Worrying start at stud for El Gran Senor

STAR racehorse El Gran Senor, with a $40 million stud tag, has made a most worrying start to his stallion duties. Standing at Windfields Farm in Maryland for his first season, he has, until recently, only had two of the 27 visiting mares tested in foal.

To make matters worse, the insurance implications for several of his shareholders represent a veritable minefield.

However, all is not gloom. There was a summit meeting at Windfields on Wednesday and it is reported that El Gran Senor is “a great deal better as a result of promising tests.”

Nominees are now less apprehensive about leaving their mares at the stud fearing a blank season and are anticipating a change in covering procedures.

What has really put the cat among the pigeons is the insurance situation if the hapless El Gran Senor fails to prove satisfactory at stud with a below par 60% fertility rate.

Although there were some reservations about his stamina, it was still thought the Epsom Derby would be a formality after his breath taking performance at Newmarket. The euphoria had reached such a pitch about his ability, it was let known that an American syndicate was prepared to pay an unbelievable $80 million if he won the premier classic. Just when victory was certain, he was tackled by Secreto.

Although he comfortably landed the Irish Sweeps Derby, his stud value was reduced to $40 million. A share was reputed to change hands for $1.25 million before Christmas and a nomination did make $200,000 in January. However, it is obvious that not everyone availed of cover as the amount insured is quoted as being between $15-20 million. Also, for once the bell is not going to ring at Lloyds as two American concerns are deeply involved, holding $12 million of the insured sum.

Why did Lloyds not get in deep, although there is one El Gran Senor shareholder insured there, plus a few bits and pieces?

After some nasty setbacks it now has a far more stringent attitude to stallion insurance, making sure the sire is syndicated to the value stated and fully booked, plus insisting on a detailed proposal form that would be unheard of a few years ago.

Its American competitors have been adopting a less conservative attitude. This change of heart by Lloyds can be traced back to the equally slow start made by Try My Best who, ironically, is a full-brother to El Gran Senor.

Try My Best never looked like making the 60% fertility level in his first season, with only five in foal after two months. Happily Try My Best’s problems were resolved and all is now well. (April 1985)

Stylish double for Ward at Baldoyle

HIGHLIGHTS of the racing at Baldoyle last Saturday were a riding double for Liam Ward on Botafega and Reliant, and the successful return to the saddle of G.W. [Willie] Robinson who scored on Jungle Trix – his first mount since his injury in the Grand National.

Biggest shock of the afternoon was the defeat of the odds-on Carrenza, the half-brother to Die Hard being beaten into third place in the concluding Maynestown Plate.

Botafega, trained by P.J. Prendergast, started favourite for the Stapolin 2-Y-O Plate and duly obliged, but not until Ward had put in some vigorous riding to dispose of the well-fancied Kochia. Although for a few strides it looked as though the latter would prevail, Ward forced the favourite up to score by three-quarters of a length.

Reliant shared favouritism with No Shoes in the Lambay Maiden Plate, the former scoring by half a length, No Shoes being fifth. Running on strongly for Ward, Mr William Hill’s colt stayed on gamely to score by less than a length.

Honey Badger proved a worthy favourite in the Portmarnock Handicap, justifying some strong support by scoring to the tune of a length and a half from Sweetvale. The winner was another triumph for the combination of Mr Stanhope Joel, trainer ‘Brud’ Fetherstonhaugh and rider H. [Herbert] Holmes, who had been successful at the last Baldoyle meeting.

Holmes, who had ridden a winner at Newbury the previous day, had Honey Badger quickly into his stride and the four-year-old made the running from that point onward, winning more easily than the official verdict would suggest.(April 1960)

All hands on deck as gale strikes Wexford

ON Wednesday at the excellent meeting of the Wexford Hunt, it was a case of all hands on deck at one stage. The weigh tent and jockeys’ tent looked like being blown away by the strength of the gale force wind on the hill top at Rochestown, but then came an announcement over the public address calling the stewards to deal with an emergency. There was a quick response and the tent lasted out the day.

Not so the number board, the frame of which was blown out and landed up on top of a bookmaker’s joint. Seeing that the layers up to that point had had three bad results, it was not surprising that this particular bookmaker remarked, “well, now, that’s what I call rubbing it in.” (April 1960)

Kerrigan’s woe at Ballinrobe

FOR a jockey to get a fall twice in one race is by no means unheard of, but for a rider to get two falls from two different horses in the same event is, to put it mildly, rather unusual.

Well, it happened in the Hunters Chase at Ballinrobe on Thursday.

Mr H Kerrigan set out on Bridge Echo but his mount fell at the first fence in the straight the second time round. Bridge Echo got loose and Mr Kerrigan regained his feet to watch Glenmore Girl fall at the same obstacle next time round.

Mr Kerrigan caught Glenmore Girl, popped up into the saddle and sent her in pursuit of the only two left standing in the race.

With great dash and pluck, Mr Kerrigan set his ‘spare’ mount at the final obstacle, but down came Glenmore Girl again. For the third time since leaving the jockey’s room, Mr Kerrigan mounted and Glenmore Girl finished the course, but was, of course, not officially placed. (April 1960).