Periodical
April
2025
CAVOLO NERO
winning on debut at
Southwell (14.01.25)
This issue…
01 On the track
02 Behind the scenes
03 Two Year old progress
04 Indian Derby
05 Where are they now
06 Clodagh’s Recipe
07 Tattinger Moment
Harry’s Introduction…
My trip to Newmarket last week to see all our horses there was incredibly exciting. It was also great to see them exercising in fabulous sunshine versus the usual rain and sleet at this time of year! But it also soon became very apparent that we have the best group of horses to go to war with this season that we have ever done. The older horse proven team in Newmarket of Defiance, Chic Columbine, Soprano, Drama, Rhetorical, Jungle Land and Approval is a great starting point and then when you add the likes of Merchant, Antipodes, Bountiful, Pergola, Orchid, Cavolo Nero, Rhapsody, Influential, Beauty Nation and Darling the anticipation for the season ahead reaches fever pitch! Adding the two year olds to the list above as well as those horses not trained in Newmarket and we have real strength in depth for 2025! It was so good to see Cavolo Nero win on his racecourse debut - an excellent training achievement from James Ferguson as this horse had to be brought back from an injury as a two year old which prevented him from running. He was our first flat runner of the year so here’s to many more in the months ahead.
With my best wishes,
Harry Herbert
Chairman
Horse in focus
CHAPTER
Dark Angel (IRE) ex Timely (GB)
Finally do take a close look at our “horse in focus” Chapter. He is an absolute corker by Europe’s current Champion Sire, Dark Angel, and with a fabulous pedigree that doesn’t get beyond the second dam on the sales page! I am delighted to welcome Charlie Hills to our trainers roster and for those thinking of getting involved he and his lovely wife Pip give the warmest of welcomes to their highly impressive stable in Lambourn. Do snap up one of these remaining shares if you can and all being well the action should start in May/early June.
Learn more about CHAPTER >
Recent video of him during morning exercise >
01
Emily Scott
On the track
January has been a quiet but successful month on the track as we drift through the calm before the storm that will be the 2025 season!
The highlight was undoubtedly the win on debut for James Ferguson’s well-regarded 3yo gelding Cavolo Nero. He had been preparing for a start in late May 2024 before undergoing colic surgery and so it’s been a long road to recovery for this son of Make Believe. He had been working well last spring, so it was disappointing not to see him race as a 2yo, but thankfully James’ faith in the horse was justified as he strode to victory on his first start.
More >
02
frances de haan
behind the scenes
with james ferguson
Moving house is labelled as one of the most stressful life events according to 57% of Brits, imagine therefore adding sixty plus horses into the mix! This is exactly what a couple of our young trainers have been doing recently, James Ferguson is one of them and I went to Newmarket last week to catch up on how he and team had settled into their new abode, in the historic Machell Place Stables.
Dusk was drawing in as I arrived in Newmarket which made the tranquil surroundings of Machell Place Stables feel like a breath of fresh air after three hours on the usual motorway networks I had been battling from Berkshire to Suffolk. The peacefulness and serenity of the yard was instantly apparent, and I felt my shoulders drop as I made my way round the emerald green quad to meet James in Cavolo Nero’s box. The warm stable lights provided an inviting backdrop to the silhouettes of horse’s heads who were happily munching on their evening tea and hay, clearly content to be settled into their new home. James greeted me in his usual charming and effervescent fashion having been polishing Cavolo Nero himself ahead of my arrival.
More >
“ I think that a trainer can make the mistake of correlating success and happiness together and I think that is wrong.”
James Ferguson
03
school reports
two year old progress
This month as a team we have been keeping close tabs on the two year olds who have been progressing brilliantly. On occasion you can feel like a school master and this is certainly one of those times as we caught up on the progress of our youngsters over the last few of weeks. There is nervous anticipation when awaiting their first ‘school reports’ … a rather familiar feeling for us all at one point in time I imagine!
More >
04
Rolf Johnson
Indian Derby
Rolf’s Ramblings
This is no joke. I put “Indian Derby” in the search engine and it came up with “Ten Best Indian Restaurants in Derby”.
Don’t laugh; we don’t take racing in Indian anywhere nearly serious enough even though we British set it up in Madras in 1777, three years before the first Epsom Derby. By Independence the British in India had built over 120 racecourses. Yet except for special occasions, and the 72nd HPLS Indian Derby in Mumbai on the first Sunday in February at Mahalaxmi (Hindu goddess of fortune) track was special, Indian racing is in the doldrums. The goddess is withholding her gifts.
05
frances de haan
where are they now
Impact Du Bonheur was part of our National Hunt contingent, trained by Paul Nicholls, he retired from racing in March 2024. He ran well on debut to finish second at Wincanton in March 2023 ridden by Harry Cobden. He was unlucky to bump into one that day, we were denied by Gyenyname (Joe Tizzard) who finished 26 lengths ahead of the rest of the field!
More >
06
clodagh mckenna herbert
curried parsnip
& Apple Soup
A creamy parsnip and apple soup with amazing depth of flavour from the combination of curry powder, garlic, coriander and apple. Serve with flatbread or whole-wheat rolls.
More >
07
Tattinger Moment
clare brown
This months Taittinger moment goes to Clare Brown who had her first Highclere winner with the James Ferguson trained Cavolo Nero, he showed true professionalism when winning on debut in January. Cavolo’s emphatic victory marked the first winner on the board for 2025 for both Highclere and James Ferguson. It was a fantastic day and one that I am sure Clare will remember for a long time to come!
Clare Brown left with winning owners at Southwell 14.01.25