AS the son of a US juvenile champion and of a one-time winning daughter of an unraced mare, Australian-born Barely A Moment’s pedigree may have looked unfamiliar when he first arrived in Ireland.
However, his female line is one that has a rich history of producing high-class European racehorses, and not just on the flat.
His sire is Gilded Time (by Timeless Moment), his dam is a daughter of Danehill (by Danzig), and his grandam Bare Minimum (by Bustino) was out of Nell Gwyn Stakes fourth Strip The Willow (by Native Dancer), dam of Strathspey and Joking Apart.
Strathspey (by Jimmy Reppin) won listed handicaps at Newmarket and Ascot, and in addition to being the dam of the pattern-placed stakes winners Spinning (by Glint Of Gold) and River Spey (by Mill Reef), she is the mare from whom the high-class trio Jahafil (by Rainbow Quest), Mondschein (by Rainbow Quest) and Highdown (by Selkirk) descend.
Spinning was also a capable performer under National Hunt rules, winning the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock and taking third in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, but he falls short of being the most notable jumper in this top flat family.
Joking Apart (by Jimmy Reppin) won the Listed Strensall Stakes at York and she was third to Nocturnal Spree in the 1000 Guineas, and in addition to producing the Listed Galtres Stakes winners Deadly Serious (by Queen’s Hussar) and Sans Blague (by The Minstrel), she is the grandam of Australian Group 1 scorer Runyon (by Sadler’s Wells) and third dam of South African Grade 1 winner Slumdogmillionaire (by Strike Smartly).
Joking Apart is also responsible for Fortune Teller (by Troy), the grandam of 2010’s Grade 1 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle scorer Peddlers Cross (by Oscar).
Her daughter Deadly Serious, the dam of Runyon, was also responsible for Samsova (by Shareef Dancer) and that bay is the stakes winning grandam of the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu winner Samando (by Hernando) and of 2013’s Grade 3 Grand National hero Auroras Encore (by Second Empire).
Barely A Moment has already proved that he can sire top-class performers as his Australian-born winners include the triple seven furlong Group 1 star Moment Of Change.
He represents a family that has excelled around the world, whose major winners include representatives of the powerful Sadler’s Wells and Nijinsky (by Northern Dancer) lines, and whose array of flat stars is complemented by a Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival scorer and an Aintree hero.
With credentials like these, Barely A Moment is a horse who deserves attention. His first Irish-born progeny are now yearlings.
Won four races, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, 2 and 4 years including, Dubai Racing Club Invitation Stakes, Caulfield, Gr.1, Sires’ Produce Stakes, Flemington, Gr.1, Toorak Handicap, Caulfield, Gr.1, also placed second in Caulfield Guineas, Gr.1, Victoria Racing Club Stakes, Flemington, Gr.1, Breeder’ Stakes, Morphettville, Gr.2, Ascot Vale Stakes, Flemington, Gr.2, Memsie Stakes, Caulfield, Gr.2, Sandown Guineas, Gr.2, and third in Debonair Stakes, Flemington, Gr.3.
Retired to stud in Australia in 2006, in Ireland in 2014, and sire of the winners of 345 races, and £5,099,475, including MOMENT OF CHANGE (AUS), SO SWIFT (AUS), OCTOBER DATE (AUS), BACK ON TARGET (AUS), Demon Queen (AUS), Life Is A Cabernet (AUS), Baby Boy (AUS), Awakened (AUS), Zest A Second (AUS) etc.
Stands at: Coolballyshan House Stud, Croagh, Adare, Co Limerick, Ireland
Contact: Kieran and Liam Kennedy
Telephone: +353 (0)66 7126453
Email: kkennedystallions@gmail.com
Website: www.coolballyshanstud.com
Fee: private