PILLAR Coral had just 38 foals in his first crop, conceived at Annshoon Stud, and among them was The Dancing Tree.

Placed in a point-to-point last year on his only run, he made the perfect start after joining Gavin Cromwell and won his only outing for connections, successful in a bumper at Limerick in January.

This all bodes well for his subsequent crops conceived since his move to Kilbarry Lodge Stud, with more runners to represent him in time. Pillar Coral has also had a number of notable successes in the sale ring. Pillar Coral’s early achievements catch the eye, especially when you consider that he did not race; but neither did Accordion or Court Cave.

Pillar Coral has a pedigree that should see him make an impact as a stallion. He is by Zafonic’s speedy full-brother Zamindar (Gone West), responsible for the brilliant Zarkava as well as classic stars such as Darjina and Zenda (dam of Kingman). From a National Hunt perspective, Pillar Coral is by the sire of Crossharbour, a blacktype National Hunt stallion in France, and, like most leading flat sires, Zamindar also sired a number 130+ rated multiple winners under National Hunt rules. For example, Devil’s Elbow, Lycidas, Zaidiyn and the mare Cubswin fit that description.

It is the distaff side of his pedigree that makes Pillar Coral such a fascinating prospect and has attracted so many to him, because he is out of Coraline (Sadler’s Wells). This makes him a half-brother to Coastal Path (Halling), Martaline (Linamix) and Reefscape (Linamix).

The latter won the Group 1 Prix du Cadran but had fertility problems, sired only a handful of foals and just one winner, the Grade 1-winning hurdler L’Unique.

Martaline’s top win came in the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieul over 14 furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte, where he beat Westerner by three-quarters of a length, before excelling as a National Hunt stallion. The fomer Haras de Montaigu horse has supplied Disko, Dynaste, Kotkikova, Very Wood, Terrefort, We Have A Dream, Vanillier and Mighty Potter, to name just a few of his many Grade 1 stars.

Then there’s dual Group 2-winning stayer Coastal Path, the sire of Asterion Forlonge, Bacardys, Franco De Port, and Saint Roi, among others of note.

This is more than enough to advertise his potential and yet it’s just the first generation of the pedigree of Pillar Coral. His grandam Bahamian (Mill Reef) is the dam of classic heroine Wemyss Bight (Dancing Brave) and ancestress of standouts such as the top-level star and leading dual-purpose sire Beat Hollow (Sadler’s Wells), Oasis Dream (Green Desert), New Bay (Dubawi), Allmankind (Sea The Moon) and the aforementioned Zenda and Kingman (Invincible Spirit), whereas his third dam is the multiple classic performer Sorbus (Busted).

Race record

PILLAR CORAL (GB), Bay horse, 2014. Unraced.

At stud

Retired to stud in 2018, and sire of 1 winner, of 1 race, and £17,176, including The Dancing Tree (Ire).

Information

Stands at: Kilbarry Lodge Stud, Waterford, X91 D602, Ireland.

Contact: Con O’Keefffe, Claire O’Keeffe or Eddie Fanning

Telephone: +353 51 373184, +353 87 6822773 (Con), +353 87 3398630 (Claire) or +353 85 2826899 (Eddie Fanning)

Email: kilbarrylodgestud@gmail.com

Web: www.kilbarrylodgestud.ie

Fee: Private