Sunny Donny!
Doncaster certainly lived up to its nickname, 'Sunny Donny' last week - beautiful weather for all four dayts of the Goffs UK Spring Sale which I'm sure helped to create a great atmosphere among the huge crowd and drive a very strong trade.
The Spring Sale is always one of my favourite four days of the year, the biggest National Hunt Sale in the UK, it has a bit of an 'end of term' feel to it, and plenty of the NH fraternity arrive in town and let their hair down a bit. Always good to catch up with folks you have not seen for a while, and swap a few stories over a meal and a few (sometimes a few too many) drinks! We travelled up on Sunday afternoon, and were greeted by some very red faces when we nipped into the sales bar for a couple of pints - the sun had been out for both of the preview days when the 3 yr old stores were shown by vendors and insepcted by potential purchasers. The first real sunshine of the spring had left plenty of folks red faced! Sunday night was actually quite quiet, with lots of places shut as it was a Sunday - it was just a case of a quick tea in Whitbys Fish & Chip Restaurant just over the road from the sales, a couple of pints back at The Earl Of Doncaster where I was staying and then an early night. I did watch the final few holes of the PGA Championship in America, what a story there - Californian club pro, Michael Block playing the final round with Rory McIlroy, finishing 15th in the tournament, and making a 'no bounce' hole in one at the 15th in the process. One of the things I love about National Hunt racing is that it is possible to compete at the very top level with the most famous names in the sport, day in day out - it can be done with a smaller budget, and means that there are so many stories where the underdog has prevailed and David has defeated Goliath - you don't get that chance in many sports, and to see Michael Block play the way he did last Sunday was a joy to watch! He seemed like such a nice guy as well!
Monday and the sale kicked off - the first two days made up of National Hunt Stores - day three mainly Point to Pointers from the UK and Ireland, and the final day made up from horses in training. We had put together a list of horses for a client, and he managed to snaffle himself a great bit of value on day 1, a lovely athletic filly, that is now with Jason Maguire being broken in. We wish him the best of luck with her. A warm day, and a warm trade - a record price for a 3 yr old store filly, when Goldford Stud sold their Blue Bresil filly for £210,000 - a fantastic result for Sally Aston after the sad loss of her husband Richard just a few weeks ago after a short illness. With the sun out, and an early finish, it was a good atmosphere in the bar in the late afternoon, which carried on into the evening. We ate at La Boca, a great Argentinian Steak House in town, who really do look after you. Excellent food and some great craic! Back to The Hilton where the annual TBA National Hunt Awards were being held - as the great and the good of that world made their way back to the bar, there was plenty of fun, and the rest of the night just flew by, until I found myself at 2.30am, as just one of six left in the bar, and the bar of the wrong hotel to boot! Luckily it is not too far to walk back to The Earl, but they did have to let me in the front door! I slept well. I did get more sleep than some, the Wexford crowd in great form, Karaoke not a string suit though I'm told! God only knows what one point to point trainer from Wexford sounds like on the mic - even men from his own county can't understand him when he's sober!!
We also got some fantastic news on Monday, that Savingforvegas had scanned in foal to Golden Horn again. She is just the most fantastic mare - she produces nothing but bay colts, and conceives first time every time! George - her latest, by Golden Horn is an absolute belter, and I hope this next one is equally as nice! This time I would really like her to produce a filly - as she would qualify for 100% of the Great British Bonus Scheme money, and would also be a able to carry on the family going forward. Let's face it after 6 bay colts, we are due a filly aren't we??
While on the subject of the 'sons of Vegas', on Monday Old Blue Eyes, her 3 yr old Blue Bresil gelding, finished his 6 weeks at Ivy Lodge Farm and retruned to The Elms for a short break. Barry - his full brother made the retrun trip to be broken in with Jason Maguire. He is the most gorgeous horse, he is a fine looking lad, with a great temperament. Jason has already got to work with him, and he is very taken with him - when one of his owners popped in to see him yesterday - he was even allowed to stand on the grass - no one gets to go on the grass!! He will spend 6 weeks there and then head back to The Elms until next spring. Old Blue Eyes will return to Jason after a 6 week rest at the stud, when he will be prepared to go into training. Jason and I have decided where each of this years 'draft' will be trained - Old Blue Eyes will be trained by Donald McCain - he has done so well with Dino Bellagio so gets to train his half brother. The Mahler filly will head into training with Fergal O'Brien at Ravenswell Farm, we think she will be very much suited by the set up there, and Ferg is looking forward to training her.The third one is the Jukebox Jury filly out of La Pelodette, and for her we have added another new trainer to the roster - Jason and I put a lot of thought into which yards will suit which horses, and we both agreed that Alan King would be the man to train her. Great to have Alan train for us - he is a master of his craft - and great fun to boot. We are very much looking forward to having a horse in training with Alan, and will be popping down to see him in the next couple of weeks - especially as he has promised me a 'good lunch'! Details of the shares in all three of these horses will appear on the For Sale Page in the next few days, and they will also be emailed out to those on the mailing list - Old Blue Eyes will be offered in 10% shares, the Jukebox Jury filly will be divided into 12 shares - and the Mahler filly going to Fergal will be offered in 25 shares - with a free lease - no up front capital cost, and just £30/week all inclusive training/keep fee - let me know if you would like to receive full details this week - nickbrownracing@gmail.com or 07909 518902.
Barry on the lunge - first day at school
Day 3 - long reining! He has such a good attitude!
Barry - If you are allowed on the grass - you must be special!
Barry took a shine to Craigs 'Rolex'
Tuesday arrived all too soon, another warm and sunny day, and quite the hangover to go with it - and not just me! Another strong day of trade, and a busy day on the 'horsebox front' as well. It was lovely to catch up with some old friends who I have not chatted to in a good while - big changes for them, a very exciting time ahead for sure! We wish them luck with their new venture! As we were parked so close to the bar, and it was a warm week, it was inevitable that we kept ourselves well hydrated, but we left early on Tuesday, as we had kindly been asked out to dinner by Fergal O'Brien and his other half Sally Randall - and they don't do late nights. Ferg and Sal were staying out towards Bawtry at the Mount Pleasant Hotel, and they kindly came back into town to collect us and take us back into Bawtry to the China Rose Restaurant. This place is renowned as one of the best Chinese Restaurants in the country, and it didn't disappoint! Superb food, and a really fun night. Ferg dropping us back to The Earl, we had time for a quick one in the bar - which resulted in us staying in there for some time! Huge thanks to Sal and Ferg - it was a great night!
Wednesday, and it was the turn of the Point To Pointers to go through the ring. Steady enough early doors, but when the better lots came through later in the day, the trade took off, and there were some real fireworks! There is an unbelievable thirst for nice horses! The first two days had been nice and leisurely with the sale concluding at around 4pm, Wednesday was a little different, it started an hour earlier, and concluded at around 8.30pm. No trip to Doncaster is complete without a night in Vivos Italian Restaurant, but sadly this one was. We hadn't booked - Silv can usually squeeze us in - but what I didn't know was that since we were last in there, he had left - so no table to be had there, instead a walk into town and a table in the Lalezar BBQ & Meze Bar and Restaurant. It is somewhere I have long fancied trying, and this was my chance - it didn't let me down, great food, helpful staff and good value - worth a visit for sure. Wednesday night ended with a few beers back at the bar at The Earl - some great gossip, and just as we were about to call it a night - it was good to see four hardy souls head into a taxi and a bit of a boogie down at Biscuit Billys in town! Three of them should have known better - especially one - who had started on the beer at 1.00pm, and 11 hours later hadn't found a shower or a change of clothes! He wasn't in great order when I saw him on Thursday!
Some spread for main course at the Turkish!
The last day of the sale - and another warm and sunny day. No hydration though - as a drive back home in the afternoon - Cheryl's Birthday - and a table booked at the Radhuni Indian Restaurant on Bedfords Embankment. One of our favourites - and a lovely evening spent with friends. A super meal as always, but the restaurant a little quieter than usual. A lovely way to round off a fantastic week
Friday was spent in the office, slowly catching up with admin. It had been a long week - I seem to have kept myself very well hydrated, and eaten cuisine from every continent - but it had been great fun, and another legendary Spring Sale in Donny!
At The Elms, Volkovka has been on box rest for a week or so after she went lame in the field shortly after she was turned out for her summer holiday - after a lot of work by the vet and the farrier - the reason became apparent on Friday, when an abcess burst out, at least the reason has now made itself known, she will be treated, and be back out with her pals in no time. Greyval, Tintagel Queen, Auditoria and Fortune Forever, are looking great and in good order.
On Saturday we broke new ground - our first 2 yr old declared in Windsor on Monday - Reflexion Faite will make her racecourse debut in the 6f novice stakes on the card. She is a filly that goes nicely at home, but, although she has a terrific temperament, she is very likely to need her first run in public, and she will learn an awful lot from the experience. Kevin does like her and reports that she is very much capable of winning a maiden this summer, but to do it first time out, against the colts, in what looks like a warm race may be asking a bit much of her. Hopefully she gets a good clean passage and enjoys herself! There looks like being a big crowd of her owners there, it would be handy if the owners liason at Windsor would be good enlough to get back to me and confirm if our request can be met so that I can let her owners know! It is hard enough to organise badges - sometimes the job is made just that little bit more difficult! Talking of which - Jockey Club Racecourses are just the worst! I will be having a few long chats with them about their badge allocations in the near future - as they have been wholly unhelpful over the course of the last couple of weeks, which will have a direct bearing on our syndicate structures in the future - we had some ground breaking plans, which may be scuppered by their attitude and synicism! You may hear more about this on a slightly more public forum - as I am very very angry about it!
Around the rest of the team - Mamoon Star has an entry in Market Rasen on Thursday evening. He has developed a habit of going right handed, and has had a boat load of tests done on him. Certain changes have been made, and we hope that a return to good ground will also help him. Dino Bellagio is summering well with Dave Sherlock at Birch Farm Stud - he looks great! Cloud Dancer, Hidden Beauty and Intrepide Sud are all out with Jason Maguire, and Itchy Feet stays at Warren Chase with Olly Murphy. Blue Bikini is still on box rest, but is improving all the time and will soon be back at The Elms.
Dino Bellagio enjoying his summer holidays in Cheshire!
As I type, Jason has just sent through videos of the Mahler and Jukebox Jury Fillies swinging along on Tom Georges woodchip gallop. He is thrilled with both of them. They both go really well, and he says we have defintely got them going to the right yards! They will be lose schooled and popped over poles and hurdles next week, do one more piece at Tom Georges and then head back to The Elms for a break before heading into training. Jason is a very good judge, and if he says they are two very nice fillies - you can be sure that is what they are - he has never got one of ours wrong yet!
Mahler near side of the Jukebox Jury
Jukebox Jury heads into training with Alan King - 1/12 shares available
Mahler filly goes to Fergal O'Brien - no capital cost - £30/wk all inc training/keep fees. Just 25 shares available!
Next week - we head to Windsor tomorrow - which will be fun! Tuesday we are getting together with a few owners at The Elms to look at some horses, and I will be heading north to Cheshire to see our yearling filly up there and to go through some more details of our newest venture which will launch in the autumn,
Until next week - enjoy the weather!
