Breeze-up consignor Roger Marley works in partnership with John Cullinan through their Church Farm & Horse Park Stud banner. The duo has been responsible for pinhooking and breezing such talented juveniles as G2 Flying Childers S winner Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the record-breaking champion first-season sire of 2020.
Currently preparing a team of around 40 juveniles from his Yorkshire base, Marley gave us his thoughts on some of this year's freshman sires and reflected on Mehmas's progression from a 62,000gns Tattersalls Book 2 yearling to a 170,000gns Craven breezer.
He said, “With Tally-Ho standing Cotai Glory (GB) it would not surprise me to see him make a good start as they always support their stallions well and they tend to come up with something every year. He has 124 horses to run for him this year.
“I have a scopey Ribchester (Ire) filly who came from Goffs UK and she takes your eye out with her movement. She's a lovely filly with a really good action and there's a bit of chat about Ribchester. Everyone who has one seems to like them. This filly will be a seven-furlong type for the second half of this year. It wouldn't surprise me if Ribchester gets some nice horses later this season but he probably won't make a flying start.
“I haven't done an awful lot with the 2-year-olds yet. I'm not behind, I've done plenty of groundwork, but I haven't got many early types this year—I have the scopier, later types.”
Marley continued, “When he was with us, Mehmas always had such a laidback attitude. No-one had much regard for him here until we gave him a squeeze one morning and he seemed to come from nowhere, he flew. He'd been stumbling around the place all winter, but every time we gave him a squeeze he was there. He never took hold of the bridle when he was here; he had such a good attitude and he has obviously passed that on.
“He did surprise me with his results last year, but I guess he surprised everyone by breaking the records that he did.”
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