Meon Valley Stud is a

horse breeding Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in ...

farm, based at Dean Farm,

Bishop's Waltham Bishop's Waltham (or Bishops Waltham) is a medieval market town situated at the source of the River Hamble in Hampshire, England. It has a foot in the South Downs National Park and is located at the midpoint of a long-established route betwe ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

. Founded in 1980 by Egon Weinfeld, it has produced numerous major winners.

History

Dean Farm had been the training base of Bill Wightman, best known for handling the steeplechaser

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

. After Wightman left the farm after the Second World War the land was used for arable farming before being acquired in 1979 by Egon Weinfeld (1928–2013) who founded the Meon Valley Stud. Weinfeld was an Austrian-born businessman who had come to Britain as an eleven-year-old refugee and had established Helena Springfield Ltd as a successful textile business.

John Gosden John Harry Martin Gosden (born 30 March 1951) is a British racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the Arc, the King George, the Eclipse, and over 600 winners ...

described him as "an extraordinary breeder and a brilliant man". The stud's homebred horses raced in the colours of Helena Springfield Ltd, which were black with white spots and a white cap. After Weinfeld's death in 2013 the management of the stud was taken over by his son Mark. The stud sells most of its produce at auction but often keeps back the best of its fillies as potential broodmares.

Foundation mares

The stud's four foundation mares were Home And Away, One In A Million, Odeon and Reprocolor who were purchased for Weinfeld by the bloodstock agent Richard Galpin. One in a Million was bought for 18,500

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...

Tattersalls Tattersalls (formerly Tattersall's) is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founding It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall (1724–1795), who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. T ...

Houghton Sale in October 1977. She was an outstanding racehorse who won the

Nell Gwyn Stakes The Nell Gwyn Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Ne ...

1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

and

Coronation Stakes The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is schedul ...

in 1979. Her descendants have included

Milligram The kilogram (also kilogramme) is the unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), having the unit symbol kg. It is a widely used measure in science, engineering and commerce worldwide, and is often simply called a kilo colloquially. ...

One So Wonderful One So Wonderful (4 May 1994 – February 2012) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. A temperamental filly who was sometimes difficult to train, she is best known for winning the International Stakes in 1998. After winning on ...

Kissogram A singing telegram is a message that is delivered by an artist in a musical form. Singing telegrams are historically linked to normal telegrams, but tend to be humorous. Sometimes the artist is in costume or formal clothing. Western Union, the A ...

(

Sun Chariot Stakes The Sun Chariot Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

), Speedy Boarding, Alnasr Alwasheek (

Dante Stakes The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at Y ...

), Relatively Special (

Rockfel Stakes The Rockfel Stakes is a Group races, Group 2 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Filly, fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse, New ...

), Sun Boat (

San Diego Handicap The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late July/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles o ...

), Anapurna (

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

) and Hoo Ya Mal (second in the

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

). One in a Million died in 1992 at the age of 16. Odeon was purchased for 38,000 guineas at the same sale at which One in a Million was acquired. She won the

Galtres Stakes The Galtres Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 188 yards (2,385 metres ...

and finished second in the

Fillies' Mile The Fillies' Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is schedu ...

Nassau Stakes The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong a ...

and

Park Hill Stakes The Park Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards (2,9 ...

. She was the dam of Shirley Superstar who produced the Oaks winner

Lady Carla Lady Carla (8 March 1993 – 2012) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1996. In a racing career which lasted from October 1995 to July 1997 the filly ran six times and won three races. After ...

. Reprocolor was acquired at auction by Weinfeld for 25,000 guineas in December 1977. She won the Pretty Polly Stakes,

Lingfield Oaks Trial The Oaks Trial Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 133 yards () at Lingfield Pa ...

and the

Lancashire Oaks The Lancashire Oaks is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 175 yards (2, ...

. She became an outstanding broodmare whose descendants have included

Colorspin Colorspin (16 March 1983 – 14 August 2012) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed great promise as a two-year-old in 1985 when she won both of her races in convincing fashion. In the following y ...

, Bella Colora (Prix de l'Opéra),

Izzi Top Izzi Top is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from October 2010 until October 2012 she ran twelve times and won six races. As four-year-old in 2012 she won two Group One races- the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland and the ...

, Cezanne,

Kayf Tara Kayf Tara (18 March 1994 – 8 December 2022) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire (horse), sire. Background Kayf Tara was bred in England by the Meon Valley Stud. His dam Colorspin won the Irish Oaks and had previously produced the mu ...

Opera House An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

, Stagecraft (

Prince of Wales's Stakes The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 met ...

), Caspar Netscher (

Gimcrack Stakes The Gimcrack Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to t ...

Mill Reef Stakes The Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-olds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled ...

, Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen,

Nearctic Stakes The Nearctic Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The Grade II sprint is raced on turf over a distance of six furlongs and currently offers a purse of $232,290. Prev ...

), Suez (

Dick Poole Stakes The Dick Poole Stakes is a Conditions races, Group 3 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Filly, fillies. It is run at Salisbury Racecourse, Salisbury o ...

), Alessandro Volta (

Lingfield Derby Trial The Derby Trial Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 133 yards () a ...

), Alkaadhem (

Jebel Hatta The Jebel Hatta is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 2000 at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Raced on turf, it is open to horses four-years-old and up who were bred in the Northern Hemisphere and to horses three-yea ...

Necklace A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve Ceremony, ceremonial, Religion, religious, magic (illusion), magical, or Funerary ...

, France (

Tetrarch Stakes The Tetrarch Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) at the Curragh in early May. History The e ...

), Torch Rouge (

Arlington Handicap The Arlington Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the turf held annually in late May or early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Th ...

Zee Zee Top Zee Zee Top (foaled 21 April 1999) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She did not race until the autumn of her three-year-old season when she won a minor race on her debut and then finished second in the Severals Stakes. In the ...

(Prix de l'Opéra), Jazzi Top (

Prix de la Nonette The Prix de la Nonette is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is scheduled to ...

) and Telecaster (

Dante Stakes The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at Y ...

). Reprocolor died in 2008 at the age of 32. Home and Away was bought for 60,000 guineas at the 1978 Houghton Sale. She was unraced. She was the female-line ancestor of Noushkey (Lancashire Oaks) and San Sebastian.

Major winners

Meon Valley Stud has produced the following Group 1 winners: ''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

, g =

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

References

{{Reflist Companies established in 1980 Horse farms in the United Kingdom Companies based in Hampshire Racehorse owners and breeders