12 Questions: Sinead Hyland

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 when he left us as a yearling to join John Oxx, culminating his racing career in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he was a thrill to watch. We all felt a little part of his journey.

 

Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023?

I would love to see Phoenix Of Spain win but realistically Ten Sovereigns.

 

Greatest race in the world?

The La Touche Cup at Punchestown.

 

If you could be someone else in the industry for a day who would it be, and why?

Having hung up my charity racing boots (two back surgeries later) I'd have to say Frankie Dettori, on the Magnificent Seven day.

 

Emerging talent in the industry (human)?

Having chaired the YITBA, the new panel of the ITBA Next Generation led by Orla Donworth is organising some great events and really bringing the talent of the future together.

 

Horse TDN should have made a Rising Star, and didn't?

Lucky Vega.

 

Under-the-radar stallion?

Acclamation.

 

Friday night treat?

We call it 'Pizza Party Friday Night', a get-together with friends and their families, nothing beats it.

 

Guilty pleasure outside of racing?

Glass of wine and an episode of Yellowstone.

 

Race I wish I had been there for?

Rachael Blackmore's win in the Grand National on Minella Times.

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Over 5.5million Spent On Mares To Visit Lucky Vega At Goffs

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}), an unraced half-sister to Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}), was sold in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB). She is also a full-sister to Venice Beach (Ire) and Broadway (Ire).

He said, “I thought she was a lovely physical, she has a great cover and she's from a fantastic family. She's going to go to Lucky Vega. Mr Zhang is doubling down on his support this year by buying some select mares. He sent 30 mares to him last season and he'll probably send the same number next year but is going to up the quality on the strength of what he's seen from his foals on the ground in Australia.”

Lucky Vega stands the Northern Hemisphere season at The Irish National Stud for €15,000, and the Southern Hemisphere season at Yulong's farm in Victoria for AU$19,250 inc. GST. On the track he carried the green and white colours of Zhang Yuesheng, who has been a familiar face on the sale circuit this year, and was in attendance at Goffs again on Friday. The Chinese businessman's horses in Ireland are concentrated in the Jessica Harrington yard, which is where Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) was based when she recorded Group 2 success. 

The Kiltinan Castle Stud-consigned mare, who is foal to Mehmas (Ire), was another to join the Lucky Vega Syndicate for €530,000.

Donohoe said, “Obviously Mr Zhang has horses in training with Jessie [Harrington] and she trained her so she recommended the mare to him. Jessie is high on the two-year-old sister [Foniska (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})] that she trains, too. He actually bought Lucky Vega's sister as well. It's undecided where she'll go next year but she'll go to stud in Ireland.” 

 

Donohoe went on to underbid the top lot Ladies Church, who sold to Dermot Farrington for an undisclosed client for €970,000, where he did most of his bidding online through his iPad on the balcony directly opposite the rostrum. That was until he appeared to lose signal and, alongside Mr Zhang, was forced to bid the old-fashioned way. 

Alas, it wasn't to be on Ladies Church but, on bidding online, he said, “Obviously Mr Zhang is quite familiar with the online bidding in Australia, the online bidding format there has a couple of years head start on Europe, so he feels comfortable bidding that way. That's the way they do it in Australia and that's the way it's going here because you can bid in a nice relaxed atmosphere.”

Donohoe added, “We can nip down and look at the horses in the parade ring and do our final checks, then go up and have lunch and bid in comfort. We value the horses and we bid to what we think their value is, so it doesn't really matter who's bidding against us. Sometimes when you're bidding in the ring you can maybe go one or two bids that you might regret afterwards when you've been wrapped up in the theatre of it. It's all a bit more composed doing it this way.”

The Lucky Vega Syndicate remained strong deep into the evening, spending €1.23 million on back-to-back lots [1314 and 1315] Pleasant Dreams (Ire) and Eaves (Ire), both of whom are by Galileo. 

Pleasant Dreams, who made €630,000, was consigned by Grenane House Stud and was sold in foal to Starspangledbanner (Aus) while Eaves made €600,000 in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB). All told, BBA Ireland signed for six Galileo mares to visit Lucky Vega for €3,195,000. 

The aggregate was up 19% to €16,525,500 while the average was ahead 17.6% to €82,328. The median of €42,000 represented a 35.5% rise while the clearance rate was 83%.

Ladies Church To Stay In Training 

Billed as one of the star attractions of the sale, Group 2-winning sprinter Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}) was knocked down for €970,000 to Dermot Farrington who could not reveal the new connections. 

However, Farrington did confirm that Ladies Church, trained by Johnny Murtagh to win three times, including that career highlight in the G2 Sapphire S. at the Curragh in July, would race on as a four-year-old. 

Farrington said, “I can't say who she was bought for but she will definitely stay in training next year.”

Ladies Church was consigned by Murtagh's Fox Covert Stables and, as well as being a high-class racemare with a rating of 110, she boasts a strong page being a daughter of the French listed winner Rioticism (Fr) (Rio De La Plata).

Having been bought as a foal at Tattersalls in November 2019, she was then sold to Murtagh and agent Peter Nolan the following year for 160,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2020. 

She was one of seven horses owner Mark Dobin, who spreads his small but select string between Murtagh, Gavin Cromwell, Joseph O'Brien and Ger Lyons, ran in Ireland this season.

Maljoom's Dam Makes €450,000

BBA Ireland's Adrian Nicoll was also busy, signing for Nictate (Teofilo {Ire}), the dam of Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio), from Limekiln Stud for €450,000. 

Maljoom has not run since going down by less than a length in fourth in the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot back in June. Nictate was sold in foal to Tally-Ho's Starman (GB) and Nicoll was flanked by Paul Shanahan's son Charles when the gavel fell. 

Nicoll said, “She's for an Irish partnership so she'll stay here. She's bred a good horse, she's a nice mare but I don't know which stallion she'll go to next. She's top of the range and when you're buying the dam of a black-type winner you've got to expect to pay that sort of figure.” 

Nagle Pays €520,000 For Smart Shadwell Mare

David and Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud went to €520,000 to secure Shadwell's listed-placed Yasmeen (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), already the dam of listed winner Shaara (GB) (Shamardal) and in foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire)

Yasmeen is from a deep Shadwell family, with her dam Wissal a sister to Bahhare, and Nagle revealed that he planned on injecting some speed into the pedigree next year.

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Stauffenberg Secures Kingman With “Stallion’s Pedigree” For 550k At Goffs

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 provided Stauffenberg with the confidence to push on and buy the colt who brought the leading pinhooker's total spend at Goffs this year to over €1 million.

Stauffenberg said, “As the auctioneer said, he has a stallion's pedigree and I was actually the underbidder on the Dubawi (Ire) [Victory Dance (Ire)] as well. I think there is a lot of upside and, from what I hear, the Dubawi is going extremely well. They pushed him a little and thought he was a little bit earlier than he was. If he wins something nice next year, which you would hope he can, it will improve the page again. He definitely has a stallion's pedigree. It's a very good family and if Kingman (GB) comes up with a nice horse I'm not too worried.”

Asked if the significant outlay could make securing a pinhooking profit more difficult, Stauffenberg replied, “On one side, yes, but on the other, how many chances do we have to come up with something like him to go to war with next year? We spent a lot of money but hopefully we spent wisely. Sometimes it is more risky to buy one for €200,000. I think he was a no-brainer. I never gave this much for a foal before but I did underbid one for €1.2 million but didn't get her. She was the first crop of Frankel out of Finsceal Beo (Ire). This is the most expensive foal I've bought.

“Like all the others, he will come back to the farm. I will have to tell my staff that we have quite a valuable thing there. We treat everything the same and he will be raised like all the others then we will make a decision about where we are going, but I think it's an obvious decision about where we will go next year with him.”

Stauffenberg spent €1,113,000 on six foals at Goffs this week, including a Night Of Thunder (GB) colt (lot 601) for €280,000 who was offered from the Irish National Stud.

 

Asked if he was confident that the market would stay strong into the yearling sales next year, Stauffenberg replied, “Listen, who was confident this year? We were blown away with how well the yearling sales went and this is another thing with a horse like him; whether you are a high-end racing owner or someone looking for a stallion prospect, a horse like him will always have a value with his pedigree. I think you can be a little bit safer on that level than on a lower level. Whether I am right or not, we will know next year. I am happy to have him.”

The German-based operator was also happy to snap up the Night Of Thunder colt from the Irish National stud earlier in the afternoon.

On that acquisition, he added, “There aren't many Night Of Thunders on the open market and I've been very lucky with the sire already. I sold a filly by him in Book 1 to Godolphin who was an absolute queen so you could say I'm quite biased towards the sire. This was just an exceptionally good colt and I was keen to get him after missing out on one earlier today.”

That Night Of Thunder colt was owned by the Irish National Stud Mares Syndicate and the dam in question, Persona Grata (GB) (Sire Percy {GB}), a six-time winner including twice at listed level, was a relatively new recruit having been snapped up at Arqana December last year for €190,000.

Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud, said, “This is the fourth year of the syndicate. A lot of the foals we are selling are in different syndicates. The Night Of Thunder was in the newest version. We bought four mares last year and, what we try to do is, there are 100 shares and we offer half of them out and we keep the other half. That's what we try to do. It's gone fantastically well.

“We had a Dark Angel (Ire) colt out of Nabeyla (GB) make €78,000 and now this Night Of Thunder colt makes €280,000. We have a Showcasing (GB) and a Mehmas (Ire) that we will sell on behalf of the syndicate as yearlings and the mares are back in foal to different stallions now as well.”

He added, “Hopefully we will try and produce some stakes winners along the way and appreciate the mares if at all possible. We want to try and continue to sell foals profitably. That's the game. We bought this mare for €190,000 at Arqana so, to get the price of the mare back already, you don't fully expect to do that in your first year.

“He was a smashing colt and he's gone to a great home. He will be reoffered and hopefully he can make a good profit for Philipp next year.”

Those sales stood out in an exceedingly strong sale. The aggregate was a whopping €15,242,500, up 27% on last year's figures, while the average jumped 22% to €88,619. The median also rose 16% to €58,000. Of the 203 foals offered, 172 were sold, which represented a clearance rate of 85%.

 

Juddmonte Snaps Up Half To Derby Contender

Just over a month on from Arrest's narrow defeat in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Juddmonte paid a handsome compliment to their Derby contender by securing his half-brother by Wootton Bassett (GB) (lot 591) for €340,000 as well as a €530,000 Kingman (GB) colt (lot 606).

Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) went from strength to strength this season, ending his campaign with a head defeat to Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) in France, and can be backed at odds as big as 40-1 for next year's G1 Derby at Epsom.

 

Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said after the sale that parallels could be drawn between Arrest and his Swordlestown Little-consigned little brother.

Mahon said, “He's a half-brother to a good one. He [Arrest] was unlucky the last day to get beaten just a head in a Group 1 in France and the Abdullah family were particularly keen to buy him given how well the brother had done for them. I looked at him the other day and felt he was a very nice horse and that we'd be happy to have him. They gave me the confidence to kick on and buy him.”

Asked if there were similarities between the two, Mahon added, “They are both big strong-looking horses. This fella might be a little bit sharper than the brother but they are both good-sized, good-moving quality animals. It was an easy decision with how well the brother has done for us.”

 

The sale capped off a wonderful afternoon's work for Marriann Klay and Des Leadon of Swordlestown Little with their offerings by the sire as, not only did their homebred sell to Juddmonte for €340,000, but they also secured €280,000 for a Wootton Bassett filly (lot 565) from Tally-Ho Stud earlier in the day.

 

Des Leadon said, “Nisriyna (Ire) (Intikhab) is just fantastic. We're just so lucky to have her. She's a wonderful mare with a wonderful temperament and how exciting to sell a half-brother to what may be next year's Derby winner. It's not often you have horses like that and, in their own way, our two Wootton Bassetts in this environment as foals are as precious as the Alpinistas (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Baaeeds (GB).

“These are collectors items and they don't come along very often. We feel very lucky to have Marvada (Ire) (Elusive City) for our very good friend and client Alan O'Flynn and to have Nisriyna ourselves. To have the support of Juddmonte, who have been wonderful to work with, has been brilliant and Nisriyna goes to Kingman next year. We have a Dark Angel in utero and we are very happy to work with such professionals within the industry and, in our own small way, to enjoy everything that it brings to us. It's a very special day.”

Asked what led to the decision to support Wootton Bassett, Leadon said, “Because he was here and that he had done so well. We wanted to use better and better sires because the mare had shown us what she could do. The accessibility of Wootton Bassett was a big factor in our decision.”

Wootton Bassett broke the €1-million marker on the day. The sire of this year's impressive G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. winner Al Riffa (Fr) had six foals sold for an aggregate of €1,345,000 on Wednesday.

On how the Nisriyna story began, Leadon continued, “Mariann and I rode out for John Oxx for many years. That's where we first met the mare. We bought her here in Goffs [for €2,000 in 2010] and tried to develop her as a broodmare from there. We can't do it without the raw material and these Aga Khan families are wonderful. John Oxx was so good with them and it gave us an insight into the thinking of elite stud farms like that and to John's wonderful assessment of horses.”

 

Kingman Reigns Supreme

Kingman reigned supreme at Goffs on Wednesday. Not only did he supply the top lot and the Roundhill Stud-drafted colt who was knocked down to Juddmonte for €530,000 but he completed the clean sweep when The Castlebridge Consignment's filly (lot 688) by the stallion was snapped up by Japanese buyers for €460,000.

Shingo Hashimoto, who has made the trip to Goffs in the past, signed for that Kingman filly on behalf of Katsumi Yoshida.

He said, “She has been bought to race in Japan. Kingman has done well in Japan and has a runner [Schnell Meister (Ger)] in a Group 1 there this weekend. She looked good and the pedigree is very strong. She is lovely. She has been bought for Katsumi Yoshida.”

Honora and Bobby Donworth of Roundhill Stud know a thing or two about selling big ticket items and, in lot 606, the second-highest priced foal of the sale, the perfect suitor was found.

Honora Donworth explained, “I'm so pleased he is going to Juddmonte. For me, that was everything. Everything. He's going where he should be going. We wanted to give it every shot in the world and the mare has been bred to Frankel so fingers crossed. There has been a good horse every year and it goes back to his grandmother who we bought in America. It's the most wonderful family.”

There were just three foals sold at the November Foal Sale at Goffs by Kingman and they filled the top three slots at an aggregate of €1,540,000.

 

No Nay Never Colt Commands 300k

Off the back of a memorable season, No Nay Never had his fee for 2023 increased by Coolmore to €175,000 and progeny by the sire proved popular on the day at Goffs with a colt (lot 602) selling for €300,000 from Rockfield Farm to Rockbank B/S.

A first foal out of Piece Of Paradise (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who carried owner-breeder Michael O'Flynn's red and yellow silks to victory at listed level, the No Nay Never colt delivered on the high expectations that everybody at Rockfield Farm had for him.

Mitch Barry, the racing and stud manager at Rockfield, said, “It's great and we've always liked the colt, he's been a cracker from day one. When we came up here everything just clicked with him and he came out of his box every day and did everything perfectly. We couldn't be happier. He's been busy but I was humming and hawing whether he'd get to €300,000 but I'm delighted he surpassed that.”

He added, “We're big fans of No Nay Never, he's had a phenomenal season. The mare is in foal to St Mark's Basilica (Fr) and she's a beautiful mare. It's been a great family for Michael and all the O'Flynns and this is a great day for the farm.”

No Nay Never has had an exceptional year with Blackbeard (Ire), introduced on the Coolmore roster at €25,000, Little Big Bear (Ire) and Meditate (Ire) winning Group 1 juvenile races.

Five colts were offered by him on Wednesday, selling for an aggregate of €674,000 and an average of €134,000.

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Invincible Spirit Takes Pride Of Place On Irish National Stud Roster

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 stand his second season for €15,000, while Group 2 scorer Nando Parrado (GB), whose first foals will also arrive in 2023, will command an unchanged fee of €6,000.

Established stallions Decorated Knight (GB) and Free Eagle (Ire) are both priced at €5,000. They are joined by the trio of Dragon Pulse (Ire), Elusive Pimpernel and Equiano (Fr), all set to cover at €2,000.

“While 2022 will certainly be remembered for strong market performance at all the major sales the headwinds for 2023 suggests the need for a cautious outlook,” said Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale. “With that in mind the Irish National Stud are delighted to present an exciting team of stallions with fees maintained or reduced across the board.

“With incredible support from Mr. Zhang's Yulong Investments, Lucky Vega has the ammunition required to make him a champion. Likewise, the Coventry S. winner, Nando Parrado, proved remarkably popular in year one with 130 mares covered. Incredible looks, raw speed, precocity and hailing from the proven Kodiac (GB) sire line, he brings fantastic credentials.

“Phoenix of Spain will have 93 first crop 2-year olds to run. He won his maiden in July, the G3 Acomb in August, placed in the G2 Champagne in September and was a short head second to a future Classic Winner in the G1 Vertem in October. [He is] a top class 2-year old, [and] a 2000 Guineas-winning 3-year old.

“For those seeking proven credentials the roster is stacked with great value options. Free Eagle, Decorated Knight, Equiano, Elusive Pimpernel and Dragon Pulse provide commercial success in the sales ring and high-class performers on the track, all for €5,000 or under.

“And then there is Invincible Spirit. This year brought over 20 2-year old winners including the G2 Railway S. winner, Shartash. His yearling average price was over €150,000 and a new Group 1 winner as a broodmare sire arrived in Breeder's Cup Champion Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).”

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