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.

The post ITBA Breeding Seminar Plays Host to Industry Experts at Goffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Bouttemont will stand alongside his sire Acclamation (GB) at Rathbarry and will bid to enhance his stallion credentials in the Flying Five and Prix de l'Abbaye for trainer Yann Barberot and his new connections.

Paul Cashman of Rathbarry Stud commented, “We have followed Bouttemont's career with great interest with him being a son of Acclamation. He showed just how good he is in the Prix Hampton at Chantilly in June and we'll all be hoping he can repeat that level of form in the G1 Flying Five S. and the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye before he joins us.”

“He is a particularly good-looking horse that is strikingly similar to Acclamation and has the same wonderful temperament as him, so the case for him is a compelling one. We are delighted to partner with Jack and Kevin who are sure to bring a lot of energy and innovative thinking to the project. Acclamation has been an incredible sire for Rathbarry and our clients over the years, so we are sure that his son Bouttemont will be very warmly received here next year.”

The post French Sprinter Bouttemont To Stand At Rathbarry Stud  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Bouttemont will see out his career with current trainer Yann Barberot and will race in the colours of Syndicates.Racing, the successful ownership group which is headed by Cantillon. 

A number of packages that include racing and breeding rights are available in the Group 3 winner with Blake describing the opportunity to invest in Bouttemont as a rare one for prospective investors.

The well-known racing pundit and breeder told TDN Europe, “We're doing things a little bit different in that people can get into Bouttemont for the remainder of his racing career and also secure breeding rights. This is a new partnership between Jack and myself and I really believe that Bouttemont is quite a compelling horse. He has the form, the profile, the looks and the pedigree. You'd like to think he'd be an appealing horse at that level.

“I think it's quite a unique thing that, anyone who gets involved in the horse at this stage, they get to rock up to the Irish Champions Festival in a few weeks' time and then on to Longchamp with a share in a Group 1 runner on Arc day. You don't usually get an opportunity to do this sort of thing without spending an awful lot of money so it's a pretty interesting opportunity.”

You won't have seen a stallion ad like this before… pic.twitter.com/nl8T64bPow

— Syndicates.Racing (@SyndicatesHQ) August 24, 2023

Bouttemont landed the Group 3 Barriere Prix de Meautry at Deauville a year ago. He posted an impressive speed figure when landing a listed contest at Chantilly over the minimum trip back in June and Blake says he is confident that the five-year-old has more to offer over five furlongs. 

He explained, “Bouttemont ran to an RPR of 116 when he won the Prix Hampton at Chantilly and that's the performance that I'd be focussing in on because an RPR of 116 would have been good enough to win or finish second in any of the past five Flying Fives or Prix de l'Abbayes. The ability to be good and competitive in those races is there when he gets his conditions.”

Blake added, “Nearly every person we've bounced the idea of the horse to can see the case and have shown a lot of enthusiasm. In most cases, people wouldn't have been familiar with the horse but, when you explain what you're thinking and provide them with the information, they can see it and are quite excited by it. Again, it's the uniqueness of being able to get in on a racing and breeding level which is appealing to a lot of people.”

Bouttemont may represent Blake's first endeavour into standing a stallion but this won't be Cantillon's first rodeo. Far Above (Ire), who stands at Micheál Orlandi's Starfield Stud in County Westmeath, was sourced by Cantillon and covered 142 mares in his first season at stud.

Commenting on his latest stallion acquisition, Cantillon said, “I don't think people should get confused about the fact they could achieve two things that they might otherwise never achieve in their lifetime here. When you pick up the TDN over the next few weeks and months, you will read announcements about horses retiring to stud. This isn't a stallion retiring announcement. This is a stallion prospect being reimagined. 

“What really excites me about this is that, not only do people have the opportunity to own a breeding right in one of the highest-rated sons of Acclamation, but they also have the upside of racing. People can accomplish the lifelong goal of owning a stallion and ultimate life goal of owning a Group 1 runner with a live chance as well.”

He added, “Dealing in cold hard facts, this horse gave a performance in the Prix Hampton which places him on a career higher-rating RPR than Mehmas and Dark Angel, achieved a top speed of 72 kilometers per hour in that race and almost broke the track record. He's an exceptionally-quick horse.

“I have always gotten on very well with Kevin and we have combined what we are good at here; identifying value and being a champion of the breeder, which involves new ways for breeders to get involved in our great game. Hopefully we have unearthed the next great stallion son of Acclamation and, who knows, he could be the last son of Acclamation who ever retires to stud. Even if he doesn't get his ground in his remaining Group 1 dates, he already has the proven credentials of the type of horse that thrives at stud in Ireland.”

Acclamation has already come up trumps with stallion sons Mehmas (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire) and more emerging as leading stallions having embarked on their careers at stud at modest fees initially. 

The prowess of Acclamation as a sire of sires was illustrated by Blake in last month's TDN Europe and the research for that article is said to have convinced him to bring Bouttemont to stud in Ireland.

Blake said, “The origin story is that I was doing a piece on sires of sires for TDN Europe and Acclamation came out with the big double red circle around his name. This purchase was the product of a lot of groundwork as Jack and I have been working on partnering on a stallion for the last number of years. It took time to find the right one but Bouttemont jumped off the page.”

He added, “This part of the world is full of breeders that have had great experiences with Acclamation and his sons Dark Angel and Mehmas. We couldn't be more excited to help bring what might be the last new stallion son of Acclamation back home to Ireland and offer him to breeders at an accessible level.”

The post Stallion News: Kevin Blake And Jack Cantillon Buy Smart Sprinter Bouttemont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

We often hear chat about a stallion's ability as a sire-of-sires being bandied about, but it is less common to see it examined in a more detailed and data-driven manner.

First and foremost, my personal opinion is that using a stallion's record as a sire-of-sires is one of the most brutally harsh measures in all of bloodstock on which to judge a horse. In short, the reality is that the vast majority of stallions do not prove to be long-term commercial successes. 

Consider this. I recently conducted a study to answer the question of what percentage of Flat stallions are a commercial success in the long run. It included every stallion that commenced their covering careers in Britain and Ireland from 2002 to 2014 inclusive and monitored the fluctuations of their published nomination fee. For the purpose of this study, long-term commercial success for a stallion was defined as standing for the same or a higher nomination fee in their 10th year at stud as they had in their first season.

The study included a total of 186 stallions ranging from those that started from as low as £3,000 all the way up to Frankel who began covering at a fee of £125,000. What percentage of that sample qualified as a long-term commercial success by the above definition? Just 17.7% of them. To hammer it down further, only 8% of them stood their 10th season at double their initial fee or higher. Just 3.8% of them stood at four times or more their initial fee in year 10. 

So, for a stallion to do enough to be considered even a reasonably good sire-of-sires is extremely difficult from a statistical perspective. With the very best sires tending to produce the most sons that are given a chance at stud, a top-class sire becoming considered a capable sire-of-sires can be something of a self-fulfilling prophesy. In comparison, even very successful stallions outside of the elite may only get a handful of opportunities for their sons to advertise their father's ability as a sire-of-sires, so the odds are very much stacked against them doing so.

Mind, when one examines the rarified air of stallions that stood for €50,000 or more in Britain and Ireland in 2023 in search of the most notable sires of sires, there is a surprise in store.

Just two stallions are responsible for two or more individual sire sons that feature on this list of the best of the best.

The first is Dubawi through his top-class sire sons New Bay and Night Of Thunder. This won't be a major surprise to anyone given that Dubawi is one of the greatest sires of recent decades. He already has over 50 individual Group/Grade 1 winners to his name and more than 25 of his sons have been given a chance as stallions.

But, who is the other? It must surely be Galileo, Shamardal, Invincible Spirit or some other highly-credentialed star stallion?

No. 

It is Acclamation, via his exceptional sire sons Dark Angel and Mehmas.

The pride of Rathbarry Stud has been a wonderful sire for so many breeders since starting his stallion career at a fee of €10,000 in 2004. However, in terms of producing top-class runners, he doesn't have the numbers to compare to the very best sires around. He has had six Group/Grade 1 winners in his career to date, which is a wonderful tally judged against all other stallions, but it is a relatively small number in the context of the very best sires in Europe. For example, Galileo, Dubawi, Shamardal and Invincible Spirit have had over 200 individual Group/Grade 1 winners between them.

The performance of Acclamation's sons on the track has translated to just seven of his sons being given the opportunity to stand at stud in Britain or Ireland over the years. When one looks at them in more detail, the magnitude of what Acclamation has achieved as a sire-of-sires starts to become clear.

Despite just two of his seven sire sons having achieved RPRs of 120 or higher on the track and the seven of them having started their stallion careers at an average nomination fee of around €12,000, this group of sires have punched incredibly well above their weight. 

Five of the seven have produced at least one Group 1 winner. Four of them have produced multiple Group 1 winners. Of the two that haven't produced a Group 1 winner, it should be noted that Expert Eye's oldest progeny are just three-year-olds this year so it is still early days for him.

However, the real story of Acclamation as a sires of sires is that his sons Dark Angel and Mehmas have risen to elite status as stallions. They both rank up amongst the very best in Europe as sires of sprinter/milers and are members of the very exclusive club of stallions that have risen to a fee four times or more of their initial fee. Dark Angel has had 14 individual Group/Grade 1 winners as a sire and 10 of his own sons have already been given the chance to stand as sires in Britain and Ireland. Despite Mehmas's oldest progeny only being five-year-olds, he has sired four individual Group/Grade 1 winners and four of his sons are already standing at stud in Britain and Ireland. 

All told, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe Acclamation's record as a sire-of-sires as being a statistical sensation.

While Acclamation is still going strong at Rathbarry Stud at the age of 24, whether he can produce another stallion son to further enhance his incredible record as a sire-of-sires remains to be seen. If we have already seen the last son of Acclamation retire to stud, Dark Angel and Mehmas are well on their way to continuing his remarkable legacy as a sire-of-sires. What a legacy it is.

The post The Leading Sires-Of-Sires In Britain And Ireland? The Stats Will Surprise You appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The seminar featured a panel of top experts–Kevin Blake, Stuart Boman, Ado McGuinness, Jason Morris and John Oxx, with ITBA Chairman Cathy Grassick taking on hosting duties.

The discussion–Sprinters, Stayers and Everything in Between–analyzed breeding for different distances to suit market demands, as well as changes in trends over the past number of years and what the future might look like. The panel's lively discussion included points on varying trends within the Flat breeding and racing sector, international markets, balancing speed versus stamina and market demand.

“Distance horses are still speedy horses,” champion trainer and Staffordstown Stud Director John Oxx said. “Carrying speed for longer is what we are trying to produce. The superior athletic specimen.”

ITBA Chief Executive Una Tormey said, ”A huge thanks to the Curragh Racecourse for facilitating ITBA's Flat Seminar and to our great panel for giving up their time ahead of a busy Derby Festival weekend. The discussion provided some valued insights into all matters pertaining to the current trends around breeding for markets demands. Those in attendance provided plenty of comments and questions throughout the afternoon and the debate was well balanced and informative. There were lots of food for thought and plenty of key items were discussed. I would encourage those who missed the event to watch it back via ITBA website.”

The Seminar can be viewed in full by visiting the ITBA website or YouTube Channel.

The post ITBA Flat Seminar Spurs Lively Distance Discussion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Set for the Curragh Racecourse, the seminar will begin at 2:30 p.m. To register, please email hmarks@itba.ie. The event is free to attend for ITBA, AIRO, and IRTA members, please quote your membership number or organisation when registering. For non-members who wish to attend there is a €15 entrance fee which includes raceday admission.

The post Diverse Panel To Feature At ITBA Flat Seminar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The concept arose out of a widely-held frustration that the racing and breeding industries are not always well represented when questioned in the mainstream media and on social media, often allowing damaging misinformation and misconceptions to prevail.

The aim of the group is to unite all of the various organisations and representative groups within the racing and breeding industries in Europe in the interests of the greater good of the image and reputation of our great game. Fueled by a database of information and facts providing by the various interest groups in European racing, it will draw on a group of experienced members of the racing and breeding media that will be made available to any media outlet to provide balanced comment on the subject matter when required.

The founding group of Sally Ann Grassick, Kevin Blake, Caoimhe Doherty and Cathy Grassick are all council members of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and are professionally involved in various sectors of the industry, with the latter being the current Chairperson of the ITBA.

In the coming weeks they will form a committee of members drawn from the major racing nations of Europe as well as putting together the aforementioned panel of media representatives.

In less than 48 hours, Stand Up For Racing has already resonated with a wide section of social media, attracting over 4,000 followers on Twitter, including numerous high-profile figures in the industry, and the hashtag #StandUpForRacing has been used over 1,700 times and reached 1.2 million people.

Stand Up For Racing had their first opportunity to contribute to the mainstream conversation when one of our representatives Kevin Blake appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV on Thursday evening. The interview, which has had more than 400,000 views online since broadcast, can be viewed on the Stand Up For Racing YouTube channel here.

Vicky Leonard and the team at Kick Collective in Australia established Kick Up in 2022. The initiative has generated considerable traction since its inception, with its goal of presenting accurate horse racing information on controversial topics in an engaging, educational and interesting format. Click here to learn more.

The post Stand Up For Racing Formed To Represent Racing And Breeding Industries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Working a breeze-up season with Con Marnane in Bansha House when I was 18. It wasn't my first rodeo there though, as I had learned how to ride on ponies up in Con's (before he became the King) when I was a child.

Biggest influence on your career?

Naming one individual would be tough as I've had a bunch of editors, colleagues, and friends from when I started in racing up to the present day that have been a huge help. It probably sounds a bit odd but opening a Twitter account 12 or so years ago turned out to be a very important decision for me. Since then, the vast majority of the work I do has been posted on there to be scrutinised and analysed by what is a very informed audience, many of whom specialise in very specific areas of the sport/industry and can offer a very high level of comment. The criticism and feedback I've got over the years has been a big factor in driving my standards forward. Every day is a learning day in this game.

Favourite racehorse of all time, and why?

The obvious answer is Frankel, as I'll be surprised if I ever see a horse that approaches his greatness in my lifetime. More personally, I have a mare here called Midnight Oasis that was bought very cheaply and delivered a series of very important results in the sales ring and on the track that allowed me to expand my breeding operation. She'll always be very special here.

Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023?

I'm much happier evaluating racecourse performance than engaging in First-Season Sire Bingo, but I had a couple of Ten Sovereigns's colts through my hands and saw as many of them as I could in the last year. An awful lot of them have very good hind legs, plenty of action and the ones I dealt with had notably good minds.

Greatest race in the world?

The Derby has still got a hold on me. Perversely, I think the passing of the great Galileo might well lead to the most exciting and competitive middle-distance scene for quite some time in the years ahead.

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

Any jockey with a fancied ride in the Grand National would be a fair day to experience, win or lose.

Emerging talent in the industry (human)?

I don't really like talking up young jockeys as making the transition from promising apprentice to top-class jockey is really difficult, but I have a great amount of belief in Dylan Browne McMonagle.

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

Al Riffa. Considering how rangy he is, I thought what he did last season in winning the National S. in such style off the back of a maiden win was genuinely remarkable. He could be special, and I don't say that lightly.

Under-the-radar stallion?

Coulsty.

Friday night treat?

Dominos and Dundalk!

Guilty pleasure outside racing?

True crime podcasts and long runs.

Race I wish I'd been there for…

State of Rest winning the Cox Plate, as none of us could travel due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time. No horse has ever been made to jump through as many invasive veterinary requirements and logistical hoops to be allowed a run in a Group 1 as he had to in the months leading up to it. For him to go down there and beat the best in Australia after all that was just incredible. The stewards' inquiry threatened to take it from him, and it was as close to a 50/50 decision as you'll see, but I'd say the whole of Tipperary heard the roar when the result was announced as unaltered!

The post 12 Questions: Kevin Blake appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kevin Blake, who bought the mare on behalf of Golden Farm Bloodstock, said, “Althania jumped off the page when the catalogue for the sale came out. It isn't easy to buy proven mares that have produced big results on the racecourse as well as in the sales ring, so I thought she ticked all the right boxes. I have also been following the progress of her son Maksud all year. He's a horse I like a lot and think will do even better next year.

“She was bought for an investment fund I manage called Golden Farm Bloodstock. We're looking forward to seeing what she produces by Australia in the spring and to picking her next mate. She is a real outcross, so we will have plenty of options. There is plenty of action in the family, so hopefully she will prove to have been a good investment in the fullness of time.”

Cavalier Bloodstock snapped up Irish Emerald's Hope Lake (Ire) (Shamardal) (lot 21) for 38,000gns later in the sale. It was the second highest of the day, and the 8-year-old is in foal to Acclamation (GB). Her dam, the Nashwan mare Nadia (GB), won the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and was second in the G1 Prix de Diane.

Malbay Madness (Ire) (Wings Of Eagles {Fr}) (lot 37) was the third dearest lot of the day, making 30,000gns to Madness In Mind Partnership. Consigned by Lackendarra Stables, the juvenile horse-in-training has one win and count's Moon Search (GB) (Rainbow Quest) as his second dam. Eva Luna (Alleged), progenitress of G1 St Leger S. hero Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells) et. al, is Malbay Madness's third dam.

At the end of the day's trade, 24 lots grossed 269,100gns. The average was 11,178gns and the median was 4,000gns.

The post Althania Tops The Tattersalls Online October Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Dragon Symbol faces a retrieval mission after disappointing in the G2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics S. on his first star for Varian and Cowell won't be making it easy for the colt on his retrieval mission. 

Cowell, who won this race seven years ago with popular veteran Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil), believes Clarendon House and Atalis Bay can cause a surprise. 

He said, “Both of our horses are in good order and they'll be trying their best. Dragon Symbol needs to bounce back from a disappointing run at York. If he does I'm sure he'll take all the beating, but if not, hopefully we'll be picking up the pieces.”

There will be heightened interest in how Atalis Bay performs after Kevin Blake, the popular ITV racing pundit and breeder, told TDN Europe of the lengths he went to in tracking the sprinter's dam down in Belgium, where she had spent a brief time as a carriage horse. 

Atalis Bay, who kick-started Blake's desire to track the mare down, won five times for Marco Botti, including a victory over this course and distance, before changing hands for 130,000gns in October.

After making a satisfactory debut for his new connections in the Palace House at Newmarket in April, Cowell is predicting plenty of improvement.

He said, “Atalis Bay just needed his run in the Palace House and he's in really good form and doesn't mind a bit of cut in the ground from what we can see.

“Newmarket is probably not the ideal track for him with the uphill finish and a sharp track like Haydock should suit him much better.” 

On Clarendon House, the trainer added, “He missed the break the other day in France and would have been a lot closer if that hadn't happened.

“We're hoping he's [up to] this level and maybe in time he might get better. He's quite a nice, progressive sprinter.”

Dragon Symbol finished runner-up four times in pattern company last season and was third in the Nunthorpe before making the switch to Varian's from Archie Watson. 

Predicting a much better performance from the colt, Varian said, “He's come out of his run at York well and he's worked nicely, so he's ready to run again.

“We were disappointed at York but we can't find a reason for it-perhaps he just ran a bit fresh and needed it. He looks in good shape, so hopefully we can get back on track on Saturday.”

He added, “It looks a good opportunity on paper and he should cope with the ground and the drop back to five furlongs, so we're looking forward to running him again.”

The post Cowell Hoping His Duo Can Tame the Dragon at Haydock  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post