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A trio of smaller breeders

Discussion in 'Horse Racing' started by Bustino74, Apr 10, 2014.

  1. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

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    This is a bit about a few smaller owner-breeders I’ve followed since the 70s. Their fortunes have gone up and down over those times. They have all been bigger studs than they are today but in most of the cases there are still some of the families that made those studs and so the owner-breeders so important.

    The first, and the one in the ascendant, is Mark Dixon. In the ‘50s-‘00s this was Arches Hall Stud as owned by Dixon’s uncle Dick (R.D) Holingsworth. It is in the ascendant through the exploits of Talent. Most of the stud’s success was built on one mare called Felucca. She had 3 important daughters, although sadly today there are only the ancestors of one of those daughters (Kyak) in Dixon’s ownership. And in fact all Dixon’s horses and breeding interests today relate back to Dick Hollingsworth’s 1980 Oaks winner Bireme (who was by Grundy out Ripeck by Ribot out of Kyak). Today Dixon has interests in 5 mares, the dominant one at the moment is Prowess (by Peintre Celebre out of Bireme’s daughter Yawl) who has had 3 offspring on the track so far and they have so far won 7 races including the Oaks and a couple of listed races. This mare is part owned with James Rowsell and boards at Rowsell’s Ashbrittle Stud and offspring run alternately in Dixon and Rowsell’s colours.
    This year they have 3 daughters of Prowess in training: Talent and a 2yo called Forte with Ralph Beckett, and Much Promise with John Gosden. Talent may start in her early summer target of the Coronation Cup. She threw in a terrible run in the Irish Oaks last year and Beckett generously blamed himself for the performance saying he’d probably been too easy on her. She obviously stays 14f but she also appears speedy and if she improves from last year could have a lucrative season (she looked stronger in a picture I recently saw). Her younger half-sister by Invincible Spirit is Much Promise. She looked very promising on her debut and was made favourite for her next race at the Goodwood Festival where she was disappointing. She was found to be suffering from a skin complaint and had a few months off. She reappeared in October to run second on the all-weather before finally winning a 6f maiden in early November. Apparently Gosden thinks a lot of the filly (he trained her half-brother Skilful for the partnership) and the surprise is she seems to have a lot of speed for a filly coming from a family that is usually seen as having stamina as their long suit. Her next step is likely to be a 6f or 7f handicap or conditions race somewhere. The question will be how far she will stay. Reputedly a really good looking filly it’s likely she is destined for the paddocks and I’m sure the owners will want some black-type.

    The 2yo Forte (by New Approach) isn’t likely to be seen until July/August but she or her full-sister Talent are likely to find themselves back at the Ashbrittle Stud at the end of their careers with the other possibly going to the Sales to keep the finances straight. But first reports are that Beckett says she’s a mirror image of her older sister, and having seen her picture I can see what they mean: if anything I think she looks a better made filly. Unsurprisingly Prowess revisits New Approach.

    Dixon has another mare, owned outright, at Ashbrittle called Jump Ship, who is by Night Shift out of a full-sister to Prowess’s dam. So far the best horse she has produced has been Thwart, who won 2 races on the all-weather but was sold for just 11,000g at the end of her 3yo season. Jump Ship has a foal by Compton Place and is visiting Mayson this year.

    Dixon’s other mares are in Ireland and boarded at the Mount Coote Stud, where some are part-owned with the stud and others Dixon owns outright. The most interesting mare at the moment is La Spezia, who is by Danehill Dancer out of a Zafonic mare called Genoa (who is herself a half-sister to Prowess). Reading through pedigrees at the moment it is interesting to see how much Zafonic appears in the 2nd and 3rd generation of a lot of decent horses. La Spezia has only had two foals of racing age so far and the second of them was that progressive colt Thomas Hobson, who won 4 races for their owners last year and was then sold for 240,000g to Willie Mullins. Unfortunately for Dixon, he sold the colt as a yearling for 35,000g. Genoa has just been lost, so this year’s 2yo filly La Superba (by Medicean) out of La Spezia could be of great importance to the stud. So far she has not been placed with a trainer. La Spezia has a yearling colt by Intikhab and is due to foal to him soon, but will then be covered by Azamour (if this stallion is OK, he was recently confined to his box after an accident).

    The big mummy mare for Dixon is Yawl, a Rainbow Quest daughter of Bireme, who is the dam of Prowess, Genoa and a couple of small winners. She has been barren for the last 2 years and now at the grand age of 24 is visiting Camelot. It would be nice to get a healthy daughter from this mating. She does have a 2yo colt called Ice Boat (by Verglas) who is regarded as promising.
    The last owned mare is a Saddler’s Hall half-sister to Yawl called Lakatoi, She was a non-winner but as Bireme’s last foal was retained by the stud. She produced a useful colt in the shape of Staying On, who won 4 races for Dixon before starting a successful jumping career in the USA. She has not had much since, but after producing a colt foal by Zebedee is visiting Pour Moi, who will give the offspring an interesting 3 X 3 cross of Sadler’s Wells. Lakatoi does have a 3yo Dalakhani gelding called Lake Superior in training with Jessica Harrington, and apparently he shows some promise.
    With the unexpected loss of Genoa and the sale of her daughter Brindisi (by Dr Fong) a few years back, Dixon has attempted to secure his primary family’s future by taking interests in the Lucy Wadham trained 3yo Bari (a Cape Cross daughter of Genoa), who was sold as a yearling, as well as 2yo La Marchesa (a Duke of Marmalade filly out of Brindisi), who is in training with Ed Walker, who trains her half-sister, the tough Livia’s Dream (sold by Dixon). In all Dixon looks to have an interest (all or part) in 8 horses in training this year: that’s almost back to the halcyon days of the ‘70s and early ‘80s.

    The darkest hour is just before dawn, so the song and saying goes and little over 12 months ago apparently Dixon was on the verge of giving it all up. What allegedly hurt him was the BHA’s decision to allow Qatari Racing to have Claret silks and cap with golden braid, which to his mind was too close to his own colours of Crimson with Silver Braid (thanks here to Janabelle for putting me straight on this, as I had laboured for decades under the illusion that Hollingsworth’s colours were gold braid: too much black and white TV). Moreover it went against an earlier ruling, that they had novated, that no new braid colours were to be registered (the most famous braid is on the Royal Colours but was also a feature of Moller’s colours). He lost his argument but within a few months had part-bred and part-owned an Oaks winner and Leger 2nd. Though Talent didn’t wear his colours at Epsom (the two part owners take turns to have their colours worn, so Much Promise wears the Crimson with Silver Braid), he would have had to have a heart of gold not to have taken some joy in the defeat of the Qatari purchased Secret Gesture at Epsom. Things now seem so much more buoyant. As regards allowing those colours one is reminded of another lyric ‘money doesn’t talk it swears’ and a well done to anyone who names that song!


    The second owner breeder is the Cliveden Stud of Philip Freedman. The Cliveden Stud is now just its trading name as the historic stud at Cliveden was sold some years ago. This is a stud, like many others (Ballymacoll, Dixon’s and De Walden), that has reduced in numbers over the last 10 years and now appears to have 10 mares. They only have one horse in training this year and that is the 3yo Giant’s Causeway filly Telegraphy (out of Cable). This filly comes from a recently purchased American family of eye-catching breeding and good horses like Exchange Rate and Sabre d’Argent. The 2yo of this mare is called Cable Street (by Street Cry) and was sold by the stud and is in training with Jeremy Noseda. They sold all their yearlings last year.

    The usual format for the stud is to sell the colts and retain some fillies. Two years ago the sold all the yearlings (except Telegraphy) and this included a filly from their current star mare, Independence. That filly is the 3yo Dreaming Beauty (by Oasis Dream) and a full-sister to the useful Monitor Closely, whilst being a half-sister to Mount Nelson. She has a big reputation to uphold and I’ll be very surprised if she doesn’t win something this year.

    Freedman still has 4 members of what has been his most enduring family, the family of Ball’s Mil, Milly Moss and, actually, Kris. The mares are Super Sleuth, Cut Short, Brevity and Endorsement and sadly none of them trace back to the doughty Madam Dubois. The first three are descendants of Madam Dubois’s half-sister Sun and Shade, who though a good filly and broodmare tended to get horses that are better as 2yos: or that’s how it looks so far. But this is a high quality family and with the matings of the last few years to Raven’s Pass, Dansili and Fastnet Rock there will be more to be heard from them. Lanigan has a, as yet unnamed, Dansili 2yo filly out of Cut Short (and so half-sister to the useful Brevity) that should run this year.

    The other Cliveden family is that of Fraulein. The sold 2yo filly here (again unnamed) is by Raven’s Pass and with Tommy Stack. Looking at this family and Cliveden as a whole this is a stud that needs the boost of a big winner. With the mating plans they are following (those above plus Dubawi, War Front and Smart Strike) this stud will soon be seeing some good horses.


    The final owner breeder is the smallest of the three now and is the Avington Manor Stud of Gillian, Lady Howard de Walden. De Walden one recognises, but the stud was adopted about 10 years ago after Lady HdeW reduced her mares and sold the Plantation Stud (having sold the perhaps more important Thornton Stud 20 years ago). Avington has, as far as I can see, only 3 mares. Although they are a select trio the stud is missing its share of its most important family: that being the family of Kris and Diesis that died out at the stud about 10 years ago. They also have no representatives from the family of Slip Anchor. But they do have a great granddaughter of Filigrana (the dam of Magic Flute) who is also a half-sister to De Walden’s last good horse Grand Lodge. Their mare is La Persiana (by Daylami) who won 5 races and was near group class. She has bred a couple of winners and has a 3yo filly, Djinni (by Invincible Spirit), with Hannon who won on her 2nd start last year. What is good to see is that she has Djinni’s hall-brother, Perrault (by Rip Van Winkle) in training with Beckett. Apparently the Rips are quite eyecatching and this nicely bred colt could be a useful 2yo.

    Beckett has already delivered for L HdeW when Nirva won last week at Leicester. This 3yo filly was with Cecil last year and just had an introductory run. Transferred to Beckett, she won what appeared a difficult maiden, and she won rather commandingly: definitely one to watch. By Verglas, she is out of a Marju mare called Nirvana, who is a daughter of a New Zealand mare called Charming Life imported into the Plantation Stud by Leslie Harrison in the late ‘70s. The best produce of Charming Life were a cracking good colt called Kingfisher Mill (trained by Julie Cecil) and Wellbeing, as well as Nirvana. She produced a full-sister to Nirva called Isolate who appeared useful but suffered an injury and was put down. Nirva has a 2yo half-brother by Excellent Art, who I’m unable to trace at the moment (though named Gild Master).

    Lady Howard de Walden’s last representative on the track this year may not be the least. He is a 2yo colt called Gibeon, by Cape Cross out of the Galileo mare Gravitation, and is in training with Hannon. Gravitation was out of a mare called Guaranda who is half-sister to the Irish Derby winner and Derby 2nd Fame and Glory (by Montjeu). This is tough breeding as Guaranda was by Acetenango out of a Shirley Heights mare bred by De Walden after Harrison introduced the German mare Grimpola into the stud. It is also just another example of the Northern Dancer (through his grandsons Galileo and Montjeu) cross with Never Bend (through his grandson Shirley Heights) being successful.

    It is a long time since Lady HdeW has had 4 horses in training. I hope it’s because she expects more from them. The two fillies are important to the continuance of these families and so I hope they come through the season safely and perhaps pick up some black type: I would not be at all surprised with Nirva (she’s actually entered for the Fred Darling). Looking ahead, she has 3 yearlings of which two are fillies, with one of them being Gravitation’s first filly.


    I hope all three of these studs have good years. They all have wonderful families.
    That's the last of my threads on breeders as I'm giving you too many losers!!
     
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  2. Ekbalco99

    Ekbalco99 Well-Known Member

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    Brilliant stuff Bustino .... difficult to make such a topic of interest and informative to the average joe ... but you do it with great ease ... thanks for a fascinating read ... and yes .. I too am of an age to remember Mr. Zimmermans lyrics ... chapeau !!
     
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  3. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

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    You take the first prize then, Ekbalco, it's life and life only.
     
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  4. Ekbalco99

    Ekbalco99 Well-Known Member

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    oooooopppppsss... It's not mate .. your memory is playing as many tricks as mine does .. it's from I'm alright Ma ...
     
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  5. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

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    You are right, but that's the last line of that song.
     
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  6. Ekbalco99

    Ekbalco99 Well-Known Member

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    You are dead right .. I didn't realise that it was the last half of the last line ... I'm still learning @ 57 .. cheers Bustino ..
     
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  7. Janabelle13

    Janabelle13 Well-Known Member

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    Another interesting article Bustino - thanks
     
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  8. Indian Haven

    Indian Haven New Member

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    Dear Bustino

    Last year's yearlings were not a great bunch-the nicest being CABLE STREET which was a foal share with Darley; hopefully this year's are nicer and the plan is to race three fillies- Dansili-Super Sleuth, New Approach-Mischief Making and Fastnet Rock-Brevity with the colts, led by the Oasis Dream-Independence, going to the sales. Of the foals the picks are the Invincible Spirit out of Brevity colt and the Dubawi out of Independence filly. Sadly Telegraphy is quite slow, but I still own 25% of Concise (Lemon Drop Kid-Cut Short) who was Group 1 placed in USA last year and remains in training with Graham Motion. She runs in an allowance at Keeneland on Saturday- the right race but a full field not necessarily ideal for a filly which comes from behind.

    The Invincible Spirit-Fraulein (That is The Spirit) looks useful, although Fraulein now sold (but Mischief Making retained)- and some interesting entries for Fog Of War (Azamour-Cut Short)- nut it will be interesting to see him run.
     
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  9. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

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    Thank you Indian Haven, it is very kind of you to post on here and give us all that information. The three 2yo fillies for next year look exciting. Good luck with the rest of this year's foals.

    I was at Goodwood for Brevity's first outing and thought her a bonny filly. She ran 4th that day, I think, but won twice after that. I really hope she turns out to be another great Cliveden mare.
     
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  10. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

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    For this trio of breeders one is standing out this year and that is the Cliveden Stud of Philip Freedman. From his 2011 crop of foals (now 3yos) he’s now had 3 winners of 5 races and some promising efforts that could mean that both figures could soon be higher. With the exception of one filly all of that crop were sold. The surprise star of the year has so far been That Is The Spirit, who at 15,000g was the cheapest of the lot. An Invincible Spirit gelding out of Fraulein, O’Meara trained him to win his first 3 starts including a listed event at Epsom. On his last start he was unplaced in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes. 7f seems to suit but he may prefer some give in the ground: definitely a tough gelding. Fraulein’s daughter Mischief Making (by Lemon Drop Kid) has also produced a winner this year with her first foal Devilment who took his second all-weather win in the Spring to follow up his 2yo success on the same surface. With Appleby he may pick up a small handicap somewhere. Fraulein’s other daughter Sister Maria (by Kingmambo) has produced a filly in Saint Lucy (by Selkirk) who ran a distinctly promising debut race last week when 3rd in a Newbury maiden. She ran pretty green and Gosden should bring her along to win races. Both 2yos from this family were sold and have so far not appeared: next year there’s a 2yo filly by New Approach out of Mischief Making who could be very interesting.
    The other winner for Cliveden was Fog of War (by Azamour ot of Cut Short: so from Cliveden’s most established family) who won a 12f maiden in Ireland for Ger Lyons. He has only run 3 times and having been placed twice seemed to enjoy the step up in distance. This colt looks progressive and could win more. Fog of War’s 2yo sister Terse (by Dansili and in training with Lanigan) will have to improve to get her head in front.
    Perhaps the most pleasing debut was that of Dreaming Beauty, who in early June ran in an 8f maiden at Goodwood and given a gentle introduction by Doyle looked a filly for the future. By Oasis Dream out of Independence this full-sister to Monitor Closely should stay further if necessary but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t be effective at 8f: I’m sure Noseda will pick up a maiden with her and then go looking for black type. No 2yo from this mare this year but a yearling full-brother destined for the sales. This Reference Point family is consistently good.
    More from this stud and their 2yos later in the year.

    For the Avington Stud not much has happened since my last report. Nirva ran and ran moderately, which was disappointing after her winning run in April for Beckett. She should still be followed. Djinni has struggled this year and looks a filly that needs good to firm or faster ground, which she doesn’t often get. More interesting for Lady Howard de Walden are probably the 2yos.

    Mark Dixon has had an even quieter time. He has so far only had 2 runs from his owned and part-owned squad. Much Promise appeared at Newmarket and despite some support in the market ran no sort of race. Apparently the trainer is despairing of her a little. Talent duly appeared in the Coronation Cup and looked a different horse to last year. She has done well physically and looked too well if anything ran an OK race without featuring. She has an entry in the Yorkshire Oaks but either needs a run before that or needs some searching gallops to get fully racing fit. Keeping a 4yo filly in training is always a risk. She could have been comfortably in foal by now and worth more than she is today.

    Other than that none of his others have been entered. I should think it’s a frustrating year after last year’s successes.

    More in a month or so.
     
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