Derby dreams for Andrew Black as Chasemore Farm reveals mating plans

Andrew Black's Chasemore Farm has plenty to look forward to this year, with a high-class broodmare band ready for foaling and then covering, in addition to the unbeaten Uncle Bryn going in pursuit of Classic honours.

Farm manager Jack Conroy could not keep the excitement out of his voice when discussing the unbeaten son of Sea The Stars, a John Gosden inmate who looks set for a Derby trial after two bloodless successes in maiden and novice company last autumn.

He says: "We've got a few exciting racehorses this year, including Uncle Bryn, who could start out in a Derby trial in April. Hopefully he will keep passing the tests as he's done everything right so far."

For the Tom Dascombe-trained Brad The Brief, winner of a Newmarket Listed race and the Group 3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise at Chantilly last term, a tilt at the Saudi Cup next month could be on the cards.

"Brad The Brief is one of our shining lights and is such a brave soul," says Conroy. "He could head to Riyadh for the dirt sprint. If he gets his ground he is a Group-level horse."

Brad The Brief: team favourite and Group 3 winner last yearCredit: David Davies (Getty Images)

One of the Surrey farm's exciting two-year-olds currently in pre-training is a Siyouni half-brother to Brad The Brief and promising maiden scorer Taipan, who was originally intended for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last autumn.

Conroy adds: "There's a lovely Siyouni colt out of Kenzadargent, we were prepping him for Book 1 but it came too quickly for him and we didn't want to push him to get a sales result.

"We gave him more time in the paddock and he's now at Malcolm Bastard's pre-training yard. He's a big lad and will need a bit of time but he's one we're quite excited about.

"We've also got a Golden Horn filly out of Bible Belt, she's a very nice type, while Eartha Kitt's Frankel filly is currently at Malcolm's too and will be heading to Tom Dascombe's when she's ready."

Moving onto 2021 mating plans, the Listed-winning and Group-placed Kenzadargent has made a fine start to her paddocks career with two winners from as many runners and will accordingly visit the fast ascending Kingman.

Conroy says: "She's a mare who's had colic over the last few years and is currently in foal to Le Havre. She'll be visiting Kingman this year.

"Her three-year-old son Taipan looks a nice sort, he was so green [when winning on his debut last year] but stayed on. He's entered in the Irish Derby."

An equally important member of the broodmare band is Wall Of Sound, the dam of Classic hopeful Uncle Bryn and Boomer, a Group 3-winning daughter of Kingman who is on Lope De Vega's dance card.

Wall Of Sound, an 11-year-old daughter of Singspiel who ran particularly well in her final two starts for Dascombe across the Atlantic, is booked in for a date with the progressive Sea The Moon, with the end result hopefully producing a close relation to Uncle Bryn.

"She's currently in foal to Kingman, so that will be a full-sibling to her Group 3 winning-daughter Boomer, and she will visit Sea The Moon this time," says Conroy.

"Sea The Moon's an exciting sire, particularly of stayers, and it's happy days either way if you get a filly or a colt.

"Wall Of Sound's other daughter, Flighty Almighty, won only one race for Tom [Dascombe] and then went out to Christophe Clement in America.

"Things haven't really worked out for her but she will visit American Pharoah - she really is a beautiful mare. We'll probably bring her back in July when she's safely in foal."

Eartha Kitt: the half-sister to Arthur Kitt will visit CamelotCredit: Mark Cranham

Eartha Kitt, a daughter of Pivotal and the star-crossed Ceiling Kitty, is one of three mares heading to Camelot, the sire of Eartha Kitt's Royal Ascot-winning half-brother Arthur Kitt.

Hopes are high for her yearling colt by Kingman, and Conroy continues: "She produced a cracking Kingman last year, he's the standout on the farm, while she will be visiting Camelot.

"Formidable Kitt, who's in foal to Camelot, will go to Too Darn Hot.

"We really love a Shamardal mare called Illaunmore, her first foal made 290,000gns at Book 1 - he was by Shalaa and I think he's going to John Gosden - and she's in foal to Siyouni.

"She'll head to Camelot as well. Andrew and Jane have had a lot of success with him and we always send him at least two mares a year."

There appears to be plenty of variety when it comes to stallion choices and other leading names for Chasemore-housed mares include the Darley duo of Dubawi and Pinatubo, and Shadwell's exciting young recruit Mohaather.

Conroy says: "Illaunmore's mother, Illaunglass, is in foal to Wootton Bassett and will be covered by Pinatubo. She's a really leggy, strong mare and he's nicely balanced.

"Her Kodiac, who we sold to Shadwell at Book 2 last year, is also going to John Gosden. I'd be surprised if he wasn't a smart two-year-old this year.

"We've also got Nyaleti here [as a boarder], she's currently carrying to Frankel and will visit Dubawi, while Wowcha, who's a half-sister to The Wow Signal, is due to visit Mohaather."

Read more

La Bague Au Roi enjoying the downtime before virtual Doncaster date

First foal for triple Group 1 hero Advertise born at the Cumanis' Fittocks Stud

'Beautiful' first foal for Arc hero Waldgeist as Carrigbeg Stud welcomes arrival