W Post 2/2005 26/9/07 9:59 AM Page 1

What makes a good stallion? stallions also simply drop out of T HE REGULAR NEWSLETTER FROM H OMEBRED R ACING 2/2005 fashion because they’re considered too old - even though genetically their age makes no difference to their progeny. So there are bargains out their to be secured with the proviso that you 2005 Open Day It’s Festival fever! need to be breeding to your own criteria - and not worrying what value Peter Mark others would put upon the results in This year’s Open Day at the make the most of your visit and Bowen Perrett the sale ring! The almost inevitable stud will be Sunday 17 July. enjoy the pleasures of the local fate for stallions that slide down the continuing was a top Warning popularity stakes - or never manage to Although it’s still a long time unspoilt countryside and nearby to ride high jockey It’s a question we’re often asked reach dizzy heights - is to be off we’ve already had several coastline? Just ask the office if in this years under both when choosing a stallion for our exported.That usually guarantees that enquiries from owners anxious you’d like ideas of what to do mares.There’s a choice of 500 or the youngsters they’ve left behind will trainers table codes who more registered in Britain and go onto become superstars! to include our Open Day at the or where to stay. Everyone will says: makes no Sweep Home Ireland and fees range from a few stud in their plans.West Wales is receive a formal invitation in “Baracouda apology for standing at over £50,000 a long trek for many who come due course together with details in the stayers hurdle is my his on going love of jumping. starts work downwards. from as far afield as Sussex, of the day.We very much hope The top price bracket includes: banker - Doumen is very Having ridden a 100-1 winner Yorkshire, Essex, Scotland - and that as many of you will come Homebred’s unraced five-year- Empire Maker, Giants Causeway, bullish about his chance. for us it seems best to ask him old half brother to our winning Green Desert, Indian Ridge, Pivotal even from abroad! So why not with family and friends too. The build up and hype has My longshot is our own Take for an outsider “My longshot hurdler Prince de Galles, Bugsy, and Singspiel whilst the lower the Stand - hoping the ground would be Joly Bey”. echelons, at around1/50th of their gone on for months - but, at is now in training. He’s being fee, comprise some surprisingly well last, the Cheltenham Festival is comes up fast enough for him Unfortunately he won’t start at ridden daily around local lanes known names such as Busy Flight, The boys at home nearly upon us. It’s the first year to run”. 100-1 though! by Sheena Hill to start Minster Son, Rock City, Sharastani and . So what are the With the sudden departure of Bugsy Backpacker was the founding of a four day meeting, extended Amanda Gerry strengthening legs and to help determining factors that make a So what do we look for? (Sweep Home) into training, racehorse and retired here in 1994 from the usual three, and, as an Perrett Enright reduce his waistline. He’ll be stallion successful? Principally Racecourse performance Backpacker (25yrs) and Princes de having graced some of the country's added bonus for the Irish, was a leading former stable transferred to Peter Bowen’s racecourse performance, bloodlines (ideally a Group 1 winner and a Galles (12yrs), the two elder statesmen, top tracks including Ascot, St. Patricks Day falls on the amateur over jockey for yard in a few weeks with the stallion, that also managed to win at and fashion.You’ll notice that a lot of are having a quiet time in their field Kempton, Sandown and Ayr in a 2 years, with a high Timeform Thursday! It’s racing’s biggest jumps herself Josh Gifford: intention of running in N.H. rating) without his Tigger-like attentions ! career which spanned 6 seasons over betting bonanza so we’ve asked - she and “Best Mate’s flat races this summer. He’s Dam’s pedigree (she too needs to Homebred’s professionals two Mark have got a great looking a picture and also have shown top class racecourse proving to be very popular with performance) questions. Firstly, what’s your made joint chance of Conformation (the chosen stallion banker bet? And, what’s your selections. Amanda says “The making history.As for an Homebred owners who’ve needs to have the size and idea of a live outsider? banker’s got to be Moscow Flyer outsider - perhaps Royal watched him develop over the conformation to compensate for These are their thoughts... in the Champion Chase”. Shakespeare”. last couple of years. any weaknesses in our own mare) Distance (preferably a 7 - 10 furlong performer) Pharly Pedigree (from a family that will those at the lower end of the fee reinforce bloodlines in our own scale were proven distance horses mare) Course factfile:Folkestone (a Derby horse is a 3 mile chaser in Temperament (we need to breed the making) - but the emphasis today managable youngsters) Folkestone is one of those tracks is very much on speed over stamina Proven (shown ability to breed and durability.A lot also has to do winners and hopefully ‘improve’ his you either love or hate - and with whether progeny are bred to mares because we’ve had a winner there race or for the sale ring. Breeding for Success (ratio of winners to we quite like it! The undulating racing puts the emphasis on runners - rather than total winners Backpacker flies the open ditch in the 1992 Scottish Grand National 11 furlong oval track offers racing soundness, conformation and or prize winnings which favours He really had no regard for their fences. He was a remarkable jumper under both codes - and more than Trains: performance. Breeding for the sale stallions with big books) often extremes of going - in the status as successful racehorses being who left one's heart in one's mouth Charing Cross to ring is quite different - it’s important Price (having evaluated all the winter it’s usually very to look good on the sales catalogue above we compare the fees to totally in charge of his elder brother, yet he never fell. His name even Westenhanger soft, but very firm in page and have a fashionable pedigree. determine which we think is best Princes de Galles, and bouncing and appears on trophies graced by the (adjacent to the That’s why unproven stallions start value) rollicking poor old Backpacker likes of the legendary Tingle Creek. the summer course) Know your rules: Remounting months. out at surprisingly high prices - the From recent coverings we’ve selected abominably. Despite this the 'old man' Celebrations: bloodstock industry is the built on Environment Friend, , Most was still in control and could Prince de Galles is by far the best The issue of remounting has rider may be remounted, but Sandgate Hotel: Welcome, Pharly,Safawan and Wizard hope over reality.But, of course, a occasionally be seen leading them up racehorse produced by his sire been in headlines recently and should it have run out of the few of the new stallions make it and King as representing best value - only Comfortable seaside the field at a brisk gallop whilst Prince des Coeurs.Trained by Peter the Jockey Club has come under course or continued before being restaurant serving go on to command top fees - but for time will tell if we were right! Folkestone leaping imaginary large fences! Bowen and retired in 2003 he was a pressure to redraft the relevant caught it should be brought back high class French most it’s the slippery slope towards racecourse the bargain basement.This price So it's probably not that surprising late starter and had his first run over rule 152(i). Certainly we have to the part of the course where it cuisine. Reservations: is off junction polarization is further exaggerated by that Backpacker spent a couple of hurdles when he was 7 confounding never wanted our horses parted from its rider, and if it is a (01303) 220444 4 of the M20 top stallions commanding high fees days in mourning and found his sole his trainer's predictions by finishing a remounted after a fall and the steeplechase or hurdle race it Flying Horse: and only covering the best mares too companion somewhat lacking and close 2nd at 66/1. Paul Flynn struck circumstances surrounding Ruby should continue by jumping all Location: Broughton Aliph, - no wonder they’re successful and made no bones about showing it. up a great relationship with him and Walsh’s remounting of Paul the remaining fences or hurdles. London 76, an old Pilgrim’s inn serving good the ‘not so good’ stallions don’t do so Nicholls’ star underline the Any rider so losing his horse may Brighton 76 and well with poorer mares! It’s very Contrarily Prince was perfectly they became one of the most traditional pub food and offering Maidstone 33 miles. tough for horses condemned to the happy to eat and sleep peacefully consistent partnerships running up a welfare issue. be assisted in catching it and bed and breakfast too. lower reaches after only a couple of and now both have settled for a sequence of wins and places in long The current rule states: remounting it without risk of Telephone: (01303) 266407 Reservations (01233) 620914 years to reverse the trend.And good quieter life! distance hurdles. “Any horse getting away from its disqualification”. Most Welcome W Post 2/2005 26/9/07 9:59 AM Page 2

Stallion Profile: Annie and initial success at stud it’s surprising more hasn’t been heard of Hamas him. Hamas originally stood in gets a Hamas is a superbly bred son of Ireland where competition is intense Danzig out of Fall Aspen, a Group 1 and when his books dwindled and he winning mare who has foaled an didn’t provide a superstar he was new amazing 12 individual winners of 48 moved to France where he slipped races each winning Group or Listed into obscurity.Under management of events. So it was no surprise that the Shadwell Stud Company who name Artist’s impression of the new grandstand Hamas was useful himself.Very useful look after some of Europe’s top in fact, spread-eagling a good field to stallions it’s likely his fortunes are to Ascot’s race against time land the Group 1 July Cup beating change for the better. He now stands Ascot racecourse is now looking to obvious favourite to do so again”. College Chapel and Zieten who are at the Pitchall Stud near Stratford stage the Royal meeting in 2006 The real concern is not themselves now leading stallions. and, at a modest fee considering his elsewhere as their £185 million construction of new facilities but In all Hamas won 5 races from 5 to 8 background, should attract a good redevelopment may not be whether the new surface will have furlongs proving himself to be very number of mares. Back in the land of completed in time.The 2005 sufficient time to bed in.Trainers speedy in attaining a Timeform rating his success on the racetrack it would meeting is already scheduled to be have already voiced concerns over of 125. be no surprise to see this close run at York but Ascot says “It’s a how new and old sections of the Bay,or dark brown, Hamas is a good relative of Dubai Millennium challenging schedule and there’s no track will match - variable ground looking horse who’s sired the winners (described by Sheikh Mohammed as 1 time to spare for bad weather etc. is known to be a crucial factor in of over 400 races and over £3 ⁄2 the best racehorse there’s ever been) We have contingency plans in place causing leg problems for million in his first 8 seasons at stud. at last produce his own superstar. Cadeaux Genereux Annie (red jacket) returns from work and York would again be the racehorses. From his pedigree, track performance Let’s just hope it’s one of ours! The search for a racing name for our two-year-old College Chapel The creation of a filly ‘Annie’ netted many good Race courseTote suggestions including Degree Zero, Home Express, Cathedral Steppes, attendances Bolshoi Ballerina. Having canvassed plans new a wide range of opinions we gave on the up... racing machine... ‘Divine White’ the deciding vote bet... We take a look at the really worldwide - indeed, wherever there is type have been extremely successful suggested by David Russell who Tote betting accounts for just quite recent arrival of the racing there are . in show jumping and eventing at the wins a 1% share in her first two- 3% of the total horserace racehorse. Although the elegant long-legged highest level.As hunters, in galloping year-old season.Amanda Perrett Racecourse attendance rose to a betting market so a new bet is Since the seventeenth and eighteenth Thoroughbreds, with their great country such as the English Shires, says “She doesn’t look out of place record 6,047,226 racegoers in 2005 now planned to attract centuries, the Thoroughbred has been presence and quality,are easily they are without peers. amongst some very expensive - an average of 4,650 per meeting. punters.The “Swinger”, developed in Britain as the supreme recognizable, there are, as in other For the general rider, however, the two-year-olds by the very best Although overall attendance was which originates from South 'racing machine', which is now breeds, different types.These have Thoroughbred - beautiful, high- stallions. She’s got a great couraged and versatile though it is - up average attendances were down Africa, challenges punters to capable of covering a mile at been developed in answer to the temperament and I hope to have something approaching 40mph and demand for sprinters or for middle or is not necessarily the most suitable as due to the increased number of find two horses in the first her ready to run by May”. fixtures on the all weather. three - personally I find it shorter distances at correspondingly long-distance horses.The sprinters, it requires very careful handling. hard enough to find one in faster speeds.The name who need to generate enormous The Thoroughbred now exerts the first three! 'Thoroughbred' is the literal acceleration over short distances, are enormous influence in the translation of the Arabic Kehilan, usually short-coupled, with shorter development of other breeds. Now Snapshot meaning purebred, and it is widely musculature, while the stayers are any breed that, in the course of its Why Homebred Star (centre) known that the English usually longer and rangier, with evolution, requires an infusion of ridden by Paul Flynn. Thoroughbred traces back to three longer muscles and bones. In Europe, quality,almost always turns to the racing is Picture courtesy of Arab stallions imported in the late the accent has been on middle and Thoroughbred. We’d like to seventeenth and early eighteenth long-distance horses, while in Vernon Clarke hear from you centuries.The Byerley Turk, the America the pressure for quick results Thoroughbred factfile: important Darley Arabian and the Godolphin has resulted in the development of Height between l4.2hh to 17hh. Although horseracing might be Let us have your ideas and views... Arabian were crossed with native and speed and early precocity. Average approximately 16hh. other mares and produced the Australia, too, produced youngsters Colour Any solid colour, including considered by many to be a forerunners of the modern that were great sprinters, so that many grey,with bays, browns and chesnuts frivolous part of the entertainment Thoroughbred.Although it is of their middle and long-distance predominating.White markings industry it has now become an frequently overlooked, other stallions races were won by the marvellous allowed. important element of the UK such as the Leedes Arabian and the types produced in New Zealand. HeadVery refined and intelligent. economy. Over 100,000 are now Lister Turk also played a part in the Recently,however,Australian Big, bold eyes. Medium-length ears. directly, or indirectly, employed in early days of the breed, but the three Thoroughbreds have earned an Neck Elegant, arched neck. racing. It’s the shop window and 'founding fathers' take precedence as enviable reputation for stamina and Shoulders Markedly sloped.Well- the high profile tip of a much it is possible to trace direct tail-male toughness. defined, prominent withers. bigger equine ‘iceberg’. In fact the lines back to them. All this may seem not to have a great Body Deep through, giving plenty horse population is now bigger Within fifty years of the arrival of the deal of relevance to the horse ridden of room for heart and lungs. Short than ever - even than in the days Byerley Turk in Britain in 1689, by the average rider, but that is not so. back, wellsprung ribs. Strong, Office: before real horse power was Grattons Court, Grattons Drive, Thoroughbreds were being taken The majority of Thoroughbreds are muscular quarters. High croup, tail set superseded by the internal Pound Hill, Crawley RH10 3AG across the Atlantic by the early settlers still bred for the race-track, but it is high. Tel:01293 884433 Fax: 01293 884201 - the first recorded being Bulle those which are not suitable for Limbs Hard legs with minimum of combustion engine. From farriers Stud: Rock, a son of the Darley Arabian, racing that so often find their way 8 inches (20 cm) of bone (except in and feed merchants to vets and Prengwyn, Llandysul valets the equine market is now the Cardiganshire SA44 4LS who arrived in 1730. From these, the into what may be called, for want of a the very smallest).Well-let-down sixth biggest industry in Britain and email: [email protected] vast American racing industry of better description,‘leisure ownership’. hocks. www.homebredracing.co.uk today has evolved. Since those days, In Britain,Thoroughbreds of the Action Long, low,raking stride, bloodstock sales make an important Thoroughbreds have been exported more substantial, galloping, hunter covering a great deal of ground. contribution to export earnings.