2024 CHAMPIONS CROWNED AS FLAT STATISTICAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association today releases details of its annual Flat statistical-based awards for 2024, with Godolphin announced as the winner of the Queen’s Silver Cup for leading British-based Flat breeder.

Having relinquished the crown last year to Shadwell, Godolphin wrestled it back for their 11th win in this category. Their domestic season was headlined by a pair of colts, one of the Classic generation and another a fine juvenile.

When landing the first Classic of the season, the 2,000 Guineas, Notable Speech became the first Classic winner to have previously only raced on an all-weather surface. He had made his debut at Kempton Park in January and rapidly progressed, arriving at the Rowley Mile on the back of three victories, and settled the race with a smart turn of foot over a furlong out. He added the Sussex Stakes to his CV later in the season.

Fast forward to the Autumn and Shadow Of Light achieved a notable double with the Middle Park Stakes, which he won by four lengths, followed up by the Dewhurst Stakes two weeks later over a furlong further.

On the worldwide stage, Godolphin British-breds were performing and achieving victories with regularity. Cinderella’s Dream, a Listed winner in Dubai, won the Belmont Oaks at Aqueduct, before running second at the Breeders’ Cup. In Australia, Cascadian won back-to-back renewals of the Australia Cup.

Dubawi lands double success in Flat Stallion Statistical Awards

Dubawi was crowned the leading British-based stallion by earnings for a record-extending tenth time, whilst he regained the British EBF Barleythorpe Stud Silver Cup, which is now awarded for winner to runner strike rate, rather than total number of winners in a year. Dubawi nudged out Frankel, with his 73 winners from 149 runners returning at 48.99% strike rate.

Darley’s kingpin was well represented across the year, and he supplied a pair of British Classic winners in the shape of the 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech, who also won the Sussex Stakes, and the Aga Khan homebred Ezeliya, who impressively took the Oaks for Dermot Weld and Chris Hayes by three lengths, from another Dubawi progeny, Dance Sequence.

His standout performer was globetrotter Rebel’s Romance, who was third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on home soil, but won the Emir Trophy in Qatar, the Sheema Classic in Dubai, the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong, the Preis von Europa at Cologne and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

Amongst the younger generation there is Ancient Truth, winner of the Superlative Stakes and third in the Dewhurst, and the Autumn Stakes hero Delacroix, who was runner-up in the Futurity Trophy.

Claire Sheppard, Chief Executive of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association added: “The statistical awards are important in highlighting track success of British based breeders and stallions over the course of the year. Britain has the highest proportion of world-class thoroughbreds relative to the total number of foals born, indicating the quality of bloodlines and breeding operations, and all underpinned by many of the best stallions in the world. Our congratulations to Godolphin and Dubawi, and we look forward to presenting them and all the winners in person at the annual Flat Season Awards ceremony on 9 July.”

Sam Bullard, Director, Darley Stallions: “Everyone at Godolphin is delighted that the Queens Silver Cup is heading back to Dalham Hall Stud. 2024 was a tremendous year for both Team Godolphin and the Darley Stallions and it is very fitting that Notable Speech, by our flagbearer Dubawi, has contributed to both the leading breeder award and to Dubawi’s double success. Dubawi continues to excel at the highest level and is now being challenged by his own sons as the future champions in waiting. We are incredibly fortunate to have him.”

Simon Sweeting, Chairman of the EBF commented: "The British EBF are pleased to be sponsoring the Barleythorpe Stud Silver Cup this year.  The award focuses on a stallion's winners to runners strike rate which is an important indicator for breeders of a stallions ability to produce winning progeny.  Our congratulations to all connections of Dubawi. Again, he has proven himself an icon of the British stallion ranks, and we are grateful for the support his enduring success makes to the British EBF's prizemoney contributions."

Dubawi also claimed The BBA Silver Cigar Box, which is awarded to Britain’s leading sire by earnings over the calendar year. Dubawi has now won the accolade ten times out of the past 11 years. The Dalham Hall Stud resident ended the campaign with total prize money earnings of £4,425,502.

Finally, having received the Tattersalls Silver Salver for leading freshman sire on three previous occasions courtesy of Showcasing, Adaay and Havana Grey, Whitsbury Manor gain a quartet of wins thanks to Scat Daddy’s Cornwallis Stakes-winning son, Sergei Prokofiev.

Amongst his 23 British and Irish winners, who amassed in excess of £600,000 was the Andrew Bengough and Partners-bred Arizona Blaze, who was kept busy. Winner of the first Irish maiden on the Curragh on 18 March, the bay captured the Marble Hill Stakes, was third in the Phoenix Stakes and ended his season running second, his ninth run of the season, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on 1 November.

His other Stakes performer, also owned by Amo Racing, was the Llety Farms & Whitsbury Manor Stud-bred Enchanting Empress, winner of the National Stakes at Sandown Park.

Love Is The Law, Pellitory and Seraphim Angel were also multiple winners for the nine-year-old, whose second crop yearling average and median stayed on par with his first, headlined by the half-brother to Listed scorer Great State, which went the way of S & R Investments for 170,000gns in Book 2.

Ed Harper, Stud Director of Whitsbury Manor said: “We are delighted that Sergei Prokofiev has won the leading first season sire award. With 29 individual juvenile winners worldwide, including a second in the Group1 Breeders Cup Juvenile turf sprint, and top performers in the Middle East. He offers British breeders an exciting commercial option”.

The four statistical awards will be presented at the annual TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening which will take place at Chippenham Park on Wednesday, 9 July 2025.

* The Statistical Awards cover the calendar year 2024 and relate to racing in GB and Ireland only – statistics kindly provided by Weatherbys.