It’s been a glorious start to the summer for Chasemore Farm.
First and foremost, our graduates have been carrying all before them on the racecourse.
Brad The Brief confirmed himself one of the best sprinters around with a wide-margin success in a Haydock conditions event on his seasonal reappearance and then a smooth victory in the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh. He is trained by Hugo Palmer for Chasemore Farm; we bred him by sending our Listed-winning and Group 2-placed Kendargent mare Kenzadargent to Dutch Art.
We are also responsible for one of the best juvenile colts this season in Godolphin’s 525,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling purchase Noble Style, who slammed future Norfolk Stakes runner-up Walbank to win on his debut for Charlie Appleby in an Ascot novice stakes. The son of Kingman is from our signature family, as his dam is Eartha Kitt, a Listed-winning half-sister to Chesham Stakes winner Arthur Kitt out of our much-missed Queen Mary Stakes heroine Ceiling Kitty.
Lezoo, a two-year-old filly trained by Ralph Beckett for Andrew Rosen and Marc Chan, was unbeaten in two starts with a decisive victory in the Listed Empress Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket. She ran a brilliant 2nd place (with some interference) in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2) over 6 furlongs. She is from the first northern hemisphere crop of Australian superstar sire Zoustar out of the Group 3-winning Red Clubs mare Roger Sez.
Zero Carbon, trained by Richard Hughes for Cognition Land and Water and Martin Clarke, is rising steadily through the ranks having won his last three starts, most recently in a competitive Haydock handicap. He is by Acclamation out of our Listed-placed
Dubawi mare Clotilde.
Dream By Day, a son of Shalaa who is the first foal out of the Listed-placed Shamardal mare Illaunmore, showed significant promise when breaking his maiden at Yarmouth for trainers John and Thady Gosden and this year’s Derby-winning owner Saeed Suhail.
Sonairt, a three-year-old gelding trained by Henry Spiller for Dethrone Racing, scored in a Chelmsford novice stakes before being sold at the Goffs London Sale. He is by Territories out of Wall Of Light, a daughter of Zamindar and one of Chasemore Farm’s much cherished foundation mares, Veiled Beauty.
Congratulations to all connections of those winning graduates – we’re pleased to say that many have siblings heading to this year’s yearling sales, hint hint!
Chasemore Farm’s retained homebred fillies have been flying the flag for the farm of late, too.
The John Quinn-trained Breege, by Starspangledbanner out of Wowcha and closely related to Coventry Stakes winner The Wow Signal, looks a serious two-year-old filly after winning by five and a half lengths on debut at Wetherby and running second to subsequent Coventry Stakes sixth Rousing Encore in a Pontefract conditions stakes.
Belt Buckle, by Golden Horn out of our Group 3-winning Big Bad Bob mare Bible Belt, looks a middle-distance three-year-old filly to follow after winning a Wolverhampton maiden and running fourth in the Lingfield Oaks Trial for the Gosdens.
The three-year-old filly Gatecrasher Girl, in the care of William Knight, scored a hat-trick of handicap successes in recent months. She is by Lope De Vega out of Parsnip, a winning Zebedee half-sister to Group 2 winner and emerging sire Kodi Bear.
Echo Chamber, another proudly bearing the light green Chasemore Farm colours, was sent out by Ralph Beckett to win a Leicester handicap. She is a Postponed half-sister to Prestige Stakes winner Boomer and the smart Uncle Bryn out of Wall Of Sound, a Grade 2-placed Singspiel half-sister to Wall Of Light.
Shifter also carried home silks to victory in a Chelmsford handicap. The Stuart Williams-trained three-year-old filly is by Muhaarar out of Holley Shiftwell, a Listed-placed Equiano half-sister to top-class sprinters Deacon Blues and The Tin Man.
Breege, Belt Buckle, Echo Chamber, Gatecrasher Girl and Shifter will be valuable additions to our broodmare band in the fullness of time.
The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association awards ceremony, held at Chippenham Park on the eve of the Newmarket July Festival, brought further good news for the stud as we received the Industry Merit for our support of people and industry initiatives.
The award recognises our efforts to instil the values of integrity, professionalism and community among all the staff at Chasemore Farm, with a focus on organisational structure, safety and HR.
The aim has been to make the operation a happier, more harmonious place to work with staff receiving training so that they are well equipped to excel in their work on the stud and in their future careers.
Speaking of our valued team members, we were immensely proud of Beverley Woodley for making the shortlist for the Stud Employee of the Year at the same TBA awards.
Congratulations also go to former Chasemore Farm employee Rose Rushworth, who was given the Tim Dunlop Memorial Award for top student at the recent National Stud diploma course graduation ceremony.
We also have exciting news about a top-flight winner, no less, joining the Chasemore Farm broodmare band, after Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock gave 200,000gns to secure Chachamaidee for us at the Tattersalls July Sale.
The mare, now 15, was trained by the late, legendary Sir Henry Cecil to win five black-type contests in her racing pomp. She claimed Group 1 laurels in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and also beat the boys when taking the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
She has an outstanding pedigree, being by Footstepsinthesand out of Canterbury Lace, a Danehill half-sister to 1,000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters from a branch of the brilliant Sunbittern family that has also yielded Amfortas, Space Blues and recent Lancashire Oaks winner Free Wind.
Chachamaidee is already proven as a broodmare, having produced stakes winners Klassique and Valiant Prince, and she is back in foal to Sussex Stakes hero Mohaather.
Fingers crossed that we can breed some nice fillies from her so that we can keep developing this wonderful family for years to come.
We hope you’ve had, and continue to experience, as enjoyable and productive a summer as we have. Hopefully we’ll have some more nice updates on our graduates and events on the stud to share in the months ahead.
