Breeding industry mourns loss of star jumps sire Presenting

A glorious chapter in the history of the Cashman family's Rathbarry Stud, and indeed for the entire jumps breeding industry, has come to a close with the death of outstanding sire Presenting.

The son of Mtoto was put down due to the infirmities of old age at Rathbarry's National Hunt arm of Glenview Stud this week. He was 25.

Rathbarry and Glenview Studs said in a statement: "We are naturally very upset about his passing as he was a star to us and an absolute legend. From the moment his first crop of foals arrived on the ground they appeared to attract favourable attention.

"Subsequently when his progeny consistently proved their ability on the racecourse his star was in the ascent and his popularity never waned in 20 years at stud."

Presenting has finished within the top six of the leading jumps sires by prize-money in Britain and Ireland in every season since 2005-06 and was crowned champion on four occasions.

He leaves a glittering roll-call of top-class progeny headed by the extraordinary talent that was Denman, who steamrolled his way to victory in the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup – in which he memorably took the scalp of stablemate Kauto Star – and two editions of the Hennessy Gold Cup.

Denman is one of two Gold Cup heroes by Presenting, along with War Of Attrition, and the sire's other multiple Grade 1 winners include Dunguib, First Lieutenant, No More Heroes, Weapon's Amnesty and Yorkhill.

He also provided a winner of the most famous race in the world, when son Ballabriggs landed the Grand National at Aintree in 2011.

His lifetime stats with his jumps progeny read 1,306 wins from 5,797 runs, and prize-money earnings of £22.5 million.

Presenting (second from left): finished a close third to Lammtarra in the DerbyCredit: Mark Cranham

Presenting displayed a high-class level of form over middle distances that enticed the late master of Rathbarry and Glenview Studs, Liam Cashman, to secure his services.

Trained by John Gosden for owner-breeder George Strawbridge, he took the Listed Autumn Stakes at two and ran admirably at three, when his best efforts were a close third to Lammtarra in the Derby and victories in the Gordon Stakes and Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

Presenting was retired to Glenview Stud in 1997 and stood his first seasons there at chickenfeed fees but eventually worked his way up to a price of €12,000 – a big sum in jumps breeding terms but justifiable in his case – in 2011 and 2012.

"He got very good-looking horses straight away," Liam Cashman told the Racing Post in an interview in 2007. "When he started off he only had very moderate mares and took some time to get the good mares.”

Cashman also drew flattering comparisons with another great jumps sire who had stood at Rathbarry: Strong Gale.

"Presenting's foals are all brilliant jumpers, very like Strong Gale's were,” he said. “If you put them loose in a school with poles in, some horses need urging to jump, but his foals all love it, and they are naturals at it."

Presenting may be gone but those progeny who have that natural aptitude for jumping will still be seen on the track for a long time yet, with 102 mares covered at Glenview in 2015 and 110 last year.

He is also exerting an important influence as a broodmare sire. His daughters have produced this year's Cheltenham Festival winners Might Bite and Presenting Percy, as well as the top-notchers Beat That, Death Duty, Highland Lodge, Rathvinden and Somersby.

The Cashmans have the consolation of having boxes replete with popular, proven jumps sires to pick up the baton from Presenting at Glenview Stud – namely Malinas, Robin Des Champs, Shirocco and Sholokhov.

GRADE 1 WINNERS SIRED BY PRESENTING

Another Promise (b. 1999 ex Snape by Strong Gale)
Won Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase

Ballycasey (b. 2007 ex Pink Mist by Montelimar)
Won Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase

China Rock (b. 2003 ex Kigali by Torus)
Won Punchestown Gold Cup

Denman (b. 2000 ex Polly Puttens by Pollerton)
Won Challow Novices' Hurdle, Royal & SunAlliance Chase, Lexus Chase, Cheltenham Gold Cup

Dunguib (b. 2003 ex Edermine Berry by Durgam)
Won Champion Bumper, Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, Deloitte Novice Hurdle

First Lieutenant (b. 2005 ex Fourstargale by Fourstars Allstar)
Won Future Champions Novice Hurdle, Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, Betfred Bowl

Herecomesthetruth (b. 2002 ex Beagan Rose by Roselier)
Won Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

Jered (b. 2002 ex La Noire by Phardante)
Won Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle

Jessies Dream (b. 2003 ex Lady Apprentice by Phardante)
Won Drinmore Novice Chase

Yorkhill: one among a galaxy of stars sired by PresentingCredit: Edward Whitaker

Lovethehigherlaw (b. 2006 ex Markiza by Broken Hearted)
Won Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race

No More Heroes (b. 2009 ex What A Breeze by Naheez)
Won Drinmore Novice Chase, Neville Hotels Novice Chase

Silverburn (b. 2001 ex Polly Puttens by Pollerton)
Won Tolworth Hurdle, Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

War Of Attrition (b. 1999 ex Una Juna by Good Thyne)
Won Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Punchestown Gold Cup

Weapon's Amnesty (b. 2003 ex Victoria Theatre by Old Vic)
Won Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, RSA Chase

Yorkhill (b. 2010 ex Lightning Breeze by Saddlers' Hall)
Won Tolworth Novices' Hurdle, Neptune Incestment Management Novices' Hurdle, Mersey Novices' Hurdle, JLT Novices' Chase

OTHER NOTABLE WINNERS

Ballabriggs (b. 2001 ex Papoose by Little Bighorn)
Won Grand National

Niche Market (b. 2001 ex Juresse by Jurado)
Won Irish Grand National

Rogue Angel (b. 2008 ex Carrigeen Kohleria by Luso)
Won Irish Grand National

Thunder And Roses (b. 2008 ex Glen Empress by Lancastrian)
Won Irish Grand National

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