FINSCEAL Fior is the son of two classic stars. In addition to being by the prolific champion sire Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), he is the first born among the offspring of Finsceal Beo (Mr Greeley).

That former Jim Bolger-trained granddaughter of Gone West (Mr Prospector) was a leader of her generation at two and three years of age and twice Group 1-placed at four.

Finsceal Beo made a winning debut over six furlongs at Leopardstown and landed the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths in Paris before a three-length success in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket, advertising her obvious classic potential.

She lived up to that promise, taking the Group 11000 Guineas easily at Newmarket the following spring, adding the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh a few weeks later, and just missing out on a unique classic treble when, between those two wins, she finished a head runner-up to Darjina in the French equivalent, the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Finsceal Beo chased home Duke Of Marmalade in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup over 10 and a half furlongs at the Curragh, was only beaten by a total of a length when third to Haradasun in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes back over the mile at Royal Ascot, and she has two blacktype sons.

Sadly, Finsceal Fior is not one of them because injury ended his track career before it got the chance to begin. His full-brother Foreign Secretary (Galileo) earned his when third to Abacadabras and Latest Exhibition in the Grade 3 For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan, whereas €2.85 million Goffs Orby graduate Ol’ Man River (Montjeu) won the Group 2 Beresford Stakes over a mile at two.

The latter horse, two years younger than Finsceal Fior, is an Arctic Tack Stud stallion and, while neither has sired the sort of bumper-sized crops typically associated with the National Hunt sector, if you can breed or get one of their sons or daughters then you know you currently have a limited edition.

Finsceal Fior is a proven dual-purpose sire whose Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes third Annie Fior heads his list of multiple winners on the flat; she won three times over seven furlongs plus once at a mile. His runners under National Hunt rules include the Ted Walsh-trained Dewcup, a blacktype-placed dual bumper and dual Punchestown hurdle winner who was runner-up to odds-on Fury Road in the Grade 2 Celebration Hurdle at that venue in November 2020.

Another son, Sacchoandvanzetti, who was placed several times from six to eight furlongs on the flat, won over hurdles at Galway and Punchestown before a crack at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.

There should be plenty more flat and Natioanl Hunt winners ahead for Finsceal Fior.

Race record

FINSCEAL FIOR (IRE), Bay 2010. Unraced.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2013, and sire of the winners of 18 races, and £204,372, including Annie Fior (IRE); also sire of the winners of 7 races, and £103,414 under N.H. Rules, including Dewcup (IRE)

Information

Stands at: Greenhills Stud, Ashtown, Kilmacthomas, X42 W535, Co Waterford, Ireland.

Contact: Paul Lenihan or John Clarke

Telephone: +353 (0)87 6688958 (Paul) or +353 (0)87 2552970 (John)

Email: lenihanatthepaddocks@eircom.net or johnclarkebloodstock@gmail.com

Web: www.finscealfior.com

Fee: €1,000