Strawberry Fields in tune with first Group winner in Hong Kong

Every aspiring operation needs a foundation mare and it looks as if Strawberry Fields Stud has found its matriarch in Desert Berry, whose son Flying Thunder has become one of Hong Kong’s most exciting new talents.

The property of businessman Gary Robinson and situated at Teversham on the doorstep of Cambridge, Strawberry Fields keeps roughly ten broodmares on its books and has been developing over the last decade by breeding not only for sale but often for ownership syndication.

Flying Thunder, sired by the lamented Archipenko, was one of those offered at auction and raised £25,000 at the Goffs UK Silver Yearling Sale in 2016. Emerging first under the guise of Archie McKellar, he won a Kempton novice for Ralph Beckett the following season before a transfer to the care of Frankie Lor.

He reappeared this year renamed Flying Thunder and has barely finished out of the frame over six and seven furlongs, beating established local names Time To Celebrate and Pingwu Spark in last weekend’s Premier Cup at Sha Tin.

"He's the first Group winner that the stud’s produced, so it was a right result," said Michael Cox, Strawberry Fields’ stud manager.

"We try to be commercial but the owner does breed to race, so we're doing a bit of both. It depends on the circumstances, he was a really nice, smart yearling but you can't race every single one so the decision was made to sell him. He got a good price for him at the time."

Desert Berry, by Green Desert, was bought privately when unsold as a yearling. She notched a Lingfield maiden on the track but has already far exceeded that in the paddocks through her first foal Rose Berry, a six-time winner who has been chasing black type lately in the Strawberry Fields silks.

"It's so far, so good," Cox said. "She's had three foals, and two winners. Capla Crusader, a three-year-old full-brother to Flying Thunder, has been placed and hopefully will win later this year too.

Upavon (Adam Kirby) wins the 6f handicap from Rose Berry (4)Wolverhampton 28.2.18 Pic: Edward WhitakerCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He's been transferred to Nick Littmoden. He had a slight injury in the spring but hopefully will be back late summer. He was a May foal, so he should hopefully continue to improve with a bit of time on his back."

Archipenko, whose progeny have had particular success in Hong Kong through Time Warp and Glorious Forever, died in 2017 and the stud have had to adapt. Desert Berry now has a Nathaniel colt foal and has been covered by Al Kazeem, but there is one more Archipenko left on the conveyor belt.

"He [Robinson] likes the stallions to be Group 1 winners, and a horse that will produce Classic type of horses, those who will definitely get over a mile," Cox said. "Archipenko raced until he was five, won Group 1s all over the world and he retired sound.

"We've got the yearling full-brother to Flying Thunder, he's entered in Tattersalls Book 2 at the moment. It’s still pretty early days and the owner hasn’t decided whether we’ll retain him for racing or sell. A decision can be made nearer the time."

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