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| Staff Writer |
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Thirty-Seven Years. That’s how long Angus Gold has been committed to Shadwell becoming the benchmark when it comes to horsemen. He is the racing manager for Shadwell Stud and the reputation he has built in the industry has grown from loyalty to the global powerhouse spanning over three decades.
Humble as they come Gold said luck had a lot to do with his initial linking with Shadwell and the late, great Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
“Well like so many things just pure luck and being in the right place at the right time.
“I was working at what was known as the BBA, the British Bloodstock Agency, and at the same time the Maktoum family were sort of in the embryonic stages of development and Sheikh Mohammed already had quite an operation and Sheikh Hamdan already had a fair number of horses in training.
“But they didn't have anybody just to look after them. He had a stud manager in England and a stud manager in Ireland and they were just in the process of getting a stud manager in America as well.
“But nobody actually just concentrated on looking after the horses in training.”
“So they were tasked with the idea of finding somebody and luckily somebody put my name forward and I was interviewed.”
He would at 28 years of age be accepted and take on the role but said he had no family connection to racing although the passion started early.
“No real family connections at all.
“My parents had horses when I was very small at home just for them to ride around.
“Then they both got older and gave it up. So I sort of learned to ride with a friend and got involved like that. Then at school for some reason I just started following the racing and I used to hunt a bit and do a little point-to-pointing myself.
“So that was my first involvement with horses and then from there I got involved in the racing.”
The Early Days
With Shadwell in its initial stages when his partnership with them began Gold reflects on how it was at that time.
“It was pretty overwhelming to start with.
“I felt far from qualified to be doing the job at that early stage.
“Sheikh Hamdan was a charming man and very understanding and very patient.
“We built up a relationship and got going from there. Everyone always says the same thing but it’s true you never stop learning with horses.
“I certainly would never claim to know everything but you pick up bits as you go and I was lucky enough that he was patient enough to put up with me for all those years.”
Gold’s charisma oozes through the interview but any talk of reputation and being regarded as one of the best at picking horses of a different caliber is responded to.
“I'm always a bit wary of talk of reputations.
“I’ve been in a lucky position of working for a man who was passionate about breeding and buying horses and supporting the bloodstock market around the world, from America to Europe and South Africa and Australia.
“I had a much bigger budget to work with than most people. There are a lot of very good judges, much better than me, but they wouldn’t have the budget that I have.
“I'm never a great believer in somebody being described as a brilliant judge just because they bought a couple of good horses with a large budget.
“I was lucky to be with him for a long time and he was buying horses right up until the day he died, basically.
“You know it's a thing he loved very obviously, so going around the sales looking at young horses, that's become my thing.
“I thoroughly enjoy it and hope that I learnt along the way. We all buy bad horses as well, but you've got to just hope you buy enough of the good ones as well to keep the show on the road.”
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Pondering On The Shadwell Greats
Having been at the forefront of picking horses for Shadwell for over three decades Gold looks back at some of the names he has had the privilege of seeing at the sales and becoming a part of the Shadwell family.
“Well I suppose in the early days of my involvement, at least the late 80s and early 90s, we had the likes of Dayjur, Salsabil, and Elmaamul, who were all multiple Group One winners.
“Salsabil was as good a filly as I’ve ever been involved with. Dayjur was an absolute champion and a superstar.
“More recently we’ve had horses like Mukhadram who won an Eclipse.
“Everyone knows Battaash who was a funny little horse, but as fast as they come and was a brilliant sprinter. Because he was a gelding he stayed around for a long time. So we had him for four seasons, which was wonderful and he became everybody’s firm favourite.
“Mohaather won the Sussex Stakes, among other races, and in my view was a top class horse. He’s now got his first yearlings at stud which is exciting to look forward to.
“Last season we had Minzaal who won the sprint at Haydock and has now retired to stud as well.
“So they would be some of the better ones.
“We have had a few in Australia and South Africa as well. Horses like Soft Falling Rain who we bought in South Africa quite cheaply and he was champion in South Africa and went on to Dubai and won and then came to Europe and won a Group race here. Not many do all of that so he was a lovely horse to have.”
Sheikh Hamdan’s Untold Legacy
Not only is Gold passionate regarding his role with Shadwell as well as the horses he has seen throughout his career but the connection and friendship he had with the late Sheikh is one he reflects on as something special.
“He was an amazing man in that he was an incredibly loyal person.
“He was absolutely straight down the line and you pretty much knew exactly where you stood with him. All he wanted was the truth and a large part of my job was delivering bad news, which is something you never like doing to people. But sadly, when you're dealing with horses that's what happens. You're going to get a lot of problems and a lot of accidents with the horses; breaking legs or going wrong.
“So it was on me to deliver that news and he was sensational at dealing with bad news. I've always said I'm sure his religious beliefs, in many ways, sort of helped him with that, and in his words, it was the will of Allah if a horse broke a leg or something went wrong. It was out of our hands.
“When we messed up in smaller ways than he would get upset but he was extraordinarily patient, both with his horses and with us.
“He absolutely loved the whole business from the bottom up, he loved getting videos of his mares and foals sent to him and seeing them. Then when he was able to come over to Europe he would go to Ireland and look at the foals and look at the yearlings and then see the others in training and through their careers.
“And hopefully if a filly was good enough to go to stud, he would follow them through to the next stage of their career or equally a stallion.
“He was completely immersed in the whole business and considering what a busy man he was in his professional life it was extraordinary that he was able to give so much of his time to our little business.”
The Way Ahead
Following his passing came a dispersal and downsizing of operations as Gold commented on as well as how this period will change the future direction for Shadwell.
“As you know we had a major downsizing after Sheikh Hamdan sadly died and his family understandably didn't want to take on an operation the size that it was and costing as much as it was. So, we've sold a lot of every category of horse from racehorses, breeding stock, broodmares, yearlings, and foals.
“We have only had one season of buying with Sheikha Hissa at the helm, and last year we very much concentrated on fillies. From the first day I spoke to her (Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Head of Shadwell Estate) she made it plain to me that the stud was the number one priority, which was what her father devoted so much of his time, effort and money to, as was building up his own broodmare band.
“Obviously, you hope to get a colt good enough to stand at stud like a Baaeed, we were lucky with last year. But we concentrated on buying fillies last year and we bought one colt in terms of yearlings. The plan is just to try and upgrade the quality of the broodmare band as we go.
“We haven't discussed actual numbers but I'm sure the family wants to keep it at a manageable level. We're down to just over 50 broodmares now in Europe, whereas we had 130 or so.
“So, I'm sure it'll be more concentrating on the stud for the next few years anyway and see what size Sheikha Hissa and her family would like it to be.”
Navigating Racehorse Placement
Gold understands the commitments he has to supply horses to certain regions.
“We sell plenty of horses, that go on and do very well for other people, which is part of it.
“We still have to supply Dubai with racehorses and yet try and keep enough good ones in Europe to keep the family at the forefront of the racing business here.
“So, you know it's a balancing act but hopefully we're always selling some stock who go on to do well for other people as well, so they will come back and buy off us again.”
The Shadwell And Dubai Brand – Intertwined
Shadwell is a UAE brand throughout but has built a great global footprint and as Gold said he did not see that changing even with the increase of racing’s profile through the Middle East.
“I don't see that it will necessarily change; it’s probably 20 years now since racing in Dubai really took off, we've always tried to send out anything up to ten horses a year that we think could be competitive over there.
“Again, as I say it is a fine balance because we have to keep enough good horses in Europe for the older horses to be challenging for the top races here, while at the same time getting some good racing stock for Dubai and the racing season in the Gulf.
“But the first thing is you've got to send a sound horse over, there is no point sending a horse which has had a lot of problems. So, you know at the end of their racing career in Europe we get them vetted to make sure there are no underlying problems that we've missed and then try and send over enough that are going to be competitive for Sheikha Hissa and her family in the Gulf.
Looking Ahead At 2023
Reflecting on the past now leads us to the current crop of horses performing for Shadwell as Gold commented.
“I suppose we lost the superstar last year in Baaeed, with him going off to stud.”
To use ‘superstar’ referring to the former stable star of William Haggas is an understatement with him winning six Group Ones over a twelve-month period. His first being in September 2021 winning the Prix Moulin De Longchamp before a win by a neck a month later in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Last year he would take his first season Group One in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes over the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Real World. Thirty days later Baaeed would rub salt in the wounds once again taking the spoils over Real World in the Queen Anne Stakes with victories in the Qatar Sussex Stakes and Juddmonte International Stakes rounding out his haul of career Group Ones.
“But we have still got his full brother Hukum who is a six-year-old now. I saw him yesterday down in Lambourn and he looks in good shape. It's only February and he had an injury after he won the Coronation Cup in Epsom last year, so he's been brought back slowly and he'll probably be looking to race from mid-summer onwards, aiming at Royal Ascot.
Owen Burrows (trainer) has two other nice horses. One is called Anmaat who won his three races last year in York, Haydock, and Longchamp. The 4YO gelded son of Awtaad took these three races with two being in Group Company in the Group Three Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes by four lengths before backing up with the Group Two Qatar Prix Dollar winning by a head.
“Another horse called Alflaila who had a very much upward profile towards the second half of last season and again suffered a minor injury unknowingly when we sent him to Bahrain to race, but he'll be going back into training quite soon.
“Mostahdaf has been a very consistent horse at his level, and we are hopeful that he will continue at that level.
“He's a funny old character. He's a playful horse and he's always very hard for the jockey to get on as he is always a bit of a handful.
“But he is very genuine and loves his racing.”
This 5YO Frankel x Handassa entire would journey to Saudi Arabia a matter of days after this interview and take out the Group Three Neom Turf Cup in an impressive fashion putting seven lengths on the runner-up in Dubai Future and putting away the odds on favourite in George Boughey’s Missed The Cut immediately from the gates. Trained by John & Thady Gosden he has now won four Group Threes.
“Mutasaabeq is a horse who won a Group Two at the end of last year and is a very well-bred horse who is out of Ghanaati who won the Guineas for Sheikh Hamdan and he has stayed in training.”
“So we’ve got some nice older horses to look forward to. In terms of the three-year-olds, we’ve got a half-brother to Mostahdaf called Mostabshir who won his only start at Kempton impressively (by four lengths in November last year). He is by Dark Angel and he’s a big horse and is with John Gosden and they think highly of him.
“We’ve got some very nice unraced horses hopefully. We have a horse called Naqeeb who is a half-brother to Baaeed, by Nathaniel. We weren’t able to run him last year, as he was a bit immature but William Haggas thinks highly of him. So hopefully something will come along that hasn’t yet run will be able to show its true colors in the spring.
“As I say we've got a few old warriors coming back from injury. So you've got to hope that they come back in the same form that they were in before; then the new blood coming through and they won't all measure up but hopefully one or two of those will come along when the season gets going and fulfill their potential.”
New Beginnings
With time ending the question had to be asked what was coming in the next chapter of Shadwell as well as for Angus Gold himself.
A moment passes with a genuine chuckle before he responds.
“For Shadwell, we are all still learning. It's early days with Sheikha Hissa and her family taking over.
“It very much revolves around what size they want the operation to be. At the moment, we'd be going into the season with just over 100 horses in training, which is a good size.
“As I said 55 broodmares in Europe and I think about 25 in America. Last year we had a wonderful year with Baaeed, we were all blessed to have him to start off the new regime; So now it’s going to be quieter without him around and it’s a question of consolidating and just seeing which direction the family would like it to go.
“Hopefully we can maintain that sort of standard with the lesser numbers. We may not be challenging at the very top races for a while but hopefully the next couple of years we'll get another horse nearly as good as Baaeed to come along and keep the name in lights.
“And from a personal point of view, I’ve been very lucky to have been here for what is now my 37th year with the operation;
“I appreciate it’s a young person’s game and there will come a moment when I am sure they will want somebody younger to come along and take it forward, but otherwise I’d love to stay with Shadwell for as long as the family want me.”