Much-missed Jeremy's name at the heart of the action over recent weeks

No sooner had Jeremy’s worth as a jumps sire been truly appreciated, then he was dead. Aged only 11 at the time, he sustained an injury at exercise that necessitated surgery, only for him to break bones in a carpal joint while in recovery that left no option besides euthanasia.

Jeremy wasn’t the first stallion whose life was cut short in his prime and he won’t be the last. Originally installed at the Irish National Stud, the switch to a dual-purpose role at Garryrichard Stud in County Wexford only two years prior to his death indicated that all had not initially gone to plan in his second career.

But those early Flat-bred crops were making enough noise over jumps even then to suggest that the son of Danehill Dancer had found his niche. Breeders certainly agreed as between them they sent Jeremy a total of 467 mares over the course of two seasons.