Our winners came slowly in the first few months last year but since the flat opened in 2019 we have seen some very exciting horses, bright prospects for the year ahead.
When Saxon Warrior won the 2000 guineas in 2018 we had a lot to be proud of as we bred and sold his dam Maybe. It was a great thrill to see the follow up on the 4th of May when Magna Grecia won the 2019 2000 guineas where we had also bred and sold his dam Cabaret.
With only one month of the new season gone three very exciting horses, which we sold as yearlings, are making a name for themselves. Broome has won two Derby trials and is on his way to Epsom. Full Authority the first 2YO runner from last years draft, stormed in at Chester and is now headed for a 2YO group race at Royal Ascot. Added to these is Solid Stone’s recent victory and he is now headed for the GR2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
All the above were the progeny of different mares which have been carefully selected and assembled over thirty five years.
July - October
19th October 2019
When Escobar won the valuable John Smith Handicap on July 13th his trainer said he would next run in the valuable Unibet Golden Mile Handicap at Goodwood on August 2nd. Here he was most unlucky, getting stopped twice, yet finishing 3rd. On October 5th at Ascot he again finished 3rd in the Bet 356 Challenge Cup worth Stg. £112,000 to the winner.Getting a break of just two weeks he again appeared at Ascot on October 19th to contest the Balmoral Handicap worth Stg. £155,000 to the winner. Held up in last place he made his move two furlongs out to draw right away in the final furlong and win by two and a half lengths.
His total winnings now stand at over €380,000. With his official rating gone up to 111 his connections will have a big decision to make, whether or not to stay with valuable handicaps or race in pattern company. Whichever route is chosen it should not be the end of his winning ways.
3rd October 2019
Rovaniemi (Oasis Dream X Landmark) finished 2nd, and well clear of the field, to the very useful dual winner Johan on August 10th. Johan went on to rout his field by six lengths on September 29th so it was no surprise that Rovaniemi went off an even money favourite on October 3rd at Lingfield. His supporters had little to worry about and he ran out an easy winner.He sat in behind Amaan, already a winner, moved off the rails and took the lead close home running out an easy winner by two lengths. Rovaniemi is a half brother to the stakes winners Cameron Highland and Field of Miracles and to the multiple winners Solid Stone, Sour Mash and Supposing.
He was purchased by Sun Bloodstock at the October Book One Sale in Newmarket in 2018. His half brother, a yearling colt by Kodiac, is catalogued as Lot 400 for the Book One Sale on October 10th. Landmark, an Arch Mare was purchased by us as a filly at Keeneland and is a full sister to the Canadian Horse Of The Year Arravale who is also producing stakes horses.
28th September 2019
Strait of Hormuz (Sir Percy X Sliabh Luachra) is the first foal of her dam, herself being a half sister to the sire Mehmas. With Mehmas winning multiple group races as a 2YO much was expected and Strait of Hormuz did not disappoint. Coming in a good second when beaten just a length on September 4th he went off the short priced favourite at Chester and did not disappoint. Racing mostly in 4th he moved into the 2nd spot at the furlong mark and then went on to lead and draw away towards the finish. This was a valuable EBF Novice Stakes and more wins can be expected when he moves up in distance in the next month or as a 3YO.Sliabh Luachra has an Acclamation yearling, a Starspangledbanner foal and is in foal to Expert Eye.
21st September 2019
Caradoc was unlucky at York on the 23rd August, coming from last place to be beaten by a head and a head into third. Returning to his favourite one mile and two furlong trip in the valuable Dubai Duty Free Handicap at Newbury he stayed much closer to the pace, going 2nd at the 1f mark and taking the lead close home. From his ninth career runs he now boasts four wins one second and one third. This has brought his lifetime earnings to Stg. £80,000. His new official rating is 100 so we are likely to see him racing in pattern company from here on.8th September 2019
Roulston Scar has run nine times and with three wins has only been out of the first three once. His trainer says he is a little star and a young sprinter going places. His best distance is at 6f and he found the 5f trip at York in August too short. On this occasion he made all the running and went clear 1f out to win comfortably.Roulston Scar still holds the record of the highest priced yearling sold at the Goffs Sportsman Sale. His dam has a Churchill colt foal on the ground and is back in foal to Churchill.
6th September 2019
Cosmic Power (Power X Dhamma) having been second on the 23rd of August with a fast return at Ascot on September 6th. Held up for much of the way made his effort 1f out to lead in the final strides, winning by a head. His trainer said he just does enough on the track but will make into a very nice horse in time. Six furlongs was probably too sharp for him but we can expect that he will be stepped up in trip next time out.Cosmic Power is a half brother to the very useful 3YO, Cosmic Law who is rated 98 and is a multiple winner.
12th August, 2019
Caradoc (Camelot X Applause) had just run three times at two and three and is now making up for all that lost time. Though rated 94 the handicapper has not yet caught with this fast improving gelding.In the Sky Sports Handicap at Windsor he toyed with the opposition until the 2f mark where he went into the lead and was driven clear through the final furlong. Being by Camelot he is well suited to middle distance racing and there will be many good handicaps yet to be won.
We would like to congratulate his trainer Ed Walker and his owner P K Siu.
10th August 2019
Barossa Red (Tamayuz X I hear you knocking) was really deserving of a win having finished second on three occasions when running on the all weather between January and April. Given a 128 day break he came fresh to Haydock and looked to have the race at his mercy from a long way out. His winning ways should not stop here and his jockey Oisin Murphy suggested that the slightly softer ground was very much in his favour.Barossa Red has a half brother by Pride of Dubai for sale in the Doncaster Premier Sale on August 27-28.
9th August 2019
Three Saints Bay has been a winner at two, three and four years and notched his second win in 2019 at Thirsk. Having been rated 101 after his earlier win in April the handicapper dropped him 3 lbs after a poor run in Newmarket in July. It probably was not necessary as he had 1 ½ lengths to spare over the favourite – already a GR3 winner.Great credit must got to his jockey David Nolan who decided to lead from the outset and was never headed over the 7f trip. Three Saints Bay must now be closing in on a black type win so as to emulate his younger brother Barbill.
30th July 2019
Fayez has had four wins in 2019 bringing his winning total to nine. Total earnings now stand at €135,000. In this race, the valuable Unibet handicap at Goodwood he was held up in the last place, making his move at the 1F mark. He then quickened away from his rivals to win comfortably. He is very versatile sharing his wins between the turf and all weather. It would be a surprise if he does not add substantially to his winnings on one of other surface before year end. Great credit must go to his trainer David O’Meara for keeping him in such peak condition.27th July 2019
Western Duke (High Chapparal X Witch of Fife) is helping his younger sister, Cnoc an Oir, in continuing to put wins on the board at the age of five. Like his sire High Chapparral he is proving best at middle distances. At Ascot he was held up in last place and only started to make progress after turning into the straight two furlongs out. He hit the front at the 150 yards mark and won comfortably by one length. The handicapper has taken note of this effort with a new official rating of 87.13th July 2019
Escobar with an official rating of 104 is now being asked to shoulder top weight in each of the best handicaps. Under Jamie Spencer he made light of his ten stone top weight at York to win cleverly. He will next head for the Golden Mile at Goodwood at month end. With total earnings of €150,000, he can add further to that in the coming monthsApril-June
13th June 2019
Cnoc An Oir had won on her only start at 2 and with two promising runs in April and May made her handicap debut at Leopardstown. She was held up at the back of the field and was last of the ten turning in to the short straight. Once she got a run she began to pick up really well and got her head in front close home.She has an outstanding pedigree so her next target will be a black type race.
10th June 2019
Roulston Scar has run seven times and now has two wins, 2 seconds and two thirds to his name. He was the morning favourite to win at Pontefract but drifted to 6/1 after the heavy rain all day. This did not inconvenience him as he led from the start and had a winning distance of two lengths. He still holds the record as the highest priced yearling sold as the Goffs Sportsman Sale. His lucky owners K&J Bloodstock Ltd should have many other sprint wins particularly if he gets the sound surface he loves.8th June 2019
Caradoc (Camelot X Applause) only raced three times as a two and a three year old with a win and two places. Through injury he was off for 338 days, reappearing at Newmarket on the 17th of May and finishing 5th. Wasting little time he returned to Newmarket on the 8th of June and made no mistake in claiming the Stg. £12,000 winners prize. He is obviously a very talented horse and great credit must go to owner P K Siu and to his trainer Ed Walker for their patience. With an official rating of 90 he can still pick up some further valuable handicaps though it will not be any surprise if he shortly heads for Hong Kong.6th June 2019
Fayez did not waste any time since his win at Ripon on May 19th. He returned to the track on June 6th picking up his 8th career win and adding another Stg. £10,000 to his earnings. With a new official rating of 93 he may find it harder from here though the manner of his win suggested he had plenty in hand. He was in the clear at the 1f mark and quickened away to win comfortably.1st June 2019
Brian Epstein (Dark Angel X Jewel in the Sand) who was caught at the post and beaten a head on the 18th of May made a fast return and the long journey to Musselburgh. Racing over seven furlongs for the first time, he may have found this trip ideal coming out an easy winner by three lengths.After the race his trainer suggested that the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot would be his next target. With trainer Richard Hannon having a great success rate at the royal meeting we would like to wish the owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds & Martin Hughes the best of luck.
12th May 2019
Broome won the Ballysax Stakes (Group 3) on April 6th and went for the Derrinstown Stud Derby trial at Leopardstown over 1m2f. Sent off as a 2/5 favourite he never looked in danger winning by an ever extending two and a half lengths. We all look forward to seeing him either at Epsom on June 1st or at the Irish Derby on June 29th.19th May 2019
Fayez – nobody told Fayez he was 14/1 when he lined up for the Class 2 Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap at Ripon. He made headway from 2f out and jumped clear to win by three lengths, eased down. He has now managed seven wins and ten placed efforts, in total earning over Stg. £75,000. Proving that he can win on both turf and all weather, he can be expected to win more good handicaps.9th May 2019
Full Authority (Kingman X Ashley Hall) was our first 2YO runner of the year. He was sold in Book 1 at Newmarket to his owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah. His trainer David O’Meara had been singing his praises and he did not disappoint when making his debut at the British Stallion EBF Maiden Stakes at Chester. This race started the career of Mehmas, a yearling we sold a few years back, and now a sire at Tallyho. We can only hope that Full Authority is just as successful.He broke smartly from the stalls and went clear inside the final furlong to win by six lengths. He is now heading for Ascot either to the Norfolk or the Coventry.
28th April 2019
Roulston Scar (Lope de Vega X Pussycat Lips) was placed three times as a 2YO so a win was not far away. Making his first handicap start and his first start of the season on April 28th he showed the field a clean pair of heels from the stalls. Having made all the running he went clear at the 1f pole and kept on well to win by one and a half lengths. He will obviously improve from this run and his official rating of 82 may not last long.Pussycat Lips has a Dawn Approach yearling, a Churchill foal and is back in foal to Churchill.
20th April 2019
Three Saints Bay (Kodiac X Fiuise) was already a four time winner and placed five times at 2 and 3. He was making its seasonal debut in the Silver Arrow Handicap at Musselburgh and though sent off at 6/1 made no mistake when coasting in by four and a half lengths. With a now official rating of 102 he may have to step up to pattern racing like his younger brother Barbill. He made smooth headway to lead at the 1f pole and went clear in the final furlong.His dam Fiuise has a Fast Company yearling, a Holy Roman Emperor foal and is in foal to Muharrar.
16th April 2019
Solid Stone (Shamerdal X Landmark) had won his maiden as a 2YO over 7f and appreciated this step up to 1m2f in his first outing at 3. Held up by Ryan Moore at the back of the field he made his effort to challenge 2f out and led at the 1f mark. He stayed on gamely inside the final furlong to win by half a length.Landmark’s progeny all improve with age and we would like to compliment Solid Stone’s owner Saeed Suhail and his trainer Sir Michael Stoute for their patience. He may have one more run before he takes his place in a GR2 Kind Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
6th April 2019
Broome (Australia X Sweepstake) won his maiden as a 2YO and was runner up at GR1 and GR2 level. He made his seasonal debut in the Ballysax Stakes (Group 3) at Leopardstown and won by eight lengths, pulling right away from the field. His trainer suggested he might have another run before heading for the Epsom Derby on June 1st.Broome’s sire Australia also won the Epsom Derby and Australia’s dam Ouija Board won the Oaks on the same track. Broome is out of Sweepstake, a listed winner and group placed, and hails from the same family as our outstanding mare Tyranny. With Tyranny now dead it looks like Sweepstake will step into her shoes.