Banstead Manor Stud

John Gosden again has a now-customary clutch of high-class prospects among his 3-year-old fillies in 2020 and Juddmonte's Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the latest to join in when winning Saturdays Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. at Newbury in the style of a ready-made Oaks contender. Sent off the 7-4 favourite despite having only finished second in a seven-furlong novice at Chelmsford in November, the homebred travelled strongly in a share of third off the honest pace and when sent to the front passing the two-furlong pole by Frankie Dettori drew...

It took a while for the penny to drop, but when it did Prince Faisal's homebred Seventh Kingdom (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was a class above going a shade over seven furlongs in Saturday's Betway Novice S. at Doncaster, earning a TDN Rising Star tag with a daylight triumph. He was caught napping at the break, but recovered to track the leaders in third after the initial strides. Niggled along to keep his mind on the task at hand from halfway, the well-backed 6-5 favourite swooped for control passing the quarter-mile...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's 350,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Lord Campari (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) ran sixth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GN}) over seven furlongs in his Aug. 30 debut at Sandown and exploded onto the scene with a Rising Star of his own when upped to one mile in division one of Saturday's It's Not Rocket Science With MansionBet Novice S. at Newbury. The 15-8 second favourite was sharply into stride and on the front end from the outset. In command...

Coolmore's newcomer Admiral Nelson (GB) (Kingman {GB}) topped the lists at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, when knocked down to M V Magnier for £440,000 and the strapping bay repaid some of that outlay and earned 'TDN Rising Stardom' when scorching to an impressive one-length success in Friday's Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden over five furlongs at The Curragh. The 5-1 chance was among the slowest into stride, but tanked by rivals to stalk the leading wave from a position in the second rank after the initial...

Prior to Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Aidan O'Brien had already saddled the winner of the fillies' maiden and the first four home in colts' equivalent and so it was hardly a shock that his trio dominated the finish to Tuesday's blue riband pointer. What was surprising was that it was Michael Tabor's Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) who held sway over the 11-8 favourite Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Iberia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with the grey blown by a fair wind on a day for the front-runners. Left...

Runner-up in the "Road To the Kentucky Derby" Conditions S. when last seen over a mile at Kempton Mar.  4, George Strawbridge's Berlin Tango (GB) (Dansili {GB}) dented some lofty reputations in this G3 Classic Trial over 10 furlongs at the same track. Travelling enthusiastically under David Probert in a share of fourth early, the 7-1 shot who was twice placed at listed level at two quickened up smartly on the home turn, jumped on the 15-8 favourite Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) to lead two out and gave...

Stall Salzburg's Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) ran third behind Rubaiyat (Fr) (Areion {Ger}) and Zavaro (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) in Hoppegarten's May 10 G3 Dr Busch-Memorial and exacted a measure of revenge by outpointing the former in a thrilling tussle to secure Monday's G2 35th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen - German 2000 Guineas over one mile at Cologne. Settled off the tempo in fourth until encouraged closer once into the home straight, the 5-2 second favourite gained a narrow advantage entering the final furlong and withstood the vain rally of Rubaiyat under a...

   In Part II of a two-part series, John Berry looks at Juddmonte's lasting influences from the late 80s through to the present on the 40th anniversary weekend of Prince Khalid Abdullah's first Classic win with Known Fact in the 2000 Guineas. Click here for Part I. When the mighty Dancing Brave (Lyphard) retired to stud, his brilliant 1986 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe triumph shining like a beacon in the collective consciousness, it was generally felt that Prince Khalid Abdullah had probably reached the pinnacle of his ownership...

In Part I of a two-part series on the 40th anniversary weekend of Known Fact's 2000 Guineas win, John Berry takes us through the first decade of Prince Khalid Abdullah's racing and breeding dynasty. Under normal circumstances, the European Classic year would be springing into life this weekend with Newmarket staging the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 1000 Guineas. Forty years ago the Guineas meeting looked a particularly special one, the main trials having set the stage perfectly. Subsequent Irish Derby hero Tyrnavos (GB) (Blakeney {GB}) had beaten Chesham S....

Earning a ticket into the Banstead Manor stallion barn is an advertisement in itself of the quality of a young sire, and Juddmonte's newest recruit Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) is thus far living up to expectations with his first cluster of foals to hit the ground. The GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner covered a full book of 140 mares in his debut season last year (from 277 applications) at a fee of £20,000, and at this point he has just over 30 foals on the ground. "Breeders are expressing...

Mozu Ascot became the first black-type winner and group winner on dirt for Juddmonte's brilliant Frankel, as he saluted by 1 1/4 lengths over favoured MGSW Copano Kicking in the G3 Negishi S. at Tokyo on Sunday. It was the 6-year-old entire's first try over the surface. Winless since taking the 2018 G1 Yasuda Kinen, Mozu Ascot had performed with credit since then and was second two starts back in the G2 Swan S. on Oct. 26. Fourteenth after a wide trip in the G1 Mile Championship last out, the...

The Juddmonte stallion roster enjoyed a terrific season in 2019, headlined by the exploits of Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB), both blue-blooded superstars in their own right before retiring to stud. Frankel maintains his roster top spot at £175,000, following a year that brought two Classic winners in the shape of Anapurna (GB) and Logician (GB). Kingman, meanwhile, has earned the moniker of 'sire sensation' after siring a G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner in his first crop, which sees his fee double to £150,000 in 2020. Quietly making a...