MATTHEW O’Meara couldn’t have timed his visit to America better than to be at the Keeneland November Sale last week, when his brother John sold the Grade 2 winner Roses For Debra for $2.4 million.

John, who also bred Boyd Martin’s Rio Olympics event horse Blackfoot Mystery, moved over to Kentucky after completing the Irish National Stud management programme. He later bought a farm, next door to the Fasig-Tipton sales complex and named it Milestone Farm. The 165-acre property, which also has several AirBnB properties on-site, managed by John’s partner Debbie Fritz, is a stone’s throw from the Kentucky Horse Park.

Milestone was the famous Irish Draught stallion, owned by their father Jim, who also stood Prefairy in Toomevara, north Tipperary.

Although several of the O’Meara family had visited John in Lexington, it was Matthew’s first time to travel to the States.

Both he and wife Catherine celebrated ‘big birthdays’ this year and, as well as celebrating at home, decided to visit family in America too. Catherine is currently visiting her sister in California, while Matthew and sons James and Damien went to Kentucky.

“I was delighted to get there and then to see John get that price,” said Matthew, who arrived home last Saturday in time to read Leo Powell’s Book 1 sales report in The Irish Field.

According to Matthew, the icing on the birthday cake was the number of Irish National Stud graduates present at Keeneland. “They gave him a great clap when the mare sold and they all served their time under Michael Osborne, who was very good to John. It’s unbelievable the amount of people that Michael helped.

“Just a brilliant experience,” said Matthew, summing up the special family trip and witnessing Roses For Debra top the Book 1 sale.