My annual thread on three smaller breeders, and yes I do know it's Cheltenham this week. Cliveden Stud A good sales season led to Cliveden selling their Dubawi colt out of Independence for 575,000guineas. This has allowed the stud to have two interesting 2yos in training this year as they were able to withdrew another filly from the sales. The most important is Melodies (filly by Ifraaj out of Singersongwriter) mainly because she is the only foal of this daughter of Independence and so a valuable representative of this family. She is in training with Ed Dunlop. The other 2yo is Exeat (filly Oasis Dream out of Brevity but a reasonably late foal; so don’t expect too much this year) who is in training with Balding. This trainer only joined the Cliveden ranks 2 years ago and had a highly promising 2016 winning with both of his inmates. Top of the list, and top of Cliveden’s list must be Horseplay. She made a promising debut midsummer and then in the Autumn won her maiden by an easy 14 lengths. These end of season maidens can fool you but there was a lot to like about her run. She is a filly by Cape Cross out of Mischief Making and so half-sister to the useful filly More Mischief who was sold as a yearling but has won 4 races (trained by Jedd O’Keefe, she stays in training as a 5yo). This filly improved as a 3yo and again as a 4yo so I am hoping for Horseplay to be a special filly. She has been entered for the Irish Oaks already. Balding also has the 4yo filly Brief Visit (Fastnet Rock out of Brevity) in training, who improved with every run last season before winning in late summer. She then didn’t run again but could be a filly capable of more improvement this year. I can’t be more pleased that Brevity is showing early signs of being a good mare. I’m pleased because she comes from the wonderful Sassoon/Cliveden family of Mils Bomb, Indian Haven and so many others (and includes Kris and Dieisis). Hopefully Brevity will produce a Muharrar foal this year. It would be wrong not to mention the unraced Brevity 3yo colt Saheq, who is in training with Brian Meehan and was an expensive purchase by Sheikh Hamdan. Brevity’s dam Cut Short (by Dieisis) has a yearling filly by Kingman and is due to Golden Horn. Godolphin bought Independence’s yearling last year (as yet an un-named Dubawi 2yo colt) and they also have her 3yo filly Easy Victory, who looked a cracker when she won at the July meeting but then succumbed to the Bin Suroor virus. She could still be special. I started with Independence so I’ll finish with her. She has been the stud’s leading mare and is the only current member of the Reference Point family. She has a granddaughter in Melodies and a yearling colt by Oasis Dream and is due to him this year (she has been mated with Oasis Dream 5 times!). A daughter for the stud would be helpful. Avington Stud Lady Gillian de Walden and her Avington Stud is a little difficult to report on. She could or should have 3 horses running for her and her stud this season, but at this point it is hard for me to say much more. She should have a Holy Roman Emperor 3yo filly called Gemina who had a good first season. She came out in July and won her maiden well. A month later she took on the colts in a Listed race at Salisbury and finished 2nd to a colt winning his 4th race. So far so (pretty) good. She didn’t run again but an issue in writing this is that she no longer appears in Beckett’s online list of 3yos, though she does appear in his Horses in Training list. So I have no idea if she is still around. If she is she should get further and possibly 12f as her dame is closely bred to both Fame and Glory and Lagatissimo. If Beckett has her she fits very well with the sort of horse he excels with and something like the Lingfield Oaks Trial could be her target, Other than that she has two 2yo colts or should have. One is Gendarme (by Lawman) and a half-brother to Gemina and Gibeon, while there is also Parisian (by Champs Elysses) who is from the Magic Flute and Grand Lodge family and out of the good mare La Persiana. But at the moment neither are placed with trainers. Mark Dixon Though the breeding world is buzzing for Mark Dixon at the moment there is a reduced activity on the racecourse. So first the breeding stock and Dixon has interests in 9 mares. One, Jump Ship, is wholly in his ownership and of the others 4 mares are co-owned with the Ashbrittle Stud and 4 are co-owned with the Mount Coote Stud . Because of Talent’s Oaks win it is the Ashbrittle Stud that gets most exposure. Talent’s dam Prowess has a Frankel yearling filly and should produce a Dubawi foal this year before visiting New Approach. Talent (by New Approach) has a Dubawi yearling filly, should have a foal by Dansili and returns to Dubawi. Talent’s half-sister, Much Promise (by Invincible Spirit) has a yearling colt by Dansili, is due to Camelot and visits Sea the Stars. Talent’s full sister Forte is a maiden and visits Siyouni. There are no horses in training from these mares so much to look forward to at least over the 2018-2021 horizon. The shared Mount Coote mares are led by La Spezia (by Danehill Dancer) who produced the good gelding Thomas Hobson and the blacktype filly La Superba (by Medicean). La Spezia has a 3yo colt called Palermo (by Intikhab: with Wigham) who was favourite on his debut but ran poorly. The mare’s 2yo is Fearless (by Arakan: with Hughes, which is a good choice as he’s ridden the best Arakan produce) and my feeling on this family is they at least need good to soft ground. La Spezia has a yearling filly by Camelot and is due to Born to Sea. Close relative La Marchesa (by Duke of Marmalade out of a half-sister to La Spezia) has had her first foal by Maxios; Bari (by Cape Cross and a half-sister to La Spezia) is due to Intello; La Superba is a maiden and like the rest of the Mount Coote mares has not had their matings published for this year. There is another mare and that is Lakatoi who is a Saddler’s Hall sister to Prowess’s dam. She has a yearling colt by Zebedee and is due to Power. The fully owned mare is Jump Ship and is the one mare who has retained the nautical names so loved by Dixon’s uncle Dick Hollingsworth. She has a 3yo colt called Cinque Port (by Compton Place) who as a 2yo was expected to deliver. His first run was full of promise but his 2nd outing was a bit of a disappointment. Both these starts were over 7f and Hughes has now decided that he’s a sprinter and he will line up today at Chelmsford over 6f. I can see him going near today and going on to be reasonably useful. There is a 2yo colt by Mayson called Climb Aboard (who goes to Morrison)who could also be speedy: he was definitely a bright foal. Jump Ship also has a yearling filly by Mukhadram. Hopefully Dixon will get a couple of winners this year but it starts getting more exciting next year.
Cinque Port went in as I hoped. He ran well and can win more races at 6f but could with time get further. This was Dixon's first winner for more that 18 months. Bari has had a filly by Intello and now visits Havana Gold, while La Spezia visits Intello. Her daughter La Superba visits Maxios, La Marchesa visits Vadamos and the final Mount Coote mare Lakatoi visits Requinto. They seem more eclectic choices but I like the La Superba mating. Still no news from the Avington horses.
Brief Visit kicks off the season for Cliveden tomorrow, but with a run at Kempton on the all-weather (her first). She should go close if Balding has her wound up. Sadly Lakatoi died after producing her filly foal by Power. She was Oaks winner Bireme's last foal. She produced a good colt in Staying On but has been a bit hit and miss since.On a brighter note Dixon's winner Cinque Port is probably heading for Chester, which will be his first run on turf. So all you Chester lovers should look out for him. Gemina seems to have been taken out of training. Hopefully she is still alive. Beckett has Parisian as a 2yo.
Dixon appears to be having a filly fest. He so far has 5 foals and they are all fillies. The important ones so far have been a Dubawi out of Prowess (so half-sister to Talent) and a Dansili out of Talent. Hopefully they are both well and correct. Meanwhile Lakatoi's last foal (by Power) is settling down well with her step-mum.
A quiet time for this trio. Brief Visit ran a slightly disappointing race on the all-weather but may strip fitter next time out on the turf. Horseplay has not been entered for any early races and hopefully is waiting for one of the Oaks Trial (she has now been entered for that Classic too). Of interest is the impending debut of the Brian Meehan trained Saaheq. This Invincible Spirit colt was purchased from Cliveden for 330,000guineas by Hamdan. He is a half-brother to Brief Visit and the 2nd foal of that useful filly Brevity. He is most likely to be a miler. A nice maiden win would be a great filip for the stud. Mark Dixon has Cinque Port running at Lingfield tomorrow as he makes his handicap debut. After winning at 6f he goes a furlong further tomorrow. Looks a tricky race but I’m taking him to win. Meanwhile here is Talent’s sister by Dubawi at about a week old. And here is Talent's 2nd foal by Dansili
Here she is Both look bright, but I think the Dubawi just edges it. Dixon still has two mares to produce and they are both good mares. He probably doesn't want any more fillies. Edit: Well the she turns out to be a he. So it's a Dansili colt out of Talent. He'll go to the sales I should think. Much Promise who's an Invincible Spirit half sister to Talent has produced a filly by Camelot.
With the exception of Horseplay's Pretty Polly victory there's not much happening here. I thought she always looked the winner and she only looked a little under pressure when entering the Dip. Whether that was the Dip, the firm ground or just inexperience we don't know. What was certain was the further they went the more she was in command. It's good to see Cliveden having a horse to go to war with. Her dam was half-decent and won over 13f and was 2nd in the Sagaro. Her grand-dam (Fraulein) was even better and won the EP Taylor Stakes (Group 1) as a 3yo. Cliveden must be doubly pleased as they no longer have either of these 2 mares. Cinque Port ran a lifeless follow-up race to his maiden win and is apparently under the microscope, as he was expected to do much better. Dixon's last mare, La Spezia, produced a colt by Born to Sea. No sign as yet of Dixon's 2yos.
Still a quiet trio though the pulse should quicken next week. One development has been the placing of Gendarme (well named colt by Lawman and a half-brother to Gibeon and Gemina) with Richard Hannon, who is entering him in 6f maidens. Both of his relatives won first time out so hopefully this colt will continue the run. As reported elsewhere this colt is from the family of Fame and Glory and the promising Dubai Thunder. Beckett has not entered his 2yo Parisian yet. Apparently Horseplay ran a cracking gallop at Epsom this week and I have no fears of her handling the course and getting the distance. I reckon this is Cliveden's first classic runner since the brilliant Reference Point (please correct me if I am wrong). Cinque Port has run two lifeless races and it must be back to the drawing board. No other news just yet.
A quiet period for these 3 breeders. What prompts this post is a bit of activity for Cliveden. As a stud they had another win from the sold filly (now 5yo mare) More Mischief. She won a listed event at Newcastle before running perhaps her best race when finishing 2nd in the Galtres at York. Her 3yo half-sister Horseplay has been winning money in Group races without making the first 3. She was 4th in the Oaks then again 4th in a French Group race. There is a chance she'll make one more start this year. Tomorrow Brief Visit runs again, Her first 2 starts as a 4yo were distinctly disappointing but her last start showed more promise and more like her 3yo form. She runs tomorrow in a Class 4 handicap at Ayr. If showing her 3yo form she should go close. More interesting is the 2nd start of Melodies. This filly is the only foal of a talented racefilly called Singesongwriter (by Ravens Pass) who sadly died as a 5yo mare. Melodies ran well first time out and finished 4th in a good class maiden at Salisbury. Dunlop gives her all the help she needs at Newbury on Friday by booking De Souza.. She must go close..
Well Melodies didn't win and Brief Visit didn't run, but when the latter did run she won a fairly easy race easily. A shame it's late in the season again. The question must be whether she runs again and then whether she is retained by Cliveden. Meanwhile Melodies ran well to be 2nd in what could have been a fair maiden. She didn't pick up as needed 2 furlongs out but ran on well. It will be very disappointing if she doesn't get off the mark at Kempton tomorrow night. Their other 2yo, Exeat, is yet to be entered. She is a half-sister to Brief Visit. However the Cliveden story doesn't end there. Their best mare Independence added another winner to the roster when Graffiti Master won on his second start for Godolphin. His next run, maybe in the 10f Zetland Stakes, will show whether he has some class or is just a bit of a plodder. The Cliveden piece ends with 3 yearlings sold at Newmarket this week. After several hundreds of thousands of guineas for previous Independence foals her Oasis Dream colt went for 40,000gns. Their foal out of Super Sleuth went for 42,000gns. The chief 2yo flagbearer next year for the stud looks to be a Kingman half-sister to Brevity. For Mark Dixon it has been a quiet year. One winner (if you don't count Thomas Hobson) so far this season, and absolutely no sign of another. However smiles must have been wide when a filly by Frankel out of Prowess went though the ring a week ago. She made a record Frankel price of 2.7million guineas. They planned to sell another yearling a week later but he had to be withdrawn. Hopefully he'll overcome his problems. Overall a great result for Dixon and his Ashbrittle Stud partner and their most important 2yo is a Dubawi filly out of Oaks winner Talent (who is of course a 3 parts sister to the Frankel yearling) already named Ambition. As I've said before 2018 is the key year for the Dixon team. I'm beginning to get nervous about the Howard de Walden horses. They sold their mare La Persiana, who was the last long-term connection to the old stud of Lord Howard. Their 2yo Gendarme is also up for sale. Maybe they are just reducing down to one family. We'll see.
2017 will go down as a disappointing year for these three owner-breeders. Top of the pile must go to the Cliveden Stud (though it has not been at Cliveden for years). Things looked really rosy in the Spring when Horseplay won the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket, which usually provides a useful competitor for the Oaks. Horseplay looked a good horse that day, and also was noted as running a good ‘publicity’ trial at Epsom before her big day. In the Oaks she ran a sound race to be 4th to Enable and later repeated that position in a French Group 2. She then did not run again until the autumn when she ran no sort of race in heavy going at Ascot. Her 5yo half-sister More Mischief (by Azamour: and sold by Cliveden as a yearling) clocked up a further listed win as well as some reasonable places. Hopefully Horseplay (by Cape Cross) will be retired to the Paddocks and mated with a speedy sire. Cliveden’s Brief Visit did not carry on her 3yo form as a 4yo as had been hoped, but took her time to come back to form. She did win the Newmaket Challenge Whip on her penultimate start but it’s questionable whether keeping her in training was worth it. Surely she will now be retired to stud and mated for speed? There is an unraced 3yo filly, next year, called Exeat (by Oasis Deam: with Balding) who could be something for next season. The other 2yo was Melodies, the only living foal of the unlucky Sngersongwriter (a daughter of Independence). She ran two promising races but looked as if she needed time and another winter on her back may do a world of good. Cliveden did not have the cushion of a big-ticket yearling sale this year. They could do with a solid performer coming through next year to support the chances of the stud. It was always going to be a quiet year on the racetrack for Mark Dixon but after Cinque Port’s promising victory in March you would have been brave to think this would be the only winner for the team. As it was none of the other 3yos were placed and none of the 2yos ran. Of course the big event for Dixon was the sale of his part-owned (as are 95% of all his bloodstock) Frankel filly to the owner of Leicester City. This filly out of Prowess, so a half-sister to the Oaks winner Talent, has been given the uninspiring (and rather unfeminine) name of King Power: which is the name given to many of her Thai owner’s assets. It is to be hoped that this filly is worth her price tag the next year and next. Talent’s first foal is called Ambition and one must believe that this Dubawi filly is not to be aimed too highly as she goes into training with Hughes. A more interesting 2yo next year could turn out to be the Ralph Becket trained Lara, who is a Camelot sister to Thomas Hobson and La Superba. More of these later. What I will say is that the investment in better sires continues with this owners’ mares. Here are some of the 2017 foals and matings:- Prowess has a filly foal by Dubawi, is in foal to New Approach and is likely to return to Frankel; Talent has a colt foal by Dansili and is in foal to Dubawi; Forte is in foal to Siyouni; Much Promise has a colt foal by Camelot and is in foal to Sea the Stars; Bari (half-sister to La Spezia) has a filly foal by Intello and is in foal to Havana Gold; La Spezia (dam of Thomas Hobson) has a colt foal by Born to Sea and was then barren to Intello; and La Superba is in foal to Maxios. 2018 to 2020 will be fascinating years for this outfit.
