Irish National Stud

It's early-February and already the Flat enthusiasts are getting excited about what stallion will end the season as champion first-season sire. A futile exercise, one would have thought? Not a bit of it. Even the greatest handlers of young stock, Malcolm Bastard, Alan McCabe, Joseph O'Brien, Conor Hoban and Dick Brabazon, men who know better than most the folly that comes with predicting 2-year-old talent, are keen to have their say on which up-and-coming stallion can make the biggest splash this season.  O'Brien is sticking loyal to Ten Sovereigns (Ire)...

Paul and Marie McCartan know a thing or two about Nando Parrado (GB), having bought him as a foal, raced him, and retained part-ownership of the son of Kodiac (GB) since his retirement to the Irish National Stud. They were, therefore, pleased to be able to welcome the G2 Coventry S. winner's first foal on Saturday at their Ballyphilip Stud.  The filly foal is a daughter of Cafetiere (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who was herself a winning juvenile over five furlongs and is a half-sister to G3 Prix du Bois winner...

A total of 27 students arrived at the Irish National Stud to begin the 2023 Thoroughbred Breeding Management course earlier this week. The six-month course will participate in a wide variety of activities, practical training and lectures which will provide a solid foundation for their progression in the Thoroughbred industry. Eight countries are represented, and the trainees are as follows: Sean Berns (Ireland), Ailish Sinnott (Ireland), Faustine Otero-Chinot (France), Orla Queally (Ireland), Annelie Rodde (Germany), Alice Jeffries (New Zealand), Georgina Macintyre (Australia), Morgan Wilks (New Zealand), Darcie Murray (Ireland), Emma...

Group 1 winner Lucky Vega (Ire) sired his first reported Northern Hemisphere-born foal at Bobby and Honora Donworth's Round Hill Stud. Out of Grace And Virtue (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), the filly was bred by the Donworths, as was her winning dam, who is from the family of the G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}). Bobby Donworth said the new arrival was "a high-quality filly with plenty of substance, she'd encourage you to use Lucky Vega again this season. She's immediately related to champion fillies Rizeena (Ire)...

Out and about on the opening day of the Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail One of the early highlights of the year for pedigree buffs and casual observers, the Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail, got underway with a bang on Friday with heavy footfall reported at over 30 of the stallion farms taking part in the two-day extravaganza.  The TDN Europe team were out and about in the Kildare area on Friday and visited Kildangan Stud, The Irish National Stud, Yeomanstown Stud and Derrinstown Stud before venturing further south on Saturday.  Don't...

What was your first job in the Thoroughbred industry? Stud secretary at the Irish National Stud.   The biggest influence on your career? I've been very fortunate to have had so much support in my career, too many to name but whom I am very grateful for. But especially Pat and Hugh Hyland, Bobby O' Ryan, and of course my Dad.   Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? Without a doubt, Sea The Stars. He was born here at the INS in 2006, the year I started, and from...

The mammoth support of Lucky Vega (Ire) continued at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale when connections of the young stallion snapped up 19 mares to the tune of €5,625,000, headed by €790,000 purchase Aspiring, with the majority set to visit the Group 1-winning juvenile next year.  Led by BBA Ireland's Mick Donohoe, who did most of his bidding online, the Lucky Vega Syndicate were continuing their recruitment drive for mares to visit the Irish National Stud-based sire after similarly strong sales this year and last.  Aspiring (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}),...

Philipp Stauffenberg broke new ground at the November Foal Sale at Goffs on Wednesday by signing for a Kingman (GB) half-brother to Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) for a sales-topping €550,000 on a day where the Juddmonte-based stallion shined brightest. The Airlie Stud-consigned colt is not just a half-brother to that 2018 champion 2-year-old filly in Ireland but also the promising Charlie Appleby-trained Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the €550,000 it took to buy him represented a new record for Stauffenberg. The fact that lot 727 boasted a stallion's pedigree...

Invincible Spirit (Ire) tops the 2023 Irish National Stud roster in 2023. The sire of 21 Group 1 winners lifetime, the 25-year-old will stand for a private fee. His progeny won 10 stakes this year, led by Pearls Galore (Fr)'s victory in the G1 Matron S. and Shartash (Ire)'s win in the G2 Railway S. among his seven group winners. Classic winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire)'s first runners will step out on racecourses next year and he has been priced at €12,000. G1 Phoenix S. winner Lucky Vega (Ire) will...

A total of 27 students from eight countries will take part in the 2023 Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course, which begins in mid-January next year. The programme is a unique combination of practical training, classroom lectures, cultural immersion, personal and professional development which equips students with first-hand and a well-rounded understanding of the Thoroughbred industry. Making up the Class of 2023 are: Robert Acheson (Ireland), Brian Banahan (USA), Sean Berns (Ireland), Aoife Boland (Ireland), Julia Coenen (France), Thomas Connolly (Ireland), Gerard Donworth (Ireland), Emma Hunter (Ireland), Scott Innes...

Group 1 winner and young shuttle sire National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}--Angel Falls {GB}, by Kingmambo) passed away in Australia, Widden Stud reported. The 2016 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero was bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and partners. From five starts, he broke his maiden on debut at Deauville, and was also placed in the G3 Prix des Chenes, prior to his Group 1 win. Kept in training at three by Sun Bloodstock, the Criquette Head trainee was also second in the G3 Prix Djebel. Retired to the Irish...

Ben Hanley will join WinStar Farm as the newest member of its stallion season sales team, officials at the farm announced Thursday. Having earned a degree in equine science from the University of Kentucky and a degree from the Irish National Stud course, Hanley joins WinStar after stints with Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in Saratoga and after working in yearling prep for WinStar, Coolmore and Taylor Made. Hanley has also worked in customer-facing roles with Taylor Made at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton Sales. After his graduation from the INS...