Last Updated on July 29, 2026
Old Gold Racing has added another promising young horse to its ranks, with Twelve Bars set to begin his racing career from Hugo Palmer’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire.
The well-balanced colt was bought for 40,000 guineas by Highflyer Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale. He is by the top-class sprinter and miler Space Blues, out of the Sepoy mare Tamaara, and will be owned fully by Old Gold Racing members once all 2,750 shares have been sold.
Hugo Palmer has already been pleased with what he has seen since Twelve Bars arrived at his yard. The trainer described him as a big, pleasant horse who has settled into his new routine without any problems.
“He’s a nice, big horse,” said Palmer. “He’s settled in really nicely to work here. He’s a nice ride.”
Palmer feels the colt has the build to improve with time, yet he has already shown enough strength to suggest that he could make his racecourse debut at two.
“He’s got the size and scope to really be a three-year-old, but he’s strong enough through his top line, and he’s done enough already to suggest that he’s going to race as a two-year-old.”
A Son of Space Blues
Twelve Bars is from the early crops of Space Blues, one of Godolphin’s best turf horses of recent years.
Space Blues won on his only start as a two-year-old before progressing into a high-class performer. He won the Listed Surrey Stakes at three and reached his peak over the following two seasons.
His first Group 1 victory came in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. He later added the Prix de la Forêt at Longchamp and ended his career with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Space Blues retired after winning 11 of his 19 starts and earning just under £2 million in prize money. He now stands at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland.
His first runners have made a strong start, led by Group 1 winner Power Blue. Timeform rated Power Blue as the highest-rated European juvenile by a first-season sire in 2025.
Space Blues is also the sire of Do Or Do Not, who has been placed several times at Group 2 level. Those performances include a placing in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Buyers have shown plenty of interest in his stock at public sales. His yearlings have sold for prices including €200,000, €190,000 and €170,000.
A Strong Godolphin Family
Twelve Bars is the second named foal out of Tamaara, who ran twice as a two-year-old before retiring to stud.
She has already produced Mammami, a five-time winner who has been placed on another six occasions. The wider family contains several well-known names linked to Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed’s breeding operation.
These include the stakes winners and later stallions Kabool and Harbour Watch. Further back in the family is Dubai Millennium, the outstanding racehorse who became champion three-year-old miler and later sired Dubawi.
Tamaara is by Sepoy, a leading Australian sprinter who won several races at the highest level during his career.
Sepoy has since produced several smart horses at stud, including Group 1 winners Salute The Soldier and Alizee. His daughters have started to make their mark as broodmares too, producing Group winners such as Steparty and Watchem Win.
The mix of Space Blues, Sepoy and the wider Godolphin family gives Twelve Bars a pedigree filled with speed, while his size suggests he may continue to improve as he grows and strengthens.
Trained at Manor House Stables
Hugo Palmer began training in 2011 and saddled his first stakes winner the following year when Making Eyes won at Listed level.
His first major stable star was Covert Love, who won two Group 1 races and helped the yard pass £1 million in prize money for the first time.
Palmer enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 2016. Galileo Gold gave him a first British Classic when winning the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, while Hawksmoor won the German 1,000 Guineas.
In March 2022, Palmer moved from Newmarket to Manor House Stables, the Cheshire training base owned by former England footballer Michael Owen.
His first stakes winner from the yard arrived when Brad The Brief won the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes. That success was Palmer’s 48th stakes victory as a trainer.
He has since trained a number of useful Group performers from the stable, including The Waco Kid, Make You Smile, Fitzella, Cheshire Dancer and Seagulls Eleven.
NEW SYNDICATE HORSES
Old Gold Racing suits fans who want a clear view of ownership costs, regular contact, and a social racing experience, without ongoing monthly bills.
Twelve Bars Share Price and Ownership
A share in Twelve Bars costs £64, with no other partners involved in the horse. Once all 2,750 shares are sold, Old Gold Racing members will collectively own 100 per cent of him.
The £64 price includes £16.73 for the value of the racehorse, £14.58 for training and veterinary costs, £6.58 for insurance and racing fees, a £20 management fee and £6.11 placed into contingency funds.
Old Gold Racing does not charge owners VAT, so members do not need to go through the process of reclaiming it.
Any money left unused at the end of the syndicate term is returned to owners on a pro-rata basis. Members can withdraw that money or put it towards renewing their share or buying into another horse.
Twelve Bars now begins the early stages of his training with the prospect of racing later in his two-year-old season. His exact race plans will depend on how he develops over the coming months, but the early comments from Palmer suggest that he has settled well and made a positive start.
