Letter to the Editor: The Enduring Value of Middle-Distance Breeding

[Wandering Eyes]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Reflecting on Saturday night's ITBA Awards and on the achievements of previous Hall of Fame recipients, the illustrious roll of honour reads like a who's who of Irish breeders who prioritised the Classics and the middle-distance horse. Names such as The Aga Khan, John Magnier, Sonia Rogers, Mr and Mrs Walter Haefner, Jim Bolger, Tim Hyde, Stan Cosgrove, David and Diane Nagle, Dermot and Meta Cantillon, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, and Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien, among others, serve as a reminder that Classic success has long been the surest route to a lasting and meaningful breeding legacy.

Listening recently to Luca Cumani on the TDN Podcast, I was struck by the weight he continues to place on Classic pedigrees and, in particular, on the Derby. Few figures are better qualified to speak on the subject, given his unique distinction as both a Classic-winning trainer and breeder, and his recent success selling multiple Book 1 yearlings for seven-figure sums at Park Paddocks. The Derby remains the pinnacle of our sport, the ultimate test of class, soundness, speed and stamina, and the race against which all breeding ambition should still be measured. Echoing sentiments expressed by the podcast's host in a recent article on stallion-making races, Derby success remains the clearest and most enduring signpost for future influence at stud.

It is also important to acknowledge the positive momentum behind middle-distance racing and breeding in recent years. Initiatives such as the Irish EBF Smullen Series, alongside changes announced by the European Pattern Committee for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, have placed renewed emphasis on upgrading middle-distance and staying races to strengthen the quality and stamina of the European breeding pool. The reinvigoration of Derby Day prize money, supported by the Jockey Club, and the new sponsorship of the Coronation Cup by the Coolmore partners further underline a renewed confidence in the middle-distance programme.

In reality, there has rarely been a better time to breed middle-distance stock. Opportunities within the Pattern are broader than ever, both in terms of black type and prize money. Crucially, middle-distance pedigrees continue to carry the greatest residual value and remain the most sought-after commodity for resale and export.

Recent examples illustrate this clearly. Ethical Diamond (Awtaad), bred by ITBA award winner William Kennedy, and Delius (Frankel) were conceived at opposite ends of the fee spectrum, yet both realised significant sums as horses in training at Tattersalls, before going on to land Group 1 success in America and Australia. Their stories underline the depth and durability of the resale market for high-class middle-distance performers.

That durability is not a modern phenomenon. In a recent TDN article, pedigree expert and mating advisor Alex Scrope recalled using stallions such as Sharpen Up, Kris, Sir Ivor and Nijinsky late in their stud careers, observing that genetically they had not changed, offering great value to breeders willing to use them. It is a lesson that continues to resonate in today's commercial environment.

The enduring influence of Derby winners is significant through the likes of Galileo, Sea The Stars and Camelot but perhaps is proving most evident through their daughters. New Approach and Australia, for example, have emerged as influential broodmare sires, with Australia alone responsible as damsire for five group winners last year, headed by the Group 1-winning sprinter Lazzat, alongside three group-winning juveniles – all by different sire lines. New Approach's G1 Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina has produced this year's Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard (Camelot), a colt seeking to emulate both his sire and damsire on the first Saturday in June. It is also worth noting that one of the aforementioned million-guinea yearlings sold by Luca Cumani at Tattersalls Book 1 last year is out of Innevera, a mare by Derby winner Motivator.

Even breeders whose focus lies firmly on speed must acknowledge the influence of middle-distance blood. Three of the last five Cartier Champion Sprinters, Starman, Shaquille and Bradsell, are out of mares by Montjeu, Galileo and Archipenko respectively. Likewise, two of the most prolific dams of elite two-year-olds in recent seasons, Adventure Seeker, the dam of Little Big Bear and Whistlejacket, and Sagely, the dam of Perfect Power and Wise Approach, are rooted in high-class middle-distance pedigrees. These examples reinforce the versatility and depth that middle-distance families continue to provide.

While I hope to see a Triple Crown victor in my lifetime, it is reassuring to know that the men and women honoured by the ITBA Hall of Fame will continue to pursue that ideal with unwavering conviction. The middle-distance horse, now as ever, remains the cornerstone of the Thoroughbred breed.

Padraic Clarke
Dublin, Ireland

 

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