21 Aug

YORK, UK -- What a day, or perhaps that should be, oh, what a Night. Fresh from providing the i3m top lot at Arqana on Monday, Night Of Thunder was by Wednesday ruling the Knavesmire, courtesy of his sons Ombudsman and Gewan. In Ombudsman, Godolphin and the Gosdens have the classic late improver, who set about his racing in the middle of last season and burst onto the Group 1 scene in impressive fashion at Royal Ascot. The narrowest of defeats in the Eclipse next time out did little to dent his allure and now the four-year-old colt has added to his r sum the Juddmonte International, the race which last year was judged to be the best in the world. Spend enough time at the sales and you might be fooled into believing that it's all about the money. Perhaps it is for some and,...

19 Aug

Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing entered the market at Arqana on Monday when bidding €625,000 for the Siyouni half-sister to Prix de Malleret scorer Babylone. The filly was bred by Haras Voltaire and sold through Haras d’Etreham. There is plenty of black type on the page, with the dam being a daughter of the Niarchos family’s Prix Marcel Boussac winner Denebola. In turn she is out of the increasingly influential Coup De Genie, a sister to Machiavellian and ancestress of top-flight winners like Bago, Emollient and Maxios. “She’s staying here in France and going to Yann Lerner,” said Billy Jackson-Stops, racing manager to Victorious Racing. “She was a selection between myself, Yann and the boss, Shaikh Nasser. All three of us were very keen on her. We’ve tried on a few today but we’ve been strict on our valuations and didn’t quite get close...

19 Aug

A bit of history was made at Catterick on Monday when Alther Walden became the first Hungarian-bred winner on the Flat in Britain since the Racing Post's comprehensive records begin. George Scott's gelding was second favourite among the four runners for the 1m4f novice but could not have been a more effortless winner as he coasted 14 lengths clear under Liam Wright. Only three imports from the country have even competed on the Flat since 1988. Charlie's Destiny beat only one rival in two starts for Gerry Enright in 1999, while Gringo had won twice over fences ten years earlier. Alther Walden, a son of Study Of Man, was bred by Hungary's Babolna National Stud and has a poignant story. He was part of a project driven by stud manager Zsolt Hegedus, who had planned to offer four Hungarian-bred yearlings at Baden-Baden in a bid to promote his country's bloodstock...

10 Aug

July has been a busy and rewarding month, both in the sales ring and on the racecourse. At the Tattersalls July Horses-in-Training Sale, Billy was delighted to secure three exciting new additions, while a number of past purchases continued to shine with impressive victories. At Tattersalls, we added Ahlain, a 4-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot, who heads to France to join the Chantilly stable of Mario Barratti. Also purchased was Channagide, who will travel to Bahrain to be trained by Fawzi Naas. Joining him there will be Grand Karat, bought on behalf of Victorious Racing, who also goes into Naas’s care. Each of these horses offers plenty of potential, and we’re looking forward to seeing them thrive in their new environments. On the track, July produced a strong run of winners. Front Line Fury, trained by George Scott, picked up a Nursery Handicap at Haydock, showing...

04 Jul

The month began with Kisskodi gaining a deserved victory in a Class 5 0-72 Handicap, confirming his consistency and ability to handle competitive handicaps, he should be able to string a few together now.  Command The Stars was another to impress, stepping forward stylishly to land a Class 4 Novice Stakes, a performance that suggested there is more to come from the classy son of Sea The Stars. Front Line Fury broke his maiden by 4 lengths at Ripon and looked to be a 2-year-old with an exciting future in front of him for George Scott and Victorious Racing. The improving Rogue Millions made his mark in stronger company, taking the Class 4 0-85 Handicap with authority. On the same upward curve, Royal Approval showed his class with a decisive win in a Class 2 0-100 Handicap on the All Weather at Newcastle, underlining his potential to compete...

01 Jun

As spring racing hit full stride, May proved a standout month both on the track and at the sales. Several of our purchases made their presence felt with strong performances, while we also added some exciting new prospects for the future. On the Track Our runners produced a fine run of results throughout May, from tough handicaps to eye-catching maiden victories: Invictus Gold stamped his quality when landing a competitive Class 2 0-100 Handicap at Newmarket, showing real determination in the closing stages and giving a memorable day to local owner Michael Bringlowe. Gallivanted broke his maiden in style for The Galivanters, taking the Class 3 Restricted Maiden at Kempton, a performance that hinted at more to come. Zarakerjack, also owned by The Galivanters gave his owners a memorable 24 hours wiining the day after Gallivanted, he showed a good turn of foot to win a Class...

02 May

April proved to be another rewarding month, with success on the racecourse matched by some exciting new acquisitions from the sales ring. On the Track Our purchases continued to deliver, with several finding the winner’s enclosure: Caballo De Mar enjoyed a fruitful month, landing both the Class 4 Handicap over 1m6f at Southwell and stepping up to claim the Class 2 Handicap over 2m at the same track, he looks a hugely exciting and progressive horse for the rest of the season. Rogue Bullet opened his account with victory in the Class 5 Restricted Novice at Brighton having been placed very cleverly by his trainer Jack Jones. Rogue Impact made a strong impression when taking the Class 5 Maiden Stakes at Lingfield, the colt by Study Of Man was purchased from the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in 2023 for 70,000gns. He’s another horse who looks as though...

31 Mar

March marks the end of another long winter and another thrilling Cheltenham Festival. Now that the hedge-hoppers are out of the way, all eyes turn back to flat racing. The month began with attention at JS Bloodstock shifting once again to the Middle East—specifically to Meydan, where West Acre was making his third start in the desert. This time, he stepped back to Group 3 company after breaking the track record in the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint in January. He duly won again, though he had to dig deeper this time, reeling in the lightning-fast Pontus, who had stolen a few lengths early and looked poised for an upset. But West Acre, sent off as the 4/7 favourite, ground down his rival to win by three-quarters of a length. Next up: the Group 1 Al Quoz, where he’ll take on the best from Europe, the...

28 Feb

February marks the beginning of a new covering season, and Starfield Stud has proudly unveiled its latest stallion, Aesop’s Fables. The five-year-old son of No Nay Never, trained by Aidan O’Brien, showcased his talent early by winning the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at The Curragh as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old, he placed in the prestigious Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp before competing at Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup meeting, where he finished a commendable third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Aesop’s Fables concluded his racing career at four with a victory in the Listed Sole Power Stakes, followed by multiple Group race appearances before retiring to stud. His transition to stallion duties was brokered by JS Bloodstock, and he has garnered high praise during the Stallion Trails. With strong interest from breeders, his book is filling up rapidly for the...

31 Jan

As the new year begins, the thoroughbred industry shifts its focus to Australia’s northeast coast, where the prestigious Magic Millions Yearling Sale takes center stage for the first two weeks of January. Widely regarded as the leading yearling sale in the Southern Hemisphere, this year’s event reflected a market still adjusting to post-COVID economic pressures. Australia’s racing industry has plateaued due to interest rate rises, and 2025 saw a slight decline compared to 2024. The clearance rate dropped to 83%, down from 87% the previous year, while the median sale price decreased by just over $6,000 AUD to $269,363 from $275,675. Middle East Racing Heats Up Closer to home than Australia, the Middle East’s racing scene intensifies in January with lucrative prize funds attracting top international contenders. Trainer George Scott has capitalized on the growing opportunities in Bahrain and Dubai, where his string of runners continues to...