Tuesday, January 6, 2009

CONNECTIONS CONSIDERING ALBERTAS RUN FOR LETHEBY & CHRISTOPHER CHASE AT CHELTENHAM

The eight-year-old gelding enjoyed a fantastic first campaign over fences last season, scoring in both the Grade Two Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot and the Grade One RSA Chase at The Festival.

After beginning this season with two disappointing efforts on ground softer than ideal, the Jonjo O’Neill-trained chaser bounced back to form in the Grade One King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, coming home the eight-length second to 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kauto Star.

Meagher said: “We’ve had a look at the Letheby & Christopher Chase and the race is a definite possibility for Albertas Run at the moment. He will also probably be entered in the AON Chase at Newbury and he will run where the ground is better.

“He’s fine at the moment and seems to have come out of his run in the King George in good order. I was delighted with his performance there and it was great to see him back doing what he should be doing.

“We had an excuse for his poor run in the Hennessy because the ground was too soft for him but we weren’t fully certain that the going was the whole problem. He jumped far better at Kempton and he’s much more effective on a decent surface.

“The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup is the obvious aim afterwards. He’s won twice at Cheltenham so far in his career and he would go into that race as a live outsider. We have to take on the likes of Denman and Kauto Star otherwise it would just be a two horse race.”

The Letheby & Christopher Chase is an excellent pointer to Festival glory with past winners including See More Business. The Paul Nicholls-trained star landed the spoils in 1998 and was third to Cyfor Malta in 1999, the year of his totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph. He scored a second victory in the race in 2001.

The Noel Chance-trained Looks Like Trouble in 2000 and the Kim Bailey-trained Master Oats in 1995 both triumphed in the Letheby & Christopher Chase en route to totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup glory the same year.

Last season, Our Vic was runner-up to Knowhere in the Letheby & Christopher Chase and the David Pipe-trained chaser returned to Cheltenham to triumph in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at The Festival, while Neptune Collognes finished third for Paul Nicholls prior to filling the same position behind stablemates Denman and Kauto Star in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A fantastic seven-race card on Festival Trials Day features no less than four Grade Two contests including the £30,000 Wragge & Co Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle (3.10pm), won last year by subsequent JCB Triumph Hurdle runner-up Franchoek, and the £60,000 Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle (3.45pm), which went to Inglis Drever last season, who went on to record an historic third victory in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Some of the leading novice hurdlers will be hoping to confirm their Festival aspirations in the £30,000 Grade Two Classic Novices’ Hurdle (12.55pm), while the card also features the £25,000 Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.30pm), the £60,000 Grade Three Betchronicle.com Trophy Chase (2.05pm), and the £25,000 Brightwells Cheltenham Bloodstock Auctions Handicap Hurdle (4.20pm).

RECORD PRIZE MONEY FOR 2009 ROYAL MEETING

The order of running remains the same as in 2008 and is reproduced at the bottom of this release, along with the full details of the increases to 2009 prize money.

Since the Global Sprint Challenge was launched in 2005, prize money for the King’s Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes has increased every year to reflect their growing international significance and in 2009, the Golden Jubilee Stakes is up a further £75,000 to £450,000 and the King’s Stand Stakes has been increased in value by £50,000 to £300,000. In the short period since the inception of the Global Sprint Challenge, prize money for the two Royal Ascot sprints has all but doubled.

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes also increases in value by £75,000 to £450,000 in 2009, to maintain its status as Royal Ascot’s joint highest value race, with the Golden Jubilee Stakes.

In addition to the King’s Stand Stakes, £50,000 has been added to the Queen Anne Stakes, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Gold Cup and the Coronation Stakes, which will all be run for £300,000 in 2009.

Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot, said:

“These increases in prize money at Royal Ascot come hot on the heels of our announcement that the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Betfair) will be run for a record £1 million this year, £150,000 up on 2008.

“The Tuesday of Royal Ascot will open once again with a ceremony to introduce the leading jockeys to the crowd prior to the three Group One races. This year there will be over £1 million on offer on the opening day for the first time.

“2008 was an excellent year for Ascot, with record crowds on several occasions including the Saturday of Royal Ascot, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup and the Saturday of the BGC Christmas Meeting. We also received the Racehorse Owners Association Gold Standard Award and finished the year hearing the news that Ascot was voted runner up Racecourse of the Year by the Racegoers Club, which was particularly gratifying.

“We’re fully aware, of course, of the current economic climate, but today’s announcement enables us to start 2009 on a positive note. Tickets for the Royal Meeting are now on sale with early booking discounts available until 15th May, with Grandstand Admission starting at £47 and the Silver Ring at £14.”

Nick Smith, Head of Communications and International Racing at Ascot, added:

“We will soon be starting our international promotional campaign in earnest with some interesting possible targets, particularly in Australia and Japan, including Japan’s latest star, Daiwa Scarlet, winner of last month’s mile-and-a-half Group One Arima Kinen, the most important race of the year there.

“We will be hoping to attract the Australian sprinters again, including Apache Cat, who was third in the Hong Kong Sprint in December. With the organising committee’s intention always to increase incentives for owners and trainers of the world’s top horses to travel, the US$1,000,000 Global Sprint Challenge bonus pool can now be won by winning any three qualifying Group One Challenge legs in any three different countries (from Australia, UK, Japan and Hong Kong), the important difference in 2009 being that there is no necessity to run in all four countries.

“With legs to be run in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong after Royal Ascot and the Darley July Cup, we hope that European trainers might consider campaigning internationally within the challenge too. For the first time this year, the bonus prize pool will be split US$ 750,000 to the owner of the bonus-winning horse, and US$ 250,000 to the trainer.”

ROYAL ASCOT 2009 ORDER OF RUNNING
2009 2008
FIRST DAY - TUESDAY 16th JUNE
2.30 pm The Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) £300,000 £250,000
3.05 pm The King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) £300,000 £250,000
3.45 pm The St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) £300,000 £250,000
4.20 pm The Coventry Stakes (Group 2) £100,000 £100,000
4.55 pm The Ascot Stakes (Handicap) £60,000 £60,000
5.30 pm The Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) £60,000 £60,000

SECOND DAY - WEDNESDAY 17th JUNE
2.30 pm The Jersey Stakes (Group 3) £80,000 £70,000
3.05 pm The Windsor Forest Stakes (Group 2) £140,000 £140,000
3.45 pm The Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) £450,000 £375,000
4.20 pm The Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) £100,000 £100,000
4.55 pm The Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) £90,000 £80,000
5.30 pm The Sandringham Stakes (Listed) (Handicap) £60,000 £60,000

THIRD DAY - THURSDAY 18th JUNE
2.30 pm The Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) £90,000 £80,000
3.05 pm The Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) £150,000 £150,000
3.45 pm The Gold Cup (Group 1) £300,000 £250,000
4.20 pm The Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) £100,000 £100,000
4.55 pm The Hampton Court Stakes (Listed) £60,000 £60,000
5.30 pm The King George V Stakes (Heritage Handicap) £60,000 £60,000

FOURTH DAY - FRIDAY 19th JUNE
2.30 pm The Albany Stakes (Group 3) £70,000 £70,000
3.05 pm The King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) £200,000 £200,000
3.45 pm The Coronation Stakes (Group 1) £300,000 £250,000
4.20 pm The Wolferton Rated Stakes (Listed) £60,000 £60,000
4.55 pm The Queen’s Vase (Group 3) £80,000 £60,000
5.30 pm The Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) £60,000 £60,000

FIFTH DAY - SATURDAY 20th JUNE
2.30 pm The Chesham Stakes (Listed) £60,000 £60,000
3.05 pm The Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) £150,000 £150,000
3.45 pm The Golden Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) £450,000 £375,000
4.25 pm The Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) £100,000 £100,000
5.00 pm The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
(Heritage Handicap) £60,000 £60,000
5.35 pm The Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions) £60,000 £60,000
TOTAL PRIZE FUND £4,450,000 £4,000,000

RAUSING ANNOUNCES PURCHASE OF PACEMAKER MAGAZINE

The famous title, with a history stretching back over 40 years, will merge with the joint TBA/ROA publication Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder.

Rausing was speaking at the TBA’s Annual General Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Churchill Hotel in London today and said: “After several months of discussions with Pacemaker’s publisher, I am delighted to report that a deal was finalised just before Christmas. This will see the two magazines combined under the title of ‘Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder incorporating Pacemaker’ from the March edition under the continued editorship of Richard Griffiths.

“Pacemaker has been the pre-eminent racing and bloodstock magazine here and in Ireland for over 40 years. Its reputation and history will strengthen our title and help us to produce an improved publication, not only for the associations’ respective members, but for the whole bloodstock industry.

“To some, this may seem a rather odd time for the TBA and the ROA to be making such an investment but, in fact, the bloodstock market’s recent contraction has made this an increasingly logical move.

“With the economic climate as it is, there is no longer room in this market for two publications of a similar type. Now, it is our belief that one strong racing and bloodstock magazine, published by two responsible racing bodies, will have a long-term future. I stress ‘long-term’ because publishing a specialist magazine during the next year or two is clearly going to tough and the support of the bloodstock industry will be crucial to our making this work.”


Rausing - who predicted an economic downturn in her first TBA Chairman’s speech 12 months ago - told breeders that the recession was of fundamental concern but might also present investment opportunities for breeders.

“I am not going to urge British breeders to cull all their mares, and I am not going to paint a scenario whereby this great industry is lost for future generations, but I am going to urge breeders to take a careful look at their business, and remind the racing authorities that the health of this industry is crucial to the sport of horseracing, for which we all care passionately,” she added.

“Whilst a severe correction will be necessary for some, others should not overlook the opportunities this recession can provide in terms of upgrading their stock, and to share the advice of a wise older statesman that ‘in uncertain times keep your savings in a commodity that you know and understand’.

“The TBA is the one body that has the interests of the horse at its heart, and for that reason alone we must continue to encourage British breeders to do what they do best, but be mindful of the need to take a careful look at the quality of their mares.”

Rausing also announced that Brightwells, which holds sales at Ascot and Cheltenham, will join Tattersalls and Doncaster Bloodstock Sales this year in collecting the sales levy that provides funding to the TBA. Additionally the TBA is now going to be informed which vendors have paid the levy.

“We were delighted to be able to persuade Brightwells to join Tattersalls and DBS in collecting sales levy on behalf of the Association with effect from the 2009 sales, and for the first time we will have the identities of those vendors who have paid the levy from the 2008 sales onwards,” continued Rausing.

“This will help to support the Association’s funding as the effects of this downturn are seen in the TBA’s accounts, and to address the need to identify and hold individual discussions with some breeders who have previously not contributed to the levy and may welcome the opportunity to discuss their reservations.”

Rausing also spoke of the TBA’s initiative in partnership with the ROA to provide a free lease to owners by vendors of unsold yearlings, with 41 horses already signed up since the scheme was announced.

“The ROA and TBA have recently launched the Free Lease Exchange, to provide a platform for putting breeders in touch with owners for the purposes of securing homes for unsold flat yearlings from the 2008 sales, and with the intention of extending this to National Hunt stores and older horses, in due course,” she stated.

BRITISH BREEDING STALWART PERCIVAL WINS SPECIAL TBA AWARD

The Andrew Devonshire Bronze was one of two special awards revealed on the day at British breeding’s showpiece event with longstanding bloodstock writer Alan Yuill Walker receiving the Dominion Bronze.

Percival grew up in the village of Old in Northamptonshire, where his Glen Andred Stud is based and he has been responsible for a string of successes on the racecourse and in the sale ring over the past few decades.

Percival, 74, left school aged 15 to help on the family farm and had grown up buying young horses at Northampton market with his grandfather. With his wife Sue, he soon became involved in thoroughbred breeding and Glen Andred became one of the most successful British consignors, regularly topping the vendors’ lists at the Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sale.

Among his best horses bred was Millkom, a dual Group One winner in France who went on to be successful in the Grade One Man O’War Stakes in New York, although much of his breeding has been done in conjunction with former TBA chairman David Gibson, at his Barleythorpe and Highfield Studs, and with Tom Warner of Red House Stud near Newmarket.

Elhamri, winner of the 2006 Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, was bred with Highfield Stud, while the Group 1-winning brothers Pastoral Pursuits and Goodricke were produced by Red House Stud.

In conjunction with Gibson, Percival has stood several successful stallions including Petong and Mummy’s Pet and he now has shares in stallions with Richard Kent at Mickley Stud in Shropshire. Percival had a long association with Kent’s late father John, owner of Ballyhampshire Stud in Ireland.

A former TBA Council member, the Percival is one of the best-loved and admired figures at the sales and in an interview in 2006 he recalled: “I did absolutely nothing at school, all I thought about were horses, pedigrees and what I would be riding next out hunting. I was a horse-mad boy who married a horse-mad girl.”

The Dominion Award was introduced in 1990 to recognise individuals who have made a major contribution behind the scenes to the breeding world and this year’s winner, Alan Yuill Walker, fits that bill perfectly.

Yuill Walker has undertaken writing work for the TBA for as long as anybody can remember and among his tasks has been to profile the annual awards winners.

Yuill Walker, 70, attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester with Henry Cecil and, after riding in point-to-points for a few seasons, he was a student at Sir David Wills’ Hadrian Stud at Newmarket.

He worked in the pedigree department of the British Bloodstock Agency, run by Captain Kazimierz Bobinski, and on his advice began writing about breeding.

He has contributed to the Horse And Hound since the mid 1960s and has written for publications past and present such as the British Racehorse, Stud And Stable, the Bloodstock Breeders’ Review, Pacemaker, The Sunday Times, Weatherbys’ Bulletin and the Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder. He also compiles private stud books and stud cards for breeders.

A longstanding TBA member and regional representative, he is a successful author and his Thoroughbred Studs of Great Britain, published in 1991, is regarded as the definitive book on the subject. His other books include The History of Darley Stud Farms (1993), Months of Misery, Moments of Bliss (1995), the biography of trainer Bill Wightman and Grey Magic:The Enigma of the Grey Thoroughbred (2005).

There are a total of 14 TBA Awards for 2008 with the remaining 12 winners having been announced ahead of the Lunch. The full list of winners is:

TBA Silver Salver (Special Merit) - the late Ann Jenkins
The Langham Cup (Small Breeder of the Year) - James Clark
Queen's Silver Cup (Leading British-based Breeder - Flat earnings) - Juddmonte Farms
BBA Silver Cigar Box (Leading British-based Stallion - Flat earnings) - Pivotal
Barleythorpe Cup (Leading British-based Stallion - individual winners) - Pivotal
Tattersalls' Silver Salver (Leading British-based first season sire) - Lucky Story
HJ Joel Silver Salver (Leading British-based Flat Broodmare of the Year) - Arrive
TBA Silver Rose Bowl (Flat Breeder of the Year) - Lawn Stud
Whitbread Silver Salver (Leading Active British-based NH Stallion, earnings - Overbury
Horse & Hound Cup (Leading Active British-based Stallion, individual chase wins) - Alflora
Dudgeon Cup (NH Broodmare of the Year) - Carole's Crusader
HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Silver Salver (Outstanding contribution to National Hunt racing and breeding) - Robert Chugg
*Duke of Devonshire Award - Robert Percival
*Dominion Award - Alan Yuill Walker
*special awards announced at the TBA Awards’ Lunch on January 6.

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