CIARA Doyle is a stalwart of the Curragh Racecourse team, and from a family with an impeccable racing and breeding pedigree. She is also a very successful breeder, something that her father, brother and late mother could claim to be also. The family’s farm outside Newbridge has been a rich and consistent source of winners for many decades.

The latest ‘star’ runner to emerge from the paddocks there is the Listed Prix Saraca winner Happy Odyssey. This two-year-old daughter of Camacho (Danehill) scorched to a two-length win in that six and a half furlong race at Maisons-Laffitte in the hands of Mickael Barzalona for trainer Amy Murphy.

Ciara and her father John must have great patience as they had to take Happy Odyssey to the sales three times before moving her on. Unsold at Tattersalls Ireland as a foal for €5,000, she made a quick reappearance at the following year’s Goffs February Sale where she was retained for €6,000. She was back at Goffs later in the year for their Open Sale when she finally changed hands for €13,500, purchased by Manoel Dos Santos. She made a fourth sale appearance at this year’s Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale and her trainer signed for her in a private deal for £14,000.

She is the first stakes winner for her dam Casual Remark (Trans Island) who was bred by Ciara’s mum Gemma and sold by her as a foal for €35,000 to Joanna Morgan. The then trainer sold her on as a yearling to Bert Firestone for €75,000 and she finished fourth at Tralee from four starts for Dermot Weld. She sold at Tattersalls as a three-year-old and brought back to Barrettstown Farm House by John Doyle who snapped her up for just 10,000gns.

The six winners from Casual Remark include the four-time winner and multiple stakes-placed Remarkable Lady (Zoffany), and the useful 2018 three-year-old Albishr (Clodovil) who is stakes-placed. The latter has a full-brother born this year at Barrettstown.