2025 – A Year for the History Books
First Group 1 Winner with Diego Velazquez
It was a milestone moment for us this summer as Diego Velazquez delivered our first Group 1 winner in the Prix Jacques le Marois, just days after we purchased him from Coolmore. The son of Frankel had already advertised his class by landing the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes on his previous start, and he confirmed his brilliance at Deauville in sensational fashion.
Diego Velazquez now stands at the National Stud in Newmarket for the 2026 season, and we are hugely excited to embark on the next chapter of his career. With his proven top-level performance at a mile and the strength of his Frankel pedigree, he has all the credentials to make a significant impact at stud. We look forward to supporting him from the outset with a strong and carefully selected book of mares, and we have already invested in his future by purchasing several suitable mares specifically for him at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. Our aim is to give him every opportunity to get the best possible start as a stallion, and we are confident he will be a compelling option for breeders seeking class, athleticism and proven Group 1 ability.
Horses Bred by Sam – Flying the Flag
It has been a real pleasure to watch the progress of horses bred by Sam:
Kurakka (out of Dance With Another) broke his maiden at Chelmsford before adding another win at Haydock. With two placed efforts in valuable handicaps, he has risen to a rating of 92 and looks set for further improvement.
Akkadian Thunder (out of Akhania) has been a real success story, winning at Doncaster and then finishing second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Mighty Boy (out of Age of Refinement) recorded his first win at Ascot this summer.
Cap Saint Martin (out of Cap Verite) bounced back to winning form at Naas for Joseph O’Brien, thriving since being gelded.
Black Babylon (out of Akhania) recorded two successes Down Under for Annabel and Rob Archibald.
Alma Mater (out of Andira) broke her maiden in a Conditions race at Chantilly
The Exciting Two-Year-Olds
Our two-year-old team has given us plenty of excitement this season:
Bourbon Blues impressed when breaking his maiden at Brighton, earning a rating of 102 and running a fine fourth in the Group 3 Prix Francois Boutin.
River Card was runner-up in the Arqana Series des Poulains before breaking his maiden at Ascot
Gascony has kept Manton Thoroughbreds in the spotlight with plenty of strong runs, including a maiden win at Epsom.
Dodge City picked up multiple placings before breaking his maiden at Saint-Malo.
Oceans Four caught the eye on debut in a hot Newmarket maiden, then broke his maiden at Ffos Las before finishing a narrow third in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown. His season highlight came when winning the Group 3 Prix des Chenes at Chantilly
Esna broke her maiden at Sandown before finishing a close 4th in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp
Deauville Success & Strong Prize Money Haul
August saw us return to Deauville with another strong team. We came away with over £110,000 in prize money, thanks to notable efforts from:
River Card, Zaravina, and Brise Noir, all of whom placed in the Arqana Sales Races.
Rashabar, who continued his consistent campaign with second in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.
Three-Year-Old Winners & Rising Stars
Among our three-year-old team, several have enjoyed breakthrough victories:
Panama Black scored at Southwell.
Brise Noir broke his maiden at Windsor.
Release The Storm looked a particularly exciting prospect, making it two wins from two starts.
Horses to Follow in 2026
WLooking ahead to the year, some of the fillies we look forward to watching on the track include Listed winner Miss Justice, purchased at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. We are also excited about three-year-old fillies Esna, Zaravina, and Lyrics Of Life, who all showed plenty of promise during their two-year-old campaigns.
