Ayr Hexham York Ripon Doncaster Uttoxeter hank you to all members who took part in the 2015 Newmarket Market Rasen Racecourse of the Year Cheltenham Wincanton vote; it was another closely fought contest with Cheltenham once again Ascot Fontwell Park winning the Racegoers Club vote as Overall Champion. Cheltenham Cheltenham’s ongoing popularity, in Ascot was praised; “A visit to the overall award in Scotland and a year of major redevelopment, was Ascot is like a ride in a Rolls The North. Royce. The staff are immaculately summed up perfectly by one Members put forward compelling turned out, friendly and very member; “The way they maintained cases for courses small and large, helpful.” and the improvements at and possibly even enhanced the race with one member summing it up York also garnered many positive day experience throughout the “the diverse attractions are super for comments such as “There is construction activity and completed all types of people, the staff cannot constant improvement to the the work ahead of time and within do enough for you, and they look racecourse, the facilities and the budget has been exceptional. after young and old!” Cheltenham have led from the front racing. It is simply the best track to in making the popularity of racing, visit.” We will be visiting all racecourses who won awards this year, and all and National Hunt in particular, The racegoers experience at Ayr the comments made will be passed resurgent with attendances up also continues to get plaudits from onto the management teams. significantly meeting on meeting.” our members, with them scooping s many of our members have a keen interest in the breeding of thoroughbred racehorses, we are delighted to introduce a new column in the racegoer, following Whitsbury Manor Stud and its yearlings. Left: The first Foal by Swiss Spirit oo Belatorio at just 2 days old We often get asked how we find our Right: the same horse having just turned one year old ownership group horses and the answer is that we have built Another member of this family She is currently very fortunate in relationships with breeders in “Belatorio” has already visited that she is avoiding the horrible England and Ireland to lease horses SWISS SPIRIT. In fact, the filly weather having been tucked up in with high quality bloodlines. One of produced by her on 17th January one of our barns for the last few these breeders, and the source of 2015 was the very first offspring of weeks (hence the rather gloomy Royal Ascot runner Clouds Rest, is SWISS SPIRIT to be born (see photo above). We find that the fillies Whitsbury Manor Stud. We’ve photo at 2 days old!). She very particularly benefit from being teamed up with their Director, Ed much has the look of her father in allowed to spend January and Harper to follow their operation and that she is a good sized powerful February under shelter as it allows pick up the story of a specific young bay with a little white star on her them to relax and put on weight horse. forehead. rather than spending all their energy keeping warm. In the first quarterly update, Ed The filly has now grown into an Altogether we are very pleased explains how Whitsbury have impressive early yearling. We with her progress so far. become attached to a certain family recently measured her statistics and and what’s so special about our she is well ahead of the average We’ll have more from Ed in our chosen foal. (see table below) Spring edition of the racegoer. At Whitsbury Manor Stud we occasionally become attached to certain families of broodmares that have done well for us. Since breeding the Group 1 winner “Gilt Edge Girl” a few years ago, this family has become our most recent favourite. We now own eight fillies/mares in this family, the latest being recently retired ex Racegoers Club filly “Clouds Rest”. She won three times in Racegoers Club green and white and was a precocious two year old. She will visit our stallion SWISS SPIRIT this season. I’m sure most interviewers would agree on the worst interviewee but it’s not for me to name names in case those interviews get even worse! Getting to work for Channel 4 at As someone who gets to enjoy the major festivals throughout the working in such a fantastic industry year means I always feel very and exciting sport day in day out, fortunate to be in the thick of the it’s a small ask to take time to offer action when racing history is being people a point of contact if they made, however my favourite would want to learn more about it. have to be when I got to spend the am moving nearer the stud this year Hopefully by being available for morning with Frankel at Juddmonte so I am sure that will change if my people to chat to about racing and Farms. He hadn’t been at the farm mum has her way! I am still very breeding and passing on whatever long, but was so relaxed, and it was involved though, helping out at the knowledge I can, I can help convert amazing to enjoy such close access sales and also going through the those people who enjoy a social day to him with the Channel 4 cameras matings for all the mares. out at the races to fully fledged fans as he prepared for his new role at of the sport. stud. I will try to attend as many of the HM The Queen, for her We have a cracking Excelebration RGC events as possible and I hope unwavering enthusiasm and keen colt out of a mare called Pinch of to see plenty of our members at the knowledge of the sport. Posh. He didn’t make the sales last upcoming Cheltenham Festival. year so is now in training with Karl Burke. I used to occasionally ride Pinch of Posh on the gallops when we had her in training so I am I almost did a law conversion course Breeds of dog. If only someone slightly biased but he is a lovely big after University so I would probably would let me loose at Crufts! strong colt and I’m hoping he can do be working as a lawyer and very well for us this year. bored! Jim Bolger’s Moonlight Magic This could get me in trouble on both We sold a Nathaniel colt out of counts! The best would have to be Bahama Spirit for 110,000 Guineas Bruce Forsyth purely as I got to end at the Tattersalls December Foal sale it with a ‘Keep Dancing” sign off. I in 2014. He is in training now with also loved interviewing Treve’s head John Gosden for his new owners so lad, the charismatic Bertrand “El fingers crossed he is one to watch for the future. Capitan” Clermont even if most of It’s been a long time since I the interview was lost in translation! mucked out to be fair, however I hank you for the recent Autumn magazine, I enjoyed reading it very much. I have made the effort to benefit from the vouchers. I seem to have set myself the target of visiting all the UK courses and am “A wet Monday shouldn’t put anyone off a visit to the friendly Wolverhampton currently on 39. I value the vouchers Racecourse” because even being prudent a day at all weather racing but my sons Last edition’s star letter is going to the races can be expensive. However asked to go to the first AW Exeter on 14th February. Paul on my travels I have seen some great championships at Lingfield and we receives a pair of tickets to a race horses and witnessed much enjoyed it so much we couldn’t meeting of his choice excitement and drama. For the past 2 wait for the second. Recently I years I have taken a 7 day road trip, have started dashing from work on moving from one course to another Wednesday afternoons to Kempton and have really enjoyed racing in Park and have really enjoyed the The star letter in each edition gets a Scotland and Yorkshire. I have evening racing in the dark and pair of tickets to the racecourse of visited towns and cities I had never seeing some quality horses run by their choice. been to before and found top trainers. Send your letters to: Wolverhampton to be nicer than I racegoersclub@ imagined! I thoroughly enjoyed my I am a very small scale tote racecourseassociation.co.uk visit to Wolverhampton racecourse customer, however nothing beats on a wet Monday afternoon and met the thrill of seeing ‘my horse’ Write to us at: some very nice people. Hamilton moving smoothly through a field Racegoers Club, Winkfield Road, racecourse was also a lovely friendly with the jockey motionless. It is a Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7HX. course and beautifully presented, I thrill I cannot put into words. There wish it wasn’t so far away! is so much about racing that is magical. Anticipation, hope, study, There have not been many negative weather watching, sentiment, experiences, although small field atmosphere. Even being a lowly The following RGC free days were sizes are a huge disappointment. I racing fan on a budget allows one abandoned due to weather. Where always look up racecards on the to share great events with wealthy possible an alternative fixture will be Racing Post website the day before a owners, top trainers and brave, arranged & reported in the racegoer.