York Races, 15 July featured the second STAGBI British Championship Race of the season. The race was originally scheduled for Tir Prince earlier in the season. But as that meeting was cancelled and not alternative date available at Tir Prince, the race was re-routed to York. STAGBI would like to thank York stepping in and hosting the race.
The STAGBI British Championship race was advertised as a Colts & Geldings Division and a Fillies Division, unfortunately with only 6 entries in total, the race was framed as a combined Colts, Geldings and Fillies Race. The lack of entries in the British Championship races cannot go without comment, particularly as there were at least 15 other horses on the racecard that were indeed eligible to enter the British Championship Races (which were offering over 4 times the prize money that the races they were entered for). Owners and Trainers please think about which races you are entering, support them or lose them! A full list of eligible horses can be found on the website.
The 6 entries were further reduced by 2 non-runners, which left 4 horses going to post. However, despite the small field, it was a good race and another win for Alf Swinbank’s FOLLOWTHESTARS – The Preacher Pan (US) x Judy Hall (US)/Astreos (CAN). This was his second win in this year’s British Championship, having also recently won at Haughfield. OAKS BREEZE continued her good run to finish second, picking up £600 plus a £250 bonus as the highest place ‘opposite sex to the winner’.
| FOLLOWTHESTARS | The Preacher Pan (US) | The Panderosa (US) | Western Hanover (US) | No Nukes (US) |
| Wendymae Hanover (US) | ||||
| Daisy harbour (US) | Coal Harbour (US) | |||
| JR Daisy (US) | ||||
| Cathedra (US) | Run The Table (US) | Landslide (US) | ||
| Hustlers Best (US) | ||||
| Cathedral City (US) | Oil Burner (US) | |||
| Tobin Tar Heel (US) | ||||
| Judy Hall (US) | Astreos (CAN) | Artsplace (US) | Abercrombie (US) | |
| Miss Elvira (US) | ||||
| Lucky Tune (CAN) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Tune Out (US) | ||||
| Andie S (US) | Direct Scooter (US) | Sampson Direct (US) | ||
| Noble Claire (US) | ||||
| Sunny Disposition (US) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Sunbelle Hanover (US) |
The days racing also featured the Group 2 BHRC 2yo Sire Stakes races. Perhaps slightly bad timing and not the best scheduling for the two-year-olds with only a week since the Group 1 Junior Welsh Dragon/Dragoness at Tregaron. However, a number of two-year-olds were deemed to be sufficiently recovered and set foot on the track again for the BHRC 2yo Sire Stakes.
Six fillies went to post and bearing it in mind it was the SIRE Stakes, the Sires should be mentioned. Six fillies sired by 6 different sires, Henry Hill (US), Hasty Hall (US), Tom Hill (US), Art Professor (US), See and Ski (US) and Foreclosure (NZ).
Having been a very close runner up in the Junior Welsh Dragoness, CHASINGTHESTARS secured her win in the BHRC’s Group 2 Sire Stakes (Fillies) in 2.06.6 with TOTHEBARANDBACK and OAKWOOD FORESURE (IRE) dead heating for second. CHASINGTHESTARS is by Tom Hill (US) and once again out of the fast-becoming exceptional brood mare Judy Hall (US). Bred by Richard Walker and purchased by Peter McAlister as a yearling at the York Sale for a mere £5,800.
| CHASINGTHESTARS | Tom Hill (US) | American Ideal (US) | Western Ideal (US) | Western Hanover (US) |
| Leah Almahurst (US) | ||||
| Lifetime Success (US) | Matts Scooter (US) | |||
| Three Diamonds (US) | ||||
| Baberhood (US) | Real Desire (US) | Life Sign (US) | ||
| Deadly Desire (US) | ||||
| Babe Watching (US) | Jennas Beach Boy (US) | |||
| Cheer Me Up (US) | ||||
| Judy Hall (US) | Astreos (CAN) | Artsplace (US) | Abercrombie (US) | |
| Miss Elvira (US) | ||||
| Lucky Tune (CAN) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Tune Out (US) | ||||
| Andie S (US) | Direct Scooter (US) | Sampson Direct (US) | ||
| Noble Claire (US) | ||||
| Sunny Disposition (US) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Sunbelle Hanover (US) |
A few more came to post in the Colts & Geldings division of the Group 2 BHRC Sire Stakes, with 4 stallions with double entries – x3Henry Hill (US), x2 See and Ski (US), x2 Tom Hill (US) and x2 Doonbeg. However, it was another Tom Hill (US) sired winner. The Scottish trained MONEYHILL cruised to a 5L victory in 2.05.9. Having also won the Junior Welsh Dragon, this made it 2 Group wins from 2 starts! Moneyhill is another by Sue Young’s new young stallion Tom Hill (US) and out of Racezapan/Genghis Pan (US). This year’s two-year-olds are Tom Hill’s second crop and thus having sired 2 winners and a third in the Sire Stakes, at this stage Tom Hill (US) is the leading Sire Stakes Sire.
Looking at the dams of both of the winners, it can be said that both Chasethestars and Moneyhill are both out of good race mares. Both the dams are by Artsplace (US) line sires (Astreos and Genghis Pan respectively) and both have Direct Scooter on the bottom line. Coincidence or a ‘Golden cross’?
| MONEYHILL | Tom Hill (US) | American Ideal (US) | Western Ideal (US) | Western Hanover (US) |
| Leah Almahurst (US) | ||||
| Lifetime Success (US) | Matts Scooter (US) | |||
| Three Diamonds (US) | ||||
| Baberhood (US) | Real Desire (US) | Life Sign (US) | ||
| Deadly Desire (US) | ||||
| Babe Watching (US) | Jennas Beach Boy (US) | |||
| Cheer Me Up (US) | ||||
| Racezapan | Genghis Pan (US) | Artsplace (US) | Abercrombie (US) | |
| Miss Elvira (US) | ||||
| Mystical Maddy (US) | Matts Scooter (US) | |||
| Mossy (US) | ||||
| Dillys Red Ace | House of Cards (US) | Dragons Lair (US) | ||
| Mystical Hanover (US) | ||||
| Lamour La Platt | Macatross (US) | |||
| Dillys Sweet Time |
The Breeding Notes for the day would not be complete without mentioning another winner. Winner of Race 10, BORN IN LOCKDOWN in 1.59 (fastest time of the day). Why does he warrant a mention? Because he to is out of Judy Hall (US). For a mare to have 3 runners on a racecard is impressive, to have 3 winners on the same race day takes some doing. Looking at the breeding of the 3 horses, 3 different sires: Tom Hill (US), The Preacher Pan (US) and Foreclosure (NZ) and all 3 are Western Hanover line sires.
| BORN IN LOCKDOWN | Foreclosure (NZ) | Rocknroll Hanover (US) | Western Ideal (US) | Western Hanover (US) |
| Wendymae Hanover (US) | ||||
| Rich N Elegant (US) | Direct Scooter (US) | |||
| Proven Perfcet (US) | ||||
| Pleasing Package (AUS) | Fake Left (US) | Cam Fella (US) | ||
| Madam Madusa (US) | ||||
| Pleading II (NZ) | McKinzie Almahurst (US) | |||
| Pleadover (NZ) | ||||
| Judy Hall (US) | Astreos (CAN) | Artsplace (US) | Abercrombie (US) | |
| Miss Elvira (US) | ||||
| Lucky Tune (CAN) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Tune Out (US) | ||||
| Andie S (US) | Direct Scooter (US) | Sampson Direct (US) | ||
| Noble Claire (US) | ||||
| Sunny Disposition (US) | No Nukes (US) | |||
| Sunbelle Hanover (US) |
Congratulations to all the winners and their connections. Full results for the race meeting can be found on BHRC website.
The next STAGBI British Championship Races will be held at Amman Valley Sunday 23 July
