Newsells Park Stud

If you didn't know the sophisticated people behind the mating, you might imagine that Puca went to Good Magic on no better premise than to double down on the alchemy implicit in both names. Because a puca (or pooka) in folklore is a shape-changing sprite, capable of bringing good or bad fortune. Shakespeare named Puck accordingly in A Midsummer Night's Dream, but my favourite example is Elwood P. Dowd's invisible drinking buddy Harvey, a rabbit standing just under six feet four inches. Perhaps you've noticed his silhouette at Harvey's Bar...

Seventy years ago, Queen Elizabeth II won the fourth running of the race named in honour of her parents, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, at her own racecourse, Ascot. Aureole was a hugely appropriate winner, having been bred by King George VI in 1950, two years prior to the monarch's death. The horse's victory was widely welcomed, not least because he had been beaten a year earlier by his conqueror in the Derby, Pinza.  The 'King George' provides ones of the key pivot points in the season,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In The Derby Bar and Grill, nearly 3,000 miles northwest of Saratoga Race Course, breeder-owner John Gunther thoroughly enjoyed Without Caution's (Without Parole {GB}) solid victory Saturday in the first race on the program. It was still morning, 9:38 a.m. in Surrey, British Columbia, where Gunther watched the $100,000 2-year-old maiden special weight race, when the colt left the gate under Jose Lezcano. Exactly 1:43.88 later, Without Caution reached the wire first to win his debut by 1 3/4 lengths and become his freshman sire's (by...

6th-SAR, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, post time: 4:02 p.m. ET GOOD CONDUCT (Without Parole {GB}), the sire of five individual winners to date, becomes the first American runner for her Newsells Park Stud-based freshman sire (by Frankel {GB}), who carried the silks of Glennwood Farm's John and Tanya Gunther to victory in the 2019 G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He also finished a third in a trio of Grade I events in this country while under the care of Chad Brown, including the Breeders' Cup Mile...

NEWMARKET, UK--The heavy rainfall that swept across Park Paddocks in the afternoon played its part in packing out the sale ring as people took cover, but so too did the Godolphin draft. The 23-strong consignment commanded plenty of attention and contributed 1,139,000gns to the day's overall tally of 5,107,700gns.  With 188 lots sold, equal to the first day of last year's sale, the clearance rate dropped to 85%, with the average of 27,169gns and median of 10,000gns being 29% and 38% down from 12 months ago.  Breeders from Ireland, England,...

Newsells Park Stud resident Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Ralph Beckett-trained son Mr Chaplin (GB), a 58,000gns Tattersalls December foal turned 120,000gns Book 1 yearling, followed up a debut fourth at Newmarket earlier this month with a breakthrough score in Friday's £12,000 ARC & Sky Sports Racing Support Starlight Maiden S. at Newbury. 3rd-Newbury, £12,000, Mdn, 5-17, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.52, gd. MR CHAPLIN (GB) (c, 2, Without Parole {GB}--Midnight Hush {Fr}, by Anabaa), a May 5 debut fourth...

In scenes reminiscent of Wednesday's Listed Cheshire Oaks, Saturday's Listed Oaks Trial Fillies' S. at Lingfield resulted in a Ralph Beckett-trained filly getting to the line ahead of a Ballydoyle runner with You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}--Brushing {GB}, by Medicean {GB}) on top where it mattered. Last seen finishing fifth in Newmarket's Listed Montrose Fillies' S. in November, Valmont and Newsells Park Stud's 200,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase set off at a demanding clip under Hector Crouch while her rivals were under restraint waiting for her to crack....

Date With Destiny (Ire), the sole offspring of the brilliant G1 2,000 Guineas winner George Washington (Ire), has died due to complications following colic surgery, Newsells Park Stud announced on Tuesday. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Newsells Park said, "Very sad to report that we lost Date With Destiny over the weekend, due to complications following colic surgery. She was 16. "Date With Destiny was the only progeny of George Washington and the dam of Group winner Beautiful Morning. A Diva. She will be missed by us...

Almost apologetically, David Porter-Mackrell laments that he might not make the most engaging subject for an interview, despite the practice he's gained in the days since he was named the Employee of the Year at the 2024 Godolphin-sponsored Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, organised by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). "I feel a bit awkward doing these things to be perfectly honest with you," he confesses. "It is overwhelming, talking about me, what I do and all that--I'm more comfortable hidden behind the horse! "I'm just keen to make sure I...

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry DEAUVILLE, France -- The sales at Arqana this year have largely retained their momentum, but the company was not immune to the retraction that has been present across the market for mares and foals this winter. With the clearance rate being lowered to 71% from the 78% of 2022, the turnover fell by 20% to €36,467,000, and the average was down by 7% to €227,919.  Four millionaire fillies and mares featured in the opening session, compared to seven last year, but the one sector...

Frankel (GB)'s Sibila Spain (Ire) (lot 204) was another mare to reach seven figures at Arqana on Saturday, bringing €2 million from Newsells Park Stud while carrying her first foal by Dubawi (Ire). Consigned by Haras de l'Hotellerie, the bay won the G2 Prix du Muguet and is a full-sister to group winner and Group 1-placed Master Of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The duo are out of L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), a listed winner who ran second in the G1 Irish Oaks and the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare...

Great British Racing International (GBRI) launched the first episode in a new five-part video series entitled 'Be A Part Of It: Breeding In Britain'--Juddmonte: Banstead Manor Stud. The remaining four episodes will drop daily through Nov. 25. Episode 1 features one of the most prolific stud farms in the world, Banstead Manor Stud, home of Juddmonte. General Manager Simon Mockridge discusses how Prince Khalid Abdullah first came to purchase the stud in 1987. Among its illustrious residents, Frankel (GB) is poised to win his second Champion Sire title in the...