Access all areas: an Arc hero and the champion sire star on Irish Stallion Trail

Friday and Saturday saw the sixth annual Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Irish Stallion Trail, an event during which 30 of Ireland's finest studs provided something close to an access all areas experience of the beating heart of the country's breeding industry.

The Stallion Trail ranks as an unmissable two days for bloodstock aficionados and the casual racing fan alike, so the Racing Post Bloodstock team duly hit the road, covered over 250 miles, took in ten studs and visited over 60 stallions.

Rest assured, were it not for the constraints of time and the speed limit, we would have gladly ticked off all 30 studs.

Our first port of call was Rathbarry Stud, where the spritely Catherine Cashman introduced the increasingly influential Acclamation, young guns James Garfield and Kodi Bear, and the farm's elder statesman Tagula, who emerged with a bright eye and a spring in his step, giving no indication he has just passed his 27th birthday.

Having left a dent in Rathbarry's supply of biscuits and the first of countless cups of tea, we headed to the other side of Fermoy to Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud, which is in the midst of some major renovation works.

The farm's diverse roster has also undergone something of a redevelopment in recent years, with highly touted youngsters in Order Of St George and Sioux Nation now standing alongside proven sources of Group 1 talent Mastercraftsman and Starspangledbanner.

Starspangledbanner cuts a dash at CastlehydeCredit: James Thomas

The former pair covered 516 mares between them during their respective debut seasons on stallion duty, and with their good looks and abundant athleticism backing up their sound pedigree and performance credentials it is easy to see why breeders have been quite so keen.

Maxios, who recently switched to Castlehyde after six seasons at Gestut Fahrhof, also caught the eye. If jumps breeders do not get behind the dark, rangy son of Monsun it will be an almighty surprise.

Just a two-minute drive away is Grange Stud, one of Coolmore's dedicated National Hunt arms.

Getaway, sire of Verdana Blue, Talkischeap and rising star The Big Breakaway, is arguably the star attraction, though newcomer Capri also received his fair share of attention from those present, many of whom were decked out in Coolmore merchandise, ranging from the ubiquitous Walk In The Park caps to a somewhat vintage Strategic Prince jacket.

Capri keeps an eye on proceedings at Grange StudCredit: James Thomas

From Grange we travelled past the Galtee mountains, which had received a dusting of snow, and into Tipperary to Coolmore.

Seeing so much sirepower in one place can be, for those initiated in the ways of bloodstock, an experience approaching the profound. Everywhere you look there’s a Classic winner or the sire of a recent Group 1 scorer. At the time of writing, the stallions housed at Coolmore's immaculate main stud have supplied no fewer than 126 Group/Grade 1 winners between them.

The stud has welcomed three new recruits for 2020, namely the explosive Calyx, 2,000 Guineas hero Magna Grecia and July Cup scorer Ten Sovereigns, who most impressed from this trio was a hot topic of discussion on this year's Trail.

With a sublime pedigree, two Group 1 wins on his CV and a notably fluid action, Magna Grecia probably just edged it in the Racing Post's straw poll.

Even among Coolmore's embarrassment of riches, the jaw-dropping good looks boasted by Churchill are something out of the ordinary. Despite his impressive muscular frame the equine Adonis is so light on his feet he barely made a sound as he swaggered around the showing area. In Coolmore's search for Galileo's heir, Churchill must rank very highly indeed.

As we made our way for the exit, we crossed paths with Galileo himself as he returned from his afternoon stroll with handler Noel Stapleton. Having witnessed his progeny mop up Group 1 races with unrivalled regularity, and not to mention having encountered so many of his sire sons on the Trail, even the most hardened cynic couldn't help but be struck by the aura around the 11-time champion sire.

Galileo: master of all he surveys at CoolmoreCredit: Patrick McCann

The final stop on day one was Ballylinch Stud, which rises up out of the verdant green pastures of County Kilkenny. In the gathering late-afternoon gloom we see Waldgeist strut his stuff. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero has plainly settled into his new home well, and is currently residing in the beautiful mosaic-tiled box in which The Tetrarch was once stabled.

The Stallion Trail offers something for the industry professional as well as racing and breeding fanatics, and Ballylinch's Eoin Fives reports that six Waldgeist nominations have been sold to visitors on the ITM-backed event.

Few studs go to the lengths that Ballylinch does on the hospitality front, and a few hot whiskies help get the circulation going again before a productive day draws to a close.

Day two

After an overnight stopover in Naas, our Trail resumed at Derrinstown Stud on Saturday morning. The event is billed as a chance to meet your heroes, and nowhere is this more true than when Tamayuz parades at Shadwell's Irish base.

The son of Nayef, and sire of talents such as Mustashry and Precieuse, got up close and personal with the crowd, and clearly revelled in all the fuss and attention.

Tamayuz gets up close and personal with team Racing Post Bloodstock at Derrinstown StudCredit: James Thomas

Next up came the Irish National Stud, where the operation's Conor Hyland and Patrick Diamond run a sizeable crowd through seven of the farm's stallions - albeit flagship sire Invincible Spirit and his doting handler Michael 'Daffer' Kelly require little introduction.

Among the younger crowd, new boy Phoenix Of Spain's huge walk and captivating presence will have won the son of Lope De Vega plenty of admirers, while the blue-blooded Decorated Knight, whose first foals recently fetched up to 190,000gns, has let down into a power-packed physical model.

Decorated Knight and Harry Shearman parade in front of the crowd at the Irish National StudCredit: Hannah Marks

No trip to Ireland would be complete without experiencing something approaching a monsoon, and half of the Irish Sea was duly deposited upon County Kildare as we reached Darley’s Irish home at Kildangan.

Thankfully the plush surrounds of the Cape Cross centre provided ample refuge before the show began - and not to mention a high-calibre assortment of refreshments ranging from chicken burgers to Darley-branded buns.

Of Kildangan's 16 stallions, 15 were shown. Among that number is leading shuttle sire Exceed And Excel, who is introduced as having racked up "more air miles than many of you". The parade concluded with breakthrough star Night Of Thunder and exciting new recruit Blue Point, who is shown in conditions not dissimilar to those when he landed the King's Stand Stakes that initiated his famous Royal Ascot brace (torrential rain, for those with a short memory).

Blue Point braves the elements at Darley's Kildangan StudCredit: Hannah Marks

It's a classy touch that the compere namechecks each stallion's handler, not least because, without exception, the horses looked and behaved immaculately, and the busy show ran with Swiss watch levels of precision.

The one absentee from the parade was the mighty Shamardal, who is stabled in the box opposite his son Blue Point. Never have name plaques been more useful, as Shamardal could be forgiven for thinking he is looking into a mirror when he sees Blue Point standing opposite him, so similar are the two.

Shamardal peers out of his stable at KildanganCredit: Alex Cairns

From the high-gloss surroundings of Kildangan, the Trail led us to Alastair Pim's Anngrove Stud, which is home to Aiken, Famous Name, Marcel and Vendangeur.

Despite a rather ominous sign warning visitors to remain in their car to avoid the guard dog, Pim's rottweiler Tucker forms part of a hospitable welcoming committee. It is, however, with a wry smile that Pim reveals "the T sometimes gets replaced with an F" when Tucker isn't in quite such an affable mood.

Pim and his stallions were in good form, particularly Marcel, the Racing Post Trophy-winning son of Lawman, who boasts a bombproof temperament and a Herculean physique that ought to have National Hunt breeders queuing down Mountmellick's high street.

Poet's Word strikes a pose at Boardsmill StudCredit: Alex Cairns

The smell of smoke from turf fires hung heavy in the air as we made our way to our final stop off at Boardsmill Stud, a sure sign that temperatures were dropping as evening approached.

The Flood family's stallions enjoyed a stellar 2019, with Califet, Court Cave and Kalanisi each siring Grade 1 winners. John Flood reports that newcomer Poet's Word has received a warm reception from breeders, so, with strong support looking assured, it surely won't be long before the smooth-moving son of Poet's Voice is adding to the farm's long list of success stories.

I urge you to put the Irish Stallion Trail in your diary for 2021 and calibrate your expectations to high. You won't be disappointed.

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