PULLOUT PREVIEW Tuesday, January 9, 2018
ITM STALLION TRAIL JANUARY 12-13
Galileo among the stars on show at Irish stud showcase
Bullet Train settling into his new home in County Waterford �� Pages 10 and 11
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 racingpost.com
YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THE STARS WHO WILL SHAPE RACING FOR GENERATIONS T Studs up and down Ireland will open their doors this week to breeders and bloodstock enthusiasts
HIS is where the stories start and these are the stars who make them happen. These are the names whose mention evokes memories of glorious days gone by, of thrilling battles and unforgettable victories. These are the horses whose names live long after their days on the racetrack and will endure down the ages for many generations. This is Sea The Stars, who lit up that amazing summer of 2009 when his stunning
victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe capped a campaign of unbridled Classic joy. This is Dawn Approach. A Classic-winning son of a Classic winner whose battles with great rival Toronado kept us all gripped back in 2013. This is Flemensfirth, a Group 1 winner on the Flat but whose presence has been felt most over jumps. A prolific sire of National Hunt stars, he boasts the likes of Imperial Commander and Tidal Bay on his considerable roll of honour. This is Dark Angel, source of the kind of breathtaking speed
exhibited last year by star sprinters Harry Angel and Battaash. And this is Galileo, greatest of the great and a wonder in our time. Brilliant on the track and a sire of unparalleled dominance. His sons and daughters, imbued with the most potent blend of quality and determination, have carried all before them for a generation and his impact on the breed will be felt forever. This is your chance to see these stars and many more, and to experience where it all begins.
NEW FOR 2018 AT GLENVIEW STUD
KARPINO 16.11/2 hh B/Br 2012 Cape Cross x Kahara by Sadler’s Wells
This is the ITM Irish Stallion Trail 2018. Take it all in.
Mark Scully, group bloodstock editor Anngrove Stud
Location: Mountmellick, County Laois Stallions in residence: Aiken, Famous Name, Tobougg, Vendangeur Opening hours: 9am to 3pm, Friday, January 12 and Saturday, January 13 Alastair Pim may be best known for his antics on the rostrum at Tattersalls and Tattersalls Ireland, where he auctioneers with his own unique flair, but that is only his part-time job: for most of the year he is the master of Anngrove Stud in County Laois. The stud stood its first stallion, Lucifer, in 1970 and has since been home to a number of leading National Hunt stallions, including Champion Hurdle heroes Alderbrook and Monksfield. New recruit Famous Name was a seasoned campaigner for Khalid Abdullah and Dermot Weld, racing from two to seven and winning no fewer than 13 Group races, placing in the Tattersalls Gold Cup three times and finishing second to Vision D’Etat in the Prix du Jockey Club. Famous Name arrives at Anngrove having stood the past five seasons at the Irish National Stud, from where he supplied the classy sprintermiler Escobar, and he will be shown alongside Aiiken, Tobougg and Venda angeur. Map reference: 01 0 (see centre-sprea ad map)
Annshoon Stud
A Classic Winning Miler Dual Group Winner Undefeated 2-Y-O and Classic Winning 3-Y-O Immediate family of MILAN (dam Black Type full sister) and KAHYASI Outstanding 16.11/2 hh Individual with a Stallion’s Pedigree
Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland • T: 353 25 36701 • E: glenstud@iol.ie • www.rathbarrystud.com
Gilltown Stud’s Sea The Stars will be one of the big draws on this week’s ITM Irish Stallion Trail
Ballintlea, County Kilkenny Koropick, Masterofthehorse, Pillar Coral, Silver Galaxy 10am to 4pm The teamsheet at Michael Shefflin’s Annshoon Stud looks rather different from last year’s ITM Stallion Trail following the recent acquisitions of Koropick, Pillar Coral and Silver Galaxy. Koropick, a son o of
the record-breaking Kodiac, was a close second to Battaash in the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown last June and followed up by winning a Group 3 sprint at Newcastle. He will be joined on the roster by Silver Galaxy, winner of the Jebel Ali Mile and bred on the same Galileo-Pivotal cross as Hydrangea, Magical and Rhododendron. Jumps breeders will surely be drawn to Pillar Coral – a half-brother to Coastal Path, Martaline and Reefscape, all of whom have sired top-f light winners over obstacles. Visitors may also happen to bump into Fruits Of Love, the sire of recent Grade 1 chase winner Simply Ned, who will stand at a private fee this year. Map reference: 02
Arctic Tack Stud
Newbawn, County Wexford Aizavoski, Arcadio, Jet Away, Ol’ Man River 9am to 5pm Eoin Banville’s County Wexford-based operation has become a leading source of National Hunt stallions. Heron Island, sire of Black Hercules and promising chaser Rathvinden, stood here, as did the late Gold Well, an unraced brother to Montjeu whose son Palmers Hill sold for £310,00 00 at Chelteenham in Ma arch having wo on his Tyrella ma aiden so im mpressively. Cleaving to the Montjeu th heme, the stud w ill be keen to sh how off its firstt-crop stallion Ol’ Man M River, a son of the late,
Koropick, a son of the recordbreaking Kodiac, has joined the roster at Annshoon
great stallion out of Finsceal Beo and a Group 2 winner in his own racing career. Also on the roster are Arcadio, a son of Monsun who has been heavily supported by jumps breeders and has supplied Flying Angel and The Game Changer; Aizavoski, another Monsun stallion whose first crop are four-yearolds, and Jet Away, a Group 3-winning son of Cape Cross whose oldest crop are twoyear-olds.
Map reference: 03
Ballyhane Stud
Leighlinbridge, County Carlow Battle Of Marengo, Dandy Man, Elzaam, Prince Of Lir, Red Jazz 9am to 5pm Joe Foley stands a diverse roster at his stud in County Carlow, which has operated for more than a quarter of a century. Dandy Man, a rich source of fast and precocious stock, is considered one of the bestvalue stallions around; the sire of Hong Kong sprinting star Peniaphobia stands at €10,000. Elzaam, who made such a promising start with his first crop including the Listedwinning sprinter Clem Fandango, supplied the Group 2-placed Great Prospector from his second. Ballyhane also has Battle Of Marengo (first two-year-olds) and Prince Of Lir (first foals) coming through the ranks, while Red Jazz, by the same sire as Scat Daddy, supplied 23 first-crop winners in 2017 including Snazzy Jazzy, winner on all three of his starts including a valuable sales race at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend.
Map reference: 04
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Racing Post Tuesday, January 9, 2018
PATRICK McCANN RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS
STA LL IONS FOR
201 8 2017 COVERED AN OUTSTANDING BOOK OF QUALITY MARES FIRST FOALS
2018
Ajaya
Gr.2 Winning 2-Y-O from 51/2 f to 6f Timeform Rating 117 By Leading Sire & Sire of Sires INVINCIBLE SPIRIT from family of BATED BREATH, CITYSCAPE and REDOUTE’S CHOICE
2017 Ballylinch Stud
Thomastown, County Kilkenny Beat Hollow, Fascinating Rock, Lawman, Lope De Vega, Make Believe, New Bay 10am to 4pm Few studs in Ireland boast such a rich or long history as Ballylinch. Major Dermot McCalmont stood the first stallion, The Tetrarch, at the stud in 1914 and it has since been home to a number of top-class stallions headed by the late King’s Theatre. A new chapter opened in 2014 when American businessman John Malone bought the picturesque County Kilkenny stud and the operation has been invigorated since by the acquisition of several top-class stallions. Make Believe, a son of Makfi who won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix de la Foret, had his first foals on the ground last year, while Fascinating Rock, a son of Fastnet Rock who beat Found to win the Champion Stakes and Tattersalls Gold Cup, and New Bay, a son of Dubawi who won the Prix du Jockey Club, will have their first foals this year. The roster is headed byy
Lope De Vega, who has dazzled with his first crops, and also includes the reliable Lawman, sire of St Leger hero Harbour Law and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Just The Judge.
Map reference: 05 Beeches Stud
Lismore, County Waterford Ask, Flemensfirth, Imperial Monarch, Mahler, Sans Frontieres, Ocovango, Soldier Of Fortune 10am to 3pm The McCarthys have stood jumps stallions for Coolmore for many years at their rural stud in County Waterford, with four of its current seven-strong roster by Galileo. The 26-year-old Flemensfirth, who is the highest-priced jumps stallion on the Coolmore roster at €15,000, has supplied topnotchers such as Flemenstar, Imperial Commander and, most recently, the game Challow Novices’ Hurdle winner Poetic Rhythm. An amazing testament to Flemensfirth’s longevity is that he now commences his 21st consecutive covering season. Many of the Beeches Stud residents cover bumper books of mares and Soldier Of
COVERED AN OUTSTANDING BOOK OF QUALITY MARES
Fortune, who arrived from France in 2016, remained Europe’s busiest sire with a book in excess of 350 mares. Map reference: 24
FIRST FOALS
2018
Boardsmill Stud
Trim, County Meath Califet, Court Cave, Kalanisi, Mount Nelson 10am to 4.30pm The Boardsmill Stud squad enjoyed an exceptional 201617 jumps season – each finding themselves with at least one elite winner over jumps, three of whom struck at the Cheltenham Festival. Then, come the Flat season, Mount Nelson recorded a breakthrough Group 1 winner as Librisa Breeze stormed home in the British Champions Sprint over 6f, while another son, Mount Moriah, was a game third in the Irish St Leger, demonstrating how Mount Nelson’s progeny seem to excel over a range of distances, whether on the Flat or over jumps. Map reference: 06
Kodi Bear
Group 2 Winner of 4 Stakes races at 2 & 3 years from 7f to 8f Timeform Rating 123 By KODIAC Champion 2-Y-O Sire 2017
2017 EXCELLENT RESULTS AT THE YEARLING SALES FIRST CROP 2-Y-Os
Bridge House Stud
Mullingar, County Westmeath Cappella Sansevero, Let The Lion Roar, My Dream Boat, Strath Burn Ro 0am to 4.30pm 10 Th he Bridge House Stud roster ha as been rejuvenated in recent yeears and My Dream Boat – wh ho rose through the ranks fro om handicaps to Group 1 co ompany before claiming the scalp of Found in the 2016 P Prince of Wales’s Stakes – is the latest to enter the fold. The son of Lord vvContinues page 4
Librisa Breeze, a breakthrough Group 1 winner for Boardsmill Stud’s Mount Nelson
2018
Moohaajim Gr.2 Winning and Dual Gr.1 placed 2-Y-O By a Gr.1 Champion Sire Cape Cross out of a Kingmambo mare Time form Rating 116 Rathbarry Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland. • Tel +353 (0)25 36362 rathbarr@iol.ie • www.rathbarrystud.com
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 racingpost.com
AMY LYNAM/ITM
vvFrom page 3
Shanakill will be shown alongside Cappella Sansevero, whose oldest crop are now yearlings, Strath Burn, whose first foals arrive this year, and Let The Lion Roar, a son of Sadler’s Wells who finished third in North Light’s Derby. Map reference: 07
Burgage Stud
Leighlinbridge, County Carlow Jukebox Jury, Sea Moon, Shantou 9am to 4pm Victor Connolly’s Burgage Stud has stood many great jumps stallions down the years, with the list headed by Bob Back, whose many top-class chasers include Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth, Boston Bob and Thisthatandtother. “A St Leger winner and a winner of seven Group races by Montjeu from a very good family means there is a lot to like about him,” enthused Connolly on welcoming the operation’s newest recruit Jukebox Jury. He will join Shantou, a son of Alleged who won the St Leger 22 years ago but is still very much in the headlines thanks to his jumps progeny including Death Duty and Beware The Bear; and Sea Moon, a three-parts brother to Brian Boru and winner of Group 2 contests over 1m4f in both hemispheres. Map reference: 08
Castlehyde Stud
Fermoy, County Cork Champs Elysees, Dylan Thomas, Excelebration, Footstepsinthesand, Holy Roman Emperor, Ivawood, Kingston Hill, Requinto, Rock Of Gibraltar, Ruler Of The World, Starspangledbanner, War
Churchill and Highland Reel the latest stars to join their sire Galileo on Coolmore roster Command, Westerner, Yeats 10am to 3pm Castlehyde Stud is home to a mixture of Coolmore Flat and jumps sires, including some household names. Excelebration, a top-class miler who had to play second or third fiddle to Frankel on five of his career starts, beat that rival at stud to a first European Group 1 winner courtesy of Barney Roy, who won the St James’s Palace Stakes and was a close second behind Ulysses in the Eclipse. Racing history buffs will be drawn towards the four-time Gold Cup hero Yeats and the brilliant multiple Group 1 winner Dylan Thomas. Yeats further enhanced his reputation as a promising jumps sire when Shattered Love won a Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, joining Capivari and Augusta Kate as top-flight winners by the sire. Map reference: 09
Coolagown Stud
Fermoy, County Cork Carlotamix, Frozen Fire, Shantaram, Zambezi Sun 10am to 4pm David Stack’s base in County Cork is bound to be on many jumps breeders’ itineraries this weekend. Irish Derby hero Frozen Fire’s oldest crop are five-yearolds and include Frozen Flame, who sold for £145,000 at this year’s Tattersalls Ireland
Cheltenham January Sale, while the first Irish-bred crop of Carlotamix, sire of dual French Champion Hurdle winner Gemix, are now fouryear-olds. Zambezi Sun, sire of recent impressive hurdle winner Bulkov, was recruited from France in 2016, while Shantaram, whose oldest crop are three-year-olds, is bred on the same Galileo-Darshaan cross as the likes of Acapulco, Feel Like Dancing and Gan Amhras. The quick-witted Stack can be relied upon to provide more than a few quips as he shows his stallions to visitors. Map reference: 10
Coolmore Stud
Fethard, County Tipperary Australia, Camelot, Caravaggio, Churchill, Fastnet Rock, Galileo, Gleneagles, Highland Reel, Mastercraftsman, No Nay Never, Pride Of Dubai, The Gurkha, Zoffany 10am to 3pm; compulsory to register through ITM website See Naples and die, they say; for breeders and bloodstock aficionados it is surely see Coolmore and die. The equine heaven in Fethard has arguably the best concentration of stallions in one place – including four Derby winners – and the roster is topped by the world’s best in Galileo, champion sire on numerous occasions and a future breed-shaper.
Admire the king of Coolmore and judge for yourself which of his sons – Australia, Gleneagles, Ruler Of The World and The Gurkha as well as new boys Churchill and Highland Reel – could be his heir apparent. Churchill hails from a family built around speed. He was champion two-year-old colt in Europe in 2016 and a dual Guineas winner last year, while Highland Reel earned the most prize-money for a European-trained horse having won seven top-flight races during his illustrious career and bowed out on a high as a five-year-old by winning the Hong Kong Vase last month. Completing an exciting trio of newcomers is bullet sprinter Caravaggio, who represents such a vital outcross option for the many Sadler’s Wells and Galileo mares on Coolmore’s books. e: 11 Map reference
Derrinstown S Stud
Maynooth, County Kildare Awtaad, Markaz, Tamayuz 10am to 3.30pm Friday; 9.30am to noon Saturday
Highland Reel has joined Coolmore after his recordbreaking career
The Irish base for Hamdan Al Maktoum’s stallions saw the arrival of a Classic winner and a well-bred sprinter last year in Awtaad and Markaz. Awtaad, a son of the late Cape Cross out of a stakesplaced daughter of Shamardal, was an impressive Leopardstown maiden winner at two and was a top-class miler at three, when he defeated Galileo Gold to land the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Markaz, a Dark Angel brother to the brilliant Mecca’s Angel, won the Chipchase Stakes and Criterion Stakes. The pair stand alongside Tamayuz, the sire of G Force who enjoyed a richly rewarding 2017 Flat season with Precieuse becoming his first Classic winner in May, Blond Me winning the EP Taylor Stakes in mid-October and Desert Skyline scoring in the Doncaster Cup in September. Map reference: 12
Gilltown Stud
Kilcullen, County Kildare Born To Sea, Harzand, Sea The Stars Saturday only, stallion showing times: 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm Sea The Stars is key to the roster at Gilltown Stud, the Aga Khan’s stallion base. The world champion is establishing himself as an outstanding sire there, having supplied numerous stakes performers including Epsom Classic winners Harzand and Taghrooda, runaway German Derby scorer Sea The Moon as well as last year’s Goodwood Cup hero Stradivarius and Arc second Cloth Of Stars. Born To Sea, whose third crop will come of racing age this year, supplied the Classicplaced Sea Of Grace in the latest season and stands alongside his half-brother Sea The Stars. Harzand, who also won the Irish Derby, joined the pair last year and he remains at a fee of €15,000. Map reference: 13
Glenview and Rathbarry S d Studs
County Cork Fermoy, C (Glenview) Karpino, Malinas, Robin Des Champs, Shiholokhov; (Rathbarry) rocco, Sh Acclamaation, Ajaya, Kodi Bear, Moohaajjim, Tag ula 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4pm The late Liam Cashman T was widely regarded as one of the finest n masters of all time and stallion ord at Rathbarry speaks his reco volumes, the roll of honour ng Kampala, Taufan includin and his son Tagula as well as Baratheea. The sstud’s linchpin is
Racing Post Tuesday, January 9, 2018
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail PATRICK McCANN RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS
Far left, Shantou parades at Burgage Stud; left, Free Eagle at the beautiful Irish National Stud
Acclamation, who has established himself as a precocious source of two-yearold talent. This year will see Moohaajim’s first two-yearolds hit the racecourse and also the first foals of Gimcrack Stakes winner Ajaya, a son of Invincible Spirit, and Kodi Bear, a high-class son of the commercially popular Kodiac. Glenview Stud, down the road from Rathbarry, was created in 1991 to cater for the National Hunt stallions. Robin Des Champs counts Quevega, Sir Des Champs and the illfated Vautour among his best progeny, Shirocco has Annie Power and Minella Rocco to his name, and Sholokhov heltenham supplied the 2016 Cheltenham n Cossack. Gold Cup winner Don The operation welccomes Classic-winning mileer 8 Karpino for the 2018 breeding season and he is sure to be of major interest to jumps breeders. 4 and 21 Map reference: 14
stood top-class National Hunt stallions in the south of Ireland since the 1850s, including 14time champion sire Deep Run, and they have a strong crop of talent at Grange Stud in County Cork. Last year was something of an annus mirabilis for the five-strong cohort at Glenview, with four of Getaway’s progeny selling for upwards of £200,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham sales, Milan supplying the Grand National winner One For Arthur and Pour Moi responsible for the Epsom Derby hero Wings Of Eagles, a race he conquered himself. Meanwhile, progeny by Leading Light and Walk In The Park continued to be well received at the sales with Min, a son ofthe latter, first past the post in a Grade 1 chase at
Grange Stud
Fermoy, County Cork Getaway, Leading Lightt, Milan, Park Pour Moi, Walk In The P 9am to 4pm Coolmore supremo John Magnier and his family have
LOOK. BOOK...
Leopardstown last month before being demoted. Map reference: 15
Irish National Stud
Tully, County Kildare Decorated Knight, Dragon Pulse, Elusive Pimpernel, Free Eagle, Gale Force Ten, Invincible Spirit, National Defense, Worthadd 11am to 3pm; visitors are requested to enter through the business entrance Invincible Spirit is the boxoffice draw at the beautiful Irish National Stud. The 21-year-old son of Green Desert has sired 15 Group 1 winners including star milers Charm Spirit, Kingman and Moonlight Cloud as well as the wide-margin Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner National Defense – one of two acquisitions made by the stud for the 2018 breeding season. A €280,000 yearling, National Defense is the first I incible Spirit to stand son off Invin at the Tullyy operation and will be offered tto breeders at a fee of €12,000.. He will be joined by Decorateed Knight, who struck threee times at the highest leveel in 2017 including a memorable win in the Irish Stakes. Champion S Decoratted Knight is vvContinues page 8
Wiings Of Eagles, the 2017 Derby winner, is a son of Grange Stud’s Pour Moi
Come and inspect the Kildangan Stud roster on the ITM Stallion Trail on Friday and Saturday, 12 and 13 January, from 11am to 3pm, including our two new horses...
PROFITABLE
The best sprinting son of Invincible Spirit. NEW €12,000 Oct 1, SLF Invincible Spirit – Dani Ridge (Indian Ridge)
Find out more at www.darleystallions.com +353 (0)45 527600
RIBCHESTER
European Champion and the best by Iffraaj. NEW €30,000 Oct 1, SLF Iffraaj – Mujarah (Marju)
Darley
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 racingpost.com
THE IRISH STALLION TRAIL 12th – 13th January 2018
01 ANNGROVE STUD 02 ANNSHOON STUD 03 ARCTIC TACK STUD 04 BALLYHANE STUD 05 BALLYLINCH STUD 06 BOARDSMILL STUD 07 BRIDGE HOUSE STUD 08 BURGAGE STUD 09 CASTLEHYDE STUD 10 COOLAGOWN STUD 11 COOLMORE STUD 12 DERRINSTOWN STUD 13 GILLTOWN STUD 14 GLENVIEW STUD 15 GRANGE STUD 16 IRISH NATIONAL STUD 17 KILBARRY LODGE STUD 18 KILDANGAN STUD 19 KNOCKHOUSE STUD 20 KNOCKMULLEN HOUSE STUD 21 RATHBARRY STUD 22 SUNNYHILL STUD 23 TARA STUD 24 THE BEECHES STUD 25 TULLYRAINE HOUSE STUD 26 WHYTEMOUNT STUD 27 WOODFIELD FARM STUD 28 YEOMANSTOWN STUD
DONEGAL
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DERRY
TYRONE
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CORK AIRPORT
Visit www.itm.ie/stalliontrail for further details WHERE THOROUGHBREDS BECOME LEGENDS
+ 353 45 443000 INFO@ITM.IE WWW.ITM.IE
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Racing Post Tuesday, January 9, 2018
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 racingpost.com
AMY LYNAM/ITM
vvFrom page 5
a son of Galileo from the immediate family of the iron horse Giant’s Causeway and Gleneagles, and begins his second career at a feeof €15,000. Also bound to be in the spotlight is Free Eagle, a son of High Chaparral from a fine Moyglare Stud family whose oldest crop are now yearlings. Map reference: 16
Kedrah House Stud
Cahir, County Tipperary Rule Of Law, Well Chosen 11am to 3pm Friday The Meagher family’s Kedrah House Stud based at the foothills at the Galtee Mountains stands a pair of stallions that should draw in visitors from near and far. St Leger winner RuleOf Law stood for a number of years for Darley in Japan, where he sired the classy sprinter Am Ball Bleiben. His oldest Irishbred crop are now five-yearolds and include a half-sister to the high-class novice chase r Burton Port. Well Chosen, a Sadler’s Wells son of Nassau Stakes scorer Hawajiss, has been well represented in recent weeks with Jury Duty running Shattered Love to within two lengths in a Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and Carefully Selected being a wide-margin bumper winner at the same course earlier that week.
Kilbarry Lodge Stud
Kilbarry, County Waterford Diamond Boy 10am to 4pm Con O’Keeffe snapped up promising jumps sire Diamond Boy to stand at his Kilbarry Lodge Stud last August. The 11-year-old son of Mansonnien had been standing in France and was previously trained by the recently retired Francois Doumen for whom he won the Listed Prix Scaramouche over 1m6f at Saint-Cloud. A brother to top-class chaser Golden Silver, he has produced a number of talented jumpers including Le Precieux and Voila St Goustan and his oldest crop are now five-year-olds. Map reference: 17
Kildangan Stud
Monasterevin, County Kildare Belardo, Buratino, Dawn Approach, Epaulette, Exceed And Excel, Fast Company, Fulbright, French Navy, Hallowed Crown, Night Of Thunder, Profitable, Raven’s Pass, Ribchester, Slade Power, Teofilo, The Last Lion 10am to 3pm Darley’s stallion base in Ireland hosts a wealth of talent and since the retirement of Cape Cross the role of elder statesman has been passed to Shamardal, sire of 18 Group 1 winners including blue-chip stallion Lope De Vega. He covered a second privatebook of exclusively Maktoum family-owned mares last year. Exceed And Excel is another sire out of the top drawe r, while Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Raven’s Pass gets his share of classy customers. Classic sire Teofilo was also able to update his CV last year thanks to Prix Jean Romanet
nine winners in Britain and Ireland between Christmas and New Year. Stowaway died two years ago, leaving O’Neill with a trio of young and unproven, but promising, stallions. Valirann, a Group 2 winner by Nayef, has been well supported while Salutino is by the increasingly powerful jumps influence Monsun. The stud recruited Affinisea, a winning three-parts brother to Soldier Of Fortune, last year. Heis thefirst son of Sea The Stars to stand as a National Hunt stallion. Map reference: 26
Woodfield Farm Stud
Exciting young jumps sire Notnowcato, whose oldest Irish-bred crop are three-year-olds, on show at Knockhouse Stud
Wealth of talent at Kildangan bolstered by arrival of Profitable and Ribchester winner Ajman Princess and Antipodean top-flight scorers Happy Clapper and Humidor. Profitable and Ribchester are new for 2018, the former a crack sprinter over 5f who finished first and second in the King’s Stand Stakes, while the latter was breathtaking over a mile in winning no less than four elite contests. Last year saw a quartet of newcomers arrive at Kildangan – Belardo, Buratino, Fast Company and The Last Lion – and their first foals are due this spring. Map reference: 18
Knockhouse Stud
Kilmacow, County Kilkenny Libertarian, Notnowcato, Prince Flori, September Storm, Workforce 9am to 5pm Sean Kinsella has stood some fantastic jumps stallions at Knockhouse Stud, notably Roselier, sire of Carvill’s Hill and Monet’s Garden, and Beneficial, sire of Cooldine and More Of That. His current roster include udess one of Ireland’s most exciting young sources of jumperss in Notnowcato, whose oldesst Irish-bred crop are three-yearolds. Hehas supplied Redkirk d Warrior, winner of the prestigious Newmarket Handicap at Flemington iin March, and the high-classs hurdler Old Guard over ju umps. DanteStakes winner an nd Derby runner-up Libertarrian is in his freshman year, whileDerby and Arc hero o Workforce will have his first Irish-bred foals this year. Map reference: 19
Knockmullen House Stud
Knockmullen, County Wexford Quest For Peace 10am to 4pm A chance to see Luca Cumani’s Group-winning stayer Quest For Peace, winner of two Pattern races over 1m4f and a close fifth to Dunaden in the 2012 Caulfield Cup. Trained in the earlier part of his career by Aidan O’Brien to win the Listed Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon, Quest For Peacealso spent a year in the care of Pe te r Moody. The son of Galileo’s oldest crop are now two-year-olds. Map reference: 20
Sunnyhill Stud
Kilcullen, County Kildare Doyen, Lucky Speed 10am to 4pm Michael Hickey recruited the Sadler’s Wells sire Doyen to the ranks at Sunnyhill Stud in 2011 to fill thevoid left by his paternal half-brother and dual champion jumps sire Old Vic, who sired a host of talented runners including Cheltenham Gold Cup G ld C winner Kicking King and Grand
National heroes Comply Or Die and Don’t Push It. Doyen has made a fine start with his jumpers, thelist headed by Kumbeshwar and Valdez as well as promising Listed bumper winner Rapid Escape. Hewas joined last year at Sunnyhill Stud by German Derby hero Lucky Speed, a son of Silvano and half-brother to useful hurdler Lyvius. That form and those bloodlines will surely draw plenty of visitors to the Kildare stud. Map reference: 22
Tara Stud
Tara, County Meath Alhebayeb, Divine Prophet, Estidhkaar 10am to 3.30pm Former Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association chairman Derek Iceton relaunched the stallion operation at his Tara Stud in 2015 with Alhebayeb, a Group 2-winning son of in-vogue stallion Dark Angel who has been well supported by breeders and whose o oldest crop are now two-yea r-olds. Another son of Dark k Angel, Estidhkaar, joined thee roster last year. He is a ha lf-brother to champion two -year-old Toormore and w was a high-class juvvenile himself, w winning the Superlative Stakes and Champ pagne Stakes.. Breeders looking for cheaper
alternatives to Dark Angel with good credentials should make Tara Stud a first port of call. The pair are joine d by Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet, who shuttles from Australia to Ireland this year, becoming the latest son of Royal Ascot legend Choisir to stand in Ireland. Map reference: 23
Tullyraine House Stud
Banbridge, County Down Conduit 10am to 5pm Friday only Visit Hugh Suffern’s stud in County Down for a northern star: Conduit, a son of Dalakhani from a great Ballymacoll Stud family who won theSt Leger, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and back-to-back runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Conduit is standing his third season in Ireland having taken the place of Winged Love, who died in 2015, at Tullyraine House having spent the first six years of his stud career in Japan. Map reference: 25
Whytemount Stud
Kells, County Kilkenny Affinisea, Salutino, Valirann 11am to 4pm RonnieO’Neill’s stud has been best known in recent years as the home of Stowaway, who rose from re lative obscurity to become a leading jumps stallion and one of the busie st sires in Europe. The son of Slip Anchor supplied no fewer than
Ribchester: four-time Group 1-winning miler has joined Kildangan Stud for 2018
Glendalligan, County Waterford Bullet Train, Curtain Time 10am to 4pm Situated at the foot of the beautiful Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford, the Norris family’s Woodfield Farm Stud welcomed Bullet Train back from the US, whe re he stood the first five years of his stud career in Kentucky. Bullet Train, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial, is a Sadler’s Wells three-parts brother to dual world champion Frankel and has already sired the Listedwinning juvenile Whiskey Train. Curtain Time, by the same sire, is a winning half-brother to Ali-Royal and Taipan. His best performer on Racing Post Ratings to date is the highclass chaser Texas Jack, on a mark of 159. vvA special feature on the stud appears on pages 10 and 11 Map reference: 27
Yeomanstown Stud
Naas, County Kildare Camacho, Dark Angel, El Kabeir, Gutaifan 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm Friday only Dark Angel continued his meteoric rise through the stallion ranks during the 2017 Flat season, supplying a trio of top-flight winners in Battaash, Harry Angel and Persuasive. The latter’s success came over a milein theQEII Stakes on British Champions Day, showing why her sire should not bepigeonholed as a sireof sprinters only. Heis pitched in at a careerhigh fee of €85,000 this year, having stood for just €7,000 during his third and fourth seasons at Morristown Lattin Stud. El Kabeir is new to Yeomanstown this year. The Grade 2-winning miler is by the ill-fated Scat Daddy, who supplied a quartet of Royal Ascot scorers this year including Caravaggio. Gutaifan’s stock proved all the rage at the foal sales last year, with Aidan O’Ryan splashing out €155,000 on a half-brother to Group 3-winning sprinter Great White Eagle – more than te n times Gutaifan’s fee in 2015. Camacho, a Danehill halfbrother to Showcasing, continued to prove himself as a fantastic source of two-yearold winners, supplying 25 during the latest Flat campaign. Map reference: 28
ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Racing Post Tuesday, January 9, 2018
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Bullet Train a hot ticket with Frankel connection Aisling Crowe talks to Gary Norris of Woodfield Farm Stud as he prepares to showcase an exciting new recruit to visitors
T
IMING is everything, in life, in politics, in comedy. The art of choosing the right moment to make an important announcement, call a referendum or deliver a punchline can be the difference between falling flat on your face and gaining the desired reaction. In the bloodstock world it is
no different, with momentum gathering behind the stallions who are on a winning run and propelling them towards further success. During his racing career, Bullet Train displayed impeccable timing as he played a pivotal role in the story of one of the greatest racehorses of all time. The gorgeous bay was the perfect lead horse, pacemaker and racing companion to his younger three-parts brother Frankel, who lit up the racing world with his extraordinary brilliance. Retired to stud in the same year as Frankel, the son of Sadler’s Wells is one of the star attractions on this year’s ITM Stallion Trail at his new home of Woodfield Farm Stud near Dungarvan in County Waterford. Gary Norris runs the stud farm withhis father Liam in
the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains, where they sweep down to the copper coast and the Irish Sea beyond, a location shrouded in mist and cloud this evening just a week after Bullet Train’s arrival after a long journey from the US. “This is our first year to be involved with the ITM Stallion Trail and we’re doing it because of Bullet Train,” says Gary Norris. “It’s very exciting to have a horse of his calibre and pedigree and he’s getting winners at the right time.” Bullet Train’s arrival at Woodfield Farm has coincided with the 11-year-old’s best results so far. The final month of 2017 provided six new individual winners and the new year began with another Bullet Train winner in Australia, where he shuttled for eachof the past three southern-hemisphere seasons from Crestwood Farm in
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Brothers in arms: Frankel (right) and Bullet Train
classy, tough and consistent jumper gave Road To Respect, winner of the Grade 1 Christmas Chase at Leopardstown, something to think about in a Grade 3 chase at Punchestown earlier this season. Norris has experience of the racing side of the business, as he rode out for a number of trainers. Added to that is his equine science qualification and the experience gained from breeding and pinhooking with his family and on his
ullet rai is t e you gest so o Sadler s ells at stud i rela d
own, as well as now running Woodfield Farm. Bullet Train joins another former Sir Henry Cecil-trained winner on the 100 acres of Waterford countryside as he will stand alongside his paternal half-brother Curtain Time, an imposing horse with a towering presence and handsome looks. In 2009, Norris went across the Atlantic to source Curtain Time, a debut winner at three before his owner, the late Charles H Wacker, transferred him to the US, where the legendary Bobby Frankel took over his training before a serious leg injury ended his racing career. Norris explains what prompted the search for Curtain Time. “Sean Kinsella at Knockhouse Stud had Taipan, who was very hot, so we went for his half-brother by Sadler’s Wells.
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Kentucky, his northernhemisphere base for four seasons. Tired though he undoubtedly is, Bullet Train is a delight, his sweet nature and kind demeanour captivating from the start. His beautiful head is immortalised forever in a photographof him beside Frankel, with the arms of their jockeys Ian Mongan and Tom Queally aloft and intertwined, as the two brothers take a lap of honour following Frankel’s final victory in the 2012 Champion Stakes at Ascot. Bullet Train himself was a Derby contender after his success in the Group 3 Lingfield Derby Trial, before his potential was sacrificed at the altar of his brother’s brilliance. “Bullet Train is the youngest son of Sadler’s Wells at stud in Ireland and he’s a Group 3 winner in his own right. His interests were pushed aside in favour of Frankel and he was so important to his younger brother but he was a good horse,” says Norris, who acquired Bullet Train for Woodfield Farm, where he began standing stallions a little more than a decade ago. “Our first stallion was Balakheri, an Aga Khan horse who won the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot for Sir Michael Stoute and Johnny Murtagh,” explains Norris. “It wasn’t the best time to start standing stallions, as the recession hit and breeders sent their good mares to the established sires and not young horses.” All the same, from small numbers, Balakheri is responsible for, among others, Kilcarry Bridge. John Ryan’s
Gary Norris with Curtain Time, whose family includes Sleepytime, Ali-Royal and Taipan
Racing Post Tuesday, January 9, 2018
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ITM Irish Stallion Tr ail
Clockwise from above, Gary Norris with new recruit Bullet Train, whose fee will be announced during the ITM Stallion Trail; Bullet Train wins the Group 3 Lingfield Derby Trial in 2010 before later taking up pacemaking duties for Frankel; Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase winner Texas Jack, the best performer so far for Curtain Time
“It’s a brilliant family; his half-sister Sleepytime won the 1,000 Guineas and his halfbrothers include Group 1 winners Ali-Royal and Taipan, while their dam is a Listedwinning half-sister to Croco Rouge, twice a Group 1 winner.” Curtain Time had his best sales result so far when his four-year-old son Mr Lingo, a half-brother to the impressive Galway Plate winner Bob Lingo, was bought by Gordon Elliott for £250,000 at last
year’s Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham April Sale. That high-profile sale came just days after he made an impressive winning debut in the four-year-old maiden at Dromahane for handler Joseph Ryan. So far Curtain Time’s best performer has been Texas Jack, whose victories for trainer Noel Meade include the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles as well as multiple places in Grade 1 chases. Meade also has another son of
the sire in Mr Showtime, winner of two hurdle races in 2017 as a five-year-old and out of Southcoast Gale, a halfsister to Denman and Silverburn. Two legendary women in National Hunt racing – Henrietta Knight and the recently deceased Mercy Rimell – are among the many friends the Norris family have made in racing. The 25 broodmares owned by the family include mares from Rimell’s wonderful Gaye Brief
family and those without Sadler’s Wells blood will be forming an orderly queue for Bullet Train once he begins covering duties at Woodfield Farm next month. The announcement that Frankel’s older relative would be coming to Waterford in time for Christmas caused an enormous stir of interest from breeders and Norris is keen to capitalise on their time in the spotlight. Bullet Train’s fee will be announced to the farm’s visitors during the ITM
Stallion Trail and, until then, he is remaining tight-lipped. Standing such a close relation to arguably the most famous racehorse in the world is an exciting prospect for Norris and his parents. And it comes quick on the heels of Norris’s success in another field as the owner of the All-Ireland Scottish Blackface champion sheep of 2017. He is also a breeder of collies with numerous sheepdog trial champions emerging from his kennels.
Bullet Train is also a threeparts brother to Noble Mission, a three-time Group 1 winner who stands at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky and has his first runners in 2018. So too does their Oasis Dream half-brother Morpheus, a member of the prolific stallion roster at TallyHo Stud in County Westmeath. Timing is everything in this world and Gary Norris and Woodfield Farm Stud are on the fast track with Bullet Train, who has always shown perfect timing.
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