T H E W O R L D ’ S F I N E S T B O O K M A K E R : TA K I N G B E T S S I N C E 1 8 8 2 • F I T Z D A R E S . C O M • 1 2 T H E D I T I O N , S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 • N O U N D E R 2 1 s
OUR HENRY The rise, fall and rise again of the great Sir Henry Cecil
PATRICK GRANT The tailor’s seamless move into PPE manufacturing
WESLEY WARD The US trainer on conquering Royal Ascot every year
BY TONY RUSHMER
BY WILLIAM WOODHAMS
BY RORY FAIRFAX
THE OF
SPORT QUEENS
For seven decades, the jewels in Her Majesty the Queen’s crown have been her racehorses. Cornelius Lysaght looks at a lasting love affair HE LOFTY POSITIONS held by the racecourses at Ascot, Epsom, Newbury and Newmarket in the racing life of the Queen are regularly well documented. In contrast, the significance of leafy Fontwell Park, the partially figure-ofeight jumps track nestling beside the main Chichester-to-Worthing road in West Sussex, is spoken of less often. But it was here that Her Majesty tasted the first of her 1,011 (and counting) British successes. The year was 1949, the horse Monaveen. He was owned in partnership with her mother, Queen Elizabeth, and prepared by Peter Cazalet, subsequently the Queen Mother’s
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principal trainer, at Fairlawne in Kent. With Princess Elizabeth present to watch, jockey Tony Grantham rode the eight-year-old to victory in the Chichester Handicap Chase against two opponents, one of whom was trained by “Towser” Gosden, father of John. The Irish-bred Monaveen had been a handful as a youngster. In an attempt to calm him a little, he had been employed to pull a milk float around County Meath. However, once racing he was transformed by headgear and came recommended by Grantham, who had ridden the horse previously for trainer Peter Thrale. Fontwell was followed by wins at Sandown and the defunct Hurst Park, now
mainly housing at Molesey, Surrey. This made the horse a leading fancy for the 1950 Grand National where, cheered on by Princess Elizabeth and the Royal family, he finished fifth. So, for all of the contenders in flat racing’s Classics, at home and abroad, and at Royal Ascot, the first big-race hope in the Queen’s colours – scarlet with purple hooped sleeves and a black cap in the days before she inherited her father’s – was at Aintree, in jumping’s most famous race. However, it was the flat that had originally caught her imagination. This was after something of a seminal moment during the Second World War. George VI took his daughter to
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view horses he had trained by Fred Darling at Beckhampton stables near Marlborough, including Sun Chariot, winner of the Fillies’ Triple Crown – the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger – in 1942. The Princess was taken by the “satiny softness” of the thoroughbreds when patting them and, it seems, was immediately hooked. HEN HER FATHER DIED, while her mother continued along the National Hunt route, the Queen took over the Royal flat-racing and breeding interests, including the stud on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. This was all done with notable enthusiasm, as illustrated by the story that early on Coronation Day, 2 June 1953, she declared herself to be feeling “very well”. The suggestion was that this was largely down to word coming through that Aureole, her Derby runner later in the week, had pleased his trainer Cecil Boyd-Rochfort on the gallops. An estimated half a million people crowded across the Downs at Epsom for that Derby. While there was clearly much talk of Aureole, there was also considerable hype about whether the iconic, and newly knighted, champion jockey Sir Gordon Richards might finally – finally – take the famous prize on Pinza, extraordinarily his 28th mount. In the end, he did, by four lengths from the Royal runner. This gave the Queen her best finishing position in the race, the only one of the five Classics in which she has not been successful (so far). Better, however, was to come. The exploits of Aureole during the following season, winning Epsom’s Coronation Cup and, poignantly, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, ensured she was the leading owner on the first of two occasions.
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YOU CAN WATCH every race of Royal Ascot on the Fitzdares app or website. More than ITV are showing!
The 1950s were generally good, with wins too for Carrozza, trained by Noel Murless, in the Oaks of 1957 and for the Boyd-Rochforttrained Pall Mall in the 2000 Guineas a year later. The first few of her 23 Royal Ascot winners over the years also galloped home in front that decade. However, there was no immunity for the now purple and scarlet silks, with gold braid and a black cap, from racing’s
Those who watched close-up saw a consummate horsewoman who many believe could have made a successful trainer. twists and turns. A quieter spell followed, but she continued to revel in the involvement in the Sport of Kings – and Queens – and everything that came with it. Those who watched the monarch closeup then saw, as now, a consummate horsewoman, who many believe could have made a successful trainer. She was equally a fan, enjoying hearing about all the goings-on in the sport and meeting the major players. In the 1970s, the Royal string returned to the big time, notably when in 1974 the 1000 Guineas fell to the filly Highclere, which was
also successful in France’s Prix de Diane. In 1977, the Silver Jubilee year, Dunfermline provided grounds for extra Royal celebrations by winning the Oaks and St Leger. In the ensuing decades, the Queen was one of many traditional breeder-owners who found the going became heavy, as overseasbased, often oil-rich “superpowers” arrived on the scene. They were led by Dubai’s Maktoum family, one member of which, Sheikh Hamdan, purchased Highclere’s daughter Height Of Fashion, an outstanding broodmare and mother of a wealth of talent. This included the Sheikh’s colt Nashwan – trained, ironically, by Major Dick Hern, who had been sacked from the Queen’s racing team. Also, while other breeders could access Ireland’s increasingly potent stallions, the prevailing politics meant the Royal mares could not. However, under the stewardship of racing and bloodstock adviser John Warren, who came to shrewd breeding arrangements with leading figures like Sheikh Mohammed and the Aga Khan, things looked up markedly. This was especially notable with Carlton House, who finished third when favourite for the 2011 Derby, and Estimate, the unforgettable winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot two years later. In her 71st year of racehorse ownership, there is clearly no diminution in the Queen’s greatest passion: Horses in Training lists no fewer than 76 in the Royal string, including progeny of the most fashionable stallions including Galileo, Frankel, Sea The Stars, Dubawi and Kingman. No one will be more disappointed that public health restrictions have forced Royal Ascot behind closed doors. n Cornelius Lysaght is a racing writer and
broadcaster with over 30 years’ experience.
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I got involved in horseracing with two great mates, Gareth Maule and Christian Williams. Gareth is not
just an ex-rugby player for the Scarlets and Bristol, but also a young guy with an enormous passion for racing. He started a wonderful syndicate called All Stars Sports Racing, with a brilliant bunch of lads, including the Lions centre Jonathan Davies. The first real success we had was with a horse called Conas Taoi, who won a heap of races and got the ball rolling. Potters Corner’s big 2019/20 mid-season target was always the Welsh National, and he was expertly prepared by genius trainer Christian. After he won the race, he was given some down time to prepare for the Aintree Grand National. Christian is meticulous, leaving no stone unturned. Above all, he adores his horses – Potters is his best mate and he knows him inside out. Christian’s location allows him to train horses on the beach and through the sand dunes – they seem to thrive there, and this has certainly been borne out by Potters Corner. We were hopeful that the trip would certainly play to his strengths. If he got into a rhythm early on he
could be in with a big each-way shout. I’d even had a few antepost wagers. Sadly, it was pretty much straight after Cheltenham that we started to seriously worry that Aintree might be in severe doubt. It was our dream that he would run a big race. After the real race was cancelled, my initial thoughts on the Virtual Grand National were sceptical. In the end, what a blooming brilliant concept it was, and more im-
DIARY by Matt Hall Virtual Grand National winner
‘Christian is meticulous. Above all, he adores his horses. Potters is his best mate and he knows him inside out.’
portantly, for a fantastic cause. It was a huge success, so well done to ITV and everyone involved. I genuinely believe it gave the nation a boost. For the race, the whole syndicate dressed up and watched it together on Zoom. It was pretty surreal. We
were all roaring, jumping up and down on camera. It was really great to enjoy the moment with such a good bunch of lads. The phone didn’t stop after he crossed the line. Christian said it couldn’t have panned out better. Virtual Jack Tudor rode pretty much to instructions, although maybe he got there a tad too soon – we told him not to hit the front until after the elbow! We celebrated on Zoom with a bottle of red – a little quieter than the celebrations after he won the Welsh Grand National. As a syndicate, we set up a Just Giving page for Velindre Cancer Centre. I’d managed to get a few mates to help me out and get some extra £10 each-way bets on, so we raised a fair bit for the charity. It is a cause that is close to a lot of the syndicate members’ hearts, including my own. A lot of water will pass under the bridge between now and next year’s race, but it would be great to
think we could come to Aintree next year. If there’s a charitable element to it, like the Virtual Grand National, that would be a nice touch. However, as long as Potters Corner is fit and healthy, that’s the most important thing for us. I would imagine his campaign will mirror last season’s, but we’ll leave that to the Welsh wizard Christian Williams, the man who knows his best mate best! n
Millions cheered from home as Potters Corner won at virtual Aintree, raising £2.6 million for the NHS
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TOP HAT AND TALES
A day in the life of a Berkshire runt, as witnessed by nosy Mr Parker
mouths: “Grand.” The Fitzdares brokers have just put down the phone to Uncle Freddie for the second time today. Archie will be joining them in September for some work experience. “Ride him! Ride him! Not the bloody inside rail. You’ll get blocked off. Go on. Go on. Get your head down!” Winner. He hurriedly dials Fitzdares for the next Dettori favourite with his £50 profit. A chirpy voice answers: “Hi Freddie, Fantastic winner there. You’ve always loved that horse. Next Dettori favourite?” Yes. Yes, please. An over-eager bite of the lobster sandwich and button number three pops on shirt number five of the TM Lewin deal. OTTLE NUMBER SIX ARRIVES. “Put it on my tab.” Lloyd’s of London’s, presumably. At this point, it’s hard to distinguish who’s who in the various enclosures. That’s why they make you wear the hats, so you know who it’s safe to talk to. They’ve all backed four favourites and three have won. “That horse reminded me of Frankel.” The only horse Archie has heard of. Jack has actually put £2.50 each way on a couple of 25/1 shots, after running three highlighters and a half-chewed biro through the Racing Post, but he’s keeping quiet. He spent all morning working out the handicaps, but Archie’s now won £200. They stumble down to the bandstand, shoulders rubbing, arms aloft, bellowing “Auld Lang Syne”. Maybe I’ll run the Turf Club next year, Archie now contemplates in a moment of pure sincerity. He’s spent two years trying to shed the top-hatand-tails look, but he’s never felt more comfortable than now. Maybe he’ll take out that eyebrow piercing when he gets home. Oh, wait, he’s DJ’ing at a house party in the evening. Tomorrow, then. n
B OP HAT, ARCHIBALD,” Archie’s parents remind him as he leaves Jack and the Addison Lee waiting at his maybe Chelsea, probably Fulham address. He should damn well remember, too. Without the hat, it’s basically just his old school uniform. Not that anyone would ever suspect he went there. Especially with the eyebrow piercing and mullet combo. Both of which he’s curated since freshers. “Roll me one before we go.” He feels for the inside-left pocket of his tails and there’s the fresh Golden Virginia he’d bought that morning. Persols? Check. Badge? Check. Cash? He squishes the semi-inhaled rollie under his left loafer and dashes inside to clean out mum’s handbag. “Just borrowing a tenner,” he shouts after the front door slams. Archie attends Royal Ascot on the Saturday every year with his Uncle
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Freddie, who’s “minted and practically owns the place”. By “place”, he really means the right hoof of a rather questionable jumps horse, ironically named Freddie Krüger. He runs exclusively at Huntingdon every year before the Foxhunters’ and Uncle Freddie can count “completed circuits” on his
An over-eager bite of the lobster sandwich and button number three pops on shirt number five of the TM Lewin deal. signet finger. The other nine syndicate members are hoping his daughter, the jockey, takes that postCirencester gap year in Argentina. Uncle Freddie welcomes Archie and Jack on to the balcony with a “bottle of Bolly” just as the first race is off. “I just put 50 on Frankie’s. Evens – that’s buying money.” Archie glances at Jack and mistakenly
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08 Henry Cecil went from hero to almost zero, until he fought back to give his career
ON AND OFF THE RAILS It’s the same for everyone – life tests us all. But in the late 1970s and through the 1980s, Henry Cecil may well have wondered
if he had been granted a unique exemption. Everything just seemed to flow so effortlessly for the master of Warren Place. With a charm and flair entirely of his own, he stacked up Classic triumphs, champion trainer titles and Royal Ascot victories. How about 1987 for an annus mirabilis: he sent out 180 winners at an extraordinary 40 per cent strike rate. It was a stellar season in which the trainer landed the Derby, St Leger and King George with Reference Point. Oh, and let’s not forget he saddled seven winners at the Royal meeting during a glorious June, the month that ardent rose-grower Cecil always looked forward to. Dashingly handsome and possessed with an inimitable sense of style, he was as
popular with the betting-shop punter as he was with the royalty, lords and ladies he trained for. The good times kept rolling, and Cecil could have been forgiven if he thought they were never going to end. If only everything were that straightforward, though. By the turn of the millennium the trainer’s world had started to cave in on him, and in November 2000 he suffered the crushing blow of losing his twin David to cancer. Cecil struggled throughout his
brother’s illness, drinking too much and taking his eye off the ball professionally. The horses were laid low with a virus for a season or so, and his string size shrunk at an alarming rate. Aside from a couple of his major owner-breeders remaining loyal, faith in the once mighty Warren Place was dwindling and new dominant forces had appeared to take centre-stage. It was a very public decline, played out in the front as well as the back pages of newspapers, not to mention the gossip col-
umns. And with two marriages behind him, Cecil suddenly found himself very much on his own. In 2006, a trainer with 70 Royal Ascot winners on the board was reduced to being represented by just a single runner at his favourite meeting. Had it really come to this? His filly, Novellara, contested the Ribblesdale
Stakes, but could only finish an also-ran, epitomising how Cecil was perceived by many in racing at that point. There were those predicting imminent retirement for the 10-time champion trainer. And their beliefs would have been
further fuelled had they known he’d attended Royal Ascot that year with his morning suit covering the bandaging applied after a biopsy. For Cecil, like his brother six years before him, now had cancer. A sizeable mass was found behind his stomach. To be specific, he had follicular lymphoma, a type of nonHodgkin lymphoma. Only those closest to him knew – and they feared how he’d react. After all, he hadn’t coped at all well through David’s cancer battle; how on earth was he going to deal with his own? But that is a separate story… so read on!
09 a blistering sprint finish. Tony Rushmer pays tribute
Gunner B, Le Moss, Ardross, Bosra Sham… Henry Cecil sent out so many stars
to deliver equine excellence at Royal Ascot. However, it’s hard to believe there can have been a performance at racing’s most prestigious meeting that gave him more satisfaction than Frankel’s astonishing victory in the 2012 Queen Anne Stakes. It was an 11th straight win for the unbeaten superstar colt and the margin of success was a mighty 11 lengths, coming in at odds of 1/10. The bare facts are impressive, but they don’t begin to do justice to the background that led to those moments, which are now indelibly inked into racing’s history books. It’s a story of teak-tough courage and peerless training. And it began six or seven years earlier… Cecil and Jane McKeown had resumed their relationship at a time when Cecil’s career appeared to be in terminal decline. She helped to restore his confidence, reminding him that, unlike sportsmen who are diminished by the ageing process, his skill and experience were still very much intact. Her positivity and determination tapped into Cecil’s own desire not to be identified as a has-been. For Cecil had always been a fierce competitor. And that iron will was called on
from 2006 when he began a lengthy cancer
battle. He fronted up to it with defiance, a bravery that inspired all that saw it. “I’m afraid I’m going to be around for some time yet!” he would tell his friends with that familiar glint in his eye. The more he fought for his professional reputation – fought for his life – the more he achieved. And the deep admiration of the racing public, who had always pulled for him, turned to love. A high-profile Cecil winner was now greeted with a guttural roar of approval, an outpouring of emotion. How fitting it was that his masterpiece was saved to last. Frankel arrived as a colt
at Warren Place in January 2010, sent from the trainer’s staunch supporter Prince Khalid Abdullah. Cecil swiftly recognised the innate talent, and before Frankel had ever run he told his great friend and fellow trainer Ed Vaughan that the horse “might be the best horse I’ve ever had”. How right he was. Cecil’s genius was evident throughout the horse’s career, particularly in the patient and calm manner in which he trained him to relax. Frankel had an extraordinary action and stride – but he also possessed an enthusiasm that needed managing. In Cecil he could not have had a better handler, armed with both the experience and nerve to make sure the horse was trained to perfection. The sure
touch of the trainer and the extraordinary ability of the horse were never more evident than in the Queen Anne, in which Frankel toyed with and then destroyed the field. The manner in which he sustained his run that afternoon was simply spellbinding. It was perhaps the most visually impressive display that the son of Galileo produced. Alongside Jane – his wife since 2008 – Cecil, in a cream-patterned tie with matching pale rose in his button-hole, smiled with contentment. The horse that had enthralled and challenged him in near-equal measures over the previous two and a half years had given a supreme exhibition of his gifts. It’s hard to imagine Cecil ever feeling so alive. Equally, it’s sad to reflect that within a year the great trainer had died after cancer
returned and took an unremitting hold. But that magical afternoon at Royal Ascot will never be forgotten by those who were fortunate enough to be there. We saw a true giant of the turf in his rightful place, centre-stage in the Royal Ascot winner’s circle and our hearts were lifted. Three cheers for Sir Henry… n Tony Rushmer is the author of THE TRIUMPH
OF HENRY CECIL.
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ASCOT’S ANNUAL INVADER
“Nobody thought you could go into the lions’ den and actually win.”
11 For more than a decade, American trainer Wesley Ward has raided Royal Ascot’s top sprints with a blend of youth, speed and power. Rory Fairfax asks him how he does it You’ve now won an incredible 10 races at Royal Ascot. To what do you attribute your success there?
are striving to come over year after year. It’s on a lot of the owners’ bucket lists.
I usually have a lot of success in the first part of the year with the two-year-olds. I start early, and they are very well schooled and educated. When I lead them over, a lot of the big-name twoyear-olds, as it would be in England, really come out later in the summer as they are developing, whereas I will focus on the speedier-type-physique two-year-olds that’ll come out earlier in the year. I can utilise that God-given talent they have physically to get them to the stage where mentally, when the gates open, mine are gone. In a short race, if you’ve got a couple of lengths’ head-start, along with everything else that’s involved, it’s a big advantage.
Do you see yourself as a bit of a trailblazer for US trainers and jockeys to come over and try to crack Royal Ascot?
What makes Royal Ascot such a special place for you?
It was a little overwhelming the first time I ran a horse at Royal Ascot. That was quite some time ago – 11 years ago! Then to come back and win the Queen Mary the next day… it didn’t really sink in how big a meeting that was until later on. It was a great accomplishment and opened up the doors for a lot of American horsemen, owners and trainers who didn’t think something like that could be done. For years and years, the Europeans had been coming over and dominating the bigger turf races, like the Arlington Million and the Breeders’ Cup. All the significant turf races in the States. Nobody thought you could go into the lions’ den and actually win. Everybody in my team works so hard, from a lowlevel claiming race at a small track, to Royal Ascot and the Breeders’ Cup. Now plenty more American owners and trainers
Now? Yes. At the time I was just thinking about getting it done. Looking back, I had everything in my favour the first year I went there. Last year, with all the rain, it was only one of my fillies who stepped up to run a big race [Kimari finished second in the Queen Mary]; the rest of the horses didn’t perform very well. The first year I went there, it was a record heat. That really helped my horses. That brings back fond memories of Lady Aurelia in 2016, one of the most electric performances you’ll see at Royal Ascot. Were you expecting her to be so much better than her rivals?
I was that day, not to sound cocky. If you or anybody were to see her breezes from her maiden win going into the Queen Mary, you’d say there was no way she was going to get beat. It was like putting a fish into water: you put her on that grass and she was just gone, breathing different air to the other horses I was putting her against. You had Frankie Dettori on board that day and have forged a strong relationship with him. Talk us through when you first met him and how he became your jockey.
I didn’t really know him at all when I first started going to Ascot. My son, Riley, who has been coming over with me since he was 10 years old, had read about him and was enamoured by him. One day we went into the jockeys’ room early… we
had a conversation with him for the first time. He was thinking that was going to be his last year of riding – he just thought he wasn’t in favour any more – so I invited him to come to Saratoga. The American fans got a taste of him and his flying dismount after a few winners. From that point on, he started riding for me. We won at the Breeders’ Cup together on Hootenanny that year, and in the years that followed he won on Undrafted in the Diamond Jubilee, and then with Lady Aurelia. We’ve had a fantastic roll with him. What do you think it is that makes Frankie so special?
You don’t get there unless you’re great. Like all the great sports athletes around the world, there’s a certain unique quality that he has. When you get him on the back of a horse, he has an X factor. The horses run for certain guys and they don’t run as fast for others. They want to do it; they want to run for him. It is a bit like race car driving, too: he knows when to step on the pedal and when to ease back. He has a sense of pace and a sense for the track. He has that experience. He’s just a master on top of everything else. I have Italian stable lads who work for me from time to time. They tell me that when Frankie comes over he leaves all his tack for them. That goes without saying. He doesn’t do that to make himself look better; that’s the type of guy he is. He’s a fantastic guy and has always been a great friend. Have you ever had a bet on any of your horses at Ascot?
I’m not a bettor. Early on in my career, you like to have a bet on your own horses. I got to the stage where I want to lead them
over when they’re at their best. Every time I lead one over now, I’m trying to win. They are put in spots where they can win. Before, you’d have a horse that was maybe overmatched in a race and you wouldn’t like him looking at the competition. Now I’ve found it a lot easier as a trainer just to focus on winning. There’s been a lot of debate, in these extraordinary circumstances, about whether the two-year-old races should go ahead. Where do you stand on that? Are you bringing any over?
I intend to bring horses over. We’ll see how it goes. We are moving forward. Unfortunately, the way I’ve been training these two-year-olds for years and years has altered as well. We halted racing over here. I had horses up here in Kentucky that we didn’t have races for, so I shifted them all the way down to Florida. You’re going from cold up north to hot, hot, hot weather. The horses haven’t been running the way they have historically for me in the past. My better ones have just started to come out recently, so it’s hard to judge which ones are Royal Ascot quality. It costs a lot of money to bring them over there. You want to make sure you pick the right ones. How does a day at Royal Ascot compare to a big day in America?
A day at Royal Ascot supersedes everything in racing. To actually win Group One races at Royal Ascot has been phenomenal, especially with all of my children there. Some of the greatest days of my life. n Wesley Ward is the first
American trainer to saddle a winner at Royal Ascot.
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STAY HOME
For Jake Warren at Highclere Stud, lockdown hasn’t HERE’S AN ISOLATED rural community in the depths of Hampshire that has remained relatively unaffected over the past few months. That should come as little surprise to those who know the inner workings of a high-class stud. Over at Highclere, it has been mostly business as usual. One of the great advantages of having an office that amounts to 300 acres of private land is being able to host your staff. Jake Warren, the son of John and Lady Carolyn, is starting to take up the mantle from his father and is now involved in all areas of the stud. It is a tough ask, although the groundwork has been laid with more than 100 years’ heritage and experience in the game. It is no coincidence that Her Majesty the Queen chose the Warren family to manage her racing interests. That’s not to say there aren’t dangers on the horizon, despite the relatively unchanged
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Hopes are high at Highclere for Showcasing filly Operatic
few months they have experienced. “During the breeding season in any normal year we would hardly leave the place. Thanks to the work of the TBA [Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association] and other bodies communicating well with the government, horses have still been able to move freely through lockdown to be bred, which hasn’t restricted our trade. We are, however, anticipating a difficult sales season in the autumn as the economic impact of Covid-19 will undoubtedly affect the bloodstock sales market.” Before then, they have the prospect of Royal Ascot to look forward to, something that has looked in jeopardy ever since the last horse at Cheltenham passed the winning post. “Royal Ascot is the corner stone of European, if not global flat racing, so to win or even get placed there carries tremendous importance both socially and economically for connections. Arguably more the latter.”
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AND MAKE LIVES
slowed the process of breeding future champions, he tells Rory Fairfax This is a crucial point and perhaps why they have been so lucky to be able to keep calm and carry on during the crisis. The success of their stud relies heavily on Royal Ascot. “For breeders like us, achieving ‘black type’ at Royal Ascot will dramatically increase the value of not only the relevant horse but also its many relations back at stud.” It’s easy to forget that this is big business. Highclere Stud, by all accounts, may have the appearance of a quintessential English outfit, but Jake knows the importance of the international market. “International bloodstock investors know how difficult it is to win at Ascot with the enormous field sizes and quality of the competition, so when one of those famous races appears in a pedigree, it carries an international clout superior to most other international black type.” HETHER THEY HAVE success at the Royal Meeting or not, the focus now turns to their new two-yearold crop. Races are likely to be heavily oversubscribed, especially in the early half of the season, so opportunities for the younger horses to shine will be more and more competitive. That doesn’t stop Jake holding out high hopes. “We sold three stunning Cable Bay yearlings last year to Shadwell’s top judge, Angus Gold, for the collective amount of £430,000. They are out of mares called Bonhomie, Angels Wings and Coin A Phrase and I have very high hopes for them. If they deliver on the track, as anticipated, Cable Bay’s value as a stallion will continue to increase.” Cable Bay is their prized asset, the 2019 champion freshman sire. He and first-season sire Land Force have covered the best part of 250 mares between them. “During the breeding season, alongside my parents and our stud staff, I will coordinate the whole show whilst liaising with clients to update them about their stock. It’s an immensely laborious and lengthy process with no break, from January through until June.” Jake takes extra pride from the work with these two sires. “I did manage to unearth both our resident sires, so to be in partnership with my parents in owning these incredibly excit-
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Jake Warren with one keen owner at Ascot last year
ing and popular stallions makes me very proud. He [Cable Bay] had more stakes horses and prize money generated in the United Kingdom and Ireland last year than any other stallion in his crop – his stud fee was just £6,500, which is quite remarkable!” All things considered, it’s little wonder Jake has hardly noticed the lockdown, especially given how busy the stud has been. There isn’t much time to sit and dwell, but it’s evident he isn’t just in this game for family reasons. There appears to be immense satisfaction for Jake in sharing his passion for racing with others. “Every new mating or new foal born is the start of the dream for someone, so there is huge excitement throughout which is incredibly rewarding.” While he is undoubtedly happy with the relatively small impact coronavirus has had on the stud, there is one innovation in the industry that hasn’t gone unnoticed: digital sales. Jake himself was involved in the selling of a horse at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in
Australia, an event that took place entirely online. The process was largely viewed as a success, despite general figures down from the previous occasion. “They pulled off the first ever sale of its kind in history during the absolute global peak of coronavirus lockdown, with hardly any notice, and still managed AU$68 million [£36 million] in sales. I think the world has seen it could work, should we be forced down that road.” Finally, we ask whether there could be an interest for a Fitzdares member, should they wish to follow in the Queen’s footsteps. “It’s early days to know what’s what at this stage, but we hear that a Showcasing filly called Operatic we bought for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing is looking like a smart filly. There is just one share left available, I believe!” There you go. If ever there was a time for a bit of carpe diem. n Rory Fairfax is Fitzdares’ Head of Content
and Editor of the Fitzdares Times.
16 Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant has thrown himself into the PPE production effort and is determined to make British manufacturing the pride of the world again. By William Woodhams
A HERO IN THE S IT TURNS OUT, a week isn’t just a long time in politics. Just ask Patrick Grant, who has spent the past decade building a diverse fashion empire, only to now find himself at the heart of the national PPE effort. When we approached him to create a bespoke range of Norton & Sons tweed face masks for our members at Cheltenham, little did we know that this was but a small step in a much bigger journey. One week in May changed all that. Even before coronavirus struck, it would have been insufficient to pigeonhole Grant as simply a fashion man. For start, he runs five businesses that cater to a multitude of audiences. His career in the industry
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‘All we’ve done in the past six weeks is wind the clocks back about 20 years.’
began with Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons and then expanded to E Tautz and Hammond & Co, both sporting tailors of the 18th and 19th centuries. His work at E Tautz even earned him the accolade of Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2010. It is perhaps his work with manufacturer Cookson & Clegg and his latest brand, Community Clothing, that reveals most about Grant. The latter was formed as a way of creating quality, affordable, sustainable and ethical clothing while also serving as a vehicle to create jobs and help restore economic prosperity in some of the UK’s most deprived areas. Not bad for a man who was just a shoulder injury away from a life in professional rugby. Along with all his work in the retail industry, he is most well-known for his appearances on The Great British Sewing Bee, a show that pits budding sewers and dressmakers against each other. This was an endeavour that came about without rhyme or reason yet now plays an integral role in his outlook. “I don’t really know how it came about,” he says of the hugely successful BBC show. “I think it was on the back of a documentary I was
in about Savile Row, and another about Harris Tweed. I am honoured to be part of something that’s so wholeheartedly jolly and positive. “Since the show aired, sewing machine sales have gone up 300 per cent in the UK and there are now well over 6 million sewing machines in British homes. There was a growing sewing community before we started – that’s one of the reasons the show was made – but it has amplified that effect considerably. It has been amazing to see so many people around the UK making scrubs and gowns and improvised face coverings – an amazing collective community effort.” It is this aspect of the show that has really animated Grant. “Covid-19 has crippled international supply chains, and with the whole world clamouring for the same scant resources, the efforts of people locally can make a huge difference,” he says. The efforts of Grant himself certainly resulted in a rapid, dramatic and fundamental change to his business: “We received technical specifications on a Tuesday. By the end of that day, we had made the samples. Those were signed off at 10am the next day and the bulk fabric had been forklifted off the wagon at
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MAKING 3pm. The first production pieces started to come off the line at 4pm on the Friday afternoon.” This was a challenge that Grant took in his stride. One of the common markers of his businesses is that they are built heavily on the concept of heritage. This crisis has also served as a reminder that heritage actually means something more powerful than just age. One of his businesses, Cookson & Clegg, had in the past been a much highervolume military and medical clothing supplier. “All we’ve done in the past six weeks is wind the clocks back about 20 years.” RANT MAKES IT sound so simple, yet the numbers are striking. “In the first week of May, we shipped over 100,000 sewn items of PPE. To put that into context, in a typical preCovid week, Cookson & Clegg made about 300 to 400 garments for UK designer brands.” No challenge appears too great. He takes serious pride in the work that has been done, not just for the NHS, but also for communities across the country. “There is an enormous opportunity to shape the role of work within our country. Skilled
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manufacturing can play a vital role in regenerating deprived communities and provide a sense of pride for communities. That is vital in any efforts to create lasting positive change. It would be nice to think that some of the NHS scrubs might arrive at the doorstep of Blackburn Hospital, less than a mile away from us here.” His shoulders are now carrying far more than just a rugby injury. He seems determined to bear the weight of responsibility for promoting manufacturing and job creation. “It is gladdening to see people suddenly realising the worth of people who make things for a living. People in manufacturing jobs are once again being valued nationally.” It would be all very well for Grant to take a step back once the country has stabilised, but we wouldn’t bet on it. There seems to be real purpose about every move he makes, whether it be channelling his energy into playing professionally for Scotland, revamping the fashion industry, teaching the country to sew, or kitting out the NHS with PPE – no mountain is too tall. n William Woodhams is Fitzdares’
Chief Exexutive Officer.
WELCOME TO OUR VIRTUAL
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We discovered that our box, car park Nº1 spot, and favourite table at the pop-up J Sheekey would be empty for the greatest week of flat racing in the world, so we pulled our collective brains together and came up with the stupidest idea of all time: the Virtual Royal Enclosure.
Badge of honour You’ll need our very exclusive virtual badges. Just message one of our team and we’ll send an elegant Enclosure pass. Although free, this will involve an element of manual labour. 1. Print. 2. Cut out with scissors. 3. Pritt Stick to your jacket.
Plan your week Where will you watch the racing? Tune in to ITV or Sky Racing from the comfort of your sitting room, kitchen or bedroom. If, however, you need to pay a visit to Barnard Castle or any other essential journey, you can watch every race on our app or website – totally free!
Dress for success Ladies, milliner Laura Cathcart will hold a Zoom consultation on loaning you a stunning hat for the week. Gentlemen, borrow a silk topper from our friends at Oliver Brown, who will courier it to your house. If you need a waistcoat or tie, take advantage of our Member discount at Sirplus and Drakes. Don’t forget Favourbrook, Huntsman and Norton & Sons if you decide to go out. If you post an image on Twitter or Instagram with @Fitzdares and #virtualroyalenclosure we will send you a few free bets for Ascot. If you think this is totally mad, you’d be right.
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What’s the form? Pick up the phone and call us. Betting shops are so preCovid. Our phones and text lines get very busy 10 minutes before the off, so it’s always wise to get your bets in early. The 5 Hertford Street virtual Ascot preview takes place on Monday 15 June. We will run a daily email with form and sage advice from our Head of Racing, The Shark. Cornelius Lysaght will share his review of the day via our WhatSport voice notes at 9am (sign up at Fitzdares.com/WhatSport).
The Parade Ring Now is the time to look into horse ownership! This will guarantee you access to the Winner’s Enclosure next year (NB only if the horse is good enough). Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds and Hot to Trot Racing are both affordable and excellent, while you may even bump into the Queen one day if you join Highclere. Another syndicate are offering a share in a horse for a mind-boggling two-figure price tag. Yes, two-figure. Old Gold Racing can sell you an ounce of a Paul Nicholls-trained horse for £60. Bob Pebble and Darling Maltaix may be jump horses aimed for Cheltenham, but for the purposes of the Virtual Royal Enclosure, you can still tell your family you’re an ‘owner’. The Enclosure Whether it’s at White’s, Bucks or The Turf, you can only truly enjoy Ascot with a few glasses in the shade. An ice bucket of Chapel Down is key – check out their fantastic offers on Page 7!You can also order delicious cocktails from The Cocktail Delivery company (code: ROYALASCOT15). You can literally pour them from the bottle over ice; no mixology classes required. For added entertainment, nominate the most boring family member to play the role of Club Secretary. Director’s notes: sit in the corner of the gazebo and throw dirty looks.
Catching up with friends Are we sick of Zoom yet? Not if our friends are all in their best hats and have had a few glasses of wine. We will be offering a Royal Ascot Zoom background – it’s so authentic that after a few drinks you’ll actually think you’re there. Heading home We suggest hopping back in the car and sitting in it in the driveway with no air conditioning for two hours while you finish off the cocktails or sip warm champagne. No loo breaks. This will identically recreate the M4 return journey. For the diehard fan, hop in the airing cupboard with the whole family and turn up the boiler – that should replicate the train ride home! The Picnic For sheer novelty factor, it would be marvellous to congregate (en famille) at the boot of the car. If you don’t have off-road parking, this could provoke strange looks. Ignore them. If you are too lazy to do the food yourself, try Archie’s. They triumphed with their Easter lunch hampers during the darkest hours of the lockdown and have a special hamper ready for delivery in London throughout Royal Ascot.
Next year This one’s easy: head back to Ascot and support UK racing at its finest. However, if the idea of thousands of people congregating might still be a little much, book a space on our club table or private rooms at the (opening soon) Fitzdares Club in Mayfair. Good luck, and remember to gamble responsibly with the £2,000 you just saved. All offer details available on fitzdares.com
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Fitzdares returned to HUNTINGDON but this time we upgraded our sponsorship to the running of the 50th Peterborough Chase. We tried to tempt Altior to the Midlands with a £500,000 Best Mate bonus but in the end, greed did not prevail. We did however get Nicky, Nico and the wonderful Henrietta Knight to attend. We asked famed rock ’n’ roll photographer Derrick Santini to capture the day and we hope to display his images in time for the resumption of jump racing.
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Before the Festival began and the world ended, we hosted a CHELTENHAM PREVIEW at Annabel’s. Star panellists Jamie Snowden, Megan Nicholls, Nico de Boinville and the Shark (left to right) were put through their paces by the ebullient David Crosse.
We hosted a SUPER BOWL extravaganza at Balthazar in February, with miniburgers, large beers and giant footballers.
In March, The FITZDARES CLUB moved to Boisdale of Belgravia, with masks ’n’ all, as worn by Alexander Armstrong. Not so pointless, after all.
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Fitzdares moves into a permanent home in the heart of Mayfair. The worlds of luxury and sport rarely intertwine, a
tragedy we decided to rewrite. We therefore established The Fitzdares Club as a place for passionate fans to watch live sport from the comfort of a London members’ club. From Royal Ascot to Wimbledon, via those 4am prize fights, you won’t miss a punch. Located at 50 Davies Street in Mayfair, the Club will curate a weekly schedule of the best action, with previews and talks hosted by world-famous sports stars and pundits. The Club is scheduled to open its doors in September. There will be a fine selection of custom-made chess and backgammon boards, and we will host regular talks to stimulate the mind. The Club is also the new home of the brain-training outfit, Cerebral Gym.
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THE CORNELIUS QUIZ We asked Cornelius Lysaght, the voice of racing, who would win in a series of 10 mythical match-ups between great horses from the past and present. Email rory@fitzdares.com with your answers to find out if they match his. There will be a £100 free bet available to one person who gets them all correct!
1. Secretariat vs Frankel 1 mile 2 furlongs, Churchill Downs, Dirt
2. Arkle vs Red Rum 4 miles 2 furlongs, Aintree, Soft
3. Battaash vs Dayjur 5 furlongs, Chester, Good to Firm 4. Desert Orchid vs Clan Des Obeaux 3 miles, Kempton, Good to Soft
OUR TRIBUTE TO THE BEST BETS & WINNERS TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER (2019) INVESTED £2,500 STRAIGHT FORECAST SELECTION Wilde About Oscar (1st) Scarpia (2nd) 3:40 Warwick
RETURNED £46,525
WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH INVESTED £2,000 DOUBLE SELECTION Felix 11/4 5:15 Kempton Tintoretto 9/2 7:45 Kempton
RETURNED £33,750 WEDNESDAY 8 JANUARY INVESTED £1 E/W LUCKY 31 SELECTION Mick Pastor 5/6 12:45 Ludlow Dragon D’Estruval 15/8 1:15 Ludlow Dolphin Square 6/4 1:45 Ludlow Fort Gabriel 6/1 2:15 Ludlow Kalooki 11/8 2:45 Ludlow
RETURNED £4,986.11 Congratulations on some fantastic picks, you all know who you are.
WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH INVESTED £500 E/W SINGLE SELECTION Ravenhill 20/1 National Hunt Chase
RETURNED £13,000 WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH INVESTED £1,000 DOUBLE SELECTION Shishkin 11/4 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Envoi Allen 6/5 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham
RETURNED £13,250
5. Stradivarius vs Persian Punch 2 miles, Goodwood, Good 6. Al Boum Photo vs Denman 3 miles 2 furlongs, Cheltenham, Soft 7. Dancing Brave vs Treve 1 mile 4 furlongs, Longchamp, Soft 8. Giants Causeway vs Seabiscuit 1 mile 2 furlongs, York, Good to Firm 9. Enable vs Kingman 1 mile 2 furlongs, Ascot, Good 10. Altior vs Stradivarius 2 miles with hurdles, Ascot, Good
RARE JEWELS
B O H E M I A C O L L E C T I O N , N O W AVA I L A B L E T O B U Y O N L I N E W W W. P R A G N E L L . C O . U K S T R AT F O R D - O N - AV O N 0 1 7 8 9 2 6 7 0 7 2 | M AY FA I R 0 2 0 7 4 0 9 2 8 4 5 | L E I C E S T E R S H I R E 0 1 1 6 2 5 5 4 4 3 4