Whitsbury Manor Stud

According to betting forecasts, Saturday's G3 Dubai Duty Free Fred Darling Stakes was at the mercy of Shadwell's G2 Rockfel Stakes fifth Touleen (Lope De Vega), but the Owen Burrows trainee had to give best to Opulence Thoroughbreds' Rockfel ninth Sukanya (Havana Grey), who produced a late surge to register a 16-1 surprise. The winner does not hold an entry for Newmarket's G1 1000 Guineas, but remains engaged in the Irish equivalent. "She's a very good filly and had a very high level of class last year," insisted Channon. "My...

Elite Status has his first mares scanned in foal. The son of Havana Grey, who won the G3 Prix de Cabourg and G3 Hackwood Stakes, stands for £8,000 at Whitsbury Manor Stud this year. Some of the mares in foal to the G2 Norfolk Stakes runner-up include Harry Sounds (Due Diligence), a sister to multiple stakes winner and Group 1-placed Diligent Harry; Queens Prestige (Expert Eye), a sister to multiple stakes winner Mubtasimah (Dark Angel); and I Promised Myself (Dabirsim), a half-sister to the group winner and Group 1-placed Isfahani...

If Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls was all about Dragon Symbol, then Wednesday was the day that the young upstart received a sharp warning should he wish to assume the throne as Whitsbury Manor Stud kingpin, with the present incumbent, Havana Grey, taking his turn to play the starring role on a day of fierce trade at Park Paddocks. By the close of play, Havana Grey accounted for five of the day's top 18 lots, headlined by lot 650 from the Whitsbury Manor draft. The...

NEWMARKET, UK--Improved trade punctuated by a steady stream of notable results for the progeny of Dragon Symbol would be a neat summation of Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls, with Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-crop sire alone accounting for nearly 25% of the 1,684,200gns that changed hands on the day. That total turnover represented a 23% increase compared to 12 months ago, while the average and the median also painted a much prettier picture as opposed to what was a sluggish start to last year's December Foal...

There are many ways to celebrate breeding a Classic winner, but Ed Harper must be in the minority in having selected a betting shop on Newmarket High Street as his first destination after departing the town's Rowley Mile, the landmark achievement of his family's Whitsbury Manor Stud still barely having sunk in. As it was, little more than an hour after the homebred Chaldean had skipped to glory in the 2023 edition of the 2,000 Guineas, Harper found himself in front of a wall of screens, ready to watch the...

Ed Harper has admitted to wrestling with the decision to part with Whitsbury Manor Stud's outstanding producer Suelita (Dutch Art) at the forthcoming December Mares Sale at Tattersalls. The dam of the 2,000 Guineas winning-sire Chaldean, among others, Suelita will go under the hammer as lot 1726 during the second of the two Sceptre Sessions on Tuesday, December 2. Harper stressed that the team at Whitsbury Manor will forever be indebted to the now-16-year-old, whilst acknowledging that, if she was ever going to be sold, now was the time.  ...

Taller ladies need not apply for a date with Havana Grey in 2026 as Whitsbury Manor Stud has confirmed that the star stallion will continue to cover mares with a height restriction in place for next year. His fee remains private while Showcasing has been dropped by £5,000 to £30,000 and newbie Elite Status introduced at £8,000. Dragon Symbol and Sergei Prokofiev will operate at that same fee. Joe Callan, Head of Bloodstock and Sales at Whitsbury, commented, "Havana Grey will once again have his fee listed as private. This...

Elite Status, a Group-winning sprinter at two and three, has been retired from racing and will stand alongside his sire, Havana Grey, at Whitsbury Manor Stud next year. A stud fee will be announced at a later date. Trained by Karl Burke for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Elite Status arrived at Royal Ascot unbeaten as a two-year-old following impressive victories in a maiden at Doncaster and the Listed National Stakes at Sandown. Though meeting with defeat when attempting to extend his winning sequence in the G2 Norfolk Stakes, ultimately...

There was much consternation when only three new Flat stallions retired to stand in Britain for the 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this was a blip, but if it becomes a trend then obviously it is cause for concern. It is easy to understand why, in an increasingly commercial sphere, breeders would either flock to the proven elite (for those with mares good enough and pockets deep enough) or to the next first-season sire on the block who may be forgiven for a year or two until...

Clive Cox's love affair with York's Harry's Half Million By Goffs showed no signs of abating after Middleham Park Racing's Song Of The Clyde (Sergei Prokofiev) delivered a third straight edition of the valuable contest for the trainer. "Harry Beeby was a good friend of mine, it's such a good incentive and even better to win it three times running," said Cox. "He had a bit of size and scope as a yearling and we've always liked him. He's got a wonderful mind and it was really pleasing when he...

Havana Grey, the sire of the most expensive lot at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale in both 2023 and 2024, will be represented by 10 yearlings when the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion tries to repeat those sale-topping exploits at this year's Somerville, which takes place at Park Paddocks on Tuesday, September 2. A total of 272 yearlings have been catalogued, with lot 145 featuring among the sons and daughters of Havana Grey. Offered by Bearstone Stud, the filly is a full-sister to the G3 Prix Eclipse and Weatherbys Super Sprint...

Jaber Abdullah's America Queen (Havana Grey), a €180,000 graduate of May's Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up sale, made a start on recouping that investment with an impressive debut performance in Thursday's Selecta Systems EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock. The Richard Hughes trainee, who was originally knocked down for €48,000 as Goffs November foal, went postward as the 11-8 favourite and tracked the leaders from a midfield berth through the early fractions. Making smooth headway from halfway to assume control passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened clear and was...