Ascot Stud has a long and impressive line of champions to its credit. In recent times the stud’s flagbearers include such stars as Bold Respect, Arabian Beat, Search Party and the gallant Coral Fever. Currently run by Ashley and Rose Parker, Ascot Stud is currently home to the sires Bold Silvano and Global View.
The Impact speaks to owner Dr Ashley Park about Ascot Stud and his successes at Bloodstock Africa’s National 2YO Sale
Q: Please tell us a bit about your 2019 National 2YO sale draft and the results?
A: We sold 18 2YO ourselves and also 5 as agent for Riyo Stud. Our best two yearlings were colts by our exciting new sire Global-View who sold for R 425000 and R 220000.
Q: How do you plan high-quality matings? And how far in advance do you plan these matings?
A: Our matings are planned including on the conformation of both the sire and dam, the history of the bloodlines nicking to produce a superior athlete and also the temperament of both sire and dam.
Q: How large is your current broodmare band and who is your top mare?
A: We have 65 mares and two Resident stallions. Our most famous mares are the Group 1 winners Royal Fantasy and Lauderdale and the dams of Group 1 winners Agbalat, Circle of Gold, Coral Tree, Respectable Lady and Royal Drummer.
Q: From a current lot of freshman sires, who do you think will become a leading name in a few years? And why?
A: We are hoping that our new freshman sire Global View will do very well, he has been extremely well received and have sold very well with a top price of R1,3 million for a colt and R650000 for a filly. He is by The world’s most popular and influential stallion Galileo who has dominated European racing this season and Global View himself being a Group 2and 3 winner in the USA.
Q: Please tell us about your journey with the farm and a bit
more about the history of the stud itself?
A: my father and mother started Ascot Stud in 1966 and after I Qualified as a vet in 1983 I have run the farm ever since and
we have had numerous stallions including the champion sire Al Mufti whose son Captain Al was also a champion sire and have Bred the winners of both the Durban July in Bold Silvano and The Presidents Challenge with Coral Fever along with a host of other Group 1 winner.
Q: You are also an equine vet. Is there any incident you would like to share about a horse recovering?
A: Our champion sire Al Mufti was bought with a suspensory injury from Sheik Hamdan out of America and he went to Stud and also had six months off training, then went back to training with the Maestro Terence Millard to win three races in a row and run a short-head second in the Durban July despite losing a shoe in the race .
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of racing and breeding? The decade is about to end. What were the big records you broke in the decade and what is on your bucket list for the next decade?
A: I enjoy playing golf with my school friends and also my racing clients who have become great friends over the years and we all regards ourselves as a great big family addicted to a great athlete The Horse.
Q: Similarly, with so many top stallions having passed away recently, what kind of change do you expect to see in the structure of top stallion leadership?
A: My highlights are breeding horses that can compete and win Group 1 races like Bold Silvano who not only won the Durban July also went on to win internationally in Dubai and was the favourite for the then world’s richest race the Dubai World Cup before injuring himself the week of the race. We also jointly owned Archipenko who won the Qe2 cup Group1 in Hong Kong and the Summer mile Group 2 at Ascot and was placed in other international races in Dubai and America as well.
Q: Please tell us about the most interesting book you have read recently or the most interesting movie you have watched? What did you like about it?
A: I watched Seabiscuit the other day again and I think it is what racing is all about a battling horse, trainer and jockey who become cult heroes in the American depression highlighting whether you are an owner , breeder, punter, jockey this great sport is all about dreams that can be fulfilled and bring joy to a whole nation.
Published In The Impact 18 Issue, 2 Vol
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