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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The UK Government proposals to tax inherited farmland thresholds have been increased from £1 million to £2.5 million, the BBC reported on Tuesday. Concerned farmers have pushed back on the initial proposal since it was announced over a year ago. Originally, UK ministers indicated they would begin imposing a 20% tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1 million. Formerly, there had been 100% tax relief in place since the 1980s. Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said, “We have listened closely to farmers across the country and we are making changes today to protect more ordinary family farms. “It's only right that larger estates contribute more, while we back the farms and trading businesses that are the backbone of Britain's rural communities.” The post UK Government Increases Inheritance Tax Threshold Proposals To £2.5 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Conrad Bandoroff, Dr. Kristina Eisaman, Carly Schuerger, Sophie Shore and Whitney Verbal have been added to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Next Generation Advisory Group. Formed in 2024, the group provides HISA's executive team and Standing Committees with formal feedback on the evolution of its Racetrack Safety Program and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The new members succeed outgoing Next Generation Advisory Group members Waqas Ahmed, Marc Broady, Jeff Matty, Katie Miranda, and Tyler Peeples. A complete list of the group's 20 members–representing a wide variety of viewpoints from across the racing industry–can be viewed here. The post New Members Added to HISA Next Generation Advisory Group appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
This raft of stallions at the lowest range of the price scale is every bit as important as those at the top. For a start, if we look at Royal Ascot alone in 2025, we find the names Massaat and Washington DC alongside those of two of the week's Group 1 winners. Then there was Rajasinghe, whose offspring made their presence felt in two of the season's most prestigious sprint handicaps. Breeders with mares rated 70 or above could have used Rajasinghe for free this year, such was the desire for owner Phil Cunningham to give one last push for his Coventry Stakes winner to prove himself. Rajasinghe is back at £3,000 this year and he should have more bookings after the exploits of Stewards' Cup winner Two Tribes and Ayr Gold Cup winner Run Boy Run. Together, they have netted Cunningham more than £550,000 in prize-money. Massaat has never stood for more than £5,000 at Mickley Stud, where he is advertised at £3,500 again for 2026. The globetrotter Docklands put his names in lights this year, while American Affair did the same for Massaat's Shropshire neighbour Washington DC at Bearstone Stud, who stands for the same sum. This final part of the Value Sires series deals with the stallions standing for below £7,500 (approximately €8,500), a group which includes some notable names with their own ardent followers. Dealing with a couple of venerable veterans first, Holy Roman Emperor will be 22 in 2026, while Bated Breath turns 19. At €5,000 for Holy Roman Emperor, a stallion with proven Group 1 credentials, and £5,000 for Bated Breath, about whom similar comments apply, they both seem like steadfast options for smaller breeders either side of the Irish Sea, especially for young, unproven mares. The same goes for Washington DC's stud-mate Dream Ahead, who is rising 18 and has four Group 1 winners to his credit. He too is at his lowest-ever fee of £5,500. Rathasker's Bungle Inthejungle has already sired a Group 1 winner in Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Winter Power and her two-year-old full-sister Revival Power sprinted her way into the notebook this autumn as the winner of the G2 Flying Childers Stakes. She was one of two standouts for Bungle Inthejungle this season along with JM Jungle, who had some good horses behind him when winning the G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood, including Cartier Sprinter of the Year, Asfoora. 'Bungle' started off at €5,000, went up to €12,000 for a couple of seasons, and has now settled somewhere in the middle at €7,500. The race is now on to find a son of Wootton Bassett who can live up to his father's impressive achievements. Another five have joined the ranks this year but one with a Group 1 winner already next to his name is Haras de Bouquetot's Wooded, sire of the Prix Jean Prat winner Woodshauna from his first crop. Wooded, who won the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in 2020, also had the runner-up in that same race this year in the Czech-trained Jawwal. At €7,000, Wooded is now standing for just less than half his opening fee of €15,000. There were four second-crop sires to be represented by four black-type winners in 2025 and, along with Ghaiyyath, Persian King and Pinatubo sits King Of Change, who is comfortably in this bracket at €5,000 at Starfield Stud. If you like the idea of Farhh – and who doesn't? – then we should all be hoping that the subfertile Darley stallion, whose private fee we estimate to be around £20,000 at Dalham Hall Stud, will have a son good enough to make amends. King Of Change has made an encouraging start, and here's hoping for a Group winner next year to add to his Listed quartet. His foals on the ground this year represent his biggest crop from 131 coverings in 2024, but he dropped back to around just over 50 mares this year. Smaller numbers haven't stopped him so far. He is not the only Group 1-winning miler by Farhh to be at stud in Europe as Tribalist joins the newly launched Haras de Castillon stallion operation and will doubtless receive some decent backing from French breeders as he was a classy and durable runner from an excellent family. He is starting out at €6,000, a price which seems immensely fair for a horse who won six Group and two Listed races in addition to his G1 Prix du Moulin victory over Charyn, Henry Longfellow and Notable Speech. For breeders either in Germany or keen to send a mare there, it is worth keeping Isfahan on your list. For a start he was a Classic winner himself, and he produced his own Deutsches Derby winner, Sisfahan, in his first crop. Plus, in these days of dwindling genetic options, it is good still to find the odd stallion tracing back to Mill Reef now that Sir Percy has retired and Reliable Man has remained in New Zealand. The imposing Isfahan, who remains at €7,500 at Gestut Ohlerweiherhof, was represented this year by the Group 3 winner Nyra, who was also third in the G1 Preis der Diana, and was sold earlier this month at Arqana for €875,000 to the US-based Scott Heider. First runners in 2026 Among those in this tier with debutants on the track next year are Overbury Stud's Caturra, who covered 102 mares in his debut season at £6,500 and has stood at £5,000 since then. Forty-three of those first-crop yearlings were sold, from 53 offered, for an average of 20,860gns. There has been a similar shift in price for Space Traveller, who stood his first year at Ballyhane Stud for €6,500 and covered 170 mares. He subsequently moved to Starfield Stud, where he is now at his lowest fee of €5,000. For 64 yearlings sold from 92 offered he returned an average of €21,219. Thunder Moon, a son of the late Zoffany and winner of the G1 National Stakes in 2020, has shuffled from Haras de Bouquetot, where he started off with a book of 88 mares, to Haras de Castillon, where he is now €5,000. First yearlings to come Owners of the 167 mares who visited Erevann in 2024 will be hoping that this son of Dubawi out of Siyouni's first Classic winner Ervedya, can follow the impressive example of fellow Dubawi sire Zarak at the Aga Khan Studs. He's a horse with a lot of quality who appears to be throwing youngsters in his mould, judging by the positive reception given to his foals in recent months. Placed at Group 1 level when finishing only half a length behind Inspiral in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, Erevann won the G2 Prix Wildenstein after that and has remained a reasonable and well supported €8,000 at Haras de Bonneval. We have an unapologetically French feel to this particular section as we flag up Bay Bridge, from the same sire-line as Erevann as a son of New Bay. Another powerful and good-looking horse, he won the G1 Champion Stakes in the colours of his breeder James Wigan, who raced him in partnership with Ballylinch Stud. With the latter already standing New Bay and his son Bayside Boy, the decision was taken to stand Bay Bridge at Haras du Mesnil, a base which gives him an excellent chance of success. Not only does the Devin family strongly support their home stallions with their own decent broodmare band but they have a loyal following of French breeders who have helped the likes of Doctor Dino and Turgeon to thrive over the years. Bay Bridge covered 102 mares in his first season, and doubtless some of them will have been of the National Hunt persuasion. HIs sole representative at Arqana earlier this month, a colt from the family of top sprinter Sole Power, was sold for €92,000 to Mandore International Agency. Bay Bridge is down slightly to €5,000 in 2026 (from €6,000). Sumbe's homebred Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Belbek is also at €5,000, having started out at €7,000 in 2024. By Showcasing, he is out of the Makfi mare Bee Queen, herself a granddaughter of the brilliant Banks Hill. He has covered 64 and 47 mares in his first two seasons, but we've seen stallions prosper from less auspicious starts from that and it will be no surprise to see him popping up with some earlyish juvenile winners in France. This could also be true of Angel Bleu, who stands alongside him at €6,000 in 2026, down from €9,000 two years ago. By Dark Angel out of a full-sister to Highland Reel, he was a smart two-year-old himself, winning the G2 Vintage Stakes, G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International back to back, along with the G2 Celebration Mile at four. Culworth Grounds Farm will be hoping that lightning can strike twice when it comes to sons of Havana Gold. After the success of Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey, Sophie Buckley recruited the Whitsbury Manor-bred El Caballo to stand as her first stallion. The winner of the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes, he has had a decent level of support, covering 90 then 102 mares, from €6,000 in his first year, then €5,000, with a drop to €4,000 planned for 2026. Second covering season There is only one son of champion sire Night Of Thunder at stud so far. That will surely change, but Isaac Shelby was the first, retiring to Newsells Park Stud in 2025 at £7,000, and there he remains for the new year after covering 96 mares. The hardy Go Bears Go, who won the G2 Railway Stakes and is a member of the same family as Benbatl, who has made a positive start with his first runners in Japan, joined Oak Lodge Stud in 2025. From €8,000, the son of Kodi Bear is now at €6,000 for 2026 having covered 87 mares in his first book. Sakheer was a new arrival at Ballyhane Stud in 2025, and he has now been joined there by the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Magnum Force. The G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Sakheer, by Zoffany, who covered 120 mares this year, is down slightly to €5,500 (from €6,500) while Magnum Force, who is one of nine top-level winners by Mehmas, is being launched at €7,500. New for 2026 What we do know about stallions in their first year at stud is that they are invariably more popular than they will be in the ensuing three years at least. Assessing which of these offer value to breeders is nigh on impossible until we start to see how well their offspring are received at the sales and, far more importantly, how well they race. We've already mentioned Tribalist and Magnum Force above, and they are joined by a numerically strong intake for 2026. That pair, along with these names below, are standing at an accessible level for smaller breeders and one of them could even end up being the next Wootton Bassett or Havana Grey. The question is: which one will it be? Jaber Abdullah's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi led to a relocation for his sire Muhaarar, who had left Shadwell to join Haras des Faunes in the south-west of France but was then brought to Normandy, first to Haras de Petit Tellier, and now Haras de Montaigu. Marhaba Ya Sanafi is himself one of six stallions at Haras de Castillon, where he is advertised at €6,000. He has never quite recaptured the signature success of his Classic win, but he's a hardy so-and-so, who has reaped further wins at Group 3 and Listed level and has been placed umpteen times in his 25 starts. Also new to France is Beauvatier, by Lope De Vega, whose six wins include the G2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, while he has multiple placings at Group 1 level. He joins the Etreham roster at €7,000. Topgear is the fifth son of Wootton Bassett to retire to stud in Europe this year, and his race record bears marked similarity to that of Beauvatier as he also won the Challenge Stakes along with three Group 3s in France. He has been introduced at Capital Stud at a fee of €7,500. In Britain, the newcomers at this level include Royal Scotsman, who marks a new chapter in the history of Genesis Green Stud. The G1 Richmond Stakes winner and G1 Dewhurst runner-up is, as his name suggests, by Gleneagles, and starts off at £6,000. The G2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Aesterius, by Mehmas, joins the aforementioned Washington DC and Dream Ahead on the roster at Bearstone Stud for an introductory £6,500. Value Sires Podium GOLD Rajasinghe, National Stud, £3,000 You could have used him for free last year but this is still great value for a stallion who, from limited means, has proved he can get a hard-knocking racehorse. SILVER King Of Change, Starfield Stud, €5,000 Yes, we'd like to see some Group winners filtering through next year but 40 per cent winners to runners and 13.33 per cent black-type winners to runners in 2025 is not to be sniffed at for a stallion at this price. BRONZE Erevann, Haras de Bonneval, €8,000 It is risky to back a stallion before he has had runners but Erevann has plenty going for him and this may well look a good deal in the years to come. The post Value Sires 2026 Part IV: Bargains To Be Found appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Caspar Fownes snatched the lead back in the trainers’ championship with a double at Happy Valley as Maxime Guyon and Me Tsui Yu-sak continued their hot form with braces of their own on Tuesday night. Tied on 25 wins with Mark Newnham but trailing the Australian on seconds before Tuesday night, Fownes took the outright lead when he teamed up with stable apprentice Ellis Wong Chi-wang to strike with Sugar Sugar and Kaholo Angel. The latter sealed Fownes’ brace in dramatic style, sharing the...View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, in conjunction with the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, has released results of a feasibility study seeking to identify lasting solutions for Florida racing. “No successful project's planning begins without a feasibility study,” said TRI Vice President Jon Green, the study's point person. “We appreciate that people want to hear, 'This is what we're going to do to.' But we can't get there without starting here with clear-eyed research by independent experts identifying locations for discussion and various economic models with cost analysis and pros and cons based on a myriad of factors. That's what we're excited to announce today, the framework that allows us to concentrate our focus as we start meeting with industry stakeholders, lawmakers, civic leaders and, obviously, the current property ownership of potential sites. We promised the Florida legislature we didn't want to just defeat decoupling, but that we'd bring viable solutions to enable the industry and its role as an economic and tourism engine to thrive in the decades to come for the benefit of all Floridians.” The study, produced by Crossroads Consulting Services of St. Petersburg, Florida, in conjunction with the architectural design firm Populous, reviewed possible long-term racing sites in the state, as well as ownership and operating models. Among the sites studied were Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park–both as a year-round site and as a winter ship-in option, Tampa Bay Downs, as well as a hypothetical new racing operation. The study provided preliminary budgets to upgrade each facility with a baseline requirement of a one-mile dirt track, seven-furlong turf course with movable rail, 3,000-capacity grandstand and apron, large infield board, receiving and test barns, veterinary and claiming facilities, about 1,400 stalls and necessary backstretch support and parking. Gulfstream Park was found to meet or exceed those criteria, while upgrading Hialeah for year-round racing had a preliminary budget of $89.95 million and for a winter ship-in option of $50.65 million. Upgrades at Tampa Bay Downs had a preliminary budget of $44.40 million, while a new site had an estimated budget of $194.80 million, not including land acquisition costs. The ownership and operating models studied included non-profit racing association, such as Keeneland and Del Mar, which would be governed by industry stakeholders and independent directors, with all net revenues reinvested into purses, incentives and facilities; public benefit corporation or state-charted quasi-public authority, such as the New York Racing Association, that would manage racing as a public good, balancing accountability and transparency with direct access to appropriations and potential bonding authority; horsemen's cooperative or FHBPA/Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA)-led entity with ownership and governance resting with horsemen and breeders through a cooperative framework; and strategic partnership with a major racing or gaming operator under a management or joint-venture agreement, leveraging national expertise, capital and customer reach while retaining local representation in governance. “The stakes are too high not to do our due diligence,” said TRI Senior Advisor Damon Thayer. “We now have analysis to best evaluate strategic options and opportunities to strengthen the Thoroughbred industry's economic base.” The post TRI, Florida HBPA Feasibility Study First Step to Long-Term Florida Racing Solutions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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