SEPTEMBER 2023
Chic Colombine wins the £100,000 2YO Fillies’ Series Final at Goodwood
By Harry Herbert
The Goffs Orby sale has come and gone and much to our delight and amazement we secured five absolute corkers! Shares in all five have been selling very well and at the time of writing we only have a few left in the Invincible Spirit filly so do take a good look at her as she is simply gorgeous! She is a full sister to a listed winner and her incredible sire continues to produce top class speed horses. She will be trained by Simon and Ed Crisford who have had an amazing season - most recently winning the Middle Park (Gr 1) with the unbeaten Vandeek and the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr 2) with Poker Face on the same day last weekend. This Invincible Spirit filly is very mature but also has enough size and scope to train on at three.
We are now in Newmarket for the Book 1 and Book 2 sales and having completed the looking for Book 1 this week Jake and I could not be more excited about the horses but whether this sale will reflect a weaker market in Ireland is I suspect unlikely but you never know! Lovely horses always fall through the net and into our range and we will be ready to swoop in and hopefully buy them. At least we have some firepower with yearlings still to buy for the Kingfisher and the Swift syndicates as well as others.
I can’t wait to show off the new yearlings at our parades but in the meantime look out for the next wave of purchase emails from the sales!
With my best wishes,
Harry Herbert, Chairman
On The Track
By Emily Scott
Chic Colombine has been a superstar this month, winning three races in quick succession to take her tally to four wins from six starts. She was given an opening mark of 74 after three quick runs earlier in the summer and, although she did manage to win on her third start, she still looked a little weak off the bridle, so it was decided that she should have a month out of training. She came back into a training looking much stronger and her training reflected that, so we were hopeful that she would make 74 look lenient on her first start in handicap company. Thankfully she did just that, winning a 0-75 nursery at Haydock by a wide margin under a very confident William Buick. She was backed up in a £50,000 nursery the following week at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, where the 6.5f distance was a bit short for her, but she still pulled it out of the bag, getting up to win by half a length.
Chic Colombine winning on handicap debut at Haydock
Chic Colombine gets up to win the following week at Doncaster
After two more wins in the bag Chic Colombine was raised to 87 and this left George scouting out for more opportunities in nursery handicaps where the prize money on offer is substantial. The Restricted Series Final, worth £100,000, was at Goodwood, a track George wasn’t sure would suit Chic who stays the 7f very well. She showed her versatility by not only handling the track, but also the Soft ground to win with the front pair pulling four lengths clear of the third. This was a very gutsy and classy performance from a filly who looks bound for bigger and better things. The handicapper agrees and has now raised her to 95, so black type races beckon! She is now the highest rated progeny of her sire Seahenge, a son of Scat Daddy who stands at stud in France.
Chic Colombine pricks her ear as she cruises past the line in front at Goodwood
Also racing at the St Leger meeting at Doncaster was Spycatcher who finished third in the Park Stakes (Gr 2), where the 7f on holding ground probably stretched his stamina. He has come out of the race in good shape and will have another crack at a Group 1 when he runs in the Champions Sprint at Ascot on Champions Day.
It was a combination of ecstasy and agony as Believing ran the race of her career to finish an incredibly close third in the Haydock Sprint Cup (Gr 1) under a great ride from Jason Hart. She broke well and showed bundles of speed to race up with the pace, but annoyingly the action was happening on the far side rail with Regional and Shouldvebeenaring just edging ahead of Believing at the finish. This was a hell of a result for her owners who were rewarded for supplementing her for the race and the Group 1 placing will significantly enhance her value. Still just a 3yo, the plan will be to race her on next year as a 4yo.
Believing (far side) is narrowly denied in the Haydock Sprint Cup
We had a crack at the Goffs Million with both of our eligible horses, Western and Pianoforte. Both horses are still maidens, but had shown plenty of promise in two starts. Western was placed at Ascot after a slightly rushed preparation and unfortunately got a bit lit up at the Curragh, where he over-raced and then didn’t get home. Pianoforte, who was second at Newcastle last time, was sharply into stride and raced up with the pace for much of the race. With a furlong to run he still had every chance, but the 7f on Soft ground stretched his stamina and he faded to eighth. This still earned him €24,000 in prize money, so well worth the trip! Harry and Jake managed to buy five yearlings from the Goffs Orby Sale last week and so hopefully we can have another go next year with one or more of those smashing purchases!
Gustavo Sanson, who travelled from Venezuela to see Western run!
Western after arriving at the Curragh
Vermilion is congratulated by her owners at Kempton
We’ve had some exciting action on the all-weather this month with a welcome return to action for Vermilion, who finished third in a 7f fillies’ handicap at Kempton after nearly a year off the track. She was a winner on her third start as a two-year-old and has endured various frustrating set-backs this season, so it was great to see her back in action showing all her old enthusiasm. She could run again at Newmarket this weekend. At Lingfield it was Indemnity who made his long awaited debut in a 1m2f Novice. He was backed into favouritism and came with an eye catching run only to be denied half a length by the far more experienced filly, It’s Marvellous. No doubt he would have the upper hand next time if they were to meet again.
We raced two very smart two-year-olds at Newmarket last weekend and although they didn’t manage to finish placed, they both ran with credit and remain full of potential for the future. Soprano was having her first start in Group 1 company having been placed in four stakes races. She suffered from the widest draw, which meant she was miles away from the action on the far side where all the pace was and even though she ran on up the hill she was never close enough to challenge. She will now be put away for the winter and we can dream about next year with her. Defiance, who won on debut at Sandown, was pitched in at the deep end in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Gr 2). He showed his lack of experience by slightly over-racing in the early part of the race and he paid the price for this by fading slightly inside the final furlong to finish sixth. However, the way he quickened into the race passing the bushes was seriously exciting and the sign of good horse! He may well run again this season, but I’m sure will be at his best over middle distances next season.
DEFIANCE (2yo b c - Camelot ex Alouja)
SOPRANO (2yo ch f - Starspangledbanner ex Lealas Daughter)
Durston is crowned NSW Stayer Of The Year!
Tony Fleiter and Luke Borthwick accept the award
Durston was deservedly crowned New South Wales Stayer Of The Year following three victories last year, in a season which was cut short by a recurrence of an old tendon injury. His first win came in the Wyong Gold Cup (Listed) over 2100m and he followed that up two weeks later with a seriously impressive display in the Newcastle Gold Cup (Gr 3) over 2300m. He later made history for Highclere by winning the $5,000,000 Caufield Cup (Gr 1), beating the subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip. He is now back in training with an autumn campaign in mind.
Durston winning the G3 Newcastle Cup (Sept 2022)
A Day At The Yearling Sales
By Harry Cornell
I feel extremely lucky to be shadowing the Highclere team again this year for the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale as they look to buy the next talented crop of horses to adorn the famous pale blue silks. Jake, John and Harry’s success at this sale is absolutely no secret, however, it's only by observing them working behind the scenes that I truly could begin to understand the sheer scale of work and attention to detail involved in ensuring Highclere are buying the most talented prospects, at the best prices, for their upcoming syndicates; and just how Highclere manage to maintain their success of yearling purchases year-on-year.
This sale itself, the most premier in Europe, will see more than 2,000 thoroughbreds pass through its ring over the course of three weeks and the Highclere team will split into teams to visit hundreds of them each day. Consequently, each lot can only be presented for a couple of minutes before having to move on and yet, within that time, copious amounts of analysis and consideration have just taken place. Variables such as their: hock, action, gait, depth, stamp, head-carriage, pastern, gaskin or outlook to name a few, are instantly noted.
Then, at 8 O’clock the following morning, the team get together to discuss what goes "on" and what comes "off" the list. Some horses are then seen again before a shortlist is created and lot-by-lot, seen again and again, until the horses are whittled down to a final shortlist to go into battle with. By the time a Highclere horse has been bought it has likely been visited at least 4 times, had its pedigree scrutinised, been vetted the night before, assigned a budget and probably had a prayer or two directed towards it as it passes through the ring!
Some of my highlight lots that we have seen include:
Lot 151: a son of the first season sire Ghaiyyath from the family of Magical. He is a half-brother to last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road.
Lot 216: a Wootton Bassett half-sister to Australian multiple Group 1 winner Zoustar (sire of Highclere’s very own Pastiche).
Lot 275: a Kingman half-brother to Highclere’s talented filly Chartreuse. He is a gorgeous dark bay colt with a lovely overall shape and outlook.
Lot 151 - Ghaiyyath ex Tickled Pink
Whilst I’m still struggling to get my head around what a horse’s “top-line” is; one thing for sure is Highclere are sure to leave with some absolute “Belters”, “Stonkers” and “Humdingers”!
John, Jake, Harry and Emily inspecting Barton Stud’s draft
Harry keeping an eye on the board as one goes through the ring
Clodagh’s Recipe
French Onion Soup With Gruyere Toasts
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
100g butter
8 white onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano, fresh thyme or rosemary
900ml good quality beef broth
For the Gruyere Toasts
4 slices of sourdough bread
100g gruyere cheese, grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
1. Place a heavy bottomed saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, turn down the heat to low and stir in the onions. Cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes - until soft.
2. Next stir in the brown sugar and garlic and let the onions brown uncovered and slightly caramelize, stirring every few minutes until they become a deep golden colour. Stir in a teaspoon of the dried oregano, fresh thyme or rosemary. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Pour in the beef broth and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes.
4. To make the Gruyere toasts sprinkle the gruyere cheese on top of the slices of sourdough bread and pop under a grill to melt.
5. Serve the onion soup in heated bowls and place the Gruyere toasts on top.
Where are they now?
CLONDAW ANCHOR
Clondaw Anchor was a nice jumper with Dan Skelton whose career was unfortunately cut short due to injury. He went to a good friend of Frances’ in North Yorkshire where he had 6 months turned out followed by several weeks leading Frances’ godson round the roads. He has since had two successful seasons point-to-pointing and hunting and is a much loved family pet!
Taittinger Moment
MARK KERSHAW
This month’s Taittinger Moment has been awarded to Mark Kershaw who celebrated his 70th Birthday this month! AKA ‘Captain’, Mark has been part of the Highclere team for 15 years and there is no better man to host a social event, whether it be a picnic at Royal Ascot (pictured) or a course walk at Epsom. His racing knowledge is extensive after a long career managing racecourses and his warm, good-humoured nature instantly puts Highclere owners at ease.
Out and about with the Highclere camera
