News Archive

NEWS ARCHIVE

Picture of ‘Flash’ our Irish terrier - Click for Enlargement

FLASH NEWS!... Updates, results, "All the news that fits" from our newshound.....

News from 2005 and 2006 is below.

November - Dixie and Roses back to Sean.
Now that Sean has his farm in Lexington we have moved Dixie Eyes Blazing and Roses in the Snow to him from Peter O'Callaghan's farm.

October Sales - not a bad result
We had a pretty good yearling sale at Tattersalls. Top price was for the Soviet Star filly out of Military Tune who sold for Gns105,000 to Richard Frisby and will go to Michael Bell.

October 12th - another winner
Greyt Big Stuff (2004 c. by Aljabr out of Dixie Eyes Blazing) broke his maiden today at Southwell.

October 2nd - a winner at last
It's been a thin old year for winners - plenty of placed horses - but no winners until today when Goodwood March won her maiden at Windsor and thus will enable the auctioneer at Tattersalls in a weeks time to say those magic words for a vendor "...now there's a huuuuge update here"

September 29th - a new home for Arkadian Hero.
Arkadian Hero will now stand at Colmer Stud www.colmerstud.co.uk in the west country after the owners purchased an interest in him.

September 26th - Tokyo Rose third again.
Last time it was Graham Gibbons who Ryan Moore reckoned couldn't steer the filly he was on. This time it was L. Dettori who gave Tokyo Rose a crack across the nose with his whip as Richard Hughes was bringing her between horse for her run.

Keeneland September yearling Sale - three fillies bought, one not sold and the other third in a maiden.
We bought three fillies for Blue Ben Bloodstock, the brainchild of Caroline Green. Find out about it at www.bluehenbloodstock.com.
The Kafwain filly out of Roses In The Snow that was supposed to sell in Book 2 had to be withdrawn on the day after developing an abscess in the foot and we are sending her to be trained by Christophe Clement who trained Snowdrops for us.
Tokyo Rose, our two year old with Richard Hannon was third in her second start. Ryan Moore who rode her insists that he would have won if he hadn't been denied a run by the eventual fourth placed.

Doncaster St Leger Sale - first two yearlings sold
The Compton Place colt out of Lyna went to James Given and the Hold That Tiger out of Sabaah Elfull to Willie Browne.

May 13th - the final foal of the year.
Dixie Eyes Blazing had a filly foal by Bernstein today.

April 27th - Wildwood Flower euthanized
She had developed laminitis early on this year and gradually succumbed until today the decision was made to end her suffering.

April 20th - Breeze Up purchase.
We bought a 2yo and sent it to Richard Hannon. See Horses in Training.

April 15th - first Stakes performance of 2006.
Nice Tune finally picked up black type when she ran on to just gain third spot in the Listed Snowdrop Stakes at Kempton Park today.

April 8th - another filly foal arrives at Templeton.
Seal Indigo delivered a filly foal by Dubai Destination last night. That makes it four fillies to one colt with only Wildwood Flower and Dixie Eyes Blazing (and we know she is carrying a filly) to foal.

March 8th - second win of the year.
Nice Tune won for the second time this year, a Class 4 Fillies handicap, running on well in the final furlong carrying joint top weight she beat the favourite and looks like there could be more to come.

March 8th - some bad news from Kentucky.
Roses in the Snow had a filly foal by Johar last night. Like her last two foals this one was early but it was a red-bag and not fully developed and only survived a couple of hours. Roses is fine.

March 8th - first foal arrives at Castlebridge.
Sabaah Elfull had a chesnut filly by Rossini at 7.20 am this morning.

February 21st - Snowdrops is home.
Snowdrops arrived at Templeton Stud from her one month quarantine at Timbertown Farm in Lexington on Sunday and we went down to visit on Tuesday. She had travelled well and looked great. We're happy to have her home at last.

February 18th - A winner at Wolverhampton.
Nice Tune won under top weight in a competitive handicap this afternoon. Always sitting just off the pace on the fence she quickened off the top turn and won convincingly.

February 8th - Exceed and Excel filly for Evangeline
Weighing in at 54kg Evangeline's foal arrived at 8pm this evening

February 6th - first foal for Mousseline.
A Dansili colt arrived at 10.00am.

February 2nd - the first foal of 2006....
...was born at Templeton Stud today. A filly foal by Dr. Fong out of our mare Lyna.

January 29th - Arkadian Hero on the move.
We have leased Arkadian Hero to stand the 2006 breeding season in Sweden.

January 14th - Snowdrops retires with a third Gr.3 victory.
She's retired and finishes with a lifetime record of 10 wins, three in Graded Stakes and earnings of $594,767. Snowdrops ran for the final time in the Gr.3 Bayou Breeders Cup Handicap at Louisiana Downs. Started the odds-on favourite she took the lead on the far turn going four wide and won as the commentator said, "with class and quality". She's now at Timbertown Farm in Lexington for quarantine and will return to Templeton Stud to be covered by Red Ransom.

January 1st. Happy New Year.
Not much to report. . Coverings for 2006 are booked. See Foals and Matings.

December 3rd - Snowdrops storms to My Charmer triumph.
That was the headline on today's Bloodhorse online racing report. Snowdrops won her ninth race, her second Graded Stakes and took her lifetime earnings to $433,000 when she won the My Charmer at Calder coming with a late surge to win under Jockey Brice Blanc.

October 15th - two Group 1 winners on the same day!!
.....for our trainers, that is. Marcus Tregoning who has Sweet Violet for us won the Dewhurst with My Percy and Brian Meehan who has Anemone and Bowie Knife for us won the Champion Stakes with David Junior.

October 1st - two third places and a winner.
Snowdrops was third at Meadowlands, Anenome was third at Wolverhampton and Fixboard won his fourth race this year at Longchamp. See the details on Horses in Training and Horses Bred.

September 26th - Derby success in America.
OK, it was the Pomona Derby at Fairplex Park. But we did win it with a horse that we bred, Dover Dere, and we have his half sister Mousseline.

September - Success at the yearling sales.
We've sold three yearlings so far, two at Doncaster and one at Keeneland. Click here for details.

August 8th - Cavewarrior wins for Arkadian Hero and for Lyna.
Cavewarrior went off the odds-on favourite at Wolverhampton today and won without ever being under pressure. He is Arkadian Hero's second winner, a winning first foal for his dam Lyna and he has a full brother going to the Tattersalls October Part II Sale.

June 12th - Snowdrops wins the Politely Stakes for the second consecutive year.

West Lodge Stud Snowdrops Politely Stakes 2005

Coming off a ten week layoff after running in the Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream on April 2nd, she has been training at Saratoga and went off second favourite for her return to the New York area. She was tucked in along the rail while travelling easily on the pace and coming into the stretch went through a gap on the rail to win going away. " I got her covered up early and saved ground. Turning for home she saw daylight on the inside and that was it, she just took off" was jockey Joe Bravo's summary. That takes her career record to 8 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 19 starts and $365,104 in prizes.

June 9th - a winner from our 2002 crop.
Nice Tune finally won her maiden. At Yarmouth over 7f on firm ground. Thanks Clive.

May 21st - a couple of second places.
Not a bad weekend. Arsenal won the FA Cup in a penalty shoot-out but more importantly Zerlina was second on her first start this year in a handicap at Lingfield and Dover Dere was second in a Gr.2 in California.

May 15th - the final foal of 2005 arrives in Kentucky.
Dixie Eyes Blazing produced a filly foal this morning by Stravinsky. Our last foal of the 2005 breeding season.

May 7th - News from America.
In the Kentucky Derby Giacomo won and gave his sire Holy Bull a first Classic success (see our comments in Random Notes). We have a Holy Bull yearling filly to sell in September so we were pretty pleased. She is a half sister to Snowdrops, who is now in Saratoga and geared up for her New York campaign with a bullet work there on May 10th.

April 22nd - another colt.
Impatiente produced a 145lb colt by Act One today at Whatton Manor.

April 12th - Arkadian Hero's first winner. Click here for story.

April 4th - Another filly (as expected)
Nunatak produced a bay filly today, one of the first crop of Champion Sprinter Oasis Dream.

March 31st - a filly.
Military Tune produced a bay filly by Soviet Star today. Weighing in at 150lbs

March 18th - another colt.
Wildwood Flower produced a bay colt by Cape Cross at Whatton Manor today. He's a half brother to four winners.

March 6 and 7th - two colt foals born.
Brecon Beacons had a colt by Arkadian Hero on Sunday morning at Whatton Manor and Sabaah Elfull had a colt foal, one of the first crop of Hold That Tiger, at Woods Edge Farm in the early hours of Monday morning.

March 5th - Nad el Sheba British Isles wins his maiden.
British Isles went one better than on his first appearance (see item for Feb 24th below) and won today over seven furlongs on the dirt at Nad el Sheba. He went off the favourite in Sheik Rashid's first colours. Ridden by Ted Durcan he took up the running two furlongs out to win by two lengths. Ted Durcan described him as a nice horse with scope to improve over the season.

February 24th - British Isles makes a promising debut in UAE.
At last years Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale we sold a Giant's Causeway colt out of Wildwood Flower to Sheik Rashid al Makthoum for Gns140,000. He went to John Gosden but didn't run as a two year old and was sent to Dubai in the Autumn. He made his first lifetime start at Nad el Sheba today for trainer Mazin al Kurdi and running in Sheik Rashid's third colours he finished second in a strong field of maidens.

February 12th - Snowdrops wins a Grade 3 at Gulfstream Park and a Kafwain half sister is born at Woods Edge Farm.
A big weekend for our mare Roses in the Snow. Her daughter Snowdrops won the Gr.III Suwannee River Handicap at Gulfstream Park and she delivered us another grey filly when she foaled just after midnight. It was Snowdrops first Grade Stakes win and jockey Edgar Prado said afterwards "we ran her into a spot where was comfortable and she did the rest. She's a really nice filly"

February 6th - A colt foal by Hernando.....
......out of Seal Indigo arrived a Whatton Manor his evening. He's 132 lbs and and looks a good sort.

January 29th - Evangeline foals early.
Evangeline had a Hawk Wing filly today. She was early by about three weeks but it's a strong foal and looks like it will be OK.

2005 January -The first foal of the year arrives on January 17th.
The year started on an indifferent note when Edgar Prado gave Snowdrops a poor ride at Gulfstream and finished only third in a minor stakes. That was followed by another disappointment when Dover Dere a three year old which we bred and sold in the USA was third of three in the Gr. 3 Golden Gate Derby. OK it was a Graded Stakes place but he went off odds-on favourite and ran a stinker.
Lyna improved things today when she produced a nice colt for us by Compton Place. Our first foal of 2005.

Edited highlights from 2003 and 2004 are below.

December 19th 2004 - a Stakes winning two year old in California.
Dover Dere, the Cherokee Run two year colt out of Moss(USA), already a winner and Stakes placed, landed the Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate Fields today. We sold Moss in 2003 but fortunately we have a half sister to Dover Dere, Mousseline, to retain an interest in the family.

December 6th - Snowdrops places second in Grade 3.
After finishing fourth at Aqueduct on October 31st in a Grade 3 Snowdrops went a couple better to take the second place in the My Charmer at Calder. We're still looking for that Graded stakes win.

Tattersalls November Sales - better
We took two foals and they both sold well at their level. Evangeline's Noverre colt was bought by Willie Browne for Gns30,000 and Cutting Reef's Lost Soldier colt made Gns16,000 to Hugo Merry. We reinvested the proceeds in a share in a number of foals to add to the three that we bought as a syndicate in Keeneland.

Tattersalls October Sales - pretty moderate.
We didn't have a great sale but the small amount of stock that we took to Newmarket got sold. Military Tunes's Foxhound filly was bought by Richard Frisby for Goodwood Racing and will be trained by John Dunlop. Nunatak's Atticus filly was bought by Dominic ffrench-Davis

October 4th - Zerlina wins at Pontefract.
Zerlina continued her return to form at Pontefract today with a comfortable two length victory in a £15,000 added money handicap over one mile. She settled well and came from off the pace at the two furlong marker.

September 12th to 19th - Keeneland September Sale.
We had a good sale with Snowdrops half sister by Smoke Glacken which made $160,000 to Peter Doyle. The other results were bad. We retained Raymouna's Siphon filly and will bring her back to the UK to offer at a Breeze Up sale. The Stormy Atlantic out of Gemaasheh went for $1,000 to Arizona and the Formal Gold colt out of Sabaah Elfull went for $3,000. The Stormy Atlantic was a plain thing and was in a flat spot at the beginning of proceedings on the second Monday and the Formal Gold had sesamoid problems. That kind of money is what you get when you offer something that the market doesn't want.

September 7th, Doncaster - Arkadian Hero's first yearling sells to John Warren.
An excellent start for our stallion. His first yearling to be offered for sale was a colt, the first foal out of Lyna part of Jamie Railton's draft on the first day of the Doncaster St. Leger Sale. He made Gns24,000, bought by John Warren to go to Jeremy Noseda in Newmarket. That's eight times his nomination fee, for an individual that caught the eye of one of the industries most fastidious and most successful yearling buyers.

August 26th, Clairefontaine - Novosibirsk is our second two year old winner of 2004.
Novosibirsk a Distant View filly out of Nunatak won on her debut today. She is trained in France by Richard Gibson for Daniel Wildenstein and as well as being the second two year winner for our mares this year she became the fourth winner from five runners for her dam Nunatak and all of them have won at two!

August 11th - Snowdrops second at Saratoga.
Snowdrops four run winning streak came to an end at the Spa today in the De La Rose Stakes. Edgar Prado got blocked at the top of the stretch behind a wall of four horses and she just failed to catch the winner at the wire. She ran her usual game race and showed a great turn of foot at the end off a slow pace. Her next starts are either the Ballston Spa Gr.3 at Saratoga or the Noble Damsel Gr.3 at Belmont Park.

July 14th, Kempton Park - first three year winner.
Deep Purple made his debut on the racetrack a winning one tonight when he survived a stewards enquiry to win his maiden by a short head. It looked like solid form with the first two pulling clear and he should come on for the run as he looked very green in the final stages. His dam, Seal Indigo has a Pivotal yearling filly.

June 30th, Catterick - first two year winner.
Oh Dara(USA) won convincingly, making all, winning by four lengths to give us our first two year old winner. She is the second winner out of our mare Sabaah Elfull who has a Formal Gold yearling colt selling at Keeneland in September.

June 20th, Monmouth Park - Snowdrops sets a new course record at Monmouth.
Partnered by Joe Bravo she set a new course record to gain her fourth consecutive victory and her second Stakes in the Politely Stakes. She is now undefeated in four starts since winning the Pago Hop Stakes at Fair Grounds in December.

May 21st, Belmont Park - Snowdrops completes a hat-trick.
Well, she continues to give us the best kind of excitement. Another win, her third in a row. We listened to a live commentary on the NYRE website (why no webcast ?) and she got two mentions. The first when they settled down the back and she was last. The second was a long time coming when she swooped in the last 100 yards to win by a length going away. It's all on the video on the NYRA.com website if anyone wants to watch.

April 21st, Keeneland - Snowdrops is back in the winners circle.
Back from her four month layoff after winning the Pago Hop stakes at Fair Grounds on December 20th 2003 Snowdrops paid a return visit to the Winners Circle at Keeneland today with an easy victory under Edgar Prado in a $64,000 one mile allowance on the turf. The official chart says "unhurried early while manoeuvering in behind foes three or four wide, raced under light restraint, began to advance three furlongs out, moved out six wide for the stretch run, reached the front nearing the final sixteenth and drew well clear under hand urging". Christophe was a little more excited than that. "She exploded in the stretch" is how he put it.

Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, April 13th, 14th and 15th - 100% clearance rate for our stock.
We had a good sale this time. Our top lot was Wildwood Flower's Giant Causeway colt who we sold for Gns140,000 to Anthony Stroud, acting on behalf of Sheik Rashid al Maktoum. Full details on Sales Stock page.
During the Sale our two final foals arrived, both colts, a Lost Soldier out of Cutting Reef and an Arkadian Hero out of Impatiente.

Easter Holidays - a curates egg.
French Flag was nowhere in her second start in the USA at Keeneland on Good Friday. Zerlina the same on Easter Saturday in her first three year old start of the season. (click on their names for more detail). But the good part was that both the mares at Woods Edge that were up for scanning Sabaah Elfull and Roses in the Snow, were in foal on the first covers and Dixie Eyes Blazing had a big strong colt foal by Aljabr on Easter Sunday evening followed up on Easter Monday by Nunatak foaling at colt by Johannesburg at Templeton Stud.

April 7th - Doncaster Breeze Up result.
We sold our Aljabr filly out of Sabaah Elfull for Gns26,000 to Paul Blockley. She looks all over a two year old and he is the right kind of trainer to get the most out of her.

April 4th - Colt for at Templeton Stud.
Billie Holiday had a colt foal at lunchtime today by Kendor.

March 10th - Snowdrops back from her winter break.
Snowdrops returned to Christophe Clement's barn today after a winter break and resumes conditioning for her four year old season. She's a Stakes winner of over $100,000 and we hope that she can sustain her ability and maybe go better with her greater physical and mental maturity. Christophe had an outstanding season in 2003. He was the fourth on the trainers table nationwide for Stakes winners and excelled with horses like Dynever and Voodoo Dancer.

March 7th - Agnes World filly for Wildwood Flower.
A bay filly (pictured on Broodmares page), weighing 116lbs arrived in the early hours of the morning. If all goes well Wildwood Flower will be off to Ireland to visit Cape Cross.

February 27th - a filly by Beat Hollow for Brecon Beacons.
The filly (pictured on Foals & Matings page) arrived at 9.30 pm a bay with a white stripe weighing 108lbs.

February 22nd - a colt foal by Street Cry.
Sabaah Elfull had a colt foal today, one of the first crop of Darley stallion Street Cry. He's a bay with a white star and one white foot behind.

February 17th - Roses In The Snow gives us our first foal of the season in the USA.
She had a filly by Holy Bull. 17 days early but Peter O'Callaghan says that the foal looks well grown.

January 26th - Lyna foals.
An Arkadian Hero colt, with identical markings to his full brother was born at 4o'c this afternoon.

January 10th - First foal of 2004.
Evangeline delivered us our first foal of 2004 at 5am this morning. A bay son of Noverre with a white blaze just like his.

January 5th 2004 - Arkadian Hero returns from New Zealand.
He's back and at Tweenhills Stud. A little sun-bleached from all the time he spent out in his paddock at Paramount Lodge but very well and ready to start his third Northern Hemisphere season.

December 20th 2003 - Snowdrops wins the Pago Hop Stakes.

An early Christmas present for us from Lousiana where Snowdrops won her first Stakes. The Pago Hop Stakes was the feature race on the card at Fair Grounds today and jockey Gerard Malencon said "she broke really sharp, she was all push button". It was a perfect end to her season, which she finishes with figures of 8-3-1-0 and earnings of $111,671.

November 4th - Snowdrops second in Stakes race.
A fast finishing second at Aqueduct tonight, Snowdrops earned herself black type in the Trampoli Stakes. She settled well in mid-division but had to come wide into the stretch and failed to catch the winner by a diminishing three-quarters of a length at the wire.

October 30th - Zerlina wins her maiden by six lengths.
The form of her first run has worked out well and she won her maiden at Lingfield today by six lengths. She was more relaxed in her race this time and showed good speed to go away from the leaders in the straight. Beating, amongst others, the odds-on favourite from Sir Michael Stoute's yard which the "attheraces" TV form pundit James Willoughby said before the race would "have no trouble dealing with this lot".

October 28th - Arkadian Hero to Tweenhills Stud for 2004.
Arkadian Hero will stand at David Redvers' stud in Gloucestershire, where he already stands Fraam and Ishiguru. Terms will be £2,500 October 1st Special Live foal.

Tattersalls October Yearling Sales
No home runs but a solid overall week of trade for our yearlings. They went to good trainers like Ed Dunlop, Clive Brittain, Alec Stewart, Richard Gibson and Terry Mills. We'll keep track of them and will add them to the Horses in Training page when we update it for 2004.

September 22nd - a visit to Belmont Park.
After Kentucky we went to New York for the weekend. The Soho Grand in Soho is a marked contrast to the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, no conventioneers with name-tags ("Hi! I'm Walt") in the lobby for a start. It was the end of New York Fashion Week and the Soho Grand was head to toe Prada. The concierge found us the only limo driver in NY who doesn't know where Belmont Park race track is and sent us to the wrong cinema to see "Seabiscuit".
We did get to Belmont and saw "Snowdrops" at Christophe's barn. He says that she has never looked stronger. We await a plan from him for her next run.

September 14th to 20th - Keeneland September Sales.
Another character building experience. We sold one horse well (the Cherokee Run colt out of Moss) .The Dynaformer colt out of Tass and the Carson City filly out of Roses in the Snow we sold but didn't make any money. We decided to take the Mt. Livermore filly out of Hoedown Honey out of the sale and she's coming back to the UK to sell next year in the Breeze Ups sale. We had to give two away and one died on the day before it was due to come up to Kentucky. Still as Mark Taylor said to us of the two we gave away "the objective is to get them off the payroll". Selling with Taylor Made sales was a very good experience and one we plan to repeat, provided that we have the kind of horse that the American market wants to buy. This time we didn't but we know why and will change our strategy as a result

September 9th - Zerlina and Yarmie make an exciting debut.
Yarmie has always said that Molly (that's what he calls her, amongst some other names) had something special about her and she showed he was right by finishing second on her debut at Leicester in a 7f maiden against colts today. Our best hope for a result beforehand was that she would actually start and she did that alright. It's all down to Yarmie's skill and her ability. Just like Snowdrops, Zerlina didn't get a bid at the sales and we brought her home.

September 8th - The return of Tipu Sultan.
After 325 days and a split pastern Tipu Sultan made his second career start at Newcastle today and went one better than his first start. He started favourite and although we felt he should win what looked a moderate race it was a good result to see him gallop out to the line. Now we wait and see how he comes out of the race.

August 30th - Play That Tune third in the Atalanta Stakes.
The ground was right for her and Play That Tune duly showed her true ability by taking third in the Listed Atalanta Stakes at Sandown Park today. She came to win a furlong out but couldn't quite hold on to the line. Sandown is a stiff mile and there is a chance that she doesn't quite get the mile anyway but todays performance was what we had hoped for and as she is a lightly raced filly the possibility must be that there is more to come.

August 29th - its raining.
Finally.

August 13th - second two year Stakes winner of 2003.
Sgt Pepper the two year old son of Fasliyev out of our mare Amandine (Darshaan) made all to win the Stonehenge Stakes, Listed at Salisbury today on his third lifetime start. A great update for his half brother by Grand Lodge selling in the October Part I yearling sale at Tattersalls.

August 12th - Arkadian Hero in New Zealand.
Arkadian Hero in now in Auckland after a safe flight down and will be going on to Norm Hawthorne's Paramont Lodge Stud as soon as he clears the local quarantine.

July 16th - At last a three year old winner.
Our three year crop has disappointed so far this year with only Snowdrops doing it for them in the USA. OK, the three year old Classic crop is rubbish according to the pundits but we don't operate at those heights so the 3 length running on victory for Bandit Queen in the last at Kempton was very welcome.

July 14th - Bastille Day.
Stage 10 of the Centenary Tour de France. The maillot jaune is worn by an American and the stage is won by a rider from Kazakhstan. Sacre Bleu!

July 12th - Sgt Pepper wins his maiden.
Sgt Pepper (c. by Fasliyev out of Amandine) gave us our third two year winner from four runners this year. He holds an entry for the Gr.2 Gimcrack Stakes and is the fourth winner for the mare who has a yearling colt by Grand Lodge.

July 6th - Two year old Stakes winner.
Firebelly (f. by Nicolotte) out of Desert Delight, already a winner of 2 races, won a Listed race at San Siro to become her dams second SW and our first SW of 2003.

July 2nd - Menfee wins his maiden at Yarmouth.
Wildwood Flower had her third winner from three racing age foals when her two year old Menfee (Linamix) ran out the winner at Yarmouth today. He is our second two year old winner from four runners.

Royal Ascot first day, June 17th - Three Valleys wins the Coventry by 8 lengths.
The pedigree of the Zafonic filly that we pinhooked with three partners at Tattersalls December sale got the biggest possible boost when Three Valleys, the half brother to the dam of our filly, outclassed the field in the Coventry Stakes earning a 20 year high Timeform rating for a two year old of 121p. The filly is entered in Tattersalls October Sale Part I.

June 13th - Firebelly wins again.
On her third start she won again in a novice race at Chepstow under Kieron Fallon. She's tough.

May 17th - first two year old winner of the year.
Firebelly (2001 filly by Nicolotte out of Desert Delight) was a decisive winner, on her first start, at Redcar today for trainer Mark Wallace. She gave us our first 2yo winner of the 2003 season.

May 2nd - Play That Tune wins.
Play That Tune showed signs of fulfilling the promise that she showed last year by winning her maiden today at Newmarket for Henry Cecil.

May 1st - Seal Indigo has a filly by Pivotal.
Our last foal of the season was born at Whatton Manor today. That's fourteen foals in total, eight fillies and six colts.

April 19th - Keeneland, Snowdrops wins again!
Snowdrops returned to Keeneland in fine style on Saturday. On her previous visit to Keeneland she was led out unsold at the 2yo in Training sale last April. It was a different story this time. She won the last race, a $56,00 turf allowance in what was a repeat performance of her maiden special weight win at Gulfstream Park. Ridden again by Mark Guidry the chart says it all " Snowdrops: unhurried early, six wide from backstretch on, driving, clear". Yee Hahhh!

April 15th to 18th - Newmarket Breeze Up Sales and the Craven meeting
We were in Newmarket this week with Amandine's Fasliyev colt to sell in the Tattersalls Breeze Up sale and to see the racing at the Craven meeting. We talked to trainers about some of the horses that we've bred that are in training there and you can see what they had to say on the Runners 2003 page. While we were there a couple of good things happened...
Fasliyev colt sells for Gns60,000.
This colt had done tremendously well from yearling to two year old with Jamie Railton. He had grown into an imposing horse and breezed impressively. There was good deal of interest in him and in the end it was Peter Doyle who signed the ticket on behalf of Richard Hannon with Terry Mills the underbidder.
Nunatak foals a filly.
Nunatak delivered a flashy chesnut filly by Atticus early on the morning of the 16th. She will going up to Kentucky to be covered by 2yo Champion and freshman sire Johannesburg.
Arkadian Hero gets on the Shuttle stallion roster.
Great news for Arkadian Hero! We have agreed a deal with Paramount Lodge Stud in Waikato for Archie to go to New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere season.

April 14th - Black Minaloushe colt.
Cutting Reef had a colt foal by the freshman sire Black Minaloushe today.
- Snowdrops in Kentucky.
No it's not out of the Carter Family songbook, it's the latest news from Christophe Clement. He called today to say she has left Florida and is due to run on Saturday and Mark Guidry is booked.

February 27th - Wilde wins again.
Wilde (1999 g. by Polish Precedent out of Wildwood Flower) won over 7.5f at Nad El Sheba today. This was his second win in succession having been raised 12lbs by the handicapper for his last win. He made all this time from the worst possible draw, 15 of 15.

February 10th - Arkadian Hero foals.
The first foal out of one of our own mares was born on Sunday February 10th. Lyna foaled a bay colt at Templeton Stud Click here for a picture. Templeton already have a colt by Arkadian Hero out of the mare Nashville Blues.

February 6th - Wilde wins at Nad El Sheba.
After threatening to win on a couple of occasions last year and this (see item for January 3rd) Wilde made the winners circle today. The race analysis on the Emirates Racing website says "he enjoyed a perfect run just behind the speed and when he got out at the top of the straight he quickened nicely to suggest there are better races for him before the season is out. Wilde has always shown a fair amount of talent and that was evident here."

February 3rd - Our first foal of the year.
Eye Witness had a filly foal by Golden Gear at Wycombe House Stud.

January 23rd - Snowdrops wins on her first start.

Snowdrop won a maiden special weight at Gulfstream over 1 1/8th miles on firm turf. She was second last coming to the top turn and progressed smoothly under a hand ride from Mark Guidry to win by 1 3/4 lengths going away. A genuine thrill to see her run with such purpose. Christophe Clement said there were some decent fillies in the field, including the third, Lindy Wells by A.P. Indy out of Lunar Wells.
Meanwhile in Dubai, Wilde was second again in a valuable handicap. He was last of 13 coming into the straight and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

2003 We're off and running! January 2nd - Nunatall opens her 2003 account at Santa Anita
Nunatall won a $70,000 allowance for Bobby Frankel and owner Edmond Gann at Santa Anita on the second day of the New Year. This was her first start after finishing in 4th spot in the Gr.1 Garden City Breeders Cup Handicap at Belmont Park on September 8th.

News highlights from 2002 are below

2002 It's a wrap! 64% 2yo winners to runners in 2002.
From 14 yearlings sold last year, 11 have run 7 have won (3 on their first start) and 3 more have been placed.

*October 18th - Tipu Sultan and Selkirk Grace third on their first starts.
Tipu Sultan was an exciting third in Div. 1 of the mile maiden at Newmarket. He has an enormous stride and looks like he'll give us something to look forward to next year. In Div.2 of the race Selkirk Grace, a colt we sold to Ed Dunlop as a yearling last year was also third, after coming with what looked to be a winning run.

*October 14th - Bandit Queen trots up at Ayr.
John Gosden told us after this performance that Frankie Dettori advised that this filly is Stakes class.

*October 12th - another 2yo wins on first start. Dantsu Lilac opens our account for the year in Japan.
Dantsu Lilac (2000 filly by Barathea out of Dixie Eyes Blazing) gave us our third 2yo of the crop to win on her first start over 1200m at Kyoto. She is the second winner from 3 runners for Dixie Eyes Blazing and our 7th 2yo winner from 10 runners so far in 2002. She has a Kris half brother selling at Tattersalls next week.

* October 6th - Huge Gr.1 update in Arkadian Hero's pedigree from Hold That Tiger.
Hold That Tiger came from last to first in the straight mowing down a field of crack European juveniles to win the Grand Criterium at Longchamp today. He is the latest of seven Gr.1 winners in Arkadian Hero's family, who has a pedigree that has more quality in depth than stallions standing at 10 times his 2003 fee of £3,000. Contact John Needham of Elmhurst Bloodstock for a nomination.

*October 2nd - French Flag wins at Maison-Lafitte, Blagovest romps in at Newmarket.
French Flag (2000 Darshaaan filly out of Nunatak) won what by all accounts was a good class maiden for Criquette Head and Mr and Mrs Tracy Farmer at Maison Lafitte on her first start. Blagovest followed up his maiden win with an easy 6 length win in a handicap at Newmarket.

*October 1st - a two year old maiden winner.
Bandit Queen (2000 Desert Prince filly out of Wildwood Flower) came back from a long layoff to win her maiden id good style, quickening away from her field in good style. Connections tell us that they are looking at the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York for her next start.

*September 23rd - maiden winner
Blagovest (1999 Singspiel colt out of Tass) won his maiden by 4 lengths at Kempton today after a long layoff, in good time for the sale of his yearling full sister Lot 430 at Tattersalls October sale.

* September 8th - nearly a Group 1 place.
Nunatall was just run out of 3rd place at Belmont today in the Grade 1 Garden City Breeders Cup Handicap. This was her first appearance in a Grade 1 and she didn't look out of place.

* August 30th - Favola scores for a second time.
Favola won a 5f nursery at Sandown beating Scythian who is a half brother to our mare Lyna.

* August 23rd - fourth two year old winner of the season.
Flake's easy win over a mile under top weight in a claimer was our fourth two year old winner. He is the sixth winner for his dam Impatiente and there is a Marju colt selling at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

* August 20th - first two year old Stakes performer of 2002.
Wahsheeq the Green Desert colt out of Moss was third in the Listed Acomb Stakes at York today on his third lifetime start. He holds entries in the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes, Group 1 Racing Post Trophy and the Gr.2 Mill Reef Stakes. This is the second Stakes Performer for his dam Moss who has a Cherokee Run colt foal and goes to the Keeneland November Sale in foal to Forest Wildcat.

*August 14th - a maiden winner in France.
Danish Gem (1999 f. by Danehill) was Gemaasheh's fourth winner when she won her maiden in France for Richard Gibson. Gemaasheh goes to the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale in November in foal to Stormy Atlantic.

*August 12th - a second win for Betty's Pride.
On her ninth start this season, in a Thirsk handicap, this ultra consistent 5f specialist scored her second win. Favola was third in her nursery debut at Windsor.

*August 2nd - Wahsheeq wins Goodwood maiden.
On his second start Wahsheeq did the job nicely. He has Group 1 entries for later on. Wahsheeq is our third two year old winner of the season so far.

West Lodge Stud Thoroughbreds. Nunatall winning the Lake George Stakes at Saratoga

*July 29th - Nunatall wins her Stakes at Saratoga.
Jorge Chavez put Nunatall's (in the red cap) head in front for trainer Bobby Frankel in the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga, improving on her previous Stakes placed efforts on the West Coast.

*July 13th - another two year old winner.
Favola ran out an easy 6 length winner after making all in a Nottingham maiden and at Chester Man Eater was caught yards from the post after her best run yet over a sharp 5f at Chester.

* July 10th/11th - exciting two year old debuts.
Play That Tune (Zilzal filly out of Military Tune) was second on her debut at Kempton and Wahsheeq (Green Desert colt out of Moss) was third in his first start at Doncaster.

*May 29th - Bandit Queen's Newbury debut.
Bandit Queen (2000 bay filly by Desert Prince out of Wildwood Flower Gns45,000 Tattersalls October yearling to Hugo Lascelles) ran in a 5f maiden at Newbury and put in a very promising performance. She missed the break, travelled well and finished fifth without being put under any pressure by Jimmy Fortune. Looks to us like there could be some ability there.

*May 27th - Stakes performer Duchcov wins at Belmont Park.
On her second run in the US and after an 11 week lay-off since finishing third at Gulfstream Park Duchcov was driven out to win by a head in a classy front running ride by Jerry Bailey. She needed the race said Christophe Clement and we hope to go on to better things from this her fifth lifetime start and her second win. We bred Duchcov in Partnership with Raimon Bloodstock and she is the third foal and third winner out of our mare Amandine.

* April 17th - first 2yo winner
''Dasar' (2000 ch. f. by Catrail) out of Rising of the Moon won first time out for Mel Brittain in a Beverley maiden.

*March 28th - news from Nad El Sheba.
We had two second place finishers at Nad El Sheba today. We don't normally get excited about finishing second (the first of the losers as they say in the US) but these were important because we thought both horses had just disappeared! See details under Wilde and Outlaw on the Runners 2002 page.

*March 17th - Duchcov third on her US debut.
She ran in an allowance race over 9f on the turf on Saturday and we were a little disappointed with the way she seemed to run. Christophe said a couple of things after the race that put it into perspective. Firstly she blew very hard for a long time afterwards. Secondly, it was a fast time (0.6 faster than the previous race the Gr.1 Florida Derby) over a trip, 9f, which is short for her. And finally Edgar Prado did the opposite to what he was told to. He'd just won the Florida Derby on Harlans Holiday so maybe his mind was elsewhere (like Churchill Downs in May).
This was her first run since June of last year, only her fourth lifetime start and she has never been out of the first three.

*January 10th 2002 - Nunatall Stakes placed in US.
Nunatall (gr. filly by Night Shift) out of Nunatak, made her debut run for Bobby Frankel a promising one. She was second in The Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita on January 9th 2002. She is on the work-tab now at Hollywood Park.

The main news from 2001 is summarised below

*Prism wins his Stakes. Prism convincingly won the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York his 4th win of the year. His Timeform Rating is 108.

*Arkadian Hero standing at Longholes Stud Newmarket. £3,000 fee with a Special Bonus of £1,000 to breeders of winning 2 year olds. Lots of interest from breeders, he is the kind of value they are looking for in difficult market conditions. He has great looks, Demi O'Byrne paid $320,000 for him. He was a Group 2 and Listed winner at 2. He won at Group and Listed class over 6 and 7 furlongs and was Group 1 and Group 2 placed at a mile. See him at the Doncaster Stallion Parade in January.
*Breeder's Cup update. Johannesburg, by Hennessy, winner of the BC Juvenile, undefeated in 6 starts is now a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby. His sire Hennessy is out of a half sister to Careless Kitten the dam of Arkadian Hero.

*Group 1 Classic winner. Silvester Lady (Pivotal) out of Gara Yaka won the German Prix De Diana at Mulheim. Her half sister by Lion Cavern, is going to the Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale consigned by Jamie Railton.