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| Staff Writer |
When the team at Manton Thoroughbreds selects horses for their syndicate, there is always a clear plan for those who choose to invest. People aren’t putting all of their eggs in one basket. Instead, an investment with Manton Thoroughbreds allows investors to buy into partnerships that are made up of six yearling colts.
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That’s only part of the package for anyone who invests with Manton Thoroughbreds. They want to create an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome from the day of purchase to the first day on the race track.
The 2024 season will be another one where six horses have been carefully selected by the Manager of Manton Thoroughbreds Sam Sangster and trainer Brian Meehan who will travel the globe, taking on exciting and challenging races.
Anyone closely following horse racing will know that Manton Thoroughbreds has horses competing at the top level at courses worldwide. They were represented with runners at Royal Ascot, Longchamp, Glorious Goodwood, The Curragh, Chantilly, Newmarket, and Newbury in 2023 alone. Participating in top races has long been a part of their DNA.
Manton Thoroughbreds has also produced several top racehorses over the years, Barraquero, who won the Gr.2 Richmond Stakes, Isaac Shelby won the Gr.2 Superlative Stakes and Gr.3 Greenham Stakes in 2023 as well as exciting 2YO Inshfallen placed second in the Gr.3 Solario Stakes who will be hunting bigger and better prizes this year.
Smuggler’s Moon also found success at Listed level out of the Manton Thoroughbreds stable as well as many others in the now established syndicate that promises a high caliber of animal in each syndicate it runs.
Mirador, a 2YO grey gelding, has already given the Sangster/Meehan team something to talk about, sourced out of the 2022 Arqana October Yearling Sales. Mirador picked up a decisive win in the inaugural introduction of the Arqana Race Series in August. What that meant is that owner Martin Hughes had a US$2,15,524.00 winner on his hands after purchasing the horse for US$37,716.70. Manton Thoroughbreds returned to the same source to buy two exceptional colts in a Holy Roman Emperor and a Hello Youmzain. Both of those horses have qualified for the same very lucrative race series for 2024.
The six colts have been selected at auction and are ready for action. Manton Thoroughbreds purchases yearlings at public European auctions at an average of US$63,010.00 per horse. Video updates on all the horses will be provided for investors throughout the 2024 season and into the 2025 season.
All members of the syndicate will also receive updates through email and WhatsApp. Badges and hospitality will be available on race days, while there will be open days on the calendar for owners to visit the horses. Anyone who buys in will have no bills for two years as the buy-in covers the costs plus the purchase of the horses.
“We aim to make it simple for the syndicate shareholders with the one payment for two years entitling you to a percentage ownership in all six colts,” Sangster said. “Giles Morland, our chairman, provides detailed accounts on how the monies are used at the end of each year.”
People can rest easily for the training as well. Meehan will be involved with training all of the horses, based at the world famous private training facility Manton.
“Six horses provide everyone with plenty of racing throughout the season. We are incredibly excited about our 2024 team we look forward to welcoming you to the yard or at the track and most importantly the winners enclosure” Meehan said.
Sangster and Meehan are excited about the group of colts they have coming into the stables. The first horse is a bay colt sired by Magna Grecia that is classified as a “classy, mid-season” type horse. Manton Thoroughbred’s bay colt should benefit from its lineage.
“A well-made colt that was not typical for the Doncaster sale; he looked a type that will be more mid to late season,” Sangster said. “He had presence, size, and scope. He comes from top breeders in Camas Park.”
The second horse in the Manton Thoroughbreds fold is sired by Zoustar. This colt is bred on the same cross as Group Three winner Starlust and Stakes horse Zudu Spirit both out of Invincible Spirit mares.
Zoustar sired a Group One winner in his first crop, with Lezoo winning the Cheveley Park stakes.
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“Zoustar is a great source of speed. This colt was your typical hardy type that we like to buy from Doncaster.” I would imagine he will be one of our first runners for the syndicate,” Meehan said. “He is already a very likeable colt within the string.”
The top-priced yearling in Europe in 2023 by Holy Roman Emperor is an addition that will certainly raise a few eye-brows especially as he has those money-spinning French Premiums as well as qualifying for the Arqana Race Series. Holy Roman
Emperor runs at 56% winners to runners, but more impressively stakes 13% stakes winners to runners.
“Holy Roman Emperor is a proven source of top-class performers and does not look like slowing down,” Sangster said. “This colt was an outstanding individual and a great effort as a first foal out of the mare. He’s a very exciting prospect.”
The fourth horse in the group is a brown colt sired by Bated Breath.
“We had a very good horse this year in Toca Madera who was third in the Gr.2 July Stakes and Gr.2 Richmond Stakes by Bated Breath. I have not trained many, but the ones I have had I like,” Meehan said. “He was one that slipped through the net in Tattersalls Book 1, and we were there to capitalise.”
The fifth horse, a chestnut colt, is a standout on pedigree he is by Sottsass a three-time Group One winner and is out of proven producer Areeda dam of Group Three winner Great Page.
“A colt I believed we would be spectators for in the ring. The mare is a top producer of speed and quality horses; he had great strength and depth to him, he was well-balanced and had a lovely way about him,” Sangster said. “I’m delighted we got one by the stallion.”
The final horse of the group, a grey colt, also has a strong pedigree. This colt hails from a top family, the dam being a half-sister to Group One Classic winner Clodovil. This horse was sired by Hello Youmzain. Hello Youmzain is an incredibly exciting first season sire for 2024 who’s progeny were well sought after in the sales ring last year. Hello Youmzain was a Group Two winner at age two, a Group One winner at three, and won the Gr.1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes
at four.
“We had been stalking colts by Hello Youmzain since August. Delighted that we secured this colt,” Meehan said. “He stood out for us on the day and looked to ooze quality from the vendors to the sales ring. He was incredibly professional.”
There is no doubt that Manton Thoroughbreds will have a great presence on the track for the 2024 season with these six colts and one could only be very excited to be a part of it.