Mark Tompkins retired from the Newmarket training ranks in 2019 with his highest-profile winner having been the 1993 St Leger winner Bob's Return (Ire) (Bob Back). The final black-type victory of his career came with Brushing (GB), a homebred daughter of Medicean (GB), who landed the Listed Galtres S. at York as well as the Cumberland Plate.
Tompkins is now hopeful that by Friday afternoon he can add Classic-winning breeder to his list of achievements as Brushing's daughter, the Lingfield Oaks Trial winner You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), lines up for the Betfred Oaks as one of four runners from Ralph Beckett's stable. In what could be a big weekend for the family, You Got To Me's half-brother Ziggy (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) holds an entry at Epsom in the Northern Dancer Handicap on the Derby undercard.
“Her granddam belonged to some owners of mine and we always loved her so when they retired we inherited her,” said Tompkins, the former owner of Dullingham Park Stud, which he sold to fellow Yorkshireman Steve Parkin in 2022. Parkin became a Classic-winning breeder himself on Sunday when Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) landed the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
“Steve breeds under the name of Branton Court Stud and he's had a really good weekend. I wish him good luck at Dullingham Park,” he added.
Tompkins bred You Got To Me in partnership with Richard Marriott, who operates under the Sarabex banner.
He explained, “Richard always had horses with me in training, and mares when we had the stud. Now all the mares have gone over to Stuart Thom's Galloway Stud at Woburn. He does a great job.”
Tompkins and Marriott sold You Got To Me as a foal through the National Stud for 62,000gns. Returned to Book 1 in the draft of Glenvale Stud, she made 200,000gns when bought by Alex Elliott on behalf of co-owner Valmont. Newsells Park Stud, which stands her sire Nathaniel, who is already the sire of an Oaks and a Derby winner in Enable (GB) and Desert Crown (GB), also owns a share in the filly.
The former trainer has resisted any temptation he might have had to make enquiries of You Got To Me's progress at Beckett's Kimpton Down Stables.
“I haven't really been in touch with Ralph but we've followed her along,” he said. “We sold her as a foal and then she ended up with Ralph, which we were really pleased about, and she looks pretty useful.
“We still have a Time Test two-year-old filly out of the mare. We've just had her broken in but we don't know where she is going to go into training yet, and she has a Pinatubo foal. Brushing has gone back to Nathaniel this year.”
The breeders are still involved with Ziggy, who is trained by Harry Eustace and has won three of his 14 starts, including finishing runner-up on his most recent outing at Epsom in the City and Suburban Handicap.
“He's been pretty good,” says Tompkins, who adds of You Got To Me, “She stays well, the family all do, and she's very genuine. I think she has a chance if she can just not use up too much early on and there's not too much rain. But she will stay and she will handle the track.”
Despite the excitement of being represented in the Oaks as a breeder, the Classic-winning trainer says that he won't be attending Epsom on Friday.
He adds, “I'm quite superstitious so I think I'll just have to let her run without being there.”
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