Kingwood Stud News

Press release on behalf of Mr Mehmet Kurt & Mrs Fiona Marner

Kingwood, the historic Berkshire Stud responsible for producing a string of classic and group winners, has been bought by prominent Turkish owner-breeder Mehmet Kurt.

Mr Kurt – who counts the Turkish Derby and most other major Turkish Group races amongst his triumphs as an owner in his native country – has bought the freehold of the 165 acre stud, situated a mile outside Lambourn village, from long term proprietor Fiona Marner. As part of the agreement, Mrs Marner will continue to base her successful bloodstock operation at the stud.

A spokesman for Mr Kurt commented: “This is part of a long-term investment by Mr Kurt in British bloodstock and racing. The particular attractions of Kingwood are its history, its geographical location and the continued presence of Mrs Marner’s successful stud and rehabilitation centre. Mr Kurt intends to spend more time in the UK and is looking forward to meeting his new neighbours. He already has a number of friends here, but as a racehorse owner for 30 years or more, his primary intention, and excitement, is to become properly involved in the British racing scene for the first time. As a first step, he would like to get a good feel for Lambourn before firming up any further plans.”

Mrs Marner said: “On the one hand, my husband Christian and I are sad to sell Kingwood, but on the other we felt that this was the right time to do so. One major factor in our decision was Mr Kurt’s desire to see Kingwood Stud continue as it currently does, which will be a reassurance both to our staff and our clients. Mr Kurt has a genuine passion for horses and racing and he will be a great asset to the British bloodstock industry.”

Mehmet Kurt, 65 is a prominent businessman and landowner in Turkey, based primarily in Istanbul. He has owned racehorses for over 25 years, and has won two Turkish Derbys, first with The Best (1993) and subsequently with Bartrobel (1999). Other major Group winners have included, Tugba, Thunderbolt and Medya. Kurt breeds the majority of his horses at his stud, one hour outside Istanbul. Bartrobel was by his stallion Dilum, the former Paul Cole trained UK Group 1 winner.

Kingwood Bloodstock will continue to be owned and managed by Fiona Marner, as will the Kingwood Partnership, which owns 4 top class mares including Fame And Glory’s three parts sister Gaze (Galileo) and Excellent Art’s half sister Dance Solo (Sadler’s Wells) whose two year old, Celebrity, was a recent impressive winner at Newbury.

I’m so pleased that we had such a good turn out to see CELEBRITY at Richard Hannon’s. The name is now registered and Richard will make an entry for her when we have some rain.
Sadly ROYALE ROSE died yesterday after foaling a big chesnut colt foal by SINGSPIEL. We have found a coloured pony called Lily as a foster mare.

At last the spring sunshine has arrived and the ground is warming up. Kingwood Stud has had a very succesful start to the foaling season but the ratio of sexes is rather unbalanced at the moment with 10 filllies to 4 colts.
The first foal to arrive was a quality chesnut filly by DANEHILL DANCER out of Aldridge Racing’s very good race mare SILCA CHIAVE. A full sister to ROYAL CONFIDENCE was born at the end of January out of NEVER A DOUBT by ROYAL APPLAUSE. He is also the sire of a bay colt out of Steve Jenkin’s maiden mare SPINNING LUCY. The 2005 Derby winner MOTIVATOR is responsible for an attractive bay colt out of the Danehill mare LORIEN HILL.
NIGHT OWL has had a lovely big colt by TRADE FAIR and RUTLAND WATER has had a bay filly by AVONBRIDGE who is a good first foal.
The Kingwood Partnership owned mares GAZE and TURNING LEAF have both foaled. GAZE who is a three parts sister to Fame And Glory has had a smashing bay colt by MANDURO and TURNING LEAF had a strong bay filly by EXCEED AND EXCEED.
LADY IN WAITING has had a bay filly by the Coolmore stallion HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR and the Kingwood Bloodstock owned SPECIAL BEAT has has a chesnut filly by NOTNOWCATO. TOFFEE VODKA, LOOK OF EAGLES and MILLY’S LASS have all had fillies by DUTCH ART and TRADE FAIR respectively.
EXEXEL has had a bay filly by BLACK SAM BELLAMY who is own brother to Galileo and half brother to the 2009 Racehorse of the Year SEA THE STARS.

Everyone at Kingwood Stud would like to wish you a very happy and successful New Year! We have had 8 inches of snow which as you can see our yearling fillies have been enjoying. We are looking forward the arrival of our first foals who are due at the end of January.

The Kingwood Partnership’s two year old filly by PIVOTAL out of DANCE SOLO went into training with Richard Hannon on 11th December and the first reports are positive. We are busy thinking of suitable names for her and any suggestions would be very welcome!

Great news - DIAM QUEEN (2007 Bay Filly by Lando ex Dance Solo) who was bred by the Kingwood Partnership made a winning debut at Folkestone yesterday. The Luca Cumani trained filly finished well under a typically strong Kieren Fallon ride. It certainly looks as though she will improve over a further distance.

The newest addition to the Kingwood Partnership is GAZE 2003 bay mare by GALILEO ex GRYADA. This beautifully bred winning mare has produced a lovely bay colt by LANDO who was born on 25th February and is her first foal. She is now in foal to MANDURO and her last service date was 22nd March 2009.

Gaze’s three parts brother FAME AND GLORY by MONTJEU has had a very successful season so far. This good looking colt trained by Aiden O’Brien won the Irish Derby and met his only defeat when runner up in the Derby at Epsom. We look forward to seeing him in the autumn when he will be strongly fancied in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Everyone at Kingwood Stud was thrilled that CARACCIOLA won the Queen Alexander Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. The hugely popular and remarkably versatile performer made history by being the oldest horse to win at Royal Ascot at the age of 12. Also last month he became the oldest horse to win a Listed race when winning the Stowe Family Grand Cup at York. CARACCIOLA has now won 9 times on the flat including the 2008 Cesarewitch, 4 hurdle races and 2 chases winning £326,743 in prize money. What a truly versatile horse!

 The Nicky Henderson trained CARACCIOLA was found in Germany by stud manager Fiona Marner for owner Piers Pottinger. Reflecting on her notes made about the horse when Fiona first viewed him in Germany in February 2002 she had remarked ‘full of quality and will make an excellent dual purpose horse.’ Fiona also bought his full sister CAPITANA in 2004 who went on to win 4 hurdle races for Nicky Henderson. She is now at Kingwood Stud with her first foal who is an outstanding colt by Shirocco.

NEHAAM won the valuable Tatteralls Timeform 3 Year Old Trophy at Newmarket yesterday holding off a determined late challenge from the Peter Chapple-Hyam trained MONITOR CLOSELY. The pair drew nicely clear in a high class race.

The trainer John Gosden was extremely pleased with Sheikh Hamdan’s Nayef colt particulary as the horse had missed some vital work before the race. He commented: “He got a little tired up the hill but he did it well. He missed two weeks when a bruised foot turned into an abscess, and I told the owner this came ten days too soon, so hopefully he’ll improve. We’ll look towards the Dante at York next.”

Reared and consigned by Kingwood Stud we are delighted for NEHAAM’s breeders Dena and Les Arstall who were at Newmarket to see him win. The colt has been given a quote for 16-1 for the Epsom Derby. MISSIONARY his half-brother by MEDICEAN was bought as a yearling by Easton Park Stud for 55,000gns and is in training with William Haggis. Also his half-sister TWELFTH NIGHT by NAMID is visiting BAHAMIAN BOUNTY this season.

BRER RABBIT is due to run in the Enjoy The Lucky 7 Group Offer Fillies Handicap at Wolverhampton on Thursday, 16th April at 7.15. Trained by Barry Hills and with Steve Drown booked to ride we hope she can continue the form she showed when winning at the same track in March.

We are delighted that 3 horses who were reared/consigned by Kingwood Stud are running in today’s Tattersalls Timeform 3 Year Old Trophy at Newmarket. We are very proud that 3 of our 10 strong consignment are represented from 733 lots who were qualified to run.

CLASSICALLY by INDIAN HAVEN ex SPECIFICALLY bred by Bridgewater Equine, NEHAAM by NAYEF ex CHARM THE STARS bred by Pollards Stables and POPMURPHY by MONTJEU ex LADY LAHAR bred by Barry Walters all have good chances and we would like to take this opportunity to wish all the connections the best of luck.