DES Vere Hunt, the breeder of Cape Blanco, Condessa and many other winners died recently.

He bred Cape Blanco in partnership with Jack Ronan, and that colt’s successes earned the duo the coveted Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year Award a decade ago.

The first top-class runner he bred was the 1981 Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Condessa, from the first crop of Condorcet (Luthier), and she was purchased as a yearling for 13,000gns by Jim Bolger, going on to give him his first Group 1 success as a trainer, and the first of three winners in the York feature.

Various successes followed, including breeding the listed winner Fair Titania, a member of the first crop of Fairy King (Northern Dancer), and then along came Cape Blanco and his half-brother Mr O’Brien.

Cape Blanco (Galileo) was champion at three. He won nine races from two to four, including the Group 1 Irish Derby, the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes, the Grade 1 Man O’War Stakes and the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes. Mr O’Brien (Mukaddamah) won eight times up to Grade 2 level in the USA, and was second in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes and third in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap.

Des bred and sold under Garraun Stud in Fethard and was predeceased by his wife Nellie and his brother Philip. He is survived by Elizabeth and Conor, his brothers Raymond, Peter and Bob, his sister Frances and a wide circle of family and friends.