It’s been a very busy month since our last newsletter with much going on in the Highclere events division! The National Hunt Parade here at West Woodhay was a great success with the horses parading themselves beautifully under clear blue skies. It was fabulous to see so many attending and it was also fascinating to hear from the trainers who were seeing the horses for the first time since their summer holidays as to their prospects. I must say all looked in tip top condition and if they manage to stay sound then we can look forward to a very exciting season ahead. Our three new recruits Beau Balko (Paul Nicholls), Global Focus (Philip Hobbs) and Mount Tempest (Dan Skelton) are a cracking trio each with a limited number of shares still available. I would thoroughly recommend that you take a close look as they tick all the boxes for the winter game!

*New addition, Beau Balko at the National Hunt Parade*

There was massive excitement at Newbury as Hectic, trained by Richard Hannon, won on debut. He was mighty impressive and looks to be a very smart racehorse in the making. He might run next at York in the Acomb Stakes (Gr 3) which we won last year with Royal Patronage and the year before Spycatcher was caught in the shadow of the post finishing second. York promises to be a busy meeting for us on the two year old front with Revision (Kevin Ryan) lining up in the very valuable Goffs Premier Yearling Sales race worth £180,000. Meanwhile for the Royal Ascot Racing Club Piccadilly Circus (William Haggas) might run in the country’s richest two year old conditions race the Convivial worth £80,000! He ran an eye catching third on debut at Ascot recently and the trainer is very sweet on him. One to follow!

*Hectic storming to victory on debut at Newbury*

The two year olds are limbering up and we hope to introduce some exciting prospects over the next few weeks. Vermilion trained by Andrew Balding ran an eye catching race at Salisbury on her debut to finish third and she is certainly one to watch going forward.

*Some of Royal Patronage’s owners in the parade ring at Belmont ahead of the Belmont Derby (Gr 1)*

Royal Patronage gave his owners a huge thrill in the $1,000,000 Belmont Derby (Gr 1) when finishing a close up 5th and he now heads this coming weekend to the Saratoga Derby also worth $1,000,000! Graham Motion trains him in the US and he couldn’t be happier with him since he ran in New York and jockey of the moment, Joel Rosario, rides. Do tune in on Saturday evening at 11:20pm on SKY 415 and cheer him on!!

*Owners enjoying the wonderful weather and company at our annual Goodwood Picnic*

We didn’t have much action this year at Glorious Goodwood but we did have a fun picnic in our traditional spot on Sussex Stakes Day. It was so good to see so many of you there and what a days racing followed as Baeed, the best racehorse in the world, won in the style of a horse that only comes along very rarely. It will be fascinating to see him step up in trip to a mile and a quarter in the International at York. Unbeaten in nine races and with just two more to come before stud duties beckon it’s a must to head to York if you can to see him as he is surely the best we have seen since the mighty Frankel!

Our new syndicates to race next year will be appearing on your doorstep in about three weeks time. There is always a huge debate in the office as to their structure but having completed the list we all couldn’t be more excited with the final line up. Not long to wait until the big reveal!!

Rolf's Ramblings

“One of the best parts of all our varied jobs at Highclere is getting to know our share owners so well and of course, over time, they become great friends as the racehorse owner’s path twists and turns. David and Leila Sewell were one such couple. Leila, so redoubtable, as they fought together against her long illness until her death earlier in the year. As David watched Cachet cross the line in the Guineas it was a bitter-sweet moment; the person he wanted to share this greatest experience with, his wife of over fifty years, was no longer by his side, cheering their filly on. I asked Rolf if he would write an appropriate piece on Leila for this newsletter and so together with David this is Leila’s story.” - Harry Herbert

*William Haggas and Leila Sewell with Mam’selle in 2017*

David and Leila Sewell began their lives with what people from the banks of the River Tyne will tell you is an unfair advantage. They were born Geordies.

“Yes, Leila was a true Geordie,” said David. “She was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in February 1940 within the city walls. We met in 1962 and she spent her life reminding me that I came into this world outside those walls, in 1943, in Wallsend upon Tyne.”

In my experience you take Geordies as you find them: confident individuals blessed with strong personalities – they chat with strangers like they were old friends.

“You are absolutely right,” David confirmed. “Our Geordie roots played a significant part in our lives; it was who we were...as Leila's casket was taken from church on the 28th of June the organist played the Blaydon Races.

“In 1998 when Newcastle played Arsenal in the Cup Final we were there, Leila with her black and white flag - which stands in our hallway. The words ‘confident’ ‘strong personality’ sum up Leila to perfection – much more of a social person than I am.

“Leila had the passion for our horses; my input was that of ‘supporter’ ensuring she was able to access all the information - all the videos from HTR for instance, attend the yearling parades, checking the breeding of those horses she was interested in, examining the prices when she wanted to buy shares, sorting out the funding.”

David is, as ever, being modest. What a team they made – and at the risk of embarrassing the ‘supporter’ he and Leila were archetypal Highclere owners – involved, quizzical, ultimately devoted to their horses and to racing.

“All Leila's horses were bought by herself - she obviously had an incredible eye. We had twenty-eight jump winners in her name and forty-four winners with Highclere, to date.

Pepe Simo winning at Newton Abbot under Ryan Mahon in 2011

“Perhaps our best HTR jumper was Pepe Simo who is now looked after by one of our four daughters, Helen. Dan Skelton said of Pepe, ‘He was the most intelligent horse I’ve had anything to do with’. Herons Heir, Whatduhavtoget, Danse Idol and Ballywood were all very good winners too.

“And we had four decent ones in Leila’s name, first with Tim Brookshaw and when he died, with the Rimells, Mercy and Fred. Leila picked out Celtic Chief from three brought over from Ireland by Michael Purcell. He hadn’t even been on a gallops. He has to be the best.”

“Sir Peter O’Sullevan said to Leila at Sandown: ‘I’ve never seen a horse come up the Sandown hill as strongly as Celtic Chief’. For that ‘Chief’ was made favourite for the Champion Hurdle.”

The late Mercy Rimell related in her book ‘Reflections on Racing’ how she started Celtic Chief off in the lowest possible company, at Newton Abbot: “He belonged to a man, not a gambling owner, but who did like to have one decent bet on the horse the first time he was fancied”.

David responded: “The Newton Abbot story is correct. I wagered £100 at 9/4 our horse won by I think 12 lengths.”

He wouldn’t have got those odds if anyone had foreseen that Celtic Chief would be placed in two Champion Hurdles (1987-8) and win many top races such as the Gerry Feilden at Newbury and Aintree’s Sandeman Hurdle. Mercy Rimell quoted her four-time Grand National winning husband Fred as saying: “She tells me what races each horse has got and I just get ‘em ready. The hardest thing about training horses is to train your owners.”

There are obvious parallels with the Sewells – strong minded matriarchs, obliging partners, experts in their fields who needed little tutelage. David is happy to claim credit as the one who suggested they visited HTR yearling parade a dozen years ago.

“The simple truth is Leila was immediately very comfortable, in the social sense, with Harry and everybody involved. We had our Highclere flat favourites – Cachet of course but she is only in third place because due to Leila's deteriorating health we did not have the thrill of racecourse involvement with her.

Purcell storming to victory at Lingfield in 2014 under Oisin Murphy

“Purcell kept winning at Lingfield for the John Porter syndicate and above all there was Gusto with his big white face. He ticked all the boxes. He signed off for stud in India where I believe he is doing very well. Leila thought the world of Richard Hannon Senior [the Sewells were not alone there] who trained Gusto so well.

“Purcell was trained by Andrew Balding. Leila was always keen to have one with Andrew and Anna Lisa - as simple as that. We visited the lovely yard at Kingsclere many times; we were never ‘in the way’. The Baldings were wonderful. We always said, “It's people not places.”

David Sewell and Gusto on a stable visit in 2013

David and Leila embodied all that Highclere stands for. Together they crossed and recrossed the globe together - Kuwait, Houston-Texas, Tokyo, Australia and South America – in their business lives and, after retirement, as voyagers; constant supporters of Highclere Racing.

“Leila had a gift of drawing oil and gas industry people to her.....her energy to get things done knew no bounds. At dinner I had to correct (brave man) Mercy when she referred to me as Celtic Chief’s owner, ‘an oil engineer working on North Sea rigs’.

“‘The owner of Celtic Chief was Leila Sewell,’ I thundered! Furthermore I was the Managing Director of an International Oil Company: I never worked on oil rigs! Mercy was mortified, she apologised for years afterwards. I was not really bothered but Leila insisted on putting her right.”

This line of conversation prompted multiple exclamation marks from David. Neither the Sewells nor the forthright Rimells were duos to be trifled with.

“I retired in 1997. Our ambition with racing ownership was to give us an outlet, a hobby away from oil and gas. Leila loved being in the winner’s enclosure. We often discussed owner’s prize money in depth. Our objective was not to make racing produce a profit; our dream was to possibly break even.

“On one occasion I couldn’t get badges for American house guests to see Celtic Chief running at Newbury. Leila asked the buffer in charge if he would say ‘No’ to Tom Jones if he asked for two extra badges? The man wanted to know who Tom Jones was? The relevance of this little tale is that Highclere are outstanding in ensuring that racecourses have become more accommodating. They’ve upgraded the whole racecourse experience.

Cachet, after winning the Qipco 1000 Guineas (Group 1), with George Boughey (right)

“Leila did meet Cachet before she had raced, at George Boughey’s Newmarket yard. As we drove home Leila confided that Cachet was lovely in every way and George Boughey likewise.

“What a judge she was.”

On The Track - July 22

By Frances Howard

Atrium returned to Ascot last month for a very competitive handicap and ran another solid race. He was a bit unlucky and remains on the same mark so he is one to look out for next time, when hopefully we’ll have some easier ground for him. Digital ran with great credit at Glorious Goodwood last week in a warm 6f handicap. Another good performance from this consistent sprinter who will hopefully run at York’s Ebor meeting.

Eximious has developed into a very important looking filly physically and her work at home has been very good. She makes her 2yo debut at Newmarket this evening and fingers crossed that she can give her share owners a big shout. Fragrance is a very tough and consistent two-year-old filly trained by the Johnstons. She ran another credible race finishing second to an improving horse of Alice Haynes’ at Chelmsford last month. She has been a fun horse for her syndicate so far running 6 times no less, and everything suggests that there is more to come.

*Hectic with some of his share owners after winning on debut at Newbury*

Hectic was an emphatic winner on debut at Newbury last month in a very hot 6f novice. He was the ultimate professional that day - he broke smartly from the stalls straight into the lead, travelled powerfully through the race and was never headed! He looks a very exciting colt and a confident Hannon team plan to send him to the G3 Acomb Stakes at York’s Ebor festival in two weeks time.

Hebrides won very well at Doncaster last time out, impressing his trainer, who feels Listed company may not be far away! We are very excited to see how far this improving 3yo can go. He was bought as a breeze up last year and has won 3 times already this season.

*Hebrides on his way to winning his 3rd race of the season under a cool ride by Richard Kingscote*

Lysander has been given an easy time of things after his run at Royal Ascot, where his jockey is adamant that he didn’t quite see out the mile and a half. He takes his shareowners to Deauville Sunday week for the Prix Nureyev (Listed) and this exciting 3yo who has been brought along slowly by his trainer, William Haggas, is expected to put up a bold show dropped back to 10f.

Schumann made an encouraging start at Sandown yesterday evening in a very competitive mile novice – a trip which is probably half a mile short of his optimum. According to his trainer, who has been seeing many more traits from the Harbinger side of his pedigree opposed to his sprinting sire, he will really come into his own next year when tackling staying trips.

Vermilion made a highly encouraging debut at Salisbury last week where she was beaten only by her inexperience. She was far greener than expected but ran a race full of promise considering, only being beaten 1 ¼ lengths by some nice and more experienced fillies. Trainer Andrew Balding reports her to have come well out of her race and expects her to be hard to beat next time.

All eyes over in the States on Saturday night where Royal Patronage runs in the Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) worth $1,000,000 at 11.20pm BST. Be sure not to miss it!

Where are they now? - Civilian

Civilian retired from racing in November 2021 and headed to Wales to be retrained. Dylan, as he is now known, lives with Emma who adores him. She has a few log cabins/shepherds huts that she rents out for holidays and Dylan’s paddock is next door so he has constant fuss and attention from holiday makers which he loves.