A fascinating new video series featuring Frankel and Dubawi and behind-the-scenes insight at five of the leading studs in Britain has been released this week. Launched by Great British Racing International (GBRI) and supported by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, the five-part video series entitled ‘Be A Part Of It: Breeding In Britain’ will run from the 20-25th November.
The episodes, which centre on five of the 20 British studs which have bred or reared Group 1 winners in 2023, highlights why so many of the world’s most high-profile ownerbreeders have chosen Britain as the global headquarters for their bloodstock operations.
So far in 2023, 21 horses bred in Britain have won 26 Group 1 races in five countries and the series features Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Farm, Blue Diamond Stud, Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud, Newsells Park Stud and Whitsbury Manor Stud. Episode one sees GBRI visit one of the most prolific stud farms in the world, Banstead Manor Stud, home of Juddmonte, where General Manager Simon Mockridge discusses how Prince Khalid Abdullah first came to purchase the stud in 1987, now home to one of the world’s most exciting stallions, Frankel (GB). He is poised to win his second Champion Sire title in the last three years having sired 11 Group 1 winners in 2023, more than any other Northern Hemisphere-based stallion.
The UK breeding operation of owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar, who founded Blue Diamond Stud on the outskirts of Newmarket 13 years ago is featured in episode two. In Episode Three, GBRI visit Darley, founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket is home to 13 stallions. Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions and the nominations team headed by Dawn Laidlaw discuss the most successful stallion ever to stand in Britain, Dubawi, as well as exciting young stallions Too Darn Hot (GB) and Harry Angel and new to 2024, five-time Group 1 winner Modern Games.
Newsells Park Stud in Royston, Hertfordshire features in episode five, while in the fifth and final episode, Ed Harper, Stud Director at Whitsbury Manor Stud in Hampshire discusses two of his resident stallions, Showcasing (GB) and exciting juvenile Havana Grey (GB). Speaking on the ‘Be A Part Of It’ initiative, Camilla Perrett, Senior Marketing Manager at GBRI said: “Many of the industry’s most prolific owner-breeders have chosen Britain as the headquarters for their bloodstock operations and this new series will showcase five of the world-leading thoroughbred breeding operations with the aim of encouraging future international investment into British breeding.” One episode will be released each day via the GBRI social media channels and can also be found on GBRI’s website by visiting: https:// www.greatbritishracinginternational.com/ breed/be-a-part-of-it
