'We never thought we'd have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival'

A large cross-section of the industry gathered for the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) Mares' Showcase held in the Istabraq suite of Cheltenham racecourse on Thursday morning, ahead of the only card in Britain and Ireland for just fillies and mares.

After TBA chairman Julian Richmond-Watson introduced the event, an address was given by Robert Waley-Cohen, chairman of the National Hunt Committee.

Waley-Cohen said he would like for a mares' chase to be introduced at the Cheltenham Festival, but in order for that to happen, there needs to be enough top-quality chase mares in training.

He cited the example of Misty Whisky winning the Listed bumper at Sandown in March as an example of British breeders enjoying success with their fillies and mares, and summed up his address with three wishes: better races for fillies and mares, better quality fillies and mares in training and better prizes for owners of fillies and mares.

Tim Kent, Goffs UK auctioneer and National Hunt Committee attendee, ensured the smooth and timely running of the event in his role as MC.

Champion Chase an option for Lady Buttons

The first topic up for discussion was "The joys of owning a jump mare" and a video was played of Lady Buttons and the rollercoaster journey on which she has brought her owner-breeders Keith and Jayne Sivills.

The daughter of Beneficial has racked up 12 wins including the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster, as well as finishing fourth to Roksana in the Mares' Hurdle in March.

"We never thought we'd have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival," said a proud Jayne Sivills on stage with husband Keith.

"We bred her and were always going to race her," added Keith. "Funnily when the mare was in foal, we were told it was going to be a colt. Anyway as she developed, Philip Kirby, her trainer, told us that he thought she would be very special.

"She's finished now for the season and we'll sit down and discuss her next targets. She acts better on soft going, and one option for her could be the Queen Mother next year."

Sivills went on to say the long-term aim is to breed from the mare, before his wife interjected saying she would make a fine riding horse.

"It's mostly breeders here today," said Kent. "I'm not sure how many of them will agree with you."

Next up was Stuart Middleton, racing operations manager for the BHA, who gave an overview of how the mares' programme has developed over the past ten years.

The three aims of the enhanced mares' programme, he said, were to increase the number of mares in training - now a record 23 per cent of the overall population of horses in training; to give fillies and mares an opportunity to display their ability before becoming broodmares; and to create a more positive attitude around fillies and mares in general.

'Pre-train youngsters at an earlier age'

Kent then introduced Peter Hockenhull of Shade Oak Stud, David Futter of Yorton Farm and Simon Sweeting of Overbury Stud to the stage.

Asked what they look for in potential broodmares, Futter said there are no guarantees but that he placed importance on conformation and pedigree. Hockenhull added that his aim in breeding is to showcase his stallions, and therefore he could be more forgiving when it came to pedigree, while Sweeting explained that he looks for soundness of wind.

Futter then gave an interesting anecdote about trainers visiting Yorton Farm to view stock. He said British trainers invariably chose to look at the geldings first, while French trainers often wanted to see the field of fillies first. He said roughly half the stock he exports to France are fillies and mares.

"They've had a better system in place for years with strong prize-money for fillies and mares," he noted.

Sweeting later opined that the best looking stock tended to produce the best looking foals, who then tend to be the best racehorses. Futter agreed, while Hockenhull pointed out that there are always exceptions to the rule.

Following the success of French breds at this year's Cheltenham Festival, the discussion led on to the question of should National Hunt stock be raced at an earlier age.

Futter expressed a desire to see a two-year-old store market in the future, pointing out that in France he does not believe they necessarily have better stallions or mares, but that they are pre-training them much sooner.

He was sharing his views the same morning Yorton Farm and Goffs UK announced the launch of the inaugural Goffs UK Yorton Sale in September, which will see Yorton offer 30 to 40 National Hunt-bred yearlings and two-year-olds.

Sweeting advised a cautious approach but that he would not be against putting two-year-olds in training.

Claire Sheppard of the TBA was next up to give an overview of the initiatives available for jumps mares including the Elite Mares and Mare Owners' Prize Schemes, before Simon Cooper of Weatherbys explained the challenges facing the company maintaining the General Stud Book in the 21st Century.

A panel discussion and Q&A session - featuring Sizing John's breeder Bryan Mayoh, trainer Henry Daly, Middleton, Cooper and Sweeting - rounded off the morning's events, with Middleton telling those gathered that while the BHA remains open-minded to the idea of having more three-year-old hurdle races, they could only be introduced following a period of consultation with the industry.

Mayoh also voiced his desire to see more three-year-old hurdle races.

"The only way to see if it will work is to try it," said Mayoh, who is also on the TBA National Committee. "We're being over-protective and damaging the breed as a result."

Daly, sitting furthest to the right on the stage, said in general that trainers are happy to go with the flow and that they would be open to the idea of having more three-year-old hurdle races.

Mayoh suggested the problem of runners with strong Flat form putting jumps trainers off targeting juvenile National Hunt races could be negated by setting down strict entry criteria for such races.

Breeders advised to contact trainers

Towards the end of the session Daly advised breeders to contact trainers about putting fillies and mares in training with syndicates, perhaps on a free-lease basis.

He suggested that it was a low-cost way for owners groups to get involved, with breeders being able to breed from the filly or mare later on.

Sam Hoskins of Hot To Trot racing was present and voiced his agreement, and thanked the TBA for the initiatives which were incentivising syndicates to race fillies and mares.

Hot To Trot, who campaigned the 2017 Queen Mary Stakes scorer Heartache, has a rare runner over jumps later in the day with Black Tulip, who was third to Kupatana in the Listed mares' novices' handicap chase.

A first for the Queen

While Paul Nicholls toasted the 3,000th winner of his training career later in the day with Kupatana, there was also a fitting first win at Cheltenham for the Queen, one of the sport's most influential owner-breeders who saw her colours carried to victory when Sunshade obliged in the third race.

The Nicky Henderson-trained daughter of Sulamani fended off the challenge of Irish raider Agusta Gold to earn a £10,000 bonus from the Mare Owners' Prize Scheme.

Robert Waley-Cohen (right) presents connections of Sunshade with her bonus from the Mare Owners' Prize SchemeCredit: Charlotte Lovatt / TBA

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