Countdown To The Turf Season!
Sat 20 Mar 2021
Things are starting to hot up on the news front for our owners, with 2-year-old updates coming through from our trainers about their progress, as we get into the sharp end of their education. Videos of them at home, reports on how they have grown and developed and the different stages they progress to as well as early thoughts as to their future trip requirements. As the weather has improved (thank fully!) the grass gallops have come into play too, along with stalls practice. Working on the grass is vital for the young horses to get used to varying underfoot conditions and undulations, in readiness for their 2021 careers on the turf for us.
Counting down the days, sees just 7 days until the official start of the turf season on the flat, with the Lincoln meeting at Doncaster, beginning on Saturday 27th March - we have 8 entries in the Lincoln itself and we are all beginning to wonder who the stars of 2021 will be....which horse will be the first to win a pattern race, how many will be running at Royal Ascot and who will be travelling around Europe to race, as we like to do at MPR! Are you one of those dreaming with us?
Below, you can meet our full 2-year-old team and their respective trainers. You will discover qualifiers for the Book 1 Bonus, the GBB Bonus Scheme, French Owner Premiums (this year at 70%) and just a handful with naming rights that are available! Click on the links to read more about them, learn of their new registered racing names, see their videos, updates and any remaining shares:
Michael Bell - An Almanzor Colt
Marco Botti - A Gutaifan colt and an Oasis Dream filly.
Karl Burke - A Dandy Man colt
Roger Charlton - A Gleneagles filly
Clive Cox - A Red Jazz colt *Full brother to Clive's Group 3 winner SNAZZY JAZZY*
Keith Dalgleish - A Fast Company colt
Richard Fahey - A Kodiac colt, a Mehmas colt and an Outstrip colt
Charlie Fellowes - An Intello filly
Richard Hannon - An Acclamation filly, a Camacho filly, a Dream Ahead filly, a Garswood colt and a Kodiac filly.
Mark Johnston - An Excelebration colt and a Showcasing filly
David O'Meara - An Oasis Dream colt
Hugo Palmer - A Dark Angel colt
Bryan Smart - A Fountain Of Youth filly *Half-sister to Gr 3 winner and Norfolk Stakes 2nd, VENTURA REBEL*
Nigel Tinkler - A Kodiac filly
Archie Watson - A Galileo Gold colt
We caught up with our Founder Tim Palin to ask for his thoughts for the season ahead:
"When you see the selection of 2-year-olds shown above, it's clear that our strategy for this year was to buy yearlings with quality pedigrees and to give owners a wide choice of trainer location. We have all the main training centres covered, in Lambourn, Malton, Middleham and Newmarket. When you see stallions like Dark Angel, Kodiac and of course last year's breakthrough first season sire Mehmas amongst the super selection on our roster, then you have a fantastic base to work with. Of course it's not just about the page - they can have a great page but not be a super specimen or have great movement. We are always sharp at the sales to make sure that we don't get lured into buying cheap. Yes of course 1/100 can turn out to be fast but on the whole, it's better to stay on a firm footing with good breeding AND good presence - by that I mean, size, scope and movement. You can't train just a page!
Of course it's not all about our juveniles for 2021. We have some classy 3-year-old's set to make their debuts on the turf; those which we purchased at the breeze-ups or have needed time to fill their frames. Then when you see our ENTRIES page, you can see some exciting early closing entries to whet the appetite - Classic races for Thank You Next and The Rosstafarian. Plus, of course we are very lucky to have some older favourites like Cold Stare, Ice Cold In Alex, Longsider, Magical Wish, Marie's Diamond, Revich and Waarif waiting in the wings - so many to look forward to!
I sent an update out to all owners about their much needed return to racing, which the BHA have set out: https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/british-racing-confirms-return-of-amateurs-and-owners-in-line-with-the-uk-governments-roadmap-for-england-and-further-details-of-the-2021-fixture-list/. Our owners have been terrific and so patient over the last 12 months and we thank them so much. It's a shame that we aren't able to hold our annual owners box at Doncaster on Lincoln Day this year, but we will all be shouting our runners home regardless. It's been a good start to the year, with 11 winners so far, so here's to adding to that tally. Wishing all our owners the best of luck with their horses and if you are thinking about getting involved, please do get in touch with any questions."
Contact The Team.