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An article in the Racing Post suggests that Sheik Mohammed may be interested in buying Warren Place, and that Lady Cecil is considering giving up her trainers licence.
http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=9288524&category=0
After the death of Sir Henry nearly halted my thoughts of Warren Place every day during my racing lifetime, it seems that the final strings may shortly be cut, and I will have to find another stable to be obsessive about.
I am with you on that MV. It would certainly be ironic if it went to the man who almost ruined it when he took away his horses. It will be terribly sad if it is taken over by the wave of blue and their two very average trainers.
I’m afraid Lady Cecil has not quite been up to it despite clearly being a lovely lady and despite that great success with Noble Mission. The owners have disappeared as have some of the key staff and her fear of public speaking has not really helped her on the marketing side of things. Perhaps she would have been better to let Mike Marshall take over. It really will be the end of an era if we never get to see that famous flag raised again.
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If that is the case then it’s rather sad. The ultimate irony is that the Sheikh Mohammed group (as mentioned previously), removing their horses, had as big a negative effect upon HRAC’s fortunes, as anything other than the virus.
It is good that the Sheikh has put so much money and interest into British racing, in my opinion. However investing in the right people, rather than throwing money at a questionable business model involving lower quality staff and buying other’s horses in training would surely reap greater dividends.He’s bought virtually the entire fields for Royal Ascot’s 2yo races so why not Warren Place too? Lol
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"It will be so sad for that to happen and deep down I’m hoping it won’t but fear it might.
Sheik Mohammed seems to be in the process of purchasing the whole of Newmarket but Warren Place is almost hallowed turf in Newmarket as is the palatial home of Sheik Mohammed’s brother who died almost 10 years ago now which is also located up Warren Hill very close to Warren Place. It has stood empty since the day of his death as a mark of respect and the house and grounds have been meticulously maintained as if he were still there.
I believe the same respect should be shown to Sir Henry’s home and I am sure that Lady Jane Cecil and Sir Henry’s son Jake will fight to keep Sir Henry’s legacy alive and thriving.
A large part of the yard and training facilities at Warren Place are used by the trainer Ed Walker, there is a special section where Sir Henry used to keep all the fillies and mares in training as he felt they would progress better and be happier stabled in this manner..this section happened to be right opposite Frankel’s box where he loved to put his head out and observe the comings and goings of the yard.
Now Ed Walkers Lightning Moon occupies Frankel’s box…and who owns Lightning Moon? Godolphin of course.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I was only thinking today, after watching the programme, how the man who drove us round to see the stables and the gallops stopped outside Warren Place and said that, had Sir Henry still been with us, he would have shouted across for us to come and see his roses. And compared that with driving past the Godolphin yards that were as closed and secretive as Fort Knox. Sad news.
Spot on Moe…do you remember Hammy who used to post regularly on this site and the wonderful stories he had to tell about Newmarket and the stables and trainers around the town and how he said that Sir Henry stopped to help him one day when his car broke down and gave him a lift.
Let’s hope Lady Cecil finds another way to keep Warren Place and it’s heritage alive without turning it into a gated fortress.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...It makes sense to sell, although the irony of Sheik Mo being the buyer won’t be lost on anyone.
Lady Cecil, charming though she is, has no pretensions to being any sort of trainer, never mind one running a historic yard like Warren Place. Wasn’t she originally employed there as his secretary?
Wonder what Sir Noel would be thinking! Warren Place is a huge operation, and I would hate to think of it being broken up like an old banger! Perhaps Prince Khaled would like to buy it, and perhaps invite John Gosden to operate from there. After all, JG was a pupil of Sir Noel’s, and would be an appropriate successor? Perhaps show the boys in blue how it is done?
The writing was on the wall unfortunately despite the great work last year with Noble Mission. Apart from that it was a pretty poor season with not a single two year old winner, staff and owners leaving and little activity at the sales.
Lady C refused to show her 2015 string in the Horses in Training publication and does not list them on her website which she did last year. The Juddmonte allocation last year was not from his best families and I understand Frankel’s T-Y-O brother Proconsul is with Andre Fabre in France.
One assumes the secrecy is to hide the lack of numbers and quality. I find it rather sad that horses as poor as Pudding are turning out for this once great yard which I have followed for over 50 years.
Cannot see PK buying the yard as he spreads his horses around and is getting on in years with no obvious family successor. What a great and loyal friend he was over the years to Henry compared to a certain other big owner.
BTW: Does anyone know what has become of Mighty Yar ?
BTW: Does anyone know what has become of Mighty Yar ?
Yes good news of Mighty Yar, I went on a visit to Warren Place just 4 weeks ago and saw him there. Apparentlyhe is recovering after a setback and should be back later in the year. I took one or two pictures of him in his box and will post one up here for you. I spent a little time making a fuss of him and he was the perfect gentleman.
Lady Cecil was the perfect host and showed us around the yard and we had a chance to see Sir Henry’s garden and his favourite spot at the top of Warren Hill where he would relax and take in the view.
She now shares the facilities with trainer Ed Walker and so there is still a lot of coming and going around Warren Place and Western Reserve is running very well under the Cecil/Prince Khaled banner but no real superstars and as you say what a loyal friend he has been.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Here is Mighty Yar taken 4 weeks ago at Warren Place
Hopefully he’ll be back soon. :)
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Ultimately Sheikh Mohammed removed his horses because Cecil and his then wife Natalie publicly criticised the new policy of switching the 2yos to Godolphin for their 3yo campaigns.
Whilst one can argue Cecil was right to stand up for himself, ultimately who pays the training fees? I think in the final analysis he (Cecil) was besotted with Natalie Cecil and it is highly likely she was the driving force in him challenging the Sheikh.
Cecil wasn’t the only trainer who started to lose horses at that time. Stoute and Cumani trained similar numbers in the 1995 season, and of course Gosden was training out of Stanley House at the time which was owned by the Sheikh although it was still a public yard. Whilst Cumani did not go on to greater things, Stoute and Gosden certainly did. And of course Cecil himself managed to finish runner up in the trainers title in 1996, 1998 and 1999. In the case of Stoute
Ironically Natalie Cecil showed little faith in Cecil when she had a one night stand with a jockey many believed to be Fallon, which led Henry to sack Fallon at a time when the partnership were at the top of their game – Cecil’s loss, Stoute’s gain. If rumours are to be believed the jockey wasn’t Fallon at all, but a high profile US jockey still riding today.
Whatever one’s view of Sheikh Mohammed, I think it is great he is coming to the rescue this historic yard – remember how Palace House Stables, the most historic in Newmarket, was allowed to fall into decay until recent years? The Sheikh may not be the nicest person you will ever meet, however he has a passion for our sport, and a finger on the pulse of its history. Rather him than a property developer or non-racing person to buy it.
Although it is very sad, with Sir Henry gone some kind of change is inevitable at Warren Place. I’d agree that I’d rather see the yard go to one of the Arab owners rather than some kind of development. All yards come and go over time, perhaps we’ll live to see that Group 1 flag over the great establishment one day sometime in the future.
Godolphin indeed buying up all the best juvenile talent, closely followed by Sheikh Joann. Dubai v Qatar.
Can’t see Abdullah being interested in buying Warren Place. He is getting old (b 1937) and none of his younger family members are interested in racing. Rumours a year or so ago that he would dispense with his owner/breeder empire though not much happenmed to date. Can see Godolphin or Joann or Fahad buying it up. They are the young bucks- he is old!Whatever one’s view of Sheikh Mohammed, I think it is great he is coming to the rescue this historic yard – remember how Palace House Stables, the most historic in Newmarket, was allowed to fall into decay until recent years? The Sheikh may not be the nicest person you will ever meet, however he has a passion for our sport, and a finger on the pulse of its history. Rather him than a property developer or non-racing person to buy it.
Agreed Ivanjica,
It is a shame Mrs Cecil can’t attract enough horses/not good enough to keep the stables alive and kicking. But if not… best sell it on to someone who can fill the Place. Many years before it happened, I was told by a family member of the owners that Arundle would no longer be a training establishment once John Dulop retired.Value Is Everything
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