'It's a fresh chapter' - Highclere Stud diversifies but blue-chip breeding remains its raison d'etre

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On this occasion, Martin Stevens speaks to Jake Warren about the thinking of rebranding his family's famous business as Highclere Valley – subscribers can get more great insight every Monday to Friday.

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A new page in the illustrious history of Highclere Stud has been turned, with the nursery of countless high-class horses and long-time leading consignor at Tattersalls yearling sales becoming part of a wider business called Highclere Valley and undergoing a significant rebranding. 

Highclere Valley yesterday posted a message on social media, using the new coffee and cream colours of its livery, saying: “We’re proud to announce the evolution of Highclere Stud into Highclere Valley – a fresh chapter that builds on our rich heritage while embracing a broader vision for the future. 

“Our commitment to the stud’s excellence remains unchanged, but our new diversification allows us to expand our offerings, deepen our connection to the land, and create new opportunities for our clients and supporters.” 

Explaining the changes further, Jake Warren tells me: “I’ve lived and worked here for the best part of two decades now, and in the latter part my wife Zoe and I have taken on more things, and we’ve realised that it’s more than just a stud farm: it’s a wonderful piece of land in an area of outstanding natural beauty, which contains a large community of people who live with us and interact with us on a daily basis. 

“Zoe and I want to incorporate those other elements of our business into the valley. So, for example, we are looking to convert some old barns into accommodation, as we like the idea that people who are invested in our product can come and stay and interact with it. 

“We’re also doing our best to nurture and develop the land by bringing onto it resident herds of Dexter cows and Ryeland sheep. The main reason for keeping them is to clean the land, providing our horses with a worm-free environment, but it means you also end up with beef and lamb, and what do you do with that unless you organise some events and share it with our local close community and the people who support us? 

“When we started thinking about all of this, it became obvious that the stud is something that lives within the valley, and that we want to do all that we can to enhance the entire place. If we’re going to be pushing various other businesses, it's only right that they should all sit under a larger umbrella than just the stud.” 

Don’t go thinking that Highclere Stud is downsizing or being sidelined now that it is part of the new, broader Highclere Valley venture, though. Warren insists it is still the central and most important part of the business.  

Jake Warren and dad John: the faces of Highclere Stud

“If anything, being part of Highclere Valley enhances the stud,” he says. “The introduction of cross-breeding livestock, developing the land so that it is as effective for rearing strong, healthy horses as it can be, and making sure the people who work with us are valued, supported and cared for by our events and other initiatives – all of that is going to make people come together more and do the best possible job they can to breed the ultimate thoroughbred. 

“The stud is what we live for, it’s our heartbeat; it’s what my family has done here since it was laid down by my great-great-grandfather in 1902. We've got a great team in place now as well: Dan Thompson is our chief operating officer, he works closely with me to make sure everything runs smoothly. 

“We also continue to receive terrific support from our wonderful clients like Sheikh Isa Salman Al Khalifa, Mike and Michelle Morris, and Simon Scupham of Bermuda Thoroughbreds. They’re continually investing in top-class broodmares and are enjoying success with their progeny on the track.” 

Some 65 active broodmares and their followers currently call the 300 acres of rolling chalk hills situated in the valley between Beacon and Sidown Hills their home. A few sires have done so too in recent years, such as Cable Bay, Paco Boy and Land Force, but since they were moved on due to lack of demand, their boxes have stood empty.  

Warren confirms that, for the time being, Highclere Stud is likely to continue sitting out the stallion game. 

He says: “I’d never say never to taking on another stallion, we’d always look at each case on its merits, but, being realistic, that market has shifted towards a premium product. We had a really good crack at it over the past decade but, truth be told, it’s an almighty expense to buy a stallion, and at the level we can afford to play, it puts us towards the bottom of the ladder. 

“We’ve therefore taken a slightly different approach in the last few years, in that we’ve cleared out some of the lower-level mares we had for the purpose of supporting our own sires, and reinvested into top-end stallions.  

“We’ve bought breeding rights in the likes of Baaeed, Modern Games and Native Trail in order to still have access to the best possible sires we can have, while refocusing all of our own energy, and our clients’ energy, on breeding for Book 1 and Book 2 at Tattersalls.  

Highclere: more than just a stud farmCredit: Jason Bax/Equuis

“We want to maintain our position as a premium breeding operation, and to achieve that I don’t think it’s sensible to be investing in stallions who will be at the lower end of the ranks. For now, we’re getting back to breeding the best of the best, and this year we’ve committed to more quality stallion nominations than we ever have done.” 

Highclere Stud’s concentration on quality is shown in its 2025 mating plans.  

Pamona (Duke Of Marmalade), the Listed-winning dam of Australian Group 3 scorer Sea King, and Touring Production (Australia), an unraced half-sister to Listed winners Mooharib and Trethias from the Darara dynasty, visit Baaeed. 

Baaeed’s sire Sea The Stars will cover Hostess (Iffraaj), a US Grade 3-winner out of Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Birdie. Her first foal is Naas maiden scorer and Killavullan Stakes third Military. 

Fairytale Princess (Camelot), a multiple winner and half-sister to Listed scorer Raknah, is booked into Kingman for her first cover, while Abstinence (Lope De Vega), a Listed-placed daughter of Listed winner Stone Roses, has a date with Kingman’s former racecourse rival Night Of Thunder. 

Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Hertford Dancer (Foxwedge), who clicked with Night Of Thunder to produce exciting first-time-out winner Go Go Boots, goes to another son of Dubawi in Too Darn Hot. 

The Dubawi sire-line is mined again through Darting (Shamardal), a relation to Too Darn Hot who produced Cocked Hat Stakes and King Edward VII Stakes third Lysander, being sent to New Bay, and Tidal Stream (Redoute’s Choice), a half-sister to high-class pair Chalk Stream and Reach For The Moon, heading for Modern Games.  

Capparis (Iffraaj), a half-sister to UAE 2,000 Guineas victor Kinglet out of top-class racemare Karen’s Caper, will be covered by Too Darn Hot’s fellow Darley hotshot third-season sire Blue Point. 

Tenbee (Le Havre), a half-sister to Hertford Dancer, and Tantilize (Camelot), a half-sister to black-type scorers Horseplay and More Mischief, will join the first book of mares for Auguste Rodin.  

Producing top-notch horses for the sales will remain a cornerstone for Highclere Valley Credit: Jason Bax/Equuis

Fellow Coolmore newcomer City Of Troy will receive By Starlight (Sea The Stars), a Listed-placed maternal granddaughter of Blandford Stakes heroine and Anglo-Irish Oaks runner-up Royal Ballerina.  

Multiple Listed winner and 1,000 Guineas fourth Fireglow (Teofilo) is going to another debutant in the stallion ranks in Charyn, who stands under the Sumbe banner at Haras de Montfort et Preaux in Normandy.  

Zain Hana (Shamardal), a half-sister to the smart Maxi Boy who is a winner herself and the dam of a winner, meanwhile features on the introductory dance card of Cheveley Park Stud new boy Vandeek. 

Delevigne (Redoute’s Choice), a daughter of Highclere Stud blue hen Model Queen who is the dam of four winners, and Musical Art (Showcasing), third in the Princess Margaret Stakes, both visit Native Trail. 

Completing the bookings, Alnoras (Kingman), out of Chantilly Listed heroine Kareemah, goes to St Mark’s Basilica; Indigo Angel (Dark Angel), a full-sister to July Stakes winner Alhebayeb, visits Chaldean; Sea Of Elegance (Sea The Stars), a daughter of Prix d’Aumale scorer Shahah, will be covered by Showcasing; and Sidown Rock (Fastnet Rock), from the Wertheimer family of Aventure, Left Hand and Plumania, heads for Sioux Nation. 

The early arrivals at Highclere Stud this year are further evidence of Warren’s renewed effort to breed the best. 

“We have a beautiful Too Darn Hot filly out of Capparis born on January 27,” he reports. “She’s an absolute knockout, I’m besotted with her. 

“We also have two Baaeed colts I think very highly of, out of Hostess and Tidal Stream. They’re really outstanding. I’m very strong on the sire and as breeding right holders we’ve obviously really got behind him.  

“We actually have a rather lovely Mehmas colt out of Abstinence, too. That’s one I’d be looking forward to taking to the sales in future.” 

When those horses do arrive at the sales, their stable doors and grooms will be decked out in the new coffee and cream colours of Highclere Valley. It will be a shock to the system after years of the stud being associated with blue.  

“The new colour scheme is more representative of the natural world around the valley; if you come here, that’s what you’ll see,” says Warren. “We’ll be using that palette at the sales, but we won’t change the name.  

“Highclere Stud will remain Highclere Stud in catalogues and advertising, as it is a tried and trusted brand that has stood the test of time. That’s not to say that people won’t hear Highclere Valley mentioned as well, though.” 

It will all no doubt take a bit of getting used to for Highclere Stud’s clients and outside observers. But what about Warren’s parents John and Carolyn, who maintained the farm’s long history of success for several decades? Does the new umbrella company and redesigned branding have their blessing? 

“I think when you get to a certain point in life you realise that, actually, the only thing that matters is everyone’s happiness,” says Warren. 

“And I think they’re pleased that Zoe and I have put the business on a footing where we, and our children in the future, can continue the amazing work they have done in managing the stud while also, crucially, enjoying it.”

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Pedigree pick

Stardrop has his work cut out for him taking on two last-time-out winners and a twice-placed rival when he makes his debut for James Owen in the six-furlong novice stakes at Newcastle on Tuesday (2.52), but he does have a pretty impressive pedigree in his favour. 

The Cheveley Park Stud-bred three-year-old colt is by Ulysses and out of 1,000 Guineas second Starscope, making him a closely related half-brother to brilliant miler Inspiral and useful three-time winner Astrologer. His other siblings include the fairly smart scorers Celestran and Lunar Corona. 

Stardrop carries the Classic-winning silks of Bill Gredley and family, having been purchased for 160,000gns from Cheveley Park Stud at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.  

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