 1

FIRST 2YOS 2022

ON OF THE ONLY S T STUD ZOFFANY A re’s nter with a si Top-class spri pedigree.

In a in 3 countries. d ce la p 1 up Gro eated career, he def star-studded f 35 Gr.1 winners o 20 individual Gr.1 races. , for 58,000gns First foals sold 35,000gns etc. gns, sold for 50,000 First yearlings 000 etc. £42,000, £40,

Timeform rated 121: “well-made horse: smart performer”

WIN A BONUS OF UP TO £20,000 G Choose a British Stallion Fee: £3,500 Oct 1st SLF

TLY SIGNIFICAN IS H MARES UPGRADING

H ITISH & IRIS LEADING BR RES IN 2021 SI FIRST CROP GB & IRE by % W/R in %W/R 40 Sire 40 1 MATTMU 38 ULYSSES 37 3 ACLAIM RY 35 4 COTAI GLO 34 5 ARDAD OLD 33 6 GALILEO G L 29 7 CHURCHIL E 28 8 PROFITABL KNIGHT D 26 9 DECORATE EL D RE 26 10 HIGHLAN TIME TEST 19/11/21 5+ runners otions Ltd to Hyperion Prom

Fee: £2,500 Oct 1st SLF

Timeform Rated 113 at 2 years

Bearstone Stud TBA FLAT BREEDER OF THE YEAR IN 2020 Tel: 07974 948755 or 01630 647197

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www.bearstonestud.co.uk

News

Stories from the racing world

Robbie Dunne hit with 18-month ban for bullying Bryony Frost

R

acing was in the worst type of media glare last month when a disciplinary panel found Robbie Dunne guilty of bullying and harassing fellow rider Bryony Frost, banning him for 18 months, three of which are suspended.

Details of the case had been leaked to The Sunday Times – a matter that in itself is subject to investigation by the BHA and which led to the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) calling for it to be dropped given the potential impact on Dunne receiving a fair hearing – so the industry was braced for a storm.

It certainly got one as the case played out in front of the massed ranks of the media watching in on Zoom, ending with Dunne disqualified and the weighing room culture described as “rancid and sour” by BHA counsel Louis Weston.

That assessment went down badly with jockeys past and present, some of whom had appeared as witnesses for the defence in the hearing.

The panel found that Dunne had engaged in conduct online, on the track and in the weighing room that was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of racing.

In announcing the verdict, panel Chair Brian Barker QC said it had been “unable to accept Mr Dunne’s sweep of denials, criticisms and his reasoning”, expressing “real concern” about the described culture of the weighing room in Britain.

The panel ruled that Dunne’s behaviour towards Frost between February 13 and September 3, 2020, when his campaign against his colleague culminated in him telling her he would “put her through a wing”, was a promise to do harm and amounted to bullying, the most serious of the charges brought against him by the BHA. On that first date, Frost beat Dunne into second at Leicester on outsider This Breac, rallying but coming across Dunne, who was on Lickpenny Larry, on the run to the line, albeit winning by two and a half lengths. The stewards deemed no riding offence to have taken place.

On September 3, 2020, at Southwell, Frost was aboard Wisecracker, who jumped to his left and across Dunne’s mount Cillian’s Well at the fifth-last and fourth-last, where he suffered a fatal fall.

Robbie Dunne: found guilty of conducting a campaign of harassment against Bryony Frost

Again, stewards found no riding offence had been committed.

While Dunne had admitted his guilt over one charge prior to the hearing, he had denied all others, and the defence tried to paint a picture of his behaviour and language being, if not commonplace, far from extreme in the context of a dangerous sport, while there were also misgivings aired over Frost’s riding.

However, the panel found Dunne, 36, guilty of a campaign against his ten-year younger rider, saying: “Our conclusion is that a course of deliberate conduct over a significant period of time has been revealed. It has progressed from disgraceful targeting, through deliberate harassment, both on and off the course, and onwards to occasional cases of dangerous bullying.

“On examination of Miss Frost’s evidence and demeanour we find her to be truthful, careful and compelling. By taking her complaint to the authority (BHA) she has broken the code, knowing that isolation and rejection by some was inevitable.”

The reaction to the verdict and the details that emerged during the hearing was as incendiary as the case.

Frost, being a golden girl with the racing public, given her Grade 1-winning exploits and unusual enthusiasm as an interviewee on television, received their near-universal support, but within the industry feelings were more mixed.

While not many riders expressly said

as much, the strong sentiment was that most considered 18 months a harsh sentence, while they did not exactly line up, at least publicly, to offer their backing to Frost, whose popularity in the weighing room appears modest.

Her first interview after the verdict came with The Sun, in which she said of her decision to complain to the BHA: “The world I was in was like, ‘Take it on the chin, brush it under the carpet, it will be okay in time’. But it was increasing in momentum and getting worse. I’d work, I’d race, I’d come back and on to the next one.

“There were times I thought life shouldn’t just be about day-to-day living.

My last resort was taking it to the BHA. I knew it was never going to stop but I had to give something a go because it was getting worse.”

Frost slammed the PJA, saying: “They weren’t there for me and their system isn’t good enough. I felt like an inconvenience. There was no care or interest from them even when it reached the stage of the hearing.

“They just basically said that time would fix it. They wanted to ignore it until it went away. I don’t feel they saw what I was going through as being as serious as it was. They were meant to be neutral; they weren’t there to pick sides.”

Dunne had not spoken as Owner Breeder went to press. His suspension was with immediate effect, though his legal team was considering an appeal.

THE OWNER BREEDER

11

News

GEORGE SELWYN

David Elsworth clears the final fence and gallops off into retirement

David Elsworth guided the career of the brilliant and popular chaser Desert Orchid during his time at Whitsbury

The legendary dual-purpose trainer David Elsworth, who will forever be associated with the great Desert Orchid, has announced his retirement.

In Desert Orchid, the 82-year-old handled arguably the most popular horse in British racing of modern times, while a decade later on the Flat came the Jeff Smith-owned Persian Punch, another hugely popular and successful horse who likewise showcased his trainer’s magical touch.

Over jumps, Elsworth won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and King George VI Chase, both with Desert Orchid, who won the latter four times, and the Grand National with Rhyme ‘N’ Reason.

On the Flat he landed the Irish 1,000 Guineas with In the Groove, while Persian Punch’s glittering haul included three Jockey Club Cups.

His first role in the sport was as a stable lad for Alex Kilpatrick in 1955. He enjoyed success as a jump jockey in a 15-year-career but was to find his true calling as a trainer, taking out his licence in the late 1970s after a spell as an assistant.

Elsworth’s golden years came at Whitsbury, his training home for a quarter of a century. He won the jumps trainers’ title in 1987-88, though since 2006 has been based in Newmarket, where he plans to spend his retirement.

He said: “If you go to a party, there is

12

THE OWNER BREEDER

a time to go home. I’m not upset or downhearted about anything. It is just time to move on. I’ve had a great time.

“I feel I’ve been a very lucky man that I’ve been doing a job all my life – and it has not been a job. It’s a sport really, and I have been a participant in various ways.

“I’ve progressed over the years, and we have had a degree of success, for which I feel very fortunate, and we have been associated with some good horses, and it has been a great time.

“I started 67 years ago. I’ve started at the start and finished at the finish – I’ve gone through various stages of success and frustration, like anyone else in any walk of life.”

The finest hour for dashing and versatile grey Desert Orchid, known as Dessie, whose victories in the silks of Richard Burridge also included the Whitbread Gold Cup and the Irish Grand National, came in the 1989 Gold Cup; his courageous success over Yahoo still brings a lump to the throat, and in 2005 readers of the Racing Post voted it the greatest race ever staged.

Also in the top 20 was the last of three Jockey Club Cups won by Persian Punch, whose 20 victories also included three Henry II Stakes, two Goodwood Cups, two Lonsdale Stakes, a Doncaster Cup, Sagaro Stakes, Prix Kergorlay, Aston Park Stakes, Esher Stakes and

Bahrain Trophy. Elsworth also saddled him to twice finish third in the Melbourne Cup. While Persian Punch was a fans’ favourite, In The Groove was Elsworth’s premier Flat horse, providing not just Classic glory but also wins in the Coronation Cup, Irish Champion Stakes and Juddmonte International.

Barnbrook Again (dual Champion Chase winner), Ghofar (Hennessy) and Oh So Risky (Triumph Hurdle) were other memorable Elsworth jumpers, along with Coombs Ditch, Floyd and Cavvies Clown.

On the Flat, Seattle Rhyme and Arabian Queen won Group 1s – the latter taking the Juddmonte International in 2015, Elsworth’s most recent strike at the top level – while Indian Ridge (Jersey, Duke of York and King’s Stand) was another standout performer.

Heighlin, meanwhile, was the perfect four-legged advertisement for a dual-purpose trainer, being Elsworth’s first Cheltenham Festival (Triumph Hurdle) and Royal Ascot winner (Ascot Stakes).

The stable star in recent seasons was Desert Skyline, winner of four Group 2s including back-to-back renewals of the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.

In November, Elsworth was the recipient of the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit.

While the onset of Omicron is as worrying for racing as it is any other business, there is only positive news on the 2022 prize-money front.

Jockey Club Racecourses (JCR), Arena Racing Company (ARC) and Ascot were among the businesses to unveil their plans for this year, and while prize-money is contingent on racing not going behind closed doors again, or worse, shut down completely, as happened in 2020, the announcements were most encouraging.

Prize-money at JCR’s 15 tracks is set to amount to £58.2 million, representing an increase of more than £12m on forecast total prize-money for 2021 and a boost of nearly £5m compared to the pre-pandemic level of £53.4m in 2019.

The Jockey Club has said it expects the impact of Covid-19 to have reduced its revenues by more than £170m over the last two years, but, with full crowds returning in July 2021, it has committed to making a record executive contribution from its funds of £28.4m – an increase of £2m compared to 2019 and to be distributed across all levels of the sport.

Participants are set to race for record average prize-money of £172,000 per fixture at JCR tracks this year, up £32,000 per fixture on 2021 and £14,000 per fixture more than the 2019 figure of £158,000

BILL SELWYN

Prize-money increases bring festive cheer

Ascot has announced record prize-money of £15.64 million in 2022

Racehorse Owners Association Chief Executive Charlie Liverton welcomed the news, saying: “It gives great comfort to those who invest in racehorses and breeding stock that, at a time when costs are increasing across the board, the value of the race programme is set to increase.

“The returns to owners and participants through prize-money is critical to both the retention of horses in training and the growth of them.

“It is remarkable that, as we enter 2022, given the impact the pandemic has had on businesses across the country, the number of active owners and horses in training is at some of the highest levels of the past five years.”

ARC had pledged in October to increase its executive contribution to prize-money this year to £21.7m, £4m higher than 2019 values.

Ascot, meanwhile, announced record prize-money of £15.64m for 2022, with increases across Flat and jumps. This represents a rise of nearly £2m on 2019.

Royal Ascot will be worth £8,652,500, an increase of £1,322,500 on 2019, with Tuesday’s card becoming the meeting’s first £2m raceday.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Platinum (formerly Diamond) Jubilee Stakes will become the first races at Royal Ascot to be run with a total prize fund of £1m, while no race at the meeting will be run for less than £100,000.

Other notable advances include the record £550,000 being offered at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, up from £360,000 in 2019.

Ascot’s Chief Executive Guy Henderson said: “It’s vital we maintain the quality of the British Pattern and the top-end programme generally. For obvious reasons a large proportion of the increases are focused on our 35 races at the Royal Meeting.

“Our next ambition, as we build Ascot as a global brand wrapped around world-class racing, is to be able to offer at least £1m for each of our nine Group 1 races in the coming years.”

Revamped Racing League returns for 2022 The Racing League is set to return this year, with six Thursday evening fixtures during August and September, and more than £2 million committed to prize-money.

All licenced racehorse trainers from the UK and Ireland were invited to register their interest to represent one of seven regional teams competing in this year’s competition: Ireland, Scotland, Yorkshire, The North, The East, Wales & The West, and London & The South.

The teams will be represented by two runners in each race across the six fixtures. Final teams will be announced this month.

The fixtures are at Doncaster on

August 4, Lingfield, Newcastle, Windsor, Southwell and Newcastle, with the last two under lights.

Jeremy Wray, Chief Executive of the Racing League, said: “We’re delighted to announce the fixtures and prizemoney for the 2022 competition.

Following constructive feedback from all corners of the industry we’re excited to introduce new features, most notably the new regional format, which was widely recommended. We hope that this will help build more opportunities for supporters to get behind and follow their teams.

“With over £2 million in prize-money available we expect there to be significant interest from trainers looking

to take part.”

Trainer Richard Hannon said: “Racing League was a great initiative in 2021 and our owners certainly appreciated the level of prize-money on offer. We will certainly be keen to support the League again in 2022 – let’s hope that under the new format prize-money can be included in the trainers’ championship.”

Fellow trainer Tim Easterby said: “We enjoyed being involved in the Racing League, where the significant prizemoney made for some very competitive racing. The new regional team format for 2022 seems a good idea and I look forward to hopefully being part of a strong Yorkshire team.”

THE OWNER BREEDER

13

News

BILL SELWYN

Broodmares wanted for colic study

The three-month project will look at areas including CO2 emissions

Environmental sustainability assessment commissioned British racing’s leaders have commissioned an initial assessment of the sport’s progress on environmental sustainability, to help support and inform the industry’s long-term planning.

The aim is to build a clearer picture of current environmental activities and expertise across racing and breeding – establishing what’s already being done, where there’s potential to go further, and how this could be achieved.

It will also identify key sustainability issues, risks, and opportunities for racing, so the industry can better understand the challenges of climate change and plan effectively to develop viable and evidence-based solutions.

It is likely to cover several areas, including CO2 emissions, decarbonisation and renewable energy, management of key resources such as water and plastics, and potential for positive contributions through biodiversity.

Initiated and funded by the Racing Foundation, the three-month project is under way. It will be delivered by White Griffin, a sustainability consultancy with dedicated project management and environmental science expertise.

Brant Dunshea, BHA Chief Regulatory Officer and Project Executive Sponsor, said: “Climate change and sustainability are major

14

THE OWNER BREEDER

challenges for our sport, given how dependent we are on the environment, transportation, and the use of essential resources.

“There is a real opportunity here for British racing to lead progress in this area, taking positive action to find effective solutions to the challenges we face – and, crucially, grasp some of the opportunities.

“This foundation research will help us do this by measuring where we are now, plus where there’s scope to go further, either as individual organisations and businesses, or collectively through an industry-wide strategy.”

Rob Hezel, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation, added: “We believe that environmental sustainability is crucial to British racing’s long-term future and prosperity, which is why it is a key pillar of the Racing Foundation’s strategy.

“A large amount of work has already been carried out across the industry, ranging from decarbonisation efforts to grassland management and waste reduction, so this work will help build an overall picture of where we are and where we want to be.

“We’re pleased to fund this initial package of work, which it is hoped will inform the next steps in terms of determining the need for an industrywide approach to sustainability.”

The University of Liverpool (UoL) is seeking the help of broodmare owners for a study into colic, the aim being to reduce risk after foaling.

As well as endangering the life of the mare and her foal, colic will delay getting the mare back in foal.

Colic is common in broodmares, and while previous research studies have identified simple management changes that can be made to reduce risk, there is very little scientific evidence about how to minimise the chance of colic developing specifically in broodmares.

Broodmares are known to be at high risk of developing colon torsion up to several months after foaling, which is fatal without surgery. Despite undergoing surgery, some mares may still die due to the severity of damage to the colon.

Data from a UoL pilot study in 2021 indicates that broodmares are more prone to severe and lifethreatening types of colic than other horses. A research study is therefore being conducted this year. Data collected and mare owners’ participation will be anonymous.

Those taking part will be asked for information over the phone at the start of the breeding season. If a mare has an episode of colic after foaling, UoL will ask to be notified by text or email. They will then contact the owner to receive further data about that individual mare, all with the aim of identifying reasons why she might have developed colic.

UoL will also collect the same data about randomly selected mares who have not developed colic, to act as controls. Each questionnaire is conducted by an experienced equine vet, takes ten to 15 minutes to complete, and after the consent form there is zero paperwork.

All participating mare owners and studs will receive a study report, and results will be distributed via the media. Results will be anonymous and individual studs will not be identifiable. The study will also be presented at equine and veterinary conferences, and results published in scientific journals.

Anyone willing to participate is asked to contact the study team at colicr@liverpool.ac.uk.

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Changes

Racing’s news in a nutshell

People and business Teddy Grimthorpe

Former Juddmonte Racing Manager appointed new Chairman of the National Stud from January 1, succeeding Nicholas Wrigley.

Sherri Ivanovich

Takes on the role of Farm Manager at Gainesway Farm having spent the last 22 years in charge of yearlings at the Kentucky operation.

Louise Stewart

Takes over as Chief Executive at Chester racecourse, replacing Richard Thomas, who was dismissed in May after misappropriation of funds.

Silvestre de Sousa

King Power Racing part company with three-time champion jockey after three seasons in the blue and white silks.

Gary Moore

Trainer lands 1,000th winner over jumps in Britain and Ireland with Movethechains’ victory at Lingfield in November, partnered by son Jamie.

Lee Mottershead

Racing Post scribe named Racing Writer of the Year for the third time by the HWPA at the Derby Awards in London.

David Elsworth

Trainer of Desert Orchid, Persian Punch, In The Groove and Arabian Queen calls time on his career aged 82.

Tom Dascombe

Trainer will depart Manor House Stables, owned by Michael Owen and Andrew Black, after 12 years in partnership.

Tom Byrne

Leading veterinarian who founded Rossdales & Partners in 1959 and enjoyed international acclaim (see TBA Forum, pages 92-93).

David Mort 92

Owner saw his colours carried to victory by the Ryan Price-trained Varingo in the 1979 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

16

THE OWNER BREEDER

The champion jockey relinquishes his licence temporarily as he faces multiple disciplinary charges for breaking Covid travel restrictions in 2020 and failing two breath tests in the last eight months.

BHA appoints former Levy Board Operations Manager as its new Head of Racing and Betting.

Charlie Johnston

Will join his father Mark, Britain’s winningmost trainer, on a joint-licence in 2022.

Fraser Garrity

Former Chelmsford City Racecourse Manager is appointed Group Racing and Operations Manager at Arena Racing Company.

People obituaries Peter Rossdale 94

Oisin Murphy

Maurizio Vargiu 48

Former jockey rode over 1,200 winners in Italy before becoming a work rider for Charlie Appleby and then John Gosden.

Joan Rock 86

Widow of Racing Post’s founding editor Graham Rock who was a keen follower of the horses part-owned by her husband.

Cahir O’Sullivan 86

Former Chief Executive of the Turf Club, Irish racing’s regulatory body, from 1976 to 1999.

Geoffrey Rowe 73

Comedian known as Jethro bred many National Hunt winners, including from Cleeve Hurdle heroine Mistinguett.

Chris Caserta 26

Australian jockey loses his life after going for a late-night swim with a friend on the Gold Coast.

CABLE BAY

Fee:

£8,000

1st Oct SLF*

Invincible Spirit

Sire of GROUP 1 HORSES

DRAGON SYMBOL 1

st

past the post in Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup

(placings reversed)

LIBERTY BEACH

Just behind Champion Battaash in Gr.1 King’s Stand

Sire of 18 INDIVIDUAL STAKES HORSES inc. LANEQASH, ATALIS BAY, JOUSKA, KING’S LYNN,

COLLINSBAY, UNCOMMON JAMES, ROPEY GUEST, SEPARATE, VISAYAS, BELLE ANGLAISE, ISABEAU, LIVE ON STAGE, NATASHA ROMANOVA, SCHRODERS MISTAKE, TOMFRE, FLYING MISSILE etc.

LAND FORCE

Fee:

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No Nay Never

A Leading Sire in the Making...

“There is no greater aid when making an appraisal of public auction results than the cold, hard facts.”

Foal prices so far include:

65,000gns

Con Marnane,

60,000gns

Alex Elliott,

60,000gns Suzanne Roberts,

58,000gns Highclere Agency,

55,000gns Jeremiah McGrath,

40,000gns

KCS Bloodstock etc.

Contact: Jake Warren +44 (0)7730 272 895 www.highclerestud.co.uk

Sire

1 LAND FORCE

Profitability Average Index (£)

3.21

20,878 £6,500

2

Invincible Army

3.17

28,292

4

Inns Of Court

2.80

18,744

3 5 6 7 8 9

Waldgeist

Magna Grecia Masar

Soldier’s Call City Light

Ten Sovereigns

10 Too Darn Hot

2.90 2.46 2.38 2.36 2.25 2.23 2.22

2020 Fee:

45,385

€10,000 €17,500 €7,500

49,471

€22,500

21,030

€10,000

49,856

€25,000

35,734 14,046

£15,000 €7,000

111,001 £50,000

James Thomas of the Racing Post looking into first-crop sires with the most profitability index (16/12/21)

+44 (0)1635 253 212 jake@highclerestud.co.uk

Follow us on social media

*Available for both sires

Changes

Racehorse and stallion

Movements and retirements Magician

Son of Galileo, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Breeders’ Cup Turf, will stand as a dual-purpose sire at Meelin Stud next year.

Cappella Sansevero

Showcasing’s son, sire of Mill Reef Stakes winner Pierre Lapin, moves to Italy to stand alongside Ruler Of the World at Scuderia Andy Capp.

Best Solution

Triple Group 1-winning son of Kodiac moves to Gestut Lunzen in Lower Saxony for the upcoming breeding season from Gestut Auenquelle.

Zaskava

Loving Dream Lordship Stud’s Ribblesdale Stakes and Prix de Royallieu heroine is retired aged three. The daughter of Gleneagles will be covered by Dubawi.

Klimt

Jockey Club of Turkey acquires Grade 1-winning son of Quality Road to stand alongside Battleground, Bodemeister and Super Saver.

Malinas

Sire of talented NH performers Black Thunder, Mister Malarky and Mighty Thunder moves from Rathbarry Stud to Coolagown Stud.

Boscaccio

Group 2-winning son of Mount Nelson will stand at Knockhouse Stud in County Kilkenny in 2022.

A’Ali

Multiple Group 2-winning son of Society Rock will stand at Newsells Park Stud in 2022.

Horse obituaries Latest Exhibition 8

High-class jumper for the Paul Nolan stable, placed at the top level over fences and a Grade 1 winner over hurdles.

Medina Spirit 3

Kentucky Derby winner in May for owner Zedan Racing Stables and trainer Bob Baffert dies after a morning workout.

Gilded Time 31

Son of Timeless Moment won the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and sired Grade 1 winners Gayego and Elloluv.

18

THE OWNER BREEDER

Dostal Phil 8

Talented chaser for owner JP McManus and trainer Philip Hobbs suffers a fatal injury in the Racing Post Gold Cup.

Choisir 22 Outstanding Australian sprinter, winner of the King’s Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes in 2003, later a top sire.

Unraced son of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners Sea The Stars and Zarkava will stand at Haras de Cercy in France in 2022.

National Defense

Sire of Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Twilight Gleaming will not return to the Irish National Stud due to a covering injury sustained in Australia.

The Worlds End

Talented jumps performer for the McNeill family, winner of the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle in 2019, is retired aged ten.

The Big Picture

20 THE OWNER BREEDER

Ladbrokes Trophy

Cloudy’s clear triumph The famous green, yellow and white silks of the late Trevor Hemmings were carried to Ladbrokes Trophy glory by Cloudy Glen and Charlie Deutsch at Newbury in November. The Cloudings gelding, trained by Venetia Williams, produced a fine round of jumping and is seen here clearing the final fence ahead of Fiddlerontheroof and Brendan Powell, who rallied bravely to take the runner-up spot, half a length behind Cloudy Glen.

Photo Bill Selwyn

THE OWNER BREEDER

21

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The Big Picture

Sandown

Cool Frost It’s been a challenging time for Bryony Frost off the track but the jockey has continued to let her riding do the talking and she enjoyed Grade 1 success at Sandown in early December aboard Greaneteen in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase.

A high-class five-runner field went to post for the two-mile feature but Greaneteen, trained

by Paul Nicholls for Chris Giles, stayed on best of all to defeat stable companion Hitman by five-and-a-half lengths.

Photo Bill Selwyn

THE OWNER BREEDER 23

The Howard Wright Column

Focus on welfare makes bridge-building essential

GEORGE SELWYN

S

ince it’s the time of year for resolutions, here’s one for British racing: to resolve to develop the closest relationships with as many other major equestrian organisations, national and international, as possible.

Sadly, a recent poll estimated that on average, 80 per cent of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February, but this one just has to run and run. Scrutiny of British horseracing’s collective measures to ensure the highest regard for welfare and sustainability is only going to increase.

One of the strangest news stories of 2021 came in September when Freya Cox, the first vegan contestant on The Great British Bake Off, closed her Facebook account after being targeted by social media users who criticised her, as a successful eventer, for taking part in what they regarded as a cruel sport.

Look out horseracing, our activity could be next. Without wishing to put thoughts into receptive minds, would anyone be surprised if members of the organisation whose website says it is seeking “to compel government action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse,” were to superglue themselves to the gates of Cheltenham or Aintree, instead of heading for the nearest motorway?

November’s World Horse Welfare annual conference contained several warnings that equestrian followers should be on their guard, not least when a quip from the President, the Princess Royal, who noted that the oft-indistinguishable videoed keynote address by Paris-based Dr Monique Eloit would have been more understandable had it been delivered

The creation of the Horse Welfare Board is a step forward for racing

in French, resulted in a transcript of her presentation quickly appearing on the WHW website.

Eloit is Director General of the OIE, the intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide, with which the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities signed a significant agreement in 2013.

Among Eloit’s most pertinent observations was: “More and

Journey from backstreet bookie to the boardroom There are times when it pays to fly under the radar. Such a situation seems to have happened around the Saudi Arabiabased Public Investment Fund’s £305 million takeover of Newcastle United FC, a deal that has at least a couple of British horseracing connections, both with a twist.

So far, racing’s association with Saudi Arabia has escaped the worst criticism of the country’s growing promotion of leisure activities, which opponents regard as a means of ‘sportswashing’ to cleanse damaging allegations of human rights issues. The Newcastle deal has prompted commentators inside and especially outside football to question the legality and morality of the arrangement.

The connection with the octogenarian Reuben Brothers, who have a ten per cent stake in the new NUFC, has for now highlighted James Reuben – son of David and nephew of Simon – for his appointment to the Newcastle board, having held a similar position at Queens Park Rangers, as well as mentioning his high life among the international jet set, while having been Committee Chairman for Boris Johnson’s re-election as London Mayor.

The fact that the Reubens, whose media mentions are usually prefaced by the phrase ‘billionaire brothers’, are the sole shareholders of Arena Racing Company, owner and

24 THE OWNER BREEDER

operator of Newcastle’s racecourse and greyhound stadium, has not been generally admitted in any criticism.

More prominent in the lengthy sale saga, though, has been, and still is, the deal-broker Amanda Staveley, who thought she had sewn up the purchase in April 2020, only to be kept waiting as the Premier League investigated media rights issues surrounding the Saudi government. Human rights issues were debated elsewhere.

Staveley’s connection with racing, and betting come to that, is not quite as well-known as her Middle East business activities and a running legal battle with Barclays, but it is fascinating nevertheless.

Her parents Robert Staveley, whose North Yorkshire family trace to the 15th century, and Lynne (nee Raper), a former model and junior British international showjumper, founded Lightwater Valley theme park, where Amanda waitressed, a skill that would come in even more handily when in 1996, at the age of 22 and having dropped out of St Catherine’s College in Cambridge, she borrowed £180,000 and bought Stocks restaurant between Cambridge and Newmarket.

She ran Stocks for four years, building up a strong racing clientele that included members of the Maktoum family, but

OBJECTIVE: PREGNANCY

“There used to be a feeling that British racing spent its time on one side of the fence and other equestrian sports on the other” represented on a number of recent racing inquiries. The creation of the Horse Welfare Board, under the auspices of the BHA, with two independent members, is a further step forward, although the lack of a direct mention for horse welfare in the BHA board’s summary of matters transacted at its October meeting is a concern.

Put simply, if the BHA cannot keep the animal welfare house in order, no-one can.

she also developed an association with hi-tech businesses in Cambridge that led to her opening a conference centre on Cambridge Science Park.

Staveley’s business acumen is undoubted. Its foundation goes back one generation farther than her parents, for she freely admits that her maternal grandfather, Ralph Raper, taught her all she knew. In fact, she lived with Raper and his feisty former bus conductress wife Frankie in Doncaster through her childhood and teenage years, and she has attributed his death in 1993, when Staveley was 19, to her dropping out of university and suffering stress.

Ralph Raper was 35 when he registered his first company in 1959, “to carry on the business of commission agents, turf accountants and bookmakers,” but the date – two years before the legalisation of betting shops – gives away the fact his occupation was an ongoing affair. In fact, he ran a chain of betting shops, including one in a Doncaster cellar that was regarded as the biggest illegal premises in the north, capable of taking the equivalent of £360,000 in today’s money. The tabloids – not to mention the anti-gambling elements – would have a field day if they realised the Newcastle sale was built on business expertise learned at the knee of an illegal bookmaker. Oh, the shame of it.

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more people want to return to practices that are more respectful of our environment and human well-being. They expect proposals to improve our daily lives, while at the same time being dubious about scientific progress. In addition, thanks to the access to numerous platforms, some consider themselves an expert in having opinions on everything regardless of their level of education to understand the information.”

With some notable exceptions, usually associated with the jumping code, there used to be a strong feeling not so many years ago that as an administrative exercise British horseracing spent its time on one side of the fence and other equestrian sports on the other, and never the twain should meet. Such exclusivity appears to be breaking down.

World Horse Welfare has itself assisted the process, being

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FOR THE GRIT & THE GLORY

HORSERACING AWARDS 2021

AWARDS PHOTOS BY DAN ABRAHAM

ROA Horseracing Awards 2021 OUTSTANDING NOVICE CHASER

SHISHKIN Received by Marie Donnelly Presented by Ben Cook Sponsored by ARC

OUTSTANDING CHASER

FRODON Received by Paul Vogt and Bryony Frost Presented by Ben Cook Sponsored by ARC

28 THE OWNER BREEDER

OUTSTANDING NOVICE HURDLER

BOB OLINGER Received by Rob Acheson, Brian Courtney and Henry de Bromhead Presented by George Hill Sponsored by ARC

NATIONAL HUNT SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT

BRISTOL DE MAI Received by Anthony Bromley on behalf of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede Presented by Brendan Hopkins Sponsored by Owner Breeder

THE OWNER BREEDER 29

ROA Horseracing Awards 2021 OUTSTANDING JUVENILE

NATIVE TRAIL Received by Alex Merriam on behalf of Godolphin Presented by Barry Hearn Sponsored by Cazoo

OUTSTANDING SPRINTER

STARMAN Received by David and Susan Ward Presented by Barry Hearn Sponsored by Cazoo

30 THE OWNER BREEDER

OUTSTANDING MILER

BAAEED Received by William Haggas and Angus Gold Presented by Stephen Morana Sponsored by Cazoo

OUTSTANDING MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE

ST MARK’S BASILICA Received by Kevin Buckley and Sam Pearson on behalf of Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor Presented by Stephen Morana Sponsored by Cazoo

THE OWNER BREEDER

31

ROA Horseracing Awards 2021 OUTSTANDING ALL-WEATHER HORSE

BANGKOK Received by Alastair Donald on behalf of King Power Racing Co Limited Presented by Steph Wetherall Sponsored by ARC

OUTSTANDING STAYER

TRUESHAN Received by Andrew Gemmell, David Hill and Alan Marsh Presented by Lawrence Hall Sponsored by Cazoo

32 THE OWNER BREEDER

OUTSTANDING FILLY OR MARE

LADY BOWTHORPE Received by Emma Banks Presented by Lawrence Hall Sponsored by Cazoo

FLAT SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT

CHIPOTLE Received by The Woodway 20 Presented by Julian Richmond-Watson Sponsored by Owner Breeder

THE OWNER BREEDER 33

ROA Horseracing Awards 2021 OWNER OF THE YEAR

THE LATE TREVOR HEMMINGS Received by Kathryn Revitt and Michael Meagher Presented by Charlie Parker Sponsored by ROA

HORSE OF THE YEAR OUTSTANDING HURDLER OUTSTANDING NATIONAL HUNT MARE

HONEYSUCKLE Received by Peter Molony on behalf of Kenny Alexander Presented by Lawrence Hall and Charlie Parker Sponsored by ARC and ROA

34 THE OWNER BREEDER

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THE OWNER BREEDER 35

Champagne Reception sponsored by the Tote

Charlie and Mary-Anne Parker

Nicky Henderson, Lucinda Russell and Peter Scudamore

JP McManus and Jonjo O’Neill

Zara Tindall and Jacqui O’Neill

Leanne and David Pipe

36 THE OWNER BREEDER

Sir AP McCoy and Henry de Bromhead

Max McNeill and Bryony Frost

ROA Horseracing Awards 2021 Photos by Dan Abraham

Chris Richardson, Anthea Leigh and William Derby

William Haggas, Maria Ryan, Tara Watt and Maureen Haggas

Gay Kelleway and Tom Bownes

Gemma Waterhouse, Gail Hacking, Ed Prosser and Nancy Sexton

Cieren Fallon, Harry Teal, Sue Teal and Imogen Wheeler

Andrew and Jane Black

Lydia Hislop and Nick Smith

THE OWNER BREEDER 37

The Big Interview Sam Thomas is enjoying life at Dai Walters’ Lisvane yard near Cardiff

38 THE OWNER BREEDER

Sam Thomas

Play it again

SAM

Sam Thomas scaled the heights as a jockey, thanks to horses of the quality of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, and his burgeoning association with owner Dai Walters means his training career is continuing on an upward curve Words: Carl Evans • Photos: Bill Selwyn “

T

his has been a life-saver,” says Sam Thomas, reflecting on the position he holds as trainer at Dai Walters’ yard, just off the M4 near Cardiff.

The former jump jockey does not mean the comment literally, but his second career now has structure and purpose and is on an upward trajectory.

Next summer he marries Tori Cannon – the couple share a love of horses although she works in fashion – and some of the more turbulent times in his life are now little more than distant ripples.

Now he is responsible for a stable of classy young horses, with pedigrees to back up their promise, and is paid

a salary by leading racehorse owner Walters to train for him and bring on young stock he has either bred or bought as yearlings. “One of my passions is working with young horses,” explains Thomas, who also trains for a few friends and former clients from the time he rented a yard in Lambourn.

While in Lambourn he trained 11 winners in three seasons until a phone call soon after the start of the 2018/19 season changed his direction. He says: “I was [in Lambourn] literally looking at the books, the horses we had in training, the training fees and so on, and thinking, ‘We’re not making much money’, when

››

THE OWNER BREEDER 39

The Big Interview ›› Mr Walters rang and offered me the job.

It’s a salaried position, a bit like a sponsor, and it means I have one focus, which is to train winners.

“Part of the deal was that I was able to bring some horses for owners who have supported me from the beginning of my training career.”

One such outsider is Diamond Racing’s Iwilldoit, winner of Chepstow’s Welsh National Trial in handsome style at the start of December, and whose place in the yard links back to Thomas’s childhood in the Welsh village of Grosmont in Monmouthshire.

He continues: “Diamond Racing, which is run by Christian Morgan, lease Iwilldoit from Stan Brown, whose father Reg gave me my first winner. Stan and his wife Mary live only a mile from my parents and have been friends with them for a long time – Reg bred Iwilldoit and I won on the dam, so it’s proving to be an enduring story.”

Breakthrough season

It took a while for success to start rolling after Thomas moved to Walters’ Lisvane yard, with just ten winners in the first two seasons, albeit Covid pinched a couple of months of racing. However, last season’s statistics put his training skills in a different light, showing 26 winners at a strike-rate of 28 per cent, and his horses have continued to make a mark this season. He seems sure to overhaul last season’s personal best prize-money total before the New Year.

40 THE OWNER BREEDER

He says: “It takes a while to familiarise yourself with the facilities when you move yards. My first season here was a massive learning curve – we had to set up a routine that suited the horses. Since then, Mr Walters has invested heavily in the yard, putting in a wonderful new, well-

“Venetia was instrumental in my success – she is a great woman” ventilated barn and a round sand gallop, which is making a huge difference.

“We have a relatively short gallop and when we started we were going up there three times on work days, which may have been doing too much. As a jockey in a race knows, one sure way of getting a horse beaten is to go too fast and take

them out of their comfort zone. Now the round sand gallop gets them warmed up without having to do too much and we go up the main gallop just twice.”

You might think that riding out and schooling for leading trainers would have been the perfect grounding for a training career, but Thomas says: “When I was a jockey I never imagined I would become a trainer, so when I rode out I didn’t focus on their side of the job. I was thinking about my rides that afternoon and the next day – now I would be straight into the feed room or talking to the head lad about supplements.

“One thing I did learn is not to complicate things. Don’t change the routine, just keep it simple, because that is how horses like it.

“Being in Lambourn can work against a young trainer because there are so many variations, so many gallops and so many other trainers to watch out for. Sometimes you just need your own plan and to stick to it. Coming here was the making of me.”

Thomas’s route into racing and the weighing room began at the stables of Abergavenny trainer David Evans, whose yard was near his home. He says:

Sam Thomas

Thomas puts Our Power through his paces on the gallops, and left, hosing down Schomen Uchi after exercise

Sam Thomas and Denman receive a tremendous reception from the Cheltenham crowd after their victory in the 2008 Gold Cup

GEORGE SELWYN

“I went to David’s when I was 16, and soon learned every motorway in Britain and how to tack horses up very quickly because there were a lot to get out. I have to thank David for a lot – riding all those young horses every day taught me plenty.

“I’d ridden in pony races and a few point-to-points, then David put me up in some amateur races even though I was clueless. I got a few bollockings but eventually things started to stick.”

He then moved to the adjacent county of Herefordshire and a position with Venetia Williams. “Everything else that came along was down to Venetia,” he continues. “She was instrumental in my success – she’s a fabulous trainer and a great woman.

“She taught me how to have horses in the right position in races, and a lot about sitting still on horses and allowing them to be as natural as possible when they are jumping.

“You see that in Charlie Deutsch. He is the epitome of a horseman and that’s partly down to Venetia. That’s how she likes her horses to be ridden, to see horses coming up out of a jockey’s hands and doing what the horse wants.”

Denman win never far from trainer’s thoughts Few jockeys are lucky enough to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the blue riband of steeplechasing. Fewer still will ever sit on a racehorse as tough, talented and imposing – not to mention popular – as Denman.

Thomas did both and their headline Cheltenham triumph together in 2008 is still fresh in the memory.

“I still think about winning the Gold Cup on Denman, and there’s rarely a week or two when someone doesn’t remind me of it,” Thomas explains. “I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time to gain the ride.

“Denman was the most powerful horse I ever rode and that enabled him to carry his stature. Other horses of his size are often big and slow.

“I’ll never forget the first time we put him on the grass to school and I near enough got run away with for three

Jockey pressures

Tom Queally’s association with Frankel might be the defining jockey/ horse partnership of this century, but Thomas’s role in the story of a great steeplechaser will have left an indelible mark on many fans of jump racing.

It peaked in March 2008, when on an afternoon at Cheltenham the racing world was held in thrall as Thomas held the reins of Denman in his hand. Denman was a literal giant among steeplechasers and the gelding who denied Kauto Star the immortality that is bestowed upon triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winners.

Yet 2008 contained both the zenith

laps. That’s when I knew he was a bit special.”

Denman, who would go on to finish second in three more Gold Cups, twice under Thomas, led at the twelfth fence in the year he won the race, towing Kauto Star along, but the favourite was in trouble before the home straight.

Thomas continues: “I knew from the way I was travelling and the speed that we had been doing that it would take a good horse to be in touch with us at the top of the hill.

“Rounding the final bend, I knew I had to jump the final two fences to win the Gold Cup, an unforgettable moment.

“There was so much hype before the race so there was a huge sense of satisfaction at having done the job for people who supported me – but also to silence a few critics.”

and nadir. Seven months after the Gold Cup win, Thomas suffered two highprofile reverses when, as number two jockey at Paul Nicholls’ yard, he deputised for the injured Ruby Walsh on Big Buck’s in the Hennessy Gold Cup and Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase, unseating from both.

He was then ‘jocked off’ another of the stable’s superstars, Master Minded, who was about to run in the Tingle Creek Chase. Owner Clive Smith attempted to ease the situation by speaking frankly to the press, but giving his reasons for booking AP McCoy, the multiple champion jockey, was one thing. Referring to an apparent lack of confidence on

THE OWNER BREEDER

41

››

The Big Interview ›› Thomas’s part? That was questionable.

A broken arm can mend, but can confidence?

Thomas says: “When I lost the ride on Master Minded, I wasn’t reading anything [in the press], but I was very aware of the situation. Effectively I wasn’t second jockey any longer. It was difficult for Paul, and I recognised he had to keep owners happy. I don’t remember crying, but if I did, I had a fantastic family that helped get me through it all.

“I regret nothing, because I had some marvellous highs on some wonderful horses.”

Those 88 wins gained in Thomas’s Gold Cup-winning season became 78 the following year, and then steadily dwindled to nothing over the following six seasons.

He knows more than most about climbing to the summit and then descending it under the spotlight that goes with toplevel sport.

“I was probably a bit lost when I stopped,” he relates. “It took me a while to come to terms with what I was going to

Sam Thomas

Sam Thomas’s five to follow…

Before Midnight

9yo g Midnight Legend – Lady Samantha (Fraam) Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group He’s up to 148 now and given that he didn’t jump as well as he can when winning at Ascot, I hope there’s a little more improvement in him. He’s better on spring ground so he might not run for a while.

Good Risk At All

6 g No Risk At All – Sissi Land (Grey Risk) Walters Plant Hire Ltd I was thrilled with his run at Newbury in February when he won a Listed bumper [beating the very smart I Like To Move It] on ground that was too quick for him. He was beaten

by Jonbon over hurdles at Newbury in November, but the winner looks

exceptional. Off 125 our horse looks very well handicapped, but I would love to win a maiden or novices’ hurdle with him for experience.

Iwilldoit

9yo g Flying Legend – Lyricist’s Dream (Dreams End) Diamond Racing Ltd We had a plan to get two runs into him before the Welsh National hoping to get his handicap mark up, but he missed the first after he choked on some feed. He was fine two days later. He then won the National Trial at Chepstow in great style and has been put up 10lb for that win. He is therefore well in if he gets a run in the Welsh National, but if not, he now has a 140 rating and could run in some top handicaps.

Skytastic

6yo g Way Of Light – Verzasca (Sadler’s Wells) Walters Plant Hire Ltd Having just told you he’s the best horse in the yard I had better stick to that description! He’s 17.1hh and is very laid-back, but with all the ability you could want. He won two bumpers last season and we aim to start him over hurdles early in the New Year.

Stolen Silver

7yo g Lord Du Sud – Change Partner (Turtle Island) Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group He’s been a star for us this season. He won first time out, was then second at Cheltenham and fourth in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown. With each run he’s getting more relaxed, which will help him get further, and he’s a horse who can provide plenty of fun.

Stolen Silver is one to watch this season

do. Even now, standing here, if you offered me a ride in a Grade 1, I would take it, because it’s something you never lose.

“There’s no replacement for the adrenalin rush. I was hoping to find the glory days again, but I lost confidence in a tough and brutal sport. If you’re not at the top of your game, people won’t use you.

“Confidence was a big part of my riding and I remember as a young jockey Venetia [Williams] calling me into the office and saying this is how I want you to ride, with confidence, because that’s why I employ you. She would keep morale up.

“When I took the job at Paul’s I had the same attitude, which was the reason I was

42 THE OWNER BREEDER

picked for the position. I rode how I rode, and they wanted to use me. As time goes on, and you’re riding top horses who are favourites in top races for leading owners, the pressure starts to build. When a few things don’t go so well the momentum swings against you.

“I was lucky having Venetia to turn to and ride for, but I do really regret not being more loyal to her when she was being loyal to me. I was focusing on riding for Paul and I should have been thinking of riding for Venetia, but you don’t realise it at the time.”

He adds: “As the world evolves the goalposts change, and now everything is in the public eye. When I first started as a jockey you could go to the pub on a Sunday and have a few beers with your mates to unwind, but now if a jockey is photographed in a pub people form an opinion of them. Jockeys have to adapt, but if things don’t go well, it’s very unfair that people can be abusive on social media.

“There’s always pressure, but young jockeys have to enjoy the job because it’s the best thing they’ll ever do.”

New stallions

Class of

2022

From champions such as St Mark’s Basilica and Starman to the Classic-winning dual-purpose horses Logician and In Swoop, breeders have a host of new names to choose from this season Words: James Thomas

Society Rock - Motion Lass (Motivator)

Stands: Newsells Park Stud Fee: £7,500 A product of Tally-Ho Stud’s high-class production line, A’Ali is a member of the third and final crop of the star-crossed Society Rock, who spent just three seasons at the County Westmeath farm before succumbing to laminitis.

A’Ali’s price rose from £35,000 as a yearling to £135,000 at two when sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale.

Although narrowly beaten on debut, A’Ali quickly made up into one of the best of his generation with victories in the Norfolk Stakes, Prix Robert Papin and Flying Childers Stakes. He proved he was more than just a smart juvenile by returning at three to record comfortable successes in the Coral Charge and Sapphire Stakes. Athletic, precocious and possessing an abundance of pace, he looks like a readymade commercial prospect.

Bangkok Australia - Tanaghum (Darshaan)

Stands: Chapel Stud Fee: £3,000 This high-class performer proved tough and talented during the course of four seasons in training with Andrew Balding and King Power Racing. He won four black-type races, headed by a victory over Juan Elcano and Mohaafeth in the York Stakes. His race record also includes

44 THE OWNER BREEDER

success in the Sandown Classic Trial, in which he defeated Technician, and a brace of Listed contests at Lingfield.

A yearling price tag of 500,000gns attests to his good looks, while his pedigree does plenty to enhance his appeal too. The son of Australia was bred by Barronstown Stud from Tanaghum, a Listed-placed daughter of Darshaan whose nine winning offspring also include top-flight scorer Matterhorn. Another daughter is the dam of Ribchester, while Tanaghum is out of Classic heroine Mehthaaf, a descendant of the influential Fall Aspen.

Boscaccio Mount Nelson - Bianca De Medici (Medicean)

Standing: Knockhouse Stud Fee: on application The ill-fated Mount Nelson made a significant impact on National Hunt breeding, with his early Flat-bred crops yielding dual Cheltenham Festival hero Penhill and smart performers such as Get In The Queue, Havingagoodtime and Nelson’s Touch. He also covered sizeable books of jumps mares at Boardsmill Stud before his untimely death aged 15.

Breeders will gain access to one of his high-performing sons in 2022, as German Group 2 winner Boscaccio joins the roster at Knockhouse Stud in County Kilkenny. Bred by Gestut Fahrhof from a relative of Treve, Boscaccio won his first four races, including the Grosser Preis der Hannoverschen Volksbank-Derby Trial and Oppenheim-Union-Rennen, a Group 2 contest won previously by the

GEORGE SELWYN

A’Ali

likes of Network and Sea The Moon. He was sent off a short-priced favourite for the German Derby but unfortunately suffered an injury during the race.

Century Dream Cape Cross - Salacia (Echo Of Light)

Standing: Norton Grove Stud Fee: £3,000 A tough and consistent performer, Century Dream won ten races during six seasons in training with Simon and Ed Crisford. Those included five victories at black-type level, including two Listed contests and a pair of Group 3s, while his career highlight came with a four-and-a-half length romp in the Celebration Mile Stakes in 2020.

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A’Ali: fast son of Society Rock retires to Newsells Park Stud

‘To have a fast and precocious horse for British breeders is a big plus’ As a good-looking type who showed high-class form at two and three, A’Ali boasts the kind of cast iron commercial credentials that neatly complement his neighbours in the Newsells Park Stud stallion barn, namely Nathaniel and Without Parole.

“He was tough, consistent and fast,” says the stud’s General Manager Julian Dollar. “He’s bloody good-looking too and obviously Society Rock looked like a very exciting young stallion before he was sadly taken away prematurely.

“He’s settled in well and he’s a remarkably chilled character. We’re going to get behind him and the people involved with him are very keen to support him too, including [racing owner] Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa.”

A’Ali had been due to stand at Meadow Farm Stud but made the switch to Newsells Park after the Hertfordshire farm acquired a significant share. The four-time Group 2 winner becomes the first addition to the stud’s stallion

roster since the operation was bought by tech entrepreneur Graham Smith-Bernal.

“We’ve bought a leg in him,” explains Dollar. “We tried to get a bit more but the partners didn’t want to sell, which is fair enough. Graham is keen to stand stallions and to reinvigorate the stallion roster in the future.

“He said he liked the idea of A’Ali and asked me if I thought it would be a positive or a negative for Newsells Park. I said I think it’s a positive as he adds an extra dimension to what we’re offering and gives breeders, especially some of the smaller operators, what they’re looking for.

“We all know it’s difficult if you’re not one of the big guns breeding these horses or don’t have deep pockets, and it’s also hard to compete against the commercial Irish farms who have more mares to support their stallions, but to have a fast and precocious horse for British breeders is a big plus.”

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New stallions He was also a close third behind Roaring Lion in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, Century Dream is a sibling to three winners, most notably Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero King Of Change.

Dee Ex Bee Farhh - Dubai Sunrise (Seeking The Gold)

Standing: Arctic Tack Stud Fee: €3,500 The Godolphin-bred son of Farhh won four races while under the care of Mark Johnston, including a brace of Group 3s in the Henry II and Sagaro Stakes.

However, he will arguably be best remembered for his runner-up effort at Epsom in June 2018, when giving best only to Masar in the Derby.

At four, Dee Ex Bee developed into a high-class stayer, and connections can consider themselves a little unlucky to have been around at the same time as Stradivarius, to whom he was second in the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup. Although Farhh has had limited opportunities to make his mark in the National Hunt sphere, confidence can be taken from his strong German pedigree, which he shares with Fame And Glory, while he rates an important outcross option for many jumps mares.

Eagles By Day Sea The Stars - Missunited (Golan)

Standing: Glenview Stud Fee: poa This high-class and well-bred stayer joins the National Hunt arm of the Cashman family’s Rathbarry and Glenview Studs. The 125,000gns yearling was bred by Vanessa Hutch from the owner’s popular dual-purpose performer Missunited, whose 12 career victories included wins in the Lillie Langtry Stakes and Galway Hurdle.

Eagles By Day plainly inherited a good deal of his dam’s stamina, along with the class of his sire, as his careerbest effort came when winning the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes over 14 furlongs at York. He was also third behind Japan in the King Edward VII Stakes and fourth to Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup.

Fifty Stars Sea The Stars - Swizzle Stick (Sadler’s Wells)

Standing: Sunnyhill Stud Fee: €3,000 The latest stallion to stand under the

46 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

››

Logician: St Leger hero, a Juddmonte-bred son of Frankel, is new to Shade Oak Stud

banner of Jack Cantillon’s Bloodstock Racing rates a quite unique prospect as a Group 1-winning Flat performer whose siblings include a top-flight scorer from the National Hunt sphere.

The 110,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling won five Group races in Australia, headed by the Group 1 Australian Cup and three Group 2s.

He is out of Swizzle Stick, meaning he is not only bred on the fruitful Sea The Stars - Sadler’s Wells cross responsible for Taghrooda, but is a half-brother to Whiskey Sour, winner of the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle for Willie Mullins.

In Swoop Adlerflug - Iota (Tiger Hill)

Standing: Coolmore National Hunt Fee: TBC The Gestut Schlenderhan homebred is the latest high-class Flat performer to join the Coolmore National Hunt roster, following the likes of Crystal Ocean, Maxios and Order Of St George. He won four races for Francis-Henri Graffard, most notably the German Derby, in which he beat Arc hero Torquator Tasso by a ready three-quarters of a length.

He also finished runner-up to Mogul in the Grand Prix de Paris before a career-best effort on ratings when a fast-finishing second, beaten just a neck, by Sottsass in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

He is by the late German champion sire Adlerflug, whose influence appeared to be on the rise when he

died unexpectedly at the age of 17 in April 2021. Moreover, In Swoop is out of Iota, a four-length winner of the Preis der Diana, and a brother to Ito, who defeated Prince Gibraltar to land the Grosser Preis von Bayern.

Khalifa Sat Free Eagle - Thermopylae (Tenby)

Standing: Lacken Stud Fee: €2,000 High Chaparral’s influence on the National Hunt sphere has been showcased to outstanding effect by the ten-time Grade 1 winner Altior, and breeders now have access to a grandson in Lacken Stud’s Khalifa Sat. The son of Free Eagle, who has also caught the imagination of jumps breeders from his berth at the Irish National Stud, is best remembered for finishing second to Serpentine in the 2020 Derby, while he also landed the Cocked Hat Stakes. He is closely related to St Leger runner-up Unsung Heroine.

Logician Frankel - Scuffle (Daylami)

Standing: Shade Oak Stud Fee: £4,000 The first Group 1 winner by Frankel to sport Prince Khalid Abdullah’s silks, Logician hails from a typically deep Juddmonte family. He is one of four black-type performers out of his stakesplaced dam, who in turn is a half-sister to talented runners and useful stallions Bated Breath and Cityscape.

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A’Ali

NEW SIRE FOR 2022

Triple Gr.2 winning 2yo

Gr.2 & Gr.3 5f winner as a 3yo

Highest rated 2yo in Europe over 5f Royal Ascot Gr.2 winner The only horse in the last 20 years to have won both the Norfolk Stakes and Flying Childers Stakes

A’Ali was one of the fastest two-year-olds I’ve ridden. I was lucky enough to ride both Mehmas and Ardad, and A’Ali must have a top chance of replicating their success at stud.

Frankie Dettori

Best son of Champion European First Season Sire SOCIETY ROCK Timeform Rating: 118 Julian Dollar or Gary Coffey +44 (0)1763 846000 Richard Knight +44 (0)7769 349240 Also standing

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New stallions ››

Although Logician did not debut until the May of his three-year-old season, he rapidly made up for lost time by going undefeated that campaign. This run included a victory in the Great Voltigeur Stakes on just his fourth outing before he claimed the St Leger less than four months after his debut.

That Classic-winning performance saw him readily dismiss Sir Ron Priestley, Nayef Road and Sir Dragonet with a classy display of resolute galloping that will doubtless have endeared him to plenty of National Hunt breeders. A lifethreatening attack of peritonitis heavily impacted what he would later achieve as a mature horse.

Lope Y Fernandez

Stakes by three-and-a-half lengths on just his third outing and finished runner-up to Supremacy in the Middle Park Stakes.

He reached the frame in three Group 1s at three, when third and fourth in the Anglo-Irish 2,000 Guineas respectively before signing off with a runner-up effort to Poetic Flare in the St James’s Palace Stakes. Although new to the Irish National Stud, Lucky Vega already has a covering season under his belt, having shuttled to his owner’s Yulong Stud in Australia.

Mildenberger Teofilo - Belle Josephine (Dubawi)

Standing: Groomsbridge Stud Fee: £1,500

Lope De Vega - Black Dahlia (Dansili)

Standing: The National Stud Fee: £8,500 The first son of Lope De Vega to stand in Britain is residing at the National Stud, which has joined forces with Whitsbury Manor Stud and Nick Bradley Racing to launch its latest recruit. If price is any guide then Lope Y Fernandez possesses some serious good looks as he cost Coolmore’s MV Magnier €900,000 as an Arqana August yearling.

The half-brother to Vintage Stakes winner Dark Vision was sent into training with Aidan O’Brien and highlighted his talent at two by running second to Pinatubo in the Chesham Stakes before winning the Round Tower Stakes.

While he would have to wait until his four-year-old reappearance to get his head in front again in the Heritage Stakes, he was placed at the top level four times at three behind Siskin, Pinatubo, Space Blues and Order Of Australia in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Prix Jean Prat, Prix Maurice de Gheest and Breeders’ Cup Mile respectively, and was also second to Palace Pier in the Queen Anne the following year.

Lucky Vega Lope De Vega - Queen Of Carthage (Cape Cross)

Standing: Irish National Stud Fee: €15,000 Another son of Lope De Vega new for 2022 is Lucky Vega, a €175,000 yearling buy by BBA Ireland with Yulong Investments who is out of a daughter of Prix de l’Opera heroine Satwa Queen. Five races at two highlighted that Lucky Vega was a high-class talent. He won the Phoenix

A typically hardy Mark Johnstontrained runner, Mildenberger won seven times from 24 starts during a career that spanned five seasons in training.

He won twice over seven furlongs at two and took the Stonehenge Stakes when upped to a mile. He claimed his second Listed contest in the Feilden Stakes at three and ultimately stayed

as far as an extended two miles later in his career. He is a son of Teofilo, who is responsible for stallion sons such as the Group 1 sire Havana Gold.

Mirage Dancer Frankel - Heat Haze (Green Desert)

Standing: Castlefield Stud Fee: €3,500 The first son of Frankel to stand in Ireland offers National Hunt breeders plenty of bang for their buck, boasting pedigree, performance and physique.

Mirage Dancer hails from one of Juddmonte’s best families, being one of four black-type performers out of Matriarch and Beverly D Stakes heroine Heat Haze, whose siblings include fellow Group/Grade 1 winners Banks Hill, Cacique, Champs Elysees and Intercontinental, as well as leading sire Dansili, who in turn are out of the blue hen Hasili.

The strapping dark bay was a highclass performer for Sir Michael Stoute, winning a Doncaster maiden at two before finding his niche over a mile and a half. He won two Listed contests at

Lucky Vega to receive cream of Yulong mares Yulong Investment’s Yuesheng Zhang is heavily invested in the Lucky Vega story, and well he might, considering the son of Lope De Vega supplied the owner with a maiden Group 1 winner. He purchased the Phoenix Stakes hero through Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for €175,000, and has since bought two siblings, by Footstepsinthesand and Phoenix Of Spain, for €600,000 and €195,000 respectively.

Now that Lucky Vega has retired to the Irish National Stud, breeders can be confident that Zhang is firmly behind the horse in his second career too, as he has been busy sourcing mares for his 2022 book, including the €825,000 Goffs November Sale top lot Plying, dam of Alcohol Free.

“Mr Zhang needed a stallion to go down to Australia so he took the hard decision to take the horse out of training midway through his three-year-old season,” says Donohoe. “Mr Zhang is very much of the belief that we didn’t see the best of Lucky Vega and he’s willing to back his belief by supporting the horse at stud.

“Certainly the likes of Plying and the precocious Pivotal and Siyouni types we’ve bought will go to him, and there’s some choice Galileo mares we’ve bought too. The cream of those will all be going to Lucky Vega. Mr Zhang is going to support the breeders who send mares to the horse too, be that the yearling sales or the foal sales.”

Although Lucky Vega shuttled to Australia shortly after he placed in the Anglo-Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes, Donohoe says the horse has plainly remained fresh in breeders’ minds.

“It’s always a concern when you take a horse away in the middle of their racing career but he certainly wasn’t forgotten about,” he says. “The reaction has been amazing, all the top breeders are supporting him and they’re not just sending him any old mares, it’s looking like a very nice book.”

Donohoe adds: “He always showed a lot of speed in his work and when he won the Phoenix, but a lot of it was his guts and determination, that’s what I think saw him stay the mile. I think he’ll be more of a speed influence at stud though.”

THE OWNER BREEDER 49

››

New stallions Goodwood and also landed the Glorious Stakes at the same course. He switched to the Australian stable of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young midway through his four-year-old season and went on to claim the Group 1 Metropolitan at Randwick.

Nando Parrado Kodiac - Chibola (Roy)

Standing: Irish National Stud Fee: €6,000 Kodiac’s emergence as a sire of sires continues apace, with Ardad, Coulsty, Kodi Bear and Prince Of Lir all siring a slew of significant stakes winners and Group 1 performers. Those exploits will doubtless help Nando Parrado prove popular with breeders, and there is more than just the identity of his sire to recommend him.

Pinhooked by Ballyphilip Stud at 165,000gns, Nando Parrado was retained to race by Paul and Marie McCartan and repaid their faith – and investment – by shedding his maiden tag in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Although that proved to be his sole victory from ten starts, he was also runner-up in the Prix Morny, behind Campanelle, and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, behind Sealiway.

His first three dams are all Group 1 performers or producers, including the Argentinian-bred Chibola, who has produced three black-type performers and is a sister to South American Group 1 winner Chollo.

Palace Pier Kingman - Beach Frolic (Nayef)

Standing: Dalham Hall Stud Fee: £55,000 This outstanding miler rates one of the most exciting recruits to stud anywhere in the world in 2022. He is the highestrated son of sire sensation Kingman, having won nine of his 11 starts for John Gosden, who purchased Palace Pier as a yearling for 600,000gns.

Bred by Highclere Stud and the Duke of Roxburghe’s Floors Farming, Palace Pier is the third foal out of Beach Frolic, a half-sister to Group 2 winners Bonfire and Joviality who topped the Tattersalls December Sale in 2020 when sold to Coolmore for 2,200,000gns.

Palace Pier went unbeaten through his first five starts, a run that culminated with victories in the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Prix Jacques le Marois, in which he defeated Alpine Star, Circus Maximus and Persian King.

50 THE OWNER BREEDER

Group 1 talent on show across Europe Victor Ludorum, winner of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two and Poule d’Essai des Poulains at three, rates the most expensive new recruit to the French stallion ranks for 2022, with the dual Group 1 winner introduced at Haras du Logis at a fee of €15,000. The son of Shamardal, who is inbred 3x3 to Helen Street, defeated Alson to win the Lagardere, and that son of German stalwart sire Areion joins the roster at Gestut Fahrhof (€6,000).

Alson, who is being stood in partnership between Fahrhof and his breeder’s Gestut Schlenderhan, rounded out his two-year-old campaign with a 20-length defeat of Armory in the Criterium International.

Another new name among the German ranks is Juddmonte International and Grand Prix de Paris hero Japan, who will stand at Gestut Etzean (€11,000). The son of Galileo was a 1,300,000gns yearling and is a sibling to fellow Group 1 winner Mogul and high-class talents Secret Gesture and Sir Isaac Newton.

While Alson and Japan’s biggest successes came on the international stage, Windstoss, a newcomer to Gestut Rottgen (€4,000), plied his trade much closer to his new home having won the German Derby and Preis von Europa in 2017. The son of Shirocco is a half-brother to another German Derby winner in Weltstar.

Back in France, Haras de Colleville welcomes dual-purpose prospect Soft Light (€5,000), a Listedwinning and Group 2-placed son of Authorized whose siblings include talented sprinter City Light.

Around an hour south of

He returned at four and added three further Group 1 victories to his record, with consummate performances in the Lockinge and Queen Anne Stakes alongside a second Prix Jacques le Marois. He signed off with a game second to the unbeaten Baaeed in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Roseman Kingman - Go Lovely Rose (Pivotal)

Standing: March Hare Stud Fee: £5,500 A €650,000 yearling buy by Roger

GEORGE SELWYN

››

Japan: a welcome addition to Germany

Colleville is Haras de Montaigu, where Technician (€3,000) will begin his stud career. The son of Mastercraftsman developed into a high-class stayer at three, as evidenced by his victory in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak. Armor’s racing career did not reach his three-year-old season, as the son of No Nay Never was retired to Al Shaqab’s Haras de Bouquetot at the conclusion of a juvenile campaign that included victory in the Molecomb Stakes and a close third in the Middle Park Stakes (€5,000).

Another high-achieving two-yearold joining the French ranks in 2022 is Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Mkfancy (€4,000), who is new to Haras de Saint Arnoult. The latest addition to Larissa Kneip’s operation has dual-purpose appeal, as he is

by Makfi and out of a daughter of Muhtathir, who has made a significant impact on the National Hunt sphere through son Envoi Allen and sire son Doctor Dino.

Varian, Roseman did not debut until the April of his three-year-old season but went on to record a facile Nottingham novice victory before running second to King Of Comedy in the Heron Stakes.

He rounded off his campaign with an impressive defeat of Century Dream and Accidental Agent in the Ben Marshall Stakes at Newmarket.

He returned at four to be beaten just a head by The Revenant in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Not only is he a son of the hugely promising Kingman, but is out of a Pivotal sister to champion three-year-old filly Immortal Verse,

››

Over 100 years of Experience 1000 acres of Rich Limestone Land Over 250 foalings per year Highly Qualified and Dedicated Team Foaled, Raised & Grazed, Consigned Graduates include: Cable Bay, Barney Roy, Ribchester, Shalaa, Mister Seawolf, King of Comedy, Mythical Magic, Mishriff Services we provide: • • • • • • •

Foaling Seasonal & Permanent Boarding Sales Preparation Stallions Bloodstock Consultation Education Spelling

Contact: Cathal Beale, Gary Swift +353 (0)86 6031979 or Conor Hyland +353 (0)85 1299236 Tel: +353 (0)45 521251 www.irishnationalstud.ie

INS-Owner-Breeder-Full-Page-2022.indd 1

14/12/2021 12:32

New stallions ›› whose own daughter Tenebrism landed

the Cheveley Park Stakes. The pedigree traces back to Kilfrush Stud celebrities such as Last Tycoon and the Beauty Is Truth clan of Hermosa, Hydrangea and The United States.

Santiago Authorized - Wadyhatta (Cape Cross)

Standing: Castlehyde Stud Fee: TBC Authorized has shown himself to be a real force in the National Hunt sphere, not least through dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll and the

high-class pair Nichols Canyon and Goshen. Although the Derby winner has relocated to Turkey to continue his stallion career, breeders now have access to a Derby-winning son from a champion, stallion-making family.

Santiago’s fifth dam is Allegretta, meaning the likes of Urban Sea, Galileo, Sea The Stars and King’s Best appear on his page. Moreover, he is out of Wadyhatta, a half-sister to three blacktype performers who in turn is out of a half-sister to Tamayuz.

Bred by Lynch Bages, Santiago went into training with Aidan O’Brien and broke his maiden over a mile at two. He

kicked off his Classic season by winning the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, then dropped back to 12 furlongs to claim the Irish Derby. He proved he stayed two miles when third to Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup.

Space Blues Dubawi - Miss Lucifer (Noverre)

Standing: Kildangan Stud Fee: €17,500 A hardy, versatile and most progressiver performer, Space Blues developed into a thoroughly likeable sort during his 19race career with Charlie Appleby, with

Bearstone Stud in Shropshire heads into 2022 with the luxury of two new yet proven stallions on its roster in Dream Ahead and Mattmu, writes Nancy Sexton.

Champion Dream Ahead, whose five Group 1 victories included the Middle Park Stakes and July Cup, moves following stints at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland and Haras de Grandcamp in France. The son of Diktat, who hails from the same Warning sire line as former Bearstone resident Firebreak, is particularly close to the hearts of everyone at the stud as the sire of Terry and Margaret Holdcroft’s wonderful homebred Glass Slippers, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Flying Five Stakes and Prix de l’Abbaye. She is one of four Group 1 winners for the stallion alongside Al Wukair, now a promising young stallion in France, Donjuan Triumphant, also at stud in France, and Dream Of Dreams.

“We’re really lucky to have Dream Ahead,” says Terry Holdcroft. “There are not many proven Group 1 sires in Europe at his price level. He was a topclass racehorse – he won five Group 1 races and you can’t get much better than that. And he has the ability to sire horses at the highest level having already sired four Group 1 winners, including our own Glass Slippers.

Added to that, he’s a good outcross.”

Dream Ahead stands for £7,500 while Mattmu is priced at £2,500 following a highly promising start from a small pool of first-crop runners.

Mattmu was an accomplished sprinter for Tim Easterby whose record is underpinned by soundness and longevity. He won six races

52 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

Addition of Group 1 sire Dream Ahead places Bearstone on firm footing

Glass Slippers: mare is by Dream Ahead

including the Criterium de MaisonsLaffitte at two and Phoenix Sprint Stakes at three, and out of a first crop of just nine two-year-olds has been represented by the Listed-placed Favourite Child and dual winner Matty Two. “We were very encouraged by what Mattmu achieved from such a small number of runners,” says Holdcroft.

“Favourite Child was only beaten on the nod in the Critérium de Vitesse at Longchamp. She’s rated 95 and will go for another Listed race next. She weighs in at 486kg, which gives you an idea of how strong she is.

“Mattmu be well supported by us and his other connections next season.

I’m in it to try and breed racehorses and he was a tough horse who has proven he can get a good one. We’re quite excited about him.”

Dream Ahead and Mattmu stand alongside multiple stakes-winning sprinter Washington DC, whose first crop are two-year-olds of 2022.

The British and Irish dual-purpose ranks have also been bolstered by various transfers.

Coventry Stakes winner Buratino

(£3,000), an Exceed And Excel relation to Danehill Dancer, relocates to Hedgeholme Stud. His first crop includes the Listed-winning Snapraeterea.

Fellow Group 2-winning two-yearold Kool Kompany moves from Spain to Clongiffen Stud in Ireland. A son of the much-missed Jeremy, he stands for €2,000.

Whytemount Stud also welcomes the Monsun horse Manatee (€3,000), a Group 2-winning half-brother to Dartmouth who formerly stood in France, while Meelin Stud takes charge of Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Magician (€4,000).

Also transferring from France is high-class stayer Walzertakt (£2,500), a well-related son of Montjeu who is new to Chapel Stud, and the tough three-time Group 2-winning stayer Marmelo (£2,000), who heads to Norton Grove Stud.

Champion stayer Leading Light (£2,500), winner of the Gold Cup and St Leger, is new to Dunraven Stud in Wales. The son of Montjeu is already sire of the black-type filly Leading Theatre and has some sizeable crops in the pipeline.

Classic form is also offered by Vauterhill Stud’s new recruit Nutan (fee on application), winner of the 2015 German Derby.

On the continent, the multiple Group 1 winner Flintshire (€6,500) relocates out of Kentucky to Haras de Montaigu in France while the top-class globe-trotter Best Solution (€6,500), a son of emerging sire of sires Kodiac who has his first runners this year, transfers across Germany to Gestut Lunzen.

››

New stallions turn of foot carrying him to 11 victories, including three at the highest level.

He beat Private Secretary and Technician to win his sole start at two and won an Epsom Listed contest at three, when he also placed behind Too Darn Hot and Advertise in the Prix Jean Prat and Prix Maurice de Gheest.

His upward trajectory was maintained at four when he readily landed the Lennox Stakes and his first Group 1, the Prix Maurice de Gheest, in which he beat Hello Youmzain and Lope Y Fernandez.

He was kept in training at five and rewarded connections with four more successes, including in a heavy-ground Prix de la Foret and the Breeders’ Cup Mile, which was run on firm Del Mar turf.

He is arguably Dubawi’s fastest son, which should make him popular with breeders considering the sireline has supplied promising types such as Night Of Thunder and New Bay in recent years. He is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Shuruq and out of Miss Lucifer, who shares her page with Zomaradah, dam of Dubawi. He is inbred 5x4 to Sunbittern and 4x4 to Shirley Heights.

Starman Dutch Art - Northern Star (Montjeu)

Standing: Tally-Ho Stud Fee: €17,500 The O’Callaghan family’s Tally-Ho Stud has applied its midas touch to the stallion careers of rags-to-riches stars such as Kodiac and Mehmas in recent times, and 2022 sees the operation

BILL SELWYN

›› his smooth-travelling style and decisive

Starman: David Ward’s homebred champion sprinter retires to Tally-Ho Stud

St Mark’s Basilica

launch arguably its best-credentialed new recruit yet.

David Ward’s homebred may not be as precocious as his stud-mates Cotai Glory or Mehmas, but when he reached the racecourse in the July of his threeyear-old season he wasted little time showcasing his talent, with three straight victories capped by the Garrowby Stakes.

At four, he won the Duke of York Stakes before his finest hour came in a competitive renewal of the July Cup, which he won impressively by a length and a quarter. That was his fifth and final victory, although he was also placed in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and, when beaten just a short head, the Haydock Sprint Cup. He is out of the useful Montjeu mare Northern Star, whose first foal is the Group 3-placed Sunday Star.

Siyouni - Cabaret (Galileo)

Standing: Coolmore Fee: €65,000 Coolmore added just one new name to its Flat roster for 2022, but the addition is an important one in the blue-blooded, five-time Group 1 winner St Mark’s Basilica. Bred by Bob Scarborough, he cost MV Magnier 1,300,000gns as a Book 1 yearling, and with good reason.

Not only is he a superb model by the increasingly influential Siyouni, but he is out of the Galileo mare Cabaret, which makes him a half-brother to Vertem Futurity Trophy and 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia.

A five-race juvenile campaign ended with St Mark’s Basilica being crowned champion two-year-old after he ran out a decisive winner of the Dewhurst Stakes. That performance promised plenty for his Classic campaign and he delivered in spades, going unbeaten in four Group 1 contests in three different countries.

His record includes two French Classics, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club, while he readily defeated his elders Addeybb and Mishriff in the Eclipse Stakes. He brought the curtain down on his racing days with victory in the Irish Champion Stakes, when he repelled Tarnawa and Poetic Flare with a potent turn of foot and a teak-tough attitude.

Supremacy BILL SELWYN

Mehmas - Triggers Broom (Arcano)

St Mark’s Basilica: expensive yearling went on to win five Group 1 races for Aidan O’Brien

54 THE OWNER BREEDER

Standing: Yeomanstown Stud Fee: €12,500 Yeomanstown Stud has achieved big things with one Middle Park Stakes

››

UBETTABLEIEVEIT

NEW FOR 2022

KODIAC - LADYLISHANDRA (MUJADIL)

Brilliantly fast Gr.2 winning 2YO son of Leading Sire KODIAC from the speed family of AJDAL and Leading Gr.1 Sires FORMIDABLE and NOVERRE GROUP WINNER of 3 races at 2 years and £116,500 Won Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes in faster time than previous winners Green Desert, Marwell, etc. and Won Listed National Stakes by 11/2 lengths, in faster time than previous winners Tiggy Wiggy, Sir Prancelot, etc.

MASSAAT TEOFILO - MADANY (ACCLAMATION)

FIRST CROP S A YE RLING 2022

By Teofilo, sire of 6 Gr.1 winners in 2020 Brother to Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup winner EQTIDAAR and exciting Gr.3 Winning 2YO MUJBAR, from the immediate family of PRECIEUSE, etc.

Gr.1 placed at 2, 3 and 4 • Gr.2 winner over 7f Timeform rated 122 Standing at MICKLEY STUD Enquiries: Richard Kent T: 079 73 315722 • E: mickleystud@btconnect.com • www.mickleystud.co.uk Or Clare Lloyd Tel: 07875 673260 email: karinga@btinternet.com

TOB Massaat UB Dec 21.indd 1

15/12/2021 12:25

New stallions Champions and strong European influences among Kentucky intake

›› winner from the Acclamation sire line,

with the operation’s linchpin stallion Dark Angel having sired nine Group/ Grade 1 winners among 149 stakes performers.

Now another horse with that profile joins the County Kildare farm for 2022 in Supremacy. A typically shrewd Clive Cox purchase at £65,000, the Group 1winning two-year-old is a son of TallyHo’s sire sensation Mehmas and hails from a family the trainer has done well with before too as his dam is a sibling to Group 1 winner Xtension and the dam of champion sprinter Harry Angel.

As well as his game defeat of Lucky Vega in the Middle Park Stakes, Supremacy also landed the Richmond Stakes, a race he won by no less than four lengths.

56 THE OWNER BREEDER

Grade 1 Clark Stakes the highlight.

The brilliantly fast Charlatan ($50,000), by Speightstown, retires to Hill ’n’ Dale Farm having made a deep impression thanks to wide-margin wins in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Malibu Stakes. As ever, Spendthrift Farm hosts an array of new horses, among them Grade 1 winners Basin ($7,500), Known Agenda ($10,000), Rock Your World ($10,000) and Yaupon ($30,000).

The most expensive is Yaupon by virtue of his victory in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes, which he won despite being savaged by Firenze Fire in the closing stages.

From a European perspective, the addition of Raging Bull ($10,000), a top miling son of Dark Angel, to Gainesway Farm should be worthy of

Raging Bull: top-class miling son of Dark Angel retires to Gainesway Farm

Ubettabelieveit Kodiac - Ladylishandra (Mujadil)

Standing: Mickley Stud Fee: £5,000 Another precocious son of Kodiac joining the stallion ranks for 2022 is Ubettabelieveit, who gamely held off Sacred to win the 2020 Flying Childers Stakes. His victory in the Doncaster Group 2 was one of three two-year-old successes for the Nigel Tinkler-trained colt, who also won a novice on Town Moor before he comfortably claimed

attention. The Irish-bred was a tough horse, winning the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile, Hollywood Derby and Shoemaker Mile and filling the frame in another nine Grade 1 races. He retires to a farm that has traditionally fared well with turf milers – think Blushing Groom, Riverman and current incumbent Karakontie – and also boasts the powerful backing of owner Peter Brant.

Similarly, the connections behind Grade 1 Travers Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Code Of Honor ($10,000) have signalled their intent to support the horse, having spent $2.55 million on potential mates at the recent Keeneland November Sale. A son of Frankel’s brother Noble Mission, he stands at Lane’s End Farm.

SUSIE RAISHER

In terms of raw speed and talent, few retirees of recent years can match Knicks Go, who will stand at Taylor Made Farm for $30,000, writes Nancy Sexton.

One of six new horses to stand in Kentucky at $20,000 or above for 2022, the swift grey was a Grade 1-winning two-year-old but really came into his own at four and five for Brad Cox when rattling off wide-margin victories in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Whitney Stakes, Pegasus World Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Nor is the story over since the son of Paynter remains in training for the first few weeks of 2022 with an eye on another Pegasus World Cup. Knicks Go has lost only one race on home soil since November 2019, that being last year’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap won by Claiborne Farm’s new recruit Silver State ($20,000), a son of the versatile Hard Spun.

Darley’s Jonabell Farm welcomes a pair of heavyweight homebreds in Essential Quality ($75,000) and Maxfield ($40,000), both winners of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland at two. Essential Quality, a son of noted sires of sires Tapit, went on to add the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to seal a championship two-yearold season and returned this year to capture the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes.

As for Maxfield, who stands alongside his sire Street Sense, he returned from injury to perform at the top level, with a recent win in the

the Listed National Stakes.

He was bred by Ringfort Stud from the Mujadil mare Ladylishandra, making him a sibling to three blacktype performers, including the Group 3 scorers Harlem Shake and Tropical Paradise, as well as the Listed-winning Shenanigans. Although Covid-related disruption meant he never made the two-year-old sales, Ubettabelieveit is a product of the Church Farm and Horse Park Stud breeze-up academy, who purchased the youngster for 50,000gns as a Book 1 yearling.

M

Haras de M O N TA I G U

FLINTSHIRE

A turf legend returns to Europe

© Agence G / Scoopdyga

Haras +33 (0)2 33 35 97 02 • Sybille Gibson +33 (0)6 48 31 6 7 53 • harasrm@orange.fr • www.harasdemontaigu.com •

THE OWNER BREEDER 57

Stallion trails

Studs on

SHOW

There is no better way to view stallions than in the flesh with like-minded enthusiasts - and for that the ITM Stallion Trail across Ireland and the Route des Etalons in France offer the ideal opportunities Words: Nancy Sexton

A

s far as viewing Irish-based stallions is concerned, there is no better opportunity than that offered by the annual Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Stallion Trail.

First held in 2015, this popular initiative sees over 30 studs throw open their doors on January 14-15, meaning

that approximately 140 stallions will be on show.

This year’s trail will be restricted to those directly involved in the industry, and plenty of breeders will undoubtedly gravitate towards Coolmore, where lies the chance to view champion St Mark’s Basilica in his new home alongside proven stars such as Wootton Bassett,

Australia, Camelot and No Nay Never.

Meanwhile, triple Group 1 winner Space Blues, who signed off his career with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November, will be among those on show at Kildangan Stud, also residence to the likes of Ghiayyath, Blue Point, Teofilo and Night Of Thunder.

Add in other studs such as Ballyhane, Ballylinch, Boardsmill, Derrinstown, the Irish National, Rathbarry, Rathasker, Whytemount and Yeomanstown, and it is easy to see how the ITM Stallion Trail has become such a popular event.

“The trail has become a regular fixture in the calendar for breeders and racing fans alike, though the 2022 edition will be limited to those directly involved in the breeding industry due to Covid-19,” says Alex Cairns, Marketing Executive of ITM. “The event provides the opportunity to visit a wide array of world-class stallion farms within a condensed period and without the need to contact the studs directly. Many breeders avail of the trail to view stallions before making covering decisions or to get a first look at some of the new stallions on the block.”

The list of participating studs stretches from County Down in Northern Ireland to the southern County Cork and offers a varied insight into

MARC RHUL

Night Of Thunder: Kildangan Stud resident will be among the stars on show during the ITM Stallion Trail

58 THE OWNER BREEDER

THE ITM STALLION TRAIL 2022

TATTERSALLS

Stud Stallions

Maurice Burns: will be showing Coulsty and Bungle Inthejungle at Rathasker Stud

“Many breeders avail of the trail to get a first look at new stallions” the Irish bloodstock industry, ranging as it does from the likes of Coolmore and Darley’s Kildangan Stud to several smaller family-run businesses.

Anyone heading to the Irish National Stud, for example, can also combine their trip with a visit to its recently opened Irish Racehorse Experience, an interactive attraction that takes visitors through the journey of breeding and racing their own horse.

“It’s good to be able to open our doors and we do find it useful,” says Maurice Burns of Rathasker Stud.

“We get a volume of people through, especially if there is a first-season sire to show. When you’re doing business with people, it’s nice to catch up and see them face to face.”

Visitors to Rathasker will be able to view a selection of four proven stallions led by Bungle Inthejungle, sire of Nunthorpe Stakes winner Winter Power, and Coulsty, sire of top American filly Shantisara and Princess Margaret Stakes winner Santosha out of a small first crop.

“Bungle Inthejungle got a Group 1 winner at York and his progeny sold really well, so he had a really good year overall,” says Burns. “He gets a big, strong type and he’s a sire on the up.

››

Anngrove Stud

Famous Name, Marcel, Vendangeur

Annshoon Stud

Kamsin, Proconsul

Arctic Tack Stud

Dee Ex Bee, Jet Away, Ol’ Man River

Ballyhane Stud

Dandy Man, Elzaam, Prince Of Lir, Sands Of Mali. Soldier’s Call

Ballylinch Stud

Lope De Vega, Make Believe, New Bay, Waldgeist

Boardsmill Stud

Court Cave, Kalanisi, Poet’s Word, Sumbal

Burgage Stud

Fascinating Rock, Jukebox Jury, Sea Moon

Castlefield Stud

Hunting Horn, Mirage Dancer

Castlehyde Stud

Arizona, Footstepsinthesand, Gleneagles, Gustav Klimt, Holy Roman Emperor, Kew Gardens, Kingston Hill, Maxios, Order Of St George, Rock Of Gibraltar, Santiago, Sioux Nation, Starspangledbanner, U S Navy Flag, Westerner, Yeats

Claremount Stud Barraquero Coolagown Stud

Carlotamix, Malinas, Shantaram, Way To Paris, Zambezi Sun

Coolmore Stud

Australia, Calyx, Camelot, Churchill, Circus Maximus, Highland Reel, Magna Grecia, No Nay Never, Saxon Warrior, Sottsass, St Mark’s Basilica, Wootton Bassett

Derrinstown Stud

Awtaad, King Of Change, Tamayuz

Grange Stud

Capri, Getaway, Milan, Vadamos, Walk In The Park

Irish National Stud

Decorated Knight, Dragon Pulse, Elusive Pimpernel, Equiano, Free Eagle, Invincible Spirit, Lucky Vega, Nando Parrado, Palavicini, Phoenix Of Spain

Kedrah House Stud

Berkshire, Well Spoken

Kilbarry Lodge Stud

Diamond Boy, Pillar Coral, Success Days

Kildangan Stud

Belardo, Blue Point, Earthlight, Ghaiyyath, Night Of Thunder, Profitable, Raven’s Pass, Ribchester, Space Blues, Teofilo

Knockhouse Stud

Boscaccio, Kap Rock, Libertarian, September Storm, Tirwanako, Workforce

Lacken Stud

Khalifa Sat

Meelin Stud

Flash Gordon, Magician, Son Of Rest

Rathasker Stud

Bungle Inthejungle, Clodovil, Coulsty, Gregorian

Rathbarry & Acclamation, Blue Bresil, Eagles By Day, James Garfield, Glenview Studs Kodi Bear, Old Persian, Sholokohv, Shirocco, Tagula, Youmzain Springfield House Stud Unfortunately Starfield Stud

Far Above, Galileo Chrome, Kuroshio, My Dream Boat, Smooth Daddy

Sunnyhill Stud

Doyen, Fifty Stars, Lucky Speed

Tara Stud

Alhebayeb, Estidhkaar, River Boyne

The Beeches

Crystal Ocean, Idaho, In Swoop, Mahler, Ocovango, Soldier Of Fortune, Wings Of Eagles

Tullyraine House Stud Primary Whytemount Stud

Affinisea, Feel Like Dancing, Manatee, Valirann

Woodfield Farm Stud

Bullet Train, Curtain Call

Dark Angel, El Kabeir, Invincible Army, Shaman, Yeomanstown Stud Supremacy Those wishing to attend should register by visiting: www.itm.ie/stalliontrail

THE OWNER BREEDER 59

Stallion trails

››

“Coulsty covered over 100 mares last year, which is excellent, and some shrewd breeders used him. Out of two small crops, he’s sired seven stakes horses, so he’s proven he can get a good horse. Obviously it’s much easier when a horse has a crop of 150 running for him so when you get a horse like him siring good black-type horses from such small numbers, people take notice.”

Unfortunately the 2021 trail fell victim to Covid, and while the spectre of the pandemic still casts a long shadow one year on, organisers remain hopeful that the 2022 edition, as an outdoor event, will be able to take place.

Visitors are required to register which studs they intend to visit via a form on the ITM website and will be asked to adhere to a Code Of Conduct.

“The trail will be an entirely outdoor event and attendance will be limited to those directly involved in the breeding industry,” says Cairns. “The decision to limit attendance was made to minimise risk to farms ahead of the covering season and protect public health.

“Arrangements may be subject to change and visitors should check the latest information on the ITM website before making plans. A Covid-19 Code of Conduct has been developed by Horse Racing Ireland Health and Safety and all those attending the trail will be deemed to have agreed to it.

“All visitors are asked to wear masks, practise social distancing and regularly sanitise their hands. With the event taking place in Ireland in mid-January, all visitors are advised to dress for the weather.”

Those wishing to attend should register by visiting: www.itm.ie/ stalliontrail. Listings remains subject to change and those interested are advised to check the ITM site for details.

Please note that due to demand, it is mandatory to register for a specific date and time slot in order to visit Coolmore Stud. The stud also requires a valid Covid Certificate for entry.

60 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

“It’s good to be able to open our doors and we do find it very useful”

Flintshire: multiple Group 1 winner will be available to view at Haras de Montaigu

ROUTE DES ETALONS In France, hopes remain high that the ever-popular Route des Etalons will return as a live event and not succumb to Covid restrictions, unlike 2021 when the studs involved opened their doors virtually.

The Route, scheduled for January 21-22, is not just a domestic event, with it having been swift to gain interest from British and Irish breeders keen to get a glimpse of the array of Flat and National Hunt stallions on show. Although this year’s list of studs had yet to be confirmed at the time of writing, the French Racing and Breeding Committee (FRBC) envisage that around 25 studs will be open, many of them set against some stunning Normandy backdrops.

“We hope that the Route des Etalons 2022 will be held in person,” says Raphael Naquet, Director of International Development at France Galop. “However, we will follow and apply the health measures given by the French Government in case the situation worsens. We are very pleased with the success of it, in particular the Route’s popularity with English and Irish breeders, but we want to do better every year.”

Many visitors choose to utilise the seaside town of Deauville and its neighbour Trouville as a base, and with good reason, given their host of culinary options and proximity to stud farms

such as Haras du Quesnay, whose roster includes Intello and Motivator, and Haras de Colleville, the home of Kendargent alongside rising stars Galiway and Goken.

However, as Naquet points out, Normandy has a lot more to offer.

“The atmosphere of Deauville and the proximity of certain stud farms are appreciable,” says Naquet. “But Normandy offers a diversity of stallions that would be a shame not to see.

“It is quite possible to go further than Deauville and discover whole areas of Normandy like the landing beaches, such an important part of French history, and then visit Haras d’Etreham and Hêtraie.”

One of the most ambitious stallion operations in France, Etreham launched the stud career of Wootton Bassett and is now home to his champion son Almanzor as well as the young Group 1 winners Hello Youmzain and Persian King. The farm’s National Hunt division is based at Haras de la Tuilerie and consists of leading sire Saint Des Saints alongside his Grade 1-winning son Goliath Du Berlais, Irish Derby winner Latrobe and the promising Masked Marvel.

As for Haras de la Hêtraie, that stud boasts a roster of nine stallions, among them several well known National Hunt influences on this side of the Channel in Great Pretender and Kapgarde.

“You can also choose to leave Deauville and take the road towards Lisieux deep into the Normandy

countryside,” says Naquet. “At Haras du Logis, there is Cloth Of Stars [Group 1 winner and dual Arc runner-up] and Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Victor Ludorum, who is new for 2022.

“You can also meet internationally renowned stallions such as Siyouni at the Haras de Bonneval or Le Havre at Sumbe and also view stallions on the rise such as Zarak, also at Bonneval, and Zelzal, who stands at Haras de Bouquetot.

“La Route des Etalons is a good way of discovering the wealth of stallions established in France – whether they are National Hunt or Flat – while travelling through the Normandy countryside, its land and its way of life.”

One farm that offers plenty for breeders to consider this season is Haras de Montaigu, approximately 100 kilometres south of Deauville.

Previously home to the likes of Kendor and Martaline, today’s roster is anchored by leading jumps stallion No Risk At All, the sire of Epatante and Allaho, and has been bolstered for 2022 by the arrival of multiple Group/Grade 1 winner Flintshire, a Dansili relation to Enable, in addition to the Group 1-winning stayer Technician.

Flintshire was previously based at Hill ’n’ Dale Farm in Kentucky and as fate would have it was represented by the Grade 3-winning juvenile Verbal, successful in the Cecil B DeMille Stakes at Del Mar, just days following the

“Flintshire is a very important and exciting addition to France” confirmation of his switch to France.

“It was very special to see Verbal’s victory just after the announcement of Flintshire’s arrival to Haras de Montaigu,” says the stud’s Sybille Gibson. “Flintshire has had a very good start, since his firstcrop son Cheshire Academy also won the Prix Noailles and now Verbal has won a Grade 3 at Del Mar. “It couldn’t be a better start for a young sire but the Flintshire Syndicate thought a turf horse would do better as a sire in Europe. We had been looking for a Flat stallion for a long time and

Zarak: rising star can be viewed on the Route des Etalons at Haras de Bonneval

we thank Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock for organising the deal.

“We think Flintshire is a very important and exciting addition to France. He has one of the best pedigrees on earth and is the only winner of five Group 1 races standing in France.

“He was a very talented horse with an incredible turn of foot, is extremely good-looking with good size and is well balanced. We had a chat with his first trainer André Fabre, who was very excited that Flintshire was returning.

“We were lucky to announce his arrival during the Tattersalls and Arqana breeding stock sales and we’ve had a fantastic response with 30 bookings in four days from some very important operations.”

Flintshire will stand for €6,500 while a fee of €3,000 has been set for Technician, who was saddled by Martyn Meade to win the 2019 Prix Royal-Oak. “With the help of Richard Venn, we were able to purchase half of Technician from Manton Park Racing, who keep the other half,” says Gibson. “Technician will be dual-purpose and he was very well received when we took him to Clairefontaine to meet breeders during the Arqana November Sale.”

She adds: “He’s an interesting addition to our National Hunt roster

when No Risk At All is already fully booked and our Grade 1-winning son of Martaline, Beaumec De Houelle, is going to be very busy too.

“Technician allows breeders to have access to a Group 1 winner by Mastercraftsman, who has himself already produced five Grade 1 winners over jumps.”

Those visiting Montaigu will also have the opportunity to view German Horse of the Year Dschingis Secret, who relocates from Haras de Saint Arnoult and has his first runners in 2022.

“Dschingis Secret has been well supported by French breeders,” says Gibson. “He was a champion on the racecourse, is a son of Soldier Hollow and a full-brother to four black-type horses. His first yearlings are quite spectacular, well balanced with a lot of bone, size and a good mind.

“The precocious and fast Jimmy Two Times also arrived at Montaigu last year. He won the Prix du Muguet over a mile and we are very pleased to stand another stallion from the Kendor line.”

A full list of participating studs in the Route des Etalons 2022 will be confirmed once registrations have been processed at the end of December, and will be available to view on the Federation des Eleveur website at federationdeseleveursdugalop.fr.

THE OWNER BREEDER

61

Century Dream GROOMSBRIDGE STUD introduces our exciting new stallion standing alongside UNIVERSAL for 2022

MILDENBERGER Teofilo x Belle Josephine x Dubawi

By top class sire Cape Cross out of Echo of Light mare Salacia.

Winner of 10 races including Gp.2 Ladbrokes Celebration Mile Stakes & Gp.3 Investec Diomed Stakes (Twice)

Won 7 races and £244k including multiple listed wins and G2 and 3 places from 7f to 2 miles for a TF rating of 118.

Fabulous scopey horse from the dam line that produced top NH sire KAYF TARA, yet was precocious enough to win 3 races (including listed) and be Gr2 placed as a 2yo.

Placed in a further 5 Group races including Gp1. Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Excellent value at an introductory fee of £1500 (Oct 1st with concessions available).

Trainer Simon Crisford said: “Century Dream was an incredibly tough and consistent performer throughout his career, winning five stakes races over a mile.

Also standing multiple Gr2 winner UNIVERSAL

Marmelo

THE

GROOMSBRIDGE STUD, Haafhd Stables • Thetford Road Santon Downham • Suffolk • IP27 0TU Contact: Sally Forster on 07785 594863 groomsbridgestud@btinternet.com

Want to advertise in the next issue?

By Duke of Marmalade out of In The Wings mare Capriolla

Won 7 races including Gp.2 Darley Prix Kergorlays twice, Gp.2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil & Gp.3 Dubai Duty Free John Porter Finest Surprise Stakes.

Beating 17 Individual Gr.1 Winners

Hughie Morrison said, "Marmelo had a superb temperament and was always easy to get fit being so clear winded. When the Australian vets scoped him post-Melbourne Cup they couldn't believe the size of his windpipe!

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62 THE OWNER BREEDER

Breeders’ Digest

Nancy Sexton Bloodstock Editor

‘He never did anyone a bad turn’ - farewell Pivotal

E

a good one.

“I rang Chris [Richardson, Managing Director of Cheveley Park Stud] and said to him ‘this really goes well but he looks to me as though he’ll sprint - you designed the mating, how far will he get?’ And Chris said ‘well I suppose a mile, mile and a quarter.’ I said ‘well unless I’m mad, he sprints’.”

He adds: “What is interesting now is that you can test these horses for a better idea of how far they might go, and when Cheveley Park came to test Pivotal, he did come out as a sprinter.”

Polar Falcon had been a very quick horse and Pivotal’s dam, Fearless Revival, had won over 6f and 7f as a two-year-old. However, she was a daughter of Cozzene and out of a mare by stamina influence Bustino.

Nevetheless, Pivotal was an animal of real speed, rising through the ranks to narrowly land the King’s Stand and Nunthorpe Stakes as a three-yearold, the latter race by a nostril from Eveningperformance in a photo finish

GEORGE SELWYN

uropean bloodstock has so much for which to thank Pivotal.

The sire of 32 Group or Grade 1 winners, he leaves behind an array of successful sire sons led by Siyouni, Farhh and Kyllachy, all of whom now possess their own representatives at stud. He also has few peers as a damsire, with a tally of 26 top-flight winners in that department enhanced by a fruitful relationship with Galileo.

Pivotal’s stud record, underpinned by a level of consistency rarely seen, naturally made the horse a mainstay of British bloodstock. Yet nowhere will his influence have been more keenly felt than his birthplace Cheveley Park Stud, which bred five of his Group 1 winners and was his home until his death in late November at the age of 28.

It has become part of racing folklore how Pivotal was the first foal born for his sire Polar Falcon, a near-black son of Nureyev who had joined Cheveley Park Stud in 1992. A Group 1-winning sprinter, he appealed as a likely candidate to become an important addition for David and Patricia Thompson’s stud; Pivotal, as winner of the 1996 King’s Stand and Nunthorpe Stakes, immediately set him on the right path.

“Wasn’t Pivotal a marvellous horse and wasn’t I lucky to have him?” recalls his trainer Sir Mark Prescott. “He was the result of his first mating for his sire and the first foal out of his dam, Fearless Revival, and neither did any better after that.

“I remember there was this field full of yearlings at Cheveley Park Stud and Mr and Mrs Thompson gave me the pick of these wonderful horses. Then Mr Thompson turned to me and said ‘but if you have these, then you have to have that horse.’ And that was Pivotal.

“He had the most lovely head, his father’s head. But he was a big, backward horse and at that time he toed in a bit through his knees - he wouldn’t have helped the sire at the sales.

“He was the most laid-back horse, he plodded around quietly and we all thought he was very ordinary until we galloped him upsides one day and he flew. It was then that we knew we had

Pivotal: rose to Group 1 heights for Sir Mark Prescott before his illustrious stud career

that took around 20 minutes to call. “[Jockey] George Duffield was then at the height of his powers,” says Prescott. “You watch himself and Pivotal in the Nunthorpe, neither would give up. They suited each other perfectly.

“It is his win in that sprint as a twoyear-old at Folkestone that stands out. We had got him going late in the year and the programme book as it was then had this all-aged sprint at Folkestone, and he waltzed home. It was a very quick 5f there and he did it in a quick time. It’s very unusual to find a two-year-old that can do that.

“He just got faster and faster but he always kept that wonderful nature.

So many sprinters are high tension but there was never any of that with Pivotal – he never pulled, never sweated.”

Prescott adds: “He threw his own characteristics with regularity. The only difference was that Pivotal needed fast ground and plenty of his stock were better on softer.

“And as a trainer you had to be very careful what distance you ran them over. I had a sister to Needwood Blade [a 5f Group winner] who won over 1m6f, and then to Danehurst, a very fast filly that I trained, he sired Humouresque, who won the Prix Penelope for me over almost 1m3f. So there was an indication straight away that it wasn’t enough just to look at the female pedigree to work out what they needed.”

In keeping with his own stud record, the Pivotal sire line has flourished into one that fits all moulds.

Siyouni was a fast two-year-old but send him the right mare and he can throw the likes of Sottsass and St Mark’s Basilica. Farhh’s stock range from the fast Far Above to classy stayer Dee Ex Bee. Kyllachy, who stood alongside his sire, is more of an influence for speed, as seemingly is his Group 1-winning son Twilight Son, now also at Cheveley Park Stud.

“Pivotal was so well looked after at Cheveley Park,” says Prescott. “They managed his career so well. All the people who used him did well. He never did anyone a bad turn.”

THE OWNER BREEDER 63

Sales Circuit • By Carl Evans

Buoyant breeding stock sales ensure year ends on a high Tattersalls December Mares Sale

TATTERSALLS

Tattersalls completed another year of trading at Park Paddocks with its famous sale of breeding stock, which is always a high note to end on.

Japanese buyers were back in person and made their presence felt after Covid had kept them at home in 2020, while American breeders or their agents were also conspicuous and added further weight to high-end horse interest. The result was a 45 per cent gain in turnover to 62.4 million guineas, the average price rose 35 per cent to just over 79,000gns, while the median was up 30 per cent at 26,000gns. A total of 98 extra lots were offered, and while the number of sold horses rose by 53 to 788, the overall clearance rate dipped three points to a very acceptable 82 per cent. That figure had been pulled down at the closing session, the weakest of the four, where 64 per cent of the 163 offered lots (105 horses) found a buyer.

Annual turnover for the year at Park Paddocks came to 323.5 million guineas, more than 63 million guineas above the figure achieved in 2020 and the third highest in the company’s very long history.

The second session is reserved for the finest fillies and mares, and four lots went on to make a seven-figure sum, headed

by Waldlied, a New Approach three-parts sister to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist, and offered to the market carrying a Kingman foal. In reality, her sale could have been conducted over a good

TATTERSALLS

Group 2 winner Waldlied, in foal to Kingman, was one of four seven-figure lots

Flotus: Katsumi Yoshida struck at a million guineas for the Group 1-placed juvenile

64 THE OWNER BREEDER

lunch involving her owners at Newsells Park Stud and Gestut Ammerland, for they became buyer and underbidder as she padded around the ring.

Yet that circle is the fairest way of putting a valuation on a horse, and standing beside it was Jill Lamb, representing Graham Smith-Bernal’s Hertfordshire stud, and who had the final say with a 2,200,000gns offer. At that point Crispin de Moubray, representing Dietrich von Boetticher of Ammerland, declined further interest. “She’s coming home,” said Smith-Bernal, whose stud also owns Waldlied’s dam, Waldlerche.

One lot later Newsells Park Stud was

involved in another big-money transaction, but as consignor. This revolved around the Classic-placed four-year-old filly Cayenne Pepper, who the stud was selling for Californian Sarah Kelly. Her late husband, Jon, had bought the filly as a foal to pinhook, but on the advice of allies in England had opted not to sell her as a yearling. Instead she went into training with Jessie Harrington and won the Group 2 Blandford Stakes and was second in the Irish Oaks.

The Coolmore team liked her profile, and Tom Magnier’s 2 million guineas bid secured her for a likely mating with Wootton Bassett.

TATTERSALLS TATTERSALLS

Allan Belshaw: bred Sunday Times and Daily Times from his Simply Times family

Sunday Times: dam of Newspaperofrecord was knocked down for 1.8 million guineas

Engineer Allan Bellshaw has never had aspirations on a Coolmore-size bloodstock empire, but his Times Of Wigan Ltd has been involved in a good number of racing highlights, dating back to his purchase in 1995 of Simply Times as a yearling for $18,000 through trainer Bill O’Gorman. Two runs on the track revealed little merit, but her legacy as a breeder led to two whopping sales for Bellshaw at this event.

Simply Times bred three stakes earners, while her daughter Forever Times became granddam of three more

headed by Irish Derby winner Latrobe.

Forever Times also foaled Sunday Times, who became dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord.

At the age of 12, it was decided to sell Sunday Times, carrying a Lope De Vega full sibling to Newspaperofrecord, and she was duly knocked down to Magnier for 1,800,000gns, while Daily Times, a four-year-old daughter of Sunday Times with another enviable Lope De Vega cover, was sold to James Wigan for 800,000gns. He was acting for

America’s Erdenheim Farm.

Richard and Sally Aston of Cheshire’s Goldford Stud, which is the residence of Bellshaw’s broodmares, acted as consignors.

The session’s other millionairess was two-year-old Flotus, who finished runner-up to Tenebrism in the most recent running of the Cheveley Park Stakes from Simon and Ed Crisford’s stable, and who was knocked down for 1,000,000gns to Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm.

Crisford Snr suggested she had plenty more to offer on the racecourse as a three-year-old, but Northern Farm spokesman Shingo Hashimoto could not confirm racing or breeding plans.

Tattersalls December Mares Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (gns)

Buyer

Waldlied 6 m New Approach – Waldlerche

Newsells Park Stud

2,200,000

Jill Lamb Bloodstock

Cayenne Pepper 4 f Australia – Muwakaba

Newsells Park Stud

2,000,000

Tom Magnier

Sunday Times 12 m Holy Roman Emperor - Forever Times

Goldford Stud, agent

1,800,000

MV Magnier

Flotus 2 f Starspangledbanner – Floriade

Gainsborough Thoroughbreds

1,000,000

Katsumi Yoshida

Shades Of Blue 5 m Kodiac – Enjoyable

The Castlebridge Consignment

850,000

Oceanic Bloodstock, agent for White Birch Farm

Daily Times 4 m Gleneagles - Sunday Times

Goldford Stud, agent

800,000

London Thoroughbred Services for Erdenheim

Dandalla 3 f Dandy Man – Chellalla

Nick Bradley Racing/Spigot Lodge Stables

750,000

Katsumi Yoshida

Fev Rover 3 f Gutaifan – Laurelita

Nick Bradley Racing/Musley Bank Stables

695,000

Tracy Farmer

One Voice 4 m Poet’s Voice – Zaaqya

Norelands Stud

675,000

Jill Lamb Bloodstock

Figures

Year

Sold

Agg (gns)

Average (gns)

Median (gns)

Top price (gns)

2021

788

62,412,700

79,204

26,000

2,200,000

2020

735

43,111,900

58,656

20,000

2,200,000

2019

668

57,790,900

86,513

27,000

2,100,000

2018

728

60,712,100

83,396

20,500

2,400,000

2017

675

68,315,300

101,208

25,000

6,000,000

THE OWNER BREEDER 65

››

Sales Circuit A towering valuation for a son of Dubawi, improved figures and a recordequalling median meant this four-day auction had something for everyone.

Some traders spoke of absences among buyers of inexpensive foals – be they small-scale pinhookers or overseas visitors – and the reasons appeared to focus on higher costs involved in transferring horses out of Britain since Brexit, and reluctance to travel due to Covid fears or restrictions. Yet the event is too important to ignore, and with strong trade at the recent yearling sales there was no shortage of demand on all but the least commercial foals.

Turnover in excess of 31 million guineas, a rise of 19 per cent, was both

This son of Dubawi became the most expensive colt foal sold in Europe since 1997

welcome and expected given that an additional 115 foals were offered, yet the clearance rate rose six points to 88 per cent. The average price gained two per cent, while the median went up no less than 25 per cent when reaching 25,000gns, a figure which had been matched, but not beaten, on three occasions this century.

At the top end some trends emerged, including demand for fillies with pedigrees, and particularly those

by the increasingly influential Sea The Stars, but it was a son of Dubawi who made the headlines when selling to Godolphin for 1,800,000gns, the equal-second highest valuation for a European foal offered at auction. The record remains with the Caerleon colt Padua’s Pride, who made 2,500,000gns in 1997.

The latest high roller, who was consigned by his breeders the Swinburn family of Newmarket’s Genesis Green

››

TATTERSALLS

TATTERSALLS

Michael Swinburn: the saletopper provided a momentous result for his family’s Genesis Green Stud

TATTERSALLS

Tattersalls December Foal Sale

This Frankel colt yielded a new high for vendor Furnace Mill Stud, selling for 675,000gns

TALKING POINTS • Bloodstock sales might seem a daunting place for the uninitiated, but trading is not all hard-nosed business.

In spending 350,000gns on a Sea The Stars filly, David and Vimy Aykroyd were clearly not frittering loose change on racehorse ownership, but they wanted to get to know the horse they purchased. Their bloodstock agent, Patrick Cooper of BBA Ireland, said the couple had opted for a foal because they could visit her at Copgrove Hall Stud, which borders their Yorkshire home. Cooper said: “The Aykroyds wanted a foal, because if you buy a yearling it goes straight off to the trainer. You never really get to know it. [This way] they get to know the individual and that’s part of the fun.”

66 THE OWNER BREEDER

• Strange coincidence or serendipity? On the day that Charlie and Alice Mason of Norfolk’s Silfield Bloodstock knocked up 30 years of trading foals, their daughter, Molly, sold her first, a colt by New Approach. Almost 12 months earlier Molly had spotted the Street Cry mare Yanabeeaa walking around outside the ring at the December Mares Sale, followed her into the inner sanctum and taken a spur-of-the-moment decision to stick her hand up.

She admitted to crumbling as the nerves of a firstbidding experience took hold, but dad stepped in and the mare was bought for 9,000gns. At this sale the New Approach foal she carried was sold for 65,000gns. It seems the Masons have a daughter and heir.

BOBBY’S KITTEN

SEA THE MOON

SIRE OF A DUAL GROUP WINNING 2YO IN 2021

A LEADING EUROPEAN GROUP 1 SIRE

Winner of the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Sire of 33 Black-type horses including Gr.1 winnner ALPINE STAR

Sire of 23 first crop winners

His 2021 Black-Type winners include Gr.2 winner PRETTY TIGER, Gr.3 winners SAGAMIYRA and FAVORITE MOON, etc

Sire of 9 second crop 2yo winners to date in 2021 including SANDRINE (Gr.2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Gr.3 Albany Stakes), and FIGHTING KING (Listed-placed)

Yearlings sold at 2021 Tattersalls October Sales Book 2 made 300,000gns, 280,000gns, etc

£7,000

£25,000

SIR PERCY

STUDY OF MAN First Yearlings 2022

A POTENT MIX OF SPEED & STAMINA

SON AND GRANDSON OF LEGENDS

Sire of 50 Black-type horses incl.

Gr.1 winners SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD and WAKE FOREST

Winner of 3 races at 2 & 3, including the ‘Stallion Making’ Gr.1 French Derby, and £1,033,142

Also sire of 88 individual 2yo winners including the promising Listed winner KAWIDA in 2021

The only son of DEEP IMPACT (Japanese Super Sire & multiple Champion) at stud in England

Yearling sold at 2021 Tattersalls October Sales Book 2 made 120,000gns

Supported by Europe’s leading breeders – exceptional first foals in 2021

£7,000

£12,500 All nominations on 1st October Special Live Foal terms

i n f o @ l a n w a d e s . c o m • w w w. l a n w a d e s . c o m • Te l : + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 6 3 8 7 5 0 2 2 2

LANWADES

The independent option

TM

Al Kazeem TOB-December 2021:Oakgrove Stud

16/11/21

11:09

Page 1

Al Kazeem

Harper - Grand Criterium de Bordeaux LR, Bordeaux

Saint Lawrence - Denford S. LR, Newbury

LEADING BRITISH SIRES OF 2YOS by black type winners to runners in Europe 2017 - 2021

bay 2008, 16.1hh by Dubawi - Kazeem (Darshaan) N Four-time Gr.1 winner by DUBAWI Won Gr.1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, 2015, Gr.1 Coral-Eclipse, 2013, Gr.1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes, 2013, & Gr.1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, 2013 N Joint Champion Older Horse in Europe in 2013 (9.5f-10.5f ) N Timeform rated 128 in three consecutive seasons N Sire of Group 1 winner ASPETAR, Stakes-winning 3yo miler USAK and Stakes-winning 2yos HARPER and SAINT LAWRENCE N 13% Stakes winners to runners for his colts N 2021 coverings included Group 1-placed mares Daahyeh and Ferevia

1 AL KAZEEM 2 DUBAWI

5.88 5.8

3 KINGMAN

5.19

4 NEW APPROACH

4.64

5 FRANKEL

4.23

Min. 30 runners Hyperion Promotions Ltd. Results to

30/09/21

Group 1 Sire!

2022 FEE PRIVATE Call David Hilton 07595 951248

STANDING AT OAKGROVE STUD Oakgrove Estate, St Arvans, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6EH For Nominations Contact: David Hilton: 07595 951248 G Email: david@oakgrovestud.com

Sales Circuit Darley’s number one sire and the Montjeu mare Madonna Dell’orto, who has foaled two stakes winners headed by the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed I Can Fly. It was a particularly poignant sale for Michael Swinburn, whose brother Walter owned and trained the dam, but who died in 2016.

MV Magnier of Coolmore was underbidder on the top lot, but at the same session he secured a Frankel colt who at 675,000gns became the highest-valued foal sold by David and Trish Brown of Worcestershire’s Furnace Mill Stud.

A trio of Sea The Stars fillies were next on the top-ten board, headed by a first foal of the Musidora Stakes runnerup Frankellina, who was knocked down for 625,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock. The filly’s breeder, Hascombe & Valiant Stud’s Anthony Oppenheimer, revealed he had bought out his foal-share partners.

BBA Ireland’s Patrick Cooper was underbidder on Frankellina’s foal,

TATTERSALLS

›› Stud, resulted from a mating with

David and Vimy Aykroyd, pictured with Patrick Cooper, struck for a Sea The Stars filly

but ten lots later his 350,000gns bid secured another distaffer by Sea The Stars, this one bought on behalf of David and Vimy Aykroyd, relatives of Ralph Beckett who in 2023 will become her trainer. Barton Stud consigned this

foal on behalf of the Hobby family’s Brightwalton Stud, while the same sum was gained by Harriet Loder’s Marwell Park for a Sea The Stars filly who was knocked down to Andreas Jacobs of Gestut Fahrhof.

Tattersalls December Foal Sale Top lots Sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (gns)

C Dubawi - Madonna Dell’Orto

Genesis Green Stud

C Frankel – Whatami

Furnace Mill Stud

675,000

MV Magnier

F Sea The Stars – Frankellina

Hascombe & Valiant Stud

625,000

Blandford Bloodstock

F Sea The Stars – Sahel

Marwell Park

350,000

Gestut Fahrhof

F Sea The Stars – Incharge

Barton Stud

350,000

BBA Ireland

F Dubawi – Bizzarria

Hascombe & Valiant Stud

320,000

Blandford Bloodstock

C Lope De Vega – Mayhem

Knocktoran Stud

300,000

BBA Ireland

F Blue Point - Indigo Lady

Ringfort Stud

300,000

Blandford Bloodstock

F Too Darn Hot – Astonishing

Appletree Stud

270,000

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock

F Wootton Bassett – Chrysocolla

Ballylinch Stud

250,000

WH Bloodstock

C Camelot – Clique

Deerpark Stud

250,000

RBS

C Too Darn Hot – Dazzling

New England Stud

250,000

Godolphin

1,800,000

Buyer Godolphin

Figures

Year

Sold

Agg (gns)

Average (gns)

Median (gns)

Top price (gns)

2021

734

31,301,500

42,645

25,000

1,800,000

2020

628

26,255,100

41,807

20,000

700,000

2019

663

29,338,300

44,251

22,000

600,000

2018

681

34,924,757

51,285

25,000

1,700,000

2017

742

32,668,200

44,027

25,000

750,000

THE OWNER BREEDER 69

››

Sales Circuit Tattersalls December Yearling Sale

TATTERSALLS

Buyers looking for a last-chance opportunity to buy a yearling of quality descended on Newmarket and left with 88 per cent of the horses on offer.

A record median of 27,000gns was up 35 per cent on the figure achieved 12 months earlier while the average price gained seven per cent at nearly 35,000gns and more than five million guineas was added to Tattersalls’ annual turnover.

One outstanding prospect – on paper at least – was a late foal who could boast of being a full-brother to the Irish Oaks winner and Arc runner-up filly Sea Of Class, and he duly headed trade when selling for 240,000gns.

Bred in Italy by the Botti family’s Razza del Velino and consigned by Oak

TATTERSALLS

This Sea The Stars brother to Sea Of Class headed the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale

John Clarke: the Tsui family’s advisor signed at 240,000gns for the sale-topper

Lodge and Springfield House Stud, this son of Sea The Stars almost certainly benefited from going to the sales in late November, for he was born on June 8.

John Clarke bought him on behalf of Sea The Stars’ owners, the Tsui family, and hinted that William Haggas will probably become his trainer, as he was for Sea Of Class. She and her younger brother were foaled by Holy Moon, a veritable champion in the breeding shed having also produced three winners of the Oaks d’Italia.

An Invincible Spirit filly who failed to sell when bidding halted at 200,000gns during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October

Sale found a buyer seven weeks later when snapped up by Mark McStay for 150,000gns. His purchase, a fullsister to sire Shalaa, will be trained in Newmarket by Hugo Palmer, while another of the town’s trainers, James Fanshawe, will be taking in a Teofilo filly who made 135,000gns to a bid from Anthony Stroud.

On this occasion he was not acting for Godolphin, but Alison Swinburn, who owns the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Audarya, and whose in-laws were to have such a smash hit at the following foal sale through their Genesis Green Stud.

Tattersalls December Yearling Sale Top lots Sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (gns)

Buyer

C Sea The Stars - Holy Moon

Oak Lodge & Springfield House Stud

240,000

Sunderland Holding

F Invincible Spirit - Ghurra

Castlefarm Stud

150,000

Avenue Bloodstock/Hugo Palmer

F Teofilo - Dubai Fashion

Hadi Al Tajir/Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

135,000

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock

C New Bay – Crossover

Ballyhimikin Stud

125,000

Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock

F Invincible Spirit – Talaayeb

Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

120,000

Longways Stables

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (gns)

Average (gns)

Median (gns)

Top price (gns)

2021

145

5,067,500

34,948

27,000

240,000

2020

122

3,986,300

32,675

20,000

300,000

2019

131

4,149,500

31,676

25,000

200,000

70 THE OWNER BREEDER

Goffs November Foal and Breeding Stock Sales

GOFFS

“The best catalogue for many years,” was Henry Beeby’s assessment of this six-day sale, which came back stronger than could have been imagined after a challenging time in 2020.

It helped Goffs’ turnover for the year reach a total of €125,677,098, the largest sum since 2006 when almost 1,100 more horses were offered, and €55.5 million more than the aggregate figure achieved in 2020. No less importantly this auction confirmed that the feel-good factor associated with the company’s key sales was fully restored after the challenges thrown

GOFFS

All smiles for co-breeder Heike Bischoff following the sale of this Frankel filly for €550,000

Barry Mahon: Juddmonte Ireland General Manager signed for the sale-topper

down by Covid – it can only be hoped that events such as the February and Punchestown sales, which were delayed and/or held online earlier this year, will be restored to normal in 2022.

Twelve months ago, this catalogue had shrunk to one of four days, but for the latest edition vendors returned in style and the buyers followed the horses in, making their presence felt and creating gains in the majority of figures at every session.

The cream of the foal catalogue,

offered during the third session, was headed by a Frankel half-sister to sire Sea The Moon and from a family of leading German horses – her €550,000 valuation was more than double that of a pair of Sea The Stars colts who were next on the list of leading foals. The star of the show was foaled by the unraced Monsun mare Sanwa, offered by Gestut Gorlsdorf’s Heike Bischoff and Niko Lafrentz, consigned by Newtown Stud, and knocked down to Juddmonte Farm’s Barry Mahon. A more desirable

Goffs November Foal Sale Top lots Sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Buyer

F Frankel – Sanwa

Newtown Stud

550,000

Juddmonte Farms

C Sea The Stars – Holda

Wardstown Stud

270,000

Camas Park Stud

C Sea The Stars - Newton’s Angel

Jockey Hall Stud

270,000

Abbeylands Farm

F Night Of Thunder - Sweety Dream

Oghill House Stud

240,000

Stauffenberg Bloodstock

C Blue Point - Wild Child

Limekiln Stud

215,000

JC Bloodstock

C Frankel – Noyelles

Neilstown Stud

210,000

Lynn Lodge Stud

C New Bay - Hairy Rocket

The Castlebridge Consignment

200,000

WH Bloodstock

C Kingman - Majestic Silver

Moyglare Stud Farm

200,000

Baroda Stud

F Lope De Vega – Rubileo

Neilstown Stud

200,000

Ballylinch Stud

F Phoenix Of Spain - Queen Of Carthage

Baroda Stud

195,000

BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments

Figures

Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

2021

732

25,576,300

34,940

22,000

550,000

2020

482

17,578,600

36,470

20,000

440,000

2019

524

25,751,800

49,051

30,000

1,200,000

2018

480

20,311,000

42,315

28,000

350,000

2017

536

25,540,750

47,651

27,000

1,100,000

THE OWNER BREEDER

71

››

Sales Circuit a rare find at public auction.

The aforementioned Sea The Stars colts each made €270,000 and were sold to Timmy Hyde’s Camas Park Stud and Franny Woods of Abbeylands Farm. Woods’ purchase, who will be reoffered as a yearling, was bred by the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings and consigned by Jockey Hall Stud, while the colt who was bought by Hyde came from Mark and Elaine Clarke’s Wardstown Stud in County Meath. The Clarkes bought the foal’s dam, Holda, for 30,000gns in 2006, and from her bred the Group 1 winner Blond Me. Other notable foal sales included a Night Of Thunder filly who made €240,000 and a €215,000 Blue Point colt, the pair consigned respectively by Oghill House Stud and Limekiln Stud.

Both horses are likely to be back on the market in 2022 having been sold to the astute pinhookers Philipp Stauffenberg and Michael Fitzpatrick.

An 82 per cent clearance rate for foals was an illustration of demand, while turnover achieved €25.5 million at an average of nearly €36,000 and a median of €22,000.

The quirks of timing and good fortune make the bloodstock game endlessly fascinating, an example

The filly blossomed into Alcohol Free, Jeff Smith’s star three-year-old who won twice in Group 1 company during 2021, and Plying’s value soared accordingly. The beneficiaries were her owners Martin Cooney and Elaine Shaw of County Tipperary’s Jossestown Farm, who offered their still-young asset with a Lope De Vega foal in utero.

Another batch of mares from the reduction of quality Shadwell

being the sale of 11-year-old mare Plying who headed the breeding stock session when selling for €825,000 to Zhang Yuesheng’s Yulong Investments via BBA Ireland. A daughter of Hard Spun, Plying had been bought for the relatively modest sum of €21,000 at this sale in 2018, little more than half the valuation placed on her €40,000 No Nay Never filly foal who had changed hands two days earlier.

GOFFS

›› racing and breeding prospect would be

Plying: Group 1 producer could be set to visit Lucky Vega after selling for €825,000

Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Buyer

Plying 11 m Hard Spun – Nasaieb

Jossestown Farm

825,000

BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments

Riqa 13 m Dubawi – Thamarat

Derrinstown Stud

550,000

Barronstown Stud

Garmoosha 13 m Kingmambo – Eswarah

Derrinstown Stud

430,000

MV Magnier

Aaraas 12 m Haafhd – Adaala

Derrinstown Stud

380,000

John McCormack Bloodstock LLC

Feminism 4 f Shamardal - Modern Ideals

The Castlebridge Consignment

370,000

Jill Lamb Bloodstock

Muteela 10 m Dansili – Nufoos

Derrinstown Stud

350,000

Stroud Coleman/Mountarmstrong

Zahratty 4 m Muhaarar - Beach Bunny

Derrinstown Stud

350,000

Mags O’Toole

Eylara 3 f Gleneagles – Eytarna

Aga Khan Studs

350,000

John McCormack Bloodstock LLC

Eytarna 15 m Dubai Destination – Ebaziya

Aga Khan Studs

330,000

BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments

Ediyva 4 m Kingman – Emiyna

Aga Khan Studs

300,000

Northern Star Bloodstock

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

2021

370

16,209,300

43,809

17,000

825,000

2020

173

5,479,600

31,674

14,000

390,000

2019

242

8,022,900

33,152

14,000

525,000

2018

235

6,289,000

26,762

10,000

350,000

2017

345

14,924,450

43,259

15,000

1,900,000

72 THE OWNER BREEDER

Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale

Arqana pulled together a strong catalogue for this its final ‘live’ sale of the year, and the result was an “outstanding” renewal.

That adjective was used by Arqana chiefs Eric Hoyeau and Freddy Powell, but they could not be accused of hyperbole given record trade, including turnover of €41.5 million and an average price of just over €60,000. Those two figures were clearly helped by a raft of desirable fillies and mares who graced the opening and strongest of four sessions, at which the Group 1-winning filly Rougir was sold for €3 million, the highest for a horse sold at public auction in Europe during 2021.

However, this was also a much bigger catalogue than the one assembled in 2020 – an additional 132 horses walked the ring – which had a bearing on the median and clearance rate. The median was down six per cent at €15,000, while the clearance rate was cut three points to 76 per cent.

No fewer than five fillies or mares broke the seven-figure mark during the first session, at which three-year-old Rougir became the property of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm and the Coolmore pairing of MV Magnier and

GOFFS

The sale of Plying marked a day to remember for vendors Martin Cooney and Elaine Shaw

for just 34,000gns at Tattersalls’ July Sale. Two weeks later her two-yearold half-brother Modern Games won a maiden for Charlie Appleby before completing his fourth win of the year in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Breeding stock turnover of €16.2 million was well up on last year’s figure, but almost double the sum achieved in 2018 and 2019. The average of €43,809 and median of €17,000 were also gains, while the clearance rate was 82 per cent.

Michael Tabor, who bought the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera winner through agent Michel Zerolo. He said she was likely to stay in training, and it will certainly be interesting to see whether Ballydoyle – should she head there – gingers a little more improvement from a tough filly.

Rougir’s sale completed a wonderful association with her for Haras de la

Gousserie’s Kamel Chehboub, a property developer who bought her for €55,000 at Arqana’s August Sale in 2019. At the same sale he bought the 2021 Champion Stakes winner Sealiway, and within a few days of that horse’s Ascot win he secured Rougir’s Style Vendome yearling half-sister for €100,000 at Arqana.

››

ZUZANNA LUPA

bloodstock resulted in 13-year-old Riqa, a daughter of Dubawi in foal to Kingman, joining the Nagles’ Barronstown Stud broodmare band for €550,000, while Kingmambo’s daughter Garmoosha, who was not in foal, was sold to Coolmore’s MV Magnier for €430,000. Magnier stated there was a good chance she would be mated with Wootton Bassett or Coolmore newcomer St Mark’s Basilica, a comment he would repeat when purchasing other choice broodmares at Tattersalls a couple of weeks later.

Bloodstock agent John McCormack, visiting Europe from the USA, was to buy just one 110,000gns mare at Tattersalls, but at this event he picked up Shadwell’s Aaraas, the dam of Derby runner-up Madhmoon, for €380,000 and the Aga Khan’s three-year-old filly Eylara for €350,000. Newsells Park Stud, which was to have such influence at the Tattersalls December Sale, gained the winning Shamardal filly Feminism for €370,000.

Four-year-old Feminism joined the list of outstanding pinhooks of 2021 having been bought by Barry Lynch little more than four months earlier

At €3 million, Rougir headed an electric first day of selling at the Arqana December Sale

THE OWNER BREEDER 73

Sales Circuit Five-year-old mare Grand Glory was sold for €2.5 million to Anne-Sophie Yoh-Benet’s YOHEA agency on behalf of an undisclosed client. Hers was another of the year’s pauper-to-princess stories for she had been bought for €18,000 outside the ring at Arqana’s October Yearling Sale in 2017.

Gestut Ammerland had to accept the underbidder’s role for Tattersalls’ December Mares Sale top lot Waldlied, who was sold to dissolve a partnership between the German operation and Newsells Park Stud. At this sale another member of the family, Waldlied’s half-sister Wildfeder, a Galileo full-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist, sold for €2,050,000, and this time Ammerland held the winning bid.

The quintet of seven-figure heroines was completed by Purplepay, a twoyear-old daughter of emerging young stallion talent Zarak and with a Group 1 placing in the Criterium International in her form line.

Nicky Bertran de Balanda’s €2 million bid secured Purplepay on behalf of US-based Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Lael Stables, who will race the filly in their homeland.

A host of other big-money sales resulted in 13 lots making €500,000 or more as breeders from around the globe invested in some choice bloodlines.

ZUZANNA LUPA

››

Grand Glory: Group 1 winner was snapped up by YOHEA for €2.5 million

20 lots for 1,975,000.

When the final horse had left the ring Arqana’s annual turnover had reached a record €162.8 million through sales of 3,138 lots. That figure included online sales, of which there was one more to come, in mid-December, when the company was set to sell three shares and a breeding right in four sires.

Nurlan Bizakov’s rebranded operation now called Sumbe became leading vendor – thanks in no small part to Rougir – with six sales for €5,352,000, while Ireland’s Baroda Stud got among leading France-based consignors with sales worth €1,460,00.

On the buying front, one of the busier agencies was BBA Ireland, which gained

Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Rougir 3 f Territories - Summer Moon

Sumbe

3,000,000

Oceanic Bloodstock

Grand Glory 5 m Olympic Glory - Madonna Lily

Castillon

2,500,000

YOHEA

Wildfeder 3 f Galileo – Waldlerche

Ammerland

2,050,000

Crispin de Moubray

Purplepay 2 f Zarak – Piedra

Capucines

2,000,000

NBB Racing

Speak Of The Devil 4 f Wootton Bassett – Moranda

Sumbe

Tickle Me Green 4 m Sea The Moon - Tickle Me Pink

Marwell Park

800,000

Gandharvi/Cadran/Melanie

Tangut 4 f Adlerflug – Tucana

Monceaux

640,000

Westerberg

Sun Bear 4 m Dubawi - Great Heavens

Monceaux

620,000

Langlais Bloodstock

Deia 4 f Soldier Hollow – Divya

Ronald Rauscher

600,000

Westerberg

F Frankel – Castellar

Saint Isidro

590,000

Juddmonte Farms

1,950,000

Buyer

Oceanic Bloodstock

Figures Year

Sold

2021

704

42,007,700

2020

557

25,284,500

2019

701

34,426,500

2018

683

2017

688

74 THE OWNER BREEDER

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

60,314

15,000

3,000,000

45,394

16,000

750,000

49,111

19,000

1,300,000

33,276,500

48,721

18,000

1,100,000

31,249,000

45,420

19,000

1,300,000

››

A €100,000 foal, backed up by other high-priced weanlings, and plenty of focus on quality mares, made this a fine note on which to end Goffs’ sales year.

Held over three days for the first time, it saw turnover rise to €7,164,300, just under €2 million more than in 2020, albeit helped by an additional 207 offered lots. The average and median prices of €16,000 and €10,000 mirrored the figures achieved 12 months earlier, although the bigger catalogue proved a little too much for the market and the clearance rate was cut four points to 67 per cent.

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said: “ . . . expanding to a three-day sale this week was simply down to vendor demand, which is quite something when one considers this was a one-day, 200-lot sale just ten years ago.”

Gigginstown Stud’s annual draft of jumping mares has become a fine advertisement for the event, although the price given for its 2020 queen, the mighty Apple’s Jade who sold for a record €530,000, was unlikely to be beaten on this occasion. Nonetheless, Gigginstown mares filled the top three places, headed by ten-year-old Shattered Love who made €260,000 when selling to Justin Owens of the fledgling M A Bloodstock, which is based at Mountarmstrong Stud in Donadea, County Kildare.

Shattered Love, a daughter of Yeats

GOFFS

Goffs December NH Sale

Popular Grade 1-winning chaser Shattered Love led the way, selling for €260,000

and the winner of 11 races including two Grade 1 chases, carried a Walk In The Park foal around the ring, which hardly made her any less desirable. She was followed onto the top ten board by two other Gigginstown mares, namely eight-year-old Tintangle, who was sold to the Mariga family’s County Cork-based Coolmara Stables for €190,000, and six-year-old Surin, who was sold to a Newtown Anner and Ballylinch Stud partnership for €115,000.

Listed-winning hurdler Tintangle, who was placed in the Grade 2 novice mares’ hurdle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, was sold in foal to Crystal

Ocean, while Grade 3-winning hurdler Surin was carrying to Poet’s Word. Her next mating will be with Fascinating Rock, who is relocating from Ballylinch Stud to become a dual-purpose sire at Burgage Stud.

Trade on day one had been very slow to ignite, initially when a group of jumps-bred yearlings were offered.

Just seven of 22 on offer found a buyer, while some two-, three- and four-year-olds were friendless, yet the first foals soon lit up the ring.

From this group came a six-strong draft from John Dwan’s Kilkenny-based Ballyreddin Stud which consigned the aforementioned €100,000 foal, a son of No Risk At All whose valuation trumped the previous Goffs record of €90,000. That sum was given on day one for Rathmore Stud’s Saint Des Saints colt who was sold to Pat Connell on behalf of an unnamed client who will keep their purchase to race.

The top foal, a half-brother to a winner from a family of successful jumpers in France, was knocked down to Gerry Aherne, representing Flash Conroy of Glenvale Stud whose six-figure offer trumped interest from Norman Williamson. Conroy will sell his acquisition as a three-year-old store.

Dwan is no stranger to big-money transactions, for he sold Altior’s Milan half-brother for €365,000, a record for a store, at the 2018 Derby Sale, although the gelding has not yet run.

At this sale, his sextet of foals turned over €309,000.

Goffs December National Hunt Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (€)

Buyer

Shattered Love 10 m Yeats – Tracker

Gigginstown House Stud

260,000

MA Bloodstock

Tintangle 8 m Yeats - Connaught Hall

Gigginstown House Stud

190,000

Coolmara Stables

Surin 6 m Authorized – Sinopsy

Gigginstown House Stud

115,000

C No Risk At All - Vanille D’Ainay

Ballyreddin Stud

C Saint Des Saints - La Bombonera

Yeo Barton B’stock/Rathmore Stud

100,000 90,000

Newtown Anner/Ballylinch Glenvale Stud Saint Patrick

Figures

Year

Sold

Agg (€)

Average (€)

Median (€)

Top price (€)

2021

445

7,184,300

16,144

10,000

260,000

2020

326

5,219,100

16,010

10,000

530,000

2019

367

5,921,850

14,419

10,500

72,000

THE OWNER BREEDER 75

››

Sales Circuit

Turnover in excess of £5.5 million was a Cheltenham record and also a new high for a sale dedicated largely to point-topointers.

The occasion was also a personal triumph for Wexford point-to-point handler Matthew Flynn O’Connor, who travelled four horses to the venue, sold the lot and headed trade through the sale of his Flemensfirth filly Deeply Superficial, the winner of a maiden point-to-point on the east coast of Ireland at Lingstown just five days earlier. Gordon Elliott’s £385,000 offer headed interest from Peter Molony – the man who bought Honeysuckle at a similar stage in her career – and created a superb pinhook for O’Connor, who bought Deeply Superficial for €31,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale.

Less than an hour earlier he had pulled off a similar feat when selling another Lingstown winner, Stay Away Fay, for £305,000, having bought him at Goffs UK’s Summer Sale in 2020 for £39,000. Tom Malone lowered the hammer for the four-year-old son of Shantou on behalf of owner Chris Giles, whose Greaneteen had won the previous weekend’s Tingle Creek Chase.

Stay Away Fay will join that horse at Paul Nicholls’ stables.

Of the 66 horses who walked into

TATTERSALLS CHELTENHAM

Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale

Purchased last year for €31,000, Deeply Superficial resold on this occasion for £385,000

the ring 58 found a buyer, a clearance rate of 88 per cent. Tattersalls offered no official comparisons with last year’s figures because the 2020 sale had taken place in very different circumstances at Newmarket, but the average price was up 30 per cent at £96,276 and there was a 37 per cent gain in the median to £65,000.

Four-year-old Irish pointers dominated the top end of the market, but Pam Sly’s homebred three-year-old

Huntingdon bumper winner Special Cadeau – a son of her Classic heroine Speciosa – sold for £220,000 to Willie Mullins, the purchaser of six lots. They were headed by his purchase of four-year-old Irish pointer The Gunner Yeats, who left James and Ellen Doyle’s stable with a £310,000 valuation, while Aiden Murphy secured Hermes Allen, another prize asset of the same age and background, for a client of Paul Nicholls with a bid of £350,000.

TALKING POINTS • The 2020 version of this sale had to be moved to Tattersalls’ HQ in Newmarket because of Covid restrictions, but the lead up to this sale was not without its challenges. Quick ground had been an issue on both sides of the Irish Sea, particularly in Britain, while a widespread loss of insurance cover for Irish hunts, and therefore the point-to-points they stage, had caused disruption to meetings.

As ever, the resourceful Irish had found ways around the problem by moving fixtures to counties which still had insurance cover, while Northern Ireland was unaffected since hunts in that region gain insurance in London. Ways of resolving the problem were under discussion at the time of going to press.

• There were no British point-to-pointers in this catalogue, which was a pity given the excellent clearance rate and increases in the average and median prices.

Quick ground, which had prevailed for many weeks, was undoubtedly a factor, but the fixture list was not helpful.

During the weekend ahead of the sale racing was held at Wadebridge in Cornwall, a quirky little venue with tight turns and of little appeal to trainers with big, scopey four-year-olds. Two days after the sale took place a point-to-point was held at Barbury racecourse, a galloping track just off the M4 and which drew entries from 40 horses aged four and five in the two bumpers and the maiden race over fences. They had missed the chance to be offered at Cheltenham’s December Sale.

Gearing point-to-point meetings around sales would be anathema to most organisers in Britain, but the world moves on, and a bit of joined-up thinking would help commercially-minded owners and trainers.

• Dave Futter’s inaugural Yorton Sale of yearling and two-year-old jumping stores, held in 2019 at his stud in North Wales, was a groundbreaking event for Britain.

Futter maintains it should be judged on results over five years, and after a number of successes on the track in France and by pinhooked horses at Ireland’s three-year-old store sales, there was a notable profit-maker at Cheltenham. It revolved around Inthepocket, a four-year-old gelding who won a point-to-point on debut having been bought at the first Yorton Sale for £25,000. Reoffered by Paul Cashman, he made £290,000 when selling to Michael Hyde, representing Kieran McManus.

76 THE OWNER BREEDER

Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

Deeply Superficial 4 f Flemensfirth - Glenside Tara

Ballycrystal Stables (Matthew Flynn O’Connor)

385,000

Aidan O’Ryan/Gordon Elliott

Hermes Allen 4 g Poliglote - Une Destine

Wilson Dennison/Caroline McCaldin

350,000

Aiden Murphy/Paul Nicholls

The Gunner Yeats 4 g Yeats - Caitlin Brook

Baltimore House Stables (James Doyle)

310,000

H Kirk/WP Mullins

Stay Away Fay 4 g Shantou - Augusta Bay

Ballycrystal Stables (Matthew Flynn O’Connor)

305,000

Tom Malone/Paul Nicholls

Inthepocket 4 g Blue Bresil - Egretta Island

Glenview Stables (Paul Cashman)

290,000

Michael Hyde

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Average (£)

Median (£)

Top price (£)

2021

58

5,584,000

96,276

65,000

385,000

2020

32

2,378,000

74,313

47,500

430,000

2019

40

3,589,000

89,725

60,000

450,000

While Goffs UK had long been considering staging another sale revolving around point-to-pointers at Yorton Stud in North Wales, they held fire until announcing this event two weeks before it took place.

It followed similar sales held at the venue by the company in November and December 2020 when Covid was derailing auction schedules and vendors of pointers were seeking opportunities to put horses on the market.

One year on and this event was sandwiched between bigger November and December sales of a similar type held by Tattersalls at Cheltenham. That would explain why it drew just 19 lots, yet it proved a success. Sixteen horses found a buyer, and six made a six-figure sum, headed by Saint Davy, a wining four-year-old pointer from Donnchadh Doyle’s County Wexford yard.

Matt Coleman, who earlier in the week had been busy buying fillies and mares at the Tattersalls December Sale, put up a £270,000 offer to secure Saint Davy, a son of Balko who had cost Doyle €50,000 as a store. Jonjo O’Neill will take delivery of Saint Davy, while Neil King will handle Lookaway, another Coleman purchase, this time for £170,000.

Lookaway was trained and offered

by Doyle’s brother Sean, who had bought him for just €6,200 at Tattersalls Ireland’s May Store Sale.

Despite the relatively small catalogue vendors could not complain

GOFFS UK

Goffs UK December P2P Sale at Yorton

Jonjo O’Neill will take charge of Saint Davy, who topped the sale at £270,000

about a shortage of influential buyers, be they agents, trainers or owners, and they created some excellent end-of-sale figures. Turnover of £1.5 million, an average of nearly £95,000 and median of £70,000 was reward all round.

The Highflyer Bloodstock team were in attendance, and one of them, David Minton, lowered the hammer for three-year-old Invictus Smart, whose buyer at £200,000 was standing alongside in the shape of Robert Waley-Cohen.

The Hugo Merienne-trained Invictus Smart had won a juvenile hurdle at Fontainebleau just days before his ring appearance, but he would have

recognised his surroundings when arriving at Yorton. He was offered for sale there at last year’s stores’ event, but was bought in for £24,000, so the stud’s chief, Dave Futter, formed a partnership with Chris Edwards and Merienne, put him into training, and it proved a hugely profitable decision.

Two British pointers were offered, and while one was bought in, the other, five-year-old winning mare So They Say, was sold to Lucinda Russell for £30,000. This was Russell’s second purchase of a British pointer – the first was the hugely exciting novice chaser Ahoy Senor, who was also bought at Yorton.

THE OWNER BREEDER 77

››

Sales Circuit ››

Goffs UK December P2P Sale at Yorton Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

Saint Davy 4 g Balko – Saintejoie

Monbeg Stables (Donnchadh Doyle)

270,000

Stroud Coleman/Jonjo O’Neill

Invictus Smart 3 g Masterstroke - Barbarella Smart

Hugo Merienne

200,000

Highflyer Bloodstock

Champagne Town 4 g Kayf Tara - Kind Heart

Milestone Stables (Colin Bowe)

180,000

Gavin Cromwell

Lookaway 4 g Ask - Barrack’s Choice

Monbeg Stables (Sean Doyle)

170,000

Stroud Coleman/Neil King

Aubis Walk 5 m Walk In The Park – Aubisquinette

Monbeg Stables (Donnchadh Doyle)

120,000

Rathmore Stud

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Average (£)

Median (£)

Top price (£)

2021

16

1,501,000

93,813

70,000

270,000

2020

27

2,349,000

90,346

52,500

570,000

Back-to-back auctions are nothing new in a congested sales calendar, as the staff at Goffs UK can confirm.

They hurried back to Doncaster for this 67-lot sale, held the day after the company’s Yorton P2P auction in North Wales, and the final event in the company’s 2021 series of auctions.

When completed it showed that Goffs UK had turned over £43.5 million in horse sales, a welcome improvement on the Covid-affected 2020 returns, but some £8 million down on 2019.

This relatively new sale, just four years old and much reduced in comparison to the 2020 edition, added £581,100 to the annual figures at an average of £10,019 and a median of £5,500, helped by a dispersal of horses owned by Richard Gilbert’s Straightline

GOFFS UK

Goffs UK December HIT Sale

Trade was led by Platinumcard, a member of the Straightline Bloodstock dispersal

Bloodstock. The draft helped the average and median figures gain 50 per cent increases, and dominated the leading prices.

Top of the pile was Platinumcard, who had won four races on the Flat for trainer Keith Dalgleish, and who was sold to Tom Malone for £62,000. He had a jumping career in mind for his purchase.

Middleham Park Racing had a similar goal for Ain’t No Sunshine, a five-yearold son of Shantou who has also been in training with Dalgleish, but who has yet to start in a race.

As a full-brother to the very smart hurdler Airlie Beach. the gelding was worth a punt at £35,000, said Middleham Park’s Tim Palin, while Sam Haggas spent the same sum on winning handicapper Inver Park from Mick Quinn’s stable.

Goffs UK December HIT Sale Top lots Name/age/sex/breeding

Vendor

Price (£)

Buyer

Platinumcard 7 g Golden Lariat - Flemensfirth Lady

Straightline Bloodstock

62,000

Tom Malone

Ain’t No Sunshine 5 g Shantou - Screaming Witness

Straightline Bloodstock

35,000

Middleham Park Racing

Inver Park 3 c Pivotal - Red Baton

Chestnut Tree Stables

35,000

Hurworth Bloodstock

Figures Year

Sold

Agg (£)

Average (£)

Median (£)

Top price (£)

2021

58

581,100

10,019

5,500

62,000

2020

104

694,500

6,678

4,000

52,000

2019

60

389,800

6,497

3,750

38,000

78 THE OWNER BREEDER

ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING SIRES

LOPE DE VEGA.

A TOP 5 EUROPEAN SIRE in 2021 by:

STAKES HORSES GROUP HORSES GROUP 1 HORSES Source:

48

(15/12/21)

THE LEADING SIRE IN 2021 AT BOOK 1

BY AGGREGATE

Yearlings in 2021 AVERAGED OVER

€220,000

Black Type performers in 2021 include 9 Gr.1 horses

BALLYLINCH STUD

Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland • Tel: +353 (0)56 7724217 • info@ballylinchstud.ie • www.ballylinchstud.com

Caulfield Files

Precocious influences rise to the top in juvenile standings I

80 THE OWNER BREEDER

Luxembourg: unbeaten son of Camelot descends from the Wildenstein blue hen Almyre

GEORGE SELWYN

’m not quite sure why, but I was a little surprised at the extent to which the autumn’s Group 1 two-year-old races were dominated by the progeny of stallions who themselves excelled as juveniles.

I was less surprised that the shortest of the Group 1 events, the Middle Park and Cheveley Park Stakes, respectively fell to Perfect Power and Tenebrism.

After all, they were respectively sired by Ardad and Caravaggio, two of the juvenile stars of the 2016 Royal Ascot meeting. Both defended their unbeaten record there, with Ardad taking the Windsor Castle Stakes by more than three lengths and Caravaggio winning the Coventry Stakes by more than two lengths from Mehmas. By the end of the season these fast colts had jointly won seven of their ten starts, Ardad’s finest achievement being his victory in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, whereas Caravaggio had added the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.

As a dual Group 1 winner in the National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes, Native Trail became the champion two-year-old elect. In doing so he followed in the footsteps of his sire Oasis Dream, who had dominated the juvenile generation of 2002. Also vying for champion status, this time with Tenebrism in the fillies’ division, is the decisive Fillies’ Mile winner Inspiral, who matched the four victories from four starts achieved by her sire Frankel on his way to sharing the two-year-old championship of 2010 with Dream Ahead. Inspiral had earlier taken a Listed race by three-and-a-half lengths from Wild Beauty, another Frankel filly who later travelled to Canada to defeat the future Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca in the Natalma Stakes.

Frankel’s contemporary Wootton Bassett was officially recognised as the champion two-year-old in France after he rounded off his unbeaten two-yearold career with a two-and-a-half-length success in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

He is now passing on a considerable measure of his precocious talent, with his impressive team of four juvenile Group winners being headed by Zellie, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Chances are that we’ve not seen the last big win by Zellie, as this tough and progressive filly has a well-related dam

by Nathaniel.

There is a neat parallel to Wootton Bassett’s victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. Prior to that Group success, Wootton Bassett had earned a lot of money in sales-linked races at York and Doncaster. Dark Angel had won the same big prize at York prior to becoming a Group 1 winner, this time in the Middle Park Stakes. Dark Angel, like Wootton Bassett, had four Groupwinning youngsters among his 2021 juveniles, with pride of place belonging to the tough and determined Angel Bleu. Having won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, Angel Bleu added a second Group 1 success in the Criterium International. That was his fifth win from eight starts, so Angel Bleu has outperformed his sire, a four-time winner from nine starts.

Although Dubawi didn’t have a Group 1-winning juvenile in Europe, this magnificent stallion shone with his North American raiders, with the gelded Albahr gaining his fourth consecutive win when he landed the Summer Stakes at Woodbine by two lengths from Grafton Street. Although Albahr had to be withdrawn after rearing over in the stalls before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, he would probably have gone close

to winning, as the fourth-placed Grafton Street was again beaten around two lengths. The winner, of course, was Modern Games, another son of Dubawi representing Godolphin. Already a clear-cut winner of the Tattersalls Stakes, the progressive Modern Games was beaten only twice in six starts.

Dubawi himself had ranked among the best of his age at two, remaining unbeaten in three starts, including the National Stakes.

Dubawi’s team of two-year-olds also featured Coroebus, the highly-rated winner of the Autumn Stakes, and Dubawi Legend, runner-up in the Dewhurst Stakes.

Goldspur, another son of Dubawi, won the Zetland Stakes before finishing third to Kodiac’s son El Bodegon as favourite in the Criterium de SaintCloud. As this race is contested over a mile and a quarter on very soft ground, it might have been considered an unlikely target for a son of Kodiac, but El Bodegon’s brother Best Solution had finished a fine second to future Arc winner Waldgeist in the 2016 edition Best Solution went on to win three Group 1 races over a mile and a half, a distance that will eventually suit El Bodegon, judging by his all-the-way victory at Saint-Cloud. Kodiac’s other Group-winning two-year-olds in 2021 – the Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Fast

Bloodstock world views Attack and Killavullen Stakes winner Glounthaune – were nearer to what we have come to expect from this multiple champion sire of two-year-olds.

In view of Kodiac’s record, it is easy to forget that he is one of the few stallions in this review who didn’t shine at two years, his only start being his third in a Newmarket maiden. However, he now has five stallion sons with at least one Group winner to their credit, including Perfect Power’s sire Ardad, Group 1 sire Coulsty and the promising Kodi Bear. There were also several talented 2021 juveniles with dams by Kodiac, including Mill Reef Stakes winner Wings Of War and the speedy French fillies Dizzy Bizu and Corazon.

There aren’t many mile-and-a-quarter winners among the sires of these Group 1-winning two-year-olds. One is the late Mastercraftsman, but this son of Danehill Dancer was a champion two-year-old and a dual Group 1 winner over a mile so was ideally qualified to sire the occasional smart juvenile, such as Discoveries. This winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes arguably showed more two-year-old ability than her distinguished sister Alpha Centauri and their half-sister Alpine Star, so Discoveries is a name to remember.

Finally, we come to Luxembourg, the unbeaten Vertem Futurity winner who ranks as the odd one out in that his sire Camelot made a brave bid in the St Leger to become the first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky in 1970.

It mustn’t be forgotten, though, that Camelot won both his starts as a two-year-old, as did Camelot’s excellent sire, Montjeu. Needless to say, Camelot’s finest victory at two came in the Racing Post Trophy, when he scored very smoothly to become the fourth son of Montjeu to land this prize, now known as the Vertem Futurity. In winning at Doncaster, Luxembourg marked himself as a potential Classic winner. Not only did Camelot go on to win the Derby (as well as the 2,000 Guineas and Irish Derby), but so too did two of Montjeu’s other Futurity winners, Motivator and Authorized.

St Nicholas Abbey, Montjeu’s other Futurity winner, had to miss most of his Classic year but later gained three victories in the Coronation Cup over the Derby course and distance. It won’t hurt Luxembourg’s Classic prospects that the previous four winners of the Futurity – Saxon Warrior, Magna Grecia, Kameko and Mac Swiney – all went on to Classic success, but over a mile, not a mile and a half.

To give some idea of the long-term quality of Luxembourg’s female line, his fourth dam Almyre was part of Daniel Wildenstein’s exclusive broodmare band, which featured in The European Racing Manual back in 1974. As one of the Dayton broodmares, Almyre ranked alongside the likes of the great Allez France, Irish Bird (dam of the Classic winners Bikala and Assert), the excellent Lianga (ancestress of Street Sense, Mr Greeley and Danehill Dancer), Oaks winner Lupe and the first-rate producer Moonmadness (dam of dual Classic winner Madelia and Prix du Moulin winner Mount Hagen).

Further down the alphabet came such as Plencia (dam of the remarkable Pawneese and ancestress of Peintre Celebre, Stradivarius and Persian King), the Prix Vermeille winner Saraca, dual German Classic winner Schonbrunn (second dam of Arc winner Sagace and ancestress of Steinlen and Stacelita), Ten Double (ancestress of the Classicwinning fillies Mrs Penny and Hatoof)

“Camelot owes much of his success to mares from the Danehill line” and those influential broodmares Vali and Virunga.

Almyre proved to be very worthy of her place in such company. As a racemare she had gone close to winning the Prix de Pomone, a race once won by her second dam Ad Altiora. It was as a broodmare, though, that Almyre came into her own, producing the high-class Ashmore and his fellow Group winners Acoma and Art Bleu, in addition to several daughters which shone as producers. For example, her daughter Abbey is the third dam of Bolshoi Ballet, who became a Grade 1 winner after disappointing as favourite for the 2021 Derby.

However, pride of place among Almyre’s daughters belongs to her Group 2-placed Irish River filly Albertine, the third dam of Luxembourg. Albertine found fame as the dam of Arcangues, who adapted so well to dirt that he landed the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Albertine also ranks as the second dam

of the top filly Aquarelliste, a Prix de Diane winner good enough to defeat the males in the Prix Ganay, and of the 1,000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi, so Classic success is nothing new for this family.

Aquarelliste no doubt provided some of the motivation behind the mating which produced Luxembourg’s dam Attire. Whereas Aquarelliste (and her Group 1-winning brother Artiste Royal) was sired by Danehill from Albertine’s Classic-placed daughter Agathe, Attire was sired by Danehill Dancer from Albertine’s winning daughter Asnieres.

Although Attire failed to win during a career which took her to Dundalk, Gowran Park, Limerick and Roscommon, she had a distinguished brother in Forgotten Voice, winner of the Glorious Stakes over a mile and a half.

Attire is making full amends for her shortcomings on the racecourse. Her yearling brother to Luxembourg was the highest-priced colt at the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale, at €1,200,000. Luxembourg himself had made only a fraction of that amount a year earlier, selling for 150,000gns at Tattersalls, even though his half-brother Leo De Fury (by Australia) had won the Mooresbridge Stakes over an extended mile and a quarter earlier in 2020. Attire’s Zoffany filly Sense Of Style also won at two in 2020, when she also failed by only a short head to become a Listed winner.

Attire also produced a Camelot filly in 2021 for Ben Sangster, who then returned the mare to Luxembourg’s sire for a fourth consecutive year.

Camelot now has two Group winners among his first 30 foals out of Danehill Dancer mares, Luxembourg’s predecessor being Degraves, who landed the Eyrefield Stakes over nine furlongs as a juvenile.

Also among the 30 are the Group 3-placed filly Flirting Bridge and the useful middle-distance winners Caradoc and Arthurian Fame.

Even though Camelot has a second dam by Danehill, he owes much of his success as a stallion to mares from the Danehill line. His Irish Oaks winner Even So and his dual American Grade 1 winner Santa Barbara were produced by daughters of Danehill, and Camelot has Group winners out of daughters of Duke Of Marmalade (Lady Wannabe), Exceed And Excel (Current Option), Fastnet Rock (Youth Spirit) and Holy Roman Emperor (Wait Forever). He also has three Group-placed performers with dams by Dansili and his Grade 1-winning daughter Wonderment is out of a granddaughter of Tiger Hill.

THE OWNER BREEDER 81

Dr Statz

Demand for top-quality bloodstock in rude health

82 THE OWNER BREEDER

GEORGE SELWYN

T

he very nature of breeding stock sales, where the consistency in the quality of mares and fillies put up for sale varies widely from year to year, makes annual comparisons much less meaningful than is the case with the yearling market. But it can – as certainly has been the case in the last month or so – give us an insight to the vibrancy of the industry in general. And there is no denying it, the international demand for top-quality breeding stock is in rude health. No doubt aided by big dispersals from Shadwell Estates and large offerings from Godolphin, plus a plethora of dissolving partnerships, the 2021 versions of Goffs November, Tattersalls and Arqana December sales produced trading at frenetic levels.

Purchases at Tattersalls’ Park Paddocks in late November and early December have been the cornerstone of many a bloodstock empire, big and small, down through the years and it looks very much as if the latest renewal may be just as significant as any that has gone before in this regard.

But don’t run away with the idea that this year’s sale returns were in any way unique. It was more a case of a return to normal following the drop off 12 months ago due to the economic effects of Covid.

The average price of £86,221 was well in advance of last year’s £62,388, an increase of 38 per cent. But this year’s average and indeed aggregate have been bettered on five previous occasions, most recently in 2019.

The important thing, though, was to see the market recover from last year and it certainly did that. Moreover, every level of trading posted gains, from the top three ten per cent deciles – which were up by 34 per cent, 43 per cent and 43 per cent respectively – right down to the bottom three, which improved by 18 per cent, 23 per cent and 31 per cent.

Goffs had got the breeding stock ball rolling at the end of the third week of November. However, unlike its Newmarket counterpart, which has sold million-pound mares for the past 17 consecutive years, Goffs had its fourth year without a millionaire. Still, it too left last year’s figures well behind, posting its best average price since 2016. More

Pinatubo: fared best among the first-season sires by covering average

significantly, the Goffs median at €18,000 was the best for 14 years, even higher than in 2013 when it sold Chicquita for €6 million – still Europe’s second highestpriced filly or mare behind Marsha at 6 million guineas.

Goffs’ market for elite mares thrived, its top two ten per cent deciles posting gains of 69 per cent and 22 per cent from last year, but unlike at Park Paddocks there were decreases in average at the bottom end of the scale.

The good vibes carried from Tattersalls to Arqana and the Territories filly Rougir presented Arqana with a record €3 million filly – one of five lots that crossed the million-euro threshold this year – making it eight million-euro transactions in all for the auction house, seven coming in the past three years. Like Goffs, the strength of the Arqana market was confined to the elite level, with only the top ten per cent decile at €426,389 moving well clear of previous years.

Weak demand at breeding stock sales can manifest itself in other ways too. The relative value of a mare compared to the cost of the foal she’s carrying is very often out of kilter at the lower-end of the market. Of course, this issue starts earlier in the year when stallion books are either full of lower-grade mares, or, indeed some higher-end stallions are supplemented with poorer mares in order to maximise revenue. There is nothing much the auction houses can do about this,

particularly if they are not in a position to attract the pick of the broodmares to their sale.

Even at such a prestigious sale as Tattersalls December, there are a number that will fall into such a trap. This time around, among the 461 in-foal mares sold, as many as 117 – that’s 25 per cent of the total – failed to bring a price that covered the advertised fee of the sire of their in uteros. At Goffs, the scenario was a good deal gloomier with 115 (43 per cent) of 270 failing to cover advertised conception fees and it was slightly worse at Arqana where 151 (45 per cent) of the 338 in-foal lots realised less than conception fees.

That’s the nature of open markets: poor decision-making gets punished. But one person’s loss will undoubtedly be another’s gain.

Among the cohort of mares that failed to sell for as much as the fee of their covering sire are mares in foal to Frankel, Sea The Stars, Siyouni, Night Of Thunder, Invincible Spirit and No Nay Never. These might just be absolute bargains for their new owners come the foal sales next year or the yearling sales the year after.

Typically, first-season sires – with their risk-free status – are forever popular whatever the sale. This year’s group at the breeding stock sales was headed by Darley’s Pinatubo, with 18 mares selling for an average of £172,259, which compares very favourably to his £35,000 fee. In fact, this is where you would like

John Boyce cracks the code COVERING SIRES (3+ MARES SOLD) Sire

Sold

Sire

Sold

Sire

Sold

Kingman

5

796,118

Sea The Moon

16

59,347

Time Test

23

25,462

Lope De Vega

7

688,833

Le Havre

9

58,631

Wooded

13

24,564

Frankel

6

378,875

Circus Maximus

5

58,341

Without Parole

4

24,150

Siyouni

8

371,451

Kameko

18

58,333

Make Believe

17

23,560

Wootton Bassett

10

356,684

Ghaiyyath

8

57,459

Lightning Spear

7

22,050

320,151

Zoustar

6

55,125

Ribchester

12

22,012

10

53,974

Masar

6

21,963

Sea The Stars

3

Average £

Average £

No Nay Never

7

183,720

Mohaather

Pinatubo

18

172,259

Waldgeist

12

53,654

Cracksman

7

21,941

Night Of Thunder

15

144,201

Hello Youmzain

16

52,830

Goken

7

21,863

Sottsass

8

143,974

Postponed

5

51,870

Harry Angel

9

21,583

Oasis Dream

10

134,815

Earthlight

20

51,434

Lawman

4

20,441

Invincible Spirit

4

133,628

Eqtidaar

6

50,958

Havana Gold

15

19,705

Highland Reel

4

125,583

Starspangledbanner

10

47,610

Ardad

11

19,055

Too Darn Hot

8

113,097

Shaman

4

46,238

Phoenix Of Spain

8

18,682

Teofilo

10

104,609

Zarak

13

44,760

Expert Eye

4

18,467

Blue Point

17

98,936

Tamayuz

8

42,601

Nathaniel

4

17,063

8

35,257

Belardo

16

16,651 16,498

Camelot

4

97,262

Invincible Army

Showcasing

13

96,560

Awtaad

5

34,363

Holy Roman Emperor

4

Kodiac

3

95,370

Acclamation

4

31,718

Raven's Pass

6

16,163

Bated Breath

16

86,868

Iffraaj

5

31,410

Threat

7

15,628

Dark Angel

10

83,416

Saxon Warrior

7

31,150

Dariyan

5

15,178

Churchill

7

82,784

Study Of Man

7

30,813

Land Force

9

14,692

New Bay

7

79,205

Ulysses

15

28,535

Profitable

8

14,261

Al Kazeem

3

74,200

Magna Grecia

5

28,459

Golden Horde

3

14,250

Mehmas

16

70,151

Calyx

8

28,044

Golden Horn

6

14,049

Protectionist

4

70,001

Ten Sovereigns

7

26,832

Recoletos

5

13,167

5

26,529

Far Above

7

12,821

Almanzor

10

65,841

Footstepsinthesand

Australia

8

60,754

Galiway

11

26,180

Twilight Son

5

12,435

Persian King

14

59,760

Advertise

7

25,659

Kodi Bear

10

12,257

the mare valuation to be – at about three to five times the fee of the covering stallion. In all, over half of the mares sold in-foal to Pinatubo met this condition and only one was sold for less than his £35,000 fee while seven brought six-figure selling prices, topped by the 500,000 guineas for the Sea The Stars mare Vadariya.

Mares in-foal to Sottsass were also very popular with four of his eight selling for £100,000 or more from an initial fee of €30,000. Also off a €30,000 fee, Persian King was given the nod of approval all round, particularly with his two Tattersalls December mares Warzuzu and Hoorreya, who sold for 115,000 guineas and 100,000 guineas respectively.

Mares in-foal to Circus Maximus, Kameko, Ghaiyyath, Mohaather and Earthlight all produced average prices of between £50,000 and £60,000, with Kameko and Earthlight doing particularly well with some very high-

Average £

priced individuals.

Elsewhere among the proven sires with three or more sold, it was Kingman who topped the rankings getting considerable help from his top-priced mare Waldlied, who brought a cool 2.2 million guineas at Tattersalls. In all, the five mares in foal to Kingman, from a £150,000 fee, all made at least £335,000.

Lope De Vega has arguably always been a conservatively-priced sire, but even at his highest-ever fee of €125,000, the seven mares at Tattersalls and Goffs carrying to him averaged a whopping £688,883. Six of the seven made serious money and featured the 1.8 million-guinea mare Sunday Times, dam of course of one of the best Lope De Vegas seen on a racecourse so far, namely the Timeform 122-rated dual Grade 1 winner Newspaperofrecord.

There were no millionaires for Kingman’s stud companion Frankel this year, which makes his covering sire average of £375,875 all the more

impressive, although one or two looked over-covered. Two sires with reputations built in France, Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, were next best with averages of £371,451 and £356,684 respectively.

Demand for Wootton Bassett-covered mares was in line with the quality he covered during his first season at Coolmore earlier this year when he attracted more elite mares than any other European stallion, and if there is any logic in this business, he looks set fair for the coming years. The same could be said of Night Of Thunder, whose current in-foal mares were produced from a €75,000 fee. Wootton Bassett aside, no other stallion had more than his tally of nine mares that sold for £100,000 or more.

Honourable mention must also go to Sea The Stars, No Nay Never, Oasis Dream – no doubt buoyed to some extent by his new champion two-year-old Native Trail – Invincible Spirit, Highland Reel, Too Darn Hot and Teofilo, all of whom produced six-figure averages.

THE OWNER BREEDER 83

ROA Forum

The special section for ROA members

ARC’S ENHANCEMENTS AND WINTER MILLION MEETING GEORGE SELWYN

G

eneral investment across the jumps programme will see all ARC fixtures run in January, February and March offer a minimum of £75,000 in total prize-money. In addition to this, as announced on October 18, Lingfield Park will host two new feature jump racing days, worth £765,000, as part of the Winter Million fixture at the end of January.

Feature races across the two days will include a £100,000 Class 2 handicap hurdle over two miles on the Friday and a £100,000 Class 2 hurdle over 2m3f110y on Sunday, alongside a Class 2 chase over 2m6f worth £150,000 on Sunday.

Managing Director of ARC’s Racing Division Mark Spincer said: “We are pleased to confirm our specific prizemoney investment plans for programme book one 2022 as part of the overall announcements that we made in October.

“Our Flat programme throughout this time will continue to run above minimum values, and we very much look forward to introducing the new bonus for Class 5 and 6 divided races from January, alongside free entry for Flat owners during February and March. Equally, we hope that the reshaping of Good Friday, with the AllWeather Vase fixture at Lingfield Park, will give more horses an end-of-season target, and an excellent day out for connections.

“Southwell will be in a position to welcome horses who may have not travelled there before, and we hope that the investment into the Flat programme there will encourage ongoing support of

Lingfield: venue for the Winter Million

the course.”

Charlie Parker, President of the Racehorse Owners Association, said: “This new package of investment from ARC is a very welcome initiative. As we look to continue growing our sport and ownership in the UK, initiatives and investment such as this will play a vital role.

“The significant step up in prizemoney from 2019 is welcome and we are delighted to have worked on the new bonus for owners in the divided Class 5 and 6 races. The waiving of entry fees will allow the races to be targeted more easily and hopefully unlock the bonus.”

For more information, please visit www.arenaracingcompany.co.uk.

All-Weather Championships

As announced in October, ARC will make a number of investments across the Flat race programme during this period, most notably with the creation of the new All-Weather Vase fixture at

Lingfield Park on Good Friday, which will offer a total of £395,000 across seven races, a £145,000 increase to the corresponding fixture in 2019.

Handicaps at Lingfield Park mirroring the All-Weather Championships Finals (which will now take place at Newcastle on April 15) will offer horses in a lower rating bracket a valuable end-of-season target.

In addition, in the Flat programme, Lingfield Park will host the new £100,000 Coral Winter Oaks on Saturday, January 22 as part of the new Winter Million fixture, that will also incorporate two valuable days of jump racing either side.

Southwell

Following a successful trial gallop at the end of October, Flat racing returned at Southwell on December 7 with a new Tapeta surface. To celebrate the opening of the new surface, Southwell hosted a card featuring the inaugural £40,000 Coral Winter Oaks Trial.

Flat Class 5 & 6 division bonus

Following further consultation with the ROA, ARC will introduce a new initiative running through January, February and March 2022 at all-weather meetings, whereby the winning connections of both elements of any Class 5 or 6 divided Flat race will receive a £2,500 bonus, along with £150 paid to the yard. In addition, there will be free entries to owners for all Flat races in these classes in February and March at ARC racecourses.

Owner Sponsorship Scheme to continue with the Tote’s support The ROA is delighted to announce that the Tote will continue to back the Owner Sponsorship Scheme from January 1, 2022.

The scheme is one of the principal benefits offered to the membership and enables owners to register as a business for VAT purposes. This means that owners can reclaim VAT on their racing activities as well as on the purchase price of their horse. The scheme was initiated in 2004 and in 2021 enabled ROA members to reclaim an estimated £7.5 million of VAT in addition to providing annual sponsorship payments

84 THE OWNER BREEDER

for joining the scheme.

The Tote has agreed to support owners by funding the scheme, which will see ROA owners continue to carry the Tote logo on their silks.

Charlie Liverton, Chief Executive of the ROA, said: “This agreement is fantastic news for racehorse owners, and we extend our gratitude to the team at the Tote for supporting this important scheme.

“Owners collectively spend over £30m a month on training fees and with the financial cost of having a horse in training continuing to rise, it is vital that

owners are able to reclaim their VAT on both the purchase of the horse and the associated training and racing costs.

The fact that the Tote has committed to supporting the scheme is really important and hugely welcome news for ROA owners.”

Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “We are committed to ensuring the Tote makes a positive contribution to British racing. Owners are absolutely crucial to the future success of the sport and we are delighted to be able to support this important scheme for 2022.”

www.roa.co.uk • 01183 385680 • info@roa.co.uk @racehorseowners

RacehorseOwnersUK

Racehorseownersassociation

BILL SELWYN

New contact details:

Syndicate and racing club members receive more protection under the new measures

Update on industry plans for shared ownership Last March the BHA announced plans to strengthen the regulation of shared racehorse ownership, following an industry-wide consultation in the autumn of 2020.

The consultation formed part of one of the nine key goals for British racing’s recovery plan, which reviewed the risks and opportunities of shared ownership, and how enhanced regulation and improved administration could support and inspire ownership and elevate the customer experience.

The first of ten measures were introduced last May, as part of a phased implementation. The measures are designed to support public confidence in syndicates and racing clubs, to provide a solid foundation for the continued growth of shared ownership.

The first phase of implementation saw an extension to the Code of Conduct, which now encompasses racing clubs, incorporating new terms.

These include the requirement to detail acquisition costs of horses, the dispute resolution procedure and retirement plans for the horse after its racing career.

The code also requires that syndicators confirm how and when prize-money received is to be paid to members after a significant win.

Additional questions have been built into the syndicate registration form to better understand financial arrangements and how upfront costs will be covered.

There are six key principles which all applicants must ensure are adhered to when registering a new syndicate or racing club and which it is expected all existing entities should ensure they are aligned with:

1. The ownership of the horse must be reflected in the owner registered with the BHA. For example, if a horse is owned by a group of individuals or entities, this should be registered as a partnership or a syndicate – under no circumstances should these horses be under the name of a sole or company owner; 2. A full list of syndicators/club managers must be provided to the BHA and maintained while the owner continues to be registered; 3. Syndicators must maintain a full list of syndicate members on the Racing Admin system and racing club managers must ensure they maintain a full list of racing club members which can be requested by the BHA; 4. Should a syndicate/racing club own more than one horse, every member must have an interest in all the horses. If this is not the case, a new syndicate/racing club should be registered for each. To be clear, unless the members’ list is the same for each horse, a new ownership must be registered each time; 5. Where required, all syndicators/ racing club managers must ensure they adhere to the syndicate or racing club Code of Conduct respectively; 6. The promotion of, and advertising linked to, any syndicate or racing club must be aligned with: 6.1. The terms outlined in the respective Codes of Conduct; 6.2. The information provided to the BHA; and, 63. The definitions of each owner.

The BHA defines syndicates and racing clubs as follows:

Syndicate: a form of shared ownership where the members own, or lease, an interest in racehorses.

Racing club: an entertainment associated with racehorses, where the members acquire no ownership rights to, or lease an interest in, any racehorses but may acquire certain benefits such as the sharing of prizemoney.

In the case of a registration which involve multiple individuals or entities, anyone applying to register as an owner should ensure that: • Syndicators: any person that has financial responsibility for, or is engaged in the managing, administration or promotion of, a syndicate whether or not for profit is included as a syndicator. For a syndicator to be approved by the BHA they must themselves be registered as a sole or company owner.

• Racing club managers: any person that is the owner or lessor of any racing club horses, or is engaged in the managing, administration or promotion of, a racing club whether or not for profit is included as a racing club manager. For a racing club manager to be approved by the BHA they must themselves be registered as a sole or company owner.

• Syndicate members: any person who has shares in the ownership, or lease, of racehorses through a syndicate should be listed as a syndicate member.

• Racing club members: any individual or entity which has bought a subscription to a racing club to acquire certain benefits such as the sharing of prize-money, but not any ownership, or leased, rights should be known as a racing club member.

The above principles and definitions will support the wider changes to come. The protocols will need to be adopted by all existing syndicates and racing clubs.

If you have any questions or require support to make any changes to your ownership entity, contact ownership@ britishhorseracing.com. The syndicate Code of Conduct and list of frequently asked questions can be found at britishhorseracing.com.

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TATTERSALLS

ROA VAT SOLUTION

Owners can reclaim VAT on the purchase price of their horse(s)

January marks the transition from yearling to two-year-old. Once racehorses turn two, they are eligible for sponsorship.

One of the main reasons owners seek sponsorship for their racehorse(s) is to meet the sponsorship agreement condition under the registration scheme for racehorse owners (VAT Notice

700/67, section 1.3).

To qualify to register to reclaim your horseracing VAT the following conditions must be met: - The VAT entity owns a minimum share of 50% in your racehorse.

- You have a sponsorship agreement in place registered with the BHA. - Your horse is currently in training in

the United Kingdom.

VAT-registered owners can recover an average of £4,700 a year by registering under the scheme and reclaiming their VAT on the purchase of their racehorse, training fees, vet fees, and other racingrelated incidentals.

As a newly VAT-registered owner you can claim your VAT back up to four years for the purchase of your horse (100% ownership only) and six months for all other racing-related services (and horse purchase if your ownership is below 100%).

As an ROA member, if you choose to engage ROA VAT Solution as your VAT Agent, you will receive a 20% discount on our listed fees. Instructing us to take over your VAT costs nothing – all we need is a signed copy of our Agent Flyer.

For a new VAT registration application, we charge a one-off fee of £30+VAT.

MTD Update

Now that 2022 is upon us, there are only four months left to get your VAT affairs in order and sign up to HM Revenue & Customs Making Tax Digital for VAT. After April 1, 2022 all VAT-registered businesses are required to submit their VAT return using MTD compliant software alongside storing VAT records digitally.

For further information contact vat@roa.co.uk or to speak to one of our team call 0118 3385 680.

News in brief BHA fees increase

The BHA has announced that there will be a 2.5% fee increase for both racecourses and participants in 2022. Having saved more than £2 million in 2020, the BHA has made further reductions in 2021 and made progress to return to a solid financial footing following the significant disruption to finances caused by the pandemic.

Richard Wayman, Chief Operating Officer at the BHA, said: “The BHA board has agreed that fees for participants and racecourses will rise by 2.5% from the beginning of 2022. This rise is a below-inflation increase to help offset the inflationary costs incurred by the BHA. We know that fee increases are never desirable, but this rise is necessary to ensure that we have the resources to deliver our services – while continually striving to deliver value for money for those paying the fees.”

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Free admission for members

Members have been enjoying plenty of free racing this season, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the year ahead. Complimentary admission can be enjoyed at Jockey Club Racecourses, ARC racecourses, Ascot and Newbury.

Please note that complimentary admission for non-registered owners must be pre-booked.

Full details of the ROA’s complimentary admission schemes and participating fixtures and links can be found in the members area of the website at roa.co.uk News, updates and admission offers will be shared in our Inside Track daily e-bulletin sent to members.

ROA Scotland

All ROA members who are nonregistered owners can access the majority of fixtures held at Ayr,

Hamilton Park, Kelso and Musselburgh racecourses. The ROA is currently awaiting an update from Perth.

Simply complete the form in the members area of roa.co.uk and we will forward this onto the racecourse for you.

Applications must be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Members will be entitled to: • Ayr – one complimentary admission badge, except for April 1-2 and September 15, 16 and 17.

• Hamilton Park – two complimentary admission badges.

• Kelso – one complimentary admission badge, except for March 5, March 26, May 29, October 22, November 5 and December 29.

• Musselburgh – two complimentary admission badges, except for August 5.

• Perth – details to be announced as soon as they are available.

GEORGE SELWYN

Rainbow Laces campaign

Owners will pay £3.91 on every riding fee under the new rules

PJA and ROA reach agreement over career-ending insurance The Racehorse Owners Association and Professional Jockeys Association are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached for owners to support the Career Ending Insurance Scheme for jockeys to ensure that jockeys whose careers are ended prematurely by injury are protected. The agreement has been reached after long-term backer Stobart Group ended its sponsorship in 2019, with the PJA unable to secure a new sponsor despite an extensive search.

The new agreement removes the scheme from commercial sponsorship and provides an ongoing sustainable funding model for the future, reinforcing owners’ vital financial contribution across racing.

We’d like to thank the Racing Foundation for their support, who agreed to fund the insurance on a short-term basis until January 1, 2022, which has enabled the insurance to be renewed for 12 months, ensuring jockeys have continuous cover.

The agreement will see owners pay a small surcharge of £3.91 on every ride starting from January 1, 2022. Jockey fees will now also be presented as a single ‘jockey fee’, combining the riding fee, PRIS and Career Ending Insurance Scheme. The new format will simplify the current system and see a reduced banking costs for owners, as has been requested by many owners.

Paul Struthers, Chief Executive of the PJA, said: “This is such an

important policy, providing as it does a lump sum pay out designed to financially assist jockeys whilst undergoing their enforced transition into a second career.

“As a part-owner myself it feels like the right thing to do, and we are very grateful to the ROA executive and board for being so open to this agreement.

“We would also like to thank the Racing Foundation, without whom there would have been a significant gap in cover.”

Steven Astaire, ROA board member, said: “The welfare of all those who work in horseracing, equine and human, is at the heart of many of our industry discussions over the course of each year. Owners are the largest contributor to welfare causes of any stakeholder in the sport, be that through payments to RoR or PRIS. This agreement goes even further. ”The board of the ROA were clear that no jockey should be without career ending insurance and this agreement will give comfort to many across the industry. We are always keen to improve both human and equine welfare standards and riders’ welfare is part of that picture.

“We have also simplified the owners’ statements making it simpler and more cost effective for owners when paying jockeys’ fees. One fee incorporating all costs and insurance is clearer and better for both parties.”

British racing’s ‘Racing is Everyone’s Sport’ campaign showcased support for Stonewall’s annual Rainbow Laces campaign last month. The campaign invited everyone to show support to demonstrate that everyone, regardless of their sexuality, should feel welcome within the sport and to emphasise racing’s inclusiveness to all groups.

On Saturday, December 4 the industry showed support of Racing’s LGBT+ community at Sandown, Aintree, Chepstow, Wolverhampton and Wetherby racecourses. Anyone on the racecourse had the opportunity to show their support by wearing a rainbow armband or rainbow pin badge. Jockeys wore a rainbow armband for one race at each fixture.

Rainbow saddle cloths, kindly organised by sponsors the Kindred group (through its Unibet brand), Betfair and Betway, were worn for a number of races across the day, including the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown, the Unibet Becher Chase at Aintree and the Betway Handicap Stakes at Wolverhampton.

The saddlecloths carried as part of the Rainbow Laces campaign

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ROA Forum

MAGICAL MOMENTS

Carron and Bruce Wymer are on the crest of a wave with Ahoy Senor

G

etting to Newbury for Ladbrokes Trophy day at the end of November was not plane sailing for Carron and Bruce Wymer – the owners’ original flight from Scotland was cancelled and, rather than risk the same thing happening on raceday morning, they hit the road. All 400 miles of it.

Their huge effort to be present to see Ahoy Senor, who they own with trainer Lucinda Russell’s father Peter, have his second start over fences was rewarded by a pillar-to-post victory in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase.

The son of Dylan Thomas, who turns seven this month, was already a Grade 1 winner, over hurdles, for the Wymers and Russells, having landed the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at the Grand National meeting in April, scene of course of the Kinross yard’s most famous success with One For Arthur in the 2017 National.

But having come from the pointto-point field, Ahoy Senor’s future was always likely to lie over fences, and having unseated Derek Fox two out in the Colin Parker Memorial on his chasing debut at Carlisle the month before, a safe, successful round under the same rider at Newbury was just what the doctor ordered.

As for her own background and route into ownership, Carron Wymer explains: “Racehorse ownership wasn’t really something we ever seriously considered.

We had mulled the idea on outings to Perth but never seriously.

“My father, Barnett Kay, unfortunately passed away in December 2018. He wasn’t a man of means, lived in a wardencontrolled bungalow and saved up over several years off his state pension to leave a small inheritance for me.

“He loved the gee-gees and spent pretty much every day watching and having a flutter. Growing up, this was the bane of my life. Watching TV was impossible as he would always change the channel to view the races.

“Most weekends were spent running back and forth to the local bookmakers to stand outside waiting until a punter going in would agree to put on my dad’s bet. It would usually be 50p each-way on the favourite. If the bet wasn’t placed in time and the horse came in first, then

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Carron and Bruce Wymer are enjoying the ride as National Hunt owners

my grumpy old man would make sure I knew about it. All this meant horseracing wasn’t a sport that rated highly with me.”

She continues: “Having been left this small inheritance and feeling I couldn’t spend it frivolously, I just left it in the bank knowing I wanted to do something with it in my father’s memory. It was

“Racehorse ownership was not something we seriously considered” about ten months later that we were getting our house decorated and the decorator was very enthusiastic about his racehorse ownership.

“This started Bruce and I thinking this would be more befitting to his memory than a memorial bench or such. Jim, the decorator, put us in touch with our local trainer, Jackie Stephen, who invited us up to see the horses they had in training. We

didn’t want to choose a horse without looking at other trainers, as it was a very emotional purchase. We knew the name Lucinda Russell from our visits to Perth and of course her Grand National win.

“We arranged to visit Arlary on November 19, 2019 to view the horses she had for sale. We looked at a few but fell in love with a young filly in training, Calle Malva, which we bought an eighth share of.”

Getting up to date, she says: “We currently have four horses in training/ pre-training which we share 50/50 with Peter Russell, Lucinda’s father.

“They are Calle Malva, Without Conviction, who we went to the Doncaster sales and chose with the help of Paul [McIvor, the stable’s race planner and handicapper], Scu [Peter Scudamore, the trainer’s partner], Lucinda and Belinda [McClung, jointowner of One For Arthur], Ahoy Senor and a three-year-old store we got to name Tenbobeachway after my dad’s usual stake. ”We fell in love with Calle Malva and it was just our good fortune that Lucinda had her for sale. In the two years we’ve been owners with Lucinda, we’ve learned so much about the sport and feel privileged to have horses in training with

BILL SELWYN

such a fantastic, caring team of people.

“Whenever we visit we’re impressed by how well the team works and how welcome we’re always made to feel. It’s as if we’re visiting friends.”

Asked to recall their most memorable days on the track to date, Wymer replies: “The most magical moment was on December 11, 2019. We drove to Hexham – gosh it was freezing, not the glamour and hats I was hoping for! This was our first outing as owners. Calle’s race was the last on the card. We had a flutter on the other races but no joy.

“As the day went on and all feeling had left our fingers and toes, we began to wonder if indeed racehorse ownership was for us. There were seven runners in Calle’s race, including Brigade Of Guards, ridden by Richard Johnson. This was significant to us because my sister had passed away, when I was a young teenager, giving birth to her only child, which she named Richard Johnson.

“Unfortunately his father lost touch with our family and this led to him growing up not knowing us. So whenever we were at the races I always felt compelled to back his namesake jockey.

However, the champion jockey, as he was, never won for me. To hedge my bets on this day, I had to make sure to jinx him and placed a small bet on him as well as Calle.

“As the race progressed it appeared that Calle wasn’t a contender having dropped ten lengths behind the two leaders. However, she started to rally and the commentator called it very well, saying, ‘Don’t rule out Calle Malva’. We were absolutely delighted when she crossed the line first.

“I was bursting into tears as Scu called Lucinda to let her know the news. I think my dad must have been watching and gave her a push up the hill. The following day, and on the back of all the emotion, we increased our share to a quarter. This subsequently became a half.”

Mid-November 2020 was a significant time for the Wymers, as Carron explains, saying: “Calle’s subsequent win at Newcastle came the day after the Yorton sale, where Jonbon sold for a hell of a lot of money. Lucinda and Scu were at the sale and we had the shortlist but no

Ahoy Senor: exciting chaser

intention of purchasing.

“We’d watched Ahoy Senor’s point, however, and had questioned Scu about him after Calle’s win. We decided we’d go in and meet him on our way home.

We celebrated Calle’s success with Lucinda whilst waiting for him to arrive, and when he came off the lorry, we were so impressed with his size and presence that a handshake sealed the deal.

“Lockdown meant we couldn’t attend his first two races but we were delighted with his win at Ayr. Lots of meetings were being abandoned due to the weather conditions, so we were quite frustrated when Scu pulled ‘Hank’, as he’s called, out of a race at Hexham, however we always trust their judgement.

“We were quite surprised to get an email with an entry for Aintree and kept our fingers crossed the ground would be right. We were excited for our first visit to Aintree and at 66-1 of course we had to place a bet!

“The track was very empty and it felt rather surreal being there. We didn’t realise how significant the win was, having owned horses at this point for only 17 months. We were, however, delighted with our spoils from the bookies!”

With crowds back, the atmosphere on Ladbrokes Trophy day was never going to be an issue, but it had been a cold, windy week and the Wymers’ travel plans were thrown into disarray.

Carron says: “Storm Arwen! We’d planned to fly from Aberdeen to Heathrow, as we like to be there to see the horses run. This was scuppered by the storm. We changed our flights

to leave from Glasgow the following morning and drove through the storm that evening to get to Glasgow for the flight.

“We spent the night at the airport hotel with the intention of getting our flight at 7am, however on waking at 4.30am and with the storm still raging, we decided to drive to Newbury. We made it 30 minutes before the first race.

“Watching the race was nerve-racking, Hank’s jumping wasn’t quite what we’d seen at Carlisle and we watched with our fingers crossed, willing him to get round safely. The win was all the more special as Bruce’s family were there to share it with us.

“We feel like Hank is a horse of dreams and keep pinching ourselves at how incredibly lucky we are to be involved with him and our other horses.”

One of those other horses, Without Conviction, duly followed Ahoy Senor’s example a week and a half later at Hexham. He might not have won by 31 lengths, and it might have been a modest handicap chase, but the four-length victory was the first of his career and so a sweet little fish to the Wymers and Russells all the same “It was only a four-and-a-half hour drive this time, so of course we were there!” says Wymer. “Lucinda’s team is on fire just now. This was the same meeting that Calle won her first race for us two years ago. What an amazing two years we’ve had.”

Owning racehorses is generally, of course, a bit like that flight to London would have been that late November day, a bumpy ride, and the pandemic has exaggerated that.

Wymer says: “Having owned horses for only two years, and during lockdown, for us the most frustrating part has been not being able to enjoy the full owner experience, and racing being completely cancelled. Also, prize-money at the lower levels leaves you wondering if it’s worth the risk.

“For us, the best thing is obviously winning, but we appreciate how much these experiences have taught us about an industry I personally disliked. We are now well and truly obsessed with this sport.”

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ROA Forum

OWNERSHIP MATTERS H

with Mouse Hamilton-Fairley

aving switched from eventing to point-to-pointing in the 1980s, Mouse Hamilton-Fairley owned and rode the leading mare in her area in 1987 and decided to try her in hunter chases. This led her to take out a permit and later a full dual trainer’s licence, which she held until 2011. Her mother, Ann Plummer, was already in the breeding game at this point and had considerable success with her foundation mare Drama School, whose progeny have gone on to win from generation to generation, the best of which on the Flat were Group-winning and placed Merlin’s Ring and Rada’s Daughter. This bloodline continues in the family today, with her Grade 2 winning hurdler, Third Wind, bred from a descendant of that original mare and in training with Hughie Morrison.

Mouse has been involved in racing from every angle over the years and presently enjoys her role as sole owner of hurdler Third Wind, now an eight-year-old. She is also in a family partnership with her mother, sister and sister-in-law owning three horses plus a small share in a Make Believe twoyear-old with Richard Hughes, and a share in the Velocity Syndicate with Harry Dunlop.

What do you enjoy most about racing and owning racehorses?

I have been involved with horses all my life from Pony Club to eventing, point-to-pointing to racing – I simply couldn’t imagine a life without them. Having owned, bred and trained racehorses during my career, I still find the anticipation of running my horses, the involvement with the yard and the staff during the build-up, watching the horses develop and progress, the planning and choosing which race and where to run, to be the most satisfying elements.

We all have good days and bad days at the course and you have to learn to live with expectation, elation and disappointment, but I get as much out of involvement in the day-today parts of training as I do from the racedays themselves.

What are the key matters that impact

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Mouse Hamilton-Fairley has been involved in racing as an owner, breeder and trainer

on your ownership experience?

For me it is the ease of the raceday – I don’t want any added stress or hassle as I am perfectly capable of piling that sort of pressure on myself, especially with a jumper. I want to be able to enjoy the raceday whatever the result. Therefore, I think good viewing for owners at the courses is essential, a friendly welcome, good food and hospitality facilities – a better choice of wines at some courses wouldn’t go amiss!

I also think more courses need to include connections of the placed horses in their after-race hospitality.

What makes racing fun to watch is a battling finish and it can be very dispiriting when post-race no-one from the course acknowledges you at all, even if your horse provided part of the spectacle but just didn’t have their head in front at the line.

There is also the continuing dissatisfaction of the irregularity of prize-money across the grades and growing frustration at some of the potentially unnecessary ongoing BHA charges for owning racehorses, such as annual colours registrations and authorities to act.

What does the racing industry do well for owners and which areas could be improved?

I have always felt that the racing industry is my larger family – it is made up of a remarkable group of people who all work tirelessly looking after our beloved equine athletes. I read an interview the other day by Nathan Horrocks about how Lord Grimthorpe had rushed to console CJ, the lad who looked after Many Clouds, after he died – it is a sport like no other that unites people from all backgrounds.

In my view, all trainers should be obliged to have an annual owners’ day so we can meet other owners from the yard to enhance our collective experience and involvement. I also think owners should be notified by the racecourses when their horses have been declared on a live music night, as it could affect our decision as to whether to attend or not.

I understand the financial need for the concert evenings but think owners should be notified ahead of the declaration that there is a concert to give them the choice as it can affect the raceday experience.

Some racecourses need to improve

Cheltenham marquee badges on sale from January 4 their accessibility – having been racing quite frequently with octogenarians and nonagenarians, it is not always that easy moving about the courses with those who are less mobile and some owners’ facilities do not sufficiently take into account or cater for their less able customers.

Covid has obviously not helped this situation, with some lifts not being in operation and one-way systems making getting around the courses harder and so forth, but I still think it is an area that could be improved.

What are your thoughts on welfare in relation to your horses in training and in terms of aftercare?

I passionately believe that we have got to be much more proactive in our approach to equine welfare. With all the recent bad press we are increasingly being targeted in this area and the force of the opposition to certain aspects of our sport will only gather pace so we must not rest on our laurels.

I think the recent National Racehorse Week was a good initiative, but it needs better promotion outside racing as it is non-horsemen who need to understand and see what we do. Whilst Retraining of Racehorses does a wonderful job there needs to be a far more extensive network of those offering retraining, so it is easier for owners who are not necessarily part of a wider horsey community to find suitable outlets for their horses once their racing days are over.

There needs to be better education of owners entering the sport to highlight the importance of this issue and to make them aware that their liabilities do not end when their horses have run their last race – for those not suitable for a sale ring, retraining can be lengthy and expensive too, and allowances need to be made in owners’ budgets to ensure that there are sufficient funds retained to finance it before they embark on purchasing another horse to race.

Trainers can be too quick to encourage owners to move a horse on whilst simultaneously encouraging them to invest in new bloodstock and

there needs to be more balance in this process, especially as the sales calendar makes this harder with the yearlings on offer before the horsesin-training sales.

The breeders, sales houses and publishers also need to step up and play their part by being more accountable and helping us improve the overall image of the sport, which has taken a battering on the welfare front. As always it seems to be the owner who has to foot the bill, but we do need to work together to show more collective responsibility for what happens to our horses in their old age and improve their traceability worldwide.

Which courses look after owners particularly well?

My heart has always been in jump racing, and nothing beats the welcome from the West Country tracks – Taunton, Newton Abbot and Exeter. They may not have the best facilities, but they are always welcoming and are pleased to see you. Ludlow was also a particular favourite as they go the extra mile for their owners and the food is always good combined with a fun atmosphere.

On the Flat, Salisbury also takes the trouble to really look after their owners to make it a truly pleasant experience running horses there.

I haven’t been there recently, but Hereford always used to go out of their way to make owners feel special as well.

Of the larger tracks with bigger budgets, if I was being critical, Sandown could do with a larger owners’ facility as on big days it gets very crowded. Newbury’s hospitality has always been first-rate for owners and winning and placed connections, but recently the prize-money at the track has been poor, which has made it less rewarding.

At Ascot you tend to feel a bit far from the action in the owners’ facility as it is always preferable to be closer to trackside. Chester, Goodwood and Cheltenham are all superb as you might expect, as is York.

We are pleased to confirm places for the ROA marquee over the four days of the Cheltenham Festival, March 15-18, will go on sale on Tuesday, January 4.

The marquee will be located in the tented village area, just a short walk from the paddock.

The facility provides unreserved seating, TV viewing, a cash bar and Tote betting. Complimentary tea and coffee is available, and hot and cold food will be on sale.

Members can book places for themselves and up to three guests. To keep members safe and comfortable numbers will be limited, and for this reason only daily badges will be available.

The marquee is always very popular and after a two-year break places are sure to sell out quickly.

Please note that marquee badges do not provide racecourse admission. Racecourse admission can be booked at thejockeyclub. co.uk/cheltenham and the marquee is located in the club enclosure.

Book your place in the ROA marquee online at roa.co.uk/ events or call the ROA office on 0118 3385 680.

Gary Daubney and Francesca O’Sullivan enjoy the ROA marquee in 2020

THE OWNER BREEDER

91

TBA Forum

The special section for TBA members

Peter Rossdale, 1927-2021 A dedicated equine clinician and scientist who published widely, he founded a hugely successful practice, became recognised as the ‘Father of Equine Perinatology,’ and was one of the first to embrace veterinary evidence-based medicine

P

eter Daniel Rossdale was born in London on September 8, 1927, the fourth child of Dr George Rossdale, an eminent London medical practitioner, and Kate. His father was an important role model for the way Peter conducted his own professional life and for providing an always available personal service. He developed an enquiring scientific basis for equine clinical practice and was perhaps one of the first practitioners to embrace ‘evidence-based medicine’ before the term was invented. These principles became the foundation for Rossdale & Partners’ modus operandi.

Peter became interested in horses aged six and his early ambition was to become a jockey. In 1939 he was evacuated from London and boarded at Stowe School, where his passions for science and literature developed. His aim to become a veterinary surgeon, associated with horses, grew.

Teachers tried to dissuade him, saying that veterinary standards were poor as compared to the medical profession, but his father was supportive. Thus, Peter learnt to accept challenges with relish and overcome obstacles placed in his path by others, which held him in good stead for later life. He told his housemaster that he would “rather be a first-class vet than a second-class doctor”.

Peter read natural sciences at Trinity College Cambridge, starting in 1945. The Cambridge Veterinary School did not open until 1949 so in 1948 he entered the Royal Veterinary College, firstly in Camden Town, where he recalled being taught to use a firing iron, and then Streatley, near Reading, where a solitary cow formed the basis for the large animal clinical teaching. He became a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1952 and subsequently spent two years in mixed practice in Rye, Sussex, where he had seen practice as a student, near his then family home at Brooklands in Kent.

He became determined to specialise in horses, where castration, firing and colic were the main issues of the day.

Peter married Jill Clifton, a Kentish farmer’s daughter, in 1954. They had two sons, Simon and Anthony, and a daughter, Sally, who gave them six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

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Peter Rossdale: enjoyed a long and successful career and made a huge impact in his field

During his two years in Rye, Peter’s passion for racing and race-riding continued. He rode in point-to-points with some success but became ‘famous’ following one race when the local newspaper printed a photograph of him unseated from his mount and landing on his nose! He purchased a broodmare and through her matings he developed a relationship with Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket, which resulted in an opportunity to join the Reynolds, Leader, Day and Crowhurst practice in Newmarket, which he accepted. After four years he had developed a loyal following of clients, who liked his way of working.

In 1959 Peter and Jill started a new practice in Newmarket. He worked non-stop for two years except for one weekend off when Leo Mahaffey, an Australian veterinary pathologist, then at the Animal Health Trust, stood in as a locum. Michael Hunt subsequently joined Peter in 1961 to form Rossdale & Partners, which, after 60 years, now as Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons, is proud to be the

base for more than 50 veterinarians, with a world-acclaimed ambulatory practice, equine hospital, diagnostic centre, pathology laboratory and branch practices in Hertfordshire and Lambourn.

Peter retired his partnership in 2002 at the age of 75, allowing his name to be used for the practice, in perpetuity.

Passion formed early

During his initial years in practice, Peter formed a passion for the perinatal foal and spent night after night during the breeding season out tending to sick foals, at the same time making observations and collecting samples for analysis in his own laboratory, which he initially developed with Leo Mahaffey, with whom he also liked to debate politics, religion and international problems.

He also developed meaningful professional relationships with paediatric clinicians at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. This clinical research in practice allowed him to satisfy RCVS with a Fellowship thesis and founded a lifetime

of rewarding collaborative research with veterinarians, medical clinicians and scientists from all around the world. With this model he attracted considerable grant-aided funding, including from the Wellcome Trust, leading to a long list of peer-reviewed publications in international journals.

His research papers on ‘wastage’ of racehorses from conception to four-yearsold were perhaps his most referenced. His colleagues, friends and the many young international veterinary students and new graduates who came to see practice and undertake clinical research with him, still refer to him as the ‘Father of Modern Equine Perinatology’. He collaborated with consultants from Addenbrookes’ ‘Rosie’ Hospital’s maternity and perinatal services teams, members of which he sometimes brought with him on evening visits to sick foals, occasionally even in ‘black tie’, fresh from a dinner party!

Publisher and columnist

Peter published a number of books on equine health for lay and professional readership. The Horse’s Health From A-Z, co-authored with Sue Wreford and the multi-author editing of Horace Hayes’ Veterinary Notes for Horse owners, were particularly well received. His textbook Equine Studfarm Medicine, co-authored with his Partner, Sidney Ricketts, with two editions (1974 and 1980), became the standard equine reproduction text of the time.

He wrote a light-hearted weekly postscript in the Veterinary Record under the name ‘Totaliser’. The texts for his writings were recorded onto a dictaphone, which he used on his rounds, and the tapes were later transcribed by his devoted secretaries.

In 1961 Peter was a founding member of the British Equine Veterinary Association. He was a past President of BEVA (1976) and was Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) from 1979 to 2010, elevating its status to one of the most prestigious veterinary journals internationally. He became the journal’s Emeritus Editor. He started Equine Veterinary Education (EVE), EVJ’s sister journal, in 1989, to cope with the ever-increasing demand for equine commissioned and review articles, case reviews and educational topics. He was EVE’s editor from 1990 to 1991.

He formed the link with the American Association of Equine Practitioners, which led to EVE being jointly published in both the UK and USA. He was inducted into the AAEP’s Equine Research Hall of Fame. He was a founder member of

the International Symposium on Equine Reproduction that has met and produced proceedings every four years from Cambridge in 1974 and then around the world to Cambridge again in 2018, before an enforced pause for Covid-19 reasons.

Peter was one of the founder board members of the RCVS’ Equine Certificates and Diplomas in Equine Stud Medicine and served on many equine committees, including the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s Veterinary Advisory Committee.

For all these successful endeavours, Peter has been awarded Doctorates, honoris causa, by the Universities of Bern, Edinburgh and Sydney. He was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty the Queen, for his services to veterinary medicine. The Royal Veterinary College awarded him its Fellowship. The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association awarded him its Devonshire bronze, which recognises outstanding achievement and contribution to the British thoroughbred breeding industry.

In addition to all his professional endeavours, Peter was a lover of music, art and the theatre. He had good and long-lasting friends in all these areas of interest.

Following Jill’s death in 1999, Peter married Mary Sharkey, again found happiness and gained three stepdaughters and a step-granddaughter.

Peter suffered a stroke in 2020, which left him wheelchair bound. Mary was a wonderful carer until Peter’s death.

Peter described himself as a ‘catalyst’, who stimulated others, and this remained the case to his death. His energy, enthusiasm and intellect will remain legendary amongst those that knew him.

So many younger colleagues, friends and acquaintances, in the UK and throughout the world, owe him so much in aspects of their professional and personal lives and only wish that they could come close to his achievements. His colleagues are proud to have known him and to have worked with him and believe that he was one of the most important veterinary surgeons of our time.

One of Peter’s clients, on hearing of his death, said: “A brilliant mind, a brilliant vet and just a very nice person, for whom a lot of us will miss his wisdom, sense of humour and skill as one of the best and most knowledgeable vets we have known”. We all miss him dearly.

Co-written by Michael Hunt, Sidney Ricketts, Nick Wingfield Digby, Tim Greet, Deidre Carson, Neil Steven, Andrew McGladdery, Frederic Barrelet, Michael Shepherd, Peter Ramzan, Richard Payne, Andrew Bathe, Ian Cameron, Oliver Pynn, Robert Dallas and Alastair Foote.

Use of new Export Health Certificates Breeders are reminded that they need to be using the new Export Health Certificates (EHCs) for horse export to the EU from January 15.

Required for goods moved to Northern Ireland or exported to the EU, they are essential for moving all products of animal origin, live animals, germinal products and composite products.

The new EHCs can be found by visiting www.gov.uk and the animal health section.

Transporter authorisation renewals Transporter authorisations are valid for five years and a significant number are due for renewal in 2022.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is reminding all animal transporters to check the expiry date of their current transporter authorisation and apply for renewal at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure continued authorisation.

UK transporter authorisations are required for those transporting animals, as part of an economic activity, on journeys over 65km within, from, to and through GB. Transporters involved in economic activity include farmers, livestock and poultry hauliers, pet couriers and rescue charities, and those who move horses for professional riding, livery and stabling.

There are two types of transporter authorisation: Type 1 (short journey), which are required for journeys over 65km and up to eight hours in duration and Type 2 (long journey), which are required for those transporting animals for journeys over eight hours.

Contact APHA’s Welfare in Transport team – details found via www.gov.uk – to obtain a renewal application pack or discuss any queries.

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TBA Forum

BILL SELWYN

Yibir and William Buick (blue) show their rivals the way home in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November

Star duo Alpinista and Zaaki complete top-level trebles It truly has been a vintage year for Kirsten Rausing and in November Alpinista and Zaaki completed their hat-tricks of top-level victories. In winning the Grosser Preis von Bayern, Alpinista emulated her grandam Albanova in winning the same three consecutive Group 1s. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Zaaki, who had been forced to miss the Cox Plate, took the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington without much fuss over

fellow British-bred Cascadian. Both victories were achieved on the same weekend.

That same weekend, but on American soil, Godolphin took home three Grade 1s at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, including the Breeders’ Cup Turf with the Britishbred homebred Yibir. The son of Dubawi showcased a sharp turn of foot to win the prestigious race in good style.

Also Stateside, the Normandie Stud-bred Serve The King, a son of

Elite Mares’ Scheme deadline looms Applications to the TBA/HBLB Elite NH Mares’ Scheme close at the end of the month and will be accepted until January 31.

Created to highlight to breeders the quality of National Hunt stallions standing in Great Britain, a record total of 31 stallions have been made available to users of the scheme.

TBA members who own mares rated 130+ or who have produced a runner of a defined performance level are eligible

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for a grant of up to £4,000 to Britishbased stallions which are eligible and nominated by their managers under the terms of the scheme.

Applications can be made via the TBA website (www.thetba.co.uk > Breed Protection > Elite Mares’ Scheme). A full list of registered stallions as well as a list of eligible mares and full details of the scheme can be found on the same page. Alternatively, contact rob.davey@thetba.co.uk.

Kingman, took top honours in the Grade 2 Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct, where Mutamakina, a daughter of Nathaniel who was bred by Widgham Stud, followed up her E P Taylor Stakes score with a win in the Grade 3 Long Island Stakes.

Meanwhile, on the west coast, Bated Breath’s daughter Tezzaray won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes on the closing weekend at Del Mar. The juvenile filly was bred by Lady Richard Wellesley.

The Ashbrittle Stud & Mark Dixon-bred Ambition, daughter of Oaks winner Talent, ended her career with a second win in the Toulouse-staged Group 3 Prix Fille de l’Air. Other stakes winners in France during the month included the Litex Commerce-bred Lajoscha, winner of the Listed Grand Prix du Nord, Night Tornado in the Listed Prix du Grand Camp, and Amazonie in the Listed Prix Petite Etoile.

There was Australian Group 3 success for the southern hemisphere-bred Frankel filly Steinem in the Summoned Stakes at Caulfield.

There was plenty of late-season success in Italy for British-breds. On November 7 there was a trio of Group 3 heroes. Cantocorale won the Premio

Ribot, Agiato scored in the Premio Carlo E Francesco Aloisi and Ardakan won the Premio Guido Berardelli. There were also Listed wins for Aria Importante (Premio Chiusura at San Siro) and the J Shack and G Barnard-bred Baghed (Premio Rumon Memorial Daniele Porcu). Both are progeny of the Cheveley Park Stud resident Twilight Son. Closer to home and Pyledriver, on his first start since scoring in the Coronation Cup in June, made a successful reappearance ahead of his trip to Hong Kong in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Lingfield Park. Madame Tantzy landed a surprise 80-1 win in the Listed Hyde Stakes.

Bred by Gaie Johnson Houghton, she is a half-sister to her breeder’s Queen Anne Stakes hero Accidental Agent. Another Listed scorer on the all-weather was the Hesmonds homebred Shandoz (Golden Horn), who won the Floodlit Stakes.

On the last day of the British turf season, the Queen’s homebred King’s Lynn won the Listed Wentworth Stakes, while Vesela, a Juddmonte daughter of Frankel, was victorious in the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes.

Hurdlers to the fore as Honeysuckle wins again The jumps action went to another level in November and the final weekend proved fruitful for British-breds on either side of the Irish Sea. In the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle, the Lord Blyth-bred Not So Sleepy rallied late on to force a dead-heat. The following day at Fairyhouse, the remarkable Honeysuckle (Sulamani), bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy at The Glanvilles Stud, gained a third Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, her most impressive to date.

Cheltenham provides the highlight for the early part of the month at its Paddy Power fixture. A winner at the track the previous month, I Like To Move It (Trans Island), who was bred by John and Alice

Dawson, won the Grade 2 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle. The same day and the Pitchall Stud-bred West Cork (Midnight Legend) returned from a lengthy lay-off to win the ultra-competitive Grade 3 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. The concluding Listed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire Standard Open NHF Race was won by the Brian Eckley-bred Timeforatune, a son of Mickley Stud’s Yorgunnabelucky.

The day before and there had also been a British-bred double at Prestbury Park. The opening Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial was won by Sir Percy’s son Knight Salute, who showcased the best turn of foot. He was bred by Minster Stud and Anne Dalgety.

The feature across the three days is the Grade 3 Paddy Power Handicap Chase and it was won by the Sue Smith-trained Midnight Shadow, bred by the late Captain Archie Smith-Maxwell. The son of Midnight Legend had quite the affinity with the course and was landing his third Graded win at the track.

The Goldford Stud-bred Chili Filli gained back-to-back victories in the Listed Bud Booth Mares’ Chase at Market Rasen, while there were also Listed wins for the Evan Robert Hanbury-bred Barrichello (Gentlewave) in the Newton Novices’ Hurdle, Elle Est Belle, bred by Rita Vaughan, in the Ladbrokes Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and for the Donna Wallis-bred Yorgunnabelucky gelding Onemorefortheroad in the Intermediate Hurdle.

France’s second biggest jumps meeting of the year took place at Auteuil in early November when there were a couple of British-breds who were led into the winner’s enclosure. The Harriet Loderbred Spirit Of The Moon (Sea The Moon) won the Listed Prix Robert Weill, a threeyear-old handicap hurdle, while Pollexfen became Nicholas Cooper’s first black-type jumps winner as a breeder when taking the Prix Count Schomberg.

30-day foal notification With foaling season arriving swiftly, breeders are reminded that when a foal is bred for racing in Great Britain, the breeder/ owner must notify the General Stud Book (Weatherbys) of its birth and whereabouts within 30 days of its birth (day one being the date of birth).

Notification is free and should be done through the online portal: www.weatherbysgsb.co.uk.

If you are unsure as to whether a foal has been notified, visit selim. britishhorseracing.com/potro to check a horse’s status.

Please be aware that 30-day foal notification is different from foal registration. This must still be completed with the General Stud Book in accordance with the legislative requirements and any other Rules of Racing.

If notification has not been received within the 30-day window, before the horse may be eligible to race, the BHA may require a Certificate of Analysis reporting no evidence of the presence or use of a substance prohibited at all times in a sample collected by the BHA. You will be liable for the cost of the sample collection and analysis, which currently is £425 + VAT (cost of sampling is subject to fluctuation and may vary year on year).

In exceptional circumstances, for example where an individual or company continually fails to comply with the requirement, a foal may not be approved as eligible to run in Great Britain.

National Hunt Yearbook Featuring last February’s Grade 1 Ascot Chase hero Dashel Drasher, bred and part-owned by Camilla Scott, on its front cover, National Hunt breeders will have received a copy of the TBA’s 2021/22 National Hunt Yearbook. Available in both printed and digital formats, those that have not received but would be interested in obtaining a copy should contact Stanstead House.

As well as a review of the 2021 TBA NH Breeders’ Awards Evening, including photo galleries from the evening, the yearbook has features on the Junior NH Development Hurdles which will come into the racing calendar from October 2022, profiles on a couple of Dudgeon Cup winners from years gone past, full details regards the Elite Mares’ Scheme, including stallion profiles, and also a feature on leasing National Hunt mares.

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National Hunt Stallion Showcase returns The National Hunt Stallion Showcase will make a welcome return this month and take place at the Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster on Tuesday, January 25, the first day of the January Sale.

The event, which is supported by Goffs UK, will once again feature a number of exciting British-based National Hunt stallions who will be available to view throughout the day, alongside the UK’s only National Hunt foal sale.

The TBA will host a hospitality box in yard B, where complimentary hot drinks and food will be available.

Alongside the event the TBA is running its silent auction of National Hunt nominations. Held online and

The showcase takes place at Goffs UK on January 25

opening on Monday, January 24, bidding will close 48 hours later at 3pm on Wednesday, January 26. Funds from the auction go towards the TBA’s National Hunt activities. Full details and a link to the auction website can be found on the TBA’s social media and on its website.

Leading sires will strut their stuff at Tattersalls on February 3

MEMBER BENEFIT: Racecourse Badge Scheme for Breeders Do you ever feel like you have lost track of horses you have bred? By signing up to the Racecourse Badge Scheme for Breeders (RBSB) you can receive alerts to your phone when a horse you have bred is entered or declared to run. Not only does this allow you to track progress of your breeding stock, you can also receive

complimentary admission to many racecourses so that you can watch a horse you have bred run.

To access the fixture list to see qualifying racecourses or to download the application form please go to www.thetba.co.uk > Join Us > Member Benefits > Events and Badges.

Key dates for 2022 With the new year upon us, members are advised of the following dates for events in 2022. Further events will be added to the calendar and members are advised to keep an eye on the news section of the TBA website for the most up to date information.

January 25 – NH Stallion Showcase, Goffs UK, Doncaster February 3 – Flat Stallion Parade, Tattersalls, Newmarket February 28 – GBB, Stage 3 deadline for 2020-born Flat fillies April 14 – Cheltenham Mares’ Day, Cheltenham racecourse May 16 – NH Breeders’ Awards Evening, Doncaster May 31 – GBB, Stage 2 deadline for 2021-born fillies July 6 – Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening, Chippenham Park August 31 – GBB, Stage 3 deadline for 2019-born jump fillies September 7 – AGM, Tattersalls September 14 – Breeders’ Day, Sandown Park racecourse September 30 – GBB, Stage 1 deadline for 2022-born fillies

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Flat stallions on parade at Tattersalls

The Tattersalls February Sale in Newmarket will once again feature the TBA’s Flat Stallion Parade, taking place on Thursday, February 3. The event, which includes a number of stallions who will be standing their first, second or third season at stud, provides a great opportunity for breeders to view them and finalise mating plans with stud representatives.

The parade will take place before the start of the two-day sale and stallions will then be available to view in the Left Yard throughout the morning. Breeders and members are invited to join the TBA for light refreshments in the hospitality box.

Further information on the parade, including a full list of stallions attending, can be found on the TBA website.

WELL BRED, TOUGH & CONSISTENT STAKES WINNER

GR.1 SIRE OF CHAMPION STAYER TRUESHAN

HIGH-CLASS STAYER

BY MONTJEU

WON/PLACED IN 8 STAKES RACES

STAKES PRODUCER ON THE FLAT AND OVER HURDLES New dual Gr.1 winner Trueshan and new Gr.2 winner Road To Arc in 2021.

WON/PLACED IN 5 STAKES RACES

OUTSTANDING PEDIGREE Half-brother to 5 Stakes horses descending from the legendary Fall Aspen.

“Bangkok has the ability, looks and temperament to be a top-class performer at stud. He has courage and a constitution second to none.”

Andrew Balding, trainer

NEW SIRE IN 2022 Fee: £3,000 1st October FFR

57% WINNERS TO RUNNERS HIGHEST EARNING SON OF DANEHILL DANCER Gr.1 winner and won/placed in 12 Stakes races.

PATERNAL HALF-BROTHER TO THE LATE JEREMY, A LEADING NH SIRE Fee: £4,000 1st October FFR

BY A LEADING NH INFLUENCE IN MONTJEU Plus a half-brother to 4 Group horses including German Derby winner Wiener Walzer, sire of Grade 1 winner Adagio.

“Walzertakt is a very interesting addition to the GB NH stallion ranks bred on the same cross as Camelot.”

Richard Venn, bloodstock agent

NEW SIRE TO GB IN 2022 Fee: £2,500 1st October FFR

Concessions available

PLANTEUR BANGKOK WALZERTAKT HELLVELYN INDIAN HAVEN

Chapel Stud Ltd Chapel Lane, Bransford, Worcestershire WR6 5JQ 01452 717 342 chapelstud.co.uk

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Tina Dawson 07776 165854 tina.dawson@ tdbloodstock.com

Breeder of the Month Words Howard Wright

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BREEDER OF THE MONTH (November 2021)

THE GLANVILLES STUD

GEORGE SELWYN

Lucky 13 for Honeysuckle, who extended her unbeaten record in the Grade 1 Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, and double top for Doug Procter of The Glanvilles Stud in Dorset, who added the accolade of TBA Breeder of the Month for November to his previous award in February last year.

Procter’s proprietorial involvement with Honeysuckle ended in June 2017, when the three-year-old store fetched £9,500 to Irish amateur Mark O’Hare, who effected a €110,000 sell-on to former betting giant Kenny Alexander less than a year later, but his attachment remains strong. “I get an enormous thrill once she’s crossed the line,” he says of the mare, bred at the stud by Dr Geoffrey Guy. “Up to that point, it’s getting less enjoyable than it was.”

He explains: “Horses are there to race and they get beat, but because we bred Honeysuckle and are still breeding from the family, it’s to do with everything beyond her last win. The one difference to a lot of the great horses of the past is the idea she could go through her career undefeated, which was still alive after she won in November.”

Looking to Honeysuckle’s future, Procter says: “With my breeder’s hat on, I’d be thinking that at the end of this season it’s time for her to go and do her next job, because I would want plenty of offspring from her. A top Flat mare who retires at the end of her three-year-old career has a lot more breeding years than, say, Honeysuckle, who turned eight this month. On top of that, you ideally want a younger, healthy mare to

Honeysuckle: brilliant hurdler extended her winning run in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle

start breeding from.”

However, Honeysuckle’s future is only of indirect interest to Procter. His immediate involvement with the family is to plot the careers of the promising seven-year-old Sulamani gelding Last Royal, who as his name suggests is the final produce of Honeysuckle’s dam First Royal, and the Champion Hurdler’s nine-year-old sister Roc Royal, who was so nearly the one who got away.

Procter explains: “Roc Royal was a smallish mare who we thought would come to hand quite early, so we sent her to Louisa Carberry at Senonnes in north-west France to race, because she wasn’t a particularly big enough model to sell. In the event she had sore shins and we didn’t manage to get a race into her at three.

“We did manage a few places with her in the provinces, but then she got a touch of leg trouble, so we gave her time off. That all came good, and since we were culling our string, we decided we wouldn’t pursue a career with her, so through Louisa we had an inquiry from Christa Gilbert, who trains in Jersey, and

sold her for not much money.

“I kept in touch with Christa, and when Roc Royal got injured again shortly after Honeysuckle won her novice Group 1, she asked if we would be interested in buying her back. I was expecting a big price, but they asked for what they’d paid in the first place, so we did the deal.”

Back at The Glanvilles, Roc Royal has produced a Motivator yearling filly and a Linda’s Lad colt foal, and is in foal to Nathaniel.

Procter says: “The Motivator filly strikes me as a forward type, so I’m rather thinking of selling her at the Arqana two-year-old sale, to make the most of the investment, and the Linda’s Lad foal is a nice model who is entered in the Goffs UK Doncaster January sale.

I haven’t decided where Roc Royal will go next, although it will probably be to a top-end stallion.

“There are plenty of stallions I could go to in Britain and I’d be happy I’d breed a good racehorse, but it’s getting the balance of what you pay in the stud fee against what would maximise the sale.”

Reflecting on the sales scene, he says: “You breed them, put them up to the market, and then the market tells you if it likes what you’ve made.

You read about the top lots, where the appetite for good National Hunt foals is phenomenal, but over the spread, if you don’t have one of those that the top end latches on to, it’s still bread-and-butter, earn-a-living kind of stuff.

“At the moment I seem to be breeding better racehorses than sales horses, but the allure of breeding something that will actually run is very difficult to kick.”

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4 million reasons not to miss out!

Register your GBB-qualified two-year-old by February 28th GBB wasn’t an overnight success; it took eight years in the planning and is one of the TBA’s most ambitious plans to support the Thoroughbred breeding industry.

And it’s working. It’s a fantastic scheme for the industry. It’s a triumph for everyone – breeders, owners, trainers, stable staff, the whole industry.

Over the past 18 months, we’ve been telling anybody who’ll listen what a gamechanger GBB has proved to be for owners of British-bred fillies and mares, and the vendors of GBB-registered fillies at the sales.

So far, we’ve paid out £4 million in bonuses to both Flat and Jumps winners, and we’ve got ambitions and aspirations for next year beyond that. Just watch us go!

We are one of 188 owners to have benefited from GBB so far. GOLDEN MAYFLOWER’s £3,800 prize fund was boosted by a £20,000 bonus.

With 65% of that going to the owners, it is a massive deal and that’s suddenly covered her 14,000gn price tag.

Really exciting and in no small part down to GBB.

The chance to win £20,000 in one go is not to be sniffed at, and this is something that the Great British Bonus has provided for GB fillies. It’s making a big difference to owners on the racecourse and is proving to be a big stimulus for breeders selling their GB fillies at the sales.

For smaller ownerbreeders, the chance to retain a filly and race it in training has now become realistic rather than a hard thing to justify financially. The opportunity to pay for a year’s training fees in one go is a massive positive.

Philip Newton, GBB management group

Minty Farquhar, owner of GOLDEN MAYFLOWER

Sam Hoskins, Hot to Trot racing

Coming to a racecourse near you, more than 500 races for 3yo GBB fillies, as well as all the 2yo races In 2022, for the first time, GBB will include 3yo+ races for the 2019 foal crop onwards. This means there will be 500+ opportunities for 3yos, bringing the total number of eligible GBB races to more than 3,000.

For more information on eligibility, visit greatbritishbonus.co.uk

Information correct at time of going to press

Vet Forum: The Expert View

Dynamic endoscopy in the diagnosis of wind conditions

Figure 1 A horse exercising with a dynamic endoscope fitted

R

espiratory function in the racehorse is one of the key limiting factors to performance.

With the average racehorse exchanging approximately 2,000 litres of air per minute during fast exercise, any obstruction to airflow can have a disproportionately significant impact on airway resistance and the effort of breathing.

Veterinary articles in previous editions of this magazine have discussed endoscopic examination of the upper respiratory tract at rest. Whilst this is a useful initial diagnostic tool, a lack of correlation between the resting endoscopic picture and the actual functional abnormalities can lead to a number of airway pathologies being missed and possible inappropriate treatment applied. Because of the dynamic nature of many upper airway conditions, the use of dynamic or overground endoscopy has become integral to their evaluation. This

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provides the most useful diagnostic and prognostic tool for the understanding and management of the horse’s upper airway.

Dynamic endoscopy has revolutionised the investigation of upper airway dynamics. It is now regularly used in the racing thoroughbred to investigate both poor performance issues and abnormal respiratory noises that have been heard by either the trainer or the jockey. The endoscope is fitted to the horse to visualise its larynx during the exercise phase (Figure 1). The horse is then exercised under strenuous conditions and the information is fed back to a handheld computer. This allows for direct visualisation of the horse’s upper airway as it is exercising.

The data is stored and can be reviewed post-exercise, ensuring even subtle abnormalities are identified when the video is replayed in slow motion.

An ECG recorder can also be fitted to monitor heart rate and rhythm during

exercise in those horses being examined for poor performance. GPS data will allow for speed and distance analysis.

When considering airway dynamics it must be remembered that the horse is an obligate nasal breather. In the resting horse the larynx and the soft palate

Figure 2 Endoscopic view of a normal upper airway in the resting horse

By Stuart Williamson BVSC MRCVS

Figure 3a A normal larynx at exercise with both left and right arytenoid cartilages (arrows) fully open

Figure 3b A larynx exhibiting left recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. Note the left arytenoid cartilage (arrow) partially occluding the airway

work in unison to control breathing and swallowing, with correct function of the arytenoid cartilages and epiglottis of the larynx preventing food and water being inhaled. During the swallowing phase the soft palate will displace above the epiglottis to allow food to enter the oesophagus from the mouth. During strenuous exercise, when the horse needs to ensure maximum airflow, the arytenoid cartilages open fully. The soft palate remains under the epiglottis so that the air is directed through the larynx into the lower airway.

fully open at exercise thus permitting the through flow of air. In cases of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy one of the arytenoid cartilages (most commonly the left) loses varying degrees of its nerve supply, resulting in impaired movement and a variably occluded airway. With the arytenoid not fully abducted, the associated vocal cord may also hang across the airway. During inspiration this weakened arytenoid and the attached vocal cord can be pulled into the centre of the airway by incoming airflow and so cause an obstruction that produces the characteristic whistling noise.

Whilst marked weakness of the arytenoid cartilages can often be visualised upon resting laryngeal endoscopy, borderline cases often necessitate dynamic endoscopy to determine whether the laryngeal weakness observed during resting endoscopy is present at exercise,

Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (‘whistling’ or ‘roaring’) This is an important cause of dynamic respiratory obstruction. A ‘whistle’ or ‘roar’ is often heard when a horse is exercising that first alerts the trainer to a problem. In a horse with normal laryngeal function the arytenoid cartilages of the larynx are maintained

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and to what degree this is occluding the airway. This guides management of the condition and permits more accurate prognostication. There are also some horses that appear to have normal resting function but experience arytenoid collapse during training.

Laryngeal neuropathy tends to be a progressive condition that can lead to complete paralysis of the left side of the larynx.

Mild cases will often be treated with a laser cordectomy or ventriculectomy (hobday) performed in the standing horse under sedation. Laryngeal tie-back surgery remains the most commonly adopted surgical procedure for the treatment of more severely affected horses. It is often allied with removal of the associated vocal cord (a hobday). This surgery aims to fix the left arytenoid cartilage in a semi-open position at all times, thus reducing any obstruction.

It is not without risk of complication; those sometimes noted being postoperative food inhalation and chronic coughing. New interventions and techniques are constantly being sought for this condition and some surgeons are now opting for a nerve graft procedure to restore the nerve supply to the left side of the larynx. This procedure is still in its infancy but has shown some promising results. The main drawback is the extensive period of time required before its effect can be appreciated.

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate When a horse displaces its soft palate, the jockey will often describe a loud ‘gurgling’ or ‘choking’ noise that is often associated with a sudden cessation of

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Figure 4a A normal airway at exercise with the soft palate sitting beneath the epiglottis

Figure 4b This soft palate has displaced above the epiglottis and is causing partial occlusion of the airway

athletic effort during a race or may be noted when pulling up during exercise.

This condition will often be suspected on clinical presentation but cannot be accurately diagnosed without the use of dynamic endoscopy. Interestingly, some cases are silent and those present an additional diagnostic challenge.

The soft palate, in its normal position, will sit beneath the epiglottis and along with the palatopharyngeal arch (a piece of tissue running from the soft palate on either side to sit behind the larynx) will provide an airtight seal around the larynx. When the soft palate displaces it will sit above the epiglottis and causes a significant respiratory obstruction. This condition remains poorly understood. It is often documented in the immature and unfit two-year-old and may improve as the horse ages and becomes fitter. It is also very commonly diagnosed in older horses.

Conservative management involves the use of a tongue-tie with or without a cross noseband, or a spoon-bit.

In those cases that have failed to respond to these initial measures, surgery is often advised. A tie-forward operation will change the position of the larynx, making it more difficult for the soft palate to displace. This is often combined with thermocautery of the soft palate to stiffen the structure and make it less likely to displace. Some cases may show an initial post-surgical improvement in respiratory function, only to suffer a recurrence of the condition. Others prove so intractable that despite all attempts at correction they have to be retired from racing.

Axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds (ADAF)

This condition can only be diagnosed through the use of dynamic endoscopy.

The severity of the respiratory obstruction will vary with the degree of collapse of one or both of the aryepiglottic folds. Whilst an abnormal inspiratory noise is usually heard, this is not necessarily a characteristic whistle. For the more straightforward

Figure 5 A dynamic overground endoscopic view of bilateral (left and right) axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds.

The arrows point to the aryepiglottic folds that are now partially occluding the airway

cases, where ADAF exists in isolation, standing surgery under heavy sedation can be performed. A laser diode is used to trim the affected aryepiglottic folds so that they can no longer prolapse into the airway. ADAF can also be found in association with other upper airway abnormalities, which will alter the prognosis.

Conclusion

Dynamic endoscopy has greatly improved the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of upper airway disease in the racehorse. Used in combination with resting laryngeal endoscopy and audible respiratory sounds, dynamic endoscopy can aid in both training and race management. Not all dynamic endoscopic examinations identify pathology associated with the upper airway and this can give the trainer confidence to continue training the horse in the knowledge that the upper airway is functioning correctly.

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The Finish Line with Andrew Snell As Stud Groom and then Stud Manager, Andrew Snell was a key figure at Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket for 32 years until his retirement in October. A popular sales figure who was honoured with the Stud Staff Award at the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, Snell joined Cheveley Park Stud when the operation was home to 30 mares and was thus part of the team that oversaw its subsequent development into a world leader. It was a tenure that coincided with the era of the stud’s stalwart sire Pivotal, who died in November, while Snell also takes much pride in the number of young people that he has helped train for a career in the industry.

Interview: Nancy Sexton

I

I’m a fly fisherman. One day I happened to go and Chris Richardson came along.

Chris had come back from America and was settling into Cheveley Park Stud. We could tell straight away that we were on the same wavelength and he rang me several days later to ask if I would be interested in going there as stud groom.

I went in the winter of 1989. At the time, they had 30 mares. The best were at Sandwich Stud, whereas Cheveley Park, where I was stud groom, was the main boarding farm. Music Boy was the main stallion at the time.

have been very fortunate. I’ve worked with some great people and some wonderful horses. I was brought up in the middle of Birmingham but my aunt had a small farm near Worcester with Welsh ponies and I would go there in my summer holidays. I loved it and after I did my O-Levels, I went to work in a livery yard. The guy that owned the yard had a couple of old mares and he asked one day if I would be interested in working on a stud farm. He got in touch with Sam Sheppard and Sam arranged for me to have an interview with Michael Bramwell, then a director of the National Stud.

It is Pivotal, though, who stands out – he’s been a massive influence on my career in that he was such a great servant to the stud. The whole industry owes him a massive debt. He could improve a mare.

In those first few years, he was covering at £3,000 and then he started banging out the winners – that’s when we knew he was a serious stallion. Obviously the farm’s policy is to sell the yearling colts but Pivotal was too backward to prep, so he was kept. And then he goes and does all that. Good horses are straightforward and it’s that attitude that he put into his progeny. Ulysses is the same, he’s very straightforward to work with and that’s why I’m hopeful that he will be a good stallion. We need horses like him and it’s good to see him do well so far.

GEORGE SELWYN

I ended up doing ten years at the National Stud. Mill Reef was there at the time. The first stallion I ever had anything to do with was Arc winner Star Appeal and I used to exercise Grundy as well.

Grundy was a bit of a handful, he was quite a character and taught me a lot.

Pivotal: ‘the industry owes a massive debt’ to the Cheveley Park Stud stallion

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Queen’s Trust winning the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf was phenomenal. It was great for Sir Michael Stoute and my wife Steph, who worked for him, was at Santa Anita too. But for me, the horses that stand out are those who have come good when we know they’ve had issues – they might only win a little race but it’s like their Group win.

A big part of my job has been helping to train people. Sam Sheppard helped me, I’ve never forgotten that, and I’ve

always tried to help other people. I’ve had a lot of people through my hands, some trainers likes Hugo Palmer and Ed Dunlop, and then lots of stud managers and stud owners. It’s lovely to see them go on and forge careers in the industry.

I’ve worked with some outstanding vets.

Don Simpson was a wonderful vet at the National Stud. The late Peter Rossdale gave me a thirst for knowledge and when he retired, Andrew McGladdery took over and he was fantastic. Dermot Barry and his team were the farriers at Cheveley Park Stud. Those vets and farriers made my job easy. It is a massive team effort.

The advances in veterinary medicine have been amazing. I remember Star Appeal covering 55 mares one year and everyone was up in arms. So the increase in book sizes have been a big change.

It’s been a privilege to look after the Thompson horses. Mr Thompson was an amazing man. I had cancer when I was 32 and the first thing he said to me was ‘we’ll send you anywhere in the world for what you need’. They stuck by me and I’ve tried to repay that loyalty. They allowed me to work as much or as little as I wanted. Being with the horses made such a difference – they’re good for the soul. They kept me going. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you’ve had, you go for a walk through the paddocks, seeing a mare or foal lifts the spirits.

I’ve done my job for 40 years and it was time for me to retire. I lost a good friend last Christmas and it made us sit back and think. After the cancer, I always thought that I wouldn’t work until full retirement age as I’d been given a second chance. We’re now in the south of France and I’m learning a new language. We’ll go racing at CagnesSur-Mer – and if someone needs a horse looking at, I’m here!

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Stud fee: £20,000 Oct 1st SLF

Outstanding first book of mares covered in 2021 Breeders who supported him include: The Aga Khan Studs Ballylinch Stud Bearstone Stud Chasemore Farm Coolmore Ecurie Des Monceaux Juddmonte Meon Valley Stud Mickley Stud New England Stud Newsells Park Stud Plantation Stud Watership Down Stud and Whitsbury Manor Stud.

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WORLD CHAMPION HARRY ANGEL

By far the best colt from the stallion-making Acclamation line of Dark Angel and Mehmas.

First yearlings have made £220,000, 150,000gns, 130,000gns, 125,000gns.

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Breeding the future £12,500 Oct 1, SLF Dalham Hall Stud, UK