The TBA Annual Breeders’ Awards Dinner, 8th January 2008
The TBA Annual Breeders’ Awards Dinner took place on Tuesday 8th January at The Churchill Hotel in London. The night was a resounding success with over 230 guests attending from the Breeding and Racing Industry. The evening started with a Champagne Reception, followed by Dinner, an address from our President, Michael Goodbody and then the Awards Ceremony conducted by Cornelius Lysaght, BBC Radio Racing Correspondent. The evening concluded with a lively Auction conducted by Henry Beeby, Chief Executive of Goffs and Managing Director of Doncaster Bloodstock Sales
1. LEADING BRITISH-BASED BREEDER (FLAT EARNINGS) – THE QUEEN’S SILVER CUP
Last season David and Patricia Thompsons’ Cheveley Park Stud made an historic breakthrough. They managed to end the long standing monopoly that the Abdullah and Maktoum families had exerted as the recipients of The Queen’s Silver Cup, presented to the breeder who has earned the most prize money in Great Britain and Ireland from mares normally resident in the UK. This time two Group 1 winners, EXCELLENT ART (St James’s Palace Stakes), and ECHELON (Matron Stakes), were leading earners.
2. LEADING BRITISH-BASED STALLION (FLAT EARNINGS) – BBA SILVER CIGAR BOX
The previous two winners of the BBA Silver Cigar Box for earnings in Great Britain and Ireland by a domestic stallion have been Dalham Hall stallions. Now we cross Duchess Drive to Cheveley Park Stud where PIVOTAL has regained the crown he earned in 2004. What makes it all the more rewarding is that the son of POLAR FALCON, was bred and conceived at Cheveley Park, as have been so many of the stud’s top winners in recent times.
3. LEADING BRITISH-BASED STALLION (INDIVIDUAL FLAT WINNERS) – THE BARLEYTHORPE CUP
In 2004 PIVOTAL won both the BBA Silver Cigar Box and the Barleythorpe Cup, and in the face of exceptionally strong opposition he has completed the double once again. The Barleythorpe award signifies the sire with the most individual winners for the season. In 2004 the Cheveley Park resident was responsible for 52 winners of 85 races; a score he has now bettered with a grand total of 66 winners of 99 races. Outstanding amongst them is the Group 1 scorer, EXCELLENT ART (St James’s Palace Stakes).
4. LEADING BRITISH-BASED FIRST SEASON SIRE (FLAT EARNINGS) – THE TATTERSALLS’ SILVER SALVER
Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms had won the Tattersalls’ Silver Salver for the leading British-based first season sire twice before with WARNING in 1993 and with ZAFONIC in 1997. Both proved enormously successful sires which augurs well for the future prospects of Banstead Manor Stud’s latest winner, OASIS DREAM, With earnings of £347,455, which also made him the leading British-based sire of two-year-olds, his principal contributors were VISIT (Princess Margaret Stakes), and CAPTAIN GERRARD (Cornwallis Stakes).
5. BROODMARE OF THE YEAR (FLAT) – THE H.J. JOEL SILVER SALVER
DANSEUSE DU SOIR has won the H.J. Joel Silver Salver for Woodcote Stud Ltd, managed by Barry Reilly, thanks to SCINTILLO (Gr1 Gran Criterium), and JUMBAJUKIBA (Gr3 Solonaway Stakes, Platinum Stakes, L, York), the winners of five races between them. Woodcote is owned by Albert Perry, who also bred DANSEUSE DU SOIR, winner of the 1991 French 1000 Guineas and Prix de la Foret for Daniel Wildenstein, as well as her dam, DANCE BY NIGHT. Albert Perry previously traded as both Ridgecourt Stud and Lavandou Stud.
6. TBA FLAT BREEDER – TBA SILVER ROSE BOWL
Renee Robeson is very much a hands on breeder and trainer, so it is particularly satisfying that Southcourt Stud, which she manages and part owns with her brother, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, should win the discretionary TBA Silver Rose Bowl. Over the last couple of seasons NOTNOWCATO, has done the family proud and he excelled in 2007 with Group 1 victories in the Eclipse Stakes (beating AUTHORIZED) and Tattersalls’ Gold Cup (beating DYLAN THOMAS), before retiring to Stanley House Stud.
7. SPECIAL MERIT AWARD (FLAT) – TBA SPECIAL MERIT AWARD
Bridget Swire has been a tremendous supporter of both flat and jumping for many years. The best mare to have raced in her distinctive lilac colours is almost certainly PALACE STREET and from her she has bred a host of winners highlighted by SAKHEE’S SECRET. This three-year-old provided his owner-breeder, who boards her mares with Malcolm and Jackie Humby at Redenham Park Stud, near Andover, with a magnificent victory against his elders in the Group 1 July Cup, together with listed wins at Newbury and Salisbury.
8. SMALL BREEDER AWARD (FLAT) – LANGHAM CUP
Every year small breeders make an inordinate contribution and 2007 was no exception. Consequently with so many candidates it becomes extremely difficult to determine an outright winner of the Langham Cup. However, on this occasion, the adjudicating panel came down in favour of Peter Onslow. His Sanfield Stud, Leyland, Lancashire, was responsible for a couple of Group winners in MOORHOUSE LAD (King George Stakes), and TRICK OR TREAT (Princess Royal Stakes). Between them this duo won five races in 2007.
9. TBA ANNUAL STUD STAFF AWARD SPONSORED BY NEW ENGLAND STUD
This new award has gone to Terry Albone, stud groom to Mr and Mrs Denis Haynes at their private Wretham Stud, outside Thetford. Terry typifies so many of that indispensable band of people behind the scenes. All his working life has been spent with horses, much the greater part in Newmarket, first on the training side and then on studs. Originally apprenticed to Humphrey Cottrill, his riding career was terminated by injury as a jump jockey. At Wretham he is responsible for eight mares including those owned by Mrs Haynes’ sister, Bridget Clark, who trades as Girsonfield Ltd.
10. LEADING ACTIVE BRITISH-BASED NH STALLION (EARNINGS) – WHITBREAD SILVER SALVER
A quarter of a century ago Cecil Bromley of Wood Farm Stud won the initial Whitbread Silver Salver for the leading British-based NH stallion in terms of progeny earnings thanks to SPACE KING and now his son Bill Bromley has followed suit with SIR HARRY LEWIS, who is managed by his son, Anthony. The stallion sired 15 winners of 22 races and £376,579, including MIGHTY MAN (Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle, Grade 2 Liverpool Hurdle), and BURNTOAKBOY (Grade 3 Coral Cup).
11. LEADING ACTIVE BRITISH-BASED NH STALLION (INDIVIDUAL ‘CHASE WINNERS) – HORSE & HOUND CUP
Close up in running for the previous award, Shade Oak Stud has taken the Horse & Hound Cup for the most individual chase winners by a British-based stallion for the eighth successive season and this is the fourth consecutive time that the award has gone to ALFLORA – in 2004/05 he shared the honours with RAKAPOSHI KING, the outright winner in 2002/03, and in the three previous seasons it was won by GUNNER B. This time ALFLORA had 15 individual chase winners of 23 races and £186,034.
12. LEADING NH BROODMARE – THE DUDGEON CUP
The Dudgeon Cup goes to DEB’S BALL, the gamest mare that Dudley Moffatt ever trained and winner of 15 races altogether including 11 over hurdles. She only ran once over fences as the former Cartmel handler was keen to breed from her and she rewarded him by producing two winners in 2006/07 – Scottish Grand National and Betfred Gold Cup winner, HOT WELD, the only horse to bring off this great double in the same season, and ONLY MILLIE. The official breeder of both winners is Cartmel Bloodstock representing Dudley Moffatt, Margaret Faragher and Eileen Milligan.
13. NATIONAL HUNT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – THE QUEEN MOTHER’S SILVER SALVER
The Queen Mother’s Silver Salver has been won by Mrs Mercy Rimell. A top ranking point-to-point rider in her day, she was totally indispensable to her late husband Fred, one of the greatest jump trainers of all time. Following his death, she trained GAYE BRIEF to win the 1983 Champion Hurdle and from the half-sister, GAYE MEMORY, she bred last season’s Racing Post Chase and Sky Bet Chase winner, SIMON, trained at Kinnersley by John Spearing. Mrs Rimell is also the mother of Scarlett Knipe of Cobhall Court Stud and grandmother of Witney trainer, Mark Rimell.
NB The statistical Flat Awards are confined to racing in GB and Ireland only and they cover the period from 1st January to the end of the Turf Flat season.
14. THE DOMINION BRONZE
This award has proved one of the most popular over the years recognising as it does some really deserving person behind the scenes.
REG RUTHERFORD has worked in Newmarket for exactly 50 years and his on-going association with Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud started way back when the stud was owned and managed by Nat Frieze. With such a long standing involvement in Newmarket he can recall when the likes of Philip Mitchell and David Minton were just starting out on their bloodstock careers.
His skill has earned him a national reputation and his stud clientele has included Thornton in Yorkshire, Templeton in Berkshire, Hesmonds in Sussex, Woodcote in Surrey, Worksop Manor in Nottinghamshire, Sezincote in Gloucestershire, and Highclere and Polhampton Lodge in Hampshire to mention just a handful. Most people sitting here would subscribe to the old adage, ‘no foot, no horse’.
15. THE ANDREW DEVONSHIRE BRONZE
On this occasion the Association’s most prestigious annual award has gone to an organisation rather than an individual. There is nothing untoward about this – it is just the preference of the individual concerned who does not wish to claim the credit which he rather touchingly considers lies elsewhere.
He is joint Honorary Vice President of our Association, His Highness Prince Khalid Abdullah and the winner of the Andrew Devonshire Bronze is his JUDDMONTE FARMS, which represents one of the world’s leading international owner-breeders.
