The Sporting Life
Lifestyles
James Delahooke was at a major art gallery some
time back with a top international art dealer and confesses: "I
couldn't understand what the hell he was talking about from one
picture to the next, or comprehend what he was trying to explain
to me".
People who have accompanied James Delahooke to
the sales have felt much the same way.
The 50-year-old bloodstock agent extraordinary
with 18 individual Group One winners bought at auction as yearlings
and heaven knows how many Group Twos and Threes, admits that he
and the art dealer are brothers under the skin.
"What I do is intangible too. Even more so than
a work of art, really because you are talking about three dimensions.
I don't think you can teach anyone to do it. I hope you can't, or
I would be out of a job!"
Delahooke lives in some style in The Old Rectory,
a Georgian structure built in 1810, just above the Pennine snowline
at Barningham, Richmond, North Yorkshire.
Born at Mursley, in Buckinghamshire, the son
of a farmer, he went to Wellington College, "Quite close to Broadmoor,
which is very appropriate".
When he left, he moved on to Cirencester Agricultural
College, where he soon realised farming was not for him and went
to work at a stud in Hunter's Valley, in New South Wales, Australia.
Delahooke returned to help run the family stud
at Adstock Manor and, later, became involved with Guy Harwood, "who
was the first person who had the confidence to say 'Go ahead and
see what you can do' in the late 70s".
What he did was to purchase such stars as Ela
Mana Mou, To Agori Mou, Young Generation and Kalaglow, which shone
at Harwood's all-conquering West Sussex stable. Later he also purchased
the brilliant Dancing Brave for the Coombelands maestro.
Delahooke's association with Khalid Abdullah
was tremendously successful and he set up the Juddmonte Studs in
Berkshire, Ireland and the States - "I bought all the mares
the bred the good horses they've had ever since".
Add to that, two back-to-back Prix de l'Arc de
Triomphe winners in Rainbow Quest and Dancing Brave and you begin
to see that the man knows what he is talking about.
Best Day's Racing: York, August, 1980 - the day High Line, who stood at my stud, sired
four winners and a second from five runners, including two Group
One races and a Listed race.
Worst Day: Dancing
Brave's Derby. I thought I was due a Derby. It meant that I had
been second twice, on the other occasion with Master Willie, third
twice and fourth twice.
Racing Hero: The
great Italian, Federico Tesio - the greatest breeder of all time.
I suppose he was the man responsible for the modern breed of thoroughbred
as we know it, having bred Ribot and Nearco.
Favourite Course: Towcester, my local one as a boy. I was very lucky there and had
a lot of fun.
Least Favourite: Kempton. I'm sure it is a very good racecourse and a very good test
but I can never imagine anything nice happening there. It's too
urban and awful.
What would you do if you
were senior steward? Make sure a brilliant and involved owner-breeder,
such as Gerald Leigh, was brought in to give racing the benefit
of his acumen. So many recent and past Jockey Club appointees donÕt
even own a racehorse.
Or champion of the BHB? Stop racing until the Government and the betting industry rang me
to ask how much I needed. It would not take long.
Or the Chairman of the Levy
Board? Try to assist the BHB in making our racing the envy
of the world rather than the poor relation.
Funniest moment in racing: My brother Matt rode a hurdler for me at Sandown one day. He had
never had a fall and particularly disliked the idea of having one.
It missed the second and he came past the stands going down one
side and up the other, performing acrobatic miracles to avoid the
dreaded fall. Tony Balding and I were having to hold each other
up for laughing. He finished fourth to Tree Tangle and never did
have a fall.
Persons to whom I owe most
in life: My mother, Pricilla, for giving me an eye for a
horse, and Guy Harwood for giving me the chance to use it.
Pet Hate: People
who try to impose their views on everyone else.
Alternative career: Nurseryman - I love trees and have planted a lot on my studs.
Ideal evening out: An evening in. A dinner party at home, where Angie chooses and cooks
the food and I choose the wine and the company.
Wheels: Yes - I've
got some!
Food: The great English
breakfast, particularly where they do it well, like at the late
Jeremy Tree's.
Drink: Bordeaux.
Restaurant: The Waterside Inn at Bray.
Hotel: The Harley,
at Lexington.
Favourite sport outside
racing: Salmon fishing.
Desert Island Disc: A Fool Such As I.
Music: Everything
except opera or rap.
Clothes: Jeans -
it is easy to get new ones as I expand.
Actor: Steve McQueen.
Actress: Greta Scacchi
- I can't spell her name but I don't 'arf fancy her
Comedian: Dave Dick.
Comedienne: Ruth
Pinder - Peter Savill's fiancee. She must have a sense of humour.
Book: Bordeaux -
The Definitive Guide, by Robert Parker.
Racing ambition: To buy a Derby winner.
Are you superstitious? Not when things are going well.
Sporting hero outside racing: Gary Lineker.
Colour: Claret.
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