Newmarket trainer Harry Eustace had a dream week at Royal Ascot, securing two Group 1 victories with graduates from the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Docklands showed grit and determination to win the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, followed later in the week by the hugely impressive Time For Sandals in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. Robert Hall made the trip to Newmarket to catch up with Harry and his team at their Highfields base.
The fabulous Royal Ascot Week enjoyed by Tatisel’s Island graduates was quite something. Of the four group one winners available as yearlings at public auction anywhere, three were found at Ferry House. Each of them purchased for handy money. Each of them worth many multiples. Two of them are trained here at New Market by Harry Eustace. Time for sandals and Docklands. 50,000 odd would have got you both. [Music] Harry, may I start by conveying huge congratulations on behalf of Tatazil’s Island on your achievement. They are so proud um and so thrilled to win two group one races was extraordinary. We’re talking about the Queen Anne and the Commonwealth Cup. Have you come back to Earth yet? Uh just about, Robert. Yeah, it’s been um well obviously it was a you know a fantastic week and um we were determined to try and you know enjoy it as much as we could and uh it sort of as time’s gone on more and more it sinks in you know when you see sort of you know past replays of the Queen an and previous winners and that sort of stuff you start to sort of realize you know what what our teams managed to achieve. Yeah, both of them picked up the handy money. Yeah, I mean um you know it’s why we’re talking today. They both came from from Tatland. Um Dockland Stu Stu Bowman found uh must be four years ago now and he was I think 16,000 and and uh David Afton found time for Sandals at at 35. So Harry, before we talk about the horses, uh I think it’s fair to say a lot a lot of people know you better now than they did um before June. Tell me about your you were bred to be a trainer obviously on both sides of your pedigree. Um and you had a wonderful tutelage as well that that that took in Ireland, America, um Australia. Yeah. Well, as you said, I was very very fortunate. I grew up um in a racing yard. Dad trained. I think I was one when he started training. And um you know, that environment was fantastic for both my brother and I. and and um you know there were occasions where we had to be sort of kicked out of bed, but uh you know we loved being in a racing yard. We you know did the pony club stuff, but the you know the moment we uh we rode a racehorse that that sort of changes everything. And um you know growing up in it definitely helped for sure. Uh and and then it was just you know picking our way through the sort of apprenticeship of of becoming a trainer in whichever fashion we sort of found ourselves in. Yeah. You you went to the Irish National Stud. You did that course. You decided that that stud life wasn’t for you. Um but you went to um Australia, Lee Freriedman, you went to America, Kristoff Clemore, and then of course William Haggus. You were always going to train here at New Market. It is the most wonderful environment. Yeah. Well, you know, I I saw the best of of everywhere and and I loved everywhere that I worked. But again, you know, being very fortunate to be able to come back to to a yard that that had an existing business in and you know, it’s home for a start and that’s always preferable. And um, you know, as hard as it is, maybe it’s it’s Europe’s racing is the best. You know, I was always keen to sort of cut my teeth here really. To be on Warren Hill this morning was pretty magical on the morning like this. Yeah. the spring onwards, especially when the daylight hours start to improve. And you know, we are we’re all very aware of how fortunate we are to to to do to do a job like this. You know, like all jobs, there are there are good days and there are bad days, but as a dayto-day lifestyle, I I I don’t think there’s anywhere better in the world to do it. It it’s a fantastic setup. We’re incredibly lucky to to be able to train out of out of those facilities. Yeah. Harry, you’ve only held a license since uh 2021. You’ve had four Royal Ascuit winners. Um I’m delighted to tell you not that you don’t know, but they were all found at Fairy House. Uh it’s it’s pretty special. It’s quite a good hunting ground for you. Yeah. Well, we’ve obviously been incredibly lucky at at this sale. Um yeah, Latin lover was our very first. That was Hubie Dear special. Uh bought a Star Spangled Banner and um yeah, he won the Hollywood Hollywood House and then Stuart Bowman source docklands. He’s won there twice now for us and and was second last year. And then of course, you know, Time for Sandals being being the most recent purchase with David Dapertton and and the Bevans. You know, it’s been a sale I think all trainers enjoy going to from the outset because it has a real range of horses. From a trainer’s point of view, I think it’s a sale that that offers you everything that you might be looking for and and and clearly, you know, not expensive either. And you can find some find some good ones. Yeah. Let’s talk about Docklands. First of all, he he he I absolutely love him. He’s a 5-year-old now. Um he has done you proud. He won a Britannia runner up last year uh to Charin in the Queen Anne and and then we’ll talk about this year as well. But uh you picked him up uh for 16,000. It was actually the yearling sale of COVID when it was held in New Market. Tell me what you saw in him when you when you saw him. What did you like about him and and what what is he like as a character? Well, as I said, I was I was very lucky. Stu Bowman actually found the horse and and and put him to Terry Henderson of of OTI and and Terry liked him and um or like what he saw on, you know, on the on the paper and on the videos and and Stu got in touch me and said, you know, pop down and have a look at this horse. Terry’s sort of considering buying him. If we manage to get him, he’s going to come to you. So, I I can’t claim a huge amount there, but he was just uh quite a scopy horse. Very correct, very straightforward. There was nothing um sort of wow about him, which was probably a good thing because it meant we could afford him from day one. And I know people it’s easy in hindsight, but he really has just been the absolute dream, the dream horse. He was incredibly straightforward. He loves being a racehorse and every single day he walks out of his stable. I think his pedigree tells you that the page, you know, he’s by Masat who it was his first crop. Um but he’s a half brother to two real tough nuts. Grand dam Bunty Buu, I remember her. She ran six seasons and and ended up um in group company winning two of them. Um I mean he’s talented and he’s hugely tough. Yeah, he he’s, you know, he’s not missed really. We the only sort of time we gave him as a was as a 2-year-old. who’s quite a big horse and and Terry’s a a very patient man and and you know we were to I was determined not to do too much damage to him at two because he was always going to be a three-year-old onwards. Um and there on in you know if there’s a race we’ve targeted him at he’s running it and that’s you know he’s five now and and that has been the case all the way through and he has just been a real pleasure to train. I I I can’t tell you how easy he’s made my life. Um uh he’s just been a pleasure for everyone involved. Yeah. He he he wins a Britannia. He’s runner up to Charon in the Queen Anne and uh then you take him to Australia. You take him to Hong Kong. He’s got a constitution that that that is quite fantastic. It must stand to him. Let’s talk about the race though. It was absolutely wonderful. Um and of course he wins with with with Mark Zara dropping his whip. Uh he wanted to win. Yeah. He showed a tremendous attitude which he always does but I thought in particular that day he was incredibly tough. I must admit I felt that a lot was going wrong the first four or five furongs of the race. Um he has been slow away in the past. We did do a bit of work at home but it didn’t make a huge amount of difference because he was slower away again today and the only sort of bonus was that actually there was no pace at all. So, it didn’t take energy to tag on the back, but then when you’re sat last in a slowly run group one against the sort of horses of that caliber, you never think you’re in the right position, I don’t think. But, uh, you know, a lot of credit to Mark as well for someone who hasn’t ridden the straight track at Ascot very often. He was very aware to that and, um, you know, he just crept him in and got him rolling at the right time. And then I have to say I didn’t spot him drop his whip. Um, and luckily for him, he won the photo because I don’t know if we’d be talking afterwards if if he hadn’t. But you know, in in a curious way, he he he looked tougher and more resolute without the stick than than in previous times with the whip. So, you know, whether there’s anything in that, you know, I couldn’t say. But, um, he just wanted to win. I know Rosalian did too, but you know he he looked very very tough that fast last F and I thought I thought Rosalian looked to be coming with a with a winning run and and we felt that you know Dockland’s responded to that and he does just love the sort of competitive nature of it. You know, he’s competitive and he’s laidback as well. Yeah, he’s a dude. Yeah, he is. You know, you can he’ll travel at whatever pace you want. He never overraes. He never, you know, he he is the ultimate sort of profession in that point of view. and he’s had a couple of different jockeyies now and and you know it’s very easy for me giving instructions because I just say that he’s as straightforward as he looks on the replays and and and I’ll leave it up to them after that. Let’s talk time for Sandals now. Um she is some Philly uh to win a Commonwealth Cup. I think it was only her sixth start. I think you gave her three runs as a as as a two-year-old. Uh she’s she’s a magnificent Philly. She cost you 35,000. Yeah, she um I remember when David Appleton put the list together for Tatile and he sort of popped a star by her and you know in our mind she was the standout for us. Uh, and it’s unusual that the standout then goes on to be the best one, I’m sure. But, um, she reminded us of a of a horse that David had bought the year before, a horse called Payman Kind, who we quite liked and unfortunately got an injury actually for the same owners and we were very keen to get her. Similar to Dockland, she, you know, she’s quite scopy and she was a very natural raceh horse from from the word go. We didn’t necessarily ask her lots of questions, but it all came fairly straightforward to her. Harry, she has a page as well. I mean her her grand dam is Pharaoh’s delight. One of Phoenix stakes, one of Princess Margaret Stakes, Grand Dam of Red Rocks, and I mean it’s all there. Yeah, the the pedigree ve very much backs up her race record to to to be honest. She’s by uh what is proving to be quite a good uh underappreciated stallion, although I hope sort of not so much anymore. And um Sands of Marley um and and it it was his first crop as well. Yeah, she just kept improving like they all all the good ones do really. As I said, she was quite a scopy Philly. The old cliche of sort of whatever she did at two was going to be a bonus cuz, you know, we were fairly confident she was going to improve from two to three. You know, her run in the lather was was excellent. Uh she picked up a little injury after after or during the race. She was runner up in the ladder. Yeah. And she just sort of lacked a bit of race hardiness. We felt and it was sort of deliberate in that we you know, we hadn’t pushed her yet because, you know, I was conscious not to as a two-year-old. And um like a lot of these things, probably a a blessing in disguise that she never ran again. She had a good long holiday, did very well. Um like all three-year-old Phillies, uh 2-year-old turning three-year-old Phillies that sort of show a bit of form at two. We tried to go the mile route because the sort of three-year-old Philly division over a mile is is deeper than at sprinting level, but she’s a sprinter. So, uh you know, she ran well in the Fred Darling was third. Um and then we dropped her back to six after that. Yeah, she looks like a Philly that that that is still improving. She’s got she’s got plenty of scope. She does. Yeah. And I think uh mentally she’s improving all the time. She was still a bit bit fresh and gassy and a bit raw still at at Newbury and the Fred Darling, especially over seven. But she was pretty professional in France where she just got pipped on the line and you know at the time it was frustrating. Um the winners actually come out and won the Prej That sort of made me feel a little bit better about it, but um we thought it was a run of of big merit and and and allowed us to to roll the dice and run her in the Commonwealth. Yeah, the form is is dead solid. But talk about that Commonwealth Cup now. What were your feelings through it? Because um uh boy, she had to win too, didn’t she? I mean, and she wasn’t well drawn. Yeah, we were cursing at at the 40 out stage when we saw the draw. for sort of a number of reasons. You know, low at the time we didn’t know about as such actually. It was sort of had a bit of an inkling. I’m not sort of as mad on draw bias as such, but all the fancy horses were high. You know, you felt like the race was going to develop there and we would be left sort of slightly in no man’s land. Knew it would be tricky. The one positive was the American horse in there. we you we felt would stick to the way she had been racing and and that was making the running and and and it was really how far she’d take us in and and then it was whether we were good enough, you know, the final bit. What plans for her? There are a couple of options. Um I’ve had a few opinions on the idea as well. I think we’re going to come back to five. I I deliberately ignored the July cut, you know, but at entry stage for that. Um she hadn’t won a group one. She been placed in a group three and as a three-year-old Philly, it felt like a big reach and it came relatively quick after Ascuit and I just didn’t think it would be the right thing to do. So, we’re going to skip that. Whether that’s right or wrong, we’ll never know. But um there isn’t a six furong race in the till till sort of September at the Haydock Sprint Cup. There is the Morris to East again. We’re not in that so we’d have to supplement but we’re in the King George the Fifth at Goodwood and uh I’m tempted to run there. I thought she showed a lot of pace at Ascot albeit, you know, was strong to the line and that will help me decide if we go sort of flying five or or the Hok sprint cut. Yeah, hugely exciting times, Harry, and we will be following your progress uh with them uh all the way through. We wish you massive success. We’re so proud to be associated. We’re looking forward to seeing you in September. I hope you we’ll be there and and uh back for more. Yeah. No, we we wouldn’t miss it for the world. That’s for sure. Yeah. [Music]
