OVERBURY STALLIONS

When Kayf Tara met Material World 24/02/09

Suzy Smith won last year’s Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting with Missoula and is represented this jumps season by the admirably tough Amigayle but if there is one mare that has put the young Sussex trainer firmly on the map it has to be Material World. The 11-year-old retired last year with nearly £100,000 in career earnings accumulated through five wins and ten places – including missing out at the Cheltenham Festival by the narrowest of margins – from her 19 races. Her achievements are made all the more remarkable by the fact that Material World had only one eye, after injuring her left eye in a gallops accident as a four-year-old and eventually having to have it removed.

Happily for Suzy, her association with her star performer did not end when the mare left her Lewes yard. Material World, who retired on a mark of 149, was bred to Kayf Tara last season and her first foal is due in May. Co-owned in her racing career by Southern Bloodstock, a syndicate consisting of Suzy’s father and two friends, the Smiths have come up with a novel way of keeping her name very much in the limelight and allowing others to share in the fun by starting the Material World Racing Club, which has shares available in her resultant Kayf Tara foal.

“We’ve sold about half of the 20 shares so far’ says Robin. ‘We initially set up a fan club for Material World and several people have become involved through that, even from as far afield as Switzerland.’

Members of the Material World racing Club receive regular bulletins on the mare’s welfare, including photos and news of Suzy’s other runners. Additionally, they are welcome to visit the mare and, eventually, the foal at the farm in Sussex where she boards.

Robin says: ‘I appreciate that everybody’s circumstances can change, so while this is intended to be a long-term involvement for interested parties right through the foal’s early days until it eventually goes into training with Suzy, we have allowed for this possibility in the terms and conditions of the club, which have all been set out officially.’

If you are interesting in becoming a part-owner of Material World’s Kayf Tara foal, each 5% share of the foal costs £2850 + VAT with ongoing costs of £70 per month to cover all veterinary bills, keep and eventual training costs. This price remains until 31 March 2009, after which it will rise to £3450. If there is no live foal, all money will be refunded to shareholders. Please visit www.materialworld.org.uk or ring Robin Smith on 01243 513933 for further information.

We’re certainly thrilled at the prospect of witnessing the offspring from this exciting mating on the racecourse in years to come. Suzy Smith has already proved she is a trainer worth following. Material World came within half a length of giving her a first Cheltenham winner with her first runner at the Festival and she is likely to have Pass Me By, Amigayle and Chivalry representing her at Cheltenham this year. Watch this space for news in May of Material World’s first foal.