Coolagown Stud, Fermoy

“WE’VE been in it since the start,” says Dave Stack, manager of Coolagown Stud, when asked about the farm’s participation in the ITM Irish Stallion Trail.

Last year, approximately 100 groups and individuals flocked to the Fermoy, Co Cork, stud over the course of the weekend, with Friday emerging as the busiest day. The experience gives all breeders, from near and far, a true indication of the temperament, size and scope of their mare’s potential stallion.

“The quality of stallions in Ireland is constantly improving,” Dave says, and it is clear that this trend holds true for his own premises. There will be five stallions on show next weekend at Coolagown, which is positioned not far from National Hunt powerhouses Glenview and Grange Stud. Their proximity is a double-edged sword, bringing potential clients close to his door while also forcing the Coolagown team to innovate and elevate their game each year. “We can’t rest on our laurels, we have to innovate and improve,” Dave says.

New recruit Kenway takes the spotlight as the yard’s flagship dual-purpose stallion. Kenway’s breeding and racing history promise to inject both speed and stamina into any mare.

Kenway won a total of six races (ranging from seven to nine furlongs) from 38 starts, including the Group 3 Prix la Rochette over seven furlongs as a two-year-old.

The only son of Galiway standing outside France, Kenway continued to race in blacktype events throughout his career. The potential he showed as a two-year-old, coupled with his natural soundness and willing attitude, makes Kenway an exciting addition.

Storm The Stars received strong support in his debut season in Ireland in 2023. A dual Derby-placed, Group 2-winning son of Sea The Stars, he stood in France for five seasons and has an impressive record with his three- and four-year-olds in that country with a 25% winners-to-runners strike-rate on the flat and that rises to 33% over jumps.

Incredibly, Storm The Stars has only had two runners in Ireland to-date - Goffs Land Rover Bumper winner Milo Lises and the ultra-impressive Storm Heart, winner of a maiden hurdle at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve by 22 lengths.

Way To Paris stands out as the only Group 1-winning son of the exclusive Champs Elysees at stud. He garnered substantial support in his initial three seasons, and his second crop has not only sold well but also generated considerable profits for breeders amid challenging sales conditions.

Zambezi Son, often overlooked, is “one of the most underrated stallions in Ireland”, in the words of Dave. Boasting numerous blacktype winners, including the 2023 Grand Steeplechase de Paris (French Gold Cup) victor Rosario Baron, Zambezi Sun stands at a fee of just €2,000.

Lastly, but by no means least, Coolagown also stands the eye-catching Shantaram. Nicky Henderson’s exciting chasing prospect The Carpenter and Lucinda Russell’s consistent chaser Your Own Story fly the flag for this Group 3-winning son of Galileo.