Newsells Park Stud, which stands European Horse of the Year Enable’s sire, Nathaniel, is celebrating a racing triumph of a different kind today after a famous 1-2 in the big race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
The stud, near Royston in Hertfordshire, England, bred G1 Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle winner Penhill and fellow Irish-trained runner-up Supasundae. The pair were split by two lengths, with the Willie Mullins-trained Penhill adding to his victory in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival. He had not run since last April.
Supasundae, a son of Galileo out of the Danehill mare Distinctive Look, is in the care of Jessica Harrington. He was also a winner at the 2017 Festival, taking the Coral Cup. He also won the G1 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month.
Penhill, by Mount Nelson out of Serrenia, was bred in partnership with Equity Bloodstock. He was sold for 24,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Book 2 in 2012 and again for 230,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Autumn horses-in-training sale two years later.
Julian Dollar, the general manager of Newsells Park, said: “We nearly had the Champion Hurdle too with Melon [beaten a neck by Buveur D'Air on Tuesday]. It’s wonderful that Supasundae has found his niche and Penhill was a good horse for James Bethell and has gone on to be really good for Willie Mullins.
“We don’t set out our stall to be National Hunt breeders, but this is an extra bonus and we have to be proud of it. It’s great fun.”