“It Was My First Time On The Irish Stallion Trail And I’d Fully Recommend It To Anyone”

[Wandering Eyes]

Top bloodstock agent Mags O'Toole, Mickley Stud boss Richard Kent and Ana O'Brien were some of the key industry figures to give this year's Irish Stallion Trail the thumbs up. 

For Kent, this weekend marked his first time attending the trail, and it could prove an expensive trip for the Cork native who is now based in Shropshire, after he pencilled in a host of the farm's best mares to visit some of the stallions he was most taken with. 

He said, “We started off with Tally-Ho Stud on Friday and went on to Yeomanstown and Kildangan. We went to the Irish National Stud as well but they had gone to bed early at four o'clock so we went to Sunnyhill Stud instead! We've been to Ballyhane Stud, Capital Stud and on to Ballylinch Stud today [Saturday] so we're getting around to plenty of them. 

“Some beautiful horses have gone to stud here in Ireland and we really liked Big Evs (Ire) at Tally-Ho. We're going to send him a nice mare called Radio Goo Goo (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who won seven times. He has quality and is a really sharp-looking horse. The O'Callaghans do such a wonderful job bringing these young stallions through so, when you send a mare there, you can be fairly sure that the progeny of the stallions will be getting the maximum support in the sales ring.”

He added, “It's actually great to be able to get out and see the horses in the flesh because stallion books and pictures don't do them any credit. It was my first time on the Irish Stallion Trail and I'd fully recommend it to anyone. You get to see all of the horses in the flesh and that makes such a difference. I had never seen Good Guess (GB) before, for example, and I just couldn't believe what a beautiful horse he is. I am glad I saw him because I wouldn't have sent him a mare if I didn't and I've booked one in now. We hoped we wouldn't be sending over too many but, after this weekend, that plan has changed! We've a few mares that we are thinking of going to Ireland with this year for a change.”

It was at Tally-Ho, which is based slap bang in the middle of Ireland, where a lot of people seemed to begin their tour on Friday before branching out. One casual observer put it to the stud's Roger O'Callaghan that no other outfit in the country has welcomed three new stallions-Big Evs, King Of Steel and Bucanero Fuerte (GB)-to the roster. 

Richard Kent at Ballylinch Stud | Alayna Cullen Birkett

 

“We've never had as much money invested in the place, either,” came the response. While his mother Anne was busy handing out fancy brochures, she needn't have bothered. No sooner had each horse left his stable to parade, a different breeder was busy posing the question, 'what is he standing at?' 

And in typical Irish fashion, the answer was usually met with a, 'but what are ye dealing at?' Doubtless there were many hard bargains driven and deals done this weekend, but one horse who the O'Callaghans won't be budging on this year is Mehmas (Ire), one of the stars of the entire trail who now stands at a cool €70,000.

“You've got to write the cheque,” came O'Callaghan's response when another breeder queried if there were any foal-shares available on the record-producer of two-year-old winners in Europe. 

Friday morning represented O'Brien's first time viewing Mehmas among many of the country's top stallions. 

“We've been doing a bit of touring around over the past couple of days,' the former jockey, who now manages Mount Richard Stud, said.

“It's been very interesting. I had never seen some of those very good horses-the likes of Lope De Vega (Ire), Mehmas, Dark Angel (Ire) and Blue Point (Ire). So it was great to be able to have a good look at them and it was interesting to compare them to what their stock looks like. There are some very nice horses that have gone to stud in Ireland recently as well, so to be able to get in and see all of the stallions, I think it's a brilliant incentive.”

Just a few miles down the road from Tally-Ho Stud lies Micheál Orlandi's Starfield Stud in County Westmeath. It was during an impromptu sales pitch about the outfit's new stallion, Aesop's Fables, where Orlandi shared that the Group 2 winner's trainer Aidan O'Brien is one of the part-owners. Quick as lightning, Tattersalls employee Freddie McKibbin joked, 'wow-that's your marketing sorted then!”

Upon viewing the strapping son of No Nay Never, O'Brien pledged to support her father's cause, and said, “Aesop's Fables is a horse that Dad used to train and he really caught my eye in Starfield Stud. He is a smashing-looking horse who, now that he is out of training, has let down into a very nice stallion. Out of all of the new stallions, he was the one that I liked the look of and we will send him a mare. It was great to see King Of Steel as well. He has size and scope. We saw Look De Vega (Fr) at Ballylinch Stud as well and he is a lovely-mover. Any of those three, they could do anything.”

Top breeze-up handler and breeder Tom Whitehead committed to sending “at least one” of his 20 or so mares to the new kid on the block at Ballylinch Stud while O'Toole nominated Irish National Stud newbie Shouldvebeenaring (GB) as her standout from the first-season sire brigade.

She explained, “I went to Kildangan and the Irish National Stud on Friday. I was going to go to Ballylinch Stud today, because I am keen to see Look De Vega, but I had to go to Fairyhouse. I would like to see him along with Auguste Rodin (Ire) and City Of Troy at Coolmore in the coming weeks. I was keen to go to Kildangan because they have such a lovely bunch of stallions and also because I bought Native Trail (GB) along with Norman [Williamson] and it was lovely to see him again. He has let down very well and looks great. 

“I have to say, I was very impressed by Shouldvebeenaring at the Irish National Stud. He's bigger than most horses by Havana Grey (GB) and he's stronger as well. He's a beautiful-mover and he's very correct. He's obviously sound as a pound because he went to the races more than I have. He's a fabulous mover for a sprinter and he impressed me.”

The cohort of those who turned out to support the stallion trail was largely made up of domestic breeders and racing fans, with a notable number of British visitors as well, but the tour also drove some international interest, namely from Eastern Europe. 

Bloodstock agent Thomas Janda organised alongside Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for 65 people from Eastern Europe to make the trip and the native of Czech Republic said he was happy with the interest the two-day tour of the studs drummed up.

He said, “The Eastern European market is expanding. This is true. Unfortunately, the reason for this is because the breeding industry is going down in these countries. The racing is stable in most Eastern European countries, and in some countries, it is actually on the rise. But because the breeding is in decline, we are seeing more and more yearlings being bought in Ireland from these countries.” 

Asked if there were any sires in particular that appealed to the Eastern European market, Janda continued, “Generally, we prefer the middle-distance horses but, unfortunately, there have not been as many new staying sires at stud in recent years. Our racing programme is similar to in Germany so we concentrate on staying stallions. For example, I bought some horses by In Swoop last year. I know he is standing as a National Hunt stallion but he is something that would appeal to our market.

“We brought a group of 65 people-owners, trainers, breeders and journalists-from central Eastern Europe and, while things were a little bit complicated by the bad weather, it was a successful trip. Some breeders might decide to send a mare and, for the owners, it is interesting for them as they can go and see the stallions and match up with some of the yearlings that they might buy at the sales. So it is a trip that should generate some business.”

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