Newsells’ NATHANIEL highlighted with British EBF Stallion Special Merit Award

Wed 8 Feb 2023

The British EBF Stallion Special Merit Award recognises British based stallions that reward breeders through value for money, accessibility and performance, without, necessarily, the advantages of large books of mares or the high fees such popularity commands.

The initial list of nominees is drawn from the British EBF supported STALLION FOCUS in the European Bloodstock News.  This feature seeks to highlight milestones and notable performances in the British stallion ranks.  An industry panel then discusses and votes on a short list and winner.

For their achievements in the 2002 flat season, the judging panel chose Newsell’s Park Stud’s NATHANIEL. At a consistently reasonable fee, he offers breeders soundness, durability, pedigree and talent. The sire of ENABLE has now added a Derby winner, DESERT CROWN, to his list of achievements as a stallion as well as maintaining 36% black type winners/ runners strike rate in 2022.  Further Stakes winners last season included: multiple Gr.2 winner QUICKTHORN; Gr.3 winners POPTRONIC and ZECHARIAH and Listed winner NATE THE GREAT.

Panellist Emma Berry wrote in the TDN: “There are few stallions in the world who will ever sire a filly of the calibre of Enable (GB), but the brilliant light of his stud career shines well beyond that obvious beacon.”

The panel pointed his ability to consistently produce quality at an eye-catching fee: “Nathaniel has had to overcome a widely held prejudice against stoutly bred sires that deliver mainly middle-distance and staying horses, but in 2022 he reminded everyone that class and quality are the most important traits that a stallion can transmit, by adding an unbeaten Derby winner in Desert Crown to a roll of honour that already included Enable, one of the best fillies we are likely to see in our lifetime, and other top-class performers such as Channel, God Given and Lady Bowthorpe. He remains excellent value for breeders seeking to produce a top-class athlete at a fee of £15,000 in his 11th consecutive year at Newsells Park Stud.”