Keith and Eileen Harte in move to The Stud at Woburn

Windsor Clive International negotiated the move for Keith Harte Bloodstock to the historic stud at Woburn. EBN article from July 11th Stud News KEITH HARTE BLOODSTOCK MOVES TO WOBURN STUD Keith Harte Bloodstock Ltd is moving from Shutford Stud in Oxfordshire to Bedfordshire to be based at the newly named "Woburn Stud", formerly Bloomsbury Stud, which was managed by Henrietta Duchess of Bedford in partnership with her husband, Robin, and son Andrew until 2010.

"We wanted to find a farm in a good location with enough scope to allow our business to grow and Woburn Stud suits our needs perfectly," says Keith Harte. "It is a wonderful farm of over 300 acres of which we will lease 140 acres initially, but which will allow us access to more land should we expand. There are 30 stables, a foaling yard, foaling boxes, six barns, a horse-walker, lunging ring and solarium; we will have all the facilities we require for our business."

The stud has a record of producing very sound horses with good bone, with many Group and Stakes winners. It is a farm that works so well due to the meticulous planning and management by the Duchess of Bedford since the stud was begun 45 years ago. “Geographically, the farm could not be in a better location being within an hour's drive Newmarket, while it is also close to other excellent stallion studs making it an ideal location for walking-in mares.

"With the superb facilities we are looking to continue developing our own consigning business, while also providing first-class boarding facilities for our established clients and their mares, as well as for new patrons."

Irish-born Keith and his wife Eileen moved to England in 2005 and have been based at Shutford Stud since 2006. The couple's business has become a well-respected entity in the bloodstock world and is known for consigning professionally produced yearlings, running their own profitable pin-hooking syndicate operation, as well as having permanent boarders and walk-in mares. Highlights from last year's consignment include the sale of a colt by New Approach to John Ferguson for 170,000gns, while a colt by Invincible Spirit was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 140,000gns.

"A number of people have supported us over the last seven years and Mr Rootes and Mr Waller, owners of Shutford Stud, have played a major part in helping us become established in the UK," says Harte.

"They gave us the opportunity of leasing Shutford, which has provided a fantastic start for our business. We are delighted that they want us to continue being involved with their high-class stock at Shutford. " We are very much looking forward to working with the Duke Of Bedford, who has been extremely helpful throughout our negotiations. Our overriding aim at Woburn Stud is to continue Bloomsbury Stud's excellent tradition of producing the high-class horses that it has been doing so successfully for the last 45 years.

"Bloomsbury Stud dispersed its bloodstock at the 2010 Tattersalls December Sale, with the mare First, a granddaughter of the stud's matriarch Mrs Moss, fetching 1.1 million gns. The aggregate for the 28 lots sold was 3,899,000gns with the average price being 165,944gns. Mrs Moss founded a dynasty for Bloomsbury: from 15 foals, she produced eleven winners, five of them blacktype, including the Japan Cup winner Jupiter Island and the speedy juvenile filly Pushy, winner of the Gr.2 Queen Mary Stakes. Mrs Moss is also the ancestress of numerous Stakes winners, including the Gr.2 winner Danceabout, the Gr.3 winner Bluebook, as well as Myself, Perfect Stride and Presto Vento. Mrs Moss is now leaving her mark in the southern hemisphere, where Precedence has won over a million dollars and has run in the last three Melbourne Cups for trainer Bart Cummings, while Tavistock, a multiple Gr.1 winner by Montjeu, is standing at Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud in New Zealand alongside Zabeel.

The Woburn Stud will become Keith and Eileen Harte's home.

Contact Keith Harte Bloodstock on +44 (0) 1295 780 390 /+44 (0) 7748 755 553,
Email: info@keithharte.com