MAURICE Burns says he has been “taken aback” by the number of offers of help he has received following a malicious blaze at Rathasker Stud, just outside Naas, last weekend.

Vandals set fire to a barn filled with hay and straw, endangering the lives of 18 broodmares. The damage has been assessed at €150,000 but fortunately no people or horses were harmed.

Speaking to The Irish Field yesterday, Burns said: “The guards tell me they are close to apprehending the perpetrators. There have been at least 10 similar arson attacks on properties in this area in the past 18 months, mostly sheds filled with hay and straw, but also some old stables and vacant houses.”

Burns did not comment on speculation that the crime was committed by children as young as 14.

Rathasker Stud has five other yards which were not affected and it’s business as usual at the stud, which stands Bungle Inthejungle, Coulsty and Gregorian.

“I was taken aback by the number of people offering me hay and straw,” Burns reported.

“Coolmore, Derrinstown, Yeomanstown, even Robert Percival who used to stand Mummy’s Pet called me, and he is 90 years of age. It shows you how close-knit the bloodstock community actually is.”

The fire was first spotted by a neighbour at 5.30pm last Friday. Burns and his staff were quickly on the scene and managed to move all their stock to safety.

“The fire brigade were here from 6pm on Friday until 3.30am on Saturday morning, and were drawing the water from the canal to fight it. We lost 300 bales of hay and 300 bales of straw, three sheds and a horse box, but if it happened in the middle of the night we would’ve been in trouble.

“We got all the animals moved, they are a bit spooked but none of them got burned. We were unlucky to lose what we did, but it could have been a lot worse.”