Saturday 17th February 2024.

With thanks To Craig Lidster and the team at Eboracum Racing Stables, as well as Nick Bradley Racing for hosting an insightful and entertaining visit. 

A full gallery of the visit can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Meet The Horses:

BLUFFERONTHEBUS - Born: 2021 - Sire: Ribchester - Dam: Petite Georgina 
Record To Date (As of 17th February 2024): WIns: 0 - Placings - 1 - Races: 5 

Hopes were high at the start of 2023 for the filly who hails from a very good sprinting family, but has yet to sparkle on the track so far.
The daughter of leading miler Ribchester, winner of the Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge in 2017 for Craig's old boss Richard Fahey, the bay three year old is the produce of a well bred dam. Further back in her pedigree lies the high class handicapper B Fifty Two, an eleven time winner on the track. It quickly appeared that Blufferonthebus would be a longer time prospect following finishes towards the rear on her first two starts. There would be improvement on her third start with a third place at Catterick where she stayed on nicely at the death. Two more runs at Catterick would yield mixed fortunes as she finished midfield again but had valid excuses.

She has enjoyed a winter break so far with the aim of strengthening up as a three year old and making a better fist of things on turf in 2024. Provided she can improve from years two to three, her lowly rating could easily be exploited and turned into wins. 

BUTTERCROSS FLYER - Born: 2021 - Sire: Inns Of Court - Dam: Bonne

Record To Date: Wins: 1 - Placings: 3 - Races: 9

The filly Buttercross Flyer enjoyed a promising and consistent first season on the track and her owners will be excited for more of the same in 2024.

A daughter of Inns Of Court, a French sire which Nick Bradley is a regular buyer of his progeny, Buttercross Flyer is also the daughter of race winner Bonne and a half sister to useful sort Made Of Honour. Showing the benefit of experience following her debut, Buttercross Flyer returned second on her next two starts at Catterick. A first success would come in front of the eyes of many as she landed a race in the Racing League Series at Newcastle for team North. The win would surprise even her trainer, but she backed that performance up for the remainder of the season. Finishing second in handicap company at Ayr's Gold Cup festival showed her ability and she signed off for the season with a sixth place just before Christmas.

Now a three year old, Buttercross Flyer has shown she is more than capable of winning more races at her level and the versatility of handling turf and all-weather surfaces will play to her strengths this year. 

PORT AND STARBURD - Born: 2021 - Sire: Kessaar - Dam: Would It Matter
Record to Date: Wins: 0 - Placings: 0 - Races: 1

Little has been learned about Port And Starburd so far on the track given her lack of racing, but it is hoped that questions will be answered by this unexposed three year old.

Port And Starburd is a daughter of the high class juvenile Kessaar, who improved with each run and crowned his only season off with a wide margin victory in the Group Two Middle Park Stakes at Newbury. Kessaar is also responsible for the talented duo of Tajalla and Bolt Action, both of whom finished placed in listed company. On the female side, Port And Starburd is a half sister to improving Hale End, a dual winner on the all-weather for Michael Dods this winter. Further back in the family, the likes of four time winner Yeah Baby Yeah and winning hurdler Viaduct Joey. 

Port And Starburd made her racing debut back in May last year at the local Beverley racecourse. Taking part in a valuable class two maiden, the filly raced prominently from a wide draw and held every chance entering the final furlong. The lack of experience and track bias would go against Port And Starburd and she weakened into a respectable fourth place. It would be a promising effort and the form of the race worked out nicely as the winner Nellie Leylax went on to win two more times in 2023 as well as placing in a sales race. Runner up Scoops Ahoy won twice as well and fellow Nick Bradley Racing owned Bazball finished fifth before developing into a smart three time winner.

Everyone involved will be keen to make up for lost time this year with their filly and as the flat season begins to warm up, there will be plenty of opportunities to race. Wherever she goes, it will be good to see Port And Starburd return to action following such a long layoff. 

NEVZILLA - Born: 2021 - Sire: Kodiac - Dam: Star Alexander

Record to Date: Wins: 0 - Placings: 1 - Races: 6
Just like her stable mate Indication Court, plenty of guesswork has been done on this filly in order to find her ideal conditions and she has shown a glimmer of promise, but connections will be hoping that glimmer can turn into a spark of improvement.

Nevzilla had yet to race prior to a mid season switch from Alice Haynes' yard in Newmarket to Easingwold. She had spent only a few weeks with Craig Lidster's yard before making her debut at Ripon. She would race three times in relatively quick succession over five furlongs, six furlongs and seven furlongs. A lengthy break followed in order to get to the bottom of the stable's new addition and it wouldn't be until December when Nevzilla would race again. Running in the lowest level at Southwell, she finished with a rattle to take second at huge odds and reward the patience of her owners. On her next start, she would perform better than the finishing position suggested and it is hoped now that the corner has been turned.

Hailing from a high class family, Nevzilla is a relative of Supremacy, winner of the 2020 Middle Park Stakes and is also the daughter of evergreen sire Kodiac, who has produced Group One winners Tiggy Wiggy and Hello Youmzain amongst many other high class horses. 

The Next Generation:

J STREET - Born: 2022 - Sire: Washington DC - Dam: Mookhlesa
Record to Date: Unraced. (Wearing saddle cloth #1)

The first named juvenile for Craig Lidster and Nick Bradley Racing in 2024 is J Street, a speedily bred filly who could be an early type for her owners.
Her sire Washington DC was a rapid sort on the racecourse when trained by Aidan O'Brien and won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot before chasing home Air Force Blue in Group One company. He would remain a high class sort over the minimum trip with placed finishes in the Prix de l'Abbaye, Temple Stakes and Flying Five Stakes. At stud, Washington DC has produced the tough and classy Washington Heights as well as sixteen individual winners. 
On the female side, there is plenty to like with J Street's pedigree. Her dam Mookhlesa was a very lightly raced winner on the track but is related to the precocious juvenile listed winner Vintage Brut. From the immediate family, J Street is a half sister to capable handicapper Universal Gleam, a six time winner for Keith Dalgleish.

With a promising pedigree and compact build, J Street has all the hallmarks of a sprinter and she will be aimed at the early meetings on turf at venues such as Doncaster, Beverley and Redcar. 

LUCENT - Born: 2022 - Sire: Mehmas - Dam: Spectralight
Record to Date: Unraced (Wearing saddle cloth #5)
It may be early days yet for this young filly, but she has made a good first impression on everyone within the operation and could be an exciting sort this season.

Her sire Mehmas enjoyed a brief yet high class career on the track, winning the July Stakes and Richmond Stakes to establish himself as a leading juvenile from his class. He would retire as a two year old but made a flying start with his progeny. He won the award for leading first season sire in 2020, thanks to his Gimcrack winning son Minzaal. Since then, he has also produced leading juvenile sprinters of the past five years including Supremacy, Persian Force and Lusail. Therefore, Mehmas is a go-to sire for speedy types and this filly could be another rapid sort. She is the first offspring of the racemare Spectralight, who won at Listed level in Italy and herself is related to other pattern level winners in Europe.

Spending the winter in the hands of former jockey George Challoner, now a respected pre-trainer of yearlings, her school report was glowing. Showing plenty of sharp speed in her work, Challoner opted to ease up on the training in order to avoid the filly reaching her peak too soon. The ability to learn her job quickly will come in handy once the season gets underway and this filly has a good reputation to deliver on.  An entry in two valuable sales races at Newmarket at the tail end of the season show a good idea of the regard she is held in. 

WAYWARD DAUGHTER - Born: 2022 - Sire: Unfortunately - Dam: Fearless Flyer
Record to Date: Unraced. (Wearing saddle cloth #3)

A cheap purchase price at the sales may not look as appealing on first look, but this compact filly could soon turn into a bargain buy when she reaches the track.

Purchased at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale in Ireland last year, the sales ring was barren which meant a low bid was a nice bonus to secure this daughter of Unfortunately. Her sire was a high class juvenile in his own right, winning the Group One Prix Morny over in France and was crowned champion juvenile in France despite been trained in North Yorkshire by Karl Burke. Unfortunately has since developed into a reliable sort at stud and has produced plenty of high class sprinters from a limited number of matings. His star filly Perdika has won six times including at listed level before finishing a brilliant second in the Prix de l'Abbaye. Other progeny include useful multiple winners Looking For Lynda, Rock Of England and Rock Opera. The filly's dam Fearless Flyer was lightly raced for Irish trainer Tommy Stack but achieved plenty on the track. Winning a Canadian Group Three on her last start, she retired to stud as a valuable broodmare prospect. The bay filly is also a half sister to the smart Crius, who was trained by Richard Hannon and won three times with a peak rating of 110. 

With a smart pedigree and top trainer of youngsters, it could be an interesting first season for this filly as she continues to grow in size and ability. On breeding, she would appear to be a sprinter, but with plenty of stayers further down the line in the pedigree she could be one for a few year's time.

STAT GODDESS - Born: 2022 - Sire: Inns Of Court - Dam: Suffer Her
Record to Date: Unraced (Wearing saddle cloth #4)

The latest progeny from reliable sire Inns Of Court, this filly follows in the footsteps of older stablemates Indication Call and Buttercross Flyer. She also hails from a family which the Nick Bradley Racing team know very well.

Just like the aforementioned Unfortunately filly, this youngster was purchased at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale in Ireland. The low turnout in the sales ring allowed those in attendance, including Nick Bradley, to get a good look at the yearlings as they paraded through the ring. She would be another cheap purchase and has the potential to double the profit on the track. Her sire Inns Of Court failed to breakthrough at the highest level in France, but was always on the premises in big races such as the Prix Jacques Le Marois and Prix de la Foret. His first crop of juveniles took to the track last year and returned to a healthy strike rate. Progeny include speedy types Tropical Island, Ziggy's Dream and Megarry who all won more than once in 2023. The dam Suffer Her was unraced but is related to plenty of useful types including the tough handicapper Rigoletto. She has since produced numerous foals at stud and the best of those would be Tahoo, a filly who carried the colours of Nick Bradley Racing to success on four occasions. 
Everyone involved will be hoping for more success in the family as this filly continues to show promise from week to week. As she is qualified for prize money bonuses, she could have a profitable first season on the track with the listed Marygate Stakes at York pencilled in as an early target.

CITY OF STRANGERS - Born: 2022 - Sire: City Light - Dam: Perfect Stranger
Record To Date: Unraced (Wearing saddle cloth #2)

This filly can provide excitement for the stable as a potential flag bearer for the stable with returns to French racetracks on the horizon this year.

Nick Bradley is a keen supporter of the Osarus sales in France and had his expert eye locked onto this filly from the outset. He was even prepared to pay over the odds for the filly such was his lofty expectations on first looks. Paying just 13,000 euros for the filly, she is qualified for French premium bonus events which could see a first overseas runner for the Craig Lidster team. She is by second season sire City Light, a leading sprinter trained in France who was placed in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot back in 2018. His first crop of two year olds stepped onto the track last year and the first crop included the ill-fated but very talented Denruth Diamond, dual winner La Belle Potelle and the promising Rock The Kasbah. With plenty learnt from his first crop, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see City Light's progeny given more support in the future. The filly's dam Perfect Stranger was lightly raced on the track, winning once, but is herself related to the promising The Famous Five, a dual winner in France.

Given his exploits to find a bargain over the years, it is noteworthy to find out about Nick Bradley's eagerness to secure this filly at a sales ring he finds many winners at. Hopes are high that she can make an instant hit on the track and turn out to be a bargain. 

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