Join In With Jason
Summer continues – my farming friends have finished the cereal harvest – most with barns that are less full than in ‘normal years’. Having been a part of that industry for the large part of my life I feel for them. At the start of the summer, it looked like this was going to be a harvest that clawed back a few losses from last year – instead, this summer of intense heat and prolonged drought meant that what were good crops in the spring, failed to fill grains and died off prematurely, leaving farmers with another below average harvest. Farming is brutal! Make sure you support British farming when you can!
Not sure why the weeks news started with a rallying cry for agriculture – it’s just the way it went!
This week has been a busy one! The words, ‘Year End’ drive fear and dread into any business owner! Imagine having 11 small businesses with ‘Year End’ at the end of July! That is what I was faced with this week – 11 syndicates! Some more straightforward than others, some literally took days to finalise! In the midst of all the number crunching, I have been busy dealing with all the interest in our remaining shares from our Open Day last Sunday – that has kept me on my toes as well!
Monday – the morning after the day before - after a breakfast at the hotel, we headed up the hill to Ivy Lodge Farm to complete the clear up from the previous days Open Day. The guys were already in and dismantling the marquee and Jason and the team were busy with the horses. After a couple of hours, the place was nearly back to normal. Jason, Cheryl, Lauren and I chatted about the Open Day, and how we all felt that it was a fabulous event. As always, when you do something for the first time, you look back and realise there are a few things that you can change to make it better – and we will. What was a fantastic day – it will be even better next year, as we are all very keen to do it again!
We headed home and as I hope you already know – I am nothing if not open and honest – the ‘hard work’ of the previous day had somewhat left its mark – there was not too much done on Monday afternoon I can tell you!
Alan King did send through a clip of John Harison having a jog around the school – he has come out of his race in Newmarket very well, and when the rain arrives, he will be back on turf on slightly easier going. If it doesn’t arrive, he could have a spin on the all-weather.
Tuesday – and having sacrificed Monday on the altar of Hangover, it was time to get motivated – there was plenty to do! First up, Alan King entered I’d Go Maniac in another Amateur Riders handicap in Windsor next Monday. Alan’s daughter Georgia has developed quite a rapport with IGM and gets a very good tune out of him. They were very unlucky the last time they went to Windsor, when they finished second to a ‘handicap blot’ in a big field. IGM seems to like the track, so hopefully there isn’t another ‘good thing’ in opposition!
Jason was once again out early – most trainers and pre trainers have been starting work even earlier for the past few weeks, in order to get the horses out and exercised before the heat builds during the morning.
George out on the roads, building up his base fitness. He will head into training for the first time with Fergal O’Brien in mid August. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with him at the Open Day – he was always a nice horse, but he has matured into something a bit special! The final share was sold in him this week, if I am honest, I could have sold it 3 times – but in the end two couples who already have shares in the same horses with NBR and are from the same part of the country, agreed to split it between them. We wish them all the very best of luck with him!
Cloud Dancer was out beating the roads as well, he and George were paired up in their work during the spring and early summer. A match that made perfect sense. George was going through the full process of pretraining for the first time, and that can’t be rushed, and Cloud Dancer was returning from an injury, so his pretraining need to be easier and more prolonged than normal. The nice thing was that they did everything together, including their away days at the end of it!
Cloud Dancer is in great form, and now that he has completed his rehab, had a summer break and is back in pre training – it was time to sell the shares that were available in him. There is always a right and wrong way to do things, and when Cloud Dancer suffered his injury, one of his owners who lived overseas got in touch to explain that his circumstances had changed, and that he could no longer continue with the ownership of his share. He had had a couple of shares in different horses with me, and on both occasions had been very honest, made contact and explained his situation. I was more than happy to take on his share. Another man on the other hand went about it another way – he simply stopped paying and wouldn’t answer any of my calls, messages or emails! This is the wrong way! Of course I took on the costs of that share too! Now that Cloud Dancer has come through his rehab well, and is back in pre training it was time to sell those shares. So, I offered them out for the mighty sum of £1! You can’t say we don’t offer value! A 120+ rated hurdler, just 7 years old, that we think (Brain Hughes thinks) will be better again over fences – for just a pound! Unsurprisingly, the shares didn’t last long. Long time NBR member, Tom quick to snap one up, JP returned to an NBR syndicate after not being involved for a few months, and we welcomed a new member – Michael. We wish them, along with the remainder of the syndicate that stayed loyal to Cloud Dancer the very best of luck with him for the upcoming season!
Wednesday - George and Cloud Dancer will head back into training in a few weeks, but two headed back to their trainers on Wednesday. Jimmy Gatz returned to Olly Murphy’s, Warren Chase Stables.
Nevada Samba headed back to Barbury Castle.
Both looked fantastic! Jimmy Gatz has matured nicely from 3 to 4 he is carrying less of the ‘puppy fat’ that he had last year – and I know that Olly was very pleased with his condition when he saw him at the Open Day. Nevada Samba has also matured. After suffering a niggly issue last autumn, he was in training a long time last season before he made his debut, and you could say that he looked a little lean by the time he made it to the track in March. The summer has done him the world of good, and he heads back to Alan King in rude health – with a clear run this time, we will be having an awful lot of fun with him!
While the horses were heading in all directions around the country, I was in the office crunching numbers – never my strong suit – even tougher with the pressure on - in a hot office!
Jason did ease the tension in the afternoon when he sent through a clip of the 3yr old Blue Bresil gelding schooling in the arena. He has not done too much of schooling until this week and as his ‘primary school’ term comes to an end, Jason likes to finish them off with a week of intense schooling before they head off to the field for a bit of a break. He goes well, he concentrates, is careful over them and makes a lovely shape. He has a good technique and the right mentality for jumping.
It was a timely reminder that we believe he is a bright prospect, on the day that the first shares were confirmed as sold! Again, we wish his new owners the very best of luck with him.
Thursday – I was just chained to the office desk once again – I had to get these figures out to everyone. The ‘biggie’ was the Alan King Racing Club. Not a huge syndicate, but there were a number of members who joined during the first year after varying numbers of Club runners – which just made calculations tricky! No matter how many times I did it – I always ended up with a different figure! In the end, when I got them to match three times – I called it quits – they were done! It had taken all day – and I was very ‘number blind’. I know loads of you are reading this and saying ‘Excel Spreadsheet’ – I know!! I just can’t drive Excel!! Maybe it’s time for a tutorial!
Jason again lifted the gloom – a clip of the Blue Bresil 3yr old striding on up the hill for the first time. He did it really well – this was the first time he had been asked out of a canter, and Jason was very happy with him!
While I was tearing my hair out and pounding the calculator – Debbie was on duty at Glorious Goodwood. She was not putting herself through the pain of all 5 days, but did Tuesday through Thursday, and kindly penned this report of her three days on the Downs.
What a day last Sunday at Jason’s was – huge fun for everyone and the horses looked fantastic! Sadly, not much time for me to put my feet up on Monday as there were still photos to edit from racing at Ascot on Saturday as well as Ivy Lodge. No sooner were they finished, than it was packing for Goodwood. Whilst I have done the full five days in the past, I could tell from my recent schedule that Tuesday through to Thursday would be enough for me this year and I have no regrets! Nonetheless the weather was fabulous and so was the racing, it’s a meeting that always feels a bit more relaxed and more like a working holiday – a world away from Royal Ascot. This was a view shared by Choc Thornton who was explaining this to Johnny Burke on Johnny’s first visit to the course. I’d caught up with them talking to Alan King in the paddock, possibly whilst I was sharing pictures of Nick’s abilities on the equicizer last Sunday…
There was drama in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday with course specialist Amiloc unseating - I feared for the stable cat at Kimpton! Racing loose he undoubtedly compromised the run of Trawlerman, leaving an unhindered Scandinavia and Ryan Moore to coast home for an easy win.
I stayed on after racing for the reception that the Arabian Racing Organisation holds ahead of their big Group 1 race there on the Wednesday. With my involvement in the UK sport much reduced, it was a really nice evening not to be working and to catch up with a few people – not least locally based Jim Crowley who has just started riding out after his horrific fall at York last year. Sustaining multiple leg fractures, he actually split his pelvis in two, severing an artery and was in danger of bleeding out, a testament to our on-course emergency services that he was there to talk to me, let alone be thinking of race riding again - mind you he did start off as a jump jockey! We were chatting to Dave Griffiths, former trainer of Group winning sprinter, Take Cover and now a tutor at the National Horseracing College. His daughter has caught the racing bug and will be riding next year - they were both firm on the opinion that she stick to the Flat and not go jumping, with Jim quick to point out that she should compare and contrast the cars in the jockey’s car parks if she need further convincing which was the more lucrative option!,Having quit training thoroughbreds, Dave had found he still missed it and that teaching wasn’t quite enough, so he’d leased an Arabian to keep his hand in and a had a runner in the big race the following day. Jim had won the race a few years ago on the remarkable Lady Princess, who was barely bigger than a pony, and having forged a great partnership, he went on to win more prize money around the world with her, than he had done on Baaeed! With the meetings new sponsors Visit Qatar upping the prize money for the Sussex Stakes to a million and the Arabian race to £850,000, Dave was hopeful of getting a look in, with prize money down to sixth place.
However the talk of the meeting was always going to be about Bow Echo and whether he could retain his unbeaten record in the Sussex Stakes. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting his jockey Billy Loughnane a few times and he’s a real joy, both in his ability to convey how his horse has run and his genuine delight and surprise in his own success. Until this year, I’d never heard a jockey exclaim out loud “I’ve won the Guineas!” without coming across as boastful – after years of a certain Italian, he’s a welcome breath of fresh air! He also rode a hugely confident race on Bow Echo, remaining unflustered by Christophe Soumillon and Puerto Rico keeping the exit door firmly shut, but they were too good to be kept in a pocket for long. This may well be Bow Echo’s last run on British soil, with France and then America on the agenda – my accreditation for the Breeders Cup was approved a couple of weeks ago, their presence would definitely see me stump up the air fare for that!
As well as appearing to have extremely deep pockets, Visit Qatar also dictated that the Arabian race be moved to after the Sussex, rather than its traditional slot as the first race on the card. Another irritation, that of the growing influence on our Flat racing of Hong Kong’s World Pool meant that there was only 25 minutes between races, as the World Pool bettors were not expected to wait more than an hour and wouldn’t include the Arabian race as part of the package. Thank goodness it was Billy who won, and not Soumillon or Oisin Murphy as the post Sussex Stakes interviews would have delayed proceedings considerably. More drama early doors when the Arabian race favourite HM Alchahine (though not if I’d been pricing it up!) was withdrawn on veterinary grounds having been found to be lame during the routine BHA pre-race inspection. His regular rider, Cristian Demuro immediately decided he would get on to the owner’s other runner, RB Kingmaker and announcements came through on the racecourse tannoy that there was a jockey change. About half an hour later – they were reversed. All was revealed by valet Chris Maude who’d said that when Soumillon arrived on course to learn that Demuro had jocked him off, he uttered just four words, “I don’t think so…” and went out to ride for Coolmore in the Sussex! To be fair to Demuro, he had ridden the horse quite a few times and Soumillon only once, however Soumillon’s resolve was correct, bringing RB Kingmaker home clear by two lengths in the second most valuable race for the breed in Europe. And what of Dave’s horse, Al Sharid? John Egan, who had ridden him to win three times and has been a constant presence on Dave’s phone to check how the horse was, gave him a great ride and nabbed sixth. Al Sharid had been bred by Al Shaqab Racing and had a fair pedigree, but had been unsold at a horses-in-training sale in the autumn and bought privately as an unraced three-year-old for two grand – he’s now won three races, at three grand a time, and took home nearly twelve grand for finishing sixth – needless to say Dave is now looking for more, apparently, he’s got room for ten Arabians!
Sadly, Christophe doesn’t share Billy’s manners with the media, he flatly refused to talk to any of us – my French editor’s description of him when I messaged apologies for the lack of a quote is not for print here! With photos and a press release for the race disseminated, I was away from the course and back to my truly delightful digs by 7.30pm. Having endured years at Fontwell’s Travelodge (right on the roundabout – no sleep) getting deep into the Sussex countryside is great, my shepherds hut for the last couple of years was up for sale so I’d booked a 17 th Century barn conversion very close to Cowdray Park Polo ground. I’m not sure what it says about the area, but when I enquired enthusiastically with the owner about rebooking for 2027 whilst checking out the next morning, I was disappointed to learn that it, and the main house, were also on the market!
Thursday, the last day for me, and the expected highlight which didn’t disappoint was the Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares. It was my first chance to see another unbeaten runner, Diamond Necklace, who I’d met three years ago in her box at Ecurie des Monceaux, during a long weekend to France.
Whilst she impressed and was very professional in her manner of winning, she hadn’t really grown much since I saw her as a foal! However, like Bow Echo, she’s got plenty of options and by the sounds of it I shall probably see her next in France. All in all, a cracking week and I with a good run back, I managed to get home to save my garden, if only from the heat and not the muntjac who treat it like an open buffet…
… And just as I was about to email this to Nick, I saw the news in my inbox from Goodwood that Jim Crowley has retired. Funnily enough as we’d talked on Tuesday night, I’d had my suspicions – certainly the way he described his injuries and his recovery process made me think he might hang up his boots. From what he’s said, he’ll be doing it the right way, taking his time and learning from a few other trainers first – and I also wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t just thoroughbreds he’s thinking about training, but a couple of Arabians too! He’s a lovely bloke (also very accommodating to the media) and I wish him and his family well and best of luck for the future.
Friday – Olly Murphy sent through a clip first thing, a little video of Jimmy Gatz back at Warren Chase, and his thoughts on how he has summered and what he sees for him this season. Jimmy G has grown into the most gorgeous horse – he was unlucky last season – he was a close fourth on debut in what has already turned out to be a decent race, with the highly regarded winner going very close in the worlds richest bumper in Newbury on his next start. That day JG had looked like the winner 2 furlongs out, but he just came up short, and James Bowen who had travelled all the way to Carlisle just to ride him after partnering him in a piece of work in Lambourn a couple of weeks before jumped off him and said that he felt he would definitely win a bumper. Sadly, that didn’t happen as he then went to Ffos Las on the most miserable of Sundays, in hock deep ground which he hated. Ever since he was 2 we have always known how much he loves jumping and just how good he was – so we are all very much looking forward to seeing him over hurdles this season.
We sold one of the two remaining shares at the Open Day – so there is just one last chance to buy into this gorgeous grey! Have a look at him on the FOR SALE page by clicking the link below. His full history is on there, along with James Bowen post-race comments after his debut run. He’s a lovely horse – don’t miss the last share in him!
https://www.nickbrownracing.co.uk/ForSale/8143/jimmy-gatz
Jason was still busy with the Blue Bresil 3 yr old. Having got plenty of schooling into him in the arena earlier in the week, he headed out to the schooling strip with him. He was very good, and Jason was quickly on the phone afterwards, and in his words, was ‘buzzing about him’ – thrilled with the way that he has taken to jumping and the feel that he gives him! Just what we had hoped when we bought him – he is athletic and light on his feet and has a great mind. He looks to have a lovely future!
In the afternoon Cloud Dancer had a cooling splash on the water treadmill – I promise you, he would walk onto it, fill it with water and start it up on his own if he could – he just loves it on there!!
While we have been enjoying some fabulous flat racing over here in Goodwood, in Ireland, they have had the Galway Festival – one meeting I fully intend to get to in the next couple of years! I’ve never been! On Friday it was good to see Kings Hill win the €75,000 Galway Blazers Chase. Kings Hill another festival winner for his sire Kingston Hill. A great result for us, as of course our mare, Savingforvegas is in foal to him this year. It was great to see Ruth and Hanne from Park Wood Stud at the Open Day, and they were both very complimentary about the horses they had seen that SFV had produced, George, Floyd and Nevada Samba, and reported that everyone that has seen her Nirvana du Berlais colt (Nev) that she produced this year has absolutely loved him – he is a very special colt, and we will be sitting down to have a chat about him in the next few weeks. His sire is very fashionable at the moment, his half brothers are all well regarded, and he is an absolute stunner! We may just see what the market thinks of him and enter him in a sale later this year.
Saturday, I had finally got the Alan King Racing Club year end sorted, and just in time, Saturday August the 1st was renewal day! It had been a fantastic first year for the Club. Some wonderful days at the races, and four lovely horses to run for them. As Alan is the best dual purpose trainer in the country, Club members get to go racing right through the year with runners on the flat and over jumps. This racing Club offers the most outstanding value – 4 horses, with 3 in training at any one time – you get to go racing all year round under both codes!
alankingracingclub@gmail.com for more details – it’s great fun!
The 2026/27 Club fun starts on Monday – I’d Go Maniac declared to run in Windsor on Monday. Georgia once again in the plate. Hopefully we get to kick off the new year with a winner!
In the afternoon Jason sent through an update about the Blue Bresil 3yr old. He has now completed his ‘primary school’ and will have a short break. He has shown plenty over the course of the past month and looks to have a very nice future!
Although he will run in our colours, in the name of one of our existing Partnerships, this is very much a new venture for us. This is an opportunity to be part of a syndicate with Jason Maguire, who will be very much involved with the day to day running of the syndicate, with particular emphasis on the horse himself. Jason will oversee the pretraining of the gelding, will decide which trainer he goes to, and when he goes there. Once in training, Jason will be a big part of his preparation and campaign and will be heading in to ride him out on the gallops before race days – the syndicate will benefit hugely from his skill, knowledge and experience, and owners will get a huge benefit from his feedback!
Jason was not only one of the best jockeys of his generation, but he is also an incredible horseman! The work he has done with our youngstock over the course of the last 7/8 years has been incredible, a true testament to his skills. Jason rode the winner of the 2011 Grand National, Ballabriggs, along with 5 Cheltenham Festival winners and a host of Grade 1’s. On top of all this, he is a top man – great company, always up for a laugh and to tell a few tales of his times in the saddle!
Click the link and join this new syndicate – we are very lucky to have Jason on the team and collaborating with NBR in this venture – we have started well – the horse looks like a nice one, and Maguire is happy! Get involved!
https://www.nickbrownracing.co.uk/ForSale/8342/jason-maguire-syndicate
Around the remainder of the team:
William Butler away in France today – so I will get my weekly call tomorrow. Penselwood was due to stride on half a gear this week, so it will be interesting to hear how that went. Speaking at last weeks Open Day, William outlined plans for our 2yr old, who will be ready to make his racecourse debut around the end of next month, and will be given a light back end 2yr old campaign as he is a big scopey gelding, who will very much come into his own as a 3yr old. I will speak to William when he calls as I have spotted a little something that may be hugely beneficial to him ahead of that debut. We could give him a little taste of racecourse atmosphere before he runs– watch this space!
The team at Donald McCains are all well – Dino Bellagio waiting for rain, Ridin Solo ready to go when there is safe ground after the break in the jumps programme, and Old Blue Eyes recovering from his little set back. The 3yr old Pethers Moon gelding, we are syndicating on behalf of Donald and Bankhouse Thoroughbreds is progressing really well. He is a stunning horse who goes well.
We are hosting a morning at the yard on Saturday 15th August at 9.00am, when anyone can come and see him canter – it will also be an opportunity for NBR and Red Sash Racing Club members to come and see their horses work too – I just won’t let on to Donald – if he asks – you are all there to see the Pethers Moon gelding!! Saying that, numbers will be limited so let me know if you would like to be there.
At Barbury Castle – Ghost Dancing is still in the field on R&R and Uhtred Ragnarson is fine after his run in Uttoxeter, he simply didn’t stay the 2m4f, a drop back next time.
More Alan King Racing Club renewals to sort out tomorrow – don’t delay on that of you want in! Windsor in the afternoon, when hopefully we can get the new year off to a fantastic start with I’d Go Maniac.
Pop by next week to see what we have been up to!
