New anthem for Knockhouse Stud as Amhran Na Bhfiann joins the stallion line-up

Amhran Na Bhfiann, a Group 2 winner by Galileo and boasting an excellent Classic pedigree, has been recruited by Knockhouse Stud to join the stallion roster at the Kilkenny farm for the 2024 season.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien to win the Group 2 Curragh Cup and finish third in the 2020 Derby, ahead of Group 1 winners Kameko, Mogul, Russian Emperor, Highland Chief and Pyledriver, it is a homecoming of sorts to the black and amber of Kilkenny for Amhran Na Bhfiann, who was bred in the county by the Burns family at Lodge Park Stud out of Alluring Park. 

A physically imposing sort, he is the latest recruit for the picturesque farm where the Kinsella family stood Roselier and Beneficial. 

Amhran Na Bhfiann: "He is a fine big horse, dark bay almost black and is very correct"Credit: Patrick McCann

"He's a fine big horse, dark bay almost black, and is very correct with great bone," said Sean Kinsella. "He's striking, a really nice and rangy horse with a lovely temperament; he's a real gentleman."

The six-year-old's second dam is the Irish Champion Stakes and Nassau Stakes winner Park Express, dam of New Approach, who was Galileo's first Derby winner. Successful five times at the highest level, including in the Dewhurst and Champion Stakes, New Approach developed into a reliable source of Group 1 winners, his CV featuring Classic stars Masar, Dawn Approach, Talent and Mac Swiney. He is also sire of Dante winner Libertarian, an established member of the Knockhouse stallion roster. 

As a broodmare sire, New Approach has the likes of Group/Grade 1 winners Modern Games, Earthlight, Live In The Dream, Mawj and Rosallion, to name but a few.

New Approach is a half-brother to the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Shinko Forest, by Green Desert, and to Alluring Park, who was third in the Blenheim and Rochestown Stakes, both Listed contests. The daughter of Green Desert inherited her dam's mantle as a top-class broodmare for Lodge Park Stud and has produced Oaks winner Was, in turn the dam of Group 3 Park Stakes winner Concert Hall, who was third in last year's Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Al Jassasiyah: unraced but black-type producing dam is a sister to Amhran Na Bhfiann and sold for 1,500,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 in 2012Credit: Edward Whitaker

Alluring Park earned herself a place in the Tattersalls record books in 2013, when her yearling daughter by Galileo made 5,000,000gns to Al Shaqab Racing at Book 1. Subsequently named Al Naamah, she was second in the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre and third in the Group 3 Prix Minerve.

Her other offspring by Galileo have also lit up the sales ring at Tattersalls, with Group 3 Derrinstown Derby Trial winner Douglas Macarthur making 1,250,000gns to MV Magnier, and Al Jassasiyah, subsequently unraced but the dam of Listed winner and Prix de Royallieu fourth Mashael, selling for 1,500,000gns to Mandore International in the year her full-sister Was won the Oaks.

Amhran Na Bhfiann – 'The Soldier's Song' in English, and the national anthem of Ireland – was himself a 1,300,000gns purchase by MV Magnier at the 2018 sale and now stands alongside Derby and Arc hero Workforce, whose first two crops of Irish-born foals have made an impression.

Tirwanako and Kap Rock, recruited from France, along with Waldkonig, a Group 3-winning half-brother to Waldgeist who stood his first season in 2023, complete the line-up.

Read more

Bresil paints Fairyhouse blue as Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale is dominated by Rathbarry sire