Valuable stakes credits for stud’s mares

4 min read

Written by Paul Vettise

Cambridge Stud has welcomed recent significant European and Australasian results for two members of its elite broodmare band.

Last year, Australian bloodstock agent John Foote purchased the winning mare Mitigate (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) on the iconic nursery’s behalf at the Tatts December Sale in England and this week her half-brother Kick On (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) won the Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket.

Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud also owns Vera Drake (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), a half-sister to the dual Group 3 winner and G1 Sydney Cup runner-up Vengeur Masque (Ire) (Monsun {GB}).

Trained by John Gosden, Kick On has now been successful in two of his four starts with his latest victory coming off a five month break following his gallant run for sixth in the G1 Trophy S. at Doncaster.

“Mitigate was a mare that John picked out. He’s a big fan of Lawman mares and she was very well bought at 50,000 guineas.” – Cambridge CEO Henry Plumptre.

“There’s a long association between John Foote and Brendan and Jo and we got John to go through the catalogue and we went up for the sale,” Cambridge Stud’s Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre said.

“Mitigate was a mare that John picked out. He’s a big fan of Lawman mares and she was very well bought at 50,000 guineas.

“She’s had a Lethal Force colt. The ones we buy in foal go to New England Stud and we try and buy them with a covering date in February, March or April so there’s time to wean the foal and then fly the mares out here.

“The foal will be sold at Newmarket this year. We didn’t buy for the covering, we bought the mare.

“The foal will be sold at Newmarket this year. We didn’t buy for the covering, we bought the mare.” – Henry Plumptre

“She looks an obvious mare for Almanzor. She’s got Northern Dancer on both sides of her pedigree, she’s got Invincible Spirit, Green Desert and Nureyev on the bottom line. We think that’s a really nice mix for Almanzor.

“The Feilden S. at Newmarket is traditionally a very competitive 3-year-old race and generally a Classic pointer.”

Kick On is raced by Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani’s Qatar Bloodstock, who has partnered with Cambridge Stud to stand the multiple Group 1 winner Roaring Lion (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) in the Southern Hemisphere in 2019.

“The Feilden S. at Newmarket is traditionally a very competitive 3-year-old race and generally a Classic pointer.” – Henry Plumptre.

“The Feilden’s a great result for everybody with the Roaring Lion connection, it ticks all the boxes,” Plumptre said.

Last Saturday’s Sydney Cup result also buoyed Cambridge Stud, owning runner-up Vengeur Masque’s half-sister Vera Drake.

“She was offered by Paul Moroney. He has sent us pedigrees over the past 12 months and she was one of the mares we bought off him,” Plumptre said.

“I quite like covering maiden mares to proven stallions to start with and that’s a nice cross.” – Henry Plumptre.

“It was a little bit obscure at the time, but he said she’s a big, scopey mare and we quite liked the family.”

Vera Drake's pedigree features the Group 1 winners Vespone (Ire) (Llandaff {USA}), Valee Enchantee (Ire) (Penitre Celebre {USA), Maids Causeway (Ire) (Giant's Causeway {USA}) and Volga (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}).

A multiple placegetter in England from Paul Fahey’s yard, Vera Drake is now with the Lindsay’s private trainer Lance Noble at Karaka and finished fourth in her New Zealand debut earlier this month.

“We’d be hopeful that she can win a couple of races,” Plumptre said. “She’s a big enough mare to go to Tavistock. I quite like covering maiden mares to proven stallions to start with and that’s a nice cross.”