ORBY’S by Lucy at the Curragh Racecourse hosted over 50 breeders and industry stakeholders on Tuesday evening, gathered to honour the winners of the Connolly’s Red Mills /The Irish Field Breeder Of The Year Awards.
The winners’ achievements ranged from breeding Group 1 sprinters to top-class chasers, while their victories came as close as the Curragh itself, to as far as Hong Kong. Organiser and MC Leo Powell also revealed the flat and National Hunt breeders of the year, with Coolmore crowned for the exploits of Auguste Rodin, while The Beeches Stud was honoured for Ballyburn’s Grade 1 hat-trick.
Christy Grassick represented Coolmore, who entered the equation when voted Breeder of the Month in July 2023, following Auguste Rodin’s dual Derby wins. The son of Deep Impact has since brought his number of top-flight wins to six and today bids to add the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes to his honour roll.
Robert and Debbie McCarthy represented The Beeches Stud, who have bred three blacktype chasers out of Ballyburn’s dam Old Moon, each of them by the farm’s late sire Flemensfirth. Powell highlighted Bobby McCarthy’s shrewd judgement when selecting the mare at the store sales for just €7,000, while Robert McCarthy confirmed they have retained fillies from the family in the hopes of continued success.
Yeomanstown Stud can go one step further in their involvement with the winner, having bred the sire of readers’ June 2023 selection Khaadem. Nominated for his maiden Group 1 win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, the son of Dark Angel won the race for a second time last month.
Gay’s son Guy accepted the April 2024 award for another son of Dark Angel in Charyn, honoured for his Group 2 success in the bet365 Mile, and since a Group 1 victor in the Queen Anne Stakes.
Khaadem and Charyn cost 750,000gns and 250,000gns respectively as yearlings, whereas Live In The Dream’s sales history peaked at £24,000. The Prince Of Lir gelding proved well-named when landing the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes worth £500,000, earning breeder Lorna Doyle the prize for August 2023.
Breeder Dónal Spring was rewarded for racing Moss Tucker as part of a syndicate when his homebred landed the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes; one of five blacktype races won by the son of Excelebration. His son Daniel accepted the prize for September 2023.
A little further from home, California Spangle defeated an international field in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Meydan, and it was for that success that Gabrielle Enright received the March 2024 prize on behalf of her father Michael. The son of Starspangledbanner previously conquered the highest level over seven furlongs and a mile at his local track, Sha Tin.
As a four-year-old, he was unfortunate to encounter Romantic Warrior, who was bred by the Egan family’s Corduff Stud with Timothy Rooney. The son of Acclamation is now an eight-time Group 1 winner, and following successful raids on the Cox Plate and Yasuda Kinen, was crowned Hong Kong Horse Of The Year. The Egan family accepted the October 2023 prize for his landmark win down under.
The following month saw Ronnie O’Neill voted Breeder of the Month for Knappers Hill’s commanding victory in the Grade 2 “Rising Stars” Novice Chase at Wincanton, on just his second start over fences. Previously twice a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, he is by Valirann, who O’Neill stands at his Whytemount Stud.
Next to be applauded was Thomas Fahey, for Found A Fifty’s Grade 1 triumph in the Racing Post Novice Chase, he having since followed up in the Grade Maghull Novices’ Chase. Fahey retained the son of Solksjaer for €7,200 as a yearling and later sold him privately after an impressive debut win at Boulta for Mark Fahey.
The next prize went to Dan and Danielle McSorley, with the latter accepting the prize for Banbridge’s Grade 2 success in the Silvianaco Chase. He later produced a game performance in the Grade 1 Champion Chase at Punchestown, marking a second top-flight success for the son of Doyen.
Nickle Back was a heartwarming success story for trainer Sarah Humphrey last season and an impressive win in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase saw breeder Olive Gordon voted the February 2024 winner.
Finally, a gift was presented to Gabrielle and Pat Keane of the Hanged Man’s, as a token of appreciation for hosting the awards in previous years.
Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year Award Winners 2023/2024
June 2023 – Yeomanstown Stud - Khaadem
July 2023 – Coolmore – Auguste Rodin
August 2023 – Lorna Doyle – Live In The Dream
September 2023 – Dónal Spring – Moss Tucker
October 2023 – Corduff Stud and T.J. Rooney – Romantic Warrior
November 2023 – Ronnie O’Neill – Knappers Hill
December 2023 – Thomas Fahey – Found A Fifty
January 2024 – Dan McSorley - Banbridge
February 2024 – Olive Gordon – Nickle Back
March 2024 – Michael Enright – California Spangle
April 2024 – Grangemore Stud – Charyn
May 2024 – The Beeches Stud – Ballyburn
Flat Breeder Of The Year 2023-2024 – Coolmore
National Hunt Breeder Of The Year 2023-2024 – The Beeches Stud