'Break Glass....'
A quieter week – with no racecourse action until the weekend, but as always there was plenty going on, and this weeks news will also feature ‘Part Deux’ of the ‘Debbie Chronicles’ where she will take you thorough the second day of her trip to Ireland for the Irish Stallion Trail last month.
Monday morning – I had intended to be in to see Olly Murphy for first lot, but plans changed and instead I was able to watch a recording of The Super Bowl first thing, before I set off to Olly’s for a meeting there at 10.30am.
While watching the game, Donald rang to say that Dino Bellagio had ‘worked the house down’ on Saturday, and as a result he thought it was worth giving him an entry in Musselburgh next Sunday. We have had a plan in mind for Dino for a few weeks which was to bring him down to Huntingdon for a handicap hurdle on Thursday 20th, but it was worth popping him in at Musselburgh to have a look at how the race shaped up in terms of opposition. Regular readers will know that it is no secret how well Dino works at home, there is simply no horse that can work with him – but since switching to hurdles he has shown nothing like the form he showed in bumpers during his first season. He did suffer an injury, which we all felt was holding him back – and that he just needed to regain his confidence and when it clicked all would be well. Thus far it hasn’t happened and watching him work better than 140+ rated horses every day, making them look like selling platers, and also seeing him school – standing off from outside the wings and really attacking and enjoying himself, it has led us to the conclusion that we need to encourage him to show this form on the racecourse. When he does run again, he will be dropped in trip on a flat, quick track, and have a change of headgear. It has become clear that Dino is only doing what Dino wants to do, and now we have to be pro active and encourage him to do what WE want him to do! He shows so much speed at home that I have said that if he hasn’t turned a corner over hurdles this spring – we will switch him to a flat campaign for the summer! The form of his bumper runs, and the quality of his homework would suggest that he could well have a fair bit of success in that sphere and that he could be a really fun horse to have run through the summer! As it will be a change of career, we will have a rejig of his syndicate should that happen and there will be shares available to lease in him!
Another one to get an entry on Monday morning was Greyval – who was entered in a handicap hurdle in Ascot on Saturday. We wanted to give her a try over 3 miles, and with very few options against the mares at this stage of the season, and with the ground forecast to dry back during the week, this would be our only option over the trip on ground she should enjoy – she would have to take on the geldings. She is yet to win a handicap but has run well over intermediate trips the last twice, looking like a step up to 3m would suit her well.
With the Super Bowl watched, and the entries sorted I set off to Warren Chase. Good to see Olly, and nice to run into Robbie Power and Niamh Spiller from Tattersalls Ireland who were in for a visit. Interesting to chat with them both along with Aiden Murphy about the state of the Bloodstock Industry, and where we see it in the near future. Also interesting to catch up with some personnel movements too.
I got to see Itchy Feet warm up before he headed off for a canter on the new gallop. He looked in great shape, and he will be out again soon, in a Hunters Chase.
After seeing last lot warm up and head out, Olly, Will and I headed off to the local for a bite of lunch and a meeting about syndicates. A good meeting, just an OK lunch if I’m honest – but we discussed plenty of things and it was good to be able to help them with a bit of guidance about how to go about adhering to the new rules and regulations. In addition to helping out with the nuts and bolts of syndication, Olly and Will also talked me through their plans for another one of their ‘Summer Syndicates’ for 2025. They did this last year, and it turned out to be lots of fun for members, with the added bonus of a pay day at the end. They are keen to do the same this year – purchase three horses that Olly thinks will be well suited to a summer campaign and who he thinks he can improve significantly. Syndicate members will own shares in all three horses, which will run throughout the summer, and be sold in November. Syndicate members will receive 100% of their share of any prizemoney and bonuses that the horses win between April and November and will also receive their share of any resale value at the end of the term. Last year, members came out with a small profit and enjoyed some fantastic days/evenings at the races! Olly has asked me to get involved with this years round of syndication and help with the management of the enterprise – please let me know if this is something that you are interested in – many of the 2024 members will be going again – and the aim is to grow the idea and add more members to the syndicate for 2025 and add to the number of horses.
On Monday night, I felt it was the right time to release the details of our latest syndicate to the general public via social media. Our 3 yr old filly, by Masterstroke – a half sister to Hidden Beauty, has been very popular with existing members across all of the NBR syndicates, with over 50% of the shares reserved before last Monday. After posting on X and Facebook I was busy sending out the full details to more interested parties, and we are now at a stage where we have only one share still available for lease – and a handful available to purchase! I have reserved the name ‘Red Bikini’ for her, which we are sure to have lots of fun with going forward, and a single social media post has already started the quips and jokes going again – including from a former jockey who we met as we walked out of Ascot yesterday! It is amazing how many see those posts! Let me know if you would like to reserve one of the remaining shares - her full details are on the For Sale Page – but in short, a leased share means no capital outlay, and you will not receive your share of the GBB bonuses she is 100% qualified to receive – you will receive all other benefits of ownership including 100% of your share of the owners prizemoney and an Owners badge every time she runs. Those purchasing a share (£500) will receive all benefits including a 4% share of all the owners share of GBB bonuses won (£10,000 bumper. £20,000 hurdle and £30,000 chase).
We have five 3 year olds joining the team this summer, all of whom we think will be suited to 3 yr old bumpers and hurdles – there are only a couple of shares available in three of them – and one will not be joining the team until the autumn. Details of two are on the For Sale Page now, and we will be releasing details of a handful of remaining shares in a third horse in around a month.
Tuesday is handicap rating day – Rockola no change – not dropped for a sub par run in Huntingdon the week before – a bit harsh. Ridin Solo, no change (105) after winning in Sedgefield. There was not a case to be made for putting him up – but that has never stopped the handicapper in the past – so to win a race and stay on the same mark means a job well done! Intrepide Sud down 2 (112) after pulling up in Taunton. It has been tricky to keep him healthy this winter, and a change of weather which will bring with it a change of going will help him immensely – he will switch to fences next month and talking to Fergal yesterday he is very confident that we will see a different horse when he does.
Alan King sent through a clip of Nevada Samba moving beautifully up his Sharperidge gallop. NS arrived at Barbury Castle the previous Thursday and had spent a few days trotting around the estate to acclimatise himself with his new surroundings. This was his first taste of the Sharperidge Hill, and as you can see, he came up it effortlessly!
Huge congratulations were in order when Olly Murphy trained his 100th winner of the season when Pleasington won in Lingfield on Tuesday afternoon! The team are having a stellar season – ploughing along at a staggering 23% strike rate of winners to runners – it is a yard very much on the up, with a very ambitious young man at the helm!
Wednesday – Greyval got a back up entry in Market Rasen – a 2m4f handicap hurdle against mares – the plan to try 3 miles in Ascot on Saturday, this a back up.
Alan King sent through a video of And She Was working, and lovely piece of work it was too! He is very happy with her. She will head to Wincanton on the 26th for a bumper restricted to 4 yr old fillies.
It was good to chat with Alan – he reported that Rockola had come out of her race fine – we both felt that she over raced slightly on tacky ground and that she would be better on some spring turf. He is delighted with Nevada Samba – who has settled in well – he will take each day as it comes with him – he would like to give him a sighter of a racecourse this spring – and will attempt to give him a run in a bumper – but if NS isn’t physically or mentally able to do so, we will be patient, give him a summer at grass and plan an autumn debut for him. A lot to look forward to!
Thursday – Greyval declared in Ascot on Saturday – 17 runners – against geldings – her toughest task for a while – but worth giving the 3m a try on what they say will nearly be Good ground by raceday.
Some less good news out of Ravenswell was the fact that Chevelle would need another bit of work done on her wind before she gets back to the track. Her breathing has deteriorated since her initial procedure, and she will need a bit more work done. As she looks suited to nicer ground, this will not hold her up for too long and she will be aimed at a spring/summer campaign.
Friday a chat with Donald McCain early doors – Dino would not be declared in Musselburgh on Sunday – he will head to Huntingdon on Thursday, a chance for his southern based syndicate members to see him. We believe the track will suit, and as we have said on countless occasions, he is more than capable of hacking up in a 0-100 handicap if he puts his best foot forward – hopefully the new headgear and tactics will work the oracle! Having discussed Dino, we chatted about the other two we have in Bankhouse – Ridin Solo could have an entry in Bangor On Dee on the 26th of the month. The ground was very testing there the last day, and Donald felt that there could be a need for plenty of stamina there – I am keener to step him up in trip over hurdles, so we will see what the ground is like nearer the time and make a decision. Old Blue Eyes is one that is waiting for better ground and is in great order at home – he will be out again next month on some nice spring ground – we can make a plan with him after that.
Saturday – Alan called after first lot to say how happy he was with And She Was – who had just done a lovely piece of work. This had been the ‘stiffest question’ he had asked of her thus far, and she had come through it very well, working very nicely in behind her workmates. She is very much on course for the 26th. Rockola will head over the hill to Jamie Magee’s for a couple of weeks for a short break. She will get some sessions on the water treadmill, and feel like she has had a nice ‘spa break’ – what girl doesn’t like a spa break? She will return to the track next month on some nice spring ground! The team at Barbury Castle were absolutely flying before Christmas but have seen a slump in form for the last few weeks – something that Alan puts down to the flu jab they all have to have in early January. The horses are not ‘sick’ as such – they are scoping clean – they simply have runny noses and sore throats – a bit of a head cold! He believes they have turned the corner now, and he was pleased to get a welcome winner on Thursday in Sandown.
To Ascot – Greyval looked fantastic as ever. The plan was to line up wide and then slot in around Swinley Bottom and get a nice position. Not for the first time, Greyval failed to pick up the bridle early, which left Johnny posted out wide, she jumped really well, and after a mile finally picked up the bridle and began to race properly, sadly by this time, the chance for Johnny to get where he wanted to be had long gone. As they turned for home it looked like she was in with a chance, but she just got in tight to 2 out and clipped the top, halting a bit of momentum – it was tough for her to pick up again, and the front 4 had gone on. She stayed on to clinch 5th in the end. A creditable run, but once again it raised the question of why a mare that is so quick at home, makes life so hard for herself in a race. I caught up with Johnny in the car park on the way out, and we chatted through a few things and have come up with an idea or two. Greyval will be out again once more, before heading to Cheltenham in April. Good to have a plan in place, and we think we have some ideas that enable Johnny to ride the race that he wants to ride on her not the race that she lets him ride on her.
Greyval came home, ate up and trotted up sound on Sunday morning.
Of the others, Tintagel Queen is still with Olly Murphy – we are just getting a show video and pictures done of her to send out to interested parties. Hopefully by this time next week we will have found a nice home for her at stud. Cloud Dancer is very well, and with Plumpton rescheduling the Sussex Stayers Hurdle for a week tomorrow, he could get an entry there.
With it being a quiet week – before she jetted off to the Middle East last week, Debbie was kind enough to send through ‘Part Deux’ of her visit to Ireland last month – thinking that this weeks News may need a little ‘padding’ she sent through the following piece, with the instruction to ‘Break Glass In Case Of Emergency’ and although I don’t think we ended up in an ‘emergency’ situation – I think that you will find the following an informative and enjoyable addition to this weeks news – it is also an indication of how a ‘proper’ writer does it!! Please don’t compare!!
Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Irish Stallion Trail 2025 – pt 2
Day two and after a mini Irish Breakfast (same as English but with white pudding) at
Abbeyleix it was off to the only one of the Coolmore farms that was open, Grange
Stud. The snow was still hanging around but the roads were good and we arrived
bang on opening time of ten.
Sadly we had no room for the freshly toasted sandwiches, so it was out to the yard to
see Vadamos. A Group 1 winning miler he had started off at Tally-Ho, switching to
Coolmore National Hunt division in 2021. His first Coolmore NH crop will be three-
year-olds this year, but he’s already got Matata, who’s spent a lot of time in front of
my lens, both in the sale ring and on the racecourse. St Leger and Irish Derby winner
Hurricane Lane has had his fee clipped slightly for his second season, he’s let down
well and I’ll be looking forward to seeing his first foals arrive this spring.
As on Friday, the old boys here were in great condition, Walk In The Park is 23 and
needs little introduction as a champion NH sire. The rapport between him and his
handler was a joy to watch, they clearly knew each other inside out. What also struck
me as I was editing pictures afterwards was how straight he walked - I must have
taken hundreds of sales pics and videos of horses walking towards me and for him
to stand out immediately was impressive – particularly for a pensioner! Getaway was
in similarly good nick at 22 and also well handled, all the stallions at Grange were
very relaxed and completely at ease with being shown.
There was no time to linger as next on the list was Glenview Stud, home to two
stallions I (and my enthusiastic driver Ally Stares) particularly wanted to see in Blue
Bresil and Jeu St Eloi. Blue Bresil is the sire of Constitution Hill, but more importantly
for this newsletter, also the sire of Old Blue Eyes and Nevada Samba (Barry). Blue
Bresil has a great walk and was such an old pro for the enthusiastic crowd. Like all of
the stallions we saw there, he earned top marks for the condition of his coat and was
in great order for a 20-year-old. Ally had a quick chat with Rachel Robinson who
handles the nominations there, and she confirmed that they use the Equilume
system on the stallions. Equilume has been around for a few years now and uses
blue and red light technology to replicate the benefits of daylight, either with an eye
mask (that fits over the headcollar) or with a light in the stable. Until then I’d only
seen it used on broodmares to help regulate their hormones to cycle earlier in the
season, or in racing yards to aid immunity and performance - it certainly hasn’t done
the stallions any harm either!
Nick tells me he's not seen Jeu St Eloi in the flesh, but he’d heard he was a looker,
and as the sire of Molly Childers colt who topped the opening day of the Tattersalls
November NH Sale, I was keen to confirm this! What can I say, wow, yes, he’s every
bit as impressive as his photo… But, I can also see why he got passed over as a
suitable mate for Savingforvegas! As someone who grew up working on
thoroughbred studs with stallions, I must admit I do like to see them show off a bit
and Jeu St Eloi put up an enthusiastic performance! It certainly wouldn’t put me off
using him, but maybe on a mare not prone to throwing quirky types…
In a very similar visual mould was Eagles By Day, who neither Ally or I had really
heard of. A cracking looking son of Sea The Stars, he’d been a Cup horse chasing
the likes of Stradivarius around, though didn’t get his head in front too often.
Discussing him afterwards with Nick, he looked up his form an noted he’d been tried
in a tongue tie. Now that’s not always an indication of poor breathing, but it would
make me think twice in the first instance, with runners yet to hit the track. His first
crop will have turned two last month, so the jury will have to wait a little longer. They
also stand the ex-Godolphin Dubawi son, Old Persian, who first crop are the same
age. Well-travelled, which is always a good indicator to temperament, he'd won
Group 1’s in Dubai and Canada, as well as Group 2’s at Ascot and York.
Owing to the closure of the main Coolmore Stud at Fethard and of Castlehyde in
Fermoy, we’d hastily rejigged our route plan to include Foxwood Stud. They’d
recently taken delivery of Telescope (I know Nick’s not a fan!), but he was on Ally’s
wish list. I was also interested to see the German bred Night Wish, who is a
Sholokov brother to a horse that had been at Sir Mark Prescott’s when I was his
secretary. They also stand Racinger and Saintgodrel, interesting as he’d raced over
fences, ending his career with a fall in which he broke his withers. However for me
the highlight of this visit was to see two mares they have boarding there. Asian Maze
was a winner of four Grade 1’s in the noughties, besting none other than Hardy
Eustace by 17 lengths in the Aintree Hurdle, having made all. Currently running for
his 26-year-old dam is Dan Skelton’s useful novice Asta La Pasta. In the same barn
with her was the 22-year-old Labarynth, not so blessed with ability on the track as
her barnmate, she’s better known as the dam of Shiskin!
After the resident cat had been removed from sunning itself on a fellow visitor’s
bonnet, “he’s always sat on the vet’s car...” explained stud owner Donal White with
an eye roll, we were back on the road to Knockhouse Stud. Situated up a steep hill in
Kilmacow (a name that produced much giggling in the car, only upstaged by
Twomileborris!), this was at the top of Ally’s bucket list. Ally works in equine
insurance and has handled claims for some very big names indeed, however she is
also in the very rare position of having a 100% strike rate with her own breeding, with
her one foal to run winning first time out on its sole start in her colours. That was a
few years ago now and her racing interests are confined to several horses in various
syndicates including Ridin Solo.
So though it was good to view Amhran Na Bhfiann, Kap Rock, Libertarian,
Tirwanako and Waldkonig, we were really only there to see one horse, Derby winner
Workforce. Ally had been in Paris to see him win the 2010 Arc and it was quite
obviously an emotional highlight for her to meet her hero in person, still fit and well at
the age of 18.
We then sped (relatively speaking, those lanes are narrow!), to Ballylinch Stud,
home to flat stallions Lope De Vega and his son Look De Vega, along with Bayside
Boy, Make Believe and New Bay. Having already eyed up the steak on the hotel
menu the night before, we passed on the incredible buffet Ballylinch had laid on, but
if you happen to go, I’d factor that in! Also for future reference, Ballylinch was the
only stud we went to that showed on the hour, whilst everyone else just wheeled out
their lads out as and when people arrived. This meant that by the time we’d viewed,
we really had to kick on to get to Capital Stud, as they shut at 4pm.
Another warm welcome there with lots of homemade snacks, though note you have
to drive through the showing area to get to the car park! Here we rounded off our trip
with Alkumait, Castle Star, Hunting Horn and Mirage Dancer, though our main
interest lay with the Japanese bred Martinborough, sire of recent Irish Arkle Novices
Chase winner Majborough. New to Capital this season, he’s a good-looking son of
Deep Impact and I’m sure based on Majborough’s performance, he’s going to have a
busy year!
Also on their roster was another repatriated Derby winner in Authorized, his greatest
hits included two (or really three) Grand National winners in Tiger Roll and I Am
Maximus. He also looked well for his 21 years and though thoroughly relaxed, I
couldn’t help thinking of one of my old bosses comments about Montjeu offspring –
“it’s only when you train one yourself that you realised what a good trainer John
Hammond was!”
So there you go, two days on the road, 10 studs, 53 stallions, two steaks and an
awful lot of bacon! The Irish Stallion Trail really is open to anyone, not just the media,
or owners with mares to plan for, and I wholeheartedly encourage anyone thinking of
enlivening a dull new year with a visit. Yes, the weather is likely to be challenging,
but I cannot fault the hospitality, or the time these people were prepared to give you
to show off their horses and share an informative chat. In fact, the hardest thing to do
is to leave one stud in order to get to another. We’ll definitely be back!
For those interested in seeing all the pictures check out the Stud page on my photo
website or click on this link:
https://equinecreativemedia.smugmug.com/STUDS/Irish-Stallion-Trail-2025
Walk In The Park
Blue Bresil
Jeu St Eloi
Labarynth (Dam of Shishkin) and Asian Maze
Ally and Workforce
Martinborough
Authorized
This morning, we woke up to the very sad news that Irish Jockey Michael O’Sullivan had not recovered from the injuries he sustained in a bad fall in Thurles earlier in the month and had passed away. Terrible news. I didn’t know Micheal – but had admired him in the saddle ever since his double at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival – he was a gifted rider. Our thoughts and condolences got to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.
