Future champion British jump sire hopefuls on show at Shade Oak Stud open day

British jumps breeders are an optimistic bunch, and they have to be to meet the challenge of facing large numbers of horses coming from Ireland and France to race on their home turf.

So a minor thing like the wintry aftermath of Storm Ciara was not enough to deter a good crowd from making its way to Shade Oak Stud in Shropshire for the stud’s annual open day on Thursday.

Stud owner Peter Hockenhull faced an interesting dilemma this year: what to talk about to clients who have visited the stud previously when there is no new stallion to introduce. He rose to the task by describing the vision that drives him – to produce another champion British National Hunt sire to follow in the footsteps of the stud’s triple winner Alflora and quadruple winner Gunner B.

First though, he began by thanking the people that he hopes will make this possible, the breeders that help the stud’s stallions to succeed by sending their mares to visit them.

"National Hunt breeders share the dream that one day they will produce an outstanding horse," he said. "Some of the people here already have. Others of you will; and I believe our stallions can help you do it.

"Every one was a high-class racehorse; every one excelled at middle-distances, where a horse needs a special blend of speed, stamina and toughness to reach the top; and every one is by a great stallion.

"And each of our stallions has consistently received top-class mares so they have every chance to realise the potential I believe they have."

Hockenhull also spoke about his philosophy on standing stallions.

"I only stand a horse if I believe in him as a long-term prospect," he said. "When we stand a new stallion he is supported with our own mares and the mares of the partners we have in the horse. Our aim is to make him champion British National Hunt stallion one day. Achieving that particular dream is why I'm in this business.

“From early on you can be sure that our stallions will be given every chance because they will be represented by well-bred horses sired here. As a breeder you will not be dependent on how many foals are imported from France to race; and you can expect that, when you come to sell your foal or store, the sire is still likely to be standing here, not shipped off to some other stud either because he doesn’t appear to be succeeding or because breeders abroad will pay more for him if he does."

Shade Oak’s most recently acquired stallion is Dartmouth, leased from the Queen at the end of a racing career in which he proved a model of toughness, winning eight races from two to five years of age.

Undoubtedly his greatest moment came in a memorable Hardwicke Stakes in which he defeated seven-time Group 1 winner Highland Reel at level weights; but he also enjoyed a Yorkshire Cup win over St Leger winner Simple Verse, two Group 3 wins and places in two Group 1s, including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

"What I love about Dartmouth is his bravery: the way he fought off Highland Reel in the Hardwicke through sheer determination was what made me really want him as a stallion. If he throws those same attributes in his jumpers – and I believe he will – he should make a top-class jumps sire."

Both at Shade Oak and the recent TBA Stallion Parade at Doncaster Dartmouth impressed numerous breeders by the way he has improved since they first saw him, now being a handsome, good-limbed stallion with an easy walk and an excellent temperament.

His pedigree is unimpeachable: by Dubawi out of a Galileo mare who has also produced Group 2 and Listed winners and whose three-year-old son, Kingswear, recently won his maiden for Charlie Appleby in impressive fashion.

Foals from Dartmouth’s first crop realised prices of €35,000 and €24,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November Sale, and his very first foal, now a strapping yearling filly out of the Flemensfirth mare Mobhi Boreen, was paraded right after her sire.

Telescope: son of Galileo has first three-year-olds in 2020

Probably the stud’s flagship stallion is Telescope, who has covered more than 100 TBA Elite Mares since he retired to stud and was Britain’s busiest jumps sire last year, with 190 covers.

As well as emphasising his excellent libido, Hockenhull praised Telescope’s outstanding fertility.

"Last year almost 90 per cent of Telescope’s mares were returned in foal, the highest of any National Hunt stallion covering more than 50 mares. I'm pleased to say that the next three in that particular list were also Shade Oak stallions, all with over 80 per cent."

Telescope seems to have the qualities needed to achieve Hockenhull’s ambition of another champion jumps sire, having a top-class racing record, outstanding pedigree and great looks. He has covered top-class books of mares throughout his stud career and his foals have attracted attention from leading foal buyers.

"I was delighted that John Bleahen, who purchased Sizing John as a foal, recently bought Telescope colts at Doncaster and Fairyhouse”, commented Hockenhull.

Telescope won races from the ages of two to five, the most memorable being a seven-length demolition job of Group/Grade 1 winners Hillstar and Pether’s Moon in the Hardwicke Stakes and a comfortable victory in the Great Voltiguer Stakes.

He also placed second in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, giving the winner, Taghrooda, no less than 15lb. He is by the world’s best stallion, Galileo, who through Mahler, Soldier of Fortune and Cima De Triomphe (sire of recent Grade 1 winner Itchy Feet) is proving an increasing jumps influence, out of a half-sister to Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad by the top-class sire Darshaan.

Telescope’s looks are a source of pride to Hockenhull.

"He's a fabulous looking horse, 16.2 hands, with great scope and a fantastic walk," he observed. "Look at the way he strides out when he lets it rip. If this horse doesn’t sire top-class jumpers I don’t know what will."

Telescope was followed on parade by two of his first crop, big impressive sons of Posh Pearl and Reverse Swing, respectively dams of Grade 2 winners Hollies Pearl and Killala Quay. They did nothing to reduce the impression given of Telescope’s bright future as a sire of top-class Jumps horses.

In some ways Scorpion is the exception on Shade Oak’s roster, since he did not begin his career there.

“He came to us when Philip Hemmings arranged his sale from Coolmore”, said Hockenhull. “He had gone a bit quiet there, then vroom, out came Might Bite to remind people what a bonus he is to England.

"He didn’t quite win the Gold Cup, which he might if the ground hadn’t gone heavy, but he did win four Grade 1s including the King George VI Chase and RSA Chase. Not many stallions sire horses like that."

Scorpion’s other Grade 1 winners are Don’t Touch It in Ireland and Scorpiancer in the US and this year he is represented by the seven-year-old Riders Onthe Storm, his second highest rated horse with an RPR of 169 and a contender for the Betfair Ascot Chase on Saturday.

Although not resident at Shade Oak for his entire stud career, Scorpion is typical of the stud in other ways. He was a top-class horse over middle distances, winning the Coronation Cup and Grand Prix de Paris as well as the St Leger; he is by an outstanding Flat and jumps influence in Montjeu; and he is another big, good-looking horse with lots of quality. He is also from the family of the stud’s former champion, Alflora.

“And just like Telescope and Dartmouth he is a pure-breeding bay that cannot sire a chestnut,” emphasised Hockenhull. “It doesn’t mean he produces better horses than ones that do, but it certainly does no harm when you come to sell the produce!”

Although Scorpion is presently right behind Kayf Tara in the table of British-based jumps sires in 2019/20, he will not receive the TBA award as champion British National Hunt sire even if he passes the multiple champion, since only wins by horses sired when the stallion is standing in this country count for the accolade.

Scorpion’s first such foals will not race over jumps until the 2021/22 season - and the horse must also be an active stallion in the year in question. So if Shade Oak is to produce a Champion British National Hunt sire from one of its present incumbents, Telescope is probably the one in pole position.

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