The bay filly is a daughter of the former Richard Fahey trainee Vaulted (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), a half-sister to the multiple Group 2 winners Dimension (GB) (Medicean {GB}) and Spacious (GB) (Nayef).

Whatton Manor's Ed Player described her as, “A big, strong filly, nice limbs and [we're] pretty pleased with the model we've got.”

Perfect Power, who won the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. as a two-year-old before adding the G1 Commonwealth Cup to his tally at three, stands for £10,000 at Dalham Hall Stud this year.

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Figures dipped a little from last year's slightly larger catalogue, but there was still plenty of money about for the 'right' horse, with a number of those towards the top of the list having missed an earlier engagement at Tattersalls for a variety of minor reasons. The average of 34,627gns was pretty much on a par with 2021 figures, but the median fell by 19% to 22000gns. The clearance rate dropped two points to 86%.

Combined tallies for the yearling sales of October and December weighed in at 204 million gns, a significant increase on the previous record for those fixtures of 167 million gns in 2018, and that doesn't take into account the latest addition to the Tattersalls yearling calendar, the Somerville Yearling Sale, which this year turned over 7.7 million gns.

Alex Elliott talked of paying a “Book 1 price for a Book 1 filly” and that was certainly the case for the day's leading light [lot 80], a filly by the Sea The Stars (Ire), who was bred by the Rogers family at Airlie Stud and consigned on their behalf by Whatton Manor Stud.

Elliott has been busy recruiting yearlings for Valmont this season, and this latest purchase took the juvenile team for 2023 to a total of 33. Ralph Beckett, who has sent out 11 runners for Valmont during 2022, will take charge of the full-sister to Fifty Stars (Ire), who was eventually secured with a bid of 260,000gns.

“She fitted the profile: she was a Book 1 filly but she missed out [on that sale] as she had a slight injury prior to Book 1, so she was a Book 1 filly in December and we had to pay a Book 1 price for her,” said Elliott, who noted that Valmont now has 60 horses in training.

“We had a good Sea The Stars filly this year called Trust The Stars, who won a Newmarket maiden, and she is hopefully going to be an Oaks filly, and that is the type of middle-distance, three-year-old profile we are looking for.”

He continued, “She was a foal share but she was bred by Airlie Stud and they are such good breeders and I love buying from them; they are so organic and they get such great results. The mare is in foal to Sea The Stars, she has a Sea The Stars foal, and she is going back to him so there's a lot to happen for us. Hopefully she is one that we can race and breed from in time.”

The filly, bred on the same cross as Oaks winner Taghrooda (GB), is a daughter of the Sadler's Wells mare Swizzle Stick (Ire). The unraced mare's most prolific offspring is the aforementioned Fifty Stars, whose major victories in Australia include the G1 Australian Cup, two running of the G2 Blarney S., and the G2 Ajax S.

Sea The Stars was also on the shopping list of Peter and Ross Doyle, who signed for lot 69, from Gestut Fahrhof, at 145,000gns. The colt out of the French listed winner Sequilla (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) could well be seen back in the same ring next spring as he was bought on behalf of breeze-up consignor William Browne of Mocklershill.

Emphasising the range of horses on offer at the breeze-up sales these days, this year's St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a graduate of the Arqana Breeze-up Sale, and either that auction or the Craven were mooted as possible destinations for another Dubawi colt who was bought for 180,000gns by Yeomanstown Stud.

Lot 154, who was offered by his breeder Shadwell, is out of the Listed City of York S. winner Fadhayyil (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), whose first foal Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has won two stakes races in Australia, including the G2 Let's Elope S.

“Obviously he's by a top stallion and out of a very good mare,” said Yeomanstown's David O'Callaghan. “We don't get too many opportunities to buy this type so we said if he didn't make a silly price we'd step in. Thankfully he fell just within our range.”

Breezing is also on the horizon for the Frankel (GB) half-brother to the Group 3 winners Peace Envoy (Fr) (Power {GB}) and Our Last Summer (Ire) (Zamindar), who was picked up by Tally-Ho Stud for 130,000gns from the Glenvale Stud draft.

Yulong Investments has been a staunch supporter of the European bloodstock scene in recent years and its principal Zhang Yuesheng was a significant participant at last week's Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale when spending more than €5 million on mares to support the operation's young stallion Lucky Vega (Ire). Along with bloodstock agent Michael Donohoe, the the Yulong team was active again at the December Yearling Sale, snaring one of the earliest lots into the ring [6] for 155,000gns. 

Offered by the Castlebridge Consignment for breeder Michael Enright, the dark brown colt is the first foal of the unraced Lady Corsica (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a sister to GI Belmont Derby winner Deauville (Ire). The six-year-old mare was sold in the same ring two years ago for 310,000gns when carrying the colt.

Donohoe, who confirmed that the colt will go into training with Karl Burke, said, “I had previously bought the dam for client Michael Enright so I know all about her. I had seen [the colt] as a foal and a yearling, he was entered in Book 1 but was going through a growing stage then and was withdrawn.”

The Australian appetite for European bloodstock shows no sign of abating and Annabel Neasham, a regular buyer at the Horses-in-Training Sale, expanded her remit to add a December yearling to her export list from Newmarket. Agent Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock conducted the bidding on behalf of the trainer and Nathan Bennett of Bennett Racing for lot 24, a Ten Sovereigns half-sister to Sibaaq (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who races for the same team in Australia and was picked up at Tattersalls last autumn. A four-time winner in the UK for Mark Johnston, the four-year-old is yet to win in Australia but has finished placed on four occasions.

“This is a bit of longer-term project,” said Boman after bidding 120,000gns for the Barton Stud-bred filly who is also a half-sister to Group 3 winner The Happy Prince (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}). “Sibaaq has already won over half a million in prize-money. He has worked out very well and this filly has huge residual value.”

He added, “She was in the October Book 2 Yearling Sale, but did not make it due to a minor issue. It makes sense and we think Sibaaq is up to Group class in Australia.”

Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock stepped in to buy the Lope De Vega (Ire) half-brother to G3 Prix Paul de Moussac winner Azano (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for 150,000gns for an undisclosed client. The colt [lot 113] hails from an Aga Khan family which includes Azamour (Ire) and The Autumn Sun (Aus) and was bred by Elysian Bloodstock. 

A sole purchase on the day for the Hong Kong Jockey Club came for lot 112, a colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of the Frankel (GB) mare Aspirer (GB), a Juddmonte-bred daughter of Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) from this family of Irish Derby winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Consigned by Norris Bloodstock for breeder Eric Chen, he brought the hammer down at 100,000gns.

Leading the day's pinhooks was lot 84, a colt by Harry Angel (Ire) bought for 26,000gns last year by David Hegarty of Hegarty Bloodstock and resold for 92,000gns to Richard Frisby. His dam Thankful (GB) (Diesis {GB}) has a clean sheet thus far from her six offspring to take to the track who are all winners, headed by the listed-placed Morning Post (GB) (Acclamation {GB}).

Action returns to sale ring at Park Paddocks at 10am on Wednesday with the start of  the four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

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“It was a disappointing run last time, but we had a genuine excuse and felt the step up in trip was always going to suit him as was being back on a sound surface,” explained Charlie Appleby. “He got caught up in the mud at Doncaster, but went there off the back of a nice performance at Sandown where he quickened up and I think we saw that again today. A key factor today was the distance as he has a stout pedigree, being out of God Given. He doesn't do anything flash and I know we were getting excited after Sandown, but that sort of race broke down in front of him as they went hard and came back in front of him up the hill. He got the penalty for a reason, but he was up against a competitive field. He is a horse that you will see at 10 furlongs in the middle of next summer, but we will likely put him in one of the trials in the spring.”

Champion jockey-elect William Buick added, “The ground went against him at Doncaster, but on a nice surface he travels well and he has seen out a mile very well today. He's a big horse and that gives you confidence for next year. This lad is a 3-year-old type and anything he does as a 2-year-old is a bonus. He has plenty of scope to improve.”

Silver Knott, a half-brother to the aforementioned yearling colt by Dubawi (Ire), is the first of two foals produced by multiple Group winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), whose career high came in the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio. The March-foaled bay's second dam Ever Rigg (GB) (Dubai Destination), who also threw multiple Group 1-winning sire Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), is a daughter of G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Bianca Nera (GB) (Salse). The latter is also the granddam of GIII Beverly Hills H.-winning GI Yellow Ribbon Invitational second Turning Top (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and G3 Winter Derby victor Robin Hoods Bay (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Silver Knott's Group-winning fourth dam Birch Creek (GB) (Carwhite {Ire}) is responsible for G1 Moyglare Stud S. second Hotelgenie Dot Com (GB) (Selkirk), herself the dam of G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Falmouth S. winner Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
EMIRATES AUTUMN S.-G3, £60,000, Newmarket, 10-8, 2yo, 8fT, 1:36.00, gd.
1–SILVER KNOTT (GB), 132, c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: God Given (GB) (G1SW-Ity, MGSW-Eng & GSW-Fr, $492,122), by Nathaniel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ever Rigg (GB), by Dubai Destination
3rd Dam: Bianca Nera (GB), by Salse
(725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, $102,676. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Epictetus (Ire), 129, c, 2, Kingman (GB)–Thistle Bird (GB), by Selkirk. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £12,900.
3–Holloway Boy (GB), 129, c, 2, Ulysses (Ire)–Sultry (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (60,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 60,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nick White & Mrs Elaine Burke; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Karl Burke. £6,456.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 4.00, 2.25, 2.00.
Also Ran: Dancing Magic (Ire), Killybegs Warrior (Ire), Exoplanet (Fr).

Smart performance from Silver Knott in the Gr.3 Autumn Stakes at @NewmarketRace.@godolphin bought him for 725,000gns at #TattsOctober Book 1 from @whattonmanor.pic.twitter.com/JB3dXSnyFo

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) October 8, 2022

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An inheritance of a plot of such rich land deep in the Vale of Belvoir can be regarded as fortunate, but it is one which has given rise to decades of work. Peter's son Ed is now at the forefront of the business and he speaks with reverence of the dedication his 80-year-old father has shown to the place for half his life. 

“There were no horse paddocks at all when we first came here,” he says. “It was cattle or arable land completely, but the Vale of Belvoir is well known for being brilliant land and he thought he could make a go of it with horses. My father was managing Hadrian Stud for the Wells family and then they sold Hadrian and for the next 40 years, his lifetime's work has been building up this stud up from scratch. Initially, we started with no fences and now it's up to 700 acres of fenced land.”

He adds, “We're an hour from the Doncaster sales and around 40 minutes to Newmarket, so it works very well for us.”

It is the latter destination, and Tattersalls in particular, which will be occupying Player's thoughts and time over the next fortnight. At Book 1 this coming week Whatton Manor Stud offers its strongest draft to date.

The eight at Book 1 are consigned for a range of clients, including the Players' Nottinghamshire neighbours Fiona and Mick Denniff, who are selling an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother to group winners Beat The Bank (GB) and Chil Chil (GB), as well as Andrew Stone of St Albans Bloodstock and Rabbah Bloodstock. For the last two named, Whatton Manor consigns three Dubawi (Ire) yearlings, including a half-brother to this year's G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB), a 725,000gns purchase by Godolphin from Stone and Whatton Manor at Book 1 in 2021.

Making the quick buck is always the wrong choice; we want to have a reputation for breeding good horses

“Over the years, we've not really had many in Book 1,” Player says. “We've had the odd ones in certain years, but we've been very much more a Book 2 draft. Luckily, we've got some very good clients who breed some very nice horses, which gives us the opportunity to sell these horses in Book 1. We've always aspired to do so but it's easier said than done. You've only got to look through the catalogue at the moment and it's lot after lot of beautiful pedigrees.”

He continues, “To have a nice draft this year is very exciting. I'm happy to work with any stock, and I get just as much fun out of a horse we've sold for £2,000 that wins five races, but as the quality of mares here has improved, we've been lucky and had a lot of good horses from the farm.”

One of those is a young stallion who will no doubt soon be represented by some of his stock at Whatton Manor Stud. David Ward's G1 July Cup winner Starman (GB) was bred at the farm, and the Tally-Ho Stud resident is reported to have been one of the busiest stallions in Ireland this year.

“David is such an enthusiast and he very much views his involvement as a team with myself, Ed Sackville and Ed Walker,” says Player. “We all have our part and if something good like Starman comes along he's very appreciative and thanks us all for each individual bit we've all done, whether it's Ed deciding on the matings, us looking after the horse for the first two years of his life, and then Ed Walker training him beautifully, or Brian O'Rourke breaking him in.”

He continues, “Starman was bred from David Ward's first broodmare, and was the second horse he ever bred. The first was Sunday Star (GB) who was stakes-placed seven times. When Starman won the July Cup, it was very emotional, a very special day for all of us.”

The aforementioned Silver Knott, who holds an entry for the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy later this month, is one of the most recent star graduates and has provided his Group 1-winning dam God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with an excellent start to her broodmare career for Andrew Stone, who is also the owner-breeder of the G3 Chipchase S. winner Sense Of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

“Again, Andrew is a hugely enthusiastic person loves his racing and puts a lot into the sport. He's had a very good year this year. Sense Of Duty was born here as well, and I know they really felt she was a Group 1 filly. She's had an issue but hopefully she can come back next year. Then to breed Silver Knott out of his pride and joy, God Given, was fantastic. We have a very nice Dubawi to offer from the mare [lot 504].”

Player admits to a few grey hairs emerging these last few years watching horses like God Given's Dubawi colt grow, but says, “The most important thing for us is that they go out in a big field and they learn to be proper horses. We don't mollycoddle them to make sure they're perfect sales horses.

“Occasionally, accidents happen and you try to do everything to stop those but being a racehorse is crucial. My father always said to me, 'Keep it as close to nature as possible, and if you have racehorses off the farm, the money will come.' Making the quick buck is always the wrong choice. We want to have a reputation for breeding good horses.”

That certainly has become a hallmark of Whatton Manor Stud, as has the eye for a good pinhook. This is not only something that Ed Player enjoys doing but also the eldest of his three sons, Freddie. Now 16, Freddie has been pinhooking with some notable success for several years now. He first dabbled in 2017 when buying a Dandy Man (Ire) filly foal for 7,000gns and selling her on for £24,000. Later known as Dr Simpson (Fr), she won the G3 Mercury S. at Dundalk. Another of the young Player's pinhooks was the listed winner and multiple group-placed Method (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), while his father, along with Ed Sackville, bought subsequent four-time international Group/Grade 1 winner State Of Rest (Ire) as a foal, as well as G2 Lowther S. winner Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Half the fun is making a judgement call: which stallions you like, which you think are going to be successful

“We get a huge amount of fun out of doing it,” says Player. “Obviously, the whole purpose of doing it is to try to make money, but when you have a horse like State Of Rest winning at Royal Ascot, that's a hugely exciting day. We bought him for 45,000 and sold him for 60,000, so he didn't make us much money, but the fun we've had has more than made up for it.”

He recalls, “He was a tall, good-moving horse that we struggled to get quite as much weight on as we wanted. We thought he was going to make a lot of money and things didn't quite work as we hoped, but he went to a great trainer and people have had great success out of him. It is a lovely story for people not buying horses for ridiculous sums of money.

“Half the fun is making a judgement call: which stallions you like, which you think are going to be successful. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong.”

It hasn't always been horses at the forefront of Player's mind. Though growing up at the stud with his sister Alice–who is married to Goffs auctioneer and breeder Nick Nugent–and encouraged to be hands-on from an early age by their father, Ed worked in the city for ten years before returning home. 

“Growing up, it was all hands on deck as my father was working every hour of the day to make ends meet and trying to get a business going,” he says. “So we never sat at home and did our homework. We were always out in the field, and from an early age it was my love, but I like to think I was sensible enough not to go straight into it. I learned about business and accounts, got my city qualifications and had a lovely time, but that was a stopgap to always wanting to come back and being lucky enough to have a business that my father was building up.”

He continues, “It's very much been a family effort from all of us. My mother's been a huge part of it. Now Freddie's very involved and loves it. From an early age, he has been obsessed with the pedigrees, the breeding, the racing, the sales. The younger two, Archie and Harry, are getting more involved and enjoying it. That's half the fun for me, if we can do it as a family, and they all come feeding with me at weekends.”

The future of Whatton Manor Stud appears to be in good hands, then, and if you are wondering which rabbit Freddie Player will pull from the hat next then be sure to inspect his Magna Grecia (Ire) colt out of Occupation (Ire), who is part of Whatton Manor's 23-lot draft for Book 2.

Like many, Player expresses his amazement at how well the bloodstock industry came through the pandemic and continues to thrive. 

“It was extraordinary,” he says. “I couldn't believe the market would be that strong, and I can't believe it's been this strong this year. Our industry has this amazing resilience and seems to come up with new people to buy horses.” 

Though he has given the youngsters in his care as much of a head start as possible while spending their formative years in the sweeping paddocks of Whatton Manor, it is understandable that Player, like any consignor, has the odd nerve-jangle as sales times approaches.

“It concerns me how many more horses have got to be sold this year, despite it being so strong so far, but we try to keep our heads down and keep working away,” he says. “I think we've got a very good bunch that's going to sell for a range of prices, and I'd be astounded if there weren't some very good racehorses amongst them.”

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While this renewal showcased the remarkable distance that racing has come since the last century in terms of international competition, there is possibly still a sense that achievements overseas can be overlooked in the Royal Ascot analysis. State of Rest had been at inflated odds before a late gamble thrust him back to 5-1, which was in hindsight an insult given that he had faced the thrust of battle on contrasting surfaces in the States, Australia and France. Having outgunned Anamoe (Aus) (Street Boss) and Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) at Moonee Valley in October, State of Rest was probably only in his comfort zone dealing with the French contingent in the Ganay at the start of May and connections felt that his subsequent third three weeks later in The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup could be bettered. Running the final three furlongs there faster than the first and second Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), he was always going to be dangerous let loose on the lead.

State of Rest may have clocked a moderate overall time for the race, especially given how the ground has allowed for some rapid outcomes over the first two day, but his finishing effort up the straight was that of a top-class performer and a rematch with the still-promising runner-up will be fascinating to witness. Remarkably, this was Joseph O'Brien's first Royal Ascot winner as a trainer and it is fitting that it arrived 10 years after he won this aboard another Cox Plate hero in So You Think (NZ). “It's very special. It's been a long time coming,” he said. “We've had a lot of horses run well here. It's special to get a winner here and not only a winner, but to win a race like the Prince of Wales's Stakes is hugely special. We have a great team of owners and a special horse.”

“We had a good chat with Shane and decided to make the running. It could not have worked out better. He got the fractions perfect,” he added. “State of Rest is a very tough horse. He is very versatile and I take some of the blame myself for not using him enough last time, but it was a great run. We knew coming here today that we had a live chance of winning the race and I'm just pleased that the horse has proved himself. It is a huge day and I am very proud of everyone. This is what it is all about. We love the game, we are born and bred into the game. It is all we know. To have a big winner here is what we do it for.”

Paul Cashman of Rathbarry Stud, part-owner of the winner, said, “Things did not go to plan in the Tattersalls Gold Cup–the ground was not on our side that day. It was Joseph's plan to go forward. He knew from furlong to furlong what he wanted and that is how it panned out. It doesn't always work like that, but they had the confidence and the horse to do that. Joseph said he was unlucky in the spring of his three-year-old career. He pulled a muscle in the spring and did not have a Guineas campaign, so was a second half of the season horse. So for me he'd been under the radar for a race like this. I thought he should have been half the price he was.”

“It's just a very proud week to be an Australian,” Henry Field told TDN AusNZ on the win. “It was absolutely fantastic. It was a crack-hot field with the top-class middle distances European horses and Japanese horses. It means a lot because he has shown he is the best mile-and-a-quarter horse in the world. It has taken a long time for us to step into this part of the market and find a middle distance horse to stand at stud, but after his Cox Plate win we took a leap of faith and I think that after today's [Wednesday] result that decision has been very much vindicated.

“He's a star horse. He's won Group 1s in America, France, obviously the Cox Plate and now Royal Ascot–that is quite the record. He has got one of the strongest syndicates of owners we have ever put together for a horse and it includes some breeders from New South Wales, Victoria and New Zealand, so it's just a great thrill and many of them are here–it's a day we will never forget.”

“I was actually talking to Chris Waller before the horses came to Ascot and how the week could be a big one for Australia,” Field added. “We have seen the Japanese horses travel round the world and really vindicate the power of their racing. So, to see a horse like Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) win the [G1] King's Stand [S.] on Tuesday, and not just win but blow his rivals away, and then our Cox Plate winner, albeit a horse trained in Ireland, prove he is the best mile-and-a-quarter horse in the world, I think all this is very important for Australian racing to showcase to the world how powerful our product is.

“This guy is trained by Joseph, who is a child prodigy and has an extraordinary brain. One of the greatest parts of investing in this horse is being able to pick Joseph's brain over the phone and I don't think I've ever spoken to a smarter younger man in the horse business. But to see both the Australian sprinting and middle-distance form stack up as it has this week, it's a week that Australians should be really proud of and it is really important for the future of our industry. It's just a very proud week to be an Australian. ”

Added Field, “Fingers crossed Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) can give us something to celebrate on Saturday, but if he doesn't we will all be cheering on Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) for Coolmore.”

Sir Michael Stoute was far from downcast following the end of Bay Bridge's sequence and said, “The race didn't pan out brilliantly for him, but he ran a very big race and we're absolutely delighted. We haven't run him on fast ground before, but that didn't inconvenience him–there was no problem there. Whether we stick at 10 furlongs or go to 12 furlongs, no decision will be taken for a little while.” Lord North was in a race of his own for much of the contest, left several lengths behind after the blindfold had become caught in the bridle, while the G1 Tokyo Yushun and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) failed to fire on another disappointing day for Japan here. “When I asked to go, he didn't have the same acceleration as last time,” rider Cristian Demuro explained.

State of Rest's unraced dam Repose (Quiet American) is now the property of Juddmonte and their recent acquisition takes on even greater import following this latest confirmation of their unerring shrewdness. Also responsible for the G3 Blue Wind S. winner Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), she is a daughter of Monaassabaat (Zilzal) who captured the Listed Virginia S. before producing the listed winners Prince Alzain (Street Sense) and Echo River (Irish River {Fr}), with the latter also second in the G3 May Hill S. She is also the second dam of the G2 Royal Lodge S. and G2 Vintage S. runner-up Artigiano (Distorted Humor).

The third dam is the 16-times-winning dual GI Vanity H. heroine and champion It's In the Air (Mr. Prospector), whose descendants include the triple group 1-winning Champion S. hero Storming Home (GB) (Machiavellian), the GI American Oaks heroine Music Note (A.P. Indy) and her G1 Dubai World Cup-winning son Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), plus the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Musical Chimes (In Excess {Ire}). Repose's 2-year-old filly Double Scoop (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) was a €180,000 purchase by Anthony Dutrow at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, while she delivered a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire) this year.

State of Rest will stand at Rathbarry Stud, Ireland and shuttle to Newgate Farm, Australia upon his retirement.

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
PRINCE OF WALES'S S.-G1, £1,057,500, Ascot, 6-15, 4yo/up, 9f 212yT, 2:07.79, g/f.
1–STATE OF REST (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Repose, by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Monaassabaat, by Zilzal
3rd Dam: It's in the Air, by Mr. Prospector
(45,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 60,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-State Of Rest Partnership; B-Tinnakill Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Shane Crosse. £599,708. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Aus & Fr, GISW-US & G1SP-Ire, 12-5-1-3, $3,808,013. *1/2 to Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bay Bridge (GB), 128, c, 4, New Bay (GB)–Hayyona (GB), by Multiplex (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-James Wigan & Ballylinch Stud; B-London Thoroughbred Services Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £227,363.
3–Grand Glory (GB), 125, m, 6, Olympic Glory (Ire)–Madonna Lily (Ire), by Daylami (Ire). (€18,000 Ylg '17 AROYRG; €2,500,000 5yo '21 ARQDEC). O-Haras de Hus; B-Elevage Haras de Bourgeauville (GB); T-Gianluca Bietolini. £113,787.
Margins: 1, 2 1/4, HD. Odds: 5.00, 0.91, 16.00.
Also Ran: Shahryar (Jpn), Lord North (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

International star State Of Rest takes the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes for @JosephOBrien2. What a horse, bred by @TinnakillHouse. pic.twitter.com/5yMOwNmROS

— TDN (@theTDN) June 15, 2022

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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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The Dubawi stallion Time Test has made a flying start to his stud career with four individual group/listed winners in his first crop including the Group 3 Dick Poole winner Romantic Time and the listed St Hugh's Stakes winner Tardis. It has been no surprise therefore to see his yearlings in such high demand at the sales, and so it proved with the colt out of the Shamardal mare Purest who was knocked down to Montgomery Motto for 95,000 guineas.

Motto, who saw off underbidder Amanda Skiffington, was previously based in the U.S. and owned and trained his own team of horses at Calder, before moving to Europe a couple of years ago.

“This is one of the best athletes I have seen here and he has a lovely temperament to match,” said Motto. “It's hard to go wrong with a Shamardal mare and she has produced a useful runner abroad. I went a bit higher than planned, but the money nearly always finds the horse. He will go to Richard Brabazon for breaking and we will make plans from there.”

The colt was consigned by Ed Player's Whatton Manor Stud on behalf of breeder Nicky Welby who bought Purest at the 2013 Tattersalls July Sale for 12,000 guineas.

“We only really got her as a companion,” revealed Welby. “We had bought Western Pearl as a yearling, raced her with William Knight and were incredibly lucky as she got black-type. We thought we might as well have her at home and breed, so bought Purest to run with her.”

Whatton Manor Stud's Ed Player commented: “All the credit has to go to Nicky and her team at home. Her head man has been off with injury so they have been doing all the work. This colt got here looking fantastic, he has been incredibly well-behaved and as soon as he got here started eating his hay! Nicky and her team deserve 100 percent of the credit.”

The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale comes to a conclusion on Saturday, Oct. 16 with Book 4 which features 98 yearlings set to come under the hammer from 10 a.m.

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Ardad has made a sensational start to his career at stud and the breeding right to the exciting young son of Kodiac was purchased for 52,000 guineas by Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud. Commenting on the purchase, Ed Player said:

“Ardad has made a remarkable start. Lots of winners, yes, but I am especially impressed by their quality. Six juvenile runners at Royal Ascot is great going, and Perfect Power looks like a colt with a big future. They've got such incredibly sound minds. I'm really looking forward to breeding to him in the years ahead.”

Standing at Overbury Stud, Ardad has produced 13 individual winners in his first crop of runners led by the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes winner Perfect Power and the Group 2 Coventry Stakes placed Vintage Clarets. This strong start coupled with the sale of the breeding right delighted Overbury Stud manager Simon Sweeting who commented:

“I'm delighted that the breeding right has been bought by as successful a commercial breeder as Whatton Manor Stud. It is a tremendous endorsement of what Ardad's first crop have achieved so far.”

The sale also featured spirited competition for a strong contingent of promising National Hunt prospects led by the 5-year-old Sir Jackschiaparel, an impressive winner of a point-to-point at Fairyhouse on his most recent start. The son of Schiaparelli was purchased by Richenda Ford Racing for 29,000 guineas from Ellmarie Holden's Coolmeen Stables.

Another first-time buyer to be impressed by her experience of the Tattersalls Online platform, Dorset-based trainer Richenda Ford commented:

“I found using Tattersalls Online very easy and straightforward, I liked the way Sir Jackschiaparel won his point to point, and I'm familiar with his consignors so confident that he is a horse with plenty of promise. He'll come back to the yard and have an easy few weeks before running under rules, we may start him off in a bumper in the next couple of months.”

Seaforth Mancy was another lot to attract plenty of attention, with Nick Alexander seeing off a number of bidders to secure the progressive gelding for 23,000 guineas. Offered by Fennell House, Ireland, the five-year-old was placed on his most recent start in a bumper and will join leading Scottish-based trainer Nick Alexander. The Kilronan Stables consigned Kicks and Ale also attracted a winning bid of 23,000 guineas from Richard Rowe and Aidan Kennedy. The 4-year-old son of Pour Moi was the winner of a point to point on his latest start and is set to head to Richard Rowe's base in West Sussex.

After the conclusion of the Tattersalls Online June 29th Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“Tattersalls Online has quickly established itself as Europe's leading online platform and the catalogue for the Tattersalls Online June 29th Sale was the largest yet, reflecting the confidence that both vendors and buyers have in our online product. We were delighted to be the first online platform in Britain or Ireland to host the sale of a breeding right and we are confident that the sale of the breeding right to Ardad will be the first of many that we offer on Tattersalls Online.”

The next sale to be held on the Tattersalls Online platform will be held on Aug. 17 with the closing date for entries on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

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Ward had two runners as York's Dante meeting and they both returned to Ed Walker's stable victorious. The 4-year-old homebred Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) won the G2 Duke of York Clipper Logistics S. on the opening day, followed 48 hours later by the listed success of Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}). Both now head to Royal Ascot with Group 1 races as targets.

“If we'd come away with one winner we'd have been overjoyed but for it to happen twice with two runners was fabulous,” says Ward, who is of course looking forward to the Royal meeting but is equally happy experiencing everything that goes on behind the scenes with racehorses.

He continues, “It's an honour and a pleasure to have these horses. I enjoy them for the wonderful creatures they are. Whether they can run fast or not fast comes second. Of course we all want them to run fast, and it's great when they do and you have the success, but equally you have to be thankful just to be able to have them.”

It's important for anyone involved in racing to be able to take the lows with the highs. Often the former outweighs the latter. Ward, then, appears to have just the right level of equanimity to be able to cope with the sport's slings and arrows, though for now the champagne moments prevail.

On the Friday of Ascot, the 3-year-old filly Primo Bacio will be aimed at the Coronation S., having finished a good fourth in the G3 Fred Darling S. before capturing her black-type win. 

“She has transformed herself since last year,” Ward says. “She was quite useful and she had showed good form but she has now just got used to racing. I think it's a mental thing as much as anything. It was something we hoped she would do and she delivered. Hopefully I can breed for her eventually–and hopefully with Starman. If he continues to do well this year it's highly likely he will go to stud somewhere and I'd be pleased to send a few mares to him. That's the ultimate dream, if I could get him to be a good stallion and then to see some of his progeny on the track.”

Starman may be a year older than Primo Bacio but he has had fewer starts and has been beaten only once in his five outings when down the field in very soft ground at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day. He is engaged in both the King's Stand S. and the Diamond Jubilee S., with a preference for the latter.

His breeder continues, “He's thickened out somewhat in the last year and I think he's more professional. He was a bit of a baby still last year. Tom Marquand rode him in his first race at Lingfield and he said he'd never ridden a horse who had whinnied for the first four furlongs of a race. He was green as grass but he just did it on talent. Then next time out at Doncaster on good to firm ground he broke the track record over six furlongs. That's quite an achievement for a second run.”

Ward adds, “Royal Ascot is the main target for the year as we hope the ground in June will be favourable for him. York was a bit soft for him but he got away with it. We're just hoping the rain keeps away for Ascot. Primo Bacio will also go straight to Ascot and hopefully the mile will suit her in the Coronation.”

This year sees Ward celebrate a decade as an owner, and his first equine purchase has certainly done all she can to fan the flames of his passion for the game, even posthumously.

“It's the usual story,” he says. “I used to go racing with my grandparents and father, and my father always fancied a horse but never got round to buying one. Then I did it about ten years ago now and the first horse I bought was the dam of Starman, Northern Star. She had three foals——Sunday Star, who was a stakes-placed filly, then Starman, and I also have a Kingman filly from her but the mare tragically died two weeks after she was born. So it's just the three of them.”

Northern Star's perfect record of two black-type performers to two runners will be maintained as her Kingman filly, now a 3-year-old known as Lodestar (GB), has taken up residence alongside Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) at Whatton Manor Stud, where Ward's six mares board. 

“Sunday Star was due to go to Frankel this year but she had to have a cyst on an ovary removed so that scuppered this season,” he explains. “So I took the view with the Kingman filly, although she was really promising, I didn't want to take the chance that anything would go amiss so I retired her.”

They say two Eds are better than one, so perhaps three are better still. Ward was introduced to Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud by his bloodstock agent Ed Sackville, who was responsible for buying Northern Star and Primo Bacio among others, and they work closely with Ward's principal trainer Ed Walker.

“At Christmas time we have a mock AGM in Lambourn and talk about the horses. They deserve a lot of credit. It's not just me rocking up as the owner, they put a lot of work into it and I'm very grateful for that as I'm not under the illusion that I'd know where I am without their help,” Ward says.

“The Players have done a fantastic job–Ed was the second person I called after Starman won because they foaled him and he grew up there.”

Among the sextet of mares at Whatton Manor in Nottinghamshire, some 50 miles from Ward's home in Derbyshire, is New Day Dawn (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), a winner at three in Ward's colours who received a decent update when her half-sister's son Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) won last year's G1 Sussex S.

“New Day Dawn delivered a Showcasing colt as her first foal this year and she is back in foal to him,” Ward notes. 

Despite the growth of his broodmare band to six, and with Primo Bacio having earned her place among the herd in future, Ward says his aim is to remain an owner/breeder.

“I haven't sold any so far and I will resist that as long as I possibly can because I just breed for my own enjoyment and it's not a commercial activity really,” he admits.

“People have commented that Starman didn't run as a 2-year-old but we like to give our horses time and Ed is a very patient trainer. I think you reap the rewards from that rather than getting them out too early. That's my philosophy. I'd rather hold my breath with them and make sure that we feel comfortable when they are going to the track.”

In addition to Walker, Ward has horses in training with fellow Lambourn resident Brian O'Rourke, a new recruit to the training ranks who has been pre-training the owner's yearlings for some time, and with Tom Dascombe in Cheshire. 

He says, “When you breed your own horses it's an emotional journey. It's like seeing your children in school competitions, and [the trainers] get that. I think the best time I've had is being in Lambourn when the stable is quiet and popping in and spending 15 minutes on my own with the horses. That's the best time of all really, even better than being on the track. They are such magnificent creatures and I just enjoy being with them. It's important to remind yourself just how fortunate you are to have them. That's what it means to me; it's not all about the racing.”

He adds, “I go in to see Starman and he's a very relaxed character. It's heavenly spending some time with him in the stable.”

Starman has so far lived up to a name that was never meant to be his but was inspired by a rock legend and bestowed upon the colt by a twist of fate.

Ward explains, “When Starman was a foal and Northern Star was in foal to Kingman and I was thinking of a name for next year. Being a David Bowie fan I thought Starman would be a good name for a horse by Kingman out of Northern Star, so I reserved the name and the very next day David Bowie died. Then when the foal arrived it was a filly so I couldn't use the name for her and I flicked it across to him, but it has proved pretty apt as it's turned out. It seemed meant to be that he should have this name and he has proved worthy of it.”

Reinforcing his mantra that there is much more to being a racehorse owner and breeder than just winning–or losing–races, Ward adds, “I spend hours thinking up names for them. I'm 60 this year and you don't get to dream about too much at this age but I love dreaming about the horses.”

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GK: Who have you identified as a first-year stallion at an appealing opening fee?

EP: There are some seriously exciting new stallions for next year with Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal), Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) top of the list. However, I think the value lies with Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a Group 1 winning miler by Frankel at £10,000 has to be a steal.

GK: Best value proven stallion, and why?

EP: I’m a big fan of New Bay (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and feel he represents great value at €20,000. But the best value proven stallion has to be Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at £22,500. His statistics are outstanding and I get the impression he’s just getting going.

GK: Who would you consider to be an under the radar stallion?

EP: I get the feeling Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) just might be the one here. He’s got everything to make it as a stallion, good looks, racing ability and there was a great vibe about his yearlings. At £10,000 he’s well worth using.

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