Rajasinghe

This raft of stallions at the lowest range of the price scale is every bit as important as those at the top. For a start, if we look at Royal Ascot alone in 2025, we find the names Massaat and Washington DC alongside those of two of the week's Group 1 winners. Then there was Rajasinghe, whose offspring made their presence felt in two of the season's most prestigious sprint handicaps. Breeders with mares rated 70 or above could have used Rajasinghe for free this year, such was the desire...

Rebel Racing, the training operation founded by Phil Cunningham, is set to open its own barn in Dubai this winter, with trainer Richard Spencer heading the team. "This is a hugely exciting challenge," said Cunningham. "We'll still have the heart of the team in Newmarket, but the opportunity in Dubai is huge. Quite frankly, it beats racing around the all-weather in January - the prize-money and experience over there speak for themselves. The Dubai racing team have been incredibly helpful and made the process very straightforward. We're really looking forward...

Owner Phil Cunningham has put on record his hopes that Saturday's Stewards' Cup success with Two Tribes, coupled with the fact he gave away covers to the Goodwood hero's sire Rajasinghe for free this year, will be enough to reinvigorate his pride and joy's career at stud. Not only was Rajasinghe responsible for the Stewards' Cup winner Two Tribes, but the National Stud resident also supplied the fourth Run Boy Run, who formed part of a memorable first, fourth and fifth in the prestigious six-furlong handicap for Cunningham and trainer...

From Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel to James Ingram and Michael McDonald, the personal playlist of Phil Cunningham, carried in the names of many of his horses over the years, has provided the perfect accompaniment to some memorable days on the turf.  In fact, back in 2007, legendary singer/songwriter Steve Harley, who died last year, was spotted among the merry throng after Cunningham's Cockney Rebel (Ire) sprang a 25/1 surprise in the 2,000 Guineas. He would go on to complete a Classic double at the Curragh three weeks later.  On...

There are always mutterings and grumblings among the breeding community about the cost of stallion nominations, so how about using a stallion for free?  That is exactly what Phil Cunningham and the National Stud are offering breeders with a certain quality of mare in regard to the 10-year-old Rajasinghe (Ire) as he embarks on his seventh covering season in Newmarket. The son of dual Royal Ascot winner Choisir (Aus) became a winner at that prestigious meeting himself back in 2017 when landing the Coventry Stakes in record time.  By the...

Classic-winning owner Phil Cunningham has said that linking up with renowned bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley to secure nearly £1 million worth of yearlings in the past week alone can be viewed as a statement of intent ahead of what the 53-year-old hopes will be his best season yet in 2024.  Cunningham, whose Cockney Rebel (Ire) landed a memorable Guineas double in 2007, spent £617,000 on seven colts at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale last week and added another five to the squad through the Highflyer agent at the Tattersalls Somerville...

Everybody loves a bargain, especially in January in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. The latter may barely have affected the bloodstock sales so far, but a knock-on effect may be felt if smaller or syndicate owners start to reduce their racing investment, which in turn would surely have a bearing eventually on the lower end of the yearling market. The top tier generally takes care of itself, while the middle market has been given a great boost by increased international participation, though that in itself is not necessarily a...

The latest addition to the National Stud roster, seven-time Group 1-winning stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), will stand for an opening fee of £10,000. He joins Time Test (GB), whose fee is unchanged at £15,000, while Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) will also remain at his fee of £8,500 as he embarks on his second season at stud. Rajasinghe (Ire), who has a strike-rate of 67% winners to runners from his first crop of juveniles this year, is also unchanged at £3,000. "Time Test has had a steady stream...

Five years ago, a colt by Choisir (Aus) emulated his trailblazing sire with victory at Royal Ascot. When Rajasinghe (Ire) lined up for the G2 Coventry S. he was about to make only the second start of his career following his debut victory at Newcastle a month earlier. At the Royal Meeting, the colt owned by Phil Cunningham's Rebel Racing stepped forward again to deliver his trainer Richard Spencer an important breakthrough success in only his first full season with a licence. "We've been quite lucky, obviously it's still quite...

NEWMARKET, UK—The popularity of first-season sires is no new phenomenon but it is a feature of the market which apparently gains more and more traction, and three freshmen were responsible for four of the top ten lots as pinhookers wasted no time in assembling their prospective yearling drafts for next season. The first session traditionally represents a quieter start to the four-day auction, which builds towards the better pedigrees on Friday. With shorter sessions throughout the sale this year, there were 135 foals sold on Wednesday, compared to 168 on...

Three-time Group 1-winning sprinter Advertise (GB) leads the 2021 stallion roster at the National Stud, where he will once again stand for £25,000. The son of Showcasing, who won the G1 Phoenix S. at two and the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at three, was supported by 67 black-type producers or performers in his first book last year, including the dams of Group 1 winners Aclaim (Ire), Dick Whittington (Ire) and Maarek (GB). The aforementioned Aclaim, the winner of the G1 Prix de la Foret and...