GOOD NEWS WEEK

Recent reportage in the trade media has featured prophecies of doom, (regrettably with legitimate foundations) but there was a very heartening story, which I hope will receive greater coverage. Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah and his brothers have purchased Roundhill Stud in County Limerick. They stated that they hoped to have fifteen to twenty mares and their dream was: “TO BREED A DERBY WINNER.”  He acknowledged that this was hard, but it had been the dream since they started racing in England. He also said that the idea had started when they were studying in England and they saw how great racing was in Europe and how exciting.

I would like to know where these sentiments are being advertised by the BHA, GBRI or any other industry bodies. It would be much better to promote our sport with these sentiments than the three-card-trick of two-year-old sales races. Obviously, they are wealthy men but our sport badly needs more owner breeders of this size who dream about beating the dominant operations.  I wish them the best of luck.

The previous owners of the stud, the Donworths, have been conspicuously successful in nurturing families and leave on a high, having Field Of Gold as their current standard bearer.  They have said that they will continue to breed and hope to retain homebred fillies to support their son Tim, who trains in Chantilly. This is a rare story where the sport of racing appears to benefit from both sides of the transaction. I hope interviews with both parties make their way into mainstream media, as the combined enthusiasm for our sport should be harnessed.