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After an excellent sales season in 2021, we are back in full flow foaling and organising the first covers of the 2022 season. So far we have welcomed a lovely colt by Frankel out of Hareem Queen, a Kingman filly out of Life Of Pi, an Eqtidaar colt out of Rathaath, Dark Angel filly out of Fool for You, Time Test filly out of Milford Sound, a Belardo colt out of Continental, a Cable Bay filly out of Midnight and an Acclamation filly out of Cape Violet, as well as a Sotsass filly that was born in France out of Kitkitty.

There has been lots going on since our last post in February, with the completion of the breeding season, under strict new protocols, all of our foals safely delivered, the start of yearling prep as well as some great results on the track, so there is plenty to be thankful for, to celebrate and to look forward to. In what has been a strange period for everyone over the last few months with the world going in to lockdown, we have still been very busy and as ever we are extremely grateful to all our staff, vets and farriers for continuing to work and for getting us through one of the busiest periods on a stud farm. Obviously we have a lot of new protocols in place to work safely but we have managed to keep the show on the road. We finished foaling on the 18th of May and have again had some really lovely foals, with the fillies just winning out on the average this time, albeit marginally, with 18 fillies and 17 colts.

In March we took over the Thoroughbred Tales Twitter account for a week, a great initiative set up by Sally-Ann Grassick and a team of journalists, to show the greater public what goes on behind the scenes here at Salcey Forest. Each week someone new takes over the Twitter handle, whether that be a stud farm, racing yard, pre-training facility, breeze-up consignor or even a sales complex and the idea is to show different roles in the industry and what they do on a daily basis. If you don’t already it is well worth a follow as there is some really great content on there. (Follow on Twitter: @ThoroughbrdTale)

We are currently well in to yearling prep and our first bunch of horses are heading off to the GoffsUK Premier Sale in Doncaster this Friday. We have a really smashing bunch of yearlings on offer, with fillies by Kodiac and Cotai Glory, and colts by Belardo, Bungle Inthejungle, Time Test and Pearl Secret. Due to the pandemic and everything becoming more digital, including the option of people being able to bid online, we had Laragh from deBurgh Productions here last week to take photos and videos of the sales yearlings which will be uploaded on to Twitter and Facebook once they are ready!

We have had plenty to celebrate since the resumption of racing with Jouska (Cable Bay ex Quiet Protest), a filly we bought as foal for Andrew Davis and Gary Doran, adding more black-type to her CV when finishing second in the Listed Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract earlier this month. We are excited about Bahrain Pride (Kodiac ex Life of Pi), who was bred here at the farm by John and Jess Dance and sold for 125,000gns at Tattersalls as a foal. He went on to make 300,000gns at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale this year and won first time out for Simon and Ed Crisford at Windsor. We will be offering his half-brother by Showcasing at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale this year. A filly to keep a close eye on is recent debut winner Pornstar Martini (Bungle Inthejungle ex Misplace), whom we bought at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale this year. She is the first flat horse for her new owners Chris Haughey and Abi Keany who have a handful of jumpers in training. She is trained by Henry Candy and following her recent three-length Chepstow romp, connections are now looking at Listed entries for her. Roman Dynasty (Mehmas ex Empress Ella) was another recent first time out winner for Creighton/Schwartz Bloodstock and he is now rated 97. Purchased from the September Yearling Sale at Fairyhouse, he was subsequently sold by Katie McGivern at the GoffsUK Breeze-Up Sale. Disco Beats (Pearl Secret ex Indigo Beat) was the first winner for our own sire Pearl Secret, which was a special moment. He was sold by us as a foal, but we liked him so much we ended up purchasing him as yearling from Book 2 at Tattersalls for John and Jess Dance, who raced his dam. John and Jess also enjoyed success with Toussarok (Iffraaj ex Frangipanni), a Creighton/Schwartz Bloodstock Tattersalls Book 2 purchase, who won at Newcastle in June and is now rated 85. The highlight of our season so far and the most exciting for the season ahead is of course Rhythm Master (Dark Angel ex Pastoral Girl), whom we bought at Tattersalls Book 2 for John and Jess Dance. He was an easy winner first time out, scoring by four and a half lengths at Haydock in July. The vibes have been great on him all along and after his debut win the excitement was building and on just his second start he put up a cracking performance stepped up to the highest level to run third in the the Gr.1 Prix Morny last weekend. Running on soft ground and not getting the best of starts, fly jumping leaving the stalls and getting a bump, he was beaten by two top-class Royal Ascot winners so with the experience the future looks very exciting for this colt.

We are also delighted to have had some updates for some of the mares on the farm with Bimble (Acclamation ex Cape Violet), owned by Andrew Davis and Gary Doran, winning well on her second start for Henry Candy at Goodwood in June. She is out of Cape Violet, who has a Kuroshio colt foal at foot. Andrew and Gary also own Solfilia who is the dam of Gr.1 Gamely Stakes runner-up Bodhicita (Showcasing). We purchased Solfilia for them for 4,500gns at the 2018 Tattersalls July Sale and she has a Pearl Secret colt at foot and is back in foal to Showcasing (carrying a full-sibling to Bodhicita!). We also purchased Utrecht at this year’s Tattersalls February Sale for Blackberry Farm in foal to Dark Angel and she is the dam of Clog Maker (Dark Angel), who has won two on the bounce since and is currently rated 80.

Happy New Year! Fresh in to a new year we have already begun foaling. We have had five foals, 3 with us here at Salcey Forest Stud and 2 over in Ireland at Mount Eaton.

As I said in our last update, we were headed over to the sales with Mares and Foals. We said goodbye to a few faces including Private Dancer, Cat Hunter, Tibibit and Rocknahardplace. They will continue their breeding career for their new owners. We also sold 9 foals across Tattersalls UK and Ireland. We wish the best of luck to their new connections and we look forward to seeing them at the sales this year or on the track.

Creighton/Schwartz Bloodstock purchased some new mares at the sales too…

Treat Gently (Cape Cross x Kid Gloves) purchased for 31,000gns; she was purchased for Andrew Davis and Gary Doran. She is carrying to the Juddmonte newby; Expert Eye.

Most Important (Pivotal x Al Joza) purchased for 25,000gns; she was purchased for Blackberry Farm. She was purchased from Godolphin carrying to New Approach

Fair Hill (New Approch x Speirbhean) purchased for 40,000gns; she was purchased for Andrew Davis and Gary Doran. She was purchased from Baroda Stud carrying to Le Havre.

Creighton/Schwartz Bloodstock also struck at the February Sale earlier in the month. 35,000gns was the final bid on the Godolphin mare Utrecht (Rock of Gibraltar x Maria Isabella) carrying to Dark Angel. She was purchased for Blackberry Farm.

Another new face to add; Sam Goyette who has been working the sales for the last couple of years and previously working in the Hunt has joined our team full time. He has a keen interest in hunting, rugby and has recently acquired his first pin-hooked foal which he hopes to sell on this year as a yearling.

Recent Winners…

!!!UPDATE!!! Clog Maker (Dark Angel x Utrecht) – After purchasing Utrecht at the February Sale, her son Clog Maker made all by winning his second start by 2 lengths. He is a full brother to the prospective foal. This is more so exciting that Clog Maker holds a Listed entry.

Astro Jakk – Now a three time winner and twice this year in 2020.

Hareem Queen – Now a four time winner from her six starts. Her latest adding a LISTED win in the Hever Sprint Stakes at Lingfield Park.

Ice Ice Lady – Born and raised at Salcey Forest. She was bred by Dance Thoroughbred’s; John and Jess Dance. She was from the first crop of Due Diligence, out of Showcaing mare; Frozen Princess

Our Foals so Far…

Simmie (Fast Company x Kathy Sun) owned by Dance Thoroughbreds foaled a bay Colt by Gleneagles. She will visit Lope De Vega this year.

Scotch Bonnet (Montjeu x Valley of Hope) owned by Aspire Stallions and Bloodstock foaled a bay Colt by Pearl Secret. She will visit Pearl Secret again this year.

Susan Stroman (Monsun x Twyla Tharp) owned by Dance Thoroughbeds foaled a bay Filly by Bated Breath. She will visit Calyx this year.

Fair Hill (New Approach x Speirbhean) owned by Andrew Davis & Gary Doran foaled a bay Filly by Le Havre. She will visit Havana Grey this year.

Sea of Hope (Rock of Gibraltar x Labrusca) owned by Andrew Davis & Gary Doran foaled a bay Colt by Sea the Moon. She will visit Harry Angel this year.

A lot has happened since our last news post in July… Yearling sales have come and gone and we are right in the middle of foal prep. We have 11 foals in at the moment, all a good few weeks in to their prep and have all taken to it really well. We are selling two in the Fairyhouse November Breeding Stock Sale and nine in the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. We have a nice bunch of foals to offer this year; Colts by Lawman, Ivawood, Sea The Stars, Exceed and Excel, Harzand, Nathaniel, Time Test, Pearl Secret and a couple of lovely fillies by Pearl Secret and Mondialiste. We also have a handful of in-foal mares which we will offer in the December mare sale too; Juno Moneta (IFT: Australia), One Second (IFT: Muhaarar), Rocknahardplace (IFT: Pearl Secret), Private Dancer (IFT: Pearl Secret), Cat Hunter (IFT: Outstrip) and Tibibit (IFT: Brazen Beau).

Lots of runners since July so here a few to name…

Jouska (CABLE BAY x QUIET PROTEST) a filly which we purchased as a foal for Andrew Davis and Gary Doran, made her debut at Newbury. She ran a good race and was given a nice introduction to her job. She then went to win her second start by 2 1/2 lengths at Sandown and finishing off her season by finished a very strong 3rd at Newmarket in the Cornwallis Stakes G3. She looks a very exciting prospect for next year!

Hareem Queen (DARK ANGEL x DULCIAN) a yearling purchase at the 2017 Tattersall Book 1 sale by CreightonSchwartz/SackvilleDonald for John & Jess Dance showed all to win on her third start at Southwell winning by a very impressive 4 1/2 lengths.

Laurens (SIYOUNI x RECAMBE) added to her Group One tally making her now, a Group 1 Winner at 2, 3 and 4 years of age. Laurens and the Karl Burke team made the journey to Deauville for the Prix Rothschild G1 where she triumphed for John & Jess Dance. This was Laurens’ last season racing and has now retired. She boards with us here at Salcey Forest Stud. An 8 time winner, inc, five Group 1’s, one Group 2 and a French Classic Prix de Diane Longines.

Daniel was busy purchasing at the yearling sales the last couple of months. He bought a total of 17 yearlings from GoffsUK,  Tattersalls Ireland and Newmarket. We wish the best of luck to their new connections; Andrew Davis, Gary Doran, John Dance, Karl Burke and Titanium Racing Club.  Hopefully we will see them excelling on the track very soon…

We are delighted to be in Newmarket for July week and starting off with the purchase of two mares at the Tattersalls July Sale. Early in the session we purchased Milford Sound (Lot 85) from Juddmonte Farms for clients Iain and Mary Hebbard. The daughter of Barathea has already produced the Listed Derby Trial Stakes runner-up Carntop (Dansili) and she is in foal to Camacho, while she is also herself a half-sister to Rail Link. We felt that she was exceptional value at 10,000gns because of her proven record of producing, her own back family and the fact that she was cheaper than the cover she is carrying. At little while later we bought Isobel Archer (Lot 135) from the Godolphin draft on spec for 23,000gns. She is a winning full-sister to Gr.1 winner and sire Naaqoos (Oasis Dream) and has a sexy cover to Coolmore’s first season sire Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact).

Hopes are high for Fleeting Princess tomorrow in the Gr.3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. The daughter of Dandy Man was bred on the farm by Aspire Bloodstock, a group of good friends that run an EIS scheme. She is out of the Royal Applause mare Queen Of The Tarts and we sold her at Tattersalls as a foal for 6,500gns to Five Star Bloodstock. She went to Denise O’Brien’s Clonbonny Stud and realised €16,500 as a yearling at Tattersalls Ireland to Jamie Browne.

She is making her first start for Charlie Hills, having been trained by Jeremy Noseda for Mrs Susan Roy until his recent retirement and showed plenty of speed to win on debut at Yarmouth. Reports at home are excellent but she disappointed in the Listed Marygate Fillies’ Stakes at York last time. Queen Of Tarts, a placed half-sister to Group winner and sire Assertive, has a Pearl Secret filly foal at foot and was covered by him again this year.