Alan's journey with Rae

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Recently Aramis Grey provided our owner Alan Davies with his 51st winner trained by Rae.

We thought you would like to hear Alan's story of how he first met Rae and about some of his horses throughout the years. Below is the tale in Alan's own words :

 

We first met Rae in 1990 when I answered an ad in one of the racing papers.  The horse was a colt (yes a colt!) called Indian Slave. He was placed a number of times at 2 and 3 and fortunately we carried on with him at 4. After an unsuccessful run when ridden by Lester Piggott,  I think it was Lester who recommended running him over shorter distances. He then went on to win 4 races under Pat Eddery, Jason Weaver (then an apprentice), a young Frankie Dettori and David Harrison.

 He gave us a run at Royal Ascot in the Hunt Cup, and only a couple of weeks ago I met two of the old partners and we were reminiscing about the good old days.

 Soon after that I and a number of the same partners bought Nice Welcome who only won one race, but also finished third in the Lancashire Oaks.

 In 1994 Judy bought me a quarter share in Abbey House for my 40th birthday which was shared with Rae. She won two races and had the honour of being Rae's first and only two year old winner of that year - the race being won on New Year's Eve ! She nearly got me banned in 1995 though.

 In a claiming race with a big field at Bath, she was fairly well drawn in a claiming sprint race- but the lower numbered stalls opened fractionally late so all of the higher drawn horses got across . To my astonishment the race was not declared void as it seemed the authorities did not have a rule that covered this. I tried to withhold some fees to begin with until I eventually paid up. I remember Rae being quoted in the paper saying "my owner is taking legal advice". I think it was before they were married, but I know we had met Rachel by then although I don't recall asking her advice!

 Other winners followed in the late 90's including Roseum who won 4 in the colours of Chris Mills'  mum.

 The mid 2000's coincided with Sir Desmond who was a favourite of mine. He had won in someone else's  colours before being bought back and winning 3 races in my colours in partnership with Rae and MM (Mary McCabe if I remember rightly). He was a grey who liked to be held up and win close finishes over 6 furlongs. Now who does that remind me of ???

 It was 2004 when I got a share in Bahia Breeze (the best I have owned) and first met Lynn Lambert. It was the first horse she had owned, won 2 listed races as well as running in numerous group races including the 1000 Guineas. We kept telling Lynn it isn't  usually like this. Who would have thought  that she would be selling a Frankel foal in 2022 for 250 000 guineas !

 There was a memorable few days in October 2004. We bought back Sir Desmond on the Thursday or Friday of the HIT Sales at Tattersalls, then saw Bahia Breeze win the Listed Bosra Sham stakes at Newmarket on the Friday afternoon.  The following Monday, now running in my colours, Sir Desmond won at Redcar.

  I think it was the late 2000s when I first met Roger and Gwynneth Jennings. I think we have been racing partners ever since. I think Peter Sakal was already an owner with Rae, but I didn't really meet him until I took the plunge and went into the Reprobates 3 horse partnership (which also included Lynn as well as the Jennings). Things looked up with the Reprobates Too partnership that followed as it gave us Roman Spinner who won 5 and seemed as tough as old boots. Lovely to see Lulu's picture of her second foal the other day.

That brings us to the current partnerships with new friends/partners such as Sally and Andy, Jane, Jon Mitchell and of course Darren and Ann. I could never have imagined the success of the Musketeers partnership and let's  hope it still has further to go. I thought how lucky we were to have Roman Spinner winning 5 but then along comes Aramis Grey.

 Going over my lists has made me realise I have miscounted - Saturday was winner number 51 as Aramis' win at Kempton in November was actually number 50 . So right horse but wrong date !

Another win for Aramis !

Monday, 20 February 2023

The Musketeers wonderful grey mare provided us with our first winner of 2023 on Saturday afternoon.

This was Aramis Grey's tenth career victory and came in a Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Lingfield. Now in her sixth year she is showing no signs of losing her zest for racing and this was her third run this year having been runner up on her previous two starts. The race was a qualifier for the valuable All-Weather Championships Final at Newcastle so it is more than likely that will be her target.

Four of the Musketeers were able to make the trip to Lingfield on Saturday and these were Jon and Sophie Mitchell and Darren and Ann Lewitt, the others cheered on from home and our congratulations go to all of them. Aramis was piloted by regular jockey Callum Shepherd who rode a double on the day and it is great to see him back and fully recovered from his recent injury.

The race itself was a tricky affair with only four runners over seven furlongs. She travelled well on the rail throughout in third and coming round the bend she began her challenge on the outside and despite the chasing efforts of the runner up Vadream she held her by three quarters of a length.

We are so lucky to have Aramis Grey and everybody at Chestnut Tree Stables is immensely proud of her fantastic race record. Incidentally, this win provided Alan Davies with his fiftieth winner trained by Rae !

Let's get a cinema back in Newmarket !

Thursday, 09 February 2023

The day has arrived!  Today sees the first showings in the Incredible Moving Cinema that has popped up for the next 10 days on the Severals, showing a variety of family friendly and other bang up to date films – please look and book on https://www.abbeygatecinema.co.uk/whats-on/?filmcategory=the-moving-cinema .  The Moving Cinema will be moving on on 20 February…. so take your chance now! 

 

What is it doing there and why?  Essentially it is a test, to test the demand from the people of Newmarket as to whether they will make use of a cinema in the town.  Unless we pass the test by showing that there is a sufficient demand for the proposal, our application for funding for the proposed cinema in the High Street will fail.

 

So if you would like Newmarket to have its own cinema again and you would use it, please complete the cinema questionnaire on https://newmarketcharity.org/cinema-questionnaire/ and have your voice heard.  

Just occasionally it does happen !

Friday, 16 December 2022

When Rachel purchased Kutaiba this time last year from the Tattersalls December Mares Sale for just 10,000 gns she could never have dreamed that a year later the daughter of Golden Horn would return to the sales ring and fetch 160,000.

After winning a National Hunt race at Huntingdon early last month by an easy margin she was entered into the Cheltenham December Sale. When this imposing dark filly walked into the ring on the 9th December there was some serious interest and when she walked back out having reached 160,000 there were some serious celebrations !

Kutaiba's new owner is Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud who owns Kutaiba's sire Golden Horn. She has been bought to race and we look forward to watching her career with interest. Further down the line we are certain she will be a notable acquisition to the stud and we cannot wait to see her future offspring.

Congratulations to Rae and Rachel on this sale and it just goes to show that just occasionally it does happen !

A bit of a catch up

Thursday, 01 December 2022

This time of year everything is slowing down from a racing aspect but we are still busy in many other areas.

Many of the older horses are now turned away for a holiday as breaking in the yearlings starts to take precedence. We have fourteen babies in the yard with six already ridden away thus leaving another eight still to break so plenty of work still to do in that department ! Our two new syndicates are up and running, The Raffles Syndicate and Lady Cecil, Family and Friends and they have five super yearling fillies between them so plenty to look forward to for both ownerships. Our longstanding owner Kirsten Rausing was honoured at this years Cartier Awards by receiving the Award of Merit in recognition of her lifetimes work in the breeding and racing industry. This topped off a fantastic year for Kirsten coming on the back of Alpinista's superb win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe so congratulations to her and her team.

We have also been busy at the Mares Sale this week the highlight of which was the sale of Fauvette (pictured) whom Rachel bought for just 4,000 gns at the 2020 July Sale. Five wins later plus a second place in a Listed Race the hammer came down at 105,000 gns so congratulations to Rachel for a fantastic bit of business there ! Fauvette has been purchased by Grangemore Stud in Ireland to add to their broodmare band so we look forward to seeing her progeny in the future. Rachel also has Kutaiba in the Cheltenham December Sale and as an easy winner on her debut in a National Hunt flat race at Huntingdon plus a fantastic pedigree there should be plenty of interest in her too. Other owners of ours who had a great result at the sales were BB Bloodstock who sold their Frankel colt out of our former stable star Bahia Breeze, this was at the December Foal Sale and he fetched 250,000 gns purchased by Pantile Stud so well done to all.

As I write two new arrivals have just appeared into the yard purchased from the Mares Sale, two three year old fillies. One Colour who is by Teofilo and Daytona Beach who is by Dubawi out of a Galileo mare, so more to come on those later. So all in all not much happening on the racing front but as always never a dull moment !