Colleagues Kings of Their Castle

It would be a dream for most stud farms to breed a Classic winner, but to breed two is quite an achievement. That happens to be the record of Clare Castle Stud, based in Tipperary and owned in partnership by the long term Coolmore managers David O'Loughlin, Harry King, Dermot Ryan and Maurice Moloney. When Authorized (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) won the G1 Epsom Derby by five lengths in 2007, the four colleagues could be forgiven for thinking that was as good as it could get, until Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) came along and turned the 2015 G1 Irish St Leger into a one horse race, storming home by 11 lengths. Although O'Loughlin et al have been breeding horses together for around 20 years, Clare Castle was only purchased and developed by the partners in the early years of this century. Bordering the Lloyd-Webbers' Kiltinan Castle Stud, Clare Castle is in prime stud farm country and just a short journey to Coolmore Stud where unsurprisingly the vast majority of mares are bred.

“It's a great area,” says O'Loughlin. “The land is top class and there's also a great backup of services in the locality; Fethard Equine Clinic is one of the best veterinary hospitals in the world, we've also got really good farriers and of course Coolmore Stud is on our doorstep. As employees of Coolmore, we exclusively use their stallions with only the odd exception.”

That odd exception involves former world class jockey Mick Kinane, who keeps a few mares at Clare Castle and was one of the partners who bred Authorized out of the mare Funsie (Fr) (Suamarez {GB}). Kinane's association with the mighty Sea the Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) saw him receive a breeding right to the Gilltown stallion and that explains the origins of the only non-Coolmore sired offering from Clare Castle's six-strong Orby Sale draft at Goffs. Following the success of Authorized, the breeders sold the mare privately to Paul Makin and she reappeared at auction at the Paulyn Dispersal at Goffs in 2013 where she was bought by John Warren for €550,000.

“We normally keep the mares if they breed a good one, but we were made a very good offer for Funsie, so we took it,” said O'Loughlin. “We don't keep a huge herd, normally about a dozen in Ireland and we like to keep two or three mares in America, as well. Barry Mahon, son of Juddmonte Ireland manager Rory, manages Clare Castle for us on a day to day basis and he oversees all the yearling prep also.”

The American arm of the operation is also performing well, as evidenced by the sale of a colt by Shanghai Bobby (Harlan's Holiday) at Keeneland Book 1. Hip 265, consigned by Padraig Campion's Blandford Stud, was purchased by Mayberry Farm for $575,000. The mare, Coolwind (Forest Wildcat), had been bought by the partners at Keeneland in 2012 in foal to Candy Ride (Arg) (Ride The Rails) for $110,000 and is proving a shrewd investment.

The breeders were naturally disappointed to see Order Of St George turned over at short odds in the G1 Palmerstown Estate Irish St Leger at The Curragh on Champions weekend, but can take heart in the fact that this year he also added a G1 Ascot Gold Cup to his achievements which also include being crowned joint champion 3-year-old colt in Ireland in 2015 in addition to being champion European stayer. He could soon be in for his biggest test to date if he lines up in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly Oct. 2. As a foal, O'Loughlin described Order of St George as 'a big quality horse' and having sold his brother Kellstorm (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for 875,000gns at Tattersalls in 2014, they will be hoping for more success when they return to Newmarket with a half-brother by Declaration Of War (War Front). Their dam Another Storm (Gone West) delivered a colt foal by Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) earlier this year, but unfortunately is currently not in foal.

The immediate focus however is on Goffs, a sale that O'Loughlin is a big fan of.

“Goffs has been kind to us over the years, we've sold some good horses there and we are keen to support the sale each year,” continued O'Loughlin. “The Orby is a great sale for buyers and sellers, there's something there for everyone and you often get some great value there too. I have experience of the sale from both sides and nearly every year there's a Classic winner sold there. We've a nice draft to bring this year. Of the six I'd say the best is possibly the Sea The Stars colt [lot 83] that we co-bred with Mick [Kinane]. His half-brother is a stakes winner in Japan and obviously the sire is having a great season.”

Co-breeder Kinane is also looking forward to Goffs and is enjoying his second fruitful association with Sea The Stars.

“I was privileged to ride Sea The Stars and was fortunate he came along when he did,” remarked the former champion jockey. “To have a breeding right to him each year is now a great bonus when you consider what a marvellous stallion he is proving to be. Naturally, we're hoping for a good sale.”

Another of the Clare Castle draft that O'Loughlin is keen on is lot 438.

“We have a Declaration Of War filly and she is very nice,” he said. “She is out of Cochabamba (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) and she looks precocious. She's a great walker with a big backside and is a quality, well balanced filly. She is out of a young winning mare that was group placed and James Tate has the Fastnet Rock 2-year-old half-sister and is very positive about her.”

Clare Castle will also offer: lot 106, a bay filly from the first crop of Irish highweight Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) out of the German listed winner La Sylvia (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}); a filly (lot 192) by the late High Chaparral (Ire), who is a half to G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Fidelite (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}); a daughter of Trishuli (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) (lot 321), herself a full-sister to MGSW Imperial Stride (GB), GSW High Pitched (GB) and a half to MSW Zero Tolerance (Ire) (Nashwan), by Fastnet Rock (Aus); and lot 411, a colt by Pour Moi (Ire) (Ire) out of Italian G1SP Bright and Clear (GB) (Danehill), who is a half-brother to GSW Exosphere (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}).

Considering the relative short history of Clare Castle the partners have been extremely successful in breeding high-class racehorses.

“We've raised around 40 black-type horses and two champions, so we'd have to be very happy with how things have gone since we started up,” said O'Loughlin. “We are fortunate in that we are in a position to be able to utilize such a world class roster of stallions. Mr. Magnier has always been very encouraging and it would be very hard to work with the calibre of stallions that are in Coolmore and not invest in some mares to breed to them.”

With stallion lynchpin Galileo not getting any younger, the Coolmore team will be anxious to develop an heir to his throne, similar to when Galileo himself stepped up just as Sadler's Wells was entering his twilight.

Concluded O'Loughlin, “I have a feeling at the moment that we have potentially some really top-class stallion prospects. I don't know which one it might be, but between Camelot, Australia, Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Declaration Of War, they have every chance to make it. Particularly the four Sadler's Wells line horses that we developed ourselves. They have all the attributes, the physiques, the race track performance, the damlines. The foundations are there.”

That last statement seems to sum it all up; the foundations for the success of both Clare Castle and indeed Coolmore were laid decades ago.