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White Marlin Added to Tattersalls February Sale

The two-for-two White Marlin (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has been added to the upcoming Tattersalls February Sale on Feb. 3-4. Consigned as lot 375A by Ronald Rauscher, the 4-year-old colt is rated 93p by Timeform after winning a Dec. 15 Dundalk maiden and a Jan. 14 handicap there, both over 1 ½ miles on the all-weather for trainer Joseph O'Brien in the colours of Ms. M. McDowall.

In addition, the grey is a half-brother to G1 Flying Five S. heroine Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The duo are out of the winner Playwithmyheart (GB) (Diktat {GB}), herself a half-sister to G1 Prix de la Foret hero Toylsome (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), the G3 winner Coral Mist (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and the dam of stakes winner and G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. third Western Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

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Major Boost To Prize-Money At Chelmsford City

Chelmsford City Racecourse will offer significantly increased prize-money for its 2022 programme, including two £100,000 races and increases across the board for lower-grade handicaps.

The Listed Queen Charlotte S., which was first run in 2018 with a prize fund of £75,000, has been boosted to £100,000. The same six-figure pot is on offer for the Cardinal S., which features as the last leg on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby, earning points towards the American Classic for the winner and placed horses.

The Listed Chelmer Fillies' S. has also received an increase in funding and is up from £60,000 to £80,000, while Chelmsford's card on Good Friday features £112,000 in prize-money across seven races, including a £30,000 Class 2 handicap.

From February, the total prize fund for handicaps will be as follows:

Class 2 £25,000
Class 3 £15,000
Class 4 £13,000
Class 5 £10,000
Class 6 £7,300

The boost in purses means that Class 6 handicaps will carry at least £1,000 more per race than those run at tracks owned by Arena Racing Company (ARC) or Jockey Club Racecourses. As a comparison, Class 4 and 5 handicaps at ARC courses are currently run at £9,850 and £7,100. The increases announced by the independently-owned Chelmsford City represent an average upturn in executive contributions of 80% on figures for 2021.

Chelmsford City's director of racing Neil Graham said, “It has long been our desire to improve the quality of racing on offer here at Chelmsford, as well as ensuring decent returns for the owners, trainers and jockeys who support our racecourse week in and week out.

“The Queen Charlotte is one of two Listed races that we are proud to stage at the track, and we are thrilled to be offering a very valuable pot for that this year. The same goes for the Cardinal Stakes, which is clearly not just an important stepping stone for connections, who may have their sights set on Churchill Downs, but also offers a great trial opportunity for our Classics closer to home–and with a huge prize on offer. We look forward to welcoming entries for both races, as well as for our regular cards throughout the year.”

Newmarket-based Charlie Fellowes won the inaugural running on the Queen Charlotte Stakes with Carolinae (GB) (Makfi {GB}) and has been one of a number of British trainers to have been vocal in his concern for declining prize-money in Britain.

He said: “Chelmsford have always made it very clear that decent prize-money is something they prioritise highly and on the all-weather especially they have very much led the way. We were lucky enough to win the Queen Charlotte on what was then the richest evening meeting in Britain. At a time when competition globally is becoming ever more fierce and Britain is getting left behind, it's encouraging to see Chelmsford really doing their bit in trying to make the situation as sustainable and competitive as possible on the domestic front.”

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Hard-Working Haynes Building On Strong Start

It has been something of a whirlwind week for Alice Haynes. In fact, make that a whirlwind year.

On Saturday morning she arrived back in the UK from Dubai having overseen her first two runners there. By Friday she will be back at Meydan to saddle Freyabella (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Mr Professor (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) again. In between that, Haynes has been riding out five or six lots a day on a cold and frosty Newmarket Heath at the head of a string which has risen in numbers on the back of a hugely encouraging start to her training career.

This time last year, the 30-year-old had not even sent out her first runner, but when she did, in late February, her aim was to try to get 10 wins on the board for the year. Come the end of December, she had notched exactly double that number. She already has three to her credit in this new year, all courtesy of the same horse, the sprinter Strong Power, who has notched a hat-trick and a second placing since New Year's Day. Plainly, Haynes is not afraid to run her horses when she feels they are ready for it.

“A lot of people look at the stats, so you are only really as good as your last runner, but I'm not afraid to run them,” says Haynes as she takes a short break between lots at her Cadland Cottage Stables, handily situated at the foot of Warren Hill. “I prefer to run them and get them on the track rather than give them one or two more gallops, that way you can really see what you've got. You can get excited about a piece of work but we all know there are plenty of morning glories who don't then do it on the racecourse.”

In these early days of her own career, the trainer has offered no such disappointment. Only three weeks after sending out her first runner she was in the winner's enclosure with Act Of Magic (Ire) (Magician {Ire}) at Wolverhampton, where Haynes had ridden her first of nine winners a decade earlier.

Since working for David Simcock and riding as an amateur when she first arrived in Newmarket after stints with National Hunt trainer Henrietta Knight then Mick Channon, Haynes ran her own pre-training business for a time. In that line of work in Newmarket she would rarely have been short on occupants, with many of the town's big trainers having large numbers in local pre-training facilities before they come into formal training. By last winter, however, Haynes had set her mind on preparing her own horses rather than doing so for other trainers.

“That was the creme de la creme and now I'm looking at it from a different view,” she says of the switch from breaking in yearlings by the likes of Dubawi (Ire) and Kingman (GB) to training more modestly sourced stock.

“But if you look at an owner like Nick Bradley, he tends to buy quantity over quality but he has found some superstars that way. Some people might go and buy five really well-bred horses but I think I would like to meet in the middle somewhere and not spend so much. Pedigree obviously counts for a lot, but at the same time it's the model of horse and what you do with it, and we've all seen those less expensive horses come out and win big races. That's the fairytale.”

Haynes has certainly made the most of the horses she has either bought inexpensively herself or been sent by owners who have noticed her early results. The aforementioned Nick Bradley is one of them, and Haynes is set to run Unique Cut (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) for his syndicate at Lingfield on Saturday during the inaugural cross-code Winter Million meeting. Also on her list is the increasingly prolific Amo Racing, owner of the horse who so far holds the title of stable star, Mr Professor.

The first-crop son of Profitable won three races for Haynes last year, culminating in her first stakes success in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract. He is now flying the flag for her yard overseas, and ran a promising third in last week's Jumeirah Classic Trial at Meydan. He steps up by two furlongs to return a week later in Friday's Derby Trial.

“He ran so well last week considering that it was his minimum trip over seven furlongs and he just lacks that extra half a gear but it was good to see that Rossa [Ryan] couldn't pull him up until he was over the far side and he has been bouncing ever since. He loves his racing and he takes it well,” says Haynes. “The owner said 'How are we going to beat Godolphin?' But the step up in trip will help us and if they don't turn up one day it's ours for the taking, and he still picked up prize-money for finishing third.”

Haynes is missing being able to ride 'Mr P' on a daily basis as she is used to doing, but she has her old friend and former Simcock colleague Laura Pike overseeing her horses in Dubai as she flits between there and home.

“I was there for their first day on the track and then stayed for their first races on the Friday, but obviously I have the 2-year-olds to get going here and Laura is there doing a great job for me so I don't need to be there all the time,” she adds.

Mr Professor was the first horse Haynes was sent by Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing and she now has three juveniles to train for him, including a colt from the first crop of Kessaar (Ire), whose stock can be expected to be on the early side.

“We currently have 13 2-year-olds in, some very precocious ones and some which will need a little more time,” she says. “I've been lucky in that in the first year I was spending £5,000 to £10,000 myself on yearlings, but now some owners have come in and we've been able to buy four of five which cost £30,000, so it's taking a little step up the ladder and buying something with a bit more of a page.”

Very much a hands-on trainer, Haynes can be seen on a daily basis amidst her string, which also includes jockey Kieran O'Neill, who is in the stable every day.

“I love riding out because you learn so much more about the horses,” says Haynes, who rode to a decent level in eventing before turning to racing full time. “It's not just about them cantering past you, but it's more about how they behave the rest of the time, and that helps when you are then trying to get them to the track–whether it's a horse going to post first or last, or wearing a hood. It's the tiny things that make a difference.”

The more classical style of riding which she learned before coming into racing is clearly put to good use, as she adds, “Every horse gets treated on its own merits but a horse needs to be able canter on the right leg even as a yearling if you're going left-handed, or to register what leg he needs to be on to go round a bend, or even just carry himself properly when trotting. After a horse has had a break he will be in a bungee for a while just to make sure he's using himself properly and to build that top line. At the end of the day the strongest horses are the ones producing the best results.”

Haynes is already looking ahead to European targets for Mr Professor when he eventually returns from Dubai, and has the all-weather finals day or an Italian Group 3 pencilled in as his spring engagements.

“There are some decent options for him early on in the season, so he can kick on off the plane and keep going,” she says. “To have something on the international stage at this time has been great. I wouldn't be afraid to go to places, especially if you are trying to get black type for fillies. I'd love to try to attack France, Ireland, Germany, Italy next season.”

Such ambitions, along with the results, will increasingly turn the spotlight on the young trainer. Her composed and lengthy interview on last week's Luck On Sunday appeared to show someone at ease with this situation but Haynes says, “I'm quite a level-headed person and I don't really like the attention on me. I just like to get on with it and do my job. I've set the bar relatively high and I have to keep increasing it. It's such a competitive sport and you are only as good as your last runner.”

As all trainers know, horses can disappoint as much as they delight, but Haynes's promising first year with a licence has already proved that she is a more-than-competent horsewoman, and better still one for whom hard work is second nature.

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National Stud New Boy Is Poetry In Motion

The real Lope de Vega, dubbed the Spanish Shakespeare, was as prolific a playwright and poet as he was a lover, and is believed to have fathered about 15 children, some legitimate, others not so.

That's small fry for a stallion, of course, and the horse who has carried his name with such distinction, both on the racecourse and at stud, could well end up with at least that many sons following him to stud. So far, in Ireland, he is represented by Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) and Lucky Vega (Ire), who has joined the former at the Irish National Stud this season, as well as Darley's Belardo (Ire), the stand-out member of his sire's first crop. In Newmarket, the National Stud has welcomed its own son of Lope De Vega (Ire) in Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), who drew plenty of praise when shown to the public during last year's December Sales.

In fact, it is fair to say that Lope Y Fernandez had his fair share of admirers almost from the start, for he commanded a price of €900,000 as a yearling when offered by Ballylinch Stud on behalf of breeder SF Bloodstock at the Arqana August Yearling Sale. MV Magnier was the buyer, and off the handsome dark brown colt went back to Ireland to join the bluebloods at Ballydoyle.

An easy-moving sort himself, Lope De Vega does appear to pass on this swagger to his offspring, and it was this aspect of Lope Y Fernandez, as he prowled about the National Stud's stallion unit, that had visitors talking during the early viewing rounds.

“He does just does stand out from the crowd, and he's an amazing-looking horse,” says Jamie Jackson, who is himself also in a new role, if not completely new, at the National Stud. Previously assistant to Joe Callan, who has taken up the position of interim general manager at Market Rasen racecourse, Jackson has recently been appointed nominations manager, and his job is being made a little easier when it comes to selling the stud's new recruit.

“He's got an exceptional walk,” Jackson continues as he watches the dark brown stallion take a turn alongside his handler Luke Strong. “He's just such a well-balanced horse; he's an oil painting.”

A winner on debut at two, Lope Y Fernandez was then placed second and third behind Pinatubo (Ire) in his next two starts in the Chesham S. at Royal Ascot and G2 Vintage S. at Glorious Goodwood. The Vintage S. had been won the previous year by his half-brother Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead), and their dam, the five-time winner and listed-placed Black Dahlia (GB) (Dansili {GB}), has also produced the stakes-placed Al Hayyah (Ire), a full-brother to Lope Y Fernandez.

The latter, who landed his own group honours in the G3 Round Tower S. as a juvenile, went on to a 3-year-old campaign which can perhaps be described as frustratingly consistent, with four Group/Grade 1 placings in the Irish 2000 Guineas, Prix Jean Prat, Prix Maurice de Gheest, and Breeders' Cup Mile. At four he returned to win the Listed Heritage S. and was second again at the highest level behind Palace Pier (GB) in the Queen Anne S.

Lope Y Fernandez demonstrated a good deal of speed and, encouragingly, for those breeders who still like to see hardiness demonstrated on the racecourse, his dam ran 42 times, while her dam, South Rock (GB), was also a multiple winner, including at listed level, and is by the similarly hardly Rock City (GB), whose name is not seen too often in pedigrees these days but won the G2 Gimcrack S. among his five group wins for Richard Hannon Sr.

Now embarking on his first season at stud, Lope Y Fernandez has an interesting four-strong syndicate behind him, with Coolmore retaining an interest, and the National Stud teaming up with Whitsbury Manor Stud and successful racing syndicator and breeder Nick Bradley to complete his diverse ownership group.

Jackson continues, “We were looking for a new stallion off the back of a good season with Time Test (GB) and Aclaim (Ire). We need to keep the ball rolling, and obviously ride the waves. We had Lope Y Fernandez on our radar for a good while, and obviously Ed Harper had the same idea at Whitsbury Manor. We managed to acquire him together and it's great that Coolmore kept an interest, and Nick Bradley also got involved through Ed.”

He adds, “For us to compete and be involved with the game against all the competitors we have, I think it's a great idea moving forward and something we'd love to explore more. It's a great initiative and it gives him every chance to be successful and be very well supported with good mares.”

The stallion career of Lope Y Fernandez is to be structured in the same way as Time Test, who sired four stakes winners from his first crop of runners in 2021 and was one of the most sought-after young stallions at last year's sales. His book is already full, and the team at the National Stud has also been fielding plenty of interest in Lope Y Fernandez.

“We've released 40 breeding rights for him and they have been very popular,” Jackson notes. “We've had some very good mares pencilled in already, with a half-sister to Showcasing (GB), a full-sister to the Tin Man (GB), and a half to Kodi Bear (Ire).”

Jackson, 25, already has a good relationship with Whitsbury Manor Stud, where he started working five years ago before completing the BHA Graduate Scheme.

“I had no horse-handling experience,” he recalls. “I just thought I'd go there for a summer and then off the back of that thought, 'this is exactly what I want to do'. I applied for the grad scheme and very luckily got placed here at the National Stud for eight weeks. Now, two and a half years later, I'm still here. I've seen the Time Test and Aclaim foals come all the way through to be successful racehorses. They have every chance to be 3-year-olds as well.

“The stud at the moment is on a massive upward trajectory. Time Test had an amazing season and is looking to cover his biggest and best book ever with some dams of Classic winners, and Classic winners themselves, which is unbelievable. Aclaim was one of the leading first-seasåon sires, the first foals of Advertise (GB) were very well received and have gone to some good homes. Rajasinghe (Ire) will have his first 2-year-olds and he will have every chance. He was a fantastic son of Choisir (Aus) and won the Coventry in record time.”

Clearly, confidence abounds at the National Stud, which welcomed a new chairman, Lord Grimthorpe, at the end of last year, and has, in the Juddmonte-bred Time Test, an in-demand stallion who links Grimthorpe to his predecessor, the late Duke of Roxburghe, who was insistent that the farm should stand the Juddmonte-bred son of Dubawi (Ire). The National Stud stallion unit is now named in the duke's memory, and there could be no more fitting a tribute to the passionate owner-breeder than if at least one of the current young incumbents could rise to the ranks of the elite.

For those breeders who missed the chance to see Lope Y Fernandez in December, he will be on one of 12 stallions on show at Tattersalls for the TBA Stallion Parade just ahead of the February Sale on on Thursday, Feb. 3.

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