Regional Day visit to Hillwood Stud
On 30 May Charlie and Tracy Vigors hosted a splendid morning at their Hillwood Stud at Aldbourne, a West Regional Meeting that concluded with lunch at The Hare, a popular watering hole for the Lambourn racing fraternity where David Cecil once presided.
Situated on the Wiltshire Downs on the way to Marlborough, Hillwood, which was previously owned by the Hobbys and revolved around their fine matriarch Lighted Lamp, was taken over by the Vigors in August 2005 since when they have markedly upgraded the property.
Today it comprises 130 acres divided between two separate farms of 60 and 70 acres with stabling for 56 horses incorporated in five separate units, the facilities including a circular railed gallop of 2.5 furlongs, two covered horses walkers, and a polytrack lunging ring.
Because of the difficulty in securing riders the Vigors have only recently decided to forego the breeze-up aspect of their business, concentrating on breeding stock and the yearling sales. At present they have 24 resident mares and they will be consigning in the region of 50 youngsters at the sales this autumn.
Amongst the mares on view were two expensive purchases last year, Baldovina, now with a colt foal by Le Havre, and Yarrow, with a Kodiac colt; they are carrying to Frankel and Lope De Vega respectively. The latter, who cost 625,000gns from the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal, is a half-sister to two Derby runners-up in Golan and Tartan Bearer.
‘It’s a quality band of young mares’, stressed Charlie. ‘We have several new clients who have made a significant investment at the breeding stock sales in the last three years and are breeding to top class young stallions. We all dream of breeding a Classic winner and these mares are being given every opportunity to do that.’
Charlie also gave a fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes. ‘Tracy does all the foaling and all the mares are walked in to stallions even those going to Ireland. We have two horseboxes and that enables us to have them back home from Ireland in just 36 hours’, Charlie explained.
Two key figures in the smooth running of Hillwood are box driver Rob Turner and head girl, Jo Saunders, not forgetting whoever was responsible for providing TBA visitors with two sessions of coffee and biscuits!
Hillwood is very much a flat orientated establishment, but ironically the highlight for many on this occasion will have been the two Nicky Henderson stalwarts Might Bite and Bobsworth meanwhile Altior was keeping his own counsel at the other end of the stud!