Barry Lynch

Close to 1,500 foals have changed hands at Goffs and Tattersalls over the past fortnight during what industry stakeholders have acknowledged to be a magic marketplace. This was the year to sell a foal with all of the key figures jumping dramatically at both sales houses.  Not only were the pinhookers predictably strong after what was widely agreed to be an unexpectedly good end to the yearling sales, but a number of end-users--Godolphin, Yulong, Juddmonte and more--really stepped up to the plate at both sales.  There were records broken at...

Pa Doyle could not have said it any better than he did. It was at this sale 12 months ago that, when asked to sum up trade, the Galbertstown boss coined the phrase, "those pinhookers are as brave as lions." That sentence had as much relevance a year ago as it did on Tuesday when Paul McCartan, Michael Fitzpartick, Barry Mahon and Philip Stauffenberg--absolute titans of their profession--fought it out for some of the best foals on offer at Goffs.  It was McCartan, the master breeder and pinhooker who has...

First-season or proven stallion: Proven. Speed or stamina: I have had a bit of luck with both. It seems the stayers have many avenues to sell in the horse-in-training market later in their career at the moment. Best piece of advice you've received: The harder you work the luckier you get! Value sire: Cotai Glory (GB) on the Flat and Hillstar (GB) for National Hunt. Cotai Glory had 35 winners in his first crop with eight stakes horses. He trained on himself and he gets good looking stock. Hillstar has...

In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we have Barry Lynch in the irons. TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year? BL: There is a good selection of first-season sires with runners to choose from. I liked several. I thought Territories (Ire), in particular, had some nice stock at the sales. Mehmas (Ire) and Adaay (Ire) had sharp early types who look like they will get up and go. After...