Meet the man aiming to revive the fortunes of one of Britain's most historic studs

Good Morning Bloodstock is Martin Stevens' daily morning email and presented here online as a sample.

Here he talks to Ben Atkins about the revival and rebranding of Limestone Stud - subscribers can get more great insight from Martin every Monday to Friday.

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Limestone Stud near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire was one of the most prominent British breeding operations in the 20th century, but had faded a little into the background in the past few decades.

Gallinule, a talented sprinter who became champion sire on more than one occasion in the 1900s and wrote himself into turf history as the father of the great Pretty Polly, was bred there in the 1880s when the farm was owned by a Mr JC Hill.

It was renowned sheep and cattle breeder Clifford Nicholson who put Limestone Stud on the map, though. He bought thousands of acres of land in Lincolnshire at knockdown prices during the depression in the 1930s and 40s, and saw its value soar when markets recovered in subsequent decades. He also invested in land in Ireland, where he owned the associated Tara Stud in County Meath, and South Africa.

Nicholson, a founder of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund who was known for turning up at the races wearing a bowler hat and red carnation, was originally a keen owner and breeder of jumpers, and his grey silks with scarlet sleeves, collar, braid and cap were carried by the likes of Champion Hurdle hero Doorknocker.

He later grew more interested in the Flat, and came to stand numerous stallions – at one time, notably, four different Derby winners: Pearl Diver, successful at Epsom, and Arco, Niccolo Dell’Arca and Torbide, who all scored in the Italian version. Niccolo Dell’Arca was a half-brother to the enormously influential Nearco, and their dam Nogara was once a member of the Limestone Stud broodmare band, and died at Tara Stud.

The stud also stood Gold Cup winner Sheshoon – the sire of Sassafras, who beat Nijinsky to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Mon Fils, a 50-1 winner of the 2,000 Guineas – as well as legendary stayer Sagaro, the redoubtable Gunner B and leading first-season sire Nomination.

Among the best horses bred by Limestone Stud were Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Wassl and Queen Mary Stakes winner On Tiptoes, who both descended from Nicholson’s Coronation Stakes and Nassau Stakes winner Haymaking, who in turn hailed from the first crop of July Cup hero Galivanter, a home sire.

Nicholson died in 1972, leaving no heirs, so his farming business was taken on by business partner John Rowles, and is now owned by Rowles’ son Graham Rowles Nicholson, who happened to breed a horse Good Morning Bloodstock readers should be well aware of, as I bang on about him often enough: my favourite National Hunt sire, Midnight Legend.

The farm ceased standing stallions in the 1990s, and the stock list had shrunk to just a handful of mares and their followers by the new millennium, although there has still been some success – not least Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes winner Red Balloons and multiple Listed-placed Marie Of Lyon, both descended from On Tiptoes.

Rowles Nicholson is now stepping aside himself, and with his sons being keen followers of racing but not in a position to take on the running of the stud, local lad Ben Atkins has taken on the lease and is in the process of trying to bring back the glory days.

“Slowly, over the course of time, the family’s interest has turned more towards farming and while the youngest enjoy their racing and are keen to see the place thrive, they don’t necessarily want direct involvement,” says Ben, who is only 34 but has scaled the heights of events management.

On Tiptoes with trainer Jim Leigh - the Queen Mary winner was bred by Limestone StudCredit: Unknown

(For all the fogeys over the age of 30, according to Wikipedia it’s “a surreal experience that takes place in a secluded woodland near the village of Norton Disney, with attendees invited to explore an abandoned world that encompasses dilapidated buildings, old junkyards, hidden gardens and a disused airbase”. Probably not for those of us whose idea of excitement is an afternoon of Antiques Road Trip with a cup of tea and a pack of bourbon biscuits.)

“Graham Rowles Nicholson is a great man but is heading into retirement, and his sons want to see the stud do well, so they’re happy to stand aside and let someone have a go,” continues Ben, who got into horses relatively late in life.

“I was about 21 when I was watching The Last Samurai one Sunday evening, seeing Tom Cruise riding around on a horse wielding a sword, and I thought that looks like fun; I wouldn’t mind a bit of that. So I went to the local riding school and made inquiries.

“I’ve always been self-employed and when I was looking after our eldest son I would take him to the local horse rescue centre just so we could be around horses. Then when the baby was asleep I’d be watching racing on TV, getting more obsessed, noticing and researching different things. I might have had the little bet to make the time pay for itself, but it was the horses themselves that I was really fascinated by.”

Ben eventually joined the local hunt, and became joint-master of a pack, while venturing into running several equine businesses. He has run a riding school and livery yard, successfully dealing with just about every issue a horse can have while doing so, and traded stores and other nascent jumpers with allies including Charlie and Francesca Poste. He has also helped set up several racing syndicates and dipped a toe into the point-to-point scene, even hosting the cult Pointing Pointers podcast.

Ben Atkins has previously worked alongside Charlie Poste (pictured)Credit: Debbie Burt

So what does he have planned for Limestone Stud, which he took on in March and has rebranded as Fairfield Stud. with the stable doors turning from a deep shade of red to a more modern grey?

“The idea is to have a mixed Flat and National Hunt operation,” he says. “We’ll be boarding and foaling mares and rearing youngstock, and I’m interested in doing a few more yearling to store pinhooks, as I think I have a decent idea of what a good horse looks like, and a good handle on stallions.

“We’ll also be doing sales prep. Becky Crosbie Starling, who I’ve appointed to look after the day-to-day running of the stud, has a lot of experience in the showing and eventing world, so it goes without saying that she can get a horse looking in peak condition. She’s an especially good feeder of a horse; she doesn’t cut any corners with things like that.

“Otherwise, without wanting to sound too laid-back, I’m finding my way with things, and trying to work out how we can support our prospective clients best, and what we enjoy doing most.”

Limestone, or rather Fairfield Stud, certainly has enough space for lots of new customers, with only a handful of the 65 impeccably built old-school, solid and spacious boxes currently filled. There is also a covered horse walker, lunge pen and access to a six-furlong gallop, with Michael Herrington training from the racing stables on the adjoining estate owned by Rowles Nicholson.

“It’s a gorgeous yard with fantastic facilities, but it’s large and will take some filling as we’re starting from scratch,” says Ben. “In a farm of this size if you’re not moving forwards, nature quickly takes over and everything goes backwards. The Rowles Nicholsons have built an incredible place, and I just want to drive it on.

“A lot of the neighbouring paddocks are in use for cattle, but as we get more horses in we should be able to get some back. What would be nice, and achievable, is half the boxes being filled by winter, so we can rotate them around. I think half capacity would suit the current grazing we have available.

Atkins has mares in foal to the likes of Land Force at the studCredit: Highclere Stud

“Because I’m only 40 minutes from Doncaster, I’m also wondering whether we could act as a base for Irish or other overseas people; perhaps if they wanted to drop them off two weeks early and we could finish them off, or if someone, say a breeze-up consignor, buys a lot of horses at Goffs UK they could leave a few with us to help manage the numbers.”

At the moment, the brand new operation is home mostly only to Ben’s bloodstock holdings, who include Deluxe Music, a winning daughter of Lope De Vega in foal to Land Force, Sovereign Gold, a winning Gold Well mare being covered by Jack Hobbs, and some Falco youngsters he plans to run in point-to-points.

As part of the deal to take on the yard he is also now the proud owner of Szabo’s Art, an Excellent Art mare descended from On Tiptoes who has produced multiple winners Serjeant Painter and Tyche, which serves as a pleasing bridge to the stud’s rich past. She is being covered by Lope Y Fernandez this season.

“I’ve always been doing bits of bloodstock in the background without a yard to call my own, so I’m really excited about having a base,” says Ben.

This isn’t any base, though. This is the former home of Pearl Diver, Sheshoon and Sagaro, and the birthplace of my beloved Midnight Legend – and in my adopted home county of Lincolnshire, to boot.

Midnight Legend: brilliant sire was born at the studCredit: Pat Healy

So, while I was very impressed by Ben’s knowledge, enthusiasm and work ethic as he showed me around the yard last week, I’m afraid I did give him the third degree over whether all that history was safe in the hands of someone so young. The answer was unequivocal.

“This isn’t a flash in the pan,” came the reply. “I’ve been fairly entrepreneurial, and events are my day job, but horses are my passion and also a big part of my professional life.

“Running a livery yard and riding school, and getting involved in all sorts of bloodstock investments, has given me a good all-round knowledge of horses and the racing industry. I’ve also employed an outstanding horse woman in Becky, so I know the running of the stud on a daily basis is in the safest of hands.

“I feel like everything I’ve done with horses has been to arrive at this point of getting a fantastic opportunity to run a top-class yard just ten minutes from home. I’m just looking forward to kicking on now.”

What do you think?

Share your thoughts with other Good Morning Bloodstock readers by emailing gmb@racingpost.com

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