Girls Aloud

Cathy Grassick, chairman of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, reviews the international demand for European-bred horses

THE STRONG PRESENCE of both Australian and American buyers again at this year’s European yearling sales is a testament to the high esteem that our Turf-bred horses are held worldwide.

It is very reassuring for the future strength of the European bloodstock industry and for the continuing progression of Turf racing in the US to see major players from the States taking centre stage at the major sales in Europe.

The Australians were not to be outdone with equally as many on the buyers’ sheet.

This is not only due to the very competitive nature of the buoyant Australian market; it is heartening for Irish and UK breeders alike to see such healthy demand for their bloodstock from the international market.

The 2022 Breeders’ Cup in Keeneland will have reinforced this demand for the future with an amazing tally of six Irish-bred winners from a total of seven Turf races at the two-day championship.

Three winners were trained in the UK and Ireland with Charlie Appleby victorious with Mischief Magic, Modern Games and Rebel’s Romance, while Aidan O’Brien landed the spoils with Meditate, Victoria Road and Tuesday.

Congratulations to Coolmore and Godolphin, who were responsible for such an impressive tally of wins. It was especially exciting to see fantastic riding performances from William Buick, James Doyle and Ryan Moore on American soil.

So many congratulations are deserved to the breeders of all these wonderful horses as they planned and nurtured these equine superstars for many years to produce such talent – Mischief Magic by Exceed and Excel, Modern Games and Rebel’s Romance both by Dubawi, the three bred by Godolphin.

Lynch Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock produced Meditate by No Nay Never, Trevor Stewart bred Victoria Road by Saxon Warrior and Coolmore bred Tuesday by the late superstar Galileo.

Such huge performances from our home grown talent on the Turf in the US must surely continue the demand from US buyers for European-bred horses.

One of the more touching stories to emerge from the 2022 Breeders’ Cup was the incredibly heart-warming story of Cody’s Wish and his incredible bond with teenager Cody Dorman for whom he was named.

Team Godolphin and Bill Mott have made a huge effort to include Cody in the life and race career of Cody’s Wish after the two bonded on a “Make A Wish” visit to the Gainsborough farm where Cody (the horse) was a youngster.

Cody and his family had made the trip to Keeneland for the big race day thanks to the generosity of Godolphin. There wasn’t a dry eye on the track and amongst many of the TV viewers worldwide when Cody’s Wish surged up the straight and landed the spoils in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile; it is a story made for Hollywood.

The Melbourne Cup result will have also gone a long way to help continue the Australian demand for European-bred horses with fantastic performances from the French-bred winner Gold Trip (Outstrip), from Emissary (Kingman) in second and also by Deauville Legend (Sea The Stars), who finished in fourth and is trained in the UK by James Ferguson.

The horses were not the only “European exports” to land a big result on Melbourne Cup Day with ex-pat David Eustace, the joint-trainer with Ciaron Maher of Gold Trip, the winner of the “race that stops the nation”.

Many congratulations to them and I am sure there were huge celebrations in the Eustace household in the UK with former trainer father James and current trainer brother Harry.

So as the Flat racing season draws to a close and the yearling sales have concluded, we are in the midst of winter foal sales and breeding stock sales.

Kentucky kicked things off, we have had a full week of Flat-bred foals and mares at Goffs before Newmarket and we conclude at Arqana.

A very busy few months ahead for breeders, buyers, sellers, and pinhookers alike and I wish everyone a successful time no matter what side of the auction fence they find themselves on!