Just looked through it. Really good. Golden Horn and Dubawi looked magnificent. Helmet looked a real beast. So many Australian stallions. It has changed so much since I was last there in 1994!!
BULLET TRAIN has his first European runner entered at Sandown on Saturday - SIR NIGEL GRESLEY is trained by Alan King.
Very clever name! For those who don't do train spotting stuff, Sir Nigel Gresley designed Flying Scotsman and Mallard (probably the "bullet trains" of their time)
Decent effort first time of asking that. That form should stack up well throughout the season/next year.
Hi PN, have been reading today about race goers at Newmarket with cameras were being refused entry and that lots of courses have now banned amateur photographers. Can you confirm whether this is the case and shed any light on what seems on the face of it to be a utter ridiculous decision?
Apologies for butting in on PMQs (Princess’ Majestic Questions), but who was playing the ‘Newmarket Nights’ concert? They may have been the reason for a ban on cameras. They are not bothered about people using cell phones taking pictures as they are invariably poor quality but quality image rights are worth something. Normally at Newmarket there is a note in the racecard about photography and not encroaching on the areas used by the official photographers and how photos may not be used for publication. As an amateur photographer, I have found over the last decade or so that the top racecourses have become less welcoming, partly because there are so many professionals now on the big days (although one has to wonder how many markets there can be for ostensibly the same photo as they all stand at the winning post). It used to be possible to get a photography accreditation at some tracks like Newmarket and Sandown by writing and asking a couple of weeks beforehand. I did have some trouble at York a long time ago when one of the official photographers complained about me to the clerk of the course purely out of spite.
No one of real note last night - Busted! We took a DSLR into Newmarket last year when Kylie was playing without a problem.
Cream of Normandie crop to be offered at sales BY ZOE VICARAGE 10:31AM 23 JUL 2016 BUYERS will be able to get their hands on blue-blooded yearlings from the prestigious Normandie Stud for the first time in years as owner Philippa Cooper has decided to downsize her operation to rationalise numbers. The last time yearlings from the West Sussex nursery went under the hammer was in 2006 when a draft of six included future Irish St Leger winner Duncan, who was retained at 100,000gns, and Lancashire Oaks third Queen Of Naples, who sold to John Ferguson for 190,000gns. Cooper has selected the cream of her yearling crop to go on offer at Tattersalls in October, despite admitting bad memories of ten years ago had made the decision a difficult one. She said: "It's a difficult thing - having Duncan rejected in 2006 put me off greatly. I'm selling desirable yearlings and hopefully people will like them. It's a case of needs must as I'm trying to bring some money in." The Normandie Stud yearling draft will be prepped and consigned by Norris Bloodstock. Cooper added: "They do such a good job. The yearlings are heading off next week, which will help me as it won't be as painful letting them go." The four heading to Book 1 are a Dubawi colt out of Coronation Stakes heroine Fallen For You, a New Approach half-brother to Fallen For You, a Shamardal colt out of the New Approach mare Deborah and an Intello colt out of the Listed-winning Zafonic mare Soft Centre. Cooper has selected horses who are perhaps more forward than some types she is known for racing herself. She said: "I'm very careful with the ones I sell now and the ones I'm taking to the sales are the ones who aren't going to take forever. "That was why I stopped selling - maybe I didn't prepare them well enough or they were too backward and I expected people to see through that and imagine what they were going to be like. "I'm selling the best, there's no question of that. I'm actually leaving myself with the ones who aren't saleable, in a sense. I've got two Dalakhanis and they're from Duncan's staying family - they're not commercial enough. "I'm expecting maybe to have to bring some back. I don't want to but if it happens, it happens." Cooper is also offering another three lots at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The stellar Normandie Stud broodmare band that is home to the likes of Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina and Fallen For You will also be trimmed down, with ten of Cooper's mares destined for auction. Among those set to be offered for sale this winter include the dual-winning Exceed And Excel mare Close At Hand, who is in foal to Lope De Vega, Tutti Frutti, a Teofilo three-parts sister to Sultanina in foal to Lawman, and Ethel, a close relation to Duncan's dam Dolores, who is in foal to Nathaniel. They will be consigned by Normandie Stud, as Cooper believes it will give small breeders the chance to talk to her about the families and the matings that have been made previously. Cooper said: "I've got far too many mares and have got myself in a bit of a pickle, really. "I have 31 and I need to get down to about 18 or 20, so I'm going to sell at least ten. "Selling the mares will be unbearable, especially as they've all been born on the stud, and I'm just so worried where they're going to end up." Cooper said the thought of selling has weighed heavily on her mind and she added: "Since the beginning of the year I've been dreading it. "I know for my team at Normandie they want me to do this and if I don't it's going to ruin the whole stud." Cooper's pink and white silks have become a familiar sight on the racecourse and they have been carried with distinction in 2016 by Pivotal filly Loving Things, winner of the Listed Pontefract Castle Stakes and a close third in the Lancashire Oaks this month.
Dalakhani has been retired from stud duties at the age of 16. He was withdrawn from covering for the 2016 season in April due to an undisclosed veterinary condition. He will remain at the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval in France in retirement alongside fellow retiree Linamix who is 29.
One for the pedigree buffs out there, whilst looking something up in the Return of Mares today I spotted that Rabbah Bloodstock sent their mare DUBIAN TO to Frankel last year. Dubian To is a daughter of Sea the Stars, a half-brother to Frankel's sire Galileo. This means the resulting foal (no confirmation yet whether there is a produce) will be inbred to Urban Sea 3x3. Or to put it in human terms, Urban Sea is the foal's great-grandmother on both sides as her dad got his cousin pregnant - very Jeremy Kyle!
Danehill is inbred 3 X 3 to Natalma (Northern Dancer's dam) so it happens a bit. Harzand's great grand-dam Hazy Idea was inbred 3 X 3 to Netherton Maid (2nd Oaks). I suppose it is going to happen with families that are good running families but also good sire families, which Natalma and Urban Sea families definitely are.. Suppose with dominant Northern Dancer families you may need to look for it more.
I was lucky enough to spend a few hours at Juddmonte this afternoon and managed to take a few photos of some of the stallions. Frankel please log in to view this image
