Doncaster to Dubai
Newsletter #39
George talks…
Events of 2021 had a lot of people in racing and bloodstock circles very worried.
Not solely down to the decimating impact Covid would have on the sport’s attendance and the unknown knock on funding effects from that. We sadly lost two of the sport’s most loyal and important patrons.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum of Shadwell who passed away a year ago this week and Khalid Abdullah of Juddmonte.
Sheikh Hamdan through his bloodstock advisor Angus Gold was a significant spender at all the major yearling sales, specifically at the Doncaster August yearling sale and Tattersalls Book 2. Breeders and pinhookers were rightly worried their biggest supporter would be out of the market. A year on, I would certainly feel that to be true. No spending at any yearling sale in 2021, huge drafts from Shadwell were a common feature of all Irish and UK Horse in training sales, yearling sales and breeding stock sales. Sheikh Hamdan’s daughter is now overseeing the operation but we know with certainty the size and reach of the patronage to the sport will never be the same again.
While Shadwell were keen to bolster their homebred string with purchases, Khalid Abdullah’s, Juddmonte Farms in general, raced what he bred himself. In his early years as an owner (late 1970’s) he was active at yearling sales but as his string matured he relied upon his homebreds. Considered the gretest pound for pound breeding operation ever built, Juddmonte is today as much a powerhouse as ever as we head into the beginning of the 2022 flat season. They have an excellent roster of stallions with Frankel of course enjoying a breakout season in 2021 and reports on first 2 year olds by Expert Eye, their stallion recruit with first 2 year olds, seem positive.
With the reverberating noise about Arab influence waning. I felt the idea of the new Goffs Dubai Breeze up sale was a brave and innovative move. A select sale before the Dubai World Cup, a race that is held so dearly there. I felt such an initiative could just ignite the next wave of young Arabs to invest in our sport. The sale results proved mixed from my eye but there was a plethora of new names on the purchasers list which can only be positive. With racing festivals now in Bahrain, Qatar & Saudi Arabia the Arab influence is evolving but I certainly think it’s not waning.
This weekend I’m heading to the Curragh to watch fast horses battle it out on turf for the first time in 2022. If any of you guys are heading be sure to say hello, shoot me a reply here if you would like to meet and have a chat about our fillies.
Our Sioux Nation filly has developed into an absolute beast as you can see below. This has been a common term used to describe Sioux Nation’s stock by a lot of the top judges.
The word is that breeders are stacking up to use him down at Coolmore, which is unusual for a horse with his first two year olds about to hit the track.
We are especially excited about our lady’s pedigree, the Exceed and Excel cross with the Scat Daddy sireline has produced Ten Sovereigns to name just one.
I’ll be watching in earnest to see how the Sioux Nation filly of Jessica Harrington’s yard (Ocean Quest) runs in the Castlefield Stud’s Alkumait, sponsored 2 year old race. Although, typically for this time of year, the word for Jim Bolger’s blue bred is supposedly very strong. This race holds some intrigue due to the fact our own mare was covered by Alkumait at 7.30am this morning! If the mating goes to plan we’ll be a shoe in to pick up the €100,000 breeders incentive bonus on offer (jk)! Our mare’s Ribchester 3 year old, Raneen, bolted up at 33/1 at Jebel Ali last weekend, the mare has now bred two winners from two runners and we have high hopes the King of Change colt below can add to the family silverware cabinet.
Ownership Series Launch
This week we launched our ownership series interviews. BBT ambassador Tom Bull chats to owners (for 10 minutes) about how they got into racing, their experiences and route into the sport.
Listen to Tom’s chat with Jamie Perkins here.
Charlie talks…
Today marks the beginning of the UK and Irish flat turf seasons.
One of the main themes tomorrow will be seeing how the first season sires start as Expert Eye, Havana Grey, Massaat and Sioux Nation have their first runners.
Doncaster hosts the first main flat handicap highlight of the season with the ultra competitive Lincoln handicap. This race is either won by a lightly raced unexposed type or a well handicapped older horse. I’m going to side with one of each and select Rogue Bear and Teodolina as two candidates capable of winning this prize.
The Irish version looks even more difficult to try and solve however I like Rebel Step to run a big race here. He should be fit from hurdling and looks on a reasonable mark on the pick of his form from last year.