Mamma Mia! How Abba legend Benny Andersson is behind a budding blue hen and her brilliant family - Racing Post

Abba Legend Benny Andersson Builds an Equine Dynasty With Lavender’s Blue

ABBA co-founder Benny Andersson has spent decades crafting a global musical catalog that has sold roughly 400 million records worldwide. Yet, according to reporting by the Racing Post, the legendary composer once insisted that owning the first two home in a race at Ovrevoll beat anything he did with Abba.

Benny Andersson made a rare public appearance today, performing a reworked version of "Mamma Mia" in support of Swedish left-wing candidate Magdalena Andersson pic.twitter.com/p78NxnKYHA

— https://x.com/ABBA_UPDATES_/status/2099188667835129892

The foundation of this equine dynasty traces back to Mondschein, a daughter of Rainbow Quest purchased on Andersson’s behalf by bloodstock agents Johnnie Lewis and Peter Doyle. Named after Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Mondschein carried the musician’s black and grey check silks to victory for trainer John Dunlop.

From the Studio to the Stud Farm

Anthony Rogers of Airlie Stud notes that despite his demanding schedule as one of the world’s most famous musicians, Andersson remains deeply engaged in the daily management of his bloodstock. Rogers regularly sends WhatsApp updates, photos, and videos of the stock to the songwriter.

“Sometimes when I ring him he says he can’t speak, he’s in the studio, and I say ‘oh my God, Benny, don’t worry, you carry on’,” Rogers told the Racing Post. “I’m mortified to think that I might have disrupted the recording of his latest platinum-selling album.”

Andersson’s hands-on approach extends to mating plans, which he formulates alongside a trusted brains trust including Rogers, Jessica Long—who manages Andersson’s interests in Sweden alongside her husband Padraig—and bloodstock adviser Ross Doyle.

Recent Track Success and Sales

Lavender’s Blue has translated her on-track brilliance into a promising broodmare career. Her first foal, the three-year-old Time Test gelding Time Thief, secured two wins from three starts under trainer Tom Clover, capturing a competitive handicap at Kempton after turning down lucrative summer offers. Meanwhile, her two-year-old Camelot filly, Divide And Conquer, commanded 320,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale before breaking her maiden at Bath for trainer Ralph Beckett and Victorious Forever.

Mamma Mia! How Abba legend Benny Andersson is behind a budding blue hen and her brilliant family - Racing Post — Photo: swedishhorseracing.com

Additional reporting from swedishhorseracing.com highlights how the family’s international footprint spans decades, noting that earlier generations like Sibelius claimed the Danish Derby in 2004 while Ray triumphed at the opening of Stockholm’s Bro Park in 2016. Andersson’s racing enterprise, frequently referenced under the banner of Chess Racing, continues to balance commercial decisions with sporting ambition.

While Andersson maintains that racing serves primarily as a hobby rather than a profit-driven venture, practical business considerations occasionally enter the equation.