Dutch Art (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dutch Art Retires; Cheveley Park Stud Fees Announced

Cheveley Park Stud's Ulysses (Ire), sire of three Group 3 winners this year including the Derby-placed White Birch (GB), has been trimmed to a fee of £9,000 in 2024, having been at £10,000 for the last three seasons.

His fellow resident Twilight Son (GB) will stand at £6,000, which is also a small reduction from his fee for this year. The Group 1-winning sprinter was responsible for seven black-type performers this season, including the listed winner Vetivier (GB). Twilight Son covered 35 mares this year, while Ulysses covered 50.

The G1 Prix Morny winner Unfortunately (Ire), who is based at Springfield House Stud in Ireland and is the sire of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up and dual listed winner Perdika (GB), is priced at €3,000 for 2024.

In releasing the fees for the stallions, Cheveley Park Stud also confirmed the retirement of Dutch Art (GB). The former top-class 2-year-old and winner of the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. turns 20 in January. He is the sire of Group 1 winners Starman (GB), Garswood (GB) and Slade Power (GB) and also features as broodmare sire of this year's 2,000 Guineas winner and new Juddmonte stallion Chaldean (GB).

Matthew Sigsworth, Cheveley Park Stud's bloodstock manager and head of nominations, said, 'We feel our stallions offer both outstanding value and opportunity for anyone wanting to breed either a Classic performer or a precocious Royal Ascot 2-year-old. As always, we invite breeders to contact us directly to discuss their mares' mating plans for 2024.

“Dutch Art has now being retired from stallion duties, and will enjoy a happy retirement at Cheveley Park Stud, where he will see out the rest of his years.”

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Ward Living the Dream With Starman

When the affable David Ward bought a Montjeu (Ire) yearling filly at Goffs Orby through SackvilleDonald for €50,000 in 2011, he could not have envisaged the journey she would take he and his family on over the next 10 years.

Named Northern Star (Ire), she was no world-beater on the track, winning a maiden at Bath as a 3-year-old; however, her record as a broodmare was impeccable before her untimely death after delivering just three foals. Her second foal was Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who carried Ward's colours to victory in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket last year and who is about to embark on his second career as a stallion at Tally-Ho Stud. Northern Star, who represented Ward's first foray into racehorse ownership, had initially produced Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), who was a dual winner and a solid stakes performer before being retired to join Ward's select broodmare band at the Player family's Whatton Manor Stud.

Although Ward's main business activity of running a major family owned recycling and waste management company takes up plenty of his time, he has also committed significant time and resources into ensuring that Starman receives the best possible start to his new career.

“My racing interests have sort of been split up into two parts at the moment,” Ward explained. “There are the current horses that are in training and there are the horses bought under the Northern Star Bloodstock banner that have been purchased to promote Starman's stallion career. Some will be covered by Starman and then offered for sale late this year, and others will be covered with the intention of racing the stock.”

Ward made quite a splash at Goffs November, where his purchases included the Aga Khan-bred Ediyva (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) for €300,000 and the G3 Sweet Solera S. winner Muraaqaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from Shadwell for €160,000. The mares are carrying foals by Siyouni (Fr) and Dark Angel (Ire), and Ward said he is keeping an open mind about future plans for those imminent arrivals.

“They are two very nice covers but it depends on how commercial I go with the whole thing,” he said. “I am going to have to be seen to be selling certain progeny, so the most likely scenario is that the Dark Angel and Siyouni will be sold as my focus is really on Starman and getting him going. The mares will then be definitely bred to Starman and I will be aiming to keep the majority of that resulting progeny to race for myself.”

Ward was also busy at Tattersalls, coming away with five mares, but a slightly different approach is being adopted with these.

“These are a more commercial bunch in that I will probably sell a few in foal to Starman just to get his name out there at the sales. It's not set in stone but there is the guts of a plan there; we'll just finalise things as we go along. Ultimately I need to sell nice horses that will give Starman the best chance of success.”

Ward's new stallion is in good company in Tally-Ho, standing alongside the ever-dependable Kodiac (GB), rising star Mehmas (Ire), champion first-crop sire Cotai Glory (GB), Group 1 producer Galileo Gold (GB) and the soon-to-be-tested Kessaar (Ire) and Inns Of Court (Ire). The farm's record at starting off young stallions from relatively inexpensive covering fees is excellent and the partnership makes a lot of sense to Ward.

“I had a relationship with Tally-Ho already having used Kodiac and they expressed an interest in standing Starman. Having taken all the other factors into account we were more than happy to forge an alliance,” Ward said. “He's definitely in the right hands and it's a situation I am very happy about. There has been plenty of interest in the horse from breeders in Ireland and England; if he could go on to mirror the success of Kodiac or Mehmas that would be amazing. Tally-Ho also have a significant broodmare band and will be supporting Starman with their own mares, so he really is going to get every chance.”

Although he reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning a July Cup, 2021 wasn't all about Starman in the Ward stable as he was also represented by the smart filly Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}). The 4-year-old, who is also in the care of Ed Walker, won a listed race at York last May but her form tapered off slightly when upped in grade later in the season. Despite that, she still boasts a rating of 112 and Ward is keen to give her another crack at the big time this season.

“Primo Bacio is back in training and we're hoping she might win another stakes race this year. She is not over-raced and she deserves another season of racing before she retires to stud. Obviously Starman will feature in her plans when she does retire so she will be another nice mare for him.”

Ward also has some 2-year-olds to look forward to this year having been active at the yearling sales last autumn.

“I think we have seven 2-year-olds this year, all bought at Tattersalls and Goffs last year except two homebred fillies and the majority are with Ed [Walker]. We bought a lovely Mehmas filly off Tally-Ho Stud at Book 1 and I have a well-bred Lope De Vega (Ire) filly as well. I also picked up a very nice colt by Wootton Bassett (GB), so hopefully we have plenty of ammunition to give us an exciting summer.”

On the matings front, Ward is also launching the breeding career of Starman's older sister Sunday Star, whose first cover had been delayed due to a problem with an ovary. With that issue rectified, the 6-year-old will visit the mighty Frankel (GB). Northern Star's third and final produce was a daughter of Kingman (GB) called Lodestar (GB) who, despite showing promise in training, was fast-tracked for a breeding career when Starman began scaling the heights last year. She is due to Dutch Art (GB) this year and will be covered by Kodiac (GB) after that.

While cognisant of his general good fortune with his horses since he got involved a decade ago, Ward still rues what might have been had Northern Star not met a premature end to her life.

“It's just a tragedy she only had three foals, she would certainly be going to some nice stallions if she was still around given what she achieved in a short space of time,” he said. “I just feel lucky that I still have two young fillies from her that will hopefully allow me to develop the family further over time.”

In a sport often dominated by superpowers and with barriers to entry that can be perceived as being extortionate, Ward's success in racing should give those thinking of getting involved inspiration.

“A healthy dose of good luck goes a long way but it's also very important to align yourself with good people who can help you make the best decisions,” Ward said. “I've got a great, patient trainer in Ed Walker and Ed Player and his family do a great job at rearing the stock while another Ed–Mr. Sackville–is my main advisor at the sales. I'm very happy with the team I have in all aspects of the operation.”

Ward concluded, “Last year was fantastic and I may never get to experience something like that again and I feel so fortunate that it did happen, but for me the next best thing will be watching Starman's progeny winning at the races for me and for others, and that's something we can hopefully look forward to in the next few years.”

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Haydock Sprint Cup Next For Starman

Starman (GB) (Dutch art {GB}), the winner of the G1 July Cup, will aim for a start in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 4 after running a close third in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on Sunday. A winner of his first three starts last fall, including the Listed Garrowby S. at York in September, the 4-year-old colt did not care for the soft ground in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. and ran unplaced in October. he was back on top in the G2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics S. on May 12 prior to his Newmarket victory on July 10.

Trainer Ed Walker said, “We live to fight another day and when we get him back on proper fast ground, we'll see his true colours again. We've so much rain, we're surely due a dry spell. We'll aim for Haydock and see how we go.”

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Dutch Art’s Starman On Top In The July Cup

With the weather staying clear ahead of Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, David Ward's Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) had his day to deliver on all the abundant promise he had shown so far in his brief career in a strong renewal. Successful in the May 12 G2 Duke of York S. over this six-furlong trip, the 9-2 second favourite was buried in mid-division of the group racing stand's side throughout the early stages with the pace rapid up ahead. Staying on powerfully up the rising ground to collar the far-rail runner Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the final 50 yards, he hit the line with 1 1/4 lengths to spare over the 7-2 favourite Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), with last year's winner Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) a short head behind in third as the stand's-side contingent swallowed up the game long-time leader Art Power in the dying strides. Jockey Tom Marquand was full of praise for the winner. “This lad is as close to a racecar as you can get,” he said. “He was pretty exceptional and you have to put him in the top tier of European sprinting after that–it was an incredible performance.”

This was an epic renewal of the July Cup, with what had already looked a stellar race on paper played out in reality on the famed Suffolk heathland. As the speedball Art Power was steered to the far rail by Silvestre de Sousa to head off last year's G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and gain the early advantage, the reigning G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. hero Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) ploughed his furrow up the centre dragging Oxted along in his slipstream. On the stand's side, the exciting 3-year-olds Dragon Symbol and Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) followed the tempo set by the outsider Good Effort (Ire) (Shamardal) along with Starman but the latter was outpaced even before halfway with the heat still on full up front. Heading past two out, calling the winner was impossible with a line of sprinters giving their all across the track but Art Power was in no mood to surrender, Oxted was drifting right and TDN Rising Star Dragon Symbol had gained the lead on his side.

Starman had been under the pump a long way before he came steaming through to join Art Power, Glen Shiel, Oxted and Dragon Symbol with 150 yards remaining as the cream rose to the top. In a finish where ultimately only the proven group 1 horses were a factor, Starman who had been denied the opportunity to show himself to be in that category by the deluge that hit Royal Ascot was the one who emerged clear best. Creative Force was staying on strongly at the death along with the race's stalwart Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), but it was the Ed Walker trainee who was heading up a star cast for one of the finest shows of sprinting prowess this track has witnessed.

“The last few days, everyone has been coming in saying it is one of the best July Cups we have seen for a good while,” Marquand said. “For a horse that has had six runs, I thought he showed relative signs of inexperience still but that turn of foot he showed up the hill was nothing short of top-class. He has always felt like he's not done an awful lot in front, so maybe he was just idling until I got there and it sort of flattered the winning distance a little bit. On the July Course, you have those undulations and to be honest it felt like it caught him out a bit at the three pole. Just as things started changing at the three he got a little bit unbalanced and done for a bit of toe, but as soon as he levelled off and worked into top gear there was never a moment that I didn't think I was going to get there, which is a rare feeling in a top-class race like that.”

Introduced almost a year ago to the day, Starman opened his account on Lingfield's Polytrack before impressing when following up at Doncaster in August with the runners-up in both contests being the eventual Wokingham H. second and third Fresh (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and King's Lynn (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). Dismissing the York specialist Dakota Gold (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) in that track's Listed Garrowby S. the following month, he was unable to feature when beating only two home in the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. on Ascot's rain-hit champions day card but had regained momentum in the Duke of York as if the latter experience was just a figment of Walker's imagination.

That trainer was enjoying a breakthrough first group 1 winner and said, “It's taken its time, but better late than never as they say. I always believed so much in this horse. I put a lot of pressure on myself and it's great that belief has been vindicated. His only blip was on bad ground at Ascot last season and we've been proved to have made the right call in missing the Royal meeting. I hoped he'd win a group 1 and we dreamed that he'll be a sprinter of a generation. A horse that was going through the grades as quickly as he was, you have to dream. They're all champions when they walk into the yard, but this horse has never let us down.”

Walker also has the recent G3 Sandown Sprint S. winner Came From the Dark (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), but he made it clear that they would be kept apart. “In my mind, they're not in the same league,” he said. “He's a very good horse Came From the Dark, but this guy has that brilliance. Came From the Dark has got guts and battles it out. I think Came From the Dark is more of a five-furlong horse whereas with this guy, it looks like six is the absolute minimum. We'll look at the [Sept. 4 G1 Haydock] Sprint Cup and the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville Aug. 8]. For the first time ever in watching him it wasn't happening. I was feeling sorry for myself at the three pole thinking 'more bad luck in big races'. I watched down at the one pole and as they came past me I thought he has still got quite a bit of ground to make up here but he did it.”

Owner-breeder David Ward added, “He's probably a horse of a lifetime. He was just the second horse I've bred. We always believed he was a seriously talented horse and he is.” Oisin Murphy, who rode the winner in the Duke of York but who committed to the runner-up this time, said, “I'm thrilled for Ed Walker. I was given the choice and I picked the wrong one, but I'm thrilled for their team and they're having a fantastic season. I hope Dragon Symbol will get his day, we could well look to France next potentially for the Prix Maurice de Gheest.”

Starman becomes the fourth group 1 winner for Cheveley Park Stud's resident Dutch Art (GB), who was second in this in 2007 and whose previous best was the 2014 July Cup hero Slade Power (Ire). He is also the second foal out of the 10-furlong winner Northern Star (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), a €50,000 Goffs Orby yearling in 2011 whose first was the G3 Oh So Sharp S. and G3 Summer S. third Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). Northern Star is kin to the GII Tampa Bay Derby winner and GI Arkansas Derby runner-up King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) and is a granddaughter of the stakes scorer Slow Down (Seattle Slew) who produced the G3 La Coupe scorer Slow Pace (Distorted Humor) and his GIII Pat Day Mile-winning full-brother Funny Duck. The fourth dam is the GI Beverly Hills H. heroine Corrazona (El Gran Senor), a half to the GI Wood Memorial-winning sire Thirty Six Red (Slew O'Gold). Northern Star's currently last known foal is an unraced 3-year-old filly by Kingman (GB) named Lodestar (GB).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
DARLEY JULY CUP S.-G1, £510,750, Newmarket, 7-10, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.11, g/f.
1–STARMAN (GB), 132, c, 4, by Dutch Art (GB)
1st Dam: Northern Star (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Slow Down, by Seattle Slew
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-David Ward (GB); T-Ed Walker; J-Tom Marquand. £289,646. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0, $521,936. *1/2 to Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), MGSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dragon Symbol (GB), 126, c, 3, Cable Bay (Ire)–Arcamist (GB), by Arcano (Ire). (67,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Yoshiro Kubota; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Archie Watson. £109,811.
3–Oxted (GB), 132, g, 5, Mayson (GB)–Charlotte Rosina (GB), by Choisir (Aus). (£400,000 RNA 3yo '19 GOFLON). O-S Piper, T Hirschfeld, D Fish & J Collins; B-Homecroft Wealth Racing (GB); T-Roger Teal. £54,957.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, NK. Odds: 4.50, 3.50, 5.50.
Also Ran: Art Power (Ire), Creative Force (Ire), Glen Shiel (GB), Brando (GB), Garrus (Ire), Chil Chil (GB), Rohaan (Ire), Emaraaty Ana (GB), Glorious Journey (GB), Line of Departure (Ire), Extravagant Kid, Supremacy (Ire), Method (Ire), Summerghand (Ire), Miss Amulet (Ire), Good Effort (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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