Jim with Chicadoro and her handler Amber after The Pretty Polly Stakes May 2016James (Jim) Atkinson and Marta Ortega formed James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd in June 2014 to manage their horse racing and breeding operations and in January 2015 Jim left the health care industry where he had worked for 34 years to focus on running the company.
We aim to develop and sustain a commercially viable thoroughbred racing and breeding operation that is capable of competing at the highest levels throughout the horse racing and breeding world and, on occasion, being successful!
Marta & Chicadoro
James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd currently owns six thoroughbred broodmares of which four are based at Manor House Farm Stud near Tring, Hertfordshire in the UK and two at Haras Du Logis near Trun, Normandy in France. Although it is early days and statistically low numbers, as of 19 May 2020 twenty nine horses bred by James Ortega Bloodstock have run of which 16 have won for a winners to runners ratio of 55%. The average official rating of these runners (where rated) is 80 and there are five who have gained black type for a black type to runners percentage of 17%.
Four of the broodmares have produced a winner and two have not had a runner. All of them were purchased (apart from homebred Aureana) at stages of their career where they had not produced a winner except the old girl of the pack Birthstone who has had four winners to date. Developing the broodmare in her career is a key part of the operation as exemplified by the case of Bayja (Giant's Causeway x Bayberry 2007) who has produced four winners from five runners including New Providence who won a Group 3 at two and another at three as well as achieving two Group 2 places as well as Ekhtiyaar who has been Group 3 placed and rated 112. Bayja was sold for 340,000 guineas at the 2015 Tattersalls December Breeding Stock Sale and is continuing her career at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland where she had a Dark Angel filly in 2016 called New Revenue who has had one promising run when third at the backend of her two year old career, a Make Believe colt in 2017 called Dick Datchery who won second time out at 2yo and a New Bay filly in 2018. We believe that the breeding and racing side of the operation are fundamentally intertwined. Whilst the majority of the progeny will be sold, some may be retained to race by James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd to support the development of the broodmare in her breeding career. These are more likely to be fillies but could also be colts and commercial factors as well as the key concerns for the broodmare band and the horses' welfare will always be considered first before making any decision to race offspring bred by the company.
As far as the racing side is concerned, James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd had its first runner in 2015 in a Paco Boy filly out of a Barathea mare (Going For Gold) called Chicadoro. Trained by Ralph Beckett, Chicadoro won over a mile at Haydock on her third start and we were thrilled with her when she gained black type when coming second in the listed Pretty Polly Stakes in May 2016 on her three year old debut. In late 2016 we sent Azpeitia (Showcasing x Leaves You Baby 2015) to Ralph's stables at Kimpton Down and, after making an encouraging debut at Doncaster on the last day of the 2017 flat turf season finishing fourth beaten just over three lengths, she followed up with a couple of seconds in 2018. Unfortunately she has injured her knee and has been retired to become a broodmare herself. She is three parts in blood related to exciting 2016 colt Group 1 winner Advertise and being by Showcasing out of a Pivotal mare has an attractive pedigree. Chicadoro herself was sold to race in the USA in 2016 and won on her third start in late November in impressive style. Also in 2016 and 2017 James Ortega Bloodstock Ltd managed the Daunt Rock Partnership which included Tallulah Rocks (Tagula x Daunt Rock 2014 filly). She was in training in Lambourn with Jonathan Portman but unfortunately did not develop as hoped and was sent for racehorse retraining in August of 2017 with Kelly Manser.
The key partners from the beginning in developing the company's bloodstock are Manor House Farm Stud owners Judy and Mandy Rawding and bloodstock advisor Martin Percival (Boyce Bloodstock Ltd) whose hard work and excellent advice have been so important since we started the operation. Also Julian Ince and his team at Haras Du Logis have provided an excellent base for our French bred mares and their advice has been very helpful. We also get excellent attention from Tim Brown and colleagues of Hampden Veterinary Hospital for all veterinary needs. We highly recommend all of them!
We take great pride with our partners in looking after all our horses to the highest standards to help them live happy and healthy lives!
Broodmares at Manor House Farm Stud
Feel free to contact us by e-mail at info@jamesortegabloodstock.com.