Classic Winner’s Dam A December Highlight

[Wandering Eyes]

Racing fans have already been given the good news that Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is to remain in training in 2020, and also returning to action next year are two classy fillies from Richard Hannon’s stable, Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Anna Nerium (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will race on at the age of five.

The duo, along with Billesdon Brook’s year-older half-sister Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}), contrived in 2017 to serve the perfect reminder to the bloodstock world of the loss of their esteemed breeder Bob McCreery.

The master of Stowell Hill Stud had died the previous December and during the course of the following Flat season all three fillies from the same family won black-type races. Billesdon Brook went on to gild the lily by winning the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas in 2018, with Anna Nerium finishing seventh behind her that day, and the Classic heroine was back for more this season, winning the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S.

One might reasonably expect to find her as one of the standouts of the forthcoming Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale, but while she has been committed to staying in training, instead we find her 10-year-old dam Coplow (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) (lot 1834) in the catalogue. And as if being the young dam of a Guineas winner isn’t enough of a draw, she is currently in foal to one of the hottest young stallions in Europe.

“I have one colt foal by Dubawi (Ire) on the ground and she is in foal to Kingman (GB) with another colt,” says Jeanette McCreery, who has continued the running of Stowell Hill Stud, ably assisted by stud groom David Ludlow.

“I have three fillies from the family so it seems sensible to sell her–one doesn’t go on forever and most of us here are grannies,” she adds with a chuckle. “With the exception of one member of staff we are all grandparents.”

At last year’s December Sale, Billesdon Bess, Coplow’s first foal who won four of her 15 starts including the Listed Upavon Fillies’ S., sold for 800,000gns to American-based Erdenheim Farm. Billesdon Brook came next in the family, while a Showcasing (GB) filly by the name of World’s Fair (GB) was bought by Godolphin, and Richard Hannon has the current 2-year-old filly by Sepoy (Aus).

“She’s called Bruisa and Richard says she is very like Billesdon Brook,” McCreery notes. “But she is not very keen on the starting stalls so she is having lessons and we are looking forward to having a lot of fun racing her next year.”

Following a barren year in 2018, Coplow gave birth to her first colt this year. “I’m going to try to keep the Dubawi colt,” his breeder adds.

Coplow retired a maiden from the track but she managed three placed efforts in her eight starts, achieving a ratings high of 82. Bob McCreery had bought her dam, the Gestut Rottgen homebred Anna Oleanda (Ire), for 45,000gns in 2005. It was easy to see how the then-7-year-old mare appealed to him. Not only was she from one of the best families in the German studbook, whose most recent star performers include Helmet (Aus) and National Defense (Ire), but she was a daughter of Old Vic (GB), the dual Derby-winning son of Sadler’s Wells bred by McCreery and sold to Sheikh Mohammed.

Jeanette McCreery recalls, “Bob saw Anna Oleanda and decided to go for her, and somebody, who shall remain nameless, came up to us and said, ‘You couldn’t possibly buy that mare, she’s got flat feet.’ I remember saying, ‘Well, so have a lot of my friends.’ Anyway, she did us terribly well but sadly died.”

By the time of Anna Oleanda’s passing at the age of 17, she had produced, along with Coplow, not only the group winners Middle Club (GB) (Fantastic Light) and the ill-fated Piping Rock (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but also the black-type earners Anna Mona (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and Anna Royal (GB) (Royal Dragon). Her parting gift to Stowell Hill was her final foal, Anna Nerium.

“I’ve been very, very lucky but I would like to point out that it is absolutely nothing to do with me. Up to this year everything has been what Bob has done–the matings and what have you,” says McCreery, who races Anna Nerium in the colours of her late husband and the offspring of Coplow in partnership with the Pall Mall Partners.

“From now on it will be downhill because it’s me. I just carried on with what we had and people have been terribly kind and helpful–people like James Wigan and Richard Hannon Sr, they have both said ‘Talk to me if you want any help.'”

She continues, “The Pall Mall Partners have had a great run. There are about 15 people involved, of which only really 10 go racing.”

McCreery admits that she will start to feel the pressure come sale time. “I’ll be a nervous wreck probably,” she says. “I can understand why Bob used to hate the sales.”

She adds, “In a way I’d love to be able to keep Coplow, but looking long term it doesn’t really make sense. If I sell her we can keep going. At the moment I have four mares and then Billesdon Brook and Anna Nerium will come back, which will be just right. Both of them will stay in training as 5-year olds. Richard Hannon thinks that’s a good idea, and hopefully we can have a bit more fun with them. The whole thing is meant to be fun, isn’t it?”

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