ITB_February-March 2026

Alan Porter gives a bloodstock perspective

THE BLUEPRINT WITH TEETH

Ed Grimshaw outlines a strategy for British racing and bloodstock

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

For racing in Zimbabwe

LEAD ARTIST

DUBAWI - OBLIGATE (FRANKEL)

£12,500

1st October Special Live Foal

Lead Artist reminds me of Danehill, also bred and raced by Juddmonte. His third dam is the greatest mare of the modern era, both his sire and broodmare sire are prepotent and, significantly, he is from a stallion-producing family.

GROUP RACES WON BY HIS PROGENY INCLUDE:

6 furlongs

July Cup, Newmarket, Gr.1

Duke of York Stakes, York, Gr.2

July Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2

Richmond Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2

Airlie Stud Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2

Prix de Meautry, Deauville, Gr.3

1 mile

Royal Lodge Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2

German 1000 Guineas, Dusseldorf, Gr.2

Premio Gran Criterium, Milan, Gr.2

Premio Parioli 2000 Guineas, Rome, Gr.3

Premio Regina Elena 1000 Guineas, Rome, Gr.3

Park Express Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3 (3 times)

Prix d'Aumale, ParisLongchamp, Gr.3

Valiant Stakes, Ascot, Gr.3

1m1f – 1m3f

Champion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1

Man O' War Stakes, Belmont Park, Gr.1

Premio Oaks d'Italia, Milan, Gr.2

Prix Greffulhe, Saint-Cloud, Gr.2

Kilboy Estate Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2

Blue Wind Stakes, Naas, Gr.3

Rathbride Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3

Alleged Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3

Prix Hocquart, ParisLongchamp, Gr.3

Prix Noailles, ParisLongchamp, Gr.3

1m4f upwards

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1

Japan Cup, Tokyo, Gr.1

Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1

Deutsches Derby, Hamburg, Gr.1

Prix de Royallieu, ParisLongchamp, Gr.1

Prix Royal-Oak, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1

Grand Prix de Deauville, Deauville, Gr.2

Prix de Pomone, Deauville, Gr.2

Grand Prix de Chantilly, Chantilly, Gr.2

King Edward VII Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2

Ribblesdale Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2

Foals in 2025 sold for up to €285,000

Fee: €20,000

SPACE TRAVELLER #RoyalAscotWinner

CONSISTENT HIGH-CLASS GR.1 MILER

Won/placed in 10 Stakes races

Including three international Gr.1 races & a Gr.2 victory over a 1m.

Royal Ascot 7f Group winner

2yo Group performer over 6f.

Out of a Galileo mare from the top family of Crystal Music

Aesop’s Fables

Dubawi Legend

Space Traveller Galileo Chrome

Sold as yearlings for 240,000gns, £65,000, £60,000, £52,000, €50,000, etc. Averaging over 5 times his stud fee.

Over 120 2yos passing early tests with flying colours...

“We bought a very smart colt, a strong individual and fantastic mover. Richard Hannon likes him and doesn’t think he will take long to come to hand.”

Ross Doyle

“He’s a good moving colt who’s been very straightforward in his work.”

Kevin Ryan, re 240,000gns colt x Burmese Waltz

“Our Space Traveller filly is going well and looks to be an early type that we can get on the track in the next few months.”

Marco Botti

“Both my Space Traveller colts are well put together, athletic and very willing. They have a good attitude and look promising.”

Eve Johnston Houghton

Also purchased by/in training with:

Ado McGuinness

Con Marnane “She’s a very nice filly, and will be early. I like her a lot.”

“It’s early days but this lad is singing from the right hymn sheet at the moment and hitting all the high notes.”

BBA Ireland, Jim Boyle, Antony Brittain, Karl & Kelly Burke/Nick Bradley Racing, Armando Duarte, Ivan Furtado, Michael & David Easterby, Highflyer, Phil Cunningham, Patrick Keogh, William Knight, Linehan Bloodstock, David McGreavy Bloodstock, Fionn McSharry, Middleham Park Racing, J S Moore, Jamie Osborne, James Owen, Rabbah Bloodstock, Tony Ryan Bloodstock, Richard Spencer, James Tate, Nigel Tinkler, etc.

Orlandi, Compas Stallions

Fee: €5,000

44 South Star

Leo enjoys another

as master of ceremonies as the organisation celebrates

Jamie pays tribute to the late master trainer John Shirreffs, who produced Zenyatta with the utmost skill to win 13 Grade 1 races

The Dublin Racing Festival had to be put back a day due to the bout of wet weather, but the action was spot on, writes Amy Bennett

Ed Grimshaw outlines the Racing Innovation Group’s report “Racing Needs Transformational Change not Incremental Tinkering”, which gives options for a sustainable and profitable future for British racing and bloodstock, but only if that change is made now

While in Abu Dhabi, Debbie Burt met with Harrison Everett regarding the exciting future with gaming on racing now

Leading stallions on the All-Weather and over jumps, courtesy of Weatherbys

In this month’s Weatherbys Stallion Scene, Tom Peacock chats with Andreas Jacobs of Maine Chance Farm, which stands the South African champion sire Vercingetorix

50 The future is bright in Zimbabwe

After years in which the existence of racing in the country was under threat due to economic challenges, the future for the sport at the country’s track Borrowdale Park and for Mashonaland Turf Club is more positive, reports racehorse owner C.John Smith

56 Passionate and ambitious

Sofiane Benaroussi, owner of the new auction house Aktem, chats with Jocelyn de Moubray about his desire to see racing and his new business flourish

60 Calandagan top of the world

Alan Porter reviews the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings from a bloodstock perspective

74 Top of the charts

The Night Of Thunder colt and Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes winner Gewan tops the European 2yo Classfifications, and there are seven by Wootton Bassett rated over 110

78 New US sires

Jill Williams casts her eyes over the new names on the US roster for 2026

82 US stakes-winning sires

The Weatherbys table featuring stallions who sired a US stakes winner in 2025

88 Mare of the month

Queimada, dam of the February Qatar winner Quinault

90 Photo finish

Racehorses visit Liverpool’s Chinatown

the team

editor sally duckett

publisher declan rickatson

photography debbie burt

design thoroughbred publishing

advertising declan rickatson

00 44 (0)7767 310381

declan.rickatson@btinternet.com

subscriptions

tracey glaysher itsubs@btinternet.com

the photographers

equine creative media

debbie burt

courtesy of stud farms

gavin macleod

laura green

alisha meeder

chase liebenberg

cj smith

jeremy nelson

the printers

micropress press

the writers

jocelyn de moubray

amy bennett leo powell

cathy grassick

ed grimshaw weatherbys

tom peacock

the stats weatherbys

plestor house, farnham road, liss, hampshire, gu33 6jq tel: 00 44 (0) 1428 724063

info@internationalthoroughbred.net www.internationalthoroughbred.net

jocelyn de moubray accounts annie jones itaccounts@btinternet.com

www.internationalthoroughbred.co.uk

Leo again hosted the ITBA awards, the organisation celebrating its 100th birthday, enjoyed some lovely food on the Stallion Trail and chaired the panel on the careers day at CAFRE

A master of ceremonies

LESS THAN A MONTH since writing my latest diary piece for International Thoroughbred, here I am again. January blues struck hard for many this year, with the world appearing to be on the highway to hell. Unwelcome news fills the airwaves and the pages of our newspapers, if you are of a generation to read them still, and racing was hit badly thanks to what seemed to be an ever-present rain cloud.

Thankfully, the least favourite month of the year is also filled with promise and hope. The first appearance of new life, thanks to the arrival for those lucky enough to have them, are the January foals in largely saturated paddocks.

Breeders keep themselves busy with dreams, inspired by stud visits to see the stallions who might be worthy mates for their broodmares. Racing folk begin to look forward to Cheltenham, if you are a member of the tweed brigade, or the start of the Flat season.

My usual, and very welcome, trips to sunnier climes this year have taken a raincheck until 2027, not because I don’t want to go to places such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the UAE in the springtime, but simply because of a lack of available time in my diary. How fortunate am I to be able to admit such a thing, and to have such a variety of things I do on a professional basis.

The month had its up and downs personally, fewer of the latter I have to say, but there has been no shortage of joyous happenings, some of which I will share with readers.

Becoming a master of ceremonies

Was there one highlight of January 2026? There

The Aga Khan’s spirit lives on in so many ways, most of them beyond our appreciation given the work his foundation does in so many parts of the world, and in so many important areas such as health and education. It was also visible on the racecourses of the world in 2025, with one of the best in the 100-plus years of his family’s involvement

most certainly was, and it was the annual Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association national awards. I was trying to recall when I first became involved with the evening, and I did a little research. To my shock it was in 1997, when His Highness the Aga Khan was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In case you think that this year was the 30th time I acted a master of ceremonies, then I have to admit that it is not the case. On a couple of occasions, the organisers felt it might add some “pzazz” to the evening if they got some “personalities” to host the evening. Was my pride hurt? You bet it was.

However, like a good racehorse, I put those rejections behind me, bided my time, and eventually I was invited to become involved again. Thanks to Joe Foley, I have been in place for many years again, and it is a night that I relish like no other.

To the credit of the ITBA and the prestigious nature of the national awards, Princess Zahra was in attendance again this year, this time to accept the older horse award for Calandagan. What a joy it was to be able, with my partner Élie Haddad, to spend some time after dinner with Zahra, this time thankfully not the shy, nervous me of three decades ago.

Last year was such a sad one for the family of the Aga Khan, and I am actually penning this piece on February 4, exactly a year after his death. The Aga Khan’s spirit lives on in so many ways, most of them beyond our appreciation given the work his foundation does in so many parts of the world, and in so many important areas such as health and education. It was also visible on the racecourses of the world in 2025, with one of the best in the 100plus years of his family’s involvement.

As we spoke and laughed in the foyer of the hotel last month, the latest inductee to the ITBA Hall

of Fame was leaving. Moyglare Stud’s Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner joins one of the most distinguished rolls of honour, and, coincidentally, her father Walter was inducted into the same pantheon of greats a year after the Aga Khan. How fortunate are we to have Eva-Maria and Princess Zahra carrying on the work of their fathers, and to be doing so in Ireland.

100 years of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

This year’s stylish evening of celebration, with almost 400 guests at the black-tie occasion, began with an evocative video piece, written by Joe Osborne who was later in the night to be endowed with the Contribution to the Industry award. You must check the piece out on social media.

The slightly different beginning was for a very special reason, honouring the first 100 years of what is now the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

The world has changed greatly since that first

The world has changed greatly since that first council meeting at number seven, Anglesea Street in Dublin, on January 15, 1926.

The body was then known as The Bloodstock Breeders Association of Ireland

council meeting at number seven, Anglesea Street in Dublin, on January 15, 1926. The body was then known as The Bloodstock Breeders Association of Ireland.

An interesting footnote is that the venue for that first council meeting is in what is now known as Temple Bar, a popular if somewhat infamous part of Dublin, and the building houses The Mongolian Barbecue, a fun place to visit for hearty no-nonsense food!

Less well celebrated, though it should be, is that this year is the 60th anniversary of the first females being elected to the council, and it would be another three decades until Eimear Mulhern, in 1996, was elected the first female chair of the ITBA.

Eighteen awards were presented on the night, most recognising the breeders of horses who won at the highest levels in 2025.

The dynamic duo of Joe Foley and Brendan McArdle, the main drivers of the night, work hard to put together special videos for all the winners,

and these are funny, emotional and a must-watch, especially for those individuals who are being honoured.

Once again, I would urge readers to watch the coverage of the night, which you can find on the website, itba.ie, and you will see how good the production team work in advance of the night.

You will be moved to tears watching the Next Generation award winner Joann (known as Joey) Lyons, laugh out loud along with the wonderfully warm Small Breeder winner Sandra Russell, and be touched by the words of John Ferguson in praise of Bobby and Honora Donworth.

Edmond Mahony is someone I have known all my professional life, and worked alongside with for many years. He was not present on the night, but I did have a moving chat with him after he stepped down from the rostrum for the last time in December.

The tributes to Joe Osborne will resonate with many, and he gave me a wonderful interview on stage after he was presented with his trophy.

Finally, accompanied by the ITBA chairman Cathal Beale, the Minister for Agriculture in Ireland, Martin Heydon, paid tribute to Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner for her success and her philanthropic work.

Gastro delights on the Stallion Trail

The spread of studs and the variety of sires on show for Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Stallion Trail is a credit to all of the farms taking part. It regrettably means that one has to narrow the visits down to a handful of studs. Personally, I visited farms that ranged from standing a single stallion to one that heads into the season with nine.

As an aside to seeing world-class stallions, I have to admit that a group of us conduct an unofficial coffee-tasting tour, while lunch is also a high priority. We take the latter so seriously that Élie has renamed Ballylinch Stud, and designated it as BallyLUNCH Stud! It deserves that recognition.

Ever popular, and back again this year, were the hot beef and ham sandwich makers at Kildangan Stud.

High praise also goes to the coffee stands operating at both the Irish National Stud and Derrinstown, the latter run by Joanna, a daughter of George McGrath. For those of a certain age, George was a dual Irish champion jockey, and often forgotten is that he rode his final Classic winner on no less a great than Sadler’s Wells in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

As an aside to seeing world-class stallions, I have to admit that a group of us conduct an unofficial coffee-tasting tour, while lunch is also a high priority.

We take the latter so seriously that Élie has renamed Ballylinch Stud, and designated it as BallyLUNCH Stud! It deserves that recognition.

A rainy weekend for the DRF

The weather gods did their best to wreak havoc with the Dublin Racing Festival, and the two-day spectacular did not escape unscathed. Having to defer the opening Saturday to Monday was a huge disappointment to many who travelled across the Irish Sea to attend, and notably for a few I knew who were here for that one day only.

Great credit to the racecourse, the racing authorities and everyone who played some role at the meeting for eventually staging two days of top-class sport.

There has to be a special commendation for the clerk of the course Paddy Graffin. He did everything he could to try and keep the original dates, but did not get the bounce of the ball he needed on the Friday night before the Festival was due to get underway.

Paddy has been working for some 25 years with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, and before that he combined a career as a civil servant for 20 years with a successful time as an amateur jockey, and some years as a trainer. One of the most affable people working in the sport, he enjoys the respect of all professionals.

It was a baptism, if not of fire but of rain, for the new boss at Leopardstown.

Mark Clayton had spent 12 years as executive director at Southwell, having previously served in leadership roles at Doncaster and Huntingdon. He was at two days of the hugely successful four-day Christmas meeting at the only racecourse in Dublin,

and understandably was looking forward to the Dublin Racing Festival.

I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Mark, though I did attend a pre-DRF visit to Gordon Elliott’s yard two weeks before the meeting. These visits are a delight to be part of, but we sometimes take for granted the generosity of trainers who open their yards to a large influx of scribes and others.

Irish trainers are especially good at hosting, with huge demand on the likes of Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Gavin Cromwell, as well as Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.

Newly married Blackmore speaks to CAFRE

A joyous occasion recently was the quiet wedding of Rachael Blackmore and fellow jockey Brian Hayes. The couple have been together for many years, and somehow managed to have their nuptials away from the glare of the cameras. I wish them both many years of health and happiness.

Not long after that big day, I caught up with Rachael, albeit on a video link, when I returned to

Rachael spoke with passion about the need for education, the need to deal with failure, and I have no doubt that she inspired many in the room who listened to her.

What a role model she is, and I hope that racing leaders reach out to her with a position in the sport

CAFRE college in Enniskillen for their careers day.

As part of that event, I chair the panel discussion, when students listen to the paths taken by a number of people. The team at CAFRE ensure a variety of occupations are represented on the panel, and this year they had six very informative speakers.

Rachael was, understandably, a big draw, but for many at the discussion, they might have just thought she was a brilliant jockey, who worked her way up the ladder to the position she attained.

A surprise for most was that she is a university graduate, and Racheal spoke with passion about the need for education, the need to deal with failure, and I have no doubt that she inspired many in the room who listened to her. What a role model she is, and I hope that racing leaders reach out to her with a position in the sport.

Other panel members included Mark Costello, editor of The Irish Field. He was a college graduate with no background or family connection to horses, and the Irish Equine Centre’s Alan Creighton who has been cited by such as Henry Cecil and Nicky Henderson for his work on their yards when they

were faced with challenges regarding horse health.

An aspect of the education system at CAFRE is the fact that, in addition to their classroom studies, the students also work with horses, both in the breeding shed and in stables where they have gained experience, notably in the point-to-point sphere. Many of the graduates of CAFRE have gone on to work at the best farms, including Coolmore and Darley.

CAFRE pinhooking success

The teaching staff on careers day were still in raptures, with smiles as broad as Lough Erne, after the amazing result enjoyed at the Goffs November Sale.

The final foal of the week was a first-crop son of the champion juvenile Native Trail, out of the wellnamed Zarak Star. Every judge on the sales ground appeared to make an attempt to buy him, but it was a judge of some renown who got him. Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud’s €80,000 was the bid that silenced the opposition.

The scenes back in Barn J afterwards were of joy

We have not been in Goffs since 2019 selling a foal We never dreamed he would make as much as that.

We are absolutely thrilled and it gives the students an opportunity to see what the market can do for the right type of foal

and disbelief. It was CAFRE students who did all the work with the colt. This result, well beyond their wildest dreams, will be a spur to them. The best price they had ever received before was €30,000. The college’s Gayle Moane was in charge of operations at the sale, and she was overjoyed.

At the time, Gayle spoke to me and said: “This just means everything. We bought the mare in Goffs last year [€26,000] and we had backing from the industry. We asked them for their advice, what mare to buy, and they all liked Zarak Star. We were delighted when she came in our budget.

“Then you hold your breath. We have not been in Goffs since 2019 selling a foal. We never dreamed he would make as much as that. We are absolutely thrilled and it gives the students an opportunity to see what the market can do for the right type of foal. He’s been great to handle, he did more than 200 shows this week, and he has just been a trooper. The mare is in-foal to Gleneagles, so we will keep our fingers crossed.”

Now, isn’t this something to look forward to, and dream about, while we wait for spring?

Shaquille

His first crop is already playing in the big leagues

First foals made:

210,000gns, 190,000gns, 180,000gns, 150,000gns, 125,000gns, €120,000, 115,000gns, €105,000, 100,000gns etc. and averaged 4x their conception fee!

Emphatic winner of the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup & Gr.1 July Cup

Cartier Champion Sprinter & Longines World’s Best 3YO Sprinter in 2023

2026 Fee: £10,000

January 1st, SLF

The Lloyd Report

John Shirreffs

1946-2026

Jamie Lloyd remembers the brilliant trainer, who produced Zenyatta to win 19 of her 20 career starts and 13 Grade 1 victories

THIS YEAR’S US TRIPLE CROWN preparations will sadly be missing one of its most familiar faces, with the passing of Hall of Fame trainer John A. Shirreffs on February 12.

The 80-year-old Kansas native had trained in California since 1978, recording 596 winners from 3,589 starters and amassing an incredible $58,581,916 in earnings. John’s success on the track has been well covered since his passing, his 15 individual Grade 1 winners, multiple Breeders’ Cup victories and, of course, his Kentucky Derby win in 2005 with Giacomo. He was owned by long-time

client and friend Jerry Moss of A & M Records, and Giacomo’s name came about through Moss’s connection to singer Sting, who was signed to A & M.

I will always remember attending the Eclipse Awards in 2005 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Giacomo was nominated for best three-year-old and ended up as runner-up to Afleet Alex.

Prior to the announcement of the winner the contenders each had a short video played to the crowed, highlighting their achievements. When Giacomo’s turn came, the room quickly fell quiet as Sting himself appeared on the big screen. He apologised for his absence and then told a story about how his house is not allowed

to have any awards or artwork relating to his music on display, he explained his wife was very strict about the policy, however there was a large painting of Giacomo winning the Kentucky Derby over the mantlepiece.

He also recalled being taken to Hollywood Park by Moss many years earlier to meet his new trainer. He told Moss that racing was a mug’s game and to stay well away; fortunately Moss and wife Ann were not swayed and went on to own one of the greatest horses to ever race, Zenyata, John trained for many years in barn 55 South at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. My stable was located in barn

50 South, on a road that would later be named Zenyatta Way. I was lucky enough to see her head to the track everyday, usually just as it was closing for morning training.

On the odd occasion her arrival was delayed the track would simply stay open.

Those years from 2008 to 2010 the racing world revolved around her, but her 19 victories and over $7 million in earnings were only part of her story.

John trained his mega star unlike any trainer had ever done before, or since, to my knowledge. The usual closed door approach to handling top horses that is commonplace with trainers, desperate to protect their prized athletes was never a factor in his expert supervision.

John truly believed Zenyatta was the nation’s horse and would let everyone come to meet her, she would have regular visits from school classes, who would usually find her outside her barn on a small patch of grass under a lonely tree next to the training track.

I have a wonderful photo of my father and late mother with her under the tree, signed by Shirreffs and her famed partner “Big Money” Mike Smith.

Before sitting down to write some of my favourite memories of my dear friend I called Mike for a catch up.

The two horsemen were the closest of friends and formed one of racing’s longest and most successful partnerships.

Mike said “It wasn’t expected, he had just gotten over the ‘flu and I worked a really nice colt for him two days earlier that had cost a lot of money, we were both really excited about him”

We shared many stories about him and Mike finished by saying, “He would always make me feel so special, he made everyone feel special from the owner to the groom.”

Mike recalled one particular incident that was lucky to not have been a disaster.

He had gone to see the filly the day after

“ John truly believed Zenyatta was the nation’s horse and would let everyone come to meet her, she would have regular visits from school classes....

“she won the Vanity Stakes (G1).

“She was getting a little wound up in her stall, John was down at the track,” recalls Mike. “I don’t know what I was thinking, I thought I’d give her a little walkout, I didn’t even know I was supposed to put the shank over her nose!

“We came out the stall together and we did about 22 seconds flat down the shedrow, luckily her groom caught us.

“John arrived back and asked what the hell I was thinking, once he stopped laughing...!”

IACTUALLY REMEMBER the day well as she had narrowly defeated a filly I had bought from the UK called St Trinians, a daughter of Piccolo, previously trained by Ed Vaughan and with Mike Mitchell in the US.

Prior to Zenyatta’s eventual defeat by Blame in the 2010 Classic it was the closest finish she had ever had, she momentarily looked like she wasn’t going to get to the wire in time.

After the race was over and the two horses returned to be unsaddled the track

announcer Vic Staufer asked the crowd, many of who were still in shock at how close the result was, to give a round of applause to the runner-up, I stood next to Mike, and together we witnessed the packed grandstand giving our little filly a standing ovation.

A large photo of the race faces directly at my desk, its signed by both jockeys and trainers, and John wrote “Jamie, you’re hard to beat” a hell of a thing for a Hall Of Fame trainer to say to a 28-year-old rookie.

John will be sadly missed from this year’s Derby trail and the backside he so loved.

He was always so kind to everyone, and always seemed to find a Derby horse from somewhere. His five Derby starters all contested the race known as “the greatest two minutes in sports” off the back of a run in the Santa Anita Derby, it became his tried and tested path.

Giacomo finished fourth at Santa Anita in 2005, Tiago went to Kentucky off a win in 2007, winding up seventh at Churchill Downs.

Gormley also tried to parlay and win at Santa Anita in 2017, but finished ninth.

In 2020, John gained a third Santa Anita Derby win with Honour AP, who went on to finish fourth in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Last year Beaza finished second to Journalism at Santa Anita and then went on to finish third in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

The super consistent son of McKinzie had cost $1,200,000 as a yearling, his win later that year in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby ensured he covered that investment, he ended 2025 with earnings in excess of $1,600,000 from just nine starts, breaking his maiden on his third attempt and going straight to Grade 1 company in classic John Shirreffs’ style.

We will miss you John.

...Girls aloud

AS SPRING HAS SPRUNG UPON US ONCE AGAIN, the foaling season which brings such joy and promise of the future, has now moved quickly into the covering season.

It is not difficult to be swept up in the excitement of the new arrivals, particularly when they are enjoying their newly found freedom and racing around in the paddocks.

With the covering season starting apace everyone also starts to think of the upcoming Flat racing season and analysing the first-season stallions.

The bookmakers already have Minzaal and Blackbeard at the head of the market, but with other high-class quality horses such as Persian Force, Bayside Boy and Naval Crown all with major credentials, it is by no means a done deal. This year‘s two-year-old season is definitely one to be highly anticipated.

Across stud farms there are many other firsts taking place – maiden mares are having first foals, first foals being born by stallions who retired last year such as Look De Vega, Henry Longfellow, as well as the first mares being scanned in-foal to the young stallions retired to stud for his spring.

One of the interesting things to see among this crop of new stallions is the search for the heir apparent to Wootton Bassett, whose new sons at stud include Henri Matisse and Camille Pisarro, Maranoa Charlie, Unquestionable and Topgear.

I’ve always noticed that one of the enjoyable things about taking your mare to be covered is that there is quite a social scene when breeders meet each other at the covering sheds, particularly in the larger stallion farms.

The topics of discussion include which stallion’s progeny they like, how they are getting on foaling and how the mares are cycling. It’s like a breeding season support group and it brings a lovely camaraderie.

These opportunities for breeders to catch up with each other and share information are important and it’s also one of the reasons that the ITBA in Ireland and the TBA in England play such an important part of keeping breeders supported, informed and up-to-date when they are so busy on their farms at this time of year.

One of the initiatives of the ITBA is to have an online lecture series which allows breeders to update and educate themselves through those long evenings watching the camera in the maternity unit.

This is also one of the reasons why the February Stallion Parade at Tattersalls is so important to UK breeders

Cathy Grassick enjoys the social scene and the “support network” found at the covering sheds

and so well attended by the bloodstock community.

Not only does it give breeders an opportunity to see some of the exciting young stallions on offer in the UK market but it also allows breeders an important time to catch up with each other and discuss relevant issues.

One such recent topic that has received plenty of attention is the reducing foal crop numbers in many countries around the world. The rate of reduction is certainly more concerning in the UK, but it is also something to watch with close scrutiny in Ireland as numbers have also decreased steadily over the past few years to about 8,000 in 2025.

SOME WOULD ARGUE that this is simply a market effect of supply and demand and is a natural correction of the marketplace occurring, but I think in the UK there is a more serious issue at hand with the reduction in the number of breeders continuing in the industry.

This is one of the reasons that the ITBA has focused strongly on the support and encouragement of young breeders to its Next Generation organisation – it is important to encourage the younger groups to see the breeding as a viable and economically successful opportunity and career.

Excellent initiatives in the UK and Ireland have stimulated market activity and encouraged a stronger marketplace but there is no avoiding that the top end of the market seems to move further and further ahead of the more accessible middle market.

One of the areas that seems very obvious to improve is prize-money, as this would encourage more owners and trainers to be involved in the marketplace.

It is not enough to view this issue as simply affecting one country as this is now such a global industry with buyers coming from around the world. This is particularly important in the case of Ireland and the UK where they where the existence of a healthy industry is so important for both countries.

One only has to look at the countries where the foal crop is increasing, such as Japan, to see that a healthy source of prize-money has led to new entrants into the market and to a healthy sales industry, which has encouraged breeders to produce for that demand.

I think, as always in these issues, balance is very important but we definitely need to address and protect agricultural land for the future of the industry as well as the services and support for breeders that are so vital to the success of the stock they produce.

also known as the French Derby THE BEST STALLION PRODUCING RACE IN EUROPE

LOPE DE VEGA, NEW BAY, STUDY OF MAN, LE HAVRE, LAWMAN, SHAMARDAL & ST MARK'S BASILICA won

He looked right out of the top drawer when running away with the French Derby... couldn’t have won any easier “ “

the only unbeaten runner in the field ran out a clear-cut winner “ “

incl.

Covered

Performers or Producers

Covered the dams of 15 Gr.1 Horses including:

OUTSTANDING First Foals

“A

Doctor on duty

Despite a delayed start to the Dublin Racing Festival, the action on the track more than made up for the 24-hour later kick off, writes Amy Bennett, and leading French sire Doctor Dino enjoyed a Grade 1 double

ALL GOOD THINGS come to those who wait and so it was with the Dublin Racing Festival, which got underway 24 hours later than scheduled, due to the deluge that hit Leopardstown.

That the two-meeting happened at all is a testament to the grounds team, as well as the connections of all runners who went ahead when snorkels and water wings seemed every bit as appropriate as the usual blinkers or cheek pieces.

With Saturday’s beleaguered card

switched to Monday, it proved a case of “just what the doctor ordered” with Doctor Dino firing home a quickfire Grade 1 double.

Doctor Steinberg got the ball rolling for his sire in the card’s opening Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2m6f, racing prominently and drawing away well on the run-in to score by 8l.

Bred by Walter Connors, the sixyear-old is unbeaten this season, having landed a bumper last season. He is one of six winners so far out of Connors’ mare Rosy De Cyborg (Cyborg), a winner and Listed-placed over hurdles in France

and a half-sister to No Full (Useful), who was Grade 3 placed over fences in Ireland.

Doctor Dino was also responsible for the third-placed Love Me Tender, a Grade 3 winner over hurdles at Tipperary in October and now twice-placed at the highest level.

Half an hour later, Willie Mullins and Doctor Dino teamed up again for a second Grade 1 victory when Narciso Has made all to land the juvenile hurdle.

Successful at Grade 2 level over course and distance on St Stephen’s Day, the winner hails from the all-conquering

nursery of Hamel Stud.

He is a full-brother to the Listed hurdles winner Namour Has, and a half-brother to the Listed-placed young stallion Na Has (Saint Des Saints), and the Grade 3-placed Chata Joana Has (Dream Well).

Doctor Dino is embarking on his 17th season at Haras du Mesnil this year commanding the career-high fee of €24,000, as he did in 2025.

He has a tally of 13 top-level jumps winners – alongside some classy Flat performers, too.

We shall not forget them

Those stallions in the “gone but not forgotten” category enjoyed a good run on day two of the meeting.

Kayf Tara’s Romeo Coolio added another top-level success to his tally in the Arkle Novice Chase (G1), and Poliglote’s Fact To File cruised home an easy winner in the Irish Gold Cup, while Mount Nelson was represented by the Listed chase winner Jacob’s Ladder.

The closing race of the meeting was the Grade 2 bumper won by Broadway Ted (Getaway) in a battling finish from stable mate With Nolimit. The latter, who broke his maiden at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, is a son of the progressive sire Bande, who is well worth noting as a stakes-winning Authorized half-brother to Doctor Dino.

Bande is standing for €3,000 at Haras de la Haie Neuve this season.

It was a second graded victory of the meeting for Getaway, who also enjoyed success on the delayed opening day, landing the Grade 3 handicap chase on Sunday with Backmersackme under Sean Bowen.

One of the best finishes of the meeting came in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (G1) when Talk The Talk ran down Ballyfad (Tirwanako) in the shadow of the post.

The victory avenged the winner’s last-flight fall over course and distance at the Christmas meeting and also

gave a second top-level success to his sire Born To Sea.

A graduate of the Goffs UK Spring Sale, the winner was bred by EARL de Faydeau and hails from the second French-conceived crop of his sire. It is interesting to note that Born To Sea’s previous top-level scorer came on the same card when A Wave Of The Sea triumphed in 2020.

A first Grade 1 sucess for Choeur Du

Nord

A sire to celebrate his breakthrough Grade 1 winner during the meeting was Choeur Du Nord, sire of Kaid d’Authie, who triumphed in the top level novice chase on the opening day.

Bred by Yann and Pierre Rougegrez, he is out of the winning French chaser Kadifette (Califet). His sire, a son of Voix Du Nord, commands a fee of €8,500 at Haras de Ligneres.

Majborough once again proved a fine advertisement for his sire Martinborough when landing the

Dublin Chase (G1) by 19l from Marine Nationale (French Navy).

Martinborough is now in his second season at Capital Stud in Ireland, standing for €5,000.

The Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle went the way of Brighterdaysahead (Kapgarde), who saw off the redoubtable Lossiemouth (Great Pretender), as well as last year’s Triumph Hurdle (G1) victor Poniros (Golden Horn).

The first and second are both only seven and their clashes will continue to light up the track until their second careers beckon.

Another eye-catching mare was the five-year-old Cousin Kate (Maxios), who won the opening race of the meeting, the Listed mares’ handicap hurdle, to extend her unbeaten record to three.

Bred by Kevin Doyle, and a graduate of the Goffs Arkle Sale, she is a halfsister to Amen Kate (Flemensfirth), a Listed hurdles winner in December, and the Listed bumper winner Baby Kate (Champs Elysees).

They are the latest generation of

dublin racing festival

a fine female family, including their dam, the Grade 1 winner Augusta Kate (Yeats), and granddam Feathard Lady (Accordion), winner of the Christmas Hurdle (G1) in 2005.

Augusta Kate was herself purchased by Doyle for €85,000 at Tattersalls Ireland in November 2018, a figure recouped in the sale ring as well as on the track.

The day’s other notable mare was Moonverrin, winner of the Grade 2 mares’ bumper that rounded off Sunday’s action.

Bred and owned by Ned Morris, the five-year-old is a daughter of Well Chosen, and is a half-sister to Mulcahys Hill (Brian Boru), who was runner-up in the 2017 Challow Hurdle (G1).

Rain may have stopped play at Leopardstown on the final day of January, but on the other side of the Irish Sea, action continued.

Sixmilebridge made all to win the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novice Chase by 5l, and although he may have been slightly lucky that the hot favourite Kitzbuhel unseated his rider, he looks a smart

... both of Affiinisea’s Grade 1 winners are out of mares bred for speed – Affordale Fury’s dam being by the crack sprinter Choisir

prospect. This was officially the sevenyear-old’s first graded victory as the Fergal O’Brien-trained seven-year-old was disqualified from his success in a Grade 2 hurdle at Cheltenham in January 2025.

Bred by Barbara Hanna, he was purchased for just €2,000 at the Goffs December Foal Sale but parlayed that price into a £100,000 price tag at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in 2023, after a second in his second point-to-point.

Out of the unraced Haatef mare Luck Or Logic, he is a second Grade 1 winner for his sire Affinisea, following the success of Affordale Fury at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.

It is interesting to note that both of Affiinisea’s Grade 1 winners are out of mares bred for speed – Affordale Fury’s dam being by the crack sprinter Choisir. Affinisea, who is of course a half-

brother to Solider Of Fortune, is standing for €7,000 at Whytemount Stud this season.

Long predicated to be an exciting NH sire, it seems his time has come.

On the same day but a few hundred miles further north, Made U Blush made her stakes breakthrough in the Listed Scottish Triumph Hurdle, her second success over hurdles.

Bred by Stuart McPhee and partners, the filly was purchased by Megan Nicholls and her trainer Dan Skelton for 90,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in October and has not looked back.

She is a first stakes winner over jumps for her Derby-winning sire Masar, who relocated from Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud in 2025 to stand at Sunnyhill Stud and has enjoyed success of late under the winter code.

Sixmilebridge: made all to win the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novice Chase for Fergal O’Brien –the seven-year-old gelding has both Arkle and Brown Advisory Novice Chase entries at Cheltenham

Modern Games

Night Of Thunder

VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL

One of these stallions is a son of Champion sire Dubawi out of a Galileo line mare, a Stakes winner at two, a Guineas hero at three and a Lockinge winner at four... So is the other one. Modern Games is the next best thing to Champion sire Night Of Thunder. Call us on +44 (0)1638 730070 to discuss your plans and your mares.

A blueprint with TEETH

The covering sheds are emptying. The betting market is haemorrhaging £3 billion.

The genetic base is shrinking faster than a bookmaker's margins after affordability checks. And somewhere in Whitehall, a minister is deciding whether to back a sport that knows where it's going — or one that can't agree which direction to face. Here is what British racing can actually become, if it acts now, writes Ed Grimshaw

The rebellion begins in a February yard Walk into a British racing yard in March 2026 and the pressure announces itself before anyone speaks.

It’s in the empty boxes — ten of them, standing open to the wind, that had horses in them 18 months ago.

It’s in the phone call the trainer is making to an owner who’s wavering, doing the maths one more time on £30,000 annual fees for a 10p-in-thepound return.

It’s in the yard radio playing the same grim arithmetic: prize-money down, field sizes down, betting turnover down, everything spiralling in the wrong direction except the one number that keeps climbing — 522 per cent

more people visiting unlicensed betting operators since 2021, taking their money to a black market that contributes nothing to this sport’s future.

Drive 30 miles to a stud farm and you find the rebellion’s true epicentre.

Mares who were covered last season won’t be covered this one. Stallion books have thinned from expectation to reality. And in a farm office somewhere in Newmarket or The Curragh, a breeder is looking at a spreadsheet that shows a median £33,000 loss per yearling sold after nomination fees, a £27,000 loss per foal, and a market in which only 29 per cent of yearlings made any profit in 2024.

The owner-breeder share of the foal

crop has fallen from 52 per cent in 2020 to 40 per cent by 2024.

The commercial breeders are walking away. The sentimentalists are running out of sentiment.

A declaration of interest: I’m one of three authors of the Racing Innovation Group’s report “Racing Needs Transformational Change not Incremental Tinkering”, alongside Jon Hughes (procurement and supply-chain specialist, 140 wins as an owner, former chairman of specialist management consultancies) and Ged Shields (former VP at Sherwin-Williams, the man who gave the world “Does Exactly What It Says on the Tin”).

We are self-funded. We have no

to Link 1 The Casual Chain (Or: How to Build Your Own Death Spiral)

Source: Racing Innovation Group systemic analysis, cross-referenced with Weatherbys GSB, BHA operational data, TBA/PwC Economic Impact Study 2023

institutional alignment, no racecourse group backing us, no financial stake in the proposals we make.

What we have is a combined 100 years of experience in commercial leadership, strategic consulting, and financial turnaround — and a conviction, grounded in data we didn’t invent, that British racing is choosing its crisis right now, in real time, by continuing to do what it has done for a decade: talk eloquently about transformation while structurally preventing it from happening.

The numbers don’t lie, and they don’t care about your feelings. Here they are.

The Death Spiral: Numbers that bite

Betting: Inflation-adjusted online racing betting has collapsed from £11.5 billion to £8.37 billion [BHA/HBLB data].

Year-to-date turnover through Q3 2025 sat 12.8 per cent below 2023 and 4.2 per cent below 2024. Average turnover per race at core fixtures is down 14.4 per cent. That’s not a blip. That’s a market in retreat.

The black market: Visits to unlicensed operators are up 522 per cent since 2021. These are not people who stopped betting on racing. These are people systematically driven away by affordability checks and account restrictions, who migrated to a market that contributes zero levy, zero prizemoney, zero to anyone in this sport.

Breeding: The British foal crop stood at 3,872 in 2025, down from a peak of 5,920 in 2008 — a third gone in 17 years.

The TBA projects approximately 3,263 foals by 2026/27, against 4,601 in 2022. That’s a near-30 per cent collapse in five years. What was forecast to take 25 years has taken five [Weatherbys Return of Mares 2025, TBA AGM September 2025].

Stallions: In Britain, 88 stallions stood in 2025 versus 147 in 2021 — a 40 per cent reduction in four years. Stallion numbers have halved in 15 years, while

The System (what depends on what)

If this fails or is delayed >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> then this also fails or is constrained

Central commercial structure (governance) >>>> All other initiatives lack execution capacity

Fixture reform and stronger field sizes >>>>>>>> Betting turnover doesn’t recover; Levy stays depressed

Levy reform and racing-owned platform >>>>>>> Prize money targets unachievable; breeding economics unchanged

Data consortium and customer intelligence >>>> Engagement strategy operates blind; gaming initiative unfocused

Political bargain (welfare / social licence) >>>>>> Levy reform loses government support; regulatory risk rises

broodmare numbers fell only 25 per cent, producing what Weatherbys calls “the highest stallion-to-broodmare ratio in the world.” The genetic base is concentrating precisely when diversity is what competitive fields demand.

Field sizes: 40 per cent of races in 2025 featured seven or fewer runners. The critical threshold for betting market liquidity – identified in the Racing Innovation Group report at 7.9 runners – is where self-reinforcing deterioration accelerates. British racing is already there.

Ownership: 97 per cent of owners fail to recover their costs. Median return: 10 pence in the pound on training fees approaching £30,000 per year. The proposition is not viable. Owners are not stupid.

The young: Less than 20 per cent of racing’s audience is under 35, against 45 per cent for comparable sports. Flat meeting attendance has fallen by nearly a million since 2015.

This is (see table opposite) not a forecast. This is the operating reality, documented, measured, and accelerating.

Marcus Aurelius would call this a self-inflicted wound. British racing is choosing to bleed out.

But, and this is the point of everything

And the longer the reforms take, the greater the risk they arrive too late, too tentative, or already compromised by the concessions that extended negotiation always produces

that follows, the chain runs in reverse, too. Arrest any link decisively and the virtuous circle can compound upwards instead of down. That’s not hope. That’s mechanics.

Not a menu — a machine

Here’s the single most important thing to understand about the Racing Innovation Group’s blueprint: it is not a menu.

Every industry strategy document produced for British racing in the past decade has been treated as a selection of options from which stakeholders pick the least disruptive items, implement them partially, achieve partial results, and then declare the whole programme a disappointment. The result: a decade of stalled initiatives that the BHA’s own annual reports document in painful detail.

The Racing Innovation Group’s eight strategic initiatives are different in one fundamental respect: they work as a system, not a shopping list.

Past reforms failed due to stakeholder veto culture with 20-plus organisations with differing priorities.

Every well-intentioned initiative has been watered down to the lowest common denominator that everyone in the room can tolerate — which is, by definition, insufficient to address a structural crisis. The governance structure has historically supplied enough vetoes to prevent uncomfortable conversations from reaching conclusions. Well-intentioned proposals are announced, applauded, gradually softened in implementation, then quietly absorbed back into the structures they were supposed to replace.

The Racing Innovation Group’s answer? Implement the system as a system.

Governance creates execution capacity. Product reform drives betting revenue. Revenue funds prize-money. Prize-money sustains breeding. Technology enables intelligence. The political bargain builds the government framework for Levy reform. Each element depends on and reinforces the others. Weaken one and you constrain all. Invest in all and the multiplier effects compound in the right direction — faster and further than any single initiative could reach alone.

Governance: build the execution beast (or admit you’re just talking)

Racing is in limbo. Lord Allen’s governance reforms, announced with fanfare, endorsed by industry figures whose support was required to make them credible, are on hold.

The permanent CEO expected during 2026 has not been confirmed. The commercially-oriented independent directors have not been appointed. The independent executive structure exists in principle but does not yet operate with the authority it will need to deliver transformation rather than incremental tinkering.

Every month in limbo is a month the crisis compounds. Breeder exits don’t wait for the new CEO. The betting market doesn’t pause its contraction.

The foal crop continues its collapse on a timeline entirely indifferent to the BHA’s organisational transition. And the longer the reforms take, the greater the risk they arrive too late, too tentative, or already compromised by the concessions that extended negotiation always produces.

The question? Will Lord Allen’s board reach the starting line with real authority?

Or will it arrive, like its predecessors, already weakened by the deals required to get it into existence?

This is not cynicism. This is the pattern. Racecourses still control fixtures, prize-money allocation, and commercial infrastructure.

A board that cannot override racecourse veto on tier licensing, cannot

1. Championship £2m+ per fixture Group & Graded; global audience; premium betting; elite narrative across the season

2. Premier £500k+ per fixture Listed & valuable handicaps; terrestrial TV; cross-country series

3. Regional £250k+ per fixture Saturday & festival racing; local sponsorship; community dimension

4. Foundation £100k min Volume racing; moderate horses; + 30% raceday income aggregate betting turnover

Source: Racing Innovation Group

mandate fixture restructuring, cannot compel prize-money redistribution — can govern the status quo with slightly better minutes. It cannot transform anything.

What real authority looks like. A central commercial body, within the BHA or free-standing,staffed with topflight private sector executives carrying genuine programme management credentials and delegated power to act within agreed parameters.

Not advisory. Not conditional on consensus. Not the kind of authority that exists on paper until someone exercises it and discovers it doesn’t exist at all.

Authority within a framework: transparent milestones, published quarterly metrics, regular external review.

That’s what makes it accountable rather than arbitrary. Authority without accountability is a power grab. Accountability without authority is a talking shop. British racing has had enough talking shops.

The Regulatory Speed Prize (a quick win for any incoming CEO) British racing’s regulatory approval processes are two to three times slower than Hong Kong and Australia [international benchmarking data].

Every new betting product, race format innovation, technology integration requiring regulatory sign-off takes between two and three times as long as it needs to.

The fix: AI-assisted licensing within a digital-first framework, a single registration system.

Controlled sandboxing of new products. This is not radical. I t’s standard practice in the jurisdictions British racing competes against.

Moving to that model within 12 months would transform the sport’s ability to respond to commercial opportunities at commercial speed.

The proposed racecourse tiers will not rescue breeding economics overnight, but could begin to restore the logic of staying in the game – of keeping the mares, renewing the stallion books, producing foals...

Product: Four tiers to rule them all

(And save the breeding base)

The fixture list conversation British racing has been having with itself for 15 years ends here.

Entry to each tier is earned (see table opposite), not assumed with qualification-based licensing against objective criteria.

A racecourse that doesn’t meet tier 2 standards doesn’t host tier 2 racing. This is how every major tiered sport in the world operates. British racing has avoided it because the conversations are uncomfortable and requires telling a racecourse it’s been relegated. Not every racecourse will sign up, but 100 per cent unanimity is not required. That’s fine. Actively promote and support those prepared to participate. Those that decline aren’t blocked, they simply bypass the benefits. The sport doesn’t need every venue, it just needs enough.

Targets (specific, accountable)

• Overall prize money up 25% by 2028

• Improved allocation to lower tiers

• Return on ownership investment up 15 percentage points from current median of 10p in the £

These are not aspirational, they are metrics against which a programme management office with published quarterly reviews should be held publicly accountable.

The breeding revival hidden in the prize-money

And here is the connection the industry

hasn’t discussed loudly enough: those prize-money targets are the mechanism for slowing breeder exit.

Tier 2 rebuilds the economic case for producing the quality of horse who competes in Listed and valuable handicap company, the bread-and-butter of commercial breeding operations who are not targeting Group 1s.

At the foundation tier, a horse finishing fourth in a Class 5 handicap will generate something toward the cost of its existence.

The proposed racecourse tiers will not rescue breeding economics overnight, but could begin to restore the logic of staying in the game – of keeping the mares, renewing the stallion books, producing foals for a British market rather than selling stock to France, Australia, India (61, 46, 61 mares exported respectively in 2024 alone), or simply walking away.

A foal who is not born in 2025 cannot run in 2027, a race can not be filled with horses who do not exist – the fixture reform and the breeding revival are the same reform, seen from different angles.

Funding: Five Moves to Flip the Script

1: Double the Levy, halve the duty, keep bookmakers whole

The hack: Increase Horserace Betting Levy from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, simultaneously reduce general betting duty from 15 per cent to 5 per cent

Bookmaker’s total combined burden: unchanged, distribution shifts from Exchequer to sport (James Noyes & Thomas Savill)

Why it’s winnable: The Treasury’s

own rationale for exempting racing from the November 2025 Remote Betting Rate increase was that the existing 10 per cent Levy already creates a de facto 25 per cent combined rate.

Apply that logic consistently and a doubled Levy at halved duty is revenueneutral redistribution, not additional cost imposition. The Treasury has already implicitly made this argument. Racing just needs to make it back to them explicitly.

Context: Remote Gaming Duty rises 21 per cent → 40 per cent (April 2026). General online sports betting duty rises 15 per cent → 25 per cent (April 2027).

The wider gambling sector faces £1.6 billion in additional costs. Racing’s licensed commercial partners are being systematically weakened by a regulatory environment racing cannot control. The notion that racing prospers while its funding ecosystem compresses is strategically naive.

2: Build the racing-owned platform and recapture the black market

The 522 per cent problem: Visits to unlicensed operators since 2021 aren’t evidence of people who stopped betting on racing. It is evidence of people systematically driven away by affordability checks, account restrictions, stake limitations – they have not stop betting, just migrated.

The solution: A racing-owned wagering platform (modelled on Hong Kong Jockey Club) offering:

• Guaranteed bet acceptance

• Transparent pricing

• 100% profit return to sport

• Technology licensed from proven providers

It coexists with bookmakers, and doesn’t displace them. It competes for customers currently lost to the black market and competing sports.

The bookmakers’ objection – partial market displacement – is real.

British racing is not short of narrative –it has Ascot, Cheltenham, Goodwood, Newmarket, it has the thoroughbred, the most compelling athletic animal in sport, with bloodlines stretching centuries

The answer: the alternative is continued black market growth and Levy pressure on a shrinking licensed market. A larger, healthier regulated market benefits licensed operators even if the margin split is different.

Minimum requirements: Substantial third-party investment to access proven technology. Independent governance with clear accountability.

Regulatory approval that doesn’t take three times as long as Hong Kong (see regulatory speed prize).

Funding comparisons (GDP-scaled)

Country Funding Annual Investment (v UK)

USA Mixed £986m (5.2× UK

Japan Government £775m (4.1× UK)

Australia Tote, State & PCT £540m (2.9× UK)

France PMU monopoly £245m (1.3× UK)

UK Levy & media rights £188m (1.0×)

3: Target £250-500m in transformational capital

British racing is not short of narrative – it has Ascot, Cheltenham, Goodwood, Newmarket, it has the thoroughbred, the most compelling athletic animal in sport, with bloodlines stretching back centuries.

What it lacks is the commercial structure that allows serious capital to take it seriously (see table below)

Proof of concept and what comparable sports did

F1’s Liberty Media reboot: $1.8bn → $3.2bn revenue in six years. The sport tebuilt the product for audiences who hadn’t previously considered themselves F1 fans with the netflix series, digital streaming and social media expansion.

Cricket’s The Hundred: ECB secured £1.1bn private equity. 25 per cent new audience, 42 per cent female viewership. Format innovation transformed revenue model.

Neither sport had better raw material than racing, and both required commercial structure before capital arrived.

Racing has the raw material in abundance. The problem is the structure, not the product.

4: Monetise the land, reinvest in the sport

Racecourse property assets represent billions of pounds in land value, there should be targeted joint ventures and selective sales for redevelopment — not closure, not shareholder return, but a focused reinvestment in modernisation.

This is standard capital recycling in any asset-intensive business that has under invested in its core product for a generation.

Racecourses sitting on valuable land while struggling to fund prize-money represent a misallocation of capital a properly structured commercial body can address.

5: Set the targets and hold the system to them

• Prize money up 25 per cent by 2028

• Betting turnover recovering toward £10bn

• Return on ownership investment up 15 percentage points

• £45m+ in new data revenue

• Fan database up 25 per cent

• 18-34 demographic as primary focus

These are not aspirations. These are the published quarterly metrics of a programme management office with external review. British racing has never imposed that discipline on itself from within. It needs it now.

Customers: meet the fans you forgot existed

The most damning observation in the entire Racing Innovation Group report: betting operators understand racing’s customers better than racing does. Not marginally better. Substantially

better. The intelligence advantage that ought to reside with the sport, the entity generating the product, sits instead with the businesses taking money from the people who consume it.

Fan data is scattered across multiple separate bodies, there is no unified owner identification.

Racing Digital delayed beyond the point where explaining the delay requires more words than describing the platform. No consumer-facing digital product of any scale.

The solution?

• British Racing data consortium, integrating customer data from across the sport – bettors, raceday attendees, owners, TV viewers

• One racing portal: Unified interface across all relationships

• Owner smart cards: Unique owner identification enabling differentiated racecourse experience based on verified investment

Measurable targets

• £45m+ new data revenue

• 25 per cent increase in identifiable fan database by end 2028

• 18-34 cohort as primary demographic (currently <20 per cent of racing’s audience vs 45 per cent for comparable sports)

• The Gaming Gap: Building tomorrow’s fans today

• Formula 1: 73 per cent growth in female support via Netflix series

• FIFA: 325 million gaming audience driving £1bn+ turnover

• NBA: Systematically targeted China, built global fanbase

• Premier League: Global broadcasting strategy turned English league into planetary product

British Racing has no mainstream, globally relevant racing game franchise. No streaming narrative, and no immersive digital experience through which a 23-year-old discovers this sport is for them.

Racing asks that 23-year-old to navigate a racecard formatted for a different generation, on a platform delivered with technology from a different decade, then wonders why they choose FIFA or F1 instead.

A racing gaming initiative would develop high-quality racing games to commercial standards competitive with the market where younger audiences spend their digital leisure time. This is not marketing. This is construction of the customer pipeline that does not currently exist.

Without it, the 18-34 gap widens, the audience ages, and the market makes the decisions for racing that racing declined to make for itself.

The Bargain: What we give, what we get British racing secured exemption from the November 2025 Remote Betting Rate increase through the Axe the Racing Tax

Racing Innovation Group: report summary

Eight strategic initiatives that work as a system.

Governance reform that creates execution capacity.

A four-tier product that rebuilds competitive fields and breeding economics.

A funding revolution through Levy reform and a racingowned platform.

campaign, it was a tactical success.

That same unity must now be directed at structural reform, formalised into a government alliance with sustained professional lobbying and partnership with Pitch to Post.

The political bargain will allow both sides to get what they need.

Racing commits to:

• Equine welfare: Full lifecycle tracking from foaling through retirement. Dedicated Levy percentage for aftercare.

• Workforce development: Racing Academy transformation. Guaranteed career pathways.

• Environmental responsibility: Carbon offsets tied to breeding. Regional fixture clustering to reduce transport.

It’s your move now,

A data consortium that understands the customer.

A political bargain that trades welfare and diversity commitments for government support.

And targets — 25 per cent prize money increase, £10bn betting turnover, breeding base stabilised, a properly managed programme can be held publicly to account.

• Diversity & inclusion: Inner-city pathway programmes with measurable targets. Governance diversity mandates.

Government supports:

• Levy reform

• Duty harmonisation

• Modernised funding arrangements

Both sides deliver or neither side gets what it needs. That’s how political bargains work, and this one has more substance than most.

Welfare and diversity are commercial rocket fuel as 76 per cent of under35s express welfare concerns about horseracing before they’ve been persuaded to engage [Racing Innovation Group survey data, consistent with BHA Project Beacon].

Racing

THE MECHANISMS are specified. The case is made. The cost of inaction is documented in Weatherbys data, BHA reports, TBA projections, and the quiet decisions being taken right now in covering sheds and training yards across Britain.

The thoroughbred waits for no veto.

The market will make the decisions for racing that racing declines to make for itself.

And when that happens, the sport that has been integral to British culture and the rural economy for centuries will

Three-quarters of the demographic racing urgently needs carry a welfare concern as a precondition.

A full lifecycle programme addresses reality and perception, and produces, as commercial by-product, the verifiable welfare commitment that makes the political bargain credible to government.

Non-white participation is less than eight per cent in racing as against 30 per cent+ in comparable sports. Racing recruits more staff from India than from British inner cities.

These are not moral observations dressed as statistics. They are commercial constraints on the social licence that underpins racing’s relationship with government and the audiences the sport needs to reach.

Address them and the social licence strengthens. Ignore them and the political bargain falls apart.

become a residual cottage industry sustained by heritage appeal and increasingly threadbare government support, a curiosity, not a powerhouse.

Or.

British racing can build the execution machine it has never built. Implement the system as a system.

Hold itself to the metrics. And become, within five years, the commercial and cultural force the raw material has always justified. It is, emphatically, someone else’s turn.

DRAGON SYMBOL

FEE: £8,000 1st oct slf

2025 FOAL PRICES

85,000gns

80,000gns

75,000gns

65,000gns

60,000gns etc.

First foals sold for up to 85,000gns at an average of over £34,000 for 48 sold A SYMBOL OF HIS SUCCESS

Bets are on

After the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup, Debbie Burt chatted with racecourse development manager Harrison Everett about the gaming plans for racing in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI has become the latest stop off in the Middle East for connections seeking a slice of a million dollar prize fund, with the new Abu Dhabi Gold Cup, the first running of which took place on February 7.

The organisers were certianly delighted with the result, the first winner being Strauss, ridden by Joao “Magic Man” Moreira and providing Japan with its first winner in Abu Dhabi at the country’s first attempt.

The mile contest starts on the blacktype bottom rung as Listed class and is one of two races for thoroughbreds at

that level on the card, the other being the preceding Abu Dhabi Championship over 2400m.

Historically racing at Abu Dhabi has centred around the Purebred Arabian, encouraged by the late UAE President, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

His cultural heritage initiative included equestrianism and racing, authorising the construction of a racecourse at Abu Dhabi’s Equestrian Club and laying a 2000m Turf track in 1980, the first in the UAE.

As horseracing of all breeds has developed in the Emirates, thoroughbred racing has been introduced to Abu Dhabi, with first one and now two races on regular seven race cards.

International Arabian racing of the highest quality has been a long-standing feature, with the €1.5 million Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan Jewel Crown inaugurated at the track in 2015, then the world’s most valuable contest for

Over the last few years and under new management the intention has been to raise the level of thoroughbred racing at the track to that of its Arabian counterparts.

The Gold Cup undercard for Arabians featured a Group 2PA sprint, the first (Listed PA) stage of the four-yearold Arabian Triple Crown and the 1 million AED,

Group 1PA Alanuud Classic.

Godolphin Flying Start graduate Harrison Everett has been at the renamed Abu Dhabi Turf Club for the last six months as the manager of racecourse development.

“I’m making sure we keep the horseman’s perspective to the fore during the redesign element,” he explains. “How we position the barns, the flow of the stable facilities, the track, the ergonomics of the grandstand and how people move throughout it.”

The course currently has its limitations and, though the grandstand functions well, the masterplan according to Everett suggests it being relocated to the other side of the track.

“We want to unify both the show jumping and the racing elements here into one component and truly make it

a destination for lifestyle. We’re aiming to have it as a venue for people flying in internationally for all their needsholiday, riding school or coming racing.”

The internal Dirt track has been earmarked for a surface upgrade and in the planning stage is a Meydan-style international training facility, to include a quarantine veterinary clinic.

Whilst the racing facilities at Abu Dhabi are good, they are not up to hosting internationals in the run up to big races. Overseas Arabian challengers have ended up at Meydan, which had accommodated Strauss, Comanche Brave and Jonquil prior to the Gold Cup. However there’s limited scope for that level of development and having been gifted the former training and breeding farm at Al Asayl (also a former racecourse) the team are currently

investigating their options there.

“Al Asayl would be one of the ideal locations for us to look at developing,”explains Everett. “Over the next 12 months we’ll just be assessing the economics of the site itself, and then down the line we’ll be looking at what improvements we can do structurally and surface-wise with the track. It’s got a beautiful history in racing as well, so

we’d love to potentially even reignite that down the line.”

In common with all racecourses is their need to find funding for redevelopment and prize-money for both breeds and, in a first for the region, the team has secured permission for betting.

The UAE’s first regulated online gaming website, Play971 was given an official soft launch at the end of 2025,

Having wagering on track is something that is not done legally anywhere else in the Middle East so I think that is a great game changer and a driver to engage with the community

and users can place bets across a variety of casino games, as well as live sports, including horseracing.

“Currently we have Play971 which is operated by Momentum through a website interface - they don’t yet have the legislation to have an app,”says Everett. “Going forward, by having betting and more thoroughbred racing, they are two areas that can create drive and revenue for the Club.

“We want to make the Club financially sound and to stand on its own two feet. You look at the likes of the Singapore Pools or the Hong Kong Jockey Club or Twin Spires I guess, gambling in a safe

way can be life changing for a club.

“It can allow us to focus on how we use that money internally for prizemoney for Purebred Arabian and thoroughbred racing, but also on facility redevelopment and welfare of the horse.”

Everett is also planning to engage more with local ex-pat groups within Abu Dhabi.

“There’s a great ex-pat community, I think 95 per cent of the population in Abu Dhabi probably wouldn’t even know there’s a racetrack here, so we’re in a really good position to give people a good first impression,” he explains.

“Having wagering on track is something that is not done legally anywhere else in the Middle East so I think that is a great game changer and a driver to engage with the community.”

AS FOR THE BIG RACE ITSELF, it couldn’t have gone better for the Club with Strauss, whose sole aim was to come for this event, not any others in Dubai’s Carnival, a clear winner with a popular international headline jockey on board.

The ever-expanding Wathnan Racing took second with Dark Trooper and James Doyle aboard – a horse who could easily have run at Qatar’s own premier fixture, the HH The Amir Sword Festival held just a week later.

In third was Comanche Brave and Ryan Moore, with the horse sold to run in Saudi where he latterly filled the same slot in the 1351 Turf Sprint.

There is the option for Strauss to run in Kentucky on Derby Day, though after the race that didn’t seem at the forefront of connections plans, however it may be a selling point for future winners.

Everett concludes: “We were ecstatic with the international turnout we had for a new race, not to say that we had any favourites but having Strauss win for us was something that has really helped to put the Club on an international page – it’s the first time a Japanese horse has ever come to Abu Dhabi.

“We would love the Japanese to be coming back in future. It’s all small steps for us now [with the development and the Gold Cup] trying to get our feet on the ground and get things moving.”

Small steps they may be, and history suggests that it’s likely to be a while before these ambitious plans even come halfway to fruition. However, the betting angle is a giant leap for the region, though it is expected to be confined to the Emirates capital, Abu Dhabi, for the time being.

Scotsman

DUAL GROUP WINNER & CLASSIC PLACED

2yo Gr.2 Richmond Stakes winner in record time and Gr.1 Dewhurst second, by a head to Chaldean

Classic-placed at 3, Diomed Stakes winner at 4

Highest rated 2yo (OR 118) retiring to stud in the UK for 2026

By Gleneagles, sire of multiple Gr.1 winners, inc. Calandagan and Mill Stream, out of a blacktype Pivotal mare

“The best-looking yearling I saw that year, so I bought him!”

ED SACKVILLE

“He was incredibly talented and very unfortunate not to win his Group one.”

PAUL COLE

Leading European All-Weather Sires 2026 (by prize-money earned to February 15 2026) Courtesy of Weatherbys

Leading National Hunt Sires 2026 (by prize-money earned to February 15 2026)

South STAR

Andreas Jacobs’ Maine Chance Farms stands the all-conquering South African champion sire Vercingetorix, and last year acquired the exciting young stallion Point Lonsdale, a half-brother to Diego Velazquez

Words: Tom Peacock, Racing Post bloodstock features writer

Photos: Jeremy Nelson

THE EASE with which Andreas Jacobs reels off facts and statistics about Maine Chance Farms is the firmest indication of the place it holds in his heart.

With myriad business interests, from investments ranging from the Jacobs Coffee dynasty and his own initiatives, to philanthropy and the venerable Gestüt Fährhof in his native Germany, the 62-year-old regularly finds himself on a plane for commitments anywhere in the world.

Yet he bought Maine Chance, a leading nursery located at Robertson in the Western Cape, from Graham Beck because he loved it at first sight back in 2002 and returns as often as he can.

There has been a lot of information for the courteous Jacobs to ingest this past year, not least because he stands the country’s current champion sire Vercingetorix.

The exploits of the top-class filly Double Grand Slam, recently on the Grade 1 mark again in the Maine Chance-sponsored Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth and bigrace regular Gladiatorian saw him topple Varsfontein’s sire supreme Gimmethegreenlight in some style.

“He isn’t only champion sire but he is very consistent across the ages; he is champion sire of two-year-olds and three-year-olds as well as overall, that is remarkable,” Jacobs says.

“He ended up with a record of 24 individual stakes winner in that season and this season I believe he’d had 12 as per January 31, which was exactly half-way, so it looks like he could do the same or maybe even better, we’ll see.”

Vercingetorix was undoubtedly a fine racehorse, as the best of his

three-year-old generation in South Africa before being one of Mike de Kock’s global explorers, landing the 2014 Jebel Hatta at Group 1 level in Dubai and then finishing a close third to Designs On Rome in the QEII Cup in Hong Kong.

Jacobs, however, was also seduced by his sire. Silvano was one of the best to have hailed from Fährhof’s paddocks, actually winning the QEII in 2001, a year in which he also claimed the Arlington Million and Singapore Cup.

Silvano was only supposed to shuttle but was “stuck” in South Africa for six years when quarantine restrictions tightened owing to the prevention of the spread of African Horse Sickness. The son of Lomitas would actually spend most of his life at Maine Chance and had become a seminal sires by the time of his death in 2021 with six overall titles.

“I loved Vercingetorix and he’s been the best horse on the track for Silvano, who was such a sensation and my most beloved horse, of course,” Jacobs explains.

“I always wanted to have a son of his and I was delighted when Jehan Malberbe, who was advising Vercingetorix’s owners, suggested that maybe they could bring him to the stud where we had made Silvano a great stallion.

“Jehan rang me, so I didn’t hunt him, but I was delighted and I put a syndicate together.

“We all know with stallions maybe one out of ten is making it, maybe, and he was the one out of ten.”

He continues: “In hindsight I’d say Vercingetorix is probably even better than Silvano as a sire, for several reasons.

“He’s more robust, as a physical he has more scope, he’s passed on twoyear-old speed. If you add it together he’s more versatile and probably more attractive.”

Vercingetorix, who stands at a fee of R300,000 (nearly £14,000) is South Africa’s most expensive publicly-listed stallion - not that

Vercingetorix became popular over the last four years, so the quality of mares he has been getting is amazing. From his 125 mares, I’d say about 85 are shareholders, and the rest outsiders, and they are basically only Group 1 winners and Group 1 producers

it is putting breeders off.

“He’s limited to 125 mares and he has about 250 applications so the selection process is quite difficult, so lot of unhappy phone calls to make!” laughs Jacobs.

“Vercingetorix became very popular over the last four years, so the quality of mares he has been getting is amazing. From his 125 mares, I’d say about 85 are shareholders, and the rest outsiders, and they are basically only Group 1 winners and Group 1 producers.

“That’s why I think the next three

years will be absolutely exceptional. He started slow in a way because he was the son of Silvano, who collected all the trophy mares and he was just the young boy next to him! So he had to do it the hard way at Maine Chance and it’s exceptional how far he has come.”

Vercingetorix stands alongside another leading sire that Jacobs also bred in Germany.

The 20-year-old Querari won the 2010 Premio Presidente Della Repubblica in the yellow and black Jacobs silks when it was still an Italian Group 1 over 1m2f.

He has produced a champion sprinter in South Africa, Rio Querari, and posted another top-five finish in the overall standings last season.

Querari’s own pedigree has had an unexpected update with his three-parts brother Quinault, who has taken trainer Stuart Williams and owner Tom Morley on a sensational journey which recently included a lucrative victory in the Dukhan Sprint Cup (see page 88).

“South Africa is very commercialwhen you have an older stallion then everyone seems to go for the new commercial one - which is the same in most places, but Querari consistently throws two-year-olds and a lot of 1000m winners, which I imagine is the Oasis Dream coming through with him,” Jacobs reflects.

“He’s still very popular despite the fact that he’s older, but he’s commercially very well priced and he’s doing well as a very solid outcross.”

As the pragmatic Jacobs has hinted, not every overseas arrival has been such an unqualified success. However, he has gambled big again on the newest member of the present roster.

Former Aidan O’Brien trainee Point Lonsdale, a multiple Group winner, has been in situ for a year.

“He had a good start,” Jacobs reported.

“There are a lot of young stallions, I think

there were 12 freshmen in 2024, so there’s a lot of competition. He covered a reasonable book of 80 mares and I’m happy with him.

“He’s a good-looking horse and he was a 575,000gns yearling at Tattersalls, the most expensive Australia sold at auction, so he must be good looking!

“I was also attracted by his damline as his mother [Sweepstake] won a stakes race against colts in May as a two-yearold in England, so she must have had a lot of speed and earliness, and that’s an attraction.”

Jacobs pauses to point out the emergence of Point Lonsdale’s sibling Diego Velazquez, now at the National Stud in Newmarket after his Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois victory in the

summer and laughs, “I was on the right track!”

It would appear Jacobs tries to leave little to chance with what are expensive plans in acquiring and importing stallions. He explains he spoke to Point Lonsdale’s trainer, Aidan O’Brien, at length before making a decision.

There is also the added layer that South Africa’s fragile economy means he cannot go overboard on price, or he will have little chance of recouping the investment through syndication or stallion fees.

“It takes quite some time,” he explains. “You have to pre-select your sire lines. I wanted to bring somehow Acclamation and Royal Applause blood because there wasn’t any at that

time and I felt the speed is good for South Africa.

“They used to focus on a lot of Danzig speed and Galileo didn’t really work in South Africa, so his broodmare was important. But you select the pedigree first and then you want basically a consistent Group 2 winner as a two-year-old and a three-year-old.

“The moment you come into a Group 1 winner from England, you just can’t pay it. It’s out of the range. You’ve got to be a bit lucky, you’ve also got to fish just below the market that’s acceptable for England or Ireland.”

MAINE CHANCE also maintains a broodmare band of around 100, which include some of the old Beck families and others from the purchase of Geoff and Katherine Winshaw’s Litchfield Stud.

Jacobs clearly thrives on the intellectual challenge of overseeing the farm and learning the different ways which trainers prepare horses compared with Europe. He delights in seeing its graduates excel, such as with Wish List, who beat her elders in the recent Grade 1 Paddock Stakes, or seeing the progress of promising Classic type Star Major.

The most notable horse to have emerged from Maine Chance in recent times is Princess Calla, the multiple Grade 1 winner for Sean Tarry who was bought by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing. She could manage only one start in North America, and has now joined the big-spending owner-breeder’s stud.

And with the arduous quarantine restrictions having virtually disappeared now, the best of the continent can finally test itself overseas again and One Stripe, beaten a neck in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitationa (G1), has been one of the test pilots.

Jacobs says: “Princess Calla was a flag carrier, an exceptional racehorse in South Africa, consistent and if she’d

stayed sound she probably would have shown great class on Turf in the US.

“That’s what we have to aim forbeing an international player. We’ve been cut off and isolated for the last 15 years and that’s been a shame. We have to come back to the scene and we have to compete internationally to prove our blood and vice versa.

“That would help us to become an importer of good mares. What I keep saying is we have good stallions, like Vercingetorix.

“We should be bringing 30 or 40 mares every year from overseas to mate with him, and with his products we could show that we are part of the international competition.”

Jacobs, it must be said, intends to practice what he preaches.

“I always wanted to have a Silvano mare at Fährhof,” he says. “I did that and I could see myself doing the same again with a Vercingetorix.”

One of the great endeavours for the Jacobs family was developing Newsells Park Stud from scratch into a modern, neat-as-a-pin blueprint for a farm

which has maintained its leading standards under its current owner, Graham Smith-Bernal.

Jacobs says Maine Chance was different, as it was proven as a top-class nursery by the Becks. However, the stewardship of the land, upgrading facilities and installing a strong team, now led by the experienced stud manager Ross Fuller, have been important pieces of the puzzle.

“I had to invest but I wasn’t dreaming,” Jacobs says. “I knew the ground, the farm itself, the operation, could do it. It wasn’t a start-up.”

What appears a feeling of quiet satisfaction at Maine Chance, after a very trying period with the various issues which have affected the beleaguered South African industry, is helped by a now happier outlook in the region.

Its principal racecourse, Cape Town’s stately Kenilworth, was on a financial precipice in 2022 before its purchase by financier Greg Bortz in a partnership with gambling behemoth

Hollywoodbets. The new operators have stimulated interest and field sizes through seeding prize-money and premiums.

Jacobs says the momentum has continued.

“Prize-money has been going up, causing yearling prices to go up in the last two years - and significantly,” he says.

“It has been a major boost in the Western Cape and that caused breeders to reinvest, which is good.

“At the same time the new team that is running the racecourses and the operations are keen to export racing and racehorses back to Dubai.

“Quarantine is much shorter now, there is less stress, less cost, there are some flying to England and others to Hong Kong.

“It might be only 20 horses going at each time on each flight, but slowly I hope we’re going to be back on the scene.”

The future looks bright

Years of economic challenges brought horseracing in Zimbabwe perilously close to extinction, but with the long term efforts of owners, supporters and the Mashonaland Turf Club, the future at Borrowdale Park now looks assured.

Racehorse owner and investor C. John Smith outlines the history and current positive outlook for the sport in this Q and A.

What is your involvement with racing in Zimbabwe?

I am chairman of the UK multinational, Foal Park Ltd, which is basically a property company and an investment consultancy.

We have had a very long association with Zimbabwe – through good times and bad – latterly we have been promoting investment opportunities largely linked to our interest in all things equine, horticulture and tourism.

At present we are consulting with a company, which is planning to establish an iconic equine residential country estate – to include everything except horseracing.

Our other main interest is the Mashonaland Turf Club, which is seeking to optimise its assets in order to secure a successful long term future for racing in Zimbabwe – something which has been going on since 1892.

Given our company’s history

with Zimbabwe and with the more enlightened political and economic environment here since 2017, it was clear that we should give it a full go –we opened a desk in Harare in January 2020.

Tell us a bit about the racing industry in Zimbabwe…

The Mashonaland Turf Club has been going since 1892 with the first course established at a place called Belvedere.

When the city of Harare wanted that land for its own purposes, it agreed to provide alternative land to the club in the suburb of Borrowdale – some 100 hectares – and so Borrowdale Park came to pass in about 1958.

The club’s hay days were from 1970 to 2002 with 400 plus horses in training, about 20 trainers with licences, we had a jockey academy for apprentices, the breeding industry boasted 600 mares at stud, yearling sales took place over two days where 400 progeny were offered for sale and Ipi Tombe excelled in Dubai – winning the Duty Free in record time carrying top weight.

In addition to Harare, there was a racecourse in Bulawayo – Ascot. Now long gone.

The MTC ran the Tote and the National Lottery so the revenue streams for racing were robust and stake money was generous. Racing economics were also enhanced by several well sponsored race meetings – notably the Castle Tankard – still going strong and being the oldest sponsored race in Africa.

A quick summary of political events and racing over the past 25 years…

As far as racing is concerned it is fair to say that the land redistribution programme which began at the turn of the century did have mixed outcomes – some very good, some not quite so positive – especially for horseracing.

With the changing political landscape, all the stud farms were closed and with them a core pillar of the horse owning

With the unlocking of some financial opportunities, the track is to be reshaped and redeveloped

fraternity was lost. These erosions caused the race horse population to collapse from some 400 plus in 2000 to a low spot of some 75. This, in turn, led to a dramatic impact on the Turf Club’s ability to maintain race meetings and sustain race purses.

The position was further aggravated by the collapse of the Tote and betting revenue.

By mid-2018, the Mashonaland Turf Club was on the cusp of oblivion –there was virtually no income and high operational costs – the situation was

The horse population has already begun to improve, new owners are making enquiries and, most importantly, the attendance in the Owners and Trainers Bar on race day is up and the vibe is very positive indeed!

totally hopeless. Had it not been for two groups of people, oblivion would have quickly come to pass.

With the changes in the country what has been happening to the sport?

Faced with the crisis, a group of investors saw an opportunity to save the Club through dramatic action, cost cutting – across the piece, staff, stakes, race meetings, repairs and maintenance – everything.

At the same time this group of benefactors recognised the need to repurpose the Club’s assets and so began a long-term programme of converting those assets into retail park. They also saw an opportunity for farming the infield of some 25ha with maize, potatoes, soyabeans, wheat – even using centre pivot irrigation during the dry seasons – April to the end of October.

The final action was to embark on an effort to unlock a piece of land which the Club had bought many years before and which had inadvertently become consolidated in the Deed of Grant from the city of Harare which provided the Club with its initial racecourse site.

Success would provide the Club with a now very valuable piece of land, which could be exploited to yield the sort of annuity which could keep the Turf Club comfortably viable in perpetuity.

The second key element was the band of stalwart owners who kept buying horses, kept them in training, went racing and did so for next to nothing.

Yes, horse numbers fell, but we were still able to race, once a fortnight with six races per meeting.

We were clinging on by the bridle!

How has it managed to survive all the turmoil?

In summary, the Mashonaland Turf Club survived the chaos because of the successful symbiotic relationship between the financial benefactors and the loyal owners – it could not have been achieved without each group playing their respective parts in a fully committed way.

This was Zimbabweans at their very best.

Where are things

now?

What is the financial plan?

The Mashonaland Turf Club is a national treasure – and thus it is indeed gratifying to report that instead of being on the brink of oblivion, we are now on the cusp of something very special with a very bright future.

With benefactors and owners working in harmony, the Board of Stewards have been able to successfully execute their vision – it has taken eight years and there are still a few hurdles to cross but the worst days are far behind us.

The retail park and farming ventures have gone from yielding a rental revenue of $3,600 per annum in 2018 to some $780,000 today, around $65,000 per month.

To put that into some sort of context, until 2026, it used to cost $25,000 per month to put on two race meetings with overheads running at about $50,000 per month.

We have gone from losing in excess of a million dollars per year to a much more manageable $100,000 per year –and these shortfalls being met by the continued support of benefactors.

All the efforts to unlock the Club’s potential land bank were finally successful in 2024. A sizeable piece of land was secured with freehold title and without restriction – a very major success indeed. Since then the Stewards have focused attention on the consequential admin issues associated with unlocking its potential and to planning what that unlocking should look like.

In summary, the ambition is to reshape the course and so release a piece of land, which can be exploited for residential and commercial use. These areas might be sold or become part of selected joint-ventures – but with the ambition of yielding an annuity of circa two million dollars per annum.

At this level – together with retail park revenues - the sums suggest that we can keep 250 horses in training – each with the average prospect of

covering their annual training costs [currently standing at about $700 per month] – and race twice per month with up to ten races per meeting.

Explain a little more about the course changes and prize-money growth... In reshaping the track, a few things should be noted. First, the circumference of the course will still be 2400m – so the Derby will start immediately in front of the finishing post – giving umph to spectacle.

The main bend will remain unaltered with a 210m radius thus allowing for maximum horse welfare [i.e. in terms of lateral forces on legs] and the straight will remain at 610m with a healthy cutaway to give all runners the best chance to challenge.

Access to the infield will be provided by the construction of underpasses below the course itself. This provision will allow for the development of the infield, if necessary in the future, and remove the adverse effect of vehicles crossing the course as is now the case.

With so many positive prospects in place, the Board of Stewards felt the time was right to give purses a significant lift – albeit on the back of borrowed money.

The argument was that the Club was would not expire from starvation but from the collapse of its key organs. In this case the key organs being the owners – and they were beginning to seriously flag with next to no new ones coming forward. The beast needed to be fed.

Accordingly, stakes were trebled from $1,000 per race to $3,000 per race. That might seem modest but remember, it costs just $700 per month to keep a horse in training – so a win covers two months training fees.

The impact of this move has been dramatic. The whole sentiment at Borrowdale Park has changed so much for the better.

The horse population has already

begun to improve, new owners are making enquiries and, most importantly, the attendance in the Owners and Trainers Bar on race day is up and the vibe is very positive indeed!

How is the industry run and financed?

We have gone from a situation where all race funding came largely from gambling platforms and sponsorship to the current position where almost all revenue comes from rental income.

The key to future funding will be founded on a continuation of our retail park activity and what we do with our newly secured freehold assets.

Maybe in the future, when our horse population allows fields of eight or more runners and we can card eight or more

races per meetings, our revenue streams will be enhanced from a share in the gambling revenues – but we will be able to prosper without it.

Without wishing to appear smug, I would say that the MTC is ahead of its time – maybe not by design but by needs must. We have set out our stall to achieve our objective of securing a prosperous future and to do so in perpetuity without having any need to be propped up by very high net worth individuals.

Is there investment?

With the prospect of greater financial flexibility, a capex wish list is being drawn up. To date that includes, inter alia, a $1.2 million spend to convert

The number of horses in training had dropped but the sport is on a far more stable footing now

the old Silver Stands in to two banks of office suites for high end tenants. Then there is plan to put a solar farm on top of that Silver Stand to provide electrical self-sufficiency as a club [$300,000].

Finally, there will be a $500,000 spend to reshape the racecourse and provide for underpasses for infield access.

No doubt the ultimate capex list will be long as many replacements and renewals are well overdue but with a valuable land bank – unlocked carefully, pragmatically and in a structured manner – everything is now possible.

How are horses sourced as there are no studs?

With the demise of the Zimbabwean breeding industry, the only source of horses is now South Africa.

Each year a few horses are bought at the various yearling sales but Zimbabwe also finds many good bargains in the SA after-market – the horses who come up in the many SA dispersal sales of one sort or another.

I think the opportunity suits both buyers and sellers – the former find ready homes for their cast-offs in SA and we can buy horses economically and which are competitive in a racing jurisdiction that is a class down on that prevailing in South Africa.

Syndicate ownership?

There are not many who own horses on their own. The preferred modus operandum is to own in partnerships and syndicates. I am told there are over 150 colour holders in Zimbabwe – so with only 75 horses in training the maths are simple.

I prefer to race that way myself. When you have a winner, its nice to be able to gloat in the sentiment – not easy to do if you are a sole owner, nobody is interested – in partnerships and syndicates there are ready ears for gloaters!

Existing owners are adding to their strings, new owners are appearing and former owners are considering coming back into the sport –the sentiment has not been as positive for 25 years

A bit about your own syndicate and horses?

The oldest racing syndicate on the planet was formed in Zimbabwe on February 7, 1977 (when Zim was Rhodesia) and has raced without interruption for over 49 years now.

The Centaur Syndicate had eight original members of which I am the last remaining founder member –so we can’t be accused of being anything like Triggers broom i.e. still new but with 15 new heads and 12 new handles.

Over the years, Centaur has owned a great many horses and won a host of races in their orange colours with black maltese cross and white cap.

It has won all the major races in Zimbabwe – sometimes several times –but its main target is always the Triple Crown – the Guineas, the Zimbabwe 2000 and the Zimbabwe Derby.

In those 49 years of racing, Centaur has been successful on three of the eight occasions when the Triple Crown has been won in Zimbabwe –Glen Monarch, Buster Barnes, who now campaigns with Mike de Kock in SA, and River Power – last year.

This year, Centaur fields Robin Of Locksley, who is by Futura out of a Dubawi mare, Happy Archer.

Is ownership growing?

I think after several years of ownership erosion, it would seem that with the improvement in purses, interest in ownership has turned a corner. Existing owners are adding to their strings, new owners are appearing and former owners are considering coming back into the sport – the sentiment has not been as positive for 25 years.

How closely does racing in Zimbabwe work with racing in South Africa?

Racing in Zimbabwe falls under the purview of the National Horse Racing Authority of South Africa. This covers everything, the rules, handicapping, dope testing, enquiries, provision of Stipes, everything. We are most grateful for all the support, advice and assistance they are able to give the MTC.

The NHRA is a thoroughly professional and fair controlling body for racing, we have nothing but praise for what the guys do – in a role where flak and controversy are always unavoidable… and there I rely on that old Bomber Command adage “the closer you get to the target, the greater the flak”.

What are the goals for racing in Zimbabwe?

Foal Park was asked to draw up a strategic plan for the Mashonaland Turf Club – such things always start with an overarching mission statement and that is worth repeating here: for Borrowdale Park to achieve world-class horseracing status by 2035

Given the progress which has been made so far, I believe that with the programmed unlocking of our freehold land bank opportunity, this mission can be achieved – and probably before the target date.

Sell racing in Zimbabwe to us! The Mashonaland Turf Club at

Borrowdale Park has much to offer all those interested in this amazing sport.

As the legend Lester Piggot said when he raced here in the 1970s, Borrowdale Park has one of the finest Turf racecourses in the world.

What an accolade!

Our training fraternity is a relatively small group of five highly competent individuals who hail from a jurisdiction that produced the likes of Mike Clements, champion trainer in Singapore in 2020, Neil Bruss, trainer of Zebra Crossing, Peter Muscutt, father of the UK-based jockey Daniel Muscutt, and Roy Magner, trainer of Strike it Rich and Olivia’s Way.

Zimbabwe has only three local jockeys, but has ready access to the top South African jockeys.

And there are two other economic

persuaders – training fees and purses. In simple terms, and before stakes monies are increased even further, total annual training costs in Zimbabwe currently amount to circa $600,000 with total purses at circa $400,000 – so clearly, on average 66 per cent of an owner’s training costs can be met from purses –on average.

Where else in the world is such a ratio evident?

And then there is Zimbabwean hospitality – I have lived and worked in many parts of the world and to me there is not a more friendly and amiable people on the planet.

Black, white and all other shades in between, Zimbabweans are not only extremely convivial with ready smiles, they retain two of those old fashioned values found so rarely around the world

now – good manners and courtesy.

On the question of security – there is not an issue.

Yes there is a degree of petty theft, but personal safety levels are high –wanton violence is non-existent.

And if that was not enough, Zimbabwe boasts some of the best tourist destinations in the world –Victoria Falls, Kariba, the biggest manmade volume of fresh water in the world, the Hwange National Park, the size of Belgium with up to 50,000 elephants and the Eastern Districts, which we think of as Scotland without the rain!

Finally – the sun shines in Zimbabwe for 300 days each year!

MTC Chairman, kevinfallon@zol.co.zw cjohnsmith1@aol.com

Passionate and ambitious

SOFIANE BENAROUSSI is a relative newcomer to the racing world, but his passion for jump racing has, in only a short space of time, led him to acquire not only a significant racing stable but also a stallion, a collection of broodmares, an online media group and a magazine.

He has also has started a new auction house company and this year Aktem has held its first online sale, and will he staging its first in-person sales at Maisons-Laffitte racecourse.

It is fair to say that Benaroussi has already made a name for himself in the French racing world, and it is his intention to become a major player in the future, particularly in jump racing, which is where his passion lies.

“I have shares in a few Flat horses,” he says, “but for me Flat racing is not quite the same vibe as jumping, it is never as thrilling as watching one of your horses jumping the bull finch or the water jump at Auteuil.

“My aim is to be among the leading jumping owners in France,” he adds.

Benaroussi grew up near Marseilles with no family connection to either horses or racing.

“We went racing occasionally at Salon de Provence or Marseilles Borély,” he remembers, “but only like everybody else because it was next door.”

He was introduced to the racing world as an insider by a family friend, who is a

Jocelyn de Moubray meets Sofiane Benaroussi –racehorse owner, breeder, stallion owner, and now proprietor of the new auction house Aktem

vet working closely with AQPS breeders in the centre of France.

By this time Benaroussi was a successful businessman based in Switzerland, and in October 2022 he invested in his first racehorses.

A year later he enjoyed his first winner when Kastell Sapi won over hurdles at Cholet for trainer Donatien Sourdeau de Beauregard.

In 2024, Benaroussi won the Listed Prix James Hennessy Chase at Auteuil with the AQPS mare Kiss Lagny, who was also trained by Sourdeau de Beauregard. In 2025, Benaroussi had won a total of 15 races over jumps and €430,000 in prize-money putting him in 20th place in the owners’ table.

He currently has around 30 horses in training, including 14 with Guillaume Macaire and Hector Lageneste and seven with Sourdeau de Beauregard. More than half of these are unraced jumping bred three and four-year-olds.

“My entrepreneurial reflex lead me

quickly to the conclusion that I wanted to be involved with stallions,” he explains of his developing investments.

“It seemed the obvious way to try to generate some revenue. In October 2023, thanks to my relationship with the Haras d’Etreham and Nicolas Betrand de Balanda, I was able to buy Zarakem with them at the Arqana Arc de Triomphe Sale with a view to making him into a stallion.”

Zarakem is a son of Zarak and at the time was a three-year-old, who had won Listed races at Vichy and Marseilles on his two latest starts.

The new partnership paid €500,000 for him and sent him back to trainer Jerome Reynier to continue his career.

The following spring Zarakem won the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt over 1m2f and then, after a disappointing run in the Prix Ganay (G1), was sent to Royal Ascot to take on Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Sent off a 33-1 shot Zarakem ran the race of his life to finish second, only three-quarters of a length behind Coolmore’s champion with a whole collection of Group 1 winners behind him.

“Ascot is a crazy racecourse,” laughs Benaroussi. “The atmosphere is like that of a major football match.

“We watched the race from the parade ring, and yes if ever I have the right horse again I would love to return to Royal Ascot.”

The remainder of Zarakem’s racing

career did not go exactly to plan, although he was an excellent sixth in Bluestocking’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).

After an unsuccessful trip to Australia, he has been retired to stud and kicks off his second career at Haras de la Tuillerie at a fee of €4,000.

“He is a good-looking horse by a top stallion,” Benarroussi emphasises. “And his half-sister Rabbit’s Foot was Group 1-placed last year before being sold to race in the US.

“We have already started a marketing campaign on social media for him and were able to sell the breeding rights available very quickly. I have about 25 broodmares now, a collection I have put together to support Zarakem in his first seasons.

“They include Alma Marceau, the dam of Grade 1 winner Gala Marceau and other high-class broodmares with jumping pedigrees.

“Zarakem is the start, but the aim is to have more stallions in the future, which is why I have these young horses in training.

“I have bought at auction, but I also buy privately directly from breeders as people are happy to sell to me as they know I shall place the horses with top trainers and race them in France.”

The young colts carrying Benaroussi’s colours, green with a red diamond, include Shannon Maestro, a son of Doctor Dino who is a winner at Auteuil and finished third in the Prix Cambaceres (G1), the championship three-year-old hurdle race run at Auteuil in November.

“Hector [Lagensete] and Guillaume [Macaire] expect him to have a good year,” he laughs.

Benaroussi also realised that he wanted to do more than simply breed and race high-class jumpers.

“I would like,” he says, “to help make

The Swiss-based Sofiane Benaroussi wants to make racing more popular, win the biggest jumps races in France and see Aktem acheive a €1,000,000 turnover in 2026

AKTEM Sales 2026

Date Sale

February 26 Purebred Arabian Sale

April 8 April draft online

May 15 Grand Steeplechase Selection Sale

June 3 Paris Breeze-Up Sale

June 17 Sale of Arabian Horses

September 8-9 Yearling Flat Sale

October 16 48-Hour Sale

racing more popular and to encourage more people to be involved as owners and as breeders.

“There are always new people coming into the sport, I have seen some new arrivals since I began, but I would like to contribute and provide services to help the sport grow.”

Galorama, an online and physical publisher grew out of this vision.

And it was his own experience which led Benaroussi to the idea of launching a new sales company, Aktem.

“If you count everything I now have about 120 horses. Of course, I like to believe most of them will be Group horses, but as this is unlikely to happen, I also realise that owners and trainers need a system to enable them to buy and sell with low fixed costs,” he explains.

“I do not see us as competing with Arqana, I am a shareholder in Arqana myself, but I believe everybody will gain if there is a viable alternative.”

After considering the possibility of working with one of the two other sales companies in France, Osarus and Auctav, Benaroussi decided he preferred to start with a clean sheet instead.

Aktem’s first online sale held on February 13 acheived a turnover of €1,381,000. It is set to hold another online sale in April, a sale of two-yearold stores and horses in training on May 15 at Maisons-Laffitte before the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, a breeze-up on June 3 and a Flat yearling sale on September 8-9.

“The mayor of Maisons-Laffitte and his team were immediately supportive and interested by our project,” he says.

“Maisons-Laffitte has a wonderful well-maintained racecourse, the Turf has been completely restored and is in perfect condition. It is itself a major training centre, close to Chantilly and to the centre of Paris and its airports.

“There are 120 boxes on the site, but the long-term aim is to renovate and expand the existing facilities.

“We have many ideas, but the first step is to build a relationship of confidence with vendors and buyers.

“We have in place a guarantee of payment, which I believe to be essential, and then we were able to sell the 10 per cent of the capital we

offered in just a weekend to breeders and others who want to participate.

“We are offering bonuses to the breeders of any jumps horse sold at Aktem who goes on to win a graded race in either Britain or Ireland, and a €1,000,000 bonus to any horse who wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris in the same year.

“Our first objective is to fill the boxes for our sales at Maisons-Laffitte and to have a turnover of more than a €1,000,000 in 2026.”

Benaroussi’s other business interests keep him in Switzerland and so he does not always have time to go and watch his horses running.

“I do, of course,” he laughs, “watch every race. However, whatever is going on I find time every three or four weeks to visit my horses in training.

“It is quiet, you have the time to observe and for someone like me who is not a horseman it is how I learn.

“Watching and listening to people like Hector and Guillaume is how I have learnt and there is always more to discover.”

2YO’S February 15th - for nominating two-year-olds for $3,000

YEARLINGS May 31st - for nominating yearlings for $600

2YO’S June 30th - for nominating two-year-olds for $6,000

STALLIONS June 30th

STALLIONS December 15th

Alan Porter gives his bloodstock viewpoint on the 2025 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

Calandagan top of the WORLD

Calandagan: the highest-rated horse in the world wins the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, one of four top level wins in 2025

THE World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2025 paid an eloquent tribute to the late Aga Khan, who passed last February.

Not only was the Aga Khan Studs’ homebred Calandagan the clear top-rated on 130, but it also bred and owns the top-rated European threeyear-old Daryz.

On 130 Caldagan is rated someway below such recent superstars as Flightline (140), Frankel (140) and Equinox (135), but equal with horses such as Ghostzapper, Hurricane Run, Curlin, New Approach, Treve, Cracksman, Black Caviar, Winx and Ghaiyyath.

Oddly enough, the chances of Calandagan reaching such heights would have seemed rather low as recently as the late spring of 2025, when the son of Gleneagles seemed exposed as a useful runner, but not one out of the top drawer, and further, one whose courage had come under question.

The bay had shown considerable promise in the early stages of his career, scoring by 1ol on the second of two starts at two. He took the runner-up spot in a Listed race on his debut at three, and then won in succession the Prix Noailles (G3), the Prix Hocquart (G3) and the King Edward VII Stakes (G2).

In this form he would have been a formidable contender for the Prix du Jockey-Club (G1), but as a gelding he was ineligible.

In his final two starts at three Calandagan dropped down in distance for the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) when he ran that year’s WBRR joint-top ranked City Of Troy to a length, and then for the Champion Stakes (G1), where he missed by a half-length to Anmaat caught close home.

In 2025, Calandagan opened the campaign with a second to the Japanese runner Danon Decile in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1), then was outstayed by Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup (G1), a fourth consecutive runner-

Calandagan is the best runner by a good, but far from exceptional sire, and is the first stakes winner of any description to be found in the first three dams

Francis-Henri Graffard: the trainer of the WBRR’s top-rated Calandagan and the highest-rated European three-year-old Daryz

up effort, and one which raised the questions about his honesty.

Such doubts, however, were brushed aside by Calandagan’s performance in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) when he quickened away to score from Aventure, runner-up in the 2024 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), and subsequently an impressive winner of last year’s Prix Vermeille (G1).

He confirmed his standing as an outstanding 2400m runner on his next outing when defeating the top-class filly Kalpana, at the time favourite in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).

The gelding’s standing was then confirmed with a 2l triumph over Ombudsman – who also had at one time

held top spot on these rankings – in the Champion Stakes (G1), and with a game score over the Japanese three-year-old Masquerade Ball in the Japan Cup (G1).

One trait that the late Aga Khan shared with other great breeders is the ability to produce a top-class horse from relatively modest material, often coming up with the best runner by a given stallion, and Calandagan somewhat fits that mould.

Calandagan is by Gleneagles, a son of Galileo out of a Group-winning sister to Giant’s Causeway.

A champion in Ireland at two with victories in the National Stakes (G1), he earned a rating as European champion three-year-old miler after winning the 2,000 Guineas (G1), the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) and the St. James’s Palace Stakes (G1).

He has been a very useful stallion with 43 stakes winners, including, in addition to Calandagan, the Group 1 winners Mill Stream, Arrow Eagle, Loving Dream, Highland Chief and Palladium.

However, despite this success his commercial standing is indicated by a 2026 stud fee of €20,000, a price exceeded by around 40 European stallions.

Calandagan is out of Calayanna, a daughter of Sinndar (Grand Lodge), who won at up to 2800m and earned black-type with a second in the Prix Minerve (G3). She is also dam of Calamandra, a daughter New Bay who was Listed-placed in France in 2025.

Calayana is the only black-type horse to appear under the pedigree of the second dam Clariyn (Acclamation).

A winner over 2000m, Clariyn is a half-sister to Canndal (Medicean), who never won a black-type event, but did take second in the Belmont Derby (G1).

His third dam Clodovina joined

the Aga Khan Studs broodmare band following the purchase of the entired bloodstock of the estate of Jean-Luc Lagardere, who stood Linamix.

A black-type placed performer by Rock Of Gibraltar, she was a threequarters sister to the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) victor Clodovil (Danehill), both out of Clodora, a Linamix mare who won the Prix de l’Opera (G2).

Clodovina was also a half-sister to the Group-winning and Group 1-placed Colombian, and to the dam of the South African Derby winner Aragosta.

So, in summary, Calandagan is the best runner by a good, but far from exceptional, sire and is the first stakes winner of any description to be found in the first three dams.

What Calandagan does have is an intriguing pedigree pattern that focuses a deep background through a few close relatives.

We’ll start with Gleneagles, who is by

a son of Sadler’s Wells, out of a mare by Storm Cat (a Northern Dancer/Secretariat cross).

From there we’ll go to Sinndar, who is a Northern Dancer/Sir Gaylord (half-brother to to Secretariat) cross, and his grandsire Chief’s Crown, a Northern Dancer/Secretariat cross, and out of a mare by Mill Reef, who is a son of Never Bend, a half-brother to Bold Reason the broodmare sire of Sadler’s Wells.

That means Sinndar (Northern Dancer/ Never Bend) is both a similar cross to Sadler’s Wells, and something of a reverse to Gleneagles – both Northern Dancer/Secretariat.

Incidentally, the two sets of half-siblings Secretariat and Sir Gaylord, and Never Bend and Bold Reason, have further similarities as Secretariat and Never Bend are Nasrullah line, and Sir Gaylord and Bold Reason are by Royal Charger (three-quarters brother to Nasrullah) line.

Calandagan’s second dam is by Acclamation, a son of Royal Applause, who is a Northern Dancer line stallion out of a mare by a son of Bold Bidder (Bold Ruler), so he’s a similar cross to both Storm Cat (broodmare sire of Gleneagles) and Chief’s Crown.

There are already 19 stakes winners with Storm Cat and Royal Applause combined, including,in addition to Calandagan, the Group/Grade 1 winners Blue Point, Althiqua, Khaadem, Mysterious Night and Argos, the first four all having their Storm Cat through Giant’s Causeway, who we’ve noted as a brother to the dam of Gleneagles.

Behind this there are numerous crosses of Nasrullah over Princequillo – Nasrullah having carried the colours of Aga Khan III – and related strains, and it would appear that this unusual accumulation of proven crosses has created a horse that is not only the best by the sire, but also likely the best from

Forever Young was the first Dirt specialist to earn honours as Horse of the Year in Japan, and the second Japanese-trained runner to earn an Eclipse Award

the last eight generations of the female line.

Daryz: a natural successor to Sea The Stars

Daryz, the second Aga Khan Studs representative on the list, is the highestrated European three-year-old.

He began his career with four straight wins cumulating in the Prix du JockeyClub (G1). He was a disappointing sixth of six in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), was narrowly beaten by the Japanese-trained Croix Du Nord in the Prix Prince d’Orange (G3), but when sent over 1m4f for the first time he rebounded to take the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) by a head over the filly Minnie Hauk.

Daryz appears to be the natural successor for his sire Sea The Stars, who stands at the Aga Khan’s Giltown Stud,

and he has a much more conventially top-class pedigree than Calandagan.

Not only is he by one of the most distinguished runners and sires of his time, but he is out of the Selkirk mare Daryakana. A heroine of the Hong Kong Vase (G1), Daryakana has produced five other black-type winners, two Group class, including Dariyan, the champion older horse in France in 2016.

The second dam Daryaba won the Prix de Diane (G1) and Prix Vermeille (G1).

The family entered the Aga Khan Studs with the purchase of Marcel Boussac’s bloodstock, and goes back to Djebellina, ancestress of two other Aga Khan JockeyClub (G1) scorers Darsi and Almanzor.

Japanese star performers

Above Daryz (127) and below Calandagan is a cosmopolitan group of five – the

Japanese duo Forever Young and Masquerade Ball, the Hong Kong sprint superstar Ka Ying Rising, the US champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year Sovereignty, and the British-trained Ombudsman.

Forever Young came close to making history in 2024 when he finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), a race in which a very strong case could be made for him being an unlucky loser.

In 2025, Forever Young did get to make history in two countries having made only one start in each. He kicked off the year with a win over the redoubtable Hong Kong-trained Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup (G1), but then could only finish third in the Dubai World Cup (G1).

Off the track until the autumn, he won the Nippon TV Hai as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar

when he prevailed by three-quarters of a length over last year’s winner Sierra Leone, the horse whose wayward course through the stretch may have cost Forever Young the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Off these efforts, Forever Young was the first Dirt specialist to earn honours as Horse of the Year in Japan, and the second Japanese-trained runner to earn an Eclipse Award (in his case as champion older male).

He has continued his run of form wth a repeat win in this year’s Saudi Cup.

He is the product of a formula that has served Japanese breeders remarkably well, that being the cross of Sunday Silence line stallions over of wellperformed imported mares.

In his case, he’s from the second crop of Dubai Turf (G1) victor Real Steel, a brother to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) heroine Loves Only You – who preceded Forever Young as a Japanese-trained Eclipse Award winner. Both are by Deep Impact out of a Storm Cat mare from the family of Miesque, which also makes them close relatives to Study Of Man.

Forever Young’s dam Forever Darling has also produced the Group-winning juvenile Brown Ratchet.

By the A.P. Indy horse Congrats, Forever Darling was a Grade 2 winner in the US, and is a three-quarters sister to the Grade 1 winner Heavenly Love, who by coincidence, is dam of none other than Sierra Leone.

The other Japanese performer rated on 128 – which made him the top Turf three-year-old – was Masquerade Ball. Runner-up when beaten threequarters of a length by Croix Du Nord (122) in the Tokyo Yushun (G1), he showed improved form in his last two starts to capture the Autumn Tenno Sho-Emperor’s Cup (G1), and then run Calandagan to a head in the Japan Cup (G1).

Masquerade Ball is by Duramante, a Japan Derby-winning son of King Kamehameha, also a winner of the Japanese Derby (G1) and by former

leading sire, Kingmambo.

Inbred 3x3 to Sunday Silence, Masquerade Ball is out of Mask Off, a Deep Impact mare, who has also produced the graded winner Masked Diva to Rulership, another son of Kingmambo. Granddam Behind The Mask is by White Muzzle out of the Mr. Prospector graded scorer Vain Gold, also granddam of Japanese champion older mare Koiuta.

Ka Ying Rising: a superior sprinter

The Hong Kong sprint superstar Ka Ying Rising (128) is rated a long way clear in his division with the next short course specialsts, the American Dirt runner Book’em Danno (a champion sprinter of 2025 in the US), and Europe’s top-rated speedster Lazzat, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1), both on 120.

Raising his rating from last year’s 121, Ka Ying Rising was undefeated in eight starts, taking his lifetime record to 17 wins from 19 outings, and his win streak to 16.

His victories in 2025 included the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1), the Hong Kong Sprint (G1) and, on a trip to Australia, the A$20,000,000 The Everest. On the back of those efforts there were some that felt those performances warranted top spot overall on the ratings.

The Australian sprinters, incidentally, were less prominent than usual with the top being the T. J. Smith Stakes (G1) winner Briasa (118), a gelded son of the Fastnet Rock horse Smart Missile.

The top Australian-bred on classifications wasn’t actually a sprinter, but was the Hong Kong-based miler Voyage Bubble (121), who won four Grade 1 events. He’s by Deep Field, a son of Northern Meteor, who coincidentally was half-brother to the dam of Smart Missile.

The New Zealand-bred Ka Ying Rising is by Shamexpress, a Grade 1-winning sprinter in Australia. He’s by O’Reilly, a son of the outstanding sprinter/miler

Ombudsman’s level of performance was still good enough to see him rated as the best horse in training in Britain

Last Tycoon, from the Try My Best branch of Northern Dancer.

Ka Ying Rising’s dam Missy Moo is Per Incanto (Street Cry), an Italian Group 3-winning sprinter who has done well at stud in New Zealand.

Ka Ying Rising is the only stakes winner under the first three dams, but the third dam is a sister to the six-time Grade 1 winner Sovereign Red, the Australian Horse of the Year Gurner’s Lane, and the Grade 1-winning filly Trichelle, all by Sir Tristram out of the great producer Taiona.

Sovereignty

top of the Dirt

The top three-year-old and jointtop Dirt horse was the US-trained Sovereignty.

A Group 3 winner at two, Sovereignty took the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), but was beaten into second by Tappan Street – then sidelined for the rest of the year – in the Florida Derby (G1).

Thereafter, he took in succession the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Belmont Stakes (G1), the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the Travers Stakes (G1) when he had 10l to spare at the wire.

Unfortunately, Sovereignty was kept out of a Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) clash with his elders when he spiked a fever after shipping to Del Mar.

Voted the champion three-year-old colt and Horse of the Year in the US, Sovereignty was a key contributor to Into Mischief equaling the modern era record of seven consecutive North American leading sires’ titles set by Bold Ruler in 1969 (the all-time record

SHOWCASING - DIJARVO (ICEMAN)

Fee: POA

Multiple Group-winning sprinter and Gr.1 placed at 2

One of the fastest colts of his generation

Sire of 12 Stakes performers incl. Gr.3 winner

DAWN CHARGER

Sire of Royal Ascot winner MICKLEY

2025 winners incl. LR winner KAADI and black-type horses WAR BRIDE, MUDDY MOOY, etc.

2025 yearlings sold for 52,000gns, £45,000, etc.

NEW FOR 2005

UBETTABELIEVEIT MASSAAT SOLDIER’S CALL

KODIAC – LADY LISHANDRA (MUJADIL)

Fee: £4,500 1st Oct S.L.F

By Sire of Sires KODIAC

Winner of three races and £116,503 all over 5f

incl.: LR National Stakes, Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes, also 3rd Gr.2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, all at 2

Yearlings sold for 70,000gns, 62,000gns, £66,000, etc.

Exciting first crop sire 2025 with multiple winners incl. HILITANY, SAYIDAH HARD SPUN, TRICKY TEL , etc.

TEOFILO - MADANY (ACCLAMATION)

Fee: £3,000 1st Oct S.L.F

Brother to Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup winner EQTIDAAR

Gr.1 placed at 2, 3 and 4, Gr.2 winner over 7f

Black type horses include DOCKLANDS

Won Queen Anne Stakes Gr.1, Royal Ascot 2025 and earnings of over £1,000,000

Yearlings made up to 50,000gns in 2025

belongs to Lexington, who headed the list 16 times, 14 consecutively, in the Civil War era).

Bold Ruler did eventually gain an eighth title, and with Sovereignty remaining in training, and a group of newly-turned three-year-olds that includes 2025 champion two-year-old colt Ted Noffey, and the dual Grade 1 -winning filly Tammy Jo, it would be hard to bet against Into Mischief gaining that eighth crown in 2026.

Crowned the dam of Sovereignty was unraced, but she is by the exceptional broodmare sire Bernardini out of the Spinster Stakes (G1) heroine Mushka.

She is by Empire Maker, who himself is broodmare sire of eight Into Mischief stakes winners, including the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mandaloun, and Laurel River, successful in the Dubai World Cup (G1)).

Third dam Sluice is by Seeking The Gold out Seattle Slew’s excellent daughter, Lakeway, a four-time Grade 1 winner.

Ombudsman: top of the pops in Britain

Ombudsman is the final horse rated on 128, and was head of these ratings at one point in the year after taking a rather oddly run Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) by over 3l.

He had won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) in impressive style, then missed by a neck to Delacroix in the Eclipse Stakes (G1).

On his only subsequent run he surrendered his claim to World’s Best Racehorse status when going down to Calandagan in the Champion Stakes (G1).

Overall, though, Ombudsman’s level of form was still good enough to see him rated as the best in training in Britain.

By the newly-crowned British champion sire Night Of Thunder (Dubawi), Ombudsman is one of five stakes winners for the sire out of mares by Dansili, his dam being a sister to black-type winners Runnymede and Stipulate.

His granddam is by Sadler’s Wells out of the stakes-winning Mr. Prospector mare Insinuate, which means she’s bred on the reverse Mr. Prospector/Sadler’s Wells cross that produced Night Of Thunder.

Through the Group 1 winner All At Sea, the family goes back to Juddmonte foundation mare Lost Virtue.

Field Of Gold: leads the Turf Milers

The top Turf miler on 125 is Field Of Gold.

Beaten a half length by the late Ruling Court in the 2,000 Guineas (G1), he then won the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) and the St. James’s Palace Stakes (G1) by three and three-quarter lengths and three and a half lengths respectively.

Unfortunately, after those fine efforts his form tailed off with a fourth in the

Sussex Stakes (G1) and fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1).

Field Of Gold is another credit to the highly-successful Kingman, who was himself a European Horse of the Year.

Field Of Gold is a half-brother to the black-type winner Zanbaq, who is by Kingman’s close relative Oasis Dream.

The dam, a daughter of Shamardal, is a sister to the Group 1 winner Zabeel Prince, and the group and graded stakes winners Puissance De Lune and Queen Power, and a half-sister to the dam of two-time Group 1 winner Rizeena.

Romance is so strong

We should also give a mention here to another Hong Kong standout Romantic Warrior. He won three times on Turf achieving a rating 123, but he also earned 127 in that category on Dirt.

His wins came in the Djebel Hatta (G1), th Hong Kong Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and the Hong Kong Cup (G1).

His only two defeats in the campaign came when a neck second to Forever Young in the Saudi Cup (G1) and by a nose to the Japanese performer Soul Rush in the Dubai Turf (G1).

Minnie is mighty

Also on 123, we come to the top female the three-year-old filly Minnie Hauk. She went undefeated through her first four starts in 2025 taking the Cheshire Oaks, the Epsom Oaks (G1), the Irish Oaks (G1) and Yorkshire Oaks (G1).

Her finest moment, however, came in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) when, after hitting the front in the stretch, she was caught on the line by Daryz, with the third horse Sosie, himself a threetime Group/Grade 1 winner in 2026, over 5l in arrears.

One of 26 stakes winners, six Group or Grade 1, by the immortal Frankel in 2025, Minnie Hauk is out of Multilingual

by Dansili, giving her a 3x3 cross of Frankel’s broodmare sire Danehill.

Also dam of the Group 2-winning miler Tilsit, Multilingual is a sister to the Group winner Remote, and a half-sister to Kingman.

The granddam Zenda captured the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (G1), and is three-quarters sister to Cinnamon Bay (dam of New Bay), and half-sister to Oasis Dream.

Kalpana and Via Sistina the best of the older mares

The top older mares on 120 were Kalpana and Via Sistina.

Made favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) after running Calandagan to a length in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), Kalpana went down to Giavellotto in the September Stakes (G3), ran seventh in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), but rebounded to close out the year with a a two and a half length success in the British Champions Filly & Mare Stakes

South Africa leads the rest of the world

LOOKING AT TOP HORSES in some other regions, we can note in South Africa Eight On Eighteen and Gimme A Prince, both at 118.

Eight On Eighteen, rated in the “Long” category on Turf, won the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), the Cape Derby (G1) and Daily News 2000 (G1) and was voted South African Horse of the Year for 2024-25.

He’s by Lancaster Bomber (War Front) out of Sempre Libre, by the long-time prominent sire Captain Al (by Al Mufti, by Roberto), and out of the hugely successful Royal Academy mare Mystic Spring.

The third dam is a sister to the 1991 English 2,000 Guineas (G1) winner Mystiko.

Gimme A Prince, a champion sprinter in South Africa, is by More Than Ready’s son Gimmethegreenlight, a three-time champion sire in South Africa.

Out of the South African Fillies Sprint (G1) winner Real Princess (Trippi), he is a brother to the Grade 1 winner The

Real Prince and the graded scorer Gimmie’s Countess.

On the same mark as Eight on Eighteen and Gimme A Prince is Brazilian Obataye, whose 2025 tallies included South America’s top race, the Gran Premio Carlos PellegriniInternacional (G1).

He is by the US-raced Pioneerof the Nile stallion, Courier. The dam is by Crimson Tide (Sadler’s Wells) out of an Unbridled’s Song mare – giving a 4x4 cross of Unbridled through his two most important stallion sons, the other being Pioneerof the Nile’s sire Empire Maker. He’s from the immediate family of such as Mineshaft, Runup The Colors, Flagbird to name a few.

Argentina’s El Kodigo (116) ran only twice in 2025 winning a Grade 1 in his native country, then finishing off the board, but beaten less than 5l, in the Saudi Cup (G1).

He is by the Argentine stalwart Equal Striples (by Candy Stripes, a son of Blushing Groom) out of a mare by another Not For Sale (a grandson of Caro).

(G1), her second win in the race.

Kalpana is from the second crop of Prix du Jockey-Club (G1) winner Study Of Man (Deep Impact), now a sought-after young sire.

She’s out of the stakes-winning Dansili mare Zero Gravity, a sister to the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) victor Zambezi Sun. She’s from the Whitney/Juddmonte family of Intermission/Peace II.

Rated 127 in 2024 (a seemingly generous assessment, the implications of which we discussed at the time), and the best older Turf horse on the WBRR last year, the Irish-bred/Australian-raced Via Sistina remained a significant force in 2025 at the age of seven.

She won six of nine races last year, all Grade 1s, including the MVRC W.S. Cox Plate (G1) and the VCR L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes (G1), both over males, on her final two career starts.

Via Sistina is by the Danehill stallion Fastnet Rock, a champion sprinter, multiple champion sire and champion broodmare sire in Australia.

Her dam Nigh is a Galileo half-sister

At the 115 mark we find Chile’s Khamal and the top German-bred Calif.

Khamal, rated in the Long division on Dirt, came good as he stretched out winning a Grade 2 and the Clasico Derby Nacional (G1) in his last two starts.

He’s by Mendelssohn, the Scat Daddy half-brother to Into Mischief out of a US-raced Distorted Humor mare.

The third dam, the Ashland Stakes (G1) winner Madcap Escape, is by Hennessy, also grandsire of Scat Daddy, so giving Hennessy 3x3 in the pedigree.

Germany’s champion older horse in 2024 (rated 117), Calif failed to win as a seven-year-old in 2025, but did run second in the Neom Turf Cup (G2) and third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) in Hong Kong.

He’s by the three-time champion German Sire Areion, by Big Shuffle, a son of Super Concorde from the Bold Reasoning branch of Bold Ruler. He’s half-brother to three other stakes winners, out of the Group winner Cherry Danon. ■

The South African Gimme A Prince by Gimmethegreenlight wins the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship: he has a WBRR rating of 118

to the brilliant sprinter Kingsgate Native. This is a reverse of the Galileo/Danehill cross, and this specific version has produced 31 stakes winners from 166 starters (19 per cent), 11 of them Group or Grade 1.

Trawlerman rides the top of the Extended division

With Kyprios no longer on the scene, Trawlerman topped the extended distance category at 121 just above the Irish St. Leger (G1) scorer Al Riffa (120).

The Godolphin runner went four-forfour in 2025, all in Group races, including the Ascot Gold Cup (G1) and British Champions Long Distance Cup (G1). By the Epsom Derby (G1) winner Golden Horn, Trawlerman certainly has the credentials for the job.

His dam Tidespring (Monsun) was a champion older female stayer in Germany, and is out of Sweet Stream, a champion older female stayer in Britain, whose victories included the Prix Vermeille (G1) and Park Hill Stakes (G2).

World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

R D S Horse Details YOF Sex Sire Dam Dam sire Owner Trained

130 I T Calandagan (IRE) 2021 G Gleneagles Calayana Sinndar Aga Khan Studs SCEA FR

129 L T Calandagan (IRE) 2021 G Gleneagles Calayana Sinndar Aga Khan Studs SCEA FR

128 M, I D Forever Young (JPN) 2021 C Real Steel Forever Darling Congrats Susumu Fujita JPN

128 S T Ka Ying Rising (NZ) 2020 G Shamexpress Missy Moo Per Incanto Ka Ying Syndicate

128 L T Masquerade Ball (JPN) 2022 C Duramente Mask Off Deep Impact Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd JPN

128 I T Ombudsman (IRE) 2021 C Night Of Thunder Syndicate Dansili Godolphin GB

128 I D Sovereignty (USA) 2022 C Into Mischief Crowned Bernadini Godolphin Racing LLC USA

127 L T Daryz (FR) 2022 C Sea The Stars Darayakana Selkirk Aga Khan Studs SCEA FR

127 M D Romantic Warrior (IRE) 2018 G Acclamation Folk Melody Street Cry Peter Lau Pak Fai HK

127 I D Sierra Leone (USA) 2021 C Gun Runner Heavenly Love Malibu Moon P. Brant, Mrs J. Magnier, et al US

125 L T Danon Decile (JPN) 2021 C Epiphaneia Top Decile Congrats Danox Co Ltd JPN

125 I T Delacroix (IRE) 2022 C Dubawi Tepin Bernstein D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & M. Tabor IRE

125 M T Field of Gold (IRE) 2022 C Kingman Princess de Luna Shamardal Juddmonte GB

125 I D Fierceness (USA) 2021 C City Of Light Nonna Bella Stay Thirsty Repole Stable USA

125 I, L D,T Fierceness (USA) 2021 C City Of Light Nonna Bella Stay Thirsty Repole Stable USA

123 I T Anmaat (IRE) 2018 G Awtaad African Moonlight Halling Shadwell Estate Company Ltd GB

123 L T Minnie Hauk (IRE) 2022 F Frankel Multilingual Dansili D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & M. Tabor IRE

123 M D White Abarrio (USA) 2019 H Race Day Catching Diamonds Into Mischief C Two Racing Stable et al USA

122 I T Almaqam (GB) 2021 C Lope De Vega Talmada Cape Cross Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum GB

122 L T Croix du Nord (JPN) 2022 C Kitasan Black Rising Cross Cape Cross Sunday Racing Co Ltd JPN

122 I D Journalism (USA) 2022 C Curlin Mopotism Uncle Mo Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners et al USA

122 M T Notable Speech (GB) 2021 C Dubawi

121

121 L T Ethical Diamond (IRE) 2020 G Awtaad Pearl Diamond Areion H O S

121

121 L T Justin Palace (JPN) 2019 H Deep Impact Palace Rumor Royal Anthem Masahiro Miki JPN

I

121 M D Mindframe

121

120 E T Al Riffa (FR)

120 I T Antino (NZ) 2018 G Redwood Mahamaya Bahhare J. Ramchandani AUS

120 I T Bellagio Opera (JPN)

120

120 M T Diego Velazquez (IRE) 2021 C Frankel Sweepstake Acclamation S. E. Sangster IRE

120 L

Durezza (JPN)

120 L T, A Giavellotto (IRE) 2019 H Mastercratsman Gerika Galileo Scuderia La Tesa & Vaibhav Shah GB

120 L T Kalpana (GB) 2021 F Study Of Man Zero Gravity Dansili Juddmonte GB

120 L T Lambourn (IRE) 2022 C Australia Gossamer Wings Scat Daddy Mrs J. Magnier, M. Tabor & D. Smith IRE

120 S T Lazzat (FR) 2021 G Territories Lastochka Australia Wathnan Racing FR

120 I D Locked (USA) 2021 C Gun Runner Luna Rosa Malibu Moon Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners et al USA

120 M D Mikki Fight (JPN) 2021 C Drefong Special Groove Special Week Mizuki Noda JPN

120 M D Raging Torrent (USA) 2021 C Maximus Mischief Violent Wave Violence Zhang Yuesheng & Craig Dado USA

R D S Horse Details YOF Sex Sire Dam Dam sire Owner Trained

120 I T Tastiera (JPN) 2020 H Satono Crown Partitura Manhattan Café Carrot Farm Co Ltd JPN

120 I T Via Sistina (IRE) 2018 M Fastnet Rock Nigh Galileo Yu Long Investments AUS

120 I T Whirl (IRE) 2022 F Wootton Bassett Salsa Galileo M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs J. Magnier IRE

120 M T Zeus Olympios (GB) 2022 C Night Of Thunder Rhea Siyouni Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum GB

119 I T Alohi Alii (JPN) 2022 C Duramente Espoir Orfevre Tsuyoshi Suzuki JPN

119 S D Bentornato (USA) 2021 R Valient Minister Her Special Way Put It Back Leon King Stable Corp, et al USA

119 I T Buckaroo (GB) 2019 G Fastnet Rock Roheryn

119 I T Camille Pissarro (IRE) 2022 C Wootton Bassett Entreat Pivotal M. Tabor, D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & P. Brant IRE

119 M T Ceolwulf (NZ) 2020 G Tavistock Las Brisas Shamardal Ungar Family,

119

L T Goliath (GER) 2020 G Adlerflug Gouache Shamardal Resolute & Philip Baron Von Ullmann FR

119 M D Highland Falls (USA) 2020 H Curlin Round Pond Awesome Again Godolphin Racing LLC USA

119 S T Jimmysstar (NZ) 2019 G Per Incanto Anniesstar Zed A. Kheir, J. A. O'Neill et al AUS

119 M D Nysos (USA) 2021 C Nyquist Zetta Z Bernadini Baoma Corporation USA

119 M T Opera Ballo (IRE) 2022 C Ghaiyyath Dubai Opera Invincible Spirit Godolphin

119 I T Royal Champion (IRE) 2018 G Shamardal

119 S T Sajir (IRE) 2021 C Make Believe Simple Magic Invincible Spirit Prince A. A. Faisal

119 S T

119

118 I, M D Baeza (USA) 2022 C McKinzie Puca Big Brown C R K Stable LLC & Grandview Equine USA

118 S T Briasa (AUS) 2020 G Smart Missile Mary's Grace Twining I. R. Johnson & Dr A. R. Johnson AUS

118 M D Citizen Bull (USA) 2022 C Into Mischief No Joke Distorted Humor SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing et al USA

118 M T Dancing Gemini (IRE) 2021 C Camelot Lady Adelaide Australia Fishdance Limited GB

118 I D Diktaean (JPN) 2018 G King Kamehameha Medeia King Halo G1 Racing Co Ltd JPN

118 M T Docklands (GB) 2020 H Massaat Icky Woo Mark Of Esteem O T I Racing GB

118 L,I T Dubai Honour (IRE) 2018 G Pride Of Dubai Mandelice Montjeu Mohamed Obaida GB

118 L T Eight On Eighteen (SAF) 2021 C Lancaster Bomber Sempre Libre Captain Al N. Jonsson & J. P. Rupert SAF

118 E T Energico (JPN) 2022 C Duramente Enora Noverre Silk Racing Co Ltd JPN

118 S T Gimme A Prince (SAF) 2018 G Gimmethegreenlight Real Princess Trippi Khaya Stables Pty Ltd SAF

118 M T Henri Matisse (IRE) 2022 C Wootton Bassett Immortal Verse Pivotal Mrs J. Magnier, M. Tabor et al IRE

118 M T Lead Artist (GB) 2021 C Dubawi Obligate Frankel Juddmonte GB

118 M T Maljoom (IRE) 2019 H Caravaggio Nictate Teofilo Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum GB

118 I T Map of Stars (GB) 2021 C Sea The Stars Bateel Dubawi Wathnan Racing FR

118 M T Maranoa Charlie (FR) 2022 C Wootton Bassett Kounalibre Galileo Bond Thoroughbred Limited FR

118 M T Mr Brightside (NZ) 2017 G Bulibars Lilahjay Tavistock Lindsay Park Bloodstock Syn, et al AUS

118 L T Obataye (BRZ) 2020 H Courtier Surfin Usa Crimson Tide Haras Rio Iguassu BRZ

118 S T Overpass (AUS) 2018 G Vancouver Walkway Exceed And Excel S. G. Darby, P. Halfhyde et al AUS

118 M T Pride of Jenni (AUS) 2017 M Pride Of Dubai Sancerre O'Reilly A. Ottobre, Mrs L. Ottobre & M. Ottobre AUS

118 E T Redentor (JPN) 2021 C Rulership Corcovado Stay Gold Carrot Farm Co Ltd JPN

118 M T Rosallion (IRE) 2021 C Blue Point Rosaline New Approach Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum GB

118 E T Scandinavia (USA) 2022 C Justify Fabulous Galileo M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs J. Magnier IRE

118 M D Scylla (USA) 2020 M Tapit Close Hatches First Defence Juddmonte USA

118 I T Shin Emperor (FR) 2021 C Siyouni Starlet's Sister Galileo Susumu Fujita JPN

118 I T Sir Delius (GB) (ex Delius) 2021 C Frankel Whatami Daylami Go Bloodstock Aus, A. J. N. Brooks et al AUS

118 I T Urban Chic (JPN) 2021 C Suave Richard Edgy Style Harbinger Silk Racing Co Ltd JPN

118 I T White Birch (GB) 2020 H Ulysses Diagonstic Dutch Art Mrs C. C. Regalado-Gonzalez IRE

118 M D Wilson Tesoro (JPN) 2019 H Kitasan Black Chesutoke Rose Uncle Mo Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co Ltd JPN

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES of Coolmore or Godolphin having a strong hand in this year’s Classics? Well, pretty good, if the list of European 2YO Classifications from 2025’s racing is anything to go by, with the two ownership groups responsible for exactly half of the 40 horses rated 110 upwards.

And yet neither can claim champion two-year-old colt honours as the top-rated juvenile of 2025 is the Zhang Yuesheng-owned Gewan, who headed the list with a rating of 121.

Gewan is by Night Of Thunder, the British and Irish champion sire of 2025, and was bred by a partnership of Overbury Stallions and Dukes Stud.

A 100,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling of 2024, Gewan’s sale price actually decreased the following year when he was sold for €80,000 at the following May’s Arqana Breeze-Up to JS Bloodstock/Al Rabban Racing.

Sent in to training with Andrew Balding, Gewan made a winning debut over 7f in a Newbury novice in July.

Sent next to York for the always informative Group 3 Acomb Stakes, he once again kept on well defeating Coolmore’s Italy and Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm.

Making his first start for Yueshang, he was sent off favourite in the Champagne Stakes (G2), but could only finish fourth to Coolmore’s Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett).

Lining up in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on his final race at two, he put that run firmly behind him, taking up the running two furlongs out.

It was a race of the highest juvenile form as he beat subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) with Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) in third.

Two Coolmore-owned colts finished joint-second in the Classifications with the aforementioned Gstaad sharing his rating of 119 with Puerto Rico (Wootton

Top of the charts

The Night Of Thunder colt Gewan tops the European 2yo Classifications for 2025, Wootton Bassett has seven horses rated over 110

2yo

Bassett), the latter a three-time winner including twice at Group 1 level in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère and the Criterium International Stakes, and he beat Gewan in the Champagne Stakes.

One pound beneath them on 118 is Zavateri (Without Parole), a Book 2 bargain buy at just 35,000gns. He won his first four starts, including the Group 1 National Stakes, and a pair of Group 2s in the Vintage Stakes and the July Stakes. He also posted a fine fourth place finish to Gewan in the Dewhurst on his final start.

Coolmore owns the two highest-rated fillies with Precise (Starspangledbanner) and True Love (No Nay Never) sharing a rating of 115.

True Love did all her running over 5f and 6f winning three times, including the Railway Stakes (G2) and the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, while Precise won four times between 7f and mile and was victorious twice at the highest level in the Moyglare Stakes and Fillies’ Mile, both Group 1.

True Love, bred by Coolmore, is a fourth foal and sister to the Group 2 juvenile winner Truly Enchanting, a half-sister to Group 2 three-year-old winner Lily Pond (Galileo), from the family of the Oaks runner-up Wonder Of Wonders.

Precise’s dam Way To My Heart is a Galileo own-sister to the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup and Irish Derby runner-up Kingfisher.

Numerically, and as might be expected, Wootton Bassett has the most representatives in the list with seven horses rated 110 or more, and he is followed by Night Of Thunder with four and No Nay Never with three.

Starman, St Mark’s Basilica and Space Blues, all of whom had their first runners in 2025, also each had a runner rated 113 or more.

Frankel, Starspangledbanner, Lope De Vega, Kingman and Palace Pier all had two representatives Darley’ superstar sire Dubawi did not have a 110+ rated juvenile in 2025. ■

2yo classifications

2025 European 2yo Classifications

R Horse Details Sex Sire Dam Dam sire Owner Trainer Country

121 Gewan (GB) C Night Of Thunder Grey Mystere Lethal Force

119 Gstaad (GB)

Starspangledbanner

119 Puerto Rico (IRE) C Wootton Bassett April Showers

118 Zavateri (IRE) C Without Parole Zeroua Siyouni

116 Hawk Mountain (IRE) C Wootton Bassett Hydrangea

115 Action (IRE) C Frankel Gossamer Wings Scat Daddy

115 Bow Echo (IRE) C Night Of Thunder Aristocratic

115 Distant Storm (GB) C Night Of Thunder Date With Destiny

115 Precise (IRE) F Starspangledbanner Way To My Heart

Magnier et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

115 True Love (IRE) F No Nay Never Alluringly Fastnet Rock M.Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs J. Magnier Aidan O’Brien IRE

115 Wise Approach (IRE) C Mehmas Sagely Frozen Power

114 Power Blue (IRE) C Space Blues Visions Worthadd

114 Venetian Sun (IRE) F Starman Johara Iffraaj Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy

113 Balantina (IRE) F Ten Sovereigns Balankiyla Montjeu Medallion Racing, Parkland T’breds et al Donnacha O’Brien IRE

113 Diamond Necklace (IRE) F St Mark’s Basilica Prudenzia Dansili M.Tabor, D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnieret al Aidan O’Brien IRE

113 Havana Anna (GB) F Havana Grey Miss Villefranche Danehill Dancer Gaynor Bloodstock LLC Donnacha O’Brien IRE

113 Lifeplan (IRE) C Kodi Bear A Taad Moody Awtaad Martin Tedham & Wasell Properties Declan Carroll GB

113 Nighttime (FR) C Wootton Bassett Daytime Frankel Wertheimer & Frere Christopher Head FR

113 Pierre Bonnard (IRE) C Camelot Sultanina New Approach Mrs J. Magnier, M. Tabor, et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

112 Beautify (IRE) F Wootton Bassett Words Dansili D.Smith, Mrs J. Magnier & M. Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

112 Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) C Frankel Newspaperofrecord Lope De Vega P.Brant, Mrs J. Magnier, et al Aidan O’Brien IR

112 Consitution River (FR) C Wootton Bassett Chuppy Le Havre M.Tabor, D. Smith, et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

112 Gostam (GER) C Saxon Warrior Goiania Oasis Dream Darius Racing & Michael Motschmann Andreas Wohler GER

112 Humidity (GB) C Ulysses Sultry Pivotal Wathnan Racing Andrew Balding GB

112 Italy (GB)

(GB)

111 Zanthos (FR) F Sioux Nation Brioniya Pivotal

M. Tabor et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

110 Charles Darwin (IRE) C No Nay Never Muirin Born To Sea Mrs J. Magnier, M. Tabor et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

110 Coppull (GB) C Bated Breath Springwood Drive Mayson David Armstrong Clive Cox GB

110 Green Spirit (USA) F Kingman Sapphire Pendant Danehill Dancer Wertheimer & Frere Christopher Head FR

110 Mission Central (IRE) C No Nay Never Thar She Blows Zoffany M.Tabor, D. Smith et al Aidan O’Brien IRE

110 Morris Dancer (IRE) C Palace Pier Menuetto Dubawi Godolphin John & Thady Gosden GB

110 Publish (GB) C Kingman Nay Lady Nay No Nay Never Juddmonte John & Thady Gosden GB

110 Rayif (IRE) C Sea The Moon Rayisa Holy Roman Emperor Aga Khan Studs SCEA Francis-Henri Graffard FR

110 Rock On Thunder (IRE) C Night Of Thunder Boston Rocker Acclamation Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum Kevin Ryan GB

Aesterius

UNRIVALLED BREEDING RIGHTS FOR MARE OWNERS

£15,000 - includes 2 nominations in each of his first 4 seasons (8 nominations in total!)

Top-class sprinter by Mehmas

Won Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes, 5f, beating Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup

Juvenile Turf Sprint winner

Magnum Force & Gr.1 Haydock

Sprint Cup winner Big Mojo

Won Gr.3 Prix d’Arenberg, 5f

Won L Dragon Stakes, 5f

Bearstone Stud

The source of speed

“Aesterius is a gorgeous looking colt with brilliant speed and a willing attitude. With his proven class, temperament and Mehmas’s record for producing top juveniles, he looks every inch an exciting young stallion prospect.”

Richard Brown, on behalf of Wathnan Racing

“In my opinion, these are the best breeding rights ever, and we’ll be supporting him with around 25 of our very speedy mares, including some of the best.”

Terry Holdcroft, Bearstone Stud

Three big ones at Ashford

Jill Williams runs through the new stallions at stud in the US for 2026, and outlines the major horses returning to race for this season

WITH A NEW BREEDING season here, stallion farms have been working overtime for months scouting new stallion prospects, then navigating through all the complex nuances of stud deals that can rival the intricacies of a rocket launch.

In Kentucky, the happy result is 20 special new prospects at 11 major stud farms. It’s a heady bunch, highlighted by four Eclipse champions and Breeders’ Cup winners, as well as a Kentucky Derby winner in Mystik Dan.

Two of the leading sires in the US (Gun Runner and Into Mischief) are represented by multiple sons, while one of Europe’s best (Lope De Vega) also has his first son in the US. To sweeten the pot, a handful of hot young sires (including McKinzie and Vekoma) alsohave their first sons among the new intake.

And yet, among all those intriguing subplots, one remarkable, overarching point stands out Coolmore’s Ashford Stud has secured three of the four champions, all of whom also won Breeders’ Cup events.

Has such a decorated group ever retired to one stallion station at the same time?

“We are honored,” understated Ashford’s Charlie O’Connor in November, “to announce three new

Eclipse Award winners as part of our 2026 stallion roster here at Ashford Stud.”

The trio is led by Sierra Leone, a son of Gun Runner who, along with Not This Time, is threatening to dethrone Into Mischief from his seven-year stranglehold as North America’s leading sire. Gun Runner, so devastatingly popular he topped each of the first four days of Keeneland’s 2025 September sale, has made hot commodities out of his sons. And his very best son to date? Undoubtedly Sierra Leone.

A standout from the start, Sierra Leone topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale when the hammer dropped at $2.3 million.

Among his career highlights were a Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic win at three, additional Grade 1 scores in the Toyota Blue Grass and the Whitney Stakes, and a slew of narrow misses, including seconds in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and in his attempt to defend his Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) crown this year.

Named the champion three-year-old colt of 2024, he was in the running for champion older male of 2025.

Never worse than third after dancing every dance from two to four, he’s a close relative of the Japanese global superstar Forever Young, who beat him in this year’s Classic, and has the looks to match his high

yearling price and race credentials.

“A true warrior, he arguably saved his best race for last when closing from behind in his typical barn-storming fashion to run a close second to Forever Young,” said O’Connor.

As is befitting the star of the 2026 intake of rookie stallions, Sierra Leone will command the highest fee of the new stallion crop at $75,000.

Ashford will also unveil Fierceness at $50,000.

The son of City Of Light may have finished one spot behind Sierra Leone in the last two Breeders’ Cup Classics, but he captured the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at two.

He also prevailed in the Grade 1 Florida Derby as well as in a hardfought Grade 1 Travers Stakes over eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in what many consider the best race of 2024, then added a dramatic edition of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic this year at four.

Named the Eclipse champion at two, he could easily have been retired after his stellar three-year-old season but came back at four to add nearly $2 million to his career tally after another formidable campaign.

Breeders love the sustained excellence Fierceness showed at two, three, and four. He is the only new stallion of 2026 in North America to win Grade 1 events three years running.

The final new shooter at Ashford is Citizen Bull.

A year younger than both Sierra Leone and Fierceness, the Into Mischief son captured both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at two, making him an easy choice for the 2024 two-year-old championship.

He closed out his career with a toogood-to-lose head second to Nysos in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in one of the most thrilling races on championship day.

He’s bred on America’s “golden cross” of Into Mischief over Distorted Humor and is the only colt out of all his sire’s successes to be named champion at two.

Sons of Into Mischief are coveted in every US stallion barn.

Ashford already has a top one in Practical Joke (bred on that same Distorted Humor nick!) and Citizen Bull will surely be a welcome addition at an introductory fee of $35,000.

Citizen Bull is one of three sophomores of 2025 by Into Mischief to retire for the 2026 breeding season, joining $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton

ECLIPSE AWARD WINNERS

Horse of the Year

Sovereignty

Two-Year-Olds

Champion Male Ted Noffey

Champion Filly Super Corredora

Three-Year-Olds

Champion Male Sovereignty

Champion Filly Nitrogen

Older Dirt Horses

Champion Dirt Male Forever Young

Champion Dirt Female Thorpedo Anna

Sprinters

Champion Male Book’em Danno

Champion Female Shisospicy

Turf

Champion Male Notable Speech

Champion Female She Feels Pretty

Saratoga yearling turned multiple graded winner Barnes ($15,000) at Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa and WinStar’s homebred Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial/GI Woody Stephens Stakes winner Patch Adams ($30,000).

The latter is bred on the same nick as Citizen Bull.

WinStar will also welcome the final retiring Eclipse champion/Breeders’ Cup victor to the breeding shed this year in Straight No Chaser.

Also the winner of last year’s Grade 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, his book will open at $10,000.

It was a particularly strong older horse division in the US in 2025, which translates to breeders having their pick of a wide range of accomplished freshman sires this season.

Two horses who frequently knocked heads with Sierra Leone and Fierceness were Mindframe and Locked, who will welcome mares at Claiborne and Gainesway.

Judging from the response to Mindframe, Claiborne will have no problem filling his book.

The only dual Grade 1 winner among

Another worthy adversary among the older Dirt males last year was Locked, who will be stiff competition for the mare population at $35,000

his division last year, Mindframe won his two biggest 2025 starts at the varied distances of 7f and 1m1f and was Classic-placed at three.

To make him even more attractive, he’s the best older runner to date by the excellent sire Constitution, whose first major son at stud (Tiz The Law) is holding his own quite nicely on the sire tables. Mindframe throws his hat into the ring for $50,000.

Another worthy adversary among the older Dirt males last year was Locked, who will be stiff competition for the mare population at $35,000.

Winner of the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at two, Locked suffered a small injury which led to an abbreviated (but unbeaten) three-yearold campaign before he came roaring back at four to trounce all comers by over 8l in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

Showing plenty of flashes of brilliance, Locked, like Sierra Leone, is a son of Gun Runner, which only makes him more appealing.

Returning to racing in 2026

With so many of the US’s best horses of 2025 heading to the breeding shed, will there be a dearth of top runners in the older horse division in 2026?

Never fear, as an outsized portion of the three-year-olds who made a big impact are returning as seasoned competitors.

At the top of the list is, of course, Sovereignty, the brilliant Kentucky Derby, Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes (G1) winner who missed the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race in which he would have been sent off favourite, with a fever.

He was still honored as 2025’s Horse of the Year and champion three-yearold colt at the Eclipse Awards.

Also returning is Tappan Street, the hugely exciting Florida Derby winner who missed most of 2025 with a condylar fracture, but was the only horse to beat Sovereignty at three.

A triple Grade 1 winner of the Preakness Stakes, Haskell Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby, Journalism also returns.

He closed out an eight-races-ineight-months campaign with a betterthan-it-looks-on-paper fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his only career off-the-board finish after dancing every dance and proving Sovereignty’s toughest rival.

Also back is Baeza, a later-developing winner of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby who finished third to Sovereignty

and Journalism in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont; and Magnitude.

He was an exciting early-spring runner who came back in the second half of the year to beat older horses, including the 2025 Grade 1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show, in the Grade 2 Clark Stakes.

Several of the top sophomore fillies will also return for a 2026 campaign, most notably Nitrogen, the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) runner-up, the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner (over the boys!) Shisospicy.

The brilliant Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos will be back, as will Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Bentornato, and the Grade 1 Forego Stakes winner Book’em Danno.

The Grade 1 New York and E.P. Taylor Stakes winner She Feels Pretty is scheduled to return, as is 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and 2025 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner White Abarrio.

As tradition dictates, the spring focus will be on the freshly minted three-yearolds, where the undefeated three-time Grade 1 winner, Breeders’ Cup champion, and Eclipse winner Ted Noffey will embark on the Triple Crown trail.

The scintillating prospect is targeting the Florida Derby path to the Kentucky Derby, while the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies one-two Super Corredora and Explora are expected to be a factor among the elite sophomore filly races. Who will continue to progress? What new stars will step up to the plate? Those are the age-old questions that keep this sport churning.

The electrifying Shisospic (Mitole), a $5.2-million partnership buyout at Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale, missed her planned run on the Saudi Cup card due to a fever. She now has the Grade 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai at the end of March as her main target.

Her stablemate Bentornato also has an eye on Dubai, with the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in his sights.

Working for Irish Breeders and Supporting Our Breeding Industry

SUBSCRIPTION FEE:

F100 per annum

F50 add. family member

F20 ITBA Next Generation (U30)

SI GN UP TODAY!

Specifically designed Stud Farm Insurance exclusive to ITBA Members

FREE Racecourse Admission

FREE Diary and Calendar

FREE breeding and racing publications

inc digital subscriptions to EBN, The Owner Breeder, International Thoroughbred when a horse you bred is declared to run

Discount Racing TV Subscription

Discount packages with Irish Equine Centre Plus many more...

Greenhills, Kill, Co Kildare

www.itba.ie • Tel: 045 877 543 • office@itba.ie

Photos: (Main) Daniel O’Neill

US stakes-winning sires

2025

Sires of US stakes winners in 2025

From Weatherbys

are listed under their sire with the respective broodmare sire in brackets. Includes Grade 1,2,3 and Listed (L) wins in the US to 31/12/2025

Accelerate

Movin’ On Up (Cairo Prince).................... L

Air Force Blue

Air Force Red (Mizzen Mast) 3

Joe Shiesty (More Than Ready) L

Supersonic Blue (Giant’s Causeway) L

Al Wukair

La Mehana (Dansili) 2

Almanzor

Gezora (Silver Hawk) ............................... 1

Always Dreaming

Sultana (Pulpit) 3

American Pharoah

Deep Satin (Chester House) L

Jody’s Pride (Scat Daddy) 2

Pharoah’s Wine (Paddy O’Prado) L

Stars And Strides (Ghostzapper) L Zany (Uncle Mo) 2 Army Mule

California Burrito (Hard Spun) L Ground Support (Arch) 2

Hillerito (War Front) L

Arrogate

Apprehend (Street Hero) L

Arrowthegreat (Arch) L

Lambeth (Tapit) L

Liberal Arts (Tribal Rule) L

Subrogate (Elusive Quality)

Astern Phileas Fogg (More Than Ready)

Audible

The Queen (Animal Kingdom)

(Frost Giant) 1

Aurelius Maximus Max Got Excited (Stevie Wonderboy) L

Deb (Street Sense) 3 Iron Orchard (Brethren) 1 Rodriguez (Cherokee Run) 2

Verifire (Smart Strike) L

(Gottcha Gold) ....................... 2 Awtaad

Ethical Diamond (Areion) 1

Barbados

Barbadian Runner (Northern Afleet) L

Bated Breath

Breath Away (Nayef) 2

Beau Liam

Border Czar (Street Boss) L

Belardo

Gold Phoenix (Mizzen Mast) 2 2

Special Wan (Frozen Power) ............. 3 3 3

Big Screen

Cruden Bay (Bold Executive) ................... 2 Full Screen (Langfuhr)

Formidable Man the 2025 Grade 1 and dual Grade 2 winner is by City Of Light, also sire of Fierceness, who won the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Dirt Haulin Ice (Half Ours)

Pin Up Betty (Into Mischief)

Mansetti (Sky Mesa) 3 L Thought Process (Creative Cause) 2

Innovative (Tizway) 3

Intricate Spirit (Curlin) 3

Mo Plex (Uncle Mo) 3 L

Candy Quest (Candy Ride) 3

Chip Honcho (Magician) L Forever After All (Giant’s Causeway) 3 3

Rattle N Roll (Johannesburg) L

d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) L

(Footstepsinthesand)

(Freud)

(Street Sense) 1 1 2

Parchment Party (Tiznow) ...................

(Game Plan)

(Roar)

A Butterfly (Storm Cat)

Silver (Distorted Humor)

(Bernardini) 3

Car (Morning Line)

(Into Mischief)

(Super Saver)

Brant (Liam’s Map) 1

Powder (Broken Vow) L

Ado (Sky Mesa) 2

Song (Mr Greeley) 2

Loaded (Bernardini) L

Of Fame (Giant’s Causeway) 3 Headline Numbers (Curlin) L

of Joy (Malibu Moon) L

(Malibu Moon) 1 2

(Honour And Glory) 3 3

Route One (Tapit) 3

Away (Unbridled’s Song)

(Street Sense)

(American Pharoah)

Mischief

(Pleasantly Perfect)

Maxima (Out of Place)

Meridius (Quiet American)

Tart (Lemon Drop Kid)

Torrent (Violence)

(Big Brown)

(D’Wildcat)

Keny (Northern Afleet)

(Archarcharch)

Flirt (Broken Vow)

The Risks (Candy Ride)

Imaginationthelady (War Front) 2

Magnitude (Bernardini) ..................... 2 2 L

Not This Boy (Super Saver) L

Rhetorical (Distorted Humor) 1

Schwarzenegger (Lemon Drop Kid) L

Swift Delivery (Rockport Harbor) 3

Time To Dazzle (Unbridled’s Song) 2

Time To Dream (Street Sense) L

Troubleshooting (Into Mischief) 1 3

Unrivaled Time (Creachadoir) 3

Way To Be Marie (Henrythenavigator) L

Nyquist

Argos (Acclamation) 1

Cavalieri (Stephen Got Even) 1 2 3

Encino (Bernardini) L L

Gosger (Tapit) 3

Immersive (Bernardini) L

Johannes (Congrats) 2

Knightsbridge (Bernardini) 3

Litmus Test (Malibu Moon)..................... 2

Montador (Medaglia d’Oro) L

Nysos (Bernardini) .......................... 1 2 2 3

Randomized (Elusive Quality) 3

Tenma (Tapit) 2 3

Velocity (Harlan’s Holiday) 1

Verity (Bernardini) 2

Oasis Dream

Haunted Dream (Galileo) 3

Om

Om N Joy (Hard Spun) 3

Omaha Beach

Beach Gold (Smart Strike) L

Caitlinhergrtness (Giant’s Causeway) 3 3

Desert Gate (Curlin) 3

Kappa Kappa (Pioneerof The Nile) 2 Kingsolver (Speightstown) L

Kopion (Victory Gallop) ........................ 1 2

Nevada Beach (Yes It’s True) 1 3 L

On Command (First Defence) ................. L

Oscar Performance

Dashman (Johar) 3

Literate (Henrythenavigator) 3

Play With Fire (Street Sense) L

Rashmi (Lonhro) 3

Tumbarumba (Street Sense) 3

World Beater (Blame) 1 3 L

Palace Malice

Mink’s Palace (Scat Daddy) ....................

Picnic

Reys (Verglas)

Pioneerof The Nile Arrest Me Red (Medaglia d’Oro)

Spirit (Shamardal)

(Medaglia d’Oro)

Cook (Indian Charlie)

AMID A SLEW OF INTERNATIONAL RESULTS in the Middle East on February 14, the victory of Quinault stood out in Doha, as he cruised to yet another eye-catching victory.

Bred in Germany by Gestüt Fährhof, the son of Oasis Dream was snapped up by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stable for €58,000, above the 2021 sale average of €43,093, and hit the bullseye six months later when changing hands for 310,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale.

Purchased that day for the Godolphin operation, Quinault made his first appearance for Charlie Appleby at Doncaster two months later. It was an inauspicious start with the colt running too freely under Daniel Muscatt and fading in the final furling to finish last of seven. Fast forward three and a half years and Quinault is now the winner of 12 of his 32 starts, having been placed a further seven times, and has amassed earnings of over £660,000.

Winner of the Criterion Stakes (G3) at York last season, he was also twice placed at Group 1 level in 2025, including when third behind Powerful Glory in the British Champions Day Sprint, he was also a triple Listed winner in 2024, and this year on Valentine’s Day 2026, he added the valuable Durkhan Sprint Cup (a local G3) in Doha to his tally, having finished second in the same contest last year.

And all this achieved after being turned out of the Godolphin fold. Quinault did not run again in the royal blue following his Doncaster jaunt, instead joining the draft at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. There, he was snapped up by trainer Stuart Williams, signing as TJE Racing, for just 25,000gns – six times less than the prize pot he scooped at Doha.

A gelding operation and a change of scene has changed Quinault’s fortunes, but it is worth bearing in mind that this six-year-old gelding hails from a talented German family.

Quinault was bred by Fährhof out of the unraced Dansili mare Queimada (Dansili), who has also produced the Group 3-placed Listed winner Queimados (Sea The Stars).

Although unraced, her mating to the sprint king Oasis Dream was a no-brainer, given that she is a half-sister to Querari, also a son of

Queimada

Dansili – Quetena (Acatenango) Bay mare, 02.05.2009

2020 Quinault (Oasis Dream) G3 winner

2021 Quiemados (Sea The Stars) Listed winner

2022 colt by Kingman

2023 filly by Zarak

Juddmonte’s elder statesman.

Querari plied his trade on the racecourse for Andreas Wöhler, netting the Premio Presidente Della Repubblica (then a Group 1) as a fouryear-old, and landing the Euro-Cup (G3) at Frankfurt in his native country. He is now at stud in South Africa, standing at Andreas Jacobs’s Maine Chance Farm (see page 44).

Quinault’s full-brother Sharja Bridge was a 500,000gns yearling purchase by Roger Varian for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid at the 2015 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and he went on to win the Listed Doncaster Mile in the yellow and black, as well as the Balmoral Handicap on British Champions Day in 2018.

THEY ARE also half-siblings to Quidura (Dubawi), who twice struck at Grade 2 level in North America and was Grade 1-placed on three occasions, including when beaten only a head in the Diana Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in 2017.

Purchased for $3.6m at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale that year by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, she has since produced Wathnan Racing’s Listed winner Jeff Koons and Listedplaced Ernst Blofeld, both by Frankel.

Quiemada’s final black-type sibling is Quasillo (Sea The Stars), winner of the Bavarian Classic (G3) at three and now also at stud at Maine Chance.

Their dam, the Acatenango mare Quetena, also produced the unraced Queen’s Dream (Oasis Dream), herself dam of the dual Bahrain International Trophy (G2) winner Spirit Dancer (Frankel), also successful in the Neom Turf

Quinault: the winner

Cup (G2) in Riyadh. Another unraced daughter, Qualita (Konigstiger), is dam of the French Listed winner Qualisaga (Sageburg).

As well as being a very successful matriarch, Quetena also won three times herself and earned black-type when Listed-placed in Rome. Not the most thrilling of race records, but worthy of a place in the paddocks, particularly as a daughter of Quebrada.

That daughter of Devil’s Bag was bred by Barronstown Stud and raced by the Jacobs family, triumphing in the ARAG Preis (G2) and finishing runner-up in the Preis der Diana (G2). At stud she produced eight winners from 12 foals, with five earning black type.

Chief among them was Quilanga (Lomitas), winner of the Prix de Psyche (G3) in Deauville, defeating the subsequent Group 1 winner and black-type producer Kinnaird. The remaining quartet included the Listed winners Quixote (Pivotal) and Quinindo (Monsun), and the Group 3-placed Quebra (Surumu), who went on to produce Quarterback (American Post), twice a Group 3 winner in Scandinavia. An unraced daughter of Quebrada, Quariana (Lomitas), has produced Qualixia (Blue Point), a Listed winner at Fontainebleau in November 2025.

Further back, the family stems from fourth

dam Queen To Conquer (King’s Bishop), bred in the US by Richard Stokes. Third in the 1079 Irish Oaks, she returned Stateside to triumph in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, as well as recording two successes in the Ramona Handicap (G2) at Del Mar.

Dam of 12 foals and eight winners, Queen To Conquer is responsible for such as Bonheur (Royal Academy), a Navan maiden winner who went on to produce the multiple G3 winner and Classic-placed Carribean Sunset (Danehill Dancer), also a black-type producer. Another of Queen To Conquer’s notable offspring is Gara Yaka, who only ran a couple of times but produced the Preis der Diana (G1) heroine Silverster Lady (Pivotal).

While Quinault has undoubtedly scaled mountains already, there could be even better to come, according tohis trainer. Speaking after his victory in Doha, Williams commented: “He has been an absolute superstar for us. We never thought he’d get this far; even when he was winning his first races, we just thought he was a nice horse.

“There is no reason why he can’t get better this year. He is an amazing horse to deal with and has an amazing will to win – if it’s close, he wants to win it.”

There is no reason why he can’t get better this year. He is an amazing horse to deal with and has an amazing will to win –if it’s close, he wants to win it

photo finish the year of the horse

The ex-racehorses Kemboy (Voix Du Nord), a ten-time and thee-time Grade 1 winner for Willie Mullins, and the appropriately named Nora The Xplorer (Norse Dancer), a dual winner over hurdles for Donald McCain, visited Liverpool’s Chinatown with Great British Racing to celebrate Chinese New Year and the Year of the Horse on February 17.

£55,000

£10,000

£9,000