THE compass needle points towards the heart of the Midlands and Bridge House Stud in Westmeath where Compas Stallions are to be located.

A mission statement of providing breeders with the speed and precocity, that is so on trend in the bloodstock industry, brought two young sires who do exactly that to the picturesque setting in Lakelands.

Cappella Sansevero and Strath Burn had speed to beat the band. Under the guidance of Micheál Orlandi, a Westmeath native and former show jumper who grew up near Tally-Ho Stud, their second careers are pointing in the right direction.

“I remember when Tony (O’Callaghan) first stood Kodiac and all the marketing about him being a half-brother to the champion first season sire Invincible Spirit. Nobody knew what both those stallions would go on to achieve but that taught me something about how you market a stallion and direct their careers,” says Orlandi, who credits Maurice Burns of Rathasker Stud and his former employer trainer Mark Johnston as enormous influences on his burgeoning career.

SHOW JUMPING

When Orlandi made the decision to expand his bloodstock business to encompass stallions, it was to local and show jumping connections he turned. The Compas Stallions are based at Trevor Badger’s gorgeous Bridge House Stud on the border between Westmeath and Longford, a successful sport horse and National Hunt stallion base.

Independently Badger stands Let The Lion Roar, a Sadler’s Wells half-brother to St Leger winner Millenary, who was third in the Derby and placed in both the Dante and Great Voltigeur.

Cappella Sansevero was the first horse to stand under the Compas Stallions brand and the son of Showcasing fit the criteria that Orlandi and his investors set.

“He had all the attributes the market wants – core speed and precocity – and he was consistently sound, running eight times as a two-year-old.”

The son of Showcasing won the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes for trainer Ger Lyons, and was also second in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot to subsequent Group 1 Prix Morny winner The Wow Signal. Cappella Sansevero was also twice placed in Group 1 races during his juvenile career.

“We took a punt on Showcasing becoming the Dark Angel or Kodiac of the UK and this horse is a great physical specimen, his walk would sell him. He is out of a Royal Applause mare and I like him as a broodmare sire,” Orlandi explains.

FIRST FOALS

Buyers liked Cappella Sansevero’s first foals a lot at the recent sales and Orlandi is hoping that the first crop of Strath Burn, which are due in the spring, will receive a similarly enthusiastic reception.

As with Cappella Sansevero, Strath Burn was owned by Qatar Racing, and the son of Equiano was beaten a nose by Twilight Son in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup. Successful at Group 3 level, the talented sprinter came through the breeze-up sales and raced 16 times, demonstrating the soundness that is an essential attribute for stallions.

“Strath Burn is a good-looking horse and an outcross for Northern Dancer. He had an engine all his life and he is from the right sire line of Acclamation, I think Equiano is probably the best racehorse by Acclamation. Strath Burn is out of an Irish River mare, by Riverman, which I really like in a pedigree,” he adds.

Last year 17 horses retired to stud in Ireland and in a crowded marketplace it can be difficult to hold your own for more established farms, let alone for a venture with two young stallions, but Orlandi’s experience and knowledge gives him a realistic outlook.

“It’s very hard launching a new stud, new horses and new brand,” he admits, “you are completely up against it. The market has changed even in the three years we have been operating but you can’t stand still thinking the market is against us.”

TRANSITION PHASE

The market for National Hunt horses is also in somewhat of a transition phase driven by the substantial success of four and five-year-old winning point-to-pointers at the boutique sales.

Horses capable of winning earlier are gaining in popularity to feed that growing market of handlers and the more traditional store horse has competition.

Breeders looking to tap into that demand will have a fresh outlet for bloodlines in the newest addition to the Compas Stallions team – My Dream Boat.

Winner of the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, My Dream Boat is standing with Orlandi on behalf of his owners Claire and Paul Rooney who are enthusiastic and committed supporters of their dream horse.

“He is an athletic horse with plenty of size and scope about him, a horse people dream of owning, and I am fortunate to manage him on behalf of the Rooneys.

“He took Paul and Clare to all the big meetings and gave them a wonderful success and they will be supporting My Dream Boat in the sales ring, they are excited about buying and racing his progeny.”

As a son of Lord Shanakill out of a Choisir mare, the Coolmore stallion becoming increasingly noted as a broodmare sire of influence, My Dream Boat is an outcross for mares by Sadler’s Wells and his sons.

A limited number of breeding rights are still available to purchase and they entitle buyers to two nominations in the first two years of My Dream Boat’s stallion career and one every year after that.

Starting the careers of three stallions, in three years from scratch is not a task for the faint of heart. Sustaining those careers and building them into successful ones is an even more difficult one.

“We have a vested interest in the mares that breeders send to our stallions. We hope that every foal is a colt foal, a smasher, sells well and becomes a top-class racehorse. We are breeders too and we know how hard it is to make a profit.

“If a stallion is successful for me, that will be because he is a success for breeders.”