‘The Wootton Bassett Factor Is Proving To Be A Huge Draw To The Stallion Trail’

[Wandering Eyes]

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing boss Charles O'Neill has reported that the five new stallion sons of the late Wootton Bassett – Coolmore's Classic winners Henri Matisse and Camille Pisarro, Tally-Ho Stud's Maranoa Charlie, Rathbarry Stud newbie Unquestionable and Capital Stud's Topgear – are proving to be “a huge draw” for breeders and racing fans embarking on the two-day Stallion Trail, which kicks on Friday morning.

Interest in the initiative, which began back in 2015, was also described by O'Neill to be “stronger than ever” with a number of foreign visitors expected to join the loyal cohort of racing fans on the Trail over the next two days.

O'Neill said, “We're thrilled by the uptake and, more importantly, how the stud farms have really got behind the initiative. The stud farms have embraced the idea and, only for them, it wouldn't be possible. The first running of the Stallion Trail was back in 2015 and, in year three or four, interest did start to dwindle a little. However, the interest and the enthusiasm for the Stallion Trail from breeders and general racing fans is unbelievable, really. I would go as far as saying it is stronger than ever.”

He added, “I think a big factor in that has to be down to the amount of new stallions that are retiring to Irish studs in recent years. And do you know what? The Wootton Bassett factor is proving to be a massive draw for this year's renewal. We have five new stallions by Wootton Bassett and, every second person I talk to, they tell me that they can't wait to get around to see them all. Racing fans love to see good horses, be that on the racecourse or when they retire to stud, so fingers crossed everyone has an enjoyable weekend.”

The ITM Stallion Trail is not a parochial event, either. O'Neill reports that, along with the strong cohort of Irish breeders and racing fans, a good number of international visitors will be in attendance over the weekend. 

He concluded, “We have people from England, France and even Hungary who have come over for the tour. There will be plenty of international visitors on the Trail and I have actually been surprised just how busy the stud farms have been even before the Stallion Trail has kicked off. I'm kicking off the tour myself at nine o'clock in Tally-Ho Stud and I can't wait. There is actually a television crew coming over from France and they start filming at Tally-Ho and we will finish off at Ballyhane Stud before the ITM Mark O'Hanlon Memorial Quiz at The Lord Bagenal Inn in Leighlinbridge, County Carlow. Mark was with us for the first year of the Trail so it's going to be a big thing for us tomorrow night. It's 10 years since his passing and he was a great guy so we will be remembering him this weekend.”

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