Investing for a positive future
Dear Friends,
As one season ends, another begins and we feel more passionate than ever about building the future following the rapid rate of progress this season.
We have more horses than ever at the yard, whilst still keeping to our design of giving each horse individual attention.
Thanks must go to several owners who have stepped up to facilitate multiple yard improvements - the gallops, circular loop, and schooling ground all upgraded, the car parks and facilities for owners improved. And, more recently, we've secured grazing rights in 27 acres of nearby paddocks. We've successfully completed a trial of probiotics and have recently purchased a horse weighing scale. Our sponsor Leisure Ride Group has recently re-waxed the gallops and they are in top order.
So, it seems an opportune moment to reflect on the season and look ahead to what looks like an extremely positive future. Without such fantastic owners none of this could happen.
And, as ever, give us a call if you'd like to attend a sale, discuss any aspect of ownership, or arrange a visit to view any of the new arrivals.
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2017/18 saw 21 wins, including a Cheltenham double. A selection of these are pictured from: Brillaire Momento, Bobble Emerald, Fairmount, Weyburn, Somewhere To Be, Buckle Street, Spice Girl & Ballymountain Boy.
Next season we have clear goals: More winners, more prize money and a higher strike rate.
We were also delighted to be given three stars, the highest level of accreditation by the National Trainers Federation and Lycetts. We were also shortlisted for the prestigious Lycetts Team Champion Award.
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Horses of the Year: Brillaire Momento & Spice Girl
Ollie & Irene Ryan’s Brillare Momento deserves to be our Horse of the Year. She kicked off our Cheltenham season in style by winning the very first race in October in impressive style. She put in another gutsy display to again at Towcester in February and she wasn’t beaten far at The Festival where she was still bang there approaching the last on ground too soft for her. We can't wait to go chasing with her.
Spice Girl deserves joint Horse of the Year too after a superb season. Richard Davies’ homebred 5 year old mare whom he owns with Mark Holland won all three of her bumpers last summer – a feat that hardly any horse manages to do. Striking up a great relationship with our Conditional Harry Stock, she added two decent hurdle wins over the winter too – 5 wins in one season! Absolutely fantastic.
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Owner of the Year: Paul Davis
Paul not only runs our four Martin Keighley Racing Partnerships and our Martin Keighley Racing Club but he also runs partnerships The Chameleons and The Condicote Clan and is simply one of the most organised and thorough people we have ever met. We are always blown away by how thorough & unflappable Paul is – his communication skills are superb and as well as updating everyone connected with the above partnerships/clubs on a weekly basis on how their horses are doing, he also advises when they have been entered, then declared and then usually within an hour after each horse has run, after speaking to Martin, Paul forwards an in depth race analysis too. In addition he sends out regular videos and photos via WhatsApp – all this from his base in Switzerland. In his spare time (!) he holds down a pretty high powered job!
Nicknamed ‘St Paul’ by us due to his support, loyalty and friendship – he really does deserve the title of Owner of the Year as we simply couldn’t manage without him.
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Looking good in the paddock
Back in the 1980s David “The Duke” Nicholson had superb summer turnout paddocks here at Condicote. Over the last few months we’ve been discussing these with our landlord, Robert Wharton, and are delighted to confirm that he’s granted us 27 acres of grazing rights on several paddocks in the area that will be an enormous benefit to the yard. Not only will these provide superb R&R for the horses, but it will enable the yard to keep a very close eye on all those on their summer holiday, ensuring that when they come back in for full training they are in the very best physical and mental condition.
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are proud yard sponsors of Martin Keighley
Suppliers of advanced surfaces for performance horses
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The (category) A-Team
As part of our quest to become a model employer we are keen to encourage our team here to progress their careers in whichever way they choose. Alfie Jordan and Kieran O'Hare had asked if it was possible to be put through a Category A Amateur Riders Course. Both of them had been working on their riding and their fitness to give themselves the best possible chance of passing and we were more than happy to fund these courses.
Alfie Jordan attended the British Racing School in Newmarket in early April and the following week Kieran O'Hare attended the Northern Racing College in Doncaster and I'm thrilled to say that they both passed and, in the not too distant future, they will be able to ride in Amateur races under rules restricted to Amateur riders. A big well done to them both and especially Kieran who very nearly received 100% in his fitness test.
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Join us at Goffs Land Rover Sale
Gerry Hogan and I are planning to go and buy a number of 3yo store horses at the Goffs Land Rover Sale in Ireland, 12th and 13th June 2018.
This sale has produced many top-class winners over the years, not least at Cheltenham itself. If you want to buy a young horse, I strongly recommend that you look closely at this sale and if you’d like to join us there, you’re more than welcome.
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#FreddieAsks
Young Freddie Keighley continues to ask the questions of some of the biggest names in racing, as he continues his first season in Pony Racing.
Whilst this is a lighthearted interlude that doesn't detract from the more serious work at hand, it's important to note that this generates a lot of goodwill and positive PR for the yard, and indeed we have had enquiries from prospective owners as a result.
Keep checking on our website and YouTube channel for more great #FreddieAsks content, and if you have a burning question you'd like Freddie to ask the stars of racing - why not let us know?
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Recommend a Friend
Maggie Turner receives a magnum of Bolly from Jon Hughes for recommending a friend into ownership. If you have a friend you know would love the thrill of racehorse ownership, or perhaps they are already owners looking for a change of scene - simply get in touch and we'd be delighted to welcome them over for a yard visit whilst chilling your bottle for you.
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Ownership Opportunities & New Horses
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FOR SALE
1/6 Share in Buckle Street
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£8300 + £340 per month training (all in)
Due to family reasons a 1/6th share in Buckle Street has come up for sale.
Buckle Street probably needs little introduction as he is such a popular horse at the yard. Despite still being only 5 years of age he has already won 4 races (including Belinda’s charity race at York last June – see above photo) and has been in the frame a further 7 times on the flat and over hurdles. In the past season he ran at Cheltenham on 4 occasions, finishing in the money on 3 of them.
He has the scope to jump fences and has proven form on the flat and over hurdles (official rating 132). He will be a regular at Cheltenham meetings and, in the future, we believe he has the potential to be the yard’s Cheltenham Cross-Country horse.
For further information please contact Paul Davis (who heads up ‘The Condicote Clan’ partnership and is acting on behalf of the departing partner) at pauldavispdavis@yahoo.co.uk or by phone: 00-41-786-181707
or call Belinda locally on 07979 694866
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£41,000 + VAT – including all training fees and keep to end May
We were absolutely thrilled to acquire privately Buckle Street’s full brother.
Debden Bank came into training six weeks ago and is already impressing Martin enormously. He is strengthening quickly and will appear in a bumper in late Spring or late Summer, depending on the ground as we don’t want to race him on anything too quick. With Buckle Street’s success and promise for the future, he will be a valuable horse if he wins first time out.
The sire, Cacique, a brother of the sensational sire Dansili, won multiple Group races at up to 1m 2f including the Breeder’s Cup at Belmont Park. The dam, Rose Row, is half-sister to the Derby 3rd and absolutely top-drawer NH sire, Presenting. His breeder, Mary Hambro, certainly knew how to produce good horses and both Buckle Street and Debden Bank are a testimony to her skills.
For further information and to view the horse please contact either Martin or Belinda direct on keighleyracing@btinternet.com or call Martin on 07767 472547. Early viewing is highly recommended.
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FOR SALE
1/6th share in 4yo by Presenting
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£8,280 + VAT + £340 per month training (all in)
The unraced 4yo store by Presenting is in a partnership being run by Owners for Owners, who as you may know had tremendous success last season with Acey Milan (the top UK bumper) and Melekhov. These two have won five races between them in their first season. We’re hoping that “Big Den” will have a similar start to his campaign. He is an absolutely gorgeous, scopey individual who will need time to develop but could be a real Saturday horse.
His sire, Presenting, needs little introduction, having produced multiple Grade 1 winners e.g. Ballabriggs, Ballycasey, Denman, Dunguib, First Lieutenant, On His Own, War Of Attrition and Yorkhill. He passed away a couple of years ago so his progeny are becoming scarce and are in much demand at the sales.
The dam, Change Of Plan, is by Champion Hurdle winner Alderbrook, himself by ex-Ascot Gold Cup winner Ardross. In this dam line, Fairy Rath won five times, Dato Star ten times while Hoh Invader was a prodigious winner as well. As you can see, this Presenting 4yo is impeccably bred for National Hunt.
Enquiries to Martin on 07767 472547 or Jon Hughes on 01451 850780.
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FOR SALE
7yo Primogeniture
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£20,000 + VAT – including all training fees and keep to end May
A powerful, sturdy gelding who stays two miles well over jumps and has also won on the Flat. Ran a most encouraging pipe opener at Towcester recently and is set for an excellent season.
Originally trained by John Oxx in Ireland, he was a 90,000 guineas yearling. The sire, Glory Of Dancer, won the Dante at York over 1m 2f and was then 4th in the Derby and the Arlington Million in the USA. The dam was the leading filly in India, winning four classics, out of a German 1m 2f / 1m 3f winner, so bags of stamina from the breeding. Has already won three times and £36k of prize-money: over 1m 4f on Good to Firm at Fairyhouse for John Oxx; 1m 2f on Good to Soft at Ripon for David O’Meara; and over the same distance on the A/W at Chelmsford for Mary Hambro. Also spent some time with Dan Skelton who pitched him straight in at the deep end in a novice at Cheltenham won by the top-class Might Bite. His 4yo half-brother, Zenon, was snapped up by Willie Mullins for £120k. The Flat and All-Weather OR is 80, and there will soon be a handicap mark for NH. Ready to go and win races.
To view the horse, please contact Martin direct on 07767 472547.
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£17,000 + VAT – including all training fees and keep to end May
Another robust, powerful gelding who stays 1m 2f well on the Flat and should have no problems whatsoever racing over 2m+ in maiden / novice hurdles. Will be a smashing dual-purpose horse.
Mary Hambro loved this horse but because of her illness, only raced him six times in three and a half years, having acquired him for 60,000 guineas from Sir Michael Stoute. Beautifully bred, by top sprinting stallion Oasis Dream whose stud fee was £85k when Matravers was born. The sire may have won the July Cup but he has also produced many middle-distance winners – a classic Khaled Abdullah Juddmonte family. Maakrah is from a classy dam line, being a sister to Gr.3 winner Farraaj and a half-sister to the top-class Iffraj. Matravers won impressively for Stoute, with Timeform commenting that this is a horse to “keep on the right side of in handicaps”. Indeed, off the current Flat and A/W OR of 66 that certainly remains the case. Timeform commentaries from the Hambro days included “definitely better to come”, “shaped better than bare result”, “worth keeping an eye on from his reduced mark”. We definitely think the same!
To view the horse, please contact Martin direct on 07767 472547.
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Join the Martin Keighley Racing Club
Peeping Penny by Passing Glance
This exciting filly will run in 2018 for the Martin Keighley Racing Club, together with 5-yo prospect Ask Alice. Also running in the club's colours are Primogeniture and Matravers until they are sold - giving members four horses to follow, with the opportunity of owners badges & access, yard visits and hospitality together with the fantastic atmosphere of a friendly, well-run club.
Memberships available today for just £500/annum with no other fees
See what existing members say
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#BePartOfIt
We love to like and share your pictures and posts when and wherever possible. Whether you're visiting the yard or at the race track why not use our hashtag #BePartOfIt to join the conversation next time you post on Facebook, tweet or post to Instagram.
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Five To Follow - The Results
Drumroll please.....and our winners are:
1st place - Matthew Baker (pictured) 128 points - Well done Matthew!
Oysters on standby! You've won a dozen bottles of Champagne!
2nd place - Anita White and Andrew Lilley -119 points - Congratulations! Knowing the person that arranged the prize of 6 bottles of wine I believe there are some real corkers in there to savour.
3rd place - Carole Arnold - 109 points. Congratulations Carole, some shrewd selections have won you a rather nice bottle of gin.
Cheers! Here's to a successful 2018/19!
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