Can Phoenix rise highest for the Irish National Stud?

As the Flat season bursts forth in April, with the promise of Classics, Royal Ascot, Goodwood and Irish Champions Weekend, the excitement of witnessing the birth of new stars and the return of old favourites, one particular group of people is feeling a heady mix of anticipation and anxiety - stallion masters with first-season sires.

"At this moment in time, it's always nervous for us -  we're constantly refreshing entries on the two-year-old races," says Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud, whose Phoenix Of Spain has 97 juveniles preparing to take their first steps on the track.

When the team at the Irish National Stud first conceived Phoenix Of Spain as a potential addition to the stallion roster, he was still only a two-year-old. His raw size and scope impressed them enormously, with his form and ability belying his stature. Although it is only April, that would appear to be replicated in his offspring.