Our 10th Anniversary and Ascot.
Newsletter #10
George talks…
A Quick Thank You.
This is our tenth newsletter. We want to be a must read curation for the business of racing, bloodstock and sport.
We have grown from just our siblings and mother reading (occasionally) to 120 subscribers with an 80% open rate.
Satisfied with the growth, we thank you for supporting us with your valued attention.
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BBT Digest
Syndicate Update
Our breeze up filly has been impressing trainer Paddy Turley. The owners loved the video update we posted in the private group. I gave a sneak peek on Linked In. See it here.
Our Cotai Glory filly having a pick of grass.
Thomas talks…People in Racing
Owner and breeder of two Kentucky Derby winners in the 90’s, Peter Brant is no flash in the pan. After taking a 20 year break from the racing sphere to focus his interest on polo, Peter Brant through his White Birch Farm have made a welcome renaissance. Let’s look into this major international owner.
Peter Brant and his Partner
Name: Peter Brant
Age: 74
Occupation: Newsprint, Film producer and Art collector
Net worth: $800million
Peter Brant is an American entrepreneur who has made a big splash in recent years to revive White Birch Farms. He has had huge success with buying European horses to race in America such as Précieuse and MySisterCharlie.
Horse: Sottsass
Sire: Siyouni
Form: Won Gr1 French Derby, Won Gr1 Arc de Triomphe
Entries: Retired to Coolmore Stud 2020 (fee €30,000)
Earnings: £2,976,460
Sottsass winning the French Derby
Placing horses with leading trainers such as Jean Claude Rouget & Joseph O’Brien has been a cornerstone of his strategy. Brant’s main trainer is the US supertrianer Chad Brown. Read about their recent breeze up top lot purchase here.
Horse: Raging Bull
Sire: Dark Angel
Form: Won three Gr1s in the US
Entries: None
Earnings: £1,099,522
Striking a formidable relationship with former Coolmore adviser Demi O’Byrne, White Birch purchased 14 yearlings at Newmarket 2020 alone totaling £3.37 million. There is no figure in racing who is more aware of the ups and downs as Mr. Brant with him going on the record to say “Horses teach you to be humble. Every day. That’s the romance of racing or breeding a racehorse”.
Demi O’Byrne on the left in conversation with Coolmore Trainer, Aidan O’Brien.
Charlie talks…
Friday - Royal Ascot
The crowds are back at Royal Ascot this week but finding winners has been tough. The ground could be about to change with rain forecast. It might pay to side with soft ground performers over the final two days.
Friday starts with a red hot looking Albany stakes Flotus, Prettiest and Hello You for me look the three to concentrate on.
All three have posted impressive first time out runs and their pedigrees offer the promise of more to come. Marginal preference is for Flotus who has handled soft ground well and looks like a real speedball 2 yr old.
Flotus Powering clear on her first run.
The King Edward stakes sees a solid candidate in Alenquer who displayed real battling qualities on his seasonal reappearance when turning away non other than Derby winner Adayar. Conditions won’t be a problem and with the expectation of more to come he should be difficult to beat.
A real stallion making race, The Commonwealth Cup has developed into an exciting contest since being introduced in 2015. Just one filly has won it since inception but Suesa looks like she has a great chance to improve on that record. The colts all look to have vulnerabilities and it might turn out that another filly Campanelle will offer the most resistance to Suesa.
I've been really taken by the promise of Potenova who runs in The Coronation Stakes. While I would normally rather focus on horses with proven form in the book, I'm happy to make an exception for this filly. She looked like a group performer in the making on her last start and at 12/1 I'm happy to take a chance on her fulfilling her potential.
The Sandringham handicap is a tricky puzzle to solve. I've sided with Create Belief but she is far from a confident selection and minimum stakes are advised. On a line through Holly Golightly she looks on a good mark compared to Friendly and might of been let in here off a lenient mark.
My NAP of the week is Mirann who runs in The Duke of Edinburgh stakes. My guess is this is a future group horse in a handicap and I believe he could develop into a future Melbourne cup horse. He has looked a work in progress all season and as a result could be on a very good mark for this contest. Ground conditions should be adequate for him as he seems to handle all types of ground. 10/1 looks more than fair about his chances.
In the closing Palace of Hollyroadhouse handicap Desert Gulf is again only a tentative selection but looks overpriced at 25/1.
Saturday - Royal Ascot
Saturday starts with a competitive looking Cresham stakes. Ground conditions will play a significant role here as this could develop into a serious test if the course has significant rain by Saturday. I really like the look of Sweeping but would be concerned if good wasn't in the ground description for him as on breeding he may have a preference for a sound surface. New Science looks a solid contender also and should be fine no matter what the weather throws up.
The Jersey stakes has an open look to it and it might be worth chancing Ace Aussie who looked not to fully stay a mile last time out and before that shaped really well over this trip behind the main star of the flat season so far in Poetic Flare.
Ilarab brings a progressive profile into the Hardwicke stakes and should be tough to beat in what doesn't look the strongest of renewals.
The Diamond Jubilee stakes sees one of the most exciting contenders of the week in Starman line up and again while he has to prove he is the real deal at this level I'm happy to take a chance on him.
Starman runs on Saturday at Royal Ascot.
The Wokingham handicap looks a real puzzle and the one that really catches the eye is Zargun however currently he needs to horses to come out to get a run. He would be interesting if he gets in the race. If not Pendleton ticks a lot of boxes and looks to be primed to run a big race my only condern is the draw in stall two which may be a big advantage or disadvantage depending on where the pace comes from.
In the penultimate handicap the golden gate stakes Foxes Tales who carries a big stable reputation might be capable of improving past some of the more fancied runners.Finally well done if you have read this far and hopefully we will of highlighted a few winners by now. Royal Ascot ends with the longest race of the festival The Queen Alexandra stakes and The Grand Visir who is a standing dish in these extreme staying tests should go close again after finishing 2nd in last year's race.
Best bet - Mirann
Next best - Starman
Best each way - Foxes Tales
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