5 February 2004
Unfortunately I have lost count of how many group and graded winners
I have been involved with over the years as owner, breeder, manager,
agent or consultant, having some years ago decided to keep a tally
of the Group One winners. However January 31st brought a new dimension
- DIAMANT NOIR became my first graded winner under National Hunt
rules by winning the River Don Novices Hurdle Gr II at Doncaster
by 27 lengths.
This elegant filly by SIR HARRY LEWIS is out of a half sister to
DUBLIN FLYER, and is the first racehorse owned by Dominic Burke.
She has now won 6 of her 8 races, been second in the other two,
and looks to have an exciting career ahead of her. Before she won
her black type I had purchased on Dominic's behalf her two younger
siblings - a 4 y.o. filly by TERIMON and a yearling filly by OVERBURY.
I doubt they will be capable of emulating their big sister, but
their values must be suitably enhanced by her exploits.
While on the subject of Dominic Burke, who is CEO of Jardine Lloyd
Thompson Financial Consultants, I also purchased on his behalf a
lovely, stakes winning DEISIS filly called SENTIMENTAL VALUE in
the Keeneland January sale. She was part of the continuing Thoroughbred
Corporation dispersal, and cost $325,000, which was a lot less than
I feared. My view that she was the pick of the sale was fortunately
not shared by my competitors, who paid considerably more for what
I considered to be lesser animals. Time will tell. SENTIMENTAL VALUE
is going to DANZIG for her first mating - the lucky old devil. I
wish I could still pull such beautiful young ladies! I pray he lives
long enough to enjoy it.
Doubtless I will be accused of overbreeding SENTIMENTAL VALUE,
but as you can if brave enough breed to DANZIG for $80K no guarantee,
I think it is a chance to lift the pedigree to another level for
the cost of a modest yearling. I remember long debates with Gerald
Leigh on the necessity of buying the late William Hill's two shares
in HABITAT. At the time there was no other way in to the horse,
and when Gerald finally bit the bullet and bought the shares, HABITAT
changed his life.
Good luck to John Magnier in his dispute with Awful Alex. Magnier
is in my experience a man of his word and he should never have got
involved with the ghastly gum-chewing Glaswegian. Ferguson does
a lot of spitting, but I have no doubt J.M. will chew him up and
spit him out. Can't wait!
Just for fun I upload a recent correspondence with Mr. McGrath
of Timeform, who I have known for 25 years. He once commented adversely
on fox-hunters, so I retaliated with a friendly dig at his lifestyle.
No sense of humour, Jim?
Back to News
|
