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Tributes Paid To Popular Stallion Man Paddy Meehan

Paddy Meehan, the former head stallion man of the National Stud, died at home on Wednesday, July 28 at the age of 56.

Born in Co Meath, Ireland, Meehan grew up at Ballymacoll Stud where his father Oliver was stud groom. He moved to Newmarket in 1987, initially to work for Lanwades Stud, and remained in the town for more than three decades. He also worked at Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs but was best known for his long association with the National Stud, where he was a popular face for many years and was named as a finalist in last year's Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

A natural horseman, he was devoted to the stallions he worked alongside, with his favourites being Bahamian Bounty (GB) and Val Royal (FR). The year that Val Royal moved from Ireland to the National Stud he was represented by the winner of the 2000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas, Cockney Rebel (Ire), who retired to stand alongside his father the following year, also under Meehan's care.

Paying tribute to his colleague, Brian O'Rourke, former manager of the National Stud, said, “Paddy was a superb horseman and all he ever thought about was his horses. He just adored Bahamian Bounty, along with the other horses, but he was his favourite. For the nine and a half years that I worked with Paddy we never had a cross word, and that was a testament to him.”

Meehan's younger brother Gerry followed him across the Irish Sea to work in the British bloodstock industry. He said, “He was just a fantastic horseman and I greatly looked up to him. I learned a lot from him, just by watching him with stallions and how much respect they showed him. The more awkward the horse, the more he excelled with him. It was uncanny how he managed to get them to do what he wanted them to do. He never looked flustered or got angry with the horse; he just made it look easy.

“But apart from being a superb stallion man, he wasn't always perfect but he was always a big brother to me and was always there when I needed him, even right to the end. He loved new people coming into the job and loved to be able to give people a chance.”

Paddy Meehan is survived by his father Oliver, siblings Gerry, Oliver, Sandra and Michelle, and son Adam. His funeral service will take place on Monday, Aug. 16 at 10.30am at Our Lady Immaculate and St Etheldreda Catholic Church in Newmarket. A celebration of his life will follow nearby at the Heath Court Hotel. All are welcome, and those wishing to attend should contact Gerry Meehan on +44 (0)7803 803011.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help to cover the costs of the funeral. Any additional funds will be shared equally between the British Heart Foundation and East Anglian Ambulance.

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Tarnawa Back With a Bang at Leopardstown

Leading up to Thursday's G3 Grant Thornton Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown, Dermot Weld raised concerns that star distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal)) may not be as forward as in previous years, but His Highness The Aga Khan's 5-year-old showed little sign of ring-rustiness and plundered the Foxrock card's 12-furlong feature by daylight. The homebred chestnut enjoyed a banner 2020 season, going unbeaten through a four-race campaign which included wins in the G1 Prix Vermeille, G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Sent postward as the heavily backed 1-2 favourite, she was settled several lengths off the pace, with just one rival behind, in seventh until improving to go fifth at halfway. Making smooth headway on the bridle in the straight, Tarnawa cruised to the front approaching the final furlong and lengthened clear in imperious fashion to easily account for the overmatched Silence Please (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) by 6 1/2 lengths. Silence Please, in turn, finished 13 lengths clear of the remainder headed by Hector de Maris (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

“It was her first run back after a long absence and, as you could see, she was carrying a few kilos extra compared to last year,” said trainer Dermot Weld. “I had to be extra careful with her, after the wonderful dry spell that we've had, and my only concern was that I may have left her a little too short. She has not been away to a racetrack and has done all her work at home. I'd love to have got her away about two weeks ago. but it just wasn't possible. She has been training extremely well and has probably strengthened since last year. She just cruised there and I thought she was very impressive. It was always the plan to start here or the [G3] Give Thanks in Cork which she has won the last two years. The forecast was for plenty of rain in Cork so I thought it might be more prudent to come here. It was a very true run race. She is a wonderful mare as she won the Breeders' Cup on firm ground and at Longchamp on heavy.” Looking ahead to targets later in the season, the trainer added, “The [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe] is the plan and the main reason for keeping her in training, while the [G1] Irish Champion probably fits into the programme. The [G1] Prix Vermeille would be a possibility, but the Irish Champion is probably favourite for her next race. This year's crop of horses look outstanding and she has joined an outstanding team of horses to look forward to in the Autumn.”

Tarnawa, half-sister to a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr), is the first of three foals bred from MSW dual G3 Curragh Cup third Tarana (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), herself the leading performer produced by G3 Noblesse S. third Tarakala (Ire) (Dr Fong). Tarakala is the best horse out of Listed Oyster S. second Tarakana (Shahrastani), who in turn is the leading representative of Tarafa (Ire) (Akarad {Fr}). Tarafa is a half-sister to five black-type winners headed by G3 Princess Royal S. victress Tashtiya (Ire) (Shergar {GB}), G3 Prix Messidor victor Tassmoun (Kalamoun {GB}) and Listed Chester S. winner Tarikhana (Ire) (Mouktar {Ire}), who in turn is the dam of G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Tiraaz (Lear Fan). Tarafa is also kin to the dam G1 Phoenix S. heroine Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}).

Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland
GRANT THORNTON BALLYROAN S.-G3, €50,000, Leopardstown, 8-5, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:36.45, yl/sf.
1–TARNAWA (IRE), 133, m, 5, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Tarana (Ire) (MSW & GSP-Ire, $141,525), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tarakala (Ire), by Dr Fong
3rd Dam: Tarakana, by Shahrastani
O-H H Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld; J-Colin Keane. €30,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Mare-Fr at 9.5-11f, MG1SW-Fr & GISW-US, 15-9-2-2, $2,959,177. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Silence Please (Ire), 133, f, 4, Gleneagles (Ire)–Crazy Volume (Ire), by Machiavellian. (27,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Gary Barber & Team Valor International LLC; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €10,000.
3–Hector de Maris (Ire), 126, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Frequential (GB), by Dansili (GB). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: 6HF, 13, HF. Odds: 0.50, 6.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Benaud (Ire), Taipan (Fr), Questionare (GB), Seattle Sound (Ire), Effernock Fizz (Ire). Scratched: Layfayette (Ire), Wembley (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Ribchester Filly Earns Rising Star Tag at Deauville

Al Shaqab Racing's Shaikha (Fr) (Ribchester {Ire}) was one of three supplementary nominations for Thursday's Prix Equidia at Deauville and justified the additional expenditure with a taking performance in the six-furlong debutantes' heat to earn 'TDN Rising Stardom'. She was sharply into stride and tracked the pace in second through the early fractions. Looming large on the bridle soon after passing the halfway mark, the 9-2 chance was not for catching once inching ahead approaching the final quarter mile and kept on powerfully under miminal urging in the latter stages to easily outclass Assyrian Queen (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) by an impressive three lengths.

Shaikha is the second foal and scorer produced by a winning half-sister to four black-type performers headed by G3 Prix du Bois victrix Keratiya (Fr) (Iron Mask) and Listed Prix Hampton winner Kerasona (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The €240,000 Arqana September yearling is a half-sister to Listed Criterium de Lyon victor and G3 Prix La Force placegetter Darkness (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). The March-foaled dark bay's second dam Kerasha (Fr) (Daylami {Ire}), herself a daughter of G3 Anglesey S. winner Keraka (Storm Bird), is a half-sister to Listed Brownstown S. victrix Kermiyana (Ire) (Green Desert) and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot third Keramani (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).

2nd-Deauville, €27,000, Mdn, 8-5, unraced 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:08.64, gd.
SHAIKHA (FR), f, 2, by Ribchester (Ire)
1st Dam: Kerila (Fr), by Makfi (GB)
2nd Dam: Kerasha (Fr), by Daylami (Ire)
3rd Dam: Keraka, by Storm Bird
1ST-TIME STARTER. Sales history: €240,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €13,500. O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Ecurie Haras du Cadran & Ecurie Melanie (FR); T-Andre Fabre. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Grandson Of Attraction Set For HQ Debut

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a seven-figure grandson of champion Attraction.

5.05 Newmarket, Nov, £9,000, 2yo, f, 6fT
Floors Stud's JOKING (GB) (Time Test {GB}) is a Hugo Palmer-trained half-sister to MG1SW Hong Kong Horse of the Year Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}) and GI Diana S. and GI Flower Bowl Invitational heroine Laughing (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The homebred bay faces six rivals in this debut, including the hitherto unraced Cuban Crisis (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), who is a daughter of G1 Phoenix S. third Lottie Dod (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), from the David Simcock stable.

6.08 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,100, 2yo, 7fT
Godolphin's HAFIT (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was knocked down for 2.1-million guineas at last year's Tattersalls October Book 1 fixture, is a grandson of MG1SW European champion Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) and debuts for Charlie Appleby, who won the 2015 renewal of this contest with subsequent G2 Champagne S. victor Emotionless (Ire) (Shamardal). His opposition includes Shadwell's Sir Michael Stoute trainee Laasudood (War Front), who is out of MGISW US champion Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}); and Qatar Racing's Millenial Moon (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a son of MGSW GI Jenny Wiley S. and GI Gamely S. runner-up Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), representing John and Thady Gosden.

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