Shadwell shows off its bluebloods to important Japanese visitors

Shadwell Estate Company was honoured to welcome His Excellency Koji Tsuruoka, Japan’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, to its British base of the Nunnery Stud in Thetford on Tuesday.

The ambassador was accompanied on his visit by wife Mrs Yooko Tsuruoka, Mr Shuichi Akamatsu, Minister for economic affairs at the Embassy of Japan in London, Mr Takashi Hiranaka, Counsellor in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the Embassy of Japan in London, Mr Hiro Matsumoto, general director of the Japan Racing Association, and Mr Nobu Furuta, deputy manager of the Japan Racing Association.

The group was completed by Guy Henderson, Ascot Racecourse chief executive, and Nick Smith, director of racing and communications at Ascot.

Mukhadram pictured with handler Bela Kristof, Richard Lancaster and His Excellency Koji TsuruokaCredit: Steven Cargill

The visiting party began their visit with a parade of stallions, comprising Sheikh Hamdan’s three Group 1 winners Muhaarar, Mukhadram and Nayef, before visiting the stud’s main yard, where they cast their eyes over several mares and foals, including dual Group 1 winners Taghrooda and Ghanaati, who has a colt foal by Invincible Spirit at foot, as well as Listed winner Hadaatha and her Frankel colt.

His Excellency Mr Tsuruoka and his colleagues were then given a tour of Snarehill Stud, where they were given an opportunity to see thoroughbreds exercise in the state-of-the-art swimming pool and treadmill.

Hadaatha and her Frankel colt pose for the Japanese Ambassador and his colleagues at Shadwell StudCredit: Steven Cargill

On arrival at the Nunnery Stud, His Excellency Mr Tsuruoka and his guests were welcomed by Richard Lancaster, Shadwell’s stud director, who said: “It is an honour and a privilege to host the Japanese ambassador and his party at Shadwell.

“We are delighted to be able to show Shadwell at such a wonderful time of year, with so many mares and foals about the place. With the weather beginning to improve the horses are all starting to come in their coats, in particular the stallions. It gave the team and I great pleasure to show off the three stallions, headed by Muhaarar, who is in the process of covering another top-class book of mares in 2018.”

Lancaster added: “The ambassador also had the opportunity to see several of Sheikh Hamdan’s leading mares, including Taghrooda and Tarfasha, who finished first and second in the 2014 Oaks, as well as dual Group 1-winning miler Ghanaati.”

Later in the day, His Excellency Mr Tsuruoka and his guests were hosted by Shadwell for a day’s racing at Newmarket, where they had an opportunity to meet Sheikh Hamdan.