Great British Racing International (GBRI) has launched the first episode in a new five-part video series entitled ‘Be A Part Of It: Breeding In Britain’ running from the 20-25th November.
The series will showcase Britain’s world-leading thoroughbred breeding operations underpinned by a thriving stallion market with the aim of encouraging future international investment into British breeding.
(Pic – GBRI)
Supported by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, the episodes will highlight why so many of the world’s most high-profile owner-breeders have chosen Britain as the global headquarters for their bloodstock operations.
So far in 2023, 21 horses bred in Britain have won 26 Gr1 races in five countries.
The series features five of the 20 studs in Britain that have bred or reared Gr1 winners in 2023: Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Farm, Blue Diamond Stud, Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud, Newsells Park Stud and Whitsbury Manor Stud.
Four out of the five episodes visit breeding operations that are home to a number of the world’s leading stallions.
Britain’s stallion roster provides a wide variety of bloodlines to utilise with 12 stallions having sired 33 Gr1 winners in eight countries from 5f (1000m) to 2m4f (4000m) in 2023, to-date.
Chaldean – The Dewhurst Stakes and 2000 Guineas-winning son of Frankel (Pic – Juddmonte)
Episode 1 launches today and will see GBRI visit one of the most prolific stud farms in the world, Banstead Manor Stud, home of Juddmonte. General Manager, Simon Mockridge discusses how Prince Khalid Abdullah first came to purchase the stud in 1987, now home to one of the world’s most exciting stallions, FRANKEL (GB).
He is poised to win his second Champion Sire title in the last three years having sired 11 Gr1 winners in 2023, more than any other Northern Hemisphere-based stallion. Mockridge also discusses KINGMAN (GB) and new 2024 stallion, CHALDEAN (GB).
Episode 2 features the UK breeding operation of owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar, who founded Blue Diamond Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket 13 years ago. The stud has enjoyed great success in recent years with their homebred filly NASHWA (GB) who has won three Gr1 races including the Falmouth Stakes this summer at Newmarket.
In Episode 3, GBRI visit Darley, founded by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Their British headquarters, Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, is home to 13 stallions.
Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions and the nominations team headed by Dawn Laidlaw discuss the most successful stallion ever to stand in Britain, DUBAWI, as well as exciting young stallions TOO DARN HOT (GB) and HARRY ANGEL and new to 2024, five-time Gr1 winner MODERN GAMES.
Episode 4 is a visit to Newsells Park Stud in Royston, Hertfordshire. Established 100 years ago and now covering 1,200 acres, the stud has developed an international reputation for breeding, raising and selling thoroughbreds of the highest class.
Julian Dollar, General Manager provides an overview on their extensive facilities as well as their resident stallions WITHOUT PAROLE (GB) and A’ALI.
In the fifth and final episode, Ed Harper, Stud Director at Whitsbury Manor Stud in Hampshire discusses two of his resident stallions, SHOWCASING (GB) and exciting juvenile HAVANA GREY (GB).
The leading European second crop sire in 2023, Havana Grey has 15 stakes winners to-date including 2023 two-year-old dual Gr1 winner, VANDEEK (GB).
(Pic – GBRI)
One episode will be released each day via the GBRI social media channels and can also be found on GBRI’s website by visiting: https://www.greatbritishracinginternational.com/breed/be-a-part-of-it
The series this year follows on from a successful campaign in 2022 which showcased the various aspects that make owning a horse in training in Britain a uniquely enjoyable experience: https://www.greatbritishracinginternational.com/own/be-a-part-of-it
Camilla Perrett, Senior Marketing Manager at GBRI said:
“The current roster of turf stallions in Britain is exceptional with 12 stallions from eight studs across the country having sired more than 30 Gr 1 winners this year. Coupled with exceptional boarding facilities managed by those with long-standing expertise in breeding and raising young stock it is no surprise that Britain produces a higher percentage of turf champions from its foal crop than any other nation.”
Speaking on the ‘Be A Part Of It’ initiative, Perrett added:
“Many of the industry’s most prolific owner-breeders have chosen Britain as the headquarters for their bloodstock operations and this new series will showcase five of the world-leading thoroughbred breeding operations with the aim of encouraging future international investment into British breeding.”
Philip Newton, Chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association said:
“So far this year, there have been over 20 racehorses bred in Britain that have gone on to win at Gr1 level. The number of thoroughbred foals born here each year is only at around 4,500, yet by concentrating on quality, and thanks to the exceptional calibre of bloodlines on offer, Britain produces world-class racehorses every year.
A key factor in this is the quality of turf stallions in Britain, including two all-time greats of the bloodstock world, Frankel and Dubawi. Britain also consistently offers tremendous value amongst its stallion ranks.
The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is pleased support this new series in partnership with GBRI and would like to encourage anyone looking to begin, or further their journey into breeding in Britain to get in touch for information and guidance.”
Press Release issued by Great British Racing International on 20 November 2023
