IRISH BLOODSTOCK FORUMS :: View topic

TOPOFTHEHILL»Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:54 am
I don't think there is too much wrong with the horses they have at their disposal, they have plenty of potential to produce elite runners at all distances even the middle distances. I will make an exception to Wootton Bassett who I just don't get, never did probably never will, but they have some really good stallions. What has gone wrong if anything is they have been so ultra successful for so long the simple aims and objectives of the business plan become obscured. People get 'comfortable' in their positions possibly a little complacent and this is generally punished severely in this business. What they need is not a couple of new stallions but a new management. They need to refocus at every level especially at the lower end commercially. They have some fabulous bloodlines and frankly some of them are too cheap, possibly because they have messed them up by not finding out what mares they need and supplying them in bulk. As a business they have the resources and will if they really want it get back to where they were or even reach higher levels. Reply

Valerie»Wed Jul 13, 2022 19:52 pm
Oh come on Toth. A change of management? Successful management!!! Stirring the pot Toth !!! Reply

TOPOFTHEHILL»Thu Jul 14, 2022 7:58 am
Valerie, well known as I am for being a stirrer, it was a sincere post. I am not suggesting it is going to happen or that anyone there will agree. But really it happens in many businesses especially when circumstances have made it relatively simple to make a lot of money. They get complacent. Its the hardest thing for any business to keep re-inventing itself to stay ahead of the competition. Which is why we see so many iconic brands fall into obscurity and yes I believe Coolmore is an iconic brand and while I am critical about some of the things they do, you can't simply forget or ignore all the very good things they have done. Its not even that the current management is not affable, and many of the team are perfectly good decent people. In business that is never going to be enough. Reply

Irish Paddy»Thu Jul 14, 2022 9:23 am
I suppose SADLERS WELLS put them on the map and his son GALILEO made them world leaders. They have tried and tried to have thr best son of GALILEO but so far have failed. It very much looks like the UK based FRANKEL is the one the world will be following. Time will tell. Reply

TOPOFTHEHILL»Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:54 am
I am sure that from a stallion point of view you are 100% right Paddy but in a strange way I don't think the horses matter that much, the important thing for me was the original business model 'designed' by Robert Sangster that changed the thoroughbred business forever. He could see that they were able to buy well bred yearling colts with potential stallion pedigrees in the USA, bring them over here, race them and sell them back for many times more than their already high purchase price. That alone set down the financial foundation. Add to that a bit of political motivation and Ireland became the stallion centre of Europe. History will reveal that after a few years it nearly all went TU but then I believe it was mostly the influence of John Magnier who changed the plan so that with the newly won political support and tax incentives it was now a proposition to keep the horses in Ireland and stand them successfully. I think we are at another crossroads and the business needs to come up with another change in direction or possibly a change in emphasis. I just can't see who is going to initiate it. I think the horses are a bit less significant as they breed so many top class colts sooner or later another real top class stallion will arrive. Maybe its already there, St Marks maybe? Reply

TOPOFTHEHILL»Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:59 am
Just noticed my charity shop purchase the book HORSETRADER is actually a signed edition. Its not the first time either I bought a biography of Sir Cecil Boyd Rochford in a second hand bookshop that is signed by him. Reply

Gone West»Thu Jul 14, 2022 20:13 pm
I think the change in emphasis has already arrived......Brexit ! Reply

TOPOFTHEHILL»Fri Jul 15, 2022 16:58 pm
GW you will have to explain that to me I am clearly too dim to get what you mean. Reply