Top stallions parade at Fakenham

Fakenham racecourse will hold its first ever National Stud Raceday on Sunday 21 November, during which stud’s stallions Silver Patriarch (pictured) and Bollin Eric will be on parade.

Two special races, the Silver Patriarch Handicap Steeplechase and the Bollin Eric Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race, will take place on Sunday afternoon, and winning owners will receive a nomination to either of the two stallions.

“The winners of those two races will choose a nomination to either stallion regardless of which race they won,” explains Stud spokeswoman Jan Wade. “If the winner of the Silver Patriarch Handicap Steeplechase wants a nomination to Bollin Eric, that’s fine.”

Born in 1994, Silver Patriarch won his first race in 1996. A year later, he became Champion Three-year-old Stayer in Europe, after winning the St Leger at Doncaster among other races. Aged four, he landed both the group 1 Coronation Cup and the group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club.

Throughout his career, Silver Patriarch won or was placed in 20 of his 24 starts, 17 of them at Group level. His record has made him hugely popular with breeders and he has been fully booked each year since going to stud. In 2005, he will be limited to 100 mares and will command a fee of £2,500.

Bollin Eric was also a St Leger winner and a Champion Three-year-old Stayer. A son of Epsom Derby winner Shaamit out of Bollin Zola, he was conceived and born at the National Stud in 1999. He won, or was placed, in 17 of 18 starts and his total earning amounted to over £500,000.

Bollin Eric stood at stud for the first time in 2004 and will stand at Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire next year at a fee of £2,000. He will be on show at Fakenham on Sunday and at the National Stud until early December, when he will move to Wood Farm Stud.

Fakenham’s National Stud Raceday will also promote the stud’s latest owner/breeders club in the Never Say Die Novices Steeplechase. Named after Epsom Derby winner Never Say Die, the club gives members an opportunity to follow the progress of a racehorse from conception to the racecourse, visit trainers’ yards and watch the club’s horses perform on the track – all for a £3,000 fee to be paid over five years.

National Stud staff will be at Fakenham throughout the day, where they will present an exhibition on the stud’s current work in the parade Ring Room.

“Under the new regime, we are keen to get out in the industry much more,” says Wade. “We want to make sure that the image of the stud becomes much more of a showcase for British breeding and we are working a lot more closely with the industry.”

Racegoers can expect the National Stud to take part in many more industry events in 2005. Meanwhile, Fakenham’s gates open at 11am on Sunday and the first race starts at 12.40pm. Admission costs £6 but it is free for children under 16.