Hurrah for the Breeders as Royal Ascot Winners Celebrated 

ASCOT, UK — Far from the madding crowd of the royal meeting, the exploits of those five heady days were still being celebrated at Ascot on Friday. And rightly so, for this was the day of the annual Royal Ascot winning breeders' lunch, a lovely touch from the racecourse to recognise those who make this great sport happen. 

There's no one-upmanship here. Every breeder will tell you how much they need the owners – most of them are also owners themselves – and all the various participants in racing matter, from those sitting up through those cold winter nights to others having a bet at the bookies on a Saturday afternoon. But it all starts with the breeders, and their rewards can often be decades in the making.

There was a good turn out from the European breeding world. From France, by way of Sweden, came Team Hogdala, otherwise known as Jan and Maya Sundstrom, accompanied by their granddaughter Lillie, who had been allowed a day off from yearling prep by her mother Anna.

“The stress levels are going up a bit at home,” admitted Lillie of the impending Arqana August Sale. “All I know is that, at the moment, if mum asks me to do something, I'm going to do it and not argue.” She'll go far, that Lillie.

Her grandparents will go down in the thoroughbred hall of fame as the breeders of Classic winner Le Havre (Ire) and they were at Ascot in support of their friend and client Ulf Sjoberg, breeder of Belloccio (Fr) (Belardo {Ire}), the winner of the Copper Horse Handicap.

There was strong representation from Ireland. Annemarie and Ana O'Brien bred two winners at Royal Ascot under their Whisperview banner: the G1 Coronation Stakes winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and G2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB}). They sat alongside Paul and Marie McCartan, who supplied for Ballydoyle the G3 Albany Stakes winner Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). It is easy to imagine that she will soon be added to the Ballyphilip Stud Group 1 roll of honour. The last time the McCartans were represented by a Royal Ascot winner was the year of Battaash's G1 King's Stand Stakes win in 2020. Just for good measure, they also owned the G2 Coventry Stakes winner Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodaic {GB}). Covid scuppered their chances of an Ascot lunch that year but they were here to celebrate this time around and further celebrations could be in store on Saturday as Battaash's half-brother Al Misbar (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) – a 1.5 million-guinea Book 1 yearling – makes his debut for Godolphin in the fiercely competitive British EBF Crocker Bulteel Maiden.

Arguably holding the greatest bragging rights of all the Irish visitors were the brothers Guy and Robert O'Callaghan, respectively representing Grangemore Stud and Yeomanstown Stud. Charyn (Ire) and repeat winner Khaadem (Ire) provided the family with a Group 1 double to bookend the royal meeting, in the Queen Anne Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, but both brothers admitted there was only one name who could take the credit. 

“We owe it all to Dark Angel really,” said Guy, who had been too nervous to travel over to watch Charyn land his first Group 1 victory for Nurlan Bizakov but could enjoy a relaxed day in good company on Friday. He added, “Now we just hope that Khaadem can do it for a third time.” 

The action kept coming down on the track of course. In a warm-up day for the Saturday showstopper that is the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a double strike in the handicaps led Andrew Balding to the doorstep of a major milestone of 2,000 British Flat winners. Tactician (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) snuck up the far rail to land the Brown Jack for Denford Stud and later, arguably the most important breeder in Balding's yard, his mother Emma, provided his 1,999th success in this country when Mount Atlas (GB) (Masar {Ire}) ran home determinedly to win for the second time for the Kingsclere Racing Club.

“Lady Flora is running tonight at Chepstow so it would be rather nice if she could be the 2,000th,” said Emma Balding of the Masar half-sister to Group 1 winner Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {GB}) and to Mount Atlas's dam, Highland Pass (GB) (Passing Glance {GB}).

By the time you read this, perhaps she will have obliged. It was a day for breeders after all, and there are few cannier at that particular job than the first lady of Kingsclere.