Flat breeders honoured at virtual awards event
The winners of ten awards were announced in a virtual edition of the annual Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening, hosted online on Thursday, 17 September, sponsored by Weatherbys.
The event celebrated the success of the British thoroughbred breeding industry from the 2019 flat racing season and included awards for stallions, mares, breeders and stud employees.
Pre-recorded interviews with award winners were premiered on YouTube from 7pm (BST), with highlights shown on TBA social media channels.
Godolphin won a total of four awards, including the three previously announced statistical based prizes; the Queen’s Silver Cup for leading British-based breeding by prize money, the BBA Silver Cigar Box for leading British-based stallion by prize money (Dubawi), and the Barleythrope Stud Silver Cup for leading British-based stallion by individual winners (Dubawi).
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s thoroughbred breeding operation also collected the inaugural British European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award for Night Of Thunder’s impressive results from his first crop of two-year-olds in 2019.
The British EBF introduced the award to recognise significant success by a stallion standing in Britain during the 2019 flat racing season. The Stallion of the Month features in the European Bloodstock News formed the long list of nominees, whilst the short list and winner were decided by an independent panel of judges.
European Breeders’ Fund Marketing Communications Manager Rachael Gowland said: "Night Of Thunder stood in Great Britain for two seasons and a significant portion of his winners and stakes horses have been in Great Britain. As a mid-price-range stallion, he caught breeders' attention with a significant winners to runners percentage driven by talented offspring rather than sheer weight of numbers in 2019. The award is in its infancy and still developing but ultimately, its purpose is to help showcase high-achieving stallions, irrespective of book size and nomination fee."
Highclere Stud’s stallion Cable Bay took the honours as first crop sire by prize money in Great Britain and Ireland in 2019, awarding the Tattersalls Silver Salver to the Warren family.
Jacques Prinsloo was recognised for his dedication and achievement in his role at Whitsbury Manor Stud when awarded with the annual Stud Employee Award sponsored by New England Stud. South African born Prinsloo who moved to the UK over fourteen years ago, was presented with a perpetual Charlie Langton bronze, keepsake memento and a £2,000 cash prize.
The short-listed candidates for the Stud Employee of the Year included; Di Best (Cobhall Court Stud), Tom Hughes (Hazelwood Bloodstock), Robert McKellar (Cheveley Park Stud), Keith Warburton (Shade Oak Stud) and Sophie Watmuff (Chasemore Farm). They each received £250 in recognition of their work.
Dar Re Mi recorded back-to-back wins in the Flat Broodmare of the Year category, having previously won in 2018. The Watership Down Stud resident retained the H.J. Joel Silver Salver, becoming the only mare since the award’s launch in 1982 to record multiple wins.
Flat Breeder of the Year (TBA Silver Rose Bowl) was won by Newsells Park Stud who had notable year on the racecourse in 2019 culminating in the victory of Waldgeist in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Husband and wife team Mick and Fiona Denniff (Denniff Farms), were awarded the TBA Silver Salver for Special Merit, recognising their significant achievements as breeders of Beat The Bank and Kachy.
The accolade of Small Flat Breeder of the Year (Langham Cup), was awarded to Bearstone Stud, whose flag-bearing filly Glass Slippers capped her 2019 season with a win in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
TBA Chairman Julian Richmond-Watson said: “Although we have been unable to host our usual event, we are delighted to be able to recognise the achievements of British breeders from the 2019 flat racing season. My congratulations go to all of the nominees, winners and their supporting teams, who have demonstrated such dedication to our industry. I would also like to thank all of our event supporters and sponsors this year for continuing their contribution to the British breeding industry.”
Weatherbys Chairmain Johnny Weatherby said: “We are absolutely delighted to support the TBA’s Flat Breeders’ Awards, and as a small breeder myself I am fully aware of the challenges that we all face, particularly in the current climate, and I whole heartedly congratulate this evening’s winners.”
The award winner video interviews are available to view now on the TBA’s YouTube channel.
THE WINNERS:
Tattersalls Silver Salver
Leading British-based first crop sire by prize money in GB and IRE in 2019
Cable Bay
British European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award
Special Merit Award (Stallion)
Night Of Thunder
TBA Silver Salver
Special Merit Award (Flat breeder)
Denniff Farms
BBA Silver Cigar Box
Leading British-based stallion by prize money in GB and IRE in 2019
Dubawi
Barleythorpe Stud Silver Cup
Leading British-based stallion by individual winners in GB and IRE in 2019
Dubawi
H.J. Joel Silver Salver
Flat Broodmare of the Year
Dar Re Mi
Queen’s Silver Cup
Leading British-based flat breeder by prize money in GB and IRE in 2019
Godolphin
Langham Cup
Small Flat Breeder of the Year
Bearstone Stud
TBA Silver Rose Bowl
Flat Breeder of the Year
Newsells Park Stud
TBA Stud Employee Award, sponsored by New England Stud
Stud Employee of the Year
Jacques Prinsloo