CRAIG Kieswetter is a former England cricketer who appeared for the country in 71 matches. Sadly that career was cut short by a devastating injury while playing, and now, inspired by his parents Wayne and Belinda, he has turned his focus to breeding.

The family own Barnane Stud in Templemore, Co Tipperary, and it is run for them by Patrick Wynn-Jones. This week the family’s racing colours, which were carried to Group 1 success a few years ago by Urban Fox in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, were sported by Tom Marqand as Candleford won on his third attempt.

This three-year-old son of Kingman (Invincible Spirit), successful over 10 furlongs at Windsor, is the first homebred winner for Kieswetter since the ownership of Barnane changed hands. The colt is trained by William Haggas, who also trained Urban Fox, and he is the second winner for his stakes-winning dam Dorcas Lane (Norse Dancer).

That stakes win was also in the Pretty Polly Stakes, but this one was the Newmarket version of the race, and one that carries listed status. Dorcas Lane was placed at Group 2 level, including in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After her racing career ended Dorcas Lane sold for 475,000gns, while she was bought to join the broodmare band at Barnane, carrying Candleford, for 320,000gns. By then she has bred her first winner, a son of Frankel (Galileo).

Dorcas Lane was the best of eight winners out of Waqood (Riverman), though her half-brother Faasel (Unfuwain) is actually a Grade 1 winner, but that was over hurdles at Aintree. He was also runner-up at Cheltenham in the Triumph Hurdle.

Waqood did not win, but her dam Safdaanh (Shareef Dancer) did, and at stud the latter bred the champion Harayir (Gulch), winner of the 1995 Group 1 1000 Guineas, and is grandam of the Group 1 Jebel Hatta winner Tryster (Shamardal).

At the upcoming Book 1 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Barnane have a filly by Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) out of Dorcas Lane for sale through Baroda Stud, and she will be joined at the sale by a Dubawi colt, the first foal of Urban Fox (Foxwedge).

It might not match the thrill of walking out at Lords to play cricket, but hopefully racecourse and sale success for the Kieswetter family continues.