1) Horse you are most looking forward to seeing this season?
JD: Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Her win in the 1000 Guineas last May was an incredibly important moment for Newsells Park Stud. Masked Marvel (GB) (Monteju {Ire}), who won the 2011 St Leger, was the first Classic winner Newsells Park had bred since Mr. Jacobs bought the stud in 2000 (indeed he was the stud's first Classic winner since Parthia won the Derby in 1959 for Sir Humphrey de Trafford), but Legatissimo winning the 1000 Guineas was of a different intensity entirely and such a special day for everyone involved in the stud. It was particularly nice that Dr. Andreas Jacobs's nephew, Nikolaus, was there to see Legatissimo win and to pick up the trophy for the winning breeder. Although it was heartbreaking to see Legatissimo just beaten in the Oaks a month later, her authoritative wins in both the Nassau and the Matron S. later in the season were exceptional too. She was certainly the outstanding 3-year-old filly of 2015 and I hope she'll prove to be just as outstanding this year.
2) A stallion would could feature prominently (doesn't have to be first season)?
JD: I apologise for not looking beyond my own nose, but I absolutely love Nathaniel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). He's a horse that has excited me at every juncture; as a racehorse, through his syndication as a stallion, to his first foals, his first yearlings and now with the vibes and comments we are getting from the trainers. As well as a lovely horse to look at and a brilliant racehorse, he is such a genuine character and if he succeeds in passing on just a fraction of that willingness to please to his progeny, I think he will make a very exciting stallion. I'm not expecting a plethora of early 2-year-olds, but he will hopefully have made his mark by the end of the season.
3) Positive change you would like to see for the industry in 2016?
JD: We have the best racing and some of the best breeders in the world here in the UK, but we continue to give racehorse owners a relatively poor return, so although it's an old chestnut, anything that gives owners a better experience and a better return on their investment has to be of paramount importance and benefit the entire industry.
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