Star attractions include new stallions City Of Troy and King Of Steel as Irish Thoroughbred Marketing’s hugely popular initiative takes place on 10-11 January with a who’s who of Irish breeding
In the 11 years since its launch, the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Irish Stallion Trail has become one of those rare events capable of bridging the divide between the racing industry and its fans.
For the 30-plus stallion farms that participate, it provides ample opportunity to do business, of course – but those two days in January also offer that vital window for others to see into the industry. As the sport’s social licence continues to come under pressure, the opportunity to showcase these farms, which represent the best of Ireland, cannot be taken for granted.
Register for the ITM Irish Stallion Trail
This year’s Trail is confirmed for 10-11 January, 2025, and is a free event. As ever, it covers the length and breadth of Ireland, ranging from the Cork-based Grange, Foxwood, Coolagown, Rathbarry and Glenview Studs to Diamond Stud Bellewstown in County Meath. In between, the who’s who of Irish breeding are throwing open their doors.
Ireland hosts the bulk of Europe’s new stallions for 2025 – 14 to be exact compared to just three in Britain – including various fan favourites such as City Of Troy and King Of Steel, who should ensure good footfall to their respective bases of Coolmore and Tally-Ho Stud.
Visitors are asked to register where they intend to visit so studs can gauge an idea of the numbers expected. Visitors are then free to visit at the time of their choosing, within the studs' advertised opening hours.
As ever, the list includes Coolmore, where City Of Troy, Wootton Bassett, Camelot and No Nay Never will be among those on show. Visitor registration for Coolmore is essential and details can be found on the ITM website.
In Kildare, the champion sire of 2024, Dark Angel, can be found at Yeomanstown Stud. Despite having never operated off a six-figure fee, the grey fended off heavyweights such as Frankel and Dubawi to land the title, a remarkable achievement for a sprinter-miler influence in an era where prize-money is generally fuelled by middle-distance talent.
Now rising 20 years old, Dark Angel is very much the stalwart of Yeomanstown. But there is also a youthful look to the roster that is headlined by new recruit Mill Stream, the 2024 July Cup winner, and Supremacy, whose first crop run in 2025.
Kildangan Stud is also understandably a popular stop in Kildare as the home of leading young sires Night Of Thunder and Blue Point in addition to the venerable Teofilo.
Those visiting the Irish National Stud, Invincible Spirit’s long-time home which welcomes G3 winner Shouldvebeenaring for 2025, can also make use of the Irish Racehorse Experience.
In Kilkenny, the picturesque Ballylinch Stud on the storied Mount Juliet estate again throws open its doors. Home to the leading stallions Lope De Vega and New Bay, it has added a Classic-winning son of the former to its roster in Look De Vega.
Meanwhile a dual-purpose flavour, and a classy one at that, is offered by fellow Kilkenny outfit Capital Stud, whose roster ranges from the high-class 2yos Alkumait and Castle Star to Authorized, a G1 producer under both codes, and emerging jumps sire Martinborough.
Blue Bresil (Glenview Stud), Jukebox Jury (Burgage Stud), Order Of St George (Castlehyde), Walk In The Park (Grange Stud), Harzand (Kilbarry Lodge Stud), Crystal Ocean (The Beeches), Affinisea (Whytemount Stud) and Poet’s Word, who stands alongside the recently retired G3 winner Arrest at Boardsmill Stud, are among the other popular jumps stallions also be available to view.
“Across the world Irish stallions are recognised among the global elite and continually produce winners in racing’s most competitive events on the flat and over jumps,” says Charles O’Neill, CEO of ITM. “In 2025 the Irish stallion roster will once again be boosted with more top talent, offering breeders a diverse pool of proven producers, rising stars, and hot prospects to suit any mare or budget.
“The ITM Irish Stallion Trail is always a highlight of the year for breeders and fans alike and we are very grateful to participating farms for opening their doors and showcasing Ireland’s exceptional thoroughbred breeding industry. Register now via the ITM website and we will see you on the Trail.”
One welcome name on the stud listing as the Trail celebrated its ten-year anniversary in 2024 was Tally-Ho Stud near Mullingar in Westmeath. A participant early on in the Trail’s history, it made a return to the fold last year and was an extremely popular destination, as would be expected for an operation that houses the record-breakers Mehmas and Kodiac.
One year on and Mehmas continues to go from strength to strength, with a powerful 2yo crop underpinned by the G1 winners Scorthy Champ, Magnum Force and Vertical Blue among a record-breaking collection of 71 2yo winners. No wonder then that the first crop of foals belonging to his son, fellow Tally-Ho stallion Persian Force, found favour with pinhookers at the recent round of breeding stock sales.
Cotai Glory also continues to creep up the ladder of respect while Starman is about to have his first runners and Good Guess heads into his second season having covered 250 mares in his first. All that by itself would ensure Tally-Ho’s popularity as a Trail stop but by adding three new stallions to its roster for 2025, it will undoubtedly serve as one of the weekend’s highlights for many people.
King Of Steel, Amo Racing’s popular grey who carried Frankie Dettori to victory in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, is sure to draw in the crowds. He stands for €20,000 while top sprinter Big Evs, the first son of Blue Point to stud, is priced at €17,500. Another Amo Racing colour-bearer Bucanero Fuerte, wide-margin winner of the G1 Phoenix Stakes in 2023, stands for €12,500.
“We were delighted with the turnout last year,” says the stud’s Henry O’Callaghan. “It generated a lot of positive feedback.
“We are keen to showcase our roster and the Trail is a vital part of that. We have three new exciting stallions, all G1 winners by leading sires. Big Evs is an exceptionally fast horse and we envisage him to be very popular. Bucanero Fuerte was a 2yo out of the top drawer, extremely impressive the day he won the Phoenix Stakes, and King Of Steel was a brilliant 3yo, as he showed when defeating Via Sistina in the Champion Stakes. Both Bucanero Fuerte and King Of Steel will be well supported by Amo Racing.
“We invite people to come along and see them for themselves. It’s a great initiative that allows us to showcase our entire roster and for people to get a good look at the stallions whether as a breeder or a fan.”
One regular participant with plenty to shout about is Davey Stack of Coolagown Stud in Cork. Stack’s roster is one with everything in front of it, especially when it comes to the ex-French Storm The Stars, a Classic-placed son of Sea The Stars whose early French crops include the G1-placed juvenile hurdler Storm Heart and the highly regarded Willie Mullins-trained Funiculi Funicular.
Way To Paris, a G1-winning son of Champs Elysees, has his first 3yos in 2025 while Kenway, a G3-winning son of Galiway, was well supported in his first year in 2024.
Adding further impetus is this year’s new addition Dubai Mile, the 2022 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner who is the only son of Roaring Lion at stud worldwide. He stood his first season in Britain at Manton Park and switches to Coolagown with the renewed backing of his former owner Ahmad Al Shaikh.
The flashy chestnut is certainly not one to be missed on breeders’ travels, as Stack outlines. “He’s a solid 16.1hh with great depth to him,” he says.
“He’s a bit of an outcross in that he’s from that only crop of Roaring Lion and so goes back to Kitten’s Joy. Because of that, and the fact he was a 2yo G1 winner, there’s a lot of breeders who are curious about him and we’ve got bookings coming in already including from England. He’ll be well supported anyway – Ahmad Al Shaikh plans to send several mares.
“He fits in well with our roster,” he goes on. “Storm The Stars covered 90 mares in his first year here and another 130 last year. He had a €20,000 average at the Goffs December Sale so people are doing well out of them in the ring, and there’s a very good word from Willie Mullins’s yard for Funiculi Funicular.
“Way To Paris’s early crops have also sold well and we were delighted with how Kenway was received last year. His first book had some real quality to it, including the siblings to Garswood, Harry Angel, Mojo Star and Finian’s Rainbow, so there is plenty to look forward to with him.”
All will be on view during both days of the Trail. “It’s a brilliant initiative that we’ve been part of right from the beginning,” says Stack.
“It’s great to be able to show these horses to people. You get a lot of footfall and a lot of interest. It’s another great achievement by ITM to help showcase the best of the Irish industry.”
ITM Stallion Trail: 10-11 January 2025
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
Registrations are now open. Please note that due to demand it is mandatory to register for a specific date and time slot in order to visit Coolmore Stud.
• Visit the ITM Irish Stallion Trail website and the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing website