At Home With Meta And Dermot: Q&A With The ITBA Award Winners 

It is just over a month since Dermot Cantillon and Meta Osborne were inducted into the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall Of Fame at a memorable awards ceremony at the Heritage Hotel.

Described as a “power couple” in the awards booklet, rarely are the Tinnakill House Stud owners seen without each other. After an hour spent in their company at their home near Forenaghts Stud in County Kildare, it is easy to see why Meta and Dermot have risen to many of the challenges that life, and the industry, presents.

“I'm a disruptor and Meta is status quo,” Dermot jokes, although there is a certain element of truth to the statement. You won't hear Meta and Dermot sitting around telling each other how great they are. Instead, they challenge each other's way of thinking. 

Despite having no background in racing, Dermot managed Forenaghts Stud for the Smurfit family at a time when their colours were carried to not one but two Melbourne Cup victories thanks to Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle. 

He has also chaired ITM, the Tote, been on many committees and boards, including Goffs, the ITBA and that of his current baby, Naas racecourse. 

Meta is no shrinking violet. A well-respected equine veterinary surgeon, she specialises in mare reproduction. She also became Senior Steward of the Turf Club in 2016, the first woman to hold such a position, and last year completed a Masters in Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh.

The couple's achievements at Tinnakill House Stud are not bad either. Casamento, Alexander Goldrun, Red Evie and State Of Rest are graduates of the County Laois farm. 

Needless to say, Meta and Dermot were thoroughly deserving winners of their Hall Of Fame award. A power couple, indeed.

Dermot and Meta were added to the ITBA Hall Of Fame | Tattersalls Ireland

Brian: A nice light-hearted one to start; I am sure you saw Johnny Murtagh's comments about prize-money not being good enough in the TDN last week. Given your position at Naas racecourse, Dermot, you might be best qualified to comment on that.

Dermot: He definitely has a point. We need to be getting more money out of the bookmakers. I know they have done deals in Australia where they give back a higher percentage and I think there is leakage in how the money comes back to racing in Ireland and England especially, where dividends go back to big corporations. The biggest worry for me is that we are losing our audience. The crowds are falling away. Now, we do have a new audience, which is a digital audience. We were on holidays in South Africa recently, for example, and we were able to watch Irish racing on television down there. That's all driven by betting and betting is basically driving what is happening in Britain and Ireland. You can see that yourself through the fixture list. There has been a big increase in the fixture list over time and that reduces quality, gives us more fixtures and creates more money for the bookmakers. Is that good or bad? I don't know. Do you think the racecourses should be putting more money into prize-money? That's a question we have asked ourselves at Naas racecourse but we have never paid a dividend, which means the money we have made up until now has gone back into the track in other ways. Up until now, we haven't put any of our resources back into prize-money. There is a huge upkeep into running a racecourse and making constant improvements.

Meta: Part of the issue is that some of the racetracks have legacy debt which they haven't been able to service and you are always worried that, if this becomes the model, it will always be the model. 

Dermot: One of my biggest issues with Irish racing at the moment is the structure. I mean, it's totally laid down in stone. In soccer, you have a tiered system-the Championship and the Premier League-, whereas in Irish racing you have certain racecourses that get the big races every single year. There is no incentive to get better because this is your position and you cannot progress.

Brian: I thought Naas showed itself in a great light when it stepped in to stage a number of big races while the Curragh was going through its redevelopment. What would your one big wish be for the track?

Dermot: If HRI asked us to take a Classic if we put €50,000 into it, or offered us a Group 1 if we could go out and get a Group 1 sponsor, but we're never asked those questions.

Brian: What Group 1 would be best suited to Naas?

Dermot: I think we could easily take the Phoenix Stakes, which has moved around over the years. We've 13 Group 1s in Ireland and the Curragh has 11 of those. Leopardstown has the other two. It could be better spread out, like it is in England for example. 

 

Brian: It's clear that the two of you have very different philosophies; do you think that is a benefit in that you can bounce things off each other and get a different perspective?

Meta: Oh, yes. A better outcome comes from a broader discussion. But sometimes Dermot can get a bit frustrated with my views on things!

Dermot: Meta comes from a Turf Club background–need we say any more?! You can quote me on that!

Meta: I don't think I subscribed totally to everything the Turf Club stood for, I knew some things needed to change. 

Dermot: You led them for two years!

Meta: I did and we got the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board out of that, which is something I am very proud of. 

 

Dermot: One thing I feel strongly about is that people who lead organisations in racing should come up through the ranks organically but we have gotten away from that in recent times. People who lead should have passion. Passion is not something that you can bring in from the side, it comes from down below.

Brian: Would you agree with that, Meta?

Meta: I would. Passion is the lifeblood, but, again, I can see why that has happened because people are concerned that the funding of the sport will dry up unless we can show that we have people appointed who understand business and finance and corporate governance. 

Dermot: There are plenty of people in the industry who understand business and finance. If you look at the GAA, one of the most magnificent organisations in the world, they have more people playing Gaelic Games outside of Ireland now than they do in the country. But could you imagine the GAA president coming from outside? It would never happen. 

 

Brian: That's enough of the heavy stuff–let's lighten the mood! I'll read out a quote Dermot said at the ITBA Awards. It read, 'the night I met Meta in Kentucky was the best night of my life.'

Meta: Would you believe, that is 40 years this year…

Dermot: We have our debates and we challenge each other but we do push forward in a united front. We complement each other, for sure.

Brian: What did the award mean and has it sunk in?

Dermot: I was delighted that it was a joint award because that's the way we have always been perceived within the industry. We have received a lot of positive feedback from people within the industry following the awards. In many ways, we're not your normal industry people. We're not as hands on as others. We've had success, but we've done it in a very balanced way. 

Brian: From the outside looking in, it seems as though there is always an occasion or an event.

Dermot: Yes, and we make no apology for that, we work to live. 

Brian: But do ye switch off or are ye like this, rowing over prize-money, etc on holiday?

Meta: [Laughs]

Dermot: We don't switch off, we bring it with us, but we know there are other things. 

Meta: We're going to France next week. We've mares boarding over there so we're looking forward to going over and seeing them.

Dermot: That's one of the things we love about the industry. We've made friends all over the world and we get a good welcome in Australia, America or wherever we go. I used to be very envious of Meta's Dad when I met him first because he knew people all over the world. It's funny, now we have replicated that and are proud to say we have friends all over the world in this industry. That's a great attraction of our industry. But, I have to say, I am worried about the future of the sport.

 

Brian: What's your biggest worry?

Dermot: It doesn't have the same gravitas that it used to. At one time, you would have been very proud to be from our industry. Now, you'd want to be picking your audience. That's a worry. 

Brian: It's funny you say that because I have been at a lot of weddings recently and, invariably you get talking to people you don't know and, when it comes to explaining what you do for a living, a lot of the time I'm met with ignorant or sometimes even negative reactions. 

Dermot: When I was your age, people would have been, 'wow, that is some industry to work in.' 

Brian: I find myself defending the sport a lot. 

Dermot: That's the point I'm making. And that's the worry. Racing in California and other jurisdictions is under threat and what would happen if that went? We have a big trade on fillies especially in Ireland to go specifically to California. If that went, it would have a huge knock-on effect. There are some huge threats out there. Our mindset should be to support the industry as a whole. We shouldn't view other jurisdictions as rivals. We should all be supporting this industry together. Maybe we should look at having some form of a promotional body worldwide. 

Meta: Vicky Leonard is doing great work with Kick Up For Racing.

 

Brian: I'm going to veer off topic slightly here and bring up the AIB advert that Dermot did in 2008. The premise of the ad was that AIB was backing brave and, in hindsight, they picked a very fitting man to star in the advert.

Dermot: Why, because the guy looks so good in it?!

Brian: More so because you are brave! Ye are never afraid to take a chance on an old mare or whatever it may be. Also, Jack is a chip off the old block. Is it something that you instill in each other?

Meta: Dermot is a gambler at heart. His interest in racing started through the dogs, didn't it Dermot?

Dermot: Basically, my Dad was a GP in County Waterford. There is a good tradition of point-to-point yards around the area but I didn't grow up around horses whatsoever. I did agricultural science in college and, I can remember somebody asking me what area I was most interested in, and I couldn't think of any. That summer, I was working in construction in New York and my brother-in-law had been working as an exchange student over there and, by complete accident, ended up on a stud farm in Kentucky. He knew I liked horses and told me I should visit Kentucky. I did, and I ended up going to graduate school in Kentucky and I ended up managing a stud farm out there. That was despite the fact that, when I first went to Kentucky, I didn't know whether they bedded the horses on hay or straw! That was my background. Because of that, I suppose I look at things a little bit differently than to those who were brought up with horses. 

Meta: I was going to say on the night of the ITBA Awards that we got Dermot in to bring a bit of hybrid vigour around the place! That's the running joke we have here. 

Dermot: I was attracted by the risk element of this industry, without question. But the Smurfit family were very good to me from the outset and provided me with a lot of encouragement and also gave me the scope to go and develop my own farm, so I was lucky in that sense. 

 

Brian: While you both are not hands-on at the farm, there's no doubt that you both work very hard.

Dermot: We do things differently. It might not be the traditional way but it works for us.

Meta: We have top-class staff on the farm and Ian Thompson is a brilliant manager. It's funny, when he rings us, the first thing he will say is, 'there are no problems, I'm just ringing because..' He has equity in plenty of mares so he is invested in the farm. We'd be lost without him. On a personal level, and I think I have gotten this from my father, but I would have a very strong ethos of giving back and spreading knowledge. I'd never be the one for saying 'well, we know about that trick, so we won't tell anyone,' I'd tell the world. There's so much knowledge out there and my latest project is starting a podcast with an Aussie friend, Karen Luke. It's called Changing Rein and it's about human interaction with horses. There is a huge amount of research and information out there so we are looking forward to putting it together for people to consume. Watch this space!

Dermot: On a different note, slightly, but, one of the biggest changes we have noticed since we have come into the game is the rise of the major stallion stud farms. When we first got into the game, there were an awful amount of stud farms with one or two stallions. Most of those farms have gone out of business and now you have a couple of mega farms that dominate the whole thing. A lot of people are being squeezed out and it's becoming more and more difficult to run what you would have called a traditional stud farm. The people who are really doing well are the ones who have access to the commercial stallions. If you are trying to compete with them, it's very difficult, and I fear we will see a big contraction within the industry in the next five years. The amount of money that is being generated within the industry is going into fewer hands. That's the bottom line. If we didn't come up with Repose (Quiet American) [dam of State Of Rest] and then sell her so well, we'd be under pressure. Going forward, you need to keep repeating the dose. It's difficult. Mind you, I wouldn't mind a sizeable interest in an established stallion–it's like a small goldmine with a seam lasting 15 to 20 years.

 

Brian: The landscape of the breeding game has changed a lot even in the past few years. Polarised was the buzzword last year. Have you adapted your approach to what stallions you use as a result of the selectivity of the market?

Dermot: If you want to go to a commercial stallion now, you are paying €50,000 or €60,000, so that's a huge gamble. It's become more high risk because of the fact everybody wants to use the same stallions.

Meta: We have a lot of stallion shares and that's what we have tried to do down through the years. We try to use those first and they can be a help.

Brian: Ye have been lucky with some of your stallion shares down through the years. 

Dermot: Oh, we have. Some of them have worked out great. When my father passed away, he left me some money, and there was a second share that became available on Invincible Spirit (Ire). I took that up on the basis of the money I was left in the will. Every time I got a dividend, I used to look up to the sky and say, 'thanks Dad.' Invincible Spirit put the kids through college!

 

Brian: For all the ups in this game, and ye have enjoyed many of those, how do ye deal with the downs? It's not always rosy in the garden in this game.

Dermot: As I said earlier on, if you don't find some really nice foals or yearlings in your crop, you are in trouble. One year, it might be okay, but two years in a row and you could be in serious trouble. It can keep you awake at night, breeding horses. 

Meta: I'm probably more level. I don't get as stressed or upset about it. I prefer to trust the process.

Dermot: If you look at the make-up of racing, the whole emphasis is on producing a really good horse, but in today's world where we have more racing than ever before, sound horses who can run in ordinary races are a necessity for the industry. But that doesn't seem to get much of a premium. If you produce a nice horse and bring it to the sales but he's not by the right sire you might not get a whole pile of money but there is an absolute need for those horses to keep the show on the road. We've just completed the Naas Centenary book and, as I go through the pages, it shows me that racing used to be a social event and sport with a small industry attached. Now, 100 years later, it has completely changed. The social element is very small, the sporting element is becoming less and less and the big industry attached to it, which is gambling, is dictating terms. That is a massive change.

 

Brian: Could you ever sell up Tinnakill and sail off into the sunset?

Dermot: Jack [son] has a huge interest in it all so it would be difficult but I have always been tempted by cash! 

Meta: We need to sell €1 million worth of horses every year. That's the reality.

Brian: I don't think they would stage the mares sales without you both being there.

Dermot: Well, we have been there for 30-something years. It's funny, though, if I wasn't at the sales and I was looking down through the list of results and without seeing who bought what, I would be able to tell you exactly what Jack bought. That has happened time and time again. He thinks exactly the same way as I do. I had a physiotherapy appointment last year and had to leave the sales for a couple of hours. There was a mare sold cheaply in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire) and, I said to myself when I saw what it made, 'God, I hope Jack bought that,' and he did. We hadn't even discussed it beforehand. We've four kids and we're very proud of them all. Jack is making his way in the industry and he's a huge resource to us. He's a fountain of information and he's not afraid to take a chance. He has gotten involved in a number of stallions and maybe it will work out for him but it's a very difficult area. He puts his neck out there and I am very proud of that. It can be easy to criticise but there are a lot of people who would never put themselves out there like he does. He's a qualified lawyer in America, the UK and Ireland and it's amazing that he is not pursuing that career, but he is happy doing what he is doing. 

 

Brian: It was Jack who first told me about the award and how excited you both were to be receiving it. 

Dermot: We were, because it's your peers recognising you and, like I said, we're not the normal stud farm owners. We've done it our own way and have contributed to various other bodies and put our energies into other things as well as our farm. That has been very rewarding for us. 

Meta: It's not just about the buying and the selling of the horses; it's about the networking and the relationships you forge with people. We have made some wonderful friendships in the industry down through the years and it has afforded us a fantastic way of life and great craic along the way.

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Lauding the Best in the Business on a Night of Sheer Emotion 

KILLENARD, Ireland – By daybreak on Monday the last few revellers were leaving the bar at The Heritage while those – admittedly few – of a more disciplined nature started to consider breakfast. 

Heads were hurting but hearts were still soaring after an evening celebrating all that is great about the Irish bloodstock industry. And it was a truly great night, but one which naturally started on a sombre note as the gathered guests bowed their heads in a few moments of silence to reflect on the passing of the ITBA chief executive Una Tormey last month at the age of only 41.

It wasn't the only part of the evening to bring a lump to the throat. The Next Generation Award was presented a little later on to Amy Marnane, who is the embodiment of unbridled enthusiasm, just like her dad, Con. He was there of course, eyes welling with pride, along with Amy's sister Olivia and members of the extended Marnane family. The one absentee was Con's wife Theresa, who died in December and, like Tormey, is much missed by her many friends in the business and beyond. 

By 2am in the hotel bar, Con and Amy were taking turns on the microphone, and if her endeavours in the bloodstock world ever fail her (they won't) Amy could easily fall back on a career as a singer. It was a night of celebration, and people who know Con Marnane even only in passing, will realise that he takes that approach to life on most days. The recent months will surely have been tough on the family without Theresa in their midst, but there is no better way to honour her memory than by continuing to live life to the full. On Sunday night she would have been especially proud of her eldest daughter, who is a shining example to all young people coming into this industry.

“She was a sponge to soak up information. By five or six she knew every horse by their sire and dam,” said Con in the tribute video to Amy before adding with a grin, “I'm not really surprised…She learnt from the best.”

The best was what Sunday night was all about. From the top jumps prospects, many of whom will return to the Cheltenham Festival in a fortnight's time, to the potential breed-shapers of the future on the Flat, Ireland's equine stars and the people who made them were duly celebrated. 

“We are delighted to have Minister Pippa Hackett join us again for this year's awards and we thank her and her government colleagues for their continued support,” said ITBA Chairman Cathy Grassick in her opening address. 

“We are honoured tonight to recognise the outstanding achievement of Irish-bred horses, both Flat and National Hunt, during 2023. This is our opportunity to celebrate their outstanding successes in a year which Irish thoroughbred talent was on display to a global audience once more. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge those who have made a lifelong contribution to Irish thoroughbred breeding and our people awards are well deserved and a testament to the wonderful people we have working in our industry.”

Willie Austin, who will forever be associated with the brilliant, prolific jumper Danoli (Ire), claimed the Small Breeder Award for the year in which Danoli's relative Blazing Khal (Ire) heaped more glory on the family with victory in the G2 Boyne Hurdle.

We will hear more from David Bowe in tomorrow's edition of the TDN after the Littleton Stud manager was given the Wild Geese Award, which is annually handed out to an Irishman or woman who has forged a successful career in the bloodstock industry beyond Ireland's shores. 

Bill Dwan summed up what many people feel about Bowe when he said, “He's an absolute gentleman. I don't know anyone in the business who has a bad word to say about him. It's not ever about David; it's about the horses, it's about Jeff [Smith, Littleton Stud owner].”

Stitch-up of the year goes to the ITBA's awards organising committee, who managed to pull the wool over Leo Powell's eyes. For many years Powell, the former editor of the Irish Field, has been the compere on awards night. This year he was told that the recipient of the Special Contribution award had been kept top secret, and indeed it had been, to the degree that Powell had no idea that the award was coming his way until he was hijacked on stage, expecting to read out someone else's name. 

The warmth of feeling for Powell within the racing and breeding industry was summed up beautifully by Jacqueline Norris in another of the heartwarming videos that the ITBA team does so well. “He's incredibly interested in the people that make up this business. He's kind, he's considerate, he thinks about people,” she said. “Leo Powell is pure class.”

There was also widespread approval for this year's inductees to the ITBA Hall of Fame. Referred to regularly as a “power couple”, the husband-and-wife team behind Tinnakill House, Dermot Cantillon and Meta Osborne, are the worthy new names on that illustrious roll of honour, which also includes Meta's late father, Michael Osborne.

Their great friend Alan Byrne paid tribute to the couple, with plenty of leg-pulling in his humorous address. He said, “What a team, what a partnership: in business and in life. I'm in awe of what they do, and also the skills they bring to their partnership: expertise in pedigrees, conformation judgement, strategic thinking, commercial nous, rigour and an unwavering commitment to hard work – and, look, Dermot brings something to the partnership as well.

“Above all, I would say that Dermot is an enthusiast. With Dermot, the glass isn't just half full, there's about to be so much liquid in evidence that more glasses need to be bought as quickly as possible. He loves the life and he loves the game.”

In almost 20 years at Tinnakill House, the couple has bred four Group 1 winners in Casamento (Ire), Alexander Goldrun (Ire), Red Evie (Ire) and, most recently, State Of Rest (Ire).

Byrne also highlighted the time and devotion they have committed to the industry above and beyond their own farm and in many roles, including Cantillon's chairmanship of Naas racecourse and Osborne's stint as senior steward of the Turf Club, as well as their encouragement of young people starting off in the business. 

“They only ever want the best for the Thoroughbred industry in Ireland,” added John P Byrne.

As Leo Powell conducted an interview on stage with the 'wild goose' David Bowe, who was clearly choked with emotion at being honoured by his peers and countrymen, he asked Bowe for one parting piece of advice for young folk keen on getting involved in the bloodstock business. 

“Immerse yourself in it, get involved in it and stick with it,” offered Bowe.

They are words that can just as well apply to racing and breeding, or indeed the ITBA Awards evening. Don't go there thinking that you will be able to get an early night. Roll with the emotion, sing, dance and enjoy everything that is worth celebrating about this wonderful life. 

ITBA National Breeding & Racing Awards Winners

Chaser of the Year 2023
Shishkin, Breeder: CJ & EB Bennett

Hurdler of the Year 2023
Marine Nationale, Breeder: JB Bloodstock   

National Hunt Race Mare 2023
Marie's Rock, Breeder: Dan Breen

Young National Hunt Horse 2023
A Dream To Share, Breeder: Brucetown Farms

Small Breeder 2023
William Austin 

Two-year-old Filly of the Year 2023
Porta Fortuna, Breeder: Whisperview Trading Ltd

Two-year-old Colt of the Year 2023
Henry Longfellow, Breeder:  Coolmore 

Three-year-old Filly of the Year 2023
Mawj, Breeder: Godolphin 

Three-year-old Colt of the Year 2023
Auguste Rodin, Breeder:  Coolmore

Older Horse 2023
Mostahdaf, Breeder: Shadwell Estate 

Next Generation Award 2023
Amy Marnane 

Wild Geese Award 2023
David Bowe

Contribution to the Industry 2023
Leo Powell

Hall of Fame 2023
Dermot Cantillon and Meta Osborne 

 

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ITBA Breeding Seminar Plays Host to Industry Experts at Goffs

Over 200 people attended a breeding seminar held by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) and its junior wing, the ITBA Next Generation, on the eve of the Goffs February Sale on Tuesday, February 6.

The event was hosted by Kevin Blake, a well-known racing analyst and broadcaster as well as being a reputable breeder in his own right. He was joined on the panel by former ITBA chairman Dermot Cantillon, the breeder of multiple Group 1 winners at Tinnakill House Stud, plus Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale, Helena Burns of Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital and Loughtown Stud, bloodstock agent Matt Coleman and Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's general manager in Ireland and European racing.

A variety of themes were up for discussion as the panel talked all things breeding, from what they look for when buying a mare to the general health of the industry and where it might be years from now.

A recording of the event will be available through the ITBA in the coming weeks. The ITBA will also soon be launching their 'Ask The Expert' series which will take place online during March, April and May, providing the opportunity to hear from different figures in the industry on a wide range of topics.

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O’Brien Lands Sister To Globetrotting Sensation State Of Rest For 750k

A Sea The Stars (Ire) sister to globetrotting sensation State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) found a fitting suitor at the Goffs Orby Sale with Joseph O'Brien, the man who trained that Tinnakill House graduate to win at the highest level in America, Australia, Britain and France, going to €750,000 to secure the star attraction on Tuesday. 

Tinnakill House has enjoyed the ride of a lifetime with the family of State Of Rest having signed for the granddam of the four-time Group 1 winner, Monaassabaat (Zilzal), at the Goffs November Mares Sale back in 2007. 

The journey reached its crescendo on Tuesday when the hammer fell to O'Brien to deliver what was clearly an emotional success for Dermot Cantillon and his wife Meta Osborne.

“My big wish is that she goes on and becomes a super race mare,” – Dermot Cantillon

Speaking shortly after the sale, Cantillon said of lot 48, “We had a lot of footfall down to the stable and I was always confident that she would make a good price. I'd like to say a big thank you to Mrs Tsui for giving me the opportunity to breed to the stallion. We're not in a situation where we can breed to those top stallions regularly so to have a foal share was great.”

He added, “I'd also like to say a special thank you to the late John Clarke. It was John who facilitated the foal share and, without him, we wouldn't have had that beautiful filly here today. Then of course my own staff, my family for supporting us; you don't come across a filly like that many times in your life and my big wish is that she goes on and becomes a super race mare.”

State Of Rest's dam Repose (Quiet American), who has also produced the dual Group 3 winner Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), was sold to Juddmonte in May of last year. Tuesday's headline act was the last remaining offspring the County Laois farm had of that brilliant family.

The Cantillon family with the sister to State Of Rest | Sarah Farnsworth

Recalling how the mating to Sea The Stars for Repose came about, Cantillon continued, “I was at the Goffs Orby Sale at Doncaster and I met John. He was looking at Tranquil Lady going around the ring and I told him it was a nice filly who was going to sell well and that the two-year-old was quite nice as well. That was State Of Rest. He said, 'she might be one we'd be interested in doing a foal share with,' so that's how it came about.”

He added, “I bought Monaassabaat here in 2007. It's been a long time in the making but we have done very well. A lot of people will say we are selling one of our crown jewels but sometimes you have to do that to keep the whole show running.”

 

 

State Of Rest retired to Rathbarry Stud in Ireland with Saratoga Derby, Cox Plate, Prix Ganay and Prince Of Wales's S. triumphs to his name. O'Brien said that he was keen to secure the little sister to one of the smartest horses that he has trained and confirmed that he fully expected to have to shell out high six figures to get the job done. 

He said, “Obviously State Of Rest was a horse who progressed from two to three and this filly had a lot of quality and is medium-sized. We loved her from the moment we saw her and Sea The Stars is one of the best stallions in the world and the mare has proved herself as an outstanding producer. She will make a fantastic racing prospect in the short term and a brilliant breeding prospect further down the line. She will run for an existing client.”

 

 

Mike Repole Bolsters Turf Squad With Two Kingman Fillies

One of the major subplots of the Goffs Orby Sale in recent years has been the strength of the American investment. In Tuesday's preview, Goffs chief Henry Beeby paid a handsome compliment to the US agent to the sales company Jacob West, who has helped drive interest in the Orby among his American counterparts. 

Not only that, but West came up trumps on day one when signing for two different Kingman (GB) fillies on behalf of American powerhouse owner Mike Repole to the tune of €600,000. 

Speaking after signing for a €400,000 daughter of the high-class Group 2 winner Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) (lot 260) from Glenvale Stud, West said, “She was kind of the pick of the litter from a filly perspective. She was bought for Mike Repole to go back to America so I'd assume she'll go into training with Todd Pletcher. We'll keep our fingers crossed as we're opening up a new turf division for Mike. 

“We've bought two Kingmans today and as I got off the phone to Mike just now he said don't call him tomorrow because he's done! That's Mike Repole in a nutshell. The update with the filly winning today only helped and we're happy to secure her. Kingman has done well in America, I think his stock appreciates the firm going that we have.”

That update came when Bocca Baciata's daughter Foniska (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made all to win the Navigation S. at Cork for Jessica Harrington, who also trained the dam.

West added, “We've bid on a few today but it's strong for the right ones, there's plenty of trade. I love this sale, it produces top runners year after year. I feel like there's value here and they're raised right and come from good people. It's a great sale.” 

Frankel Colt Stars As Godolphin Make Return To The Orby

Godolphin returned to the Orby Sale market in style when snapping up a Frankel (GB) colt (lot 32) from Yeomanstown Stud for €625,000 before adding a Dubawi (Ire) colt (lot 100) from Ballylinch Stud for €400,000 and a Teofilo (Ire) filly (lot 168) for €190,000 from Baroda Stud. 

A buying team of Anthony Stroud, Charlie Appleby and David Loder saw off a determined challenge from Mark McStay for the Frankel colt out of Promised Money (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a Listed-winning sprinter for Eddie Lynam and producer of Listed winner Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir) and G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Fivethousandtoone (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

“He's for Godolphin,” said Stroud after signing for the Frankel colt. “Charlie, David and myself all saw this horse and we all liked him very much. 

“He's by Frankel and comes from a very good farm. He's very smooth and came within the range we thought he would. He's just a very nice horse.” 

Godolphin had been absent from the Orby since 2019, where their purchases included the subsequent Group 1-winning sprinter Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

 

 

McStay Goes To 400k For Daughter Of No Nay

He may have been out of luck on the Frankel colt but McStay had more than one hand to play on the afternoon and the chips were firmly down on lot 156, a No Nay Never filly bought from Glenvale Stud for €400,000. 

Out of Juddmonte's black-type performer Ultrasonic (Mizzen Mast), the No Nay Never was reported to have been top of McStay's wish list on what proved to be a busy afternoon for the agent.

“She's as nice as there is on the grounds here today,” he said. “I thought the price was probably right because the sire is having a phenomenal year and she has a very good pedigree; what's not to like? There was plenty of competition so I'm delighted to get her.” 

The No Nay Never filly was purchased for an unnamed client and no trainer was revealed, however, McStay also featured among the buyers for lot 87, a Fastnet Rock (Aus) filly for €200,000 on behalf of well-known connections. 

She was consigned by Marlhill House Stud and is on her way to Donnacha O'Brien and will run for Medallion Racing, the part-owners of the brilliant G3 Albany S. winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio). 

Medallion also added a Ten Sovereigns (Ire) filly (lot 116) to their haul from Glenvale Stud for €98,000 and she will go into training with Paddy Twomey.

  • Al Shira'aa Farms lit the touch paper for the sale when going to €200,000 for the second lot into the ring, the Whitehall Stud-drafted American Pharoah half-sister to Group 1 winner Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).  Not long afterwards, Kieran Lalor, who buys on behalf of the powerful owner-breeder, added a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly (lot 12) out of a sister to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) for €250,000. She was consigned by WH Bloodstock.
  • Pinhooking profits always make for encouraging reading and few do it better than Tally-Ho Stud. Lot 86 is as good an example as any. Bought for 130,000gns from Ringfort Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sales, the Ghaiyyath (Ire) filly out of a Listed-placed Zoffany (Ire) mare realised €360,000 to Peter and Ross Doyle. Meanwhile, lot 31, a Havana Grey (GB) half-brother to The Wizard Of Eye (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), was picked up for €52,000 from Pipe View Stud in November. He was on Tuesday sold to Sackville Donald and Dermot Farrington for €180,000.
  • Paula Flannery was another to pull off a shrewd pinhook on the day when her 23,000gns Havana Grey (GB) foal purchase rocked into €140,000. Lot 148 was consigned by Ballyvolane Stud and was bought by Andrew Balding.
  • Mick Kinane was another busy buyer at Goffs on Tuesday. On behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Kinane bought an Acclamation (GB) colt (lot 19) from Rathbarry Stud for €280,000 and a No Nay Never colt (lot 201) from Baroda Stud for €240,000. 
  • At close of play on Tuesday, the aggregate, average and median had all dropped by 10% compared to the corresponding day's trade 12 months ago. However, many of the big-ticket lots are still to come on Wednesday, including the eagerly-anticipated Stauffenberg Bloodstock draft. Turnover stood at €24,287,500, while the average was €112,443 and the median €85,000.
Redvers Goes To 460k For “Rockstar” Wootton Bassett

David Redvers described the third most expensive horse to go through the ring on the day, a €460,000 Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of the brilliant racemare Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), as “a rockstar individual” before revealing the lofty plans in store. 

The Camas Park Stud-drafted colt (lot 205) was bought on behalf of a new partnership between Sheikh Fahad, the China Horse Club and expanding British-based owner David Howden, best known for owning the high-class Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion).

The partnership are in search of colts who have the potential of becoming stallions and, in the Wootton Bassett colt out of Albigna, Redvers certainly fitted the brief on paper at least. 

Speaking shortly after signing the docket, Redvers said, “This colt has been on our minds since we first saw him. We are trying to buy horses for a partnership of Sheikh Fahad, the China Horse Club and David Howden with a view of hopefully, one day, turning them into a stallion. He's by a phenomenal sire of high-class two-year-olds. He is a rockstar individual. Hopefully he will be a top-class two-year-old.”

Albigna, of course, will form part of the exciting draft of high-class Niarchos-owned broodmares that will go under the hammer at Goffs in November. Expertly trained by Jessica Harrington, Albigna carried the colours of the Niarchos family to victory in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in 2019. 

Redvers continued, “It's always nice knowing there is a genuine reason for a sale, especially with top-class bloodlines like this. If it had come up from another hotel, you might have thought, 'why are they selling it?' But there is a straightforward reason as to why he has turned up at the sales and we all have the opportunity to look at these mares in November. Genuine Group 1-winning mares producing horses like this, they are as rare as hen's teeth.”

Indeed, Goffs has been a happy hunting ground for Redvers and Sheikh Fahad in the past, and connections will be hoping for similar luck with their new acquisition.

“This place has been very kind to us,” Redvers added. “We've bought some lovely horses here in the past. Sheikh Fahad's first Group 1 winner, Lightning Pearl (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), came out of here, as did his first Classic winner in Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). We hope to make a stallion out of this one.”

The post O’Brien Lands Sister To Globetrotting Sensation State Of Rest For 750k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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