Peter Kavanagh

Depending on the era one first became immersed in racing, there are certain sets of colours that have particular resonance. For many, the brown and white hoops, white cap, carried by the late Gerry Oldham's horses, many of them homebred by his Citadel Stud, will be favourites. Over the years they have been worn by jockeys aboard such special horses as the brilliant stayer Sagaro (Ire) - who has the rare honour of having a race named after him at Ascot - and 2,000 Guineas victor Zino (GB), trained like...

"Their welfare was our livelihood." Peter Kavanagh could easily be talking about the mares and foals out in the paddocks at Kildaragh Stud. In fact he is casting his mind back to childhood days on his family's cattle farm.  Though racing and breeding are increasingly observed through the prism of the data supplied by technology, a back-to-basics approach would stand any aspiring breeder in good stead, as would an hour spent listening to Kavanagh. There's a touch of the John Cleese about him: long legs which could easily propel him...

NEWMARKET, UK--For those of us of a certain age, for whom the years seem to flash by ever faster, that hill up to Tattersalls seems to get steeper every year. One family which has no trouble striding their way up to their draft just through the wrought iron gates is the Kavanaghs of Kildaragh Stud, and this week it's not just because, collectively, they have the longest legs in the business. On Saturday, the family enjoyed two terrific results, both as breeze-up consignors and breeders, when first the Tattersalls Craven...