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#1 - Talent spotting

Hello, I’m Adam Brookes and I am Racing Analyst and Bloodstock Assistant for David Redvers Bloodstock Ltd – that’s a bit of a mouthful I know! Simply, I’m a racing geek.

Essentially my job is to keep on top of racing as much as is possible – as anyone who works in this industry knows, that’s easier said than done. Not that I’m moaning as I’m very lucky to get paid to do my hobby. I got into racing through my granddad at an early age and have been obsessed ever since.

I started at Tweenhills in March 2017 after 6 years at Timeform in Halifax. Before that I completed an Equine Breeding & Stud Management degree so do have hands-on experience with horses – I also did yearling prep at Haras d’Etreham – but I’m quite happy to sit in an office these days!

My go-to products for day-to-day form study are Timeform and Proform, and obviously watching live racing and lots of replays. Staying up to date with racing news is obviously very important too.

I write race previews/reviews for all Qatar Racing runners in Britain and Ireland – as well as keeping tabs on runners around the world – which go on our QR web app; this is viewed on a daily basis by Sheikh Fahad, David and the rest of the team. I pride myself on being honest with my assessments.

I will also watch all 2yo/3yo races in order to react quickly when a potential purchases raises its head – a bit like the old Whac-A-Mole game! Obviously you’re looking for a horse that has done something out of the ordinary (against a pace/draw bias, in despite of its pedigree etc) and you think it may be buyable. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together will always be fascinating.

I’m a sounding board for horse purchase ideas from DR and I’ll also go through catalogues – especially mares – highlighting anything of interest. I particularly enjoy the Horses In Training sales, whether it’s talking to potential buyers of QR horses or recommending horses to buy.

Often David or Sheikh Fahad will ask me to look at something particular; to provide a list of potential targets for a certain horse; to judge the likelihood of a horse getting a run in a certain race etc. Before Roaring Lion ran in the Derby I looked at what the dams of the previous 30 Derby winners had done as racehorses.

I also talk to breeders about our six stallions, whether it’s when they’re showing at Tweenhills or when based at Longholes for five days during the December Mares Sale. I’m also involved with hospitality at the races – which is usually trying to avoid giving 6 or 7 losers to guests when going through the card.

Trainers will sometimes ask my opinion on certain races for certain horses, and I’m also in regular contact with Oisin Murphy and Oisin’s agent Gavin Horne to discuss the QR horses.

At the breeze-ups I help set up the timing gear and then stand at the start or finish, making notes on whether horses are playing up, strong through the line, making a noise etc. Any little edge helps.

As I wrote over 100 essays for the Timeform annuals, I write the majority of content for the Tweenhills and Qatar Racing websites, as well as the Tweenhills Times in Owner Breeder magazine. I also do the Tweenhills Instagram account – putting up pretty pictures of foals is my forte.

I’m very fortunate to do this job – being so closely involved at the races when Roaring Lion won 3 of his 4 Gr. 1s is an experience money can’t buy – and hopefully we’re set for another good year.

See you on the racecourse.

Ab-and-OM
Congratulating Oisin for winning the Eclipse on Roaring Lion
AB-Derby
At the Derby