Royal Ascot-winning sire Prince Of Lir on the move to Bishan Stud in India

Royal Ascot-winning racehorse and stallion Prince Of Lir has been sold to stand at Gurpreet Singh’s Bishan Stud in Nakodar, Punjab in a deal brokered by Ajay Anne of New Approach Bloodstock.

The son of Kodiac was trained by Robert Cowell for the Cool Silk Partnership to win the 2016 Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, having won on his debut at Beverley the previous month.

Prince Of Lir has been purchased to replace Gusto, a 13-year-old son of Oasis Dream formerly raced in Britain by Richard Hannon snr and Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, who recently died at Bishan Stud.

"Mr Singh started breeding horses ten to 12 years ago and Gusto was an amazing stallion for him," Anne said on Friday. "He was barely 15 hands but he did exceptionally well with his offspring.

"In India, stallions cover only their owner’s horses and he started with books of fewer than ten, but kept picking up and picking up to compete with some of the biggest studs that have been operating in the country.

"In size and looks he wasn’t unlike Northern Dancer, so we always used to refer to him as ‘Little Northern Dancer’."

Prince Of Lir was retired to Ballyhane Stud in Ireland at the end of his two-year-old year, and his most high-profile progeny is The Lir Jet, who won his first two starts, including the 2020 Norfolk Stakes.

Another promising performer for the eight-year-old is this year's Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes winner Prince Of Pillo, also third in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes. Other notable progeny include stakes performers Live In The Dream, Puerto Princesa and Queen Of Rio.

Anne said: "Sadly, Gusto died of colic and we wanted a strong horse to replace him given how well he’d done.

"We looked in America, Australia and Europe. It’s hard to find stallions of the right quality - competition in Europe is particularly strong - but we fortunately managed to buy Prince Of Lir.

"He should cross well with the mares out here and it’s exciting for Indian racing to have a horse like him, who won at Royal Ascot and then produced a horse who won the same race, coming to stand here.

"It's a credit to Mr Singh and the staff at his stud how far they have come, and hopefully Prince Of Lir will help them push on."

Prince Of Lir was bred by Philip and Orla Hore and sold to Emerald Bloodstock for £40,000 from Mount Eaton Stud at the DBS Premier Yearling Sale in 2015.

He then made £170,000 to the Cool Silk Partnership and Stroud Coleman at the following year's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, when sold by Bansha House Stable.

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