Equiano

There is no little poignancy in the timing of Acclamation (GB) making his permanent exit from the stage just as his most celebrated offspring, Dark Angel (Ire), stands on the cusp of being crowned champion sire in Britain and Ireland. As the mares sale got underway at Tattersalls last Monday, the news filtered through that Acclamation, who had been officially retired only a matter of weeks beforehand, had died at the age of 25. His passing, though at a good age and with his legacy already assured, will leave a...

The Irish National Stud is either maintaining or reducing the fees for its six stallions "after a challenging yearling sales season, especially in the middle and lower tiers", according to a press release sent out on Thursday. The venerable Invincible Spirit (Ire), who turns 27 in 2024, is listed with a private fee, having stood for €60,000 in 2023 following a career high of €120,000 between 2016 and 2019. His top runners this season include the unbeaten G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Ghostwriter (Ire) and he covered 89 mares earlier...

It's that time of year again, the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale--where whispers of Royal Ascot horses and potential breeze-up sensations fills the air.  There's scarcely anything more exciting than the eve of a major sale and they don't come much bigger than the Craven.  This is where Classic winners Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) were found and the roll of honour does not stop there. Everything is up for grabs at Tattersalls over the next two days and few people know this better...

Near the entrance to The Royal Studs at Sandringham is a magnificent bronze commemorating the Prince of Wales's homebred Persimmon (GB) (St Simon {GB}), whose racing record highlights the fact that things were done a little differently back in the 1890s. Very differently, in fact. The Coventry S. winner of 1895 went on to win the Derby and the St Leger and, kept in training, he returned to Royal Ascot to win the Gold Cup, which had been his principal 4-year-old target. Exactly a century later, the horse who was...

The dual Group 1-winning sprinter Equiano (Fr) has moved from Newsells Park Stud in England to the Irish National Stud. The stud's director of sales Gary Swift discusses the sire of Group/Grade 1 winners The Tin Man (GB) and Belvoir Bay (GB) while Patrick Diamond provides an update on the INS Mare Syndicate.  TDN: Gary, you have a new stallion in Equiano, but he's a proven sire compared to the majority of new stallions in Ireland. Why was he of interest to the Irish National Stud? GS: Well firstly Equiano...

Invincible Spirit (Ire), who was this year represented by new Group 1 winners Nazeef (Ire) and Digital Age (Ire), once again leads the stallion roster at the Irish National Stud and will be priced at €80,000 in 2021. The 23-year-old is down from €100,000 this year, with the entire roster at the Kildare nursery taking fee cuts in the midst of a difficult economic climate. Invincible Spirit's eight stakes winners in 2020 were led by the aforementioned Nazeef, winner of the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. as...

Dual Royal Ascot-winning sprinter Equiano (Fr) will move from Britain to stand at the Irish National Stud in 2021. The 15-year-old son of Acclamation (GB) has spent 10 seasons at Newsells Park Stud, during which time he has sired treble Group 1 winner The Tin Man (GB) and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint victrix Belvoir Bay (GB) among 17 stakes winners. Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale said, "We are delighted to offer Equiano to the Irish market at a time when solid, proven speed influences are ever more valued...

Juddmonte Farms' Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) holds the disctinction of being the first winner at the Dubai International Racing Carnival for trainer Charlie Hills after cruising to victory in the Listed Dubai Dash on the turf at Meydan. Held up early on in the five-furlong sprint, the 5-year-old eased into contention in the second half to run home two lengths clear of Sheikh Hamdan's Waady (Ire) (Approve {Ire}), with a close call for third when Shadwell's other runner Rusumaat (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) narrowly gained the verdict over the Michal Appleby-trained...

The Frankie Dettori show, which diverted to Killarney midweek, moves on to The Curragh on Saturday with 'TDN Rising Star' Star Catcher (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) the key actress in the G1 Kerrygold Irish Oaks. Untried in Classic company unlike some of her contemporaries, Anthony Oppenheimer's homebred proved her quality with a defeat of the G1 Epsom Oaks third Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in a strong renewal of the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot June 20. Staying on powerfully at the end of her first try at a...