FROM the beginning he was always that little bit special. It was a Pony Tales snippet in The Irish Field 25 years ago that mentioned how Catherine Doyle’s speed specialist mare Flex had produced her first foal, a colt by Cruising. The Safari mare was sent to the Irish National Stud to foal down and the young Flexible was the sole sport horse paying guest amongst the thoroughbreds.

“Flexible, or Billy as we knew him, was born in April 96’. He was in fact the first ever half-bred foal born at the Irish National Stud. He was the first foal of our wonderful mare Flex who the previous summer, whilst carrying Flexible, beat the great Cruising to claim the title of Irish National Champion with Edward on board,” read a post on Edward Doyle’s Facebook page after the news broke of the stallion’s death this week.