MENTIONED in these pages is the Westphalian stallion Cornetini who was imported into this country by Gladys and Eamon McArdle and stood for two seasons at their Drumhowan Stud in Co Monaghan.

The 2014 black son of Cornet Obolensky, who is out of the Cassini I mare Nordica III, was sold over the winter and is now standing with Tom Hutchinson in Co Laois alongside the 19-year-old Holsteiner stallion Coolkeeran.

At time of writing, 14 foals from the second crop of Cornetini have been registered on CapallOir with the first-named produce listed being American Foxtrot, who was bred by Eventing Ireland vice chair Georgia Stubington. The bay colt is the first non-thoroughbred foal out of the Shernazar mare Creaking Step who didn’t race but is a half-sister to the Grade 3 hurdle winner Monte Solaro, dam of the mighty Altior.

Relations of that record-making High Chapparal gelding have been in the news recently with his four-year-old Walk In The Park half-sister Bellatior making a winning debut in a Naas bumper a fortnight ago for the Gordon Elliott yard.

The bay was a €300,000 graduate of the 2020 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale where she was purchased by Elliott and bloodstock agent Aidan O’Ryan.

During the recent November National Hunt Sale in the same Co Meath sales ring, a Mastercraftsman colt foal out of Altior’s half-sister Melior (by Milan) was knocked down to O’Ryan for €56,000.