After the privations of Covid, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing’s annual Irish Stallion Trail is bigger and better as it welcomes back the public on January 13-14 with more than 150 stallions available for viewing
Ireland: It has been a long three years since visitors were able to make the most of the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Irish Stallion Trail.
Since its launch in 2015, it has become an integral event within the bloodstock calendar, for many an enjoyable way with which to start the year whether as a breeder with an eye on firming up mating plans or as a fan taking the opportunity to view an old favourite or two.
Sadly, all that was forced to grind to a halt with Covid. It would have been easy to fold it altogether as the world shut down, but in fairness to ITM and those studs involved, they did their best to keep the show on the road by holding a virtual trail in 2021 and a smaller live event restricted to the breeding industry in 2022.
Thankfully, however, this hugely popular event will be back to its best for 2023, scheduled for January 13-14 – and with over 30 farms due to participate, looks set to be even better than before.
Register for the ITM Irish Stallion Trail
“Part of the appeal of the Trail is that visitors can view a high volume of stallions across the country without having to book in at each farm, so being able to travel freely is key,” says Alex Cairns, marketing executive of ITM.
“There has been great enthusiasm around the 2023 event so far,” he goes on. “Irish stallions once again produced the goods in 2022, siring some of the world’s elite racehorses under both codes, and there have been some exciting new additions to the Irish roster for 2023.
“It is therefore no surprise that interested parties are very keen to assess and admire these world-beaters in the flesh at some Ireland’s finest stallion farms. The ITM Irish Stallion Trail is the perfect opportunity to do so.”
As Cairns outlines, Irish-based stallions once again acquitted themselves extremely well on the world stage during 2022. For instance, Ballylinch Stud’s Lope De Vega is on course to end the year as Europe’s fourth-leading sire with the winners of close to £5.4 million to his credit, among them the G1 winners Dreamloper, Hypothetical, Place Du Carrousel and Sweet Lady.
He is due to stand his third consecutive fee at €125,000 next season to make him the fourth-most expensive Irish-based sire of 2023. Yet he is far from being the only attraction at Ballylinch Stud since the Kilkenny farm’s roster also includes New Bay, one of the most exciting sires in Europe who pulled off a G1 double on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot courtesy of Bay Bridge, successful in the Champion Stakes, and Bayside Boy, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The latter is also a new addition to Ballylinch this season.
And that is where the Trail can come into its own. For some, the restraints of the winter sales season does not allow the time to view new stallions such as Bayside Boy. The Trail offers that opportunity, and with the chance to enjoy it alongside like-minded individuals.
Bayside Boy is one of a host of new stallions to stud in Ireland for 2023. Coolmore Stud welcomes the top two-year-old Blackbeard, who retires to stand alongside his sire No Nay Never, Europe’s champion sire of juveniles by virtue of a year highlighted by six stakes-winning juveniles.
A glittering roster for Coolmore also consists of the likes of Wootton Bassett, Camelot, Australia, Saxon Warrior, Sottsass and 2021 champion St Mark’s Basilica while its sister stud Castlehyde, near Fermoy, houses the likes of Gleneagles, Sioux Nation and Starspangledbanner alongside the popular jumps sires Maxios, Order Of St George and Kew Gardens.
Coolmore’s jumps arms of Grange Stud, the home of Getaway and Walk In The Park among others, and The Beeches, which is headlined by Crystal Ocean, In Swoop and Wings Of Eagles, are also open.
Kildangan Stud is also likely to be a major attraction given it houses Night Of Thunder, whose year was highlighted by the G1 exploits of Highfield Princess, and stalwart Teofilo – the damsire of three European Guineas winners in 2022 – alongside the younger champions Blue Point, Earthlight and Ghaiyyath, all of whom made their mark at the autumn and winter bloodstock sales.
Dubawi has long been a positive influence across the Darley operation and in his G1-winning son Naval Crown, a sprinter out of the top drawer for Charlie Appleby, Kildangan has another accomplished recruit to showcase to visitors.
Ballyhane Stud, meanwhile, welcomes the G2-winning miler Space Traveller, who joins a roster that includes the ever-popular Dandy Man alongside the young pair Soldier’s Call and Sands Of Mali.
Derrinstown Stud also welcomes top-class sprinter Minzaal to stand alongside Awtaad while G1-winning globetrotter State Of Rest joins a roster at Rathbarry Stud that remains underpinned by the popular veteran Acclamation.
Jumps operations are also well represented with the likes of Arctic Tack Stud (home to Dee Ex Bee, Jet Away and Ol’ Man River), Burgage Stud (home to Fascinating Rock, Jukebox Jury and Sea Moon), Coolagown Stud (home to Carlotamix, Shantaram, Storm The Stars, Way To Paris and Zambezi Sun), Knockhouse Stud (home to Boscaccio, Kap Rock, Libertarian, Tirwanako, Waldkonig and Workforce) and Whytemount Stud (home to Affinisea, Behesht, Feel Like Dancing, Manatee and Valirann) joining Coolmore’s National Hunt arm in throwing open their doors.
“Over 30 farms across Ireland are due to participate in the Trail,” says Cairns. “These range from some of the biggest global operations to smaller family-run farms. One of the qualities of the event is the diversity of farms and stallions on show, covering Flat and National Hunt, proven sires, rising stars, and new additions.
“Among the larger farms on the Trail are Ballylinch, Castlehyde, Coolmore, Derrinstown, Irish National Stud, Kildangan, Rathbarry & Glenview Studs, and Yeomanstown. Visitors will find great strength in depth across the range of participating farms and are encouraged to browse the full list on the ITM website.
“New names on the Trail in 2023 are Sweep Lane Stud in County Kildare, where Le Cadre Noir and The Irish Rover will be on show, and Lemongrove Stud in County Westmeath, home to Tosen Stardom, an intriguing recruit by Deep Impact. Clongiffen Stud in County Meath returns to the Trail in 2023 and will be showcasing stallions Austrian School and Kool Kompany.”
In all, over 150 stallions will be on show across the two days. Cairns adds: “Each year there is a strong turnout from Irish and British breeders seeking to run the rule over some of the world’s finest Thoroughbred stallions and we also have visitors coming from further afield.
“Alongside this the Trail serves a broader purpose in opening up the world of Thoroughbred breeding to racing fans and the uninitiated, helping to complete the picture and enhance their engagement with the sport.
“The reach of the event has been notably amplified by digital tools, with #irishstalliontrail regularly trending across social media and the content produced during the Trail reaching a global audience. ITM is constantly seeking to draw the spotlight onto the world-class Irish racing industry and the ITM Irish Stallion Trail plays a key role in that aim.”
The Trail is a free event. However, in order to get an idea of numbers, visitors are asked to register which studs they plan to visit via the ITM website. They can then visit their chosen studs at the time of their choosing within the advertised opening hours.
Please note that due to demand it is mandatory to register for a specific date and time slot in order to visit Coolmore Stud.
Outside of the Trail, there is also plenty going on that weekend with racing at Dundalk on the Friday evening, Fairyhouse on Saturday afternoon and Punchestown’s Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle raceday on Sunday.
“ITM are very grateful to all farms for opening their doors for the Trail,” says Cairns. “The work put in by so many dedicated and skilled people on Irish farms is fundamental to the worldwide success of the Irish Thoroughbred. Horse racing remains Ireland’s most successful international sport and those visiting Ireland’s outstanding stallion farms during the ITM Irish Stallion Trail will easily understand why.”
ITM Stallion Trail: 13-14 January 2023
A full list of participating studs are available on the ITM website and visitors are asked to register their interest in studs via: www.itm.ie/Breeding/ITM-Irish-Stallion-Trail. Registrations are now open.
• Visit the ITM Irish Stallion Trail website
Class and value: why Irish yearling auctions are an attractive option – year after year
More than €1m awarded in first year as Irish-bred incentive scheme hits the ground running
Irish sales focus: where there’s something for everyone – and it need not cost the earth
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires