Ted Talks....

Our Ted has to eat his words regarding breeders' schemes

IT MUST BE SAID I have never been a fan of breeders' incentive schemes.

I think such strategies tends to reward mediocrity, stifles growth and generally makes breeders think “inside the box”, instead of outside it.

Without owners prepared to buy mares from abroad and invest in other countries’ bloodlines it can lead to a stifling of the breed – a similar situation and fate that faces Germany.

Germany has amazingly tough families and sire lines with stamina, but is a declining country when it comes to racing and breeding.

This is an international business with prize-money that can be won by British horses all over the world – just look at Mishriff!

He has won all his major races overseas, plundering the massive prize-money put up to attract foreign horses.

In two of the jurisdictions there is no betting Levy; the funds are solely put up by a desire to attract the best horses in the world to those countries in order to showcase what the country has to offer visitors and tourism. However, I have to eat my words. The results at Royal Ascot have softened my stance and opinion – not particularly because British incentives have worked, it is too early for that evidence to be seen, but because British breeders are gaining momentum – as proved by the achievements at Ascot for Team GB.

And looking at the sires in isolation – the British-based stallion Frankel heads the list with three first placings, two seconds, and one third, while Dubawi was third on the list and Mayson fifth.

Kingman and Nathaniel figure in the top 10. A massive 50 per cent of the successful sires stand in the UK.

Newmarket and it’s vicinity, never really regarded as the land to raise horses, has defied critics and notably Blue Diamond Stud,

Cheveley Park Stud, Fittocks Stud, Godolphin, Lanwades Stud, Lordship Stud and New England all bred a Royal Ascot winner this year.

Lanwades and Godolphin probably made use of their Irish farms through the rearing process, but still it’s a great result.

Outside of Newmarket, Highclere Stud, Rockcliffe Stud, Whitsbury Manor Stud and Normandie Stud join the top ten breeders (if excluding Juddmonte and Shadwell Stud).

I would say the British are coming!

The wave began to turn over three years ago, and look at the results compared to this year’s Cheltenham results.

The British-based trainers have excelled, too – John and Thady Gosden, Sir Micheal Stoute, Andrew Balding, Mark Johnston, Archie Watson Charlie Appleby make up 70 per cent of the top ten trainers.

The future for British breeding is strong, with many quality mares residing in England, while our stallion roster is strengthening all the time. Frankel could easily take over Galileo’s mantel as the sire to get you stamina, and a Derby winner.

The elephant in the room is prize-money, which is where incentive schemes have made a difference and eventually will help keep owners in the UK instead of the country just becoming a nursery producing horses for other racing jurisdications.

It will take many intelligent people to go to government and re-negotiate the mechanism and the current tariffs from bookmakers.

With Royal Ascot behind us and the last chance of black-type pedigree catalogue updates from the best week’s racing in Europe for the Goffs Premier Sale and Arqana August Select Sale books, we find ourselves readying for the yearling sales.

Traditionally, both Arqana and Goffs UK make their choices for acceptance to their premier sales through Ascot week or a few days preceding.

Preparation for both sales starts soon, and with the weather as wet as it is I should think the yearlings will thrive inside, warm and well fed.

It’s been hard this year to think outside the box regarding sale planning – Tattersalls had it all their own way in 2020.

The company managed to keep all its the sales dates and continued with “live” sales right the way through the season.

If your yearling gets into Book 1 or Book 2 it’s a no-brainer, and it is hard to argue against selling at Tattersalls, especially if you are based in the UK.

The reviving of the Goffs Million Sale adds interest to breeders to be part of another incentive scheme, again financed by the sports’ participants but it does provide a massive reward.

It also produces the catalyst for agents and trainers to put syndicates together to stimulate new owners or existing owners.

This year will see the docket system increase in use for Irish, French and German vendors.

For years we have had to use this system for horses coming in from America.

The complication had always been if the horse failed to sell and the negotiations that followed with HMRC, but at least the return transport back to Europe is not as daunting as a return flight to the US.

Much of this article proclaims that the business is holding its own or increasing, but it is worth mentioning that, since 1990, around 60 per cent of British studs have disappeared.

Not only do the farms not breed horses anymore, but many have changed the use of the land.

Loving Dream, bred by Lordship Stud

Yes, we have seen the newly estblished Rockcliffe Stud and a re-envigorated Old Mill Stud, as well as a few others enter the business, but not in the numbers needed to stem the exodus. It is refreshing to hear Newsells Park retained as an ongoing business to an English businessman, but on the flip side sad to see Lavington and Kirtlington up for sale. Let’s hope the farms are not lost from the bloodstock industry.

It was good to see some smaller scale breeders win at Royal Ascot – Lady Blyth, The Hearns and Lordship Stud. They all have small broodmare bands and are families who enjoy breeding racehorse – it important that such can continue and enjoy success.

The Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Loving Dream was bred by Newmarket-based Lordship Stud. While British breeders had a good time of it at Royal Ascot, Ted warns against thinking all is rosy – British stud farms are disappearing at an alarming rate