'He's always been a favourite' - fortuitous timing for March Hare Stud team

For March Hare Stud's Luke and Rosie Gedge-Gibson, the arrival of former Darley sire and Middle Park Stakes winner Charming Thought was a dream come true.

Having been enthusiastic supporters of the son of Oasis Dream since his first season at stud in 2017, they are hoping that, with the full backing of the newly created Peckham Bloodstock and Racing, breeders will get behind the 11-year-old.

It was an impeccable piece of timing in terms of Charming Thought's arrival at his new abode, as his daughter Amy C soared to a Grade 3 win in the Las Cienegas Stakes at Santa Anita on Monday - her third victory from her last four starts.

The five-year-old, a winner in France for Henry Spiller before heading to the United States in the summer of 2021, was from her sire's first crop and is, notably, his first Graded winner.

Rosie Gedge-Gibson said of their new stallion: "Peckham Bloodstock and Racing is a new partnership involving a couple of people who got together to buy him.

"He's always been one of mine and Luke's favourites, we sent mares to him in his first season, and when Darley made him available to us we were delighted."

While Charming Thought never quite hit the heights at Dalham Hall Stud, he has shown himself capable of producing good horses.

They include Charterhouse, the winner of a Listed event and Group 3-placed for John Murphy; Totally Charming, the winner of a Class 2 handicap on Oaks day at Epsom last June; and the now Hong Kong-based Lightning Warrior, who defeated Listed winner Fearby by five lengths in the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket in 2021.

Gedge-Gibson said: "We were over the moon to acquire Charming Thought as he's a horse we've highly regarded as breeders.

"He seems to be producing a lot of winners from different crosses and over different trips. He's never really had the biggest books of mares so for him to have the statistics he has just shows how good he is.

"He'll have a lot of support from us and the new partnership, and there's quite a lot of interest in him already."

Charming Thought's arrival at March Hare further boosts the start of what is an exciting new chapter for the stud, having relocated from Dorset to Godalming in Surrey a year ago.

On the reasons for the move before the 2022 breeding season, Gedge-Gibson said: "It was to make us more accessible to everyone; where we are based seems to be around two hours from everyone so we're more central now and it makes our stallions more available."

Last year also saw the durable Master Carpenter's first crop of juveniles hit the track. One of them, Gedge-Gibson's homebred Alicefromumbridge, made it two winners from six individual runners - for a strike-rate of 33 per cent - for the Group 3 winner when scoring at Lingfield on Monday.

Gedge-Gibson said of the son of Mastercraftsman: "He had a new winner the other day, one who is out of our own mare so she's a proper homebred.

"He's doing really well as he's had only six runners so far and two individual winners - one of whom has won twice - while the others have all shown promise as well. Most of his progeny haven't run yet but he's definitely producing racehorses."

The March Hare roster is completed by an eclectic mix of young sires, namely Windsor Castle Stakes winner Southern Hills; Listed winner and 2,000 Guineas runner-up Tip Two Win; Listed winner and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes second Roseman, whose first foals arrive this season; Diplomat, a smart dual-purpose son of Teofilo who has his first foals sell later this month at Goffs UK; Scat Daddy's Graded winner Legends Of War; and the tough Mr Scaramanga.

Gedge-Gibson said: "We're super excited to see Roseman's first foals this year, he covered a really nice book of mares. Diplomat, Tip Two Win, Southern Hills and Legends Of War are all on their second crop of foals - we can't wait to get to their runners now!"

The stallions will be on show at March Hare Stud this Sunday. Registrations to attend can be made at marchharestud.co.uk/2023stallionparade.

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