Newsells Park Stud sire Nathaniel has won the British EBF Stallion Special Merit Award. The award recognises British based stallions that reward breeders through value for money, accessibility and performance, without, necessarily, the advantages of large books of mares or the high fees such popularity commands.

For their achievements in the 2022 flat season, the judging panel chose Nathaniel, as at a consistently reasonable fee, he offers breeders soundness, durability, pedigree and talent. The sire of Enable has now added a Derby winner, Desert Crown, to his list of Stakes winners which also included last season: multiple Gr.2 winner Quickthorn, Gr.3 winners Poptronic and Zechariah, and Listed winner Nate The Great.

Panellist Emma Berry wrote in the TDN: “There are few stallions in the world who will ever sire a filly of the calibre of Enable (GB), but the brilliant light of his stud career shines well beyond that obvious beacon.”

The panel pointed his ability to consistently produce quality at an eye-catching fee: “Nathaniel has had to overcome a widely held prejudice against stoutly bred sires that deliver mainly middle-distance and staying horses, but in 2022 he reminded everyone that class and quality are the most important traits that a stallion can transmit, by adding an unbeaten Derby winner in Desert Crown to a roll of honour that already included Enable, one of the best fillies we are likely to see in our lifetime, and other top-class performers such as Channel, God Given and Lady Bowthorpe. He remains excellent value for breeders seeking to produce a top-class athlete at a fee of £15,000 in his 11th consecutive year at Newsells Park Stud.”