Newsells Set For Harvest Festival

Hertfordshire, one of England's 'home counties' that surrounds London, may not be instantly associated with world-class bloodstock but it is nevertheless home to a world-class operation in Newsells Park Stud.

The farm is in fact much closer to the Thoroughbred heartland of Newmarket than to London itself, but it is blissfully in a world of its own amid country lanes rarely used by those other than residents of the smattering of quiet country villages nearby.

The approach from Newmarket offers a breathtaking view as one of the surrounding hills gives way and an expanse of rolling paddocks beneath fills the eye. Occupied by clusters of young bluebloods, it is a slice of England's green and pleasant land at its finest on a sun-dappled early autumn day.

“My wife is convinced that I'm going to crash my car one day as I can't ever resist looking across the paddocks and thinking about what has to be done, rather than concentrating on the road,” says Julian Dollar, the tall, steadying presence at the helm of Newsells Park Stud since 2006.

It is such attention to equine detail that has seen the stature of the farm rise significantly since its purchase by Klaus Jacobs in 2000. Jacobs died in 2008 and Newsells Park Stud is now owned by his son, Andreas, while the family's bloodstock interests also extend to Gestut Fahrhof in Germany and Maine Chance Farms in South Africa.

The English wing of the empire has enjoyed something of a banner year on the racecourse, its graduates headed by the multiple Group 1 winner and Classic heroine Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and including recent G2 Doncaster Cup winner Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who lost the Beverly D. S. in the stewards' room after finishing first past the post. These are but three of 16 Newsells Park-bred stakes performers around the world in 2015.

Dollar admits that the fortnight of the Tattersalls October Sale–particularly Book 1–is the most important time of the year for Newsells Park, and plenty of forward-planning goes into deciding when and where horses should be sold. He says, “I've perhaps strengthened our draft for Book 1 over the last few years to the detriment of those we sell in France, even though we've had great success selling in Deauville, with the likes of Masked Marvel (GB) and other group winners. But we haven't had the success there over the last few years whereas we have at Tattersalls, and as a consignor I felt that the really big prices were coming in October Book 1. As a British-based stud it is our shop window.”

That 'shop' is a pretty well-stocked one as Newsells Park operates on an 'everything must go' basis, barring horses who may have had an issue leading up to the sales. Dollar explains, “As a commercial operation we offer everything we breed for sale, unless there has been a problem with a horse, which we then keep to race. I think from a buyers' perspective it gives them confidence that we're not keeping the best four back for ourselves. Everything that can go to the sales goes to the sales. We're one of the few studs to offer our queens as well as our kings.”

This of course can give rise to the odd twinge of regret when considering the continuation of lines within the broodmare band, as Dollar admits.

“If money were no object, I'd be keeping five or six of these fillies this year as I think they are outstanding,” he says ruefully. “It's going to break my heart to sell them, but if their sale keeps Newsells Park Stud flourishing for another 12 months that's the most important thing.”

Among the queens on offer this year is a filly who has to end up among the top lots of the entire sale for she is a three-quarter sister to Legatissimo by Redoute's Choice (Aus), whose first European crop of yearlings have been receiving rave reviews–with prices to match–so far this season.

“She's very, very nice and she's one of those yearlings who has just really developed through the summer and the autumn,” says Dollar. “In the spring I always liked her–she was always an 'A' foal on my grading system–but she was a little on the small side. She has really blossomed in the last few months.”

Slated to sell as lot 24, the daughter of the Montjeu (Ire) mare Yummy Mummy (Ire), herself a sister to Classic winner Fame And Glory (Ire), is likely to bring the ring to an expectant hush only an hour into Book 1.

“It's one of those moments that I'm sure will be bittersweet,” muses Dollar. “She's got everything going for her and she should sell well but, at the same time, I'd love to race her.”

Brightly though she'll sparkle, she's far from being

the only jewel in the Newsells Park collection. Three of the 18 Frankel yearlings in Book 1 are in the draft, including a well-made dark brown filly out of the dual Grade I winner Dynaforce (Dynaformer) (lot 174).

Dollar adds: “Gestut Rottgen have kindly put their faith in us and asked us to sell their Oasis Dream (GB) half-sister to Wild Coco (Ger) (lot 16), who is a really well-balanced filly with a great walk. It's a beautiful pedigree so I think she'll be of interest to people.”

Two years ago at October Book 1, Newsells Park Stud broke the European yearling sales record when selling Sir Isaac Newton (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a brother to Secret Gesture, for 3.6 million guineas to Coolmore. The record was theirs for all of 24 hours, until a sister to Oaks winner Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), now named Al Namaah (Ire), waltzed into the ring and trounced it by fetching 5 million guineas. Dollar recalls, “The night that Sir Isaac Newton sold was a thrill for me, and especially for [yearling manager] Gerry Meehan, who does such a great job and had never had a horse sell for over a million. As a commercial operation it's the equivalent of breeding a Group 1 winner really, but as soon as that hammer fell at 3.6 million I just felt a huge sense of responsibility that someone had spent so much money on one of our horses. Coolmore have always been great supporters of Newsells–they bought Legatissimo that year as well.”

Sir Isaac Newton and Secret Gesture's half-sister by the late Street Cry (Ire) sells on the third day of Book 1 as lot 439.

“We sent the mare to Street Cry as it's a cross that was working really well–he has a terrific strike-rate with daughters of Danehill. In a way this filly is a lot easier to race and to breed than Secret Gesture as she's by Street Cry, so you have more options,” offers Dollar.

It's not just the fillies that have the stud manager holding his breath. From the draft of 22, there are 16 colts, including a full-brother to resident stallion and dual G1 King's Stand S. winner Equiano (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 184).

“His brother is very similar to him–he probably has a little more length than Equiano which is pretty typical of Acclamation, but otherwise he's very like him,” says Dollar. “We have some beautiful colts this year. I may not have a Sir Isaac Newton within them but as a bunch they are very nice.” He adds, “I've always thought that this was the nicest crop of foals we've had since I was at Newsells, and fortunately nothing has gone wrong and they've all gone on, so hopefully other people will like them as much as I do.”

One who was not raised at Newsells Park but who has completed his prep with the team is a Street Cry colt out of Nomistakeaboutit (lot 357), who is being consigned on behalf of Californian owner/breeder Jon Kelly. His full-brother, Stentorian, was runner-up in the G2 Vintage S. in 2011 for Mark Johnston.

“Jon bought Beautiful Morning (GB) from us and he asked if we would sell this yearling for him. He's a lovely, big colt,” says Dollar.

As well as their own yearlings, the Newsells Park team will be keeping a close eye on the results for their first-season stallion Nathaniel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose Book 1 offerings include a colt out of a prized Newsells mare, the Group 1 victirx Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr Devious {Ire}) (lot 267), and thus a half-brother to G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Berkshire (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}).

“I'm not very good at selling something that I don't believe in, but with Nathaniel it's been very easy,” says Dollar. “We've promoted him through marketing and advertising, and also through putting two of our nicest foals through the sale last year, which I wouldn't normally do, and they both sold very well. Everybody I've spoken to says they've seen lovely Nathaniels–the agents have been very complimentary and I've had so much positive feedback about him. I'm very excited about him–I love the horse and I love his attitude.”

Whatever results are achieved at Park Paddocks in the coming weeks, it's unlikely that anything will top the emotion sparked by breeding the winner of this year's G1 1000 Guineas.

“For Legatissimo to win the Guineas was a major thrill–it was lovely to breed a first Classic winner with Masked Marvel a few years ago but to win a Guineas was wonderful,” enthuses Dollar. “I've felt an enormous sense of pride as she has gone on through the season and won the Nassau and the Matron. Breeding horses like that is what it's all about. These two weeks are the most important of the year for Newsells–it's our harvest. The yearling sales are intrinsic to our operation but I don't want to breed horses who are just good sales horses–I want to breed good racehorses.”