‘That’s Our Big Bet Of The Year’: Tote Boss Alex Frost Talks Ladyswood Stud Mating Plans

[Wandering Eyes]

As CEO of the UK Tote Group, Alex Frost may have his hands full with the politics of punting but he remains an avid fan of and participant in racing and breeding. A member of the racecourse committee at Epsom, he and his wife Olivia own Ladyswood Stud in Wiltshire, which is currently home to 12 broodmares, including the odd boarder for family and friends.  

As much devotees of National Hunt racing as of the Flat, the Frosts also have mares with their friends and co-breeders Harry and Lorna Fowler at Rahinston Stud in Co Meath.

“We do lots of to-ing and fro-ing with Rahinston,” Frost says. “The National Hunt mares particularly will go to and from, and then we've got some fairly permanent residents as well. We've got seven to foal this year and we're quite big on Chaldean. He is the one we are particularly keen on.”

In what is not an uncommon theme at the moment, particularly from smaller breeders, Frost admits that he continues to take a serious look at the business of breeding, though it is plain to hear in his comments on the mares that this is as much a passion project as a commercial one. 

“I think everyone's looking at their cost base going up by 50 per cent or so – that's roughly what our cost base has done, and I must say, we've found it difficult. It quickly goes from enjoyment and a hobby to, 'Jesus, this is actually really quite tough.' But I think we've got to the right place now and Jamie Trotter has been super helpful.

“Thankfully we've got absolutely wonderful staff, and it feels like they are part of our family. Without that, we would have had a real wobble, I think. It's definitely a challenge.”

Through his role with the Tote, Frost has been heavily involved with the World Pool since its launch by the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2019.

“There's a lot going on, so it's exciting,” he says. “The Hong Kong Jockey Club is working towards adding as many of the IFHA top 100 races to the World Pool as possible, making it an increasingly attractive consumer proposition, all for the benefit of global horse racing.”

He also paid tribute to his friend Joe Saumarez Smith, who stepped down as chair of the British Horseracing Authority in January and died from cancer this week at the age of 53.

“Joe never drew a salary for his BHA role and only three weeks ago he he was speaking at Westminster in the House of Commons [at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Breeding],” he says. “What really shone through with him is that he was incredibly bright and just a very decent person.”

Below, Frost talks us through the plans for the Ladyswood Stud mares this season. 

Queen of Time, by Harbour Watch (Ire) ex Black Belt Shopper (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire})

“We had her in training and she was just perfect for our crowd [the First Of Many syndicate] in that she ran in 18 stakes races and was placed in, I think, six or seven. She never won a Group race, but she picked up a fair amount of black type along the way. She was very talented, slightly found out at the very top level, but just great fun. And we think she's clearly passing it on to her offspring.

“She had a St Mark's Basilica (Fr) foal last year who was sold for 75,000gns. She's in foal to Chaldean (GB) and will be quite late to foal this year, but we'll try and sneak in to something decent. We want to keep her at a good level. She's one of those where you just need to keep backing yourself.”

 

The consistent Queen Of Time wins at Goodwood | Racingfotos

 

Empress Consort (GB), by Dubawi (Ire) ex Placidia (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})

“She's a sister to a horse who did very well in the Middle East for Godolphin, called Soft Whisper [winner of the UAE 1,000 Guineas and a treble Listed winner in the UK]. She had a very nice Blue Point (Ire) filly we sold last year for 150,000gns and now she's in foal to Chaldean and is also due to foal late. She's a bit of a star.”

Plutonic (Ire), by Wootton Bassett (GB) ex Lorelei Rock (Ire) (Camacho {GB})

“She was with Harry Charlton and she is a winner but she got injured twice in training. She was one of those ones that really frustrated us but she goes to Gleneagles (Ire). I love Gleneagles and he had a great year last year with Calandagan (Ire), Ambiente Friendly (Ire), Flying Scotsman (Ire) and Mill Stream (Ire) but he's still a bit under the radar.”

High Spirited (Ire), by Belardo (Ire) ex Spirited Charm (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire})

“My dad [Tom] has High Spirited, who won the [Listed] Upavon Fillies' Stakes last year. She retires to Ladyswood this year and she comes from the family of Ghaiyyath that's really coming up. So she's very exciting, and we're going to Wootton Bassett with her. That's our big bet of the year.”

Spring Fling, by Assertive (GB) ex Twilight Mistress (GB) (Bin Ajwaad {Ire}), a  half-sister to dual Group 1-winning sprinter Twilight Son (GB)

“We absolutely love Spring Fling. She lost her Shaquille (GB) foal this year, but she had a nice Sioux Nation filly, who we sold at the foal sale, and she will be going to Henry Longfellow (Ire). I must say, I've had such a good experience with Dubawi. I just think they try and they're honest horses.”

Essence (GB), by Le Havre (Ire) ex Entity (GB) (Shamardal)

“We've got a really nice Ghaiyyath yearling from Essence who I think we might keep to race. She's in foal to Shaquille and we haven't booked her in yet, but Nathaniel (Ire) is up next this year.”

Manisanda (GB), by Presenting (GB) ex Ruby Royale (GB) (King's Theatre {Ire}) 

“She's absolutely the kids' favourite and she's gorgeous. She is in foal to Logician (GB) for the first time and I think she'll probably go back to him. She's owned by Pete Davies, who is very keen to support UK stallions. He has some lovely horses in training – Djelo (Fr) is his big one at the moment with Venetia Williams.”

Gambling Girl (Ire), by Hawk Wing ex Gambling Spirit (GB) (Mister Baileys {GB})

“Our favourite is Gambling Girl and she's got a lovely Karaktar (Fr) yearling on the ground and is in foal to Cracksman (GB). She'll be going to Golden Horn (GB) this year. I love Golden Horn and we've got a nice filly by him in training with Claire and Dan Kubler called Royale Goodnight (Ger).

“[Gambling Girl's five-time-winning daughter] Queens Gamble will be going for the [Grade 1] Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham. We'll roll the dice, but I think spring ground for her is pretty crucial.”

Malaya (Fr), by Martaline (GB) ex Clarte d'Or (Fr) (Kender {Fr})

“Johnny de la Hey is a lovely man and is very excited about his mare Malaya [winner of the G3 Imperial Cup]. She's got a very nice Walk In The Park (Ire) yearling filly on the ground at the moment and he's been mad keen to use all English stallions so there's a Ulysses (Ire) and Golden Horn coming through, all of which will go into training with Paul Nicholls, I imagine. She was rested this year, but goes to Jeu St Eloi (Fr) at Glenview Stud, so he is going to use an Irish stallion for the first time.”

 

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