2003

TODAY is very special. It marks the publication of the first issue of The Irish Field in the ownership of the Agricultural Trust.

The Irish Field has a long and distinguished history, and many teams have worked hard to get the newspaper to its present position. We pledge to maintain the high standards of journalism and professionalism that has seen the newspaper grow and grow.

I would like to pay a particular tribute to the stewardship of Valentine Lamb who has guided The Irish Field for over 30 years, and now hands over the reins of a top-class performer.

We also have plans. Nobody, no business and no newspaper, can rest on its laurels, and we do not intend to either. Over the course of the coming weeks and months we plan to introduce changes to the newspaper, all for the better, we hope. For example, we are delighted to be able to introduce in our first edition the results from yesterday’s meeting at Down Royal. Friday’s race results will be a continuing feature.

In breeding, racing and the Horse World sections, the newspaper already provides an unrivalled breadth of coverage. This will be the basis for going forward, but we also hope to introduce new features, writers and some elements of fun. You, our regular and occasional readers, also can play a part in the development of The Irish Field. We welcome all suggestions and will examine each on its merit.

Every individual whim cannot be accommodated, of course, but we will endeavour to satisfy as many readers’ wishes as we can. We hope to continue to entertain, enlighten, enrage and excite our loyal readership, and to bring many more into The Irish Field fold in the months and years ahead.

There is a young, vibrant team assembled here at The Irish Field, and they and I look forward to getting feedback from you about your new paper. Thank you for your support in the past, and we look forward to its continuance in the future.

Kilcarn’s Millennium celebration

2003

A BID of €1.2 million from John Ferguson for the first Dubai Millennium yearling to be offered at auction in Europe was the highlight of the two-day Goffs Orby Sale at Kill earlier this week.

An expectant hush descended on the packed auditorium as the Kilcarn Stud offering (Lot 149) entered the ring. The bidding commenced at €100,000 and rose quickly to half a million, at which point Ferguson joined in. John Warren, who was standing alongside Sir Michael Stoute, was the only one to keep strides in the latter exchanges, but he eventually shook his head when asked to top Ferguson’s final bid.

“The fact of the matter is that the horse came from a breeder who has proved herself to be out of the top drawer. This horse was an exceptional individual, and when you combine that with his pedigree he always going to be high on the list,” said the buyer. The outstanding bay is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Multazem, out of the Group 2-placed Sadler’s Wells mare Spirit Of Tara, who is an own-sister to the exceptional Salsabil.

The next best price came when Anthony Stroud gave €525,000 for a daughter of Grand Lodge (207), from Loughbrown Stud, early in the second session. “This filly will go to Michael Jarvis, for an old client. She was a lovely filly and had very little Northern Dancer in her pedigree. She will be an attractive broodmare when she retires,” he stated.

The bay is a half-sister to Tribute, a juvenile winner this season, from the immediate family of Group 2 scorer and multiple Group 1-placed Zipping and the Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Last Tycoon.

[Well, the Dubai Millennium colt partially lived up to expectations as a racehorse.

Named Echo Of Light, three of his five wins in Britain were gained at Group 3 level, and in France he won the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and a Group 3, while at Group 1 level he was placed in Italy.

He stood two seasons at Dalham Hall in Newmarket, and two more at Kildangan Stud in Co Kildare. Echo Of Light died at the age of 10. Incredibly, the only stakes winner he sired was Polarisation and, at the age of five, he won the Group 1 Sydney Cup in Australia. Over jumps, Echo Of Light’s son The Young Master, won the Grade 3 Bet365 Gold Cup.

Echo Of Light has had very limited chances as a broodmare sire, but he has been most successful in this sphere. His daughters have bred the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner and classic runner-up King Of Change (Farhh), Group 2 Celebration Mile winner and Group 1-placed Century Dream (Cape Cross), Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner and Group 1 Fillies’ Mile second Powerful Breeze (Iffraaj), and Group 3 winner and Italian 2000 Guineas runner-up Fire Of The Sun (Areion)]

Yeats is poetry in motion

2003

YEATS is a horse that the racing public could become quite familiar with over the next 12 months, after the Sadler’s Wells colt made an impressive debut in the Korean Racing Association EBF Maiden at the Curragh on Sunday.

The 6/4 favourite broke smartly and tracked the early leader, Market Watcher, for the first five furlongs before Michael Kinane elected to go for home. The response was that of a high-class horse, as Yeats quickly opened up a sizeable advantage on his rivals, and the race was settled from well over a furlong out. The newcomer, Haratila, finished four lengths back in second, with Eldorado keeping on well for third, a further half a length back.

“He was a proper horse all along. We were always going to give him just one run at two, and I’d say he could follow the Galileo route [Group 3 Ballysax Stakes, Group 2 Derrinstown Derby Trial],” said Aidan O’Brien.

[This was the first column written by Ryan McElligott, and this was the headline, even though the card at the Curragh contained the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes, and the €200,000 Irish Breeders Foal Levy Stakes.

Yeats, bred by David and Diane Nagle at Barronstown Stud, went on to win seven Group 1 races, including an unprecedented four consecutive victories in the Ascot Gold Cup. He won both his early season races at three, as O’Brien suggested, but injury ruled him out for the remainder of that year. Bred on the same Sadler’s Wells/Top Ville cross as Montjeu, Yeats was the champion National Hunt sire for the past two seasons. He stands at Castlehyde Stud and covered at €5,000 this year.

His top performers include Flooring Porter (Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021 and 2022 and the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown), Chantry House (Grade 1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree), Shattered Love (Grade 1 JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown), Conflated (Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup and the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown), Capivari (Grade 1 Prix Renaud du Vivier Hurdle at Auteuil), Figuero (Grade 1 Prix Maurice Gillois Chase at Auteuil), and Augusta Kate (Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at Fairyhouse).

His Grade 2 winners are Some Neck, Master Debonair, Younevercall, and Hang In There, his Grade 3 winners are Heaven Help Us, Noble Yeats, De Rasher Counter, Mount Ida, and The Goffer, while his listed jumps winners include Thomas Campbell, Tintangle, Cobblers Dream, Brave Eagle, Party Central, Aye Right, and Pollexfen]