Night Raider's Craven-Bound Brother Set To Put Knockgraffon Stables In Lights

Is there anything like a pedigree update to get a consignor's blood pumping in the build-up to a big sale? A little winner here, a black-type update there, it can't hurt when it comes to advertising your wares. 

Well, if it's happening pedigrees that buyers want, it won't take long to scope out lot 53 in the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale. A brother to leading 2,000 Guineas contender Night Raider (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the colt will be offered under the hammer by the father-and-son team of Mick and Stephen Byrne of Knockgraffon Stables on behalf of Linden Bloodstock. 

Pedigree updates like this don't come around very often. Already a half-brother to first-season sire Far Above (Ire), the strapping Dark Angel colt was led out of the ring unsold at 125,000gns at the Book 1 session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, leaving his breeders Brendan and David Geraghty scratching their heads. 

What has happened in the intervening period, with Night Raider bursting onto the scene with two effortless successes at Southwell, which has put the horse firmly in the 2,000 Guineas picture, would suggest the Geraghty brothers were right to command top dollar for their colt.

Knockgraffon Stables has been consigning horses at the breeze-up sales for 35 years. Few people have been doing it longer. However, in all that time, never have the Byrne family had a horse like this through their hands. The excitement is palpable. 

“It looks as though the decision not to sell as a yearling could be vindicated. He's a gorgeous big horse and is without doubt the most high-profile horse that I have ever consigned,” Stephen, 34, said. 

“I had never met Brendan or David before but, shortly after the yearling sales, I got a phone call from them asking if I'd be interested in breezing this horse for them. They told me a bit about him, that he was a Dark Angel half-brother to Far Above, and I jumped at the opportunity to have that type of calibre of horse in the yard.”

It takes something special to catch the eye in the dark December months but that's exactly what Night Raider did in winning on debut at Southwell by nine lengths. Bought for 155,000gns by Joe Foley on behalf of Clipper Logistics at Tattersalls in 2021 as a foal, Night Raider confirmed the promise of that scintillating debut when dishing out a comprehensive beating to previous winners back at Southwell last month, and is now as short as just 10-1 for Classic glory at Newmarket. 

So what did the consignor make of it all? 

Byrne said, “I got very excited, didn't I? I've only been doing this full-time since last year. Obviously Mick has been doing this a long time. He's been breezing horses for as long as I can remember and, actually, the first horse I ever cantered was a breeze-up horse. I think I was 10 years of age at the time. The game has become a lot more professional since Dad started and the quality has risen. A lot of very good horses are coming from the breeze-up sales. 

“Night Raider looks as though he could be very smart and fingers crossed he can keep on progressing. I'd say this horse is very nice, too. He's not your typical breeze-up horse-he's quite big-but he does everything very well and he looks like he could make up into a very smart racehorse in time.”

Brendan Geraghty, who, along with his brother David, bought Night Raider's dam Dorraar (Ire) (Shamardal) outside the ring at Goffs after she failed to sell at €14,000 in 2017, shared how the plan to breeze the full-brother was first hatched.

He said, “We brought him to the foal sales and we brought him home. Then we brought him to the yearling sales and brought him home as well. To be honest, it was probably the pure stubborn Mayo man coming out in me both times! But, to be honest, I was shocked he didn't sell as a yearling. We'd loads of vets and I was sure he'd be popular.

“In fairness to Jack Cantillon, he has put me down a few good roads in recent times so, when I asked him where I should send the horse, I didn't hesitate when he recommended Stephen. We think he is a special horse, really and truly. Even from day one, Stephen has been saying, 'Brendan, I love this lad.' It's exciting and hopefully he can show people what he can do in the breeze. It has been a joy working with Stephen and Mick and long may it last.”

The Mayo native, who has spent time in Australia and has only a small number of mares at his base close by to Knockgraffon in Tipperary, revealed how it hasn't all been plain sailing with his pride and joy Dorraar. A winner herself and from the family of Benbatl (GB), the 13-year-old overcame a serious injury after she was sourced by Linden Bloodstock. She is now happily reported to be back in foal to Dark Angel, who, naturally, Geraghty says he is a massive fan of. 

Geraghty said, “My brother David goes through the sales and it works well. Once I saw Dorraar at the sales, I fell in love with her and had to buy her. It has worked out great. When we bought her, she was in foal to Toronado (Ire), but, as it turned out, she got injured at home and only for the lads at Fethard Equine Hospital and her big heart, she wouldn't have pulled through. After she lost the Toronado filly, we gave her a couple of seasons off, so she is a relatively fresh mare despite her age of 13.

“There aren't many mares like her around. Far Above put her name in lights and now Night Raider looks like he could be very good. I love Dark Angel. His record speaks for itself and he gets results day in, day out. Night Raider is only going one way.”

And so, too, is Knockgraffon Stables. Along with popular work rider and long-time friend Shane 'Rancher' Ryan, who Byrne says he would be lost without, the work gets done. Brothers Michael and David, who like Stephen, enjoyed some success in the saddle, lend a helping hand as does Mick, 67.

“I am only back working here this past year,” Stephen explains. “I gave it about five or six years as an amateur. I rode a bust of winners but decided it wasn't for me. I just stopped enjoying it. You have to be riding good horses to enjoy it and I wasn't riding good horses.”

That's not to say that a certain Mr S R Byrne came and went without anybody noticing he had ever been in the weighroom to start with. Through Jim Will Fix It (Ire) (Lord Of Appeal {GB}), trained by Seamus Roche, Byrne enjoyed his biggest day in the sun when out-battling big-name amateurs Robbie McNamara and Nina Carberry to win the Grade 2 Future Champions Bumper at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival in 2010. 

Byrne piloted that horse to three more victories under rules but it wasn't enough of a lure. A stint with leading breeze-up consignor Con Marnane was the next port of call followed by seven years working for Joseph O'Brien. Not a bad grounding for the National Hunt jockey who has turned his attention to blooding top-class runners on the Flat. 

Byrne said, “I really enjoyed my time with Joseph. He's a very easy man to work for and you learned plenty from him as well. The biggest thing I learned from Joseph is patience. Patience and keeping calm, that is key. If things weren't going right or horses weren't doing what you wanted them to be doing, Joseph would always keep a steady head and never panic.”

He added, “Not only that but, there were so many nice horses coming through Joseph's, it trained your eye as to what a nice horse looks like. Joseph buys really strong, solid horses. I'd like to think I learned plenty from him about what an athlete looks like. I try to buy a nice horse by a solid stallion. We can't afford to buy the horses by the top stallions but you can buy some very nice horses by solid sires. That's what we try to do. A lot of the good racehorses that I have sold are not by the big sires, but they reached good ratings on the track.”

Beautiful Aisling (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) is a good example. Bought by Knockgraffon Stables and Donovan Bloodstock for £22,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, she rocked into £120,000 when bought by Anthony Stroud at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale in 2022. After winning twice and reaching a rating of 90 for Simon and Ed Crisford, Beautiful Aisling went on to fetch 240,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale later that year. 

Such a result proves that not only can Byrne turn a profit in the ring, but he also produces solid racehorses who can fulfil their potential and stand the test of time on the track. 

Romina Power (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), a listed winner in Germany who has subsequently been snapped up by Joseph O'Brien, fellow listed winner Tardis (GB) (Time Test {GB}) and Sailthisshipalone (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) are other notable graduates.

It is clear to see that the Byrne family has a proven track record in producing quality runners but you won't see them hogging the limelight when they do. Instead, they prefer to get on with business in the background. 

Stephen said, “I'll tell you a good story about Dad. When I was working in Edward O'Grady's, Paddy Mangan won the conditional riders' championship and brought the trophy into work. I was looking at all the names on the trophy and, next thing 'Michael Byrne' pops up. I was like, 'Dad was champion conditional?' I rang him up and I asked him and he goes, 'oh, I was, yea', as if it wasn't a big thing. But it is a big thing.”

The pressure may be rising ahead of what could potentially be a breakout sale for Byrne, but the burgeoning operator is approaching Tattersalls in a similarly understated manner. 

He concluded, “I was doing a few breeze-up horses whilst working with Joseph. We'd a couple of horses that sold well so it looked as though we could do the job to a good standard. I said I'd take the leap and give it a go full-time and, touch wood, things have gone really well. Hopefully we can keep on building and keep attracting a nicer horse. We think we have nice horses this year so fingers crossed it goes well.”