WITH no thoroughbred stallions standing in the north these days, mare owners have to travel but those but those looking for a National Hunt sire need only drive as far as Castleblayney were Gladys and Eamon McArdle will welcome them to Drumhowan Stud.

Among the many stallions standing at their Co Monaghan base is a line-up of three thoroughbreds, headed by the US-bred Primary, a 17-year-old Giant’s Causeway bay who has had two winners recently, First Flow and Skylanna Breeze, who were both bred in Co Wexford where their sire previously stood.