CONGRATULATIONS to Christy Flynn who recently retired from his position of stud groom at Derrinstown Stud after 32 years working there. Christy has been involved with horses from the time he left school.

The family moved to Moyglare Stud in 1963 and Christy worked mainly at preparing the yearlings for the sales in Ireland, England, and France. In 1980 he went to work for Captain Tim Rodgers at Grangewilliam Stud. It was from there in December 1984 that he moved with his wife Mary, sons Damian, Eric, Christopher, and daughter Sonya to take up his position as stud groom at Derrinstown Stud.

Some of the horses Christy looked after were Al Bahathri and Midway Lady. Christy is well known for his knowledge of horses and has a particularly good memory when it comes to pedigrees going back for decades.

Christy is looking forward to spending time with his family and looking after his own horses during his well-earned retirement.

ONWARDS and upwards for the Irish National Stud Breeding and Racing Club as they will have two racehorses to run in their colours in 2016.

The club, who had their colours carried for the first time by Invincible Lia at the Curragh last autumn, now welcome the addition of a Showcasing two-year-old.

The filly, who is a half-sister to the blacktype-placed My Reward, is from the family of Group 1-winning sprinter Prohibit and her pedigree is full of class.

Ciarán de Barra, who manages the club, said: “It is great to add a second racehorse to the string; the new addition is from a hard-knocking Juddmonte family and with Invincible Lia shaping so well on debut the club members have cause to be excited for the year ahead.”

It was also confirmed that Willie McCreery, who trains Invincible Lia, will train both of the club’s fillies in 2016. De Barra confirmed: “Willie had a very strong 2015, he has a great record with fillies and it makes a lot of sense to have both horses in the same yard.’’

Along with the two race fillies, the club will have two foals to sell in 2016. The club’s broodmares are currently in foal to Gale Force Ten and Dragon Pulse and members are eagerly anticipating seeing their new foals this spring.

Memberships are still available and interested parties should contact Ciarán de Barra at cdebarra@irishnationalstud.ie or 045 521251.