The Royal Stud 2021

[Bustino74]

The Queen opened her seasonal score with a win at Chelmsford yesterday. Trained by Hannon, the 3yo Sergeant Major is no star and may well be sold soon: but it's a start.
Usually by this time in March one would expect to know more about her plans for 2021 but very few of her 2yos have been placed with trainers so far according to the BHA site.
What is known is that most of her 3yo colts have been gelded. Balding has said Tactical's (still entire) first race will be the Greenham, but there's no entry for the 2000G, which isn't surprising. There are no entries in the Guineas but surprisingly there are entries for the French classics. Gosden's Wakening is entered for the French 1000G, while she plus Haggas's Companionship have entries for the Prix de Diane. Haggas has had a real skill in entering Royal 3yos in classics in the last 3-4 years often resulting in disappointments. I'm sure it's not his fault, but let's hope he's luckier this year (last year's big hope was Award Scheme, who initially disappointed but did eventually get two victories and some placed black type).
I'm expecting Horses in Training to drop through the letter box next week, so more news then.

 

[Sir Barney Chuckles]

Her Encourage would actually be my horse to follow on the Flat for 2021. Still a maiden but I think this horse has got so much scope and room for improvement. He’s with Roger Charlton.

I can’t wait to see this one over middle distances and given who owns him would have to say that he looks tailormade for the King George V Handicap (yard have won this twice including as recently as ’17). Currently rated 78 I firmly believe, that wherever he goes, this could become 3 figures by the end of the season.

 

[Bustino74]

Thanks Sir Barney. Yes he was a nearly 2yo last year. I felt that he should have won his last race at Nottingham and very soon after that race he was gelded. Difficult to say what his distance will be being by Iffraaj out of a Cape Cross mare (Good Hope). She won over 10f but her first foal by Shamardal, Youthful, won twice over 7-8f. It wouldn't surprise me if Encourage is better than Youthful and may stay a bit further. Just think 12f may be a bit far, but we'll see.
Good Hope is now one of only 2 Feola (the Aureole, Highclere and Nashwan family) mares left in the Royal Stud, so she's very important in that respect. Unfortunately she has no 2yo this year but has a yearling filly by Cable Bay. The feola family continues to thrive but in the Shadwell sheds.

 

[Bustino74]

Horses in Training duly arrived and it’s getting harder to justify purchasing this tome. Too many horses are not named and too many trainers provide less and less information (the main culprit being Gosden who doesn’t supply his 2yos).

Anyway, this is a thread about the Royal Stud and the horses owned by the Queen. This year she has 52 horses listed as in training on the flat and this compares with 65 last year. She has only one older horse that being Balding’s Kings Lynn, who has now been gelded. The surprise here is the disappearance of Royal Ascot 2nd New Receiver who was gelded last season but never ran again. She has 26 3yosof which 10 have been gelded. Of the two remaining colts, Tactical and Sergeant Major, the latter is entered for sale this month anyway (along with 3 others). The strength in numbers is the 3yo fillies, and several of these are unraced. She has 25 2yos, 18 of which are placed with trainers (the rest yet to be placed).

In years past Stoute always seemed the main trainer, but this year has only 6 horses, 2 of which are 2yos. The cream (I hope) of the crop seem to have been sent to Haggas (10) and Gosden (8), who have 5 and 4 2yos respectively. Bell has 8 Royal inmates but generally has received the second-tier horses, significantly he has only had two 2yos so far placed with him. The trainer on the up is unsurprisingly Balding. He has 6 placed with him so far, with 2 2yos.That Tack, a half-brother to Tactical, went to him was expected but that the Dubawi filly Imminent (a full-sister to the useful Diploma) is more surprising.

Of the 25 2yos 21 appear to have been bred at the Royal Stud. Of the other 4 then two seem to be from Darley, one a New Approach colt (Park Street) and the other an Invincible Spirit filly (Saga) who traces back to Petite Etoile. More on all the 2yos later.


For now Bell has an Iffraaj 3yo filly entered on Thursday. She is unraced and called Closeness, well-named being a daughter of Pack Together. This is her 2nd foal after a disappointing Dark Angel filly, but she was a fair 2yo winning first time out and then getting some black type as a 3yo (though not winning again). She is an important mare as one of the two Feola mares in the Royal Stud. Hopefully Closeness will resuscitate the fortunes of this marvellous family in the stud.

 

[Bustino74]

A second winner for the Queen and a first winner for the Royal Stud this year as Camelot gelding Realist runs away with a Class 6 handicap at Chelmsford (must admit I can't get used to these horses running just two races and being handicapped, presumably it will go back to 3 races soon). He's the first winner for his dam, Silver Mirage, who was the last foal of Phantom Gold. She has a yearling filly by Iffraaj and should have a 2yo filly by Lope de Vega called Silver Screen but she seems to have disappeared. She should have a foal by Land Force this year. Realist could win again.

Tomorrow, Closeness reappears at Wolverhampton in a maiden. She looked far from a no-hoper first time out and finished within 2 lengths of a filly thought worthy of running in the Lowther. A lot of good trainers have likely types in the race though.
Looks like more runners next week.

 

[Sir Barney Chuckles]

Her Encourage would actually be my horse to follow on the Flat for 2021. Still a maiden but I think this horse has got so much scope and room for improvement. He’s with Roger Charlton.

I can’t wait to see this one over middle distances and given who owns him would have to say that he looks tailormade for the King George V Handicap (yard have won this twice including as recently as ’17). Currently rated 78 I firmly believe, that wherever he goes, this could become 3 figures by the end of the season.

Connections are seemingly wasting little time in getting him back on track. Entered in a 10 furlong handicap at Nottingham next Wednesday. Andrea Atzeni already booked and off 78 I would expect Encourage to be very hard to beat (although at this stage in the campaign his fitness does, of course, have to be taken on trust).

 

[Bustino74]

Closeness didn't show the expected progress on her second start. Worryingly this is exactly the same behaviour shown by her elder sister. Hopefully a month or so to toughen up will see an improvement

Connections are seemingly wasting little time in getting him back on track. Entered in a 10 furlong handicap at Nottingham next Wednesday. Andrea Atzeni already booked and off 78 I would expect Encourage to be very hard to beat (although at this stage in the campaign his fitness does, of course, have to be taken on trust).

My concern here is that Charlton isn't a fast starter, but agree he looks generously weighted. He's another from the Feola gang. His dam Good Hope has had a winner at least and while having no 2yo has a yearling filly by Cable Bay.
Charlton has an interesting unraced 3yo filly entered this week. She is Orderofsuccession (almost ironically named) who is by Siyouni out of a Selkirk half-sister to champion colt Sinndar.

Every Spring I usually list 2yos from new families in the Royal Stud but there's only one this year. The colt Dukedom (by Dubawi) is out of an Iffraaj mare called Nathra (who won the Nell Gwynn and was 2nd in the Fillies Mile and French 1000G). She hails from the Derby family of Australia and Ouija Board. I'd hope to see him in August somewhere and he is in training with Gosden. Not sure where this mare came from but she is in foal to Galileo and has a Galileo yearling filly.

 

[Bustino74]

concern here is that Charlton isn't a fast starter, but agree he looks generously weighted. He's another from the Feola gang. His dam Good Hope has had a winner at least and while having no 2yo has a yearling filly by Cable Bay.
Charlton has an interesting unraced 3yo filly entered this week. She is Orderofsuccession (almost ironically named) who is by Siyouni out of a Selkirk half-sister to champion colt Sinndar.

Charlton hasn't run much but today had his first winner of the year with Sleeping Lion taking the Queen's Prize (amazing, pre-Pattern this used to be a big race in which some of the best stayers in the country used to start their season). To grind out the neck win as this 6yo did suggests he was fit. Beckhampton is a wonderful training centre but is notoriously cold (Murless couldn't stand the cold and left after 4 seasons) so often horses are 2-3 weeks behind Newmarket. Maybe Encourage (and Orderofsuccession) will line up ready to do himself justice. Atzeni gets the ride as Watson had to isolate after an abortive trip to Dubai.

 

[Bustino74]

Today, at such a sombre time, The Queen’s Wakening makes her second start and seasonal debut at lowly Wolverhampton. If The Queen is to have a decent 3yo this year then Wakening may be it. As mentioned earlier she is entered for both the French 1000G and Prix de Diane, so perhaps Wolverhampton is a strange place to start. This Dark Angel filly won her only start as a 2yo. She is out of a Dubawi mare who comes from a family of mainly stayers.

She follows a couple of also rans this week at Nottingham and Kempton. The former was encourage who threw his chance away in the first 2f by pulling too freely.. Once settled if front he behaved but faded from the distance. He’s not a lost cause: if he can settle then he can pick up races from 8-10f. Yesterday Orderofsuccession made her debut in what looked a fairly hot fillies maiden. She started slowly, running last for 6f+ and then looked to improve, which she did, but not enough to get near the first three. Watson didn’t give her a hard race and she’ll do better.

Next week Tactical makes his seasonal debut in the Free Handicap. He should get 7f and may have a chance. I would imagine his target is the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot so this race will indicate if this is a sensible target. Plenty of others make their seasonal debut but the first 2yo runner looks as if it will be Spring is Sprung. He is entered Monday (Windsor) and Tuesday (Newmarket), being an Oasis Dream half-brother to the useful Kings Lynn I can see him being a forward 2yo and likely to figure on his debut.

 

[Bustino74]

Dismal performance by Wakening. I really have to question the judgement of The Queen's advisers. Wakening was entered for those French races only 4 weeks ago. What happened to the horse in the intervening period?

 

[Bustino74]

Her cup runneth over: today the Queen has 3 runners, which is a rarity. Bell is raiding Redcar with the maiden filly Closeness, who is dropped in distance to 6f. She must have a chance of a place. He also runs her all-weather winner Realist later in the day and he must have a real chance. Gosden runs Pied Piper at Chelmsford. This (now) New Approach gelding won a 10f maiden in heavy going at Newmarket. His race looks tricky as there are only 3 runners and they are almost co-favourites.

On Monday The Queen had her first 2yo winner when Bell's Spring is Sprung won his maiden at Windsor. The third foal of Kinematic and the third to win. There's a Recorder yearling brother and Kinematic was in foal to Cable Bay, the sire of her best offspring Kings Lynn. Spring is Sprung should get a bit further but his future is probably going to be in handicaps. He is the only 2yo (of many) to be so far entered. You'd expect Tack, an Iffraaj half-brother to Tactical to appear soon. You'd also expect Hannon's Everyday (a 3 parts brother to Kings Lynn to be entered soon).

Two weeks ago his half-brother Tactical won nicely at Newmarket. He is now rated at a level which should allow him to win more Group races in the coming season. He is entered in 3 Royal Ascot races at the moment but the Jersey Stakes is the most likely target.

 

[Bustino74]

A nice purse for The Queen as Haggas's Light Refrain wins a 6f listed event at Nottingham. By Frankel out of a 7f/8f filly you'd expect this filly to be suited to 8f+, whereas she has won twice now over 6f. If anything, watching today's run, I'd say 5&1/2f was perhaps optimum. Should win more races at this level.
Her dam Light Music has a 2yo filly by Fastnet Rock who is yet to be placed with a trainer. This seems very much the fashion as generally horses went into training late Autumn. In the biography of Jack Colling he is quoted as saying he loved midsummer when the yearlings began to arrive; unknown now. A lot of horses go to pre-training centres these days. There is also a yearling full-sister to Light Refrain but no foal. She visited Le Havre this year.
This was Haggas's first Royal winner this year but this coming week he has Companionship entered for the Musidora with Marquand taking the ride. She remains entered for the Diane and it will be interesting to see if she can hold her own in Wednesday's company.
A few others entered but still no more 2yos.

 

[Bustino74]

Companionship didn't turn up at York and goes to Newbury for what used to be called the Sandleford Priory Stakes (not an insignificant Oaks trial though rarely provides the winner: any advances on Scintillate?). The only problem is that trainer Haggas has another filly in the race who's likely to be favourite and that's Sea Empress. Given that, it's Ryan Moore that has been booked for Companionship and perhaps he can steer her into a place.
Earlier in the day Tactical has his second start of the year. While a few people were surprised he didn't go for the 2000G it may surprise some that he's now dropping to 6f. I can only think the Royal Ascot choice is between The Commonwealth and Jersey Stakes.

 

[Gladness]

Why are so many of the Royal runners gelded? This looks to be a new departure.

 

[Bustino74]

Why are so many of the Royal runners gelded? This looks to be a new departure.

No reason given and yes it does seem a new departure. I suppose if a horse is certain not to be needed for breeding it might as well be gelded. Obviously some are gelded because they wouldn't have a racing career if they were still entire. The example I'd give is Boldboy who was impossible on the racecourse despite running 4th in the Middle Park with his work rider keeping him cool. Hern got his way with Lady Beaverbrook despite her hatred of gelding. Jack Colling always believed geldings were sounder and more genuine.
Maybe the 3yos seemed so poor they hoped there'd get some response if they gelded them. Seems to have worked in Chalk Stream's case, but no superstar. They have gelded a couple of 2yos already too.

 

[OddDog]

Maybe targeting the Triumph Hurdle?

 

[Bustino74]

You wouldn't be surprised that The Queen's NH colt horses are gelded. Yesterday she had two winners with Kincardine winning a bumper and Rapid Flight winning a maiden hurdle at Southwell. Both of these horses trace back to one mare and that's the Grand Sefton winner Tiberetta.
Some of you will remember a trainer, Edward Courage, who trained his own-breds from a wheelchair. Tiberetta was his and she bred him his best chaser Spanish Steps, who in a moderate year could have won a Cheltenham Gold Cup. When he died some his mares were gifted to the Queen Mother. This line is now the dominant NH family in the Royal Stud and has been the source of the better hurdlers/chasers she has had.

 

[Bustino74]

The Queen sees only her second 2yo, Reach for the Moon, make his debut this season. He's a half-brother to Chalk Stream, being by Sea the Stars out of a full-sister to Oaks 2nd Flight of Fancy (Sadler's Wells). Havlin on board, but difficult to decipher whether he's the Gosden first string in the race or not. Gosden has sent him up the road for a day at the seaside at Yarmouth today.

 

[Bustino74]

Not a bad performance by RftM. Ran green and seemed to fall in a hole 2f out but then got it together. Not given a hard race by Havlin finishing 2nd, if he can learn from that he can win races.

 

[Bustino74]

It appears the Queen will be attending Ascot, but not every day. Her trainers have horses entered, some of them expected, many surprising. It seems that entries have been made to suit the days she's attending. I'd say she was definitely attending Tuesday and Saturday but I'd be surprised if she's not there Thursday. Kings Lynn is entered for the Kings Stand but also the Wokingham. Tactical is entered for The James Palace but also the Jersey. Chalk Stream, Pied Piper and Just Fine are entered for different races, while Light Refrain is tried at 7f again in the Jersey. One interesting entry is Reach for the Moon in the Chesham, for which Dettori is already booked. I can't help thinking a lot of these entries are for amusement value. Hopefully there'll be some excitement.