EIMEAR Mulhern has sold Abbeville Stud to the Acheson family, who race under the Robcour banner.

Situated on 110 acres in Kilnagornan outside Kildare town, Abbeville is a prominent producer of flat-bred horses. Among the best racehorses bred by Mulhern are Approve, Gutaifan, Homme De Loi and Approach The Bench.

Abbeville previously traded as Abbeville and Meadow Court Studs at Maddenstown on the Curragh. Following the sale of Meadow Court to Abu Dhabi-based Al Shira’aa Racing in 2016, Mulhern moved the Abbeville business to Kilnagornan.

“I’ve been running the stud since I was 25 and I just wanted to wind it down on my own terms,” Mulhern told The Irish Field. “It’s been emotional but I’m delighted the stud has been bought by an Irish family so steeped in the industry.”

Mulhern will continue to breed and has mares boarding at the Irish National Stud and at Newtown Stud. She will continue as chairman of Goffs, a role she has held since 2005, and she is also a board member at Leopardstown.

Abbeville was sold privately, Mulhern explained: “I just mentioned to Andrew Nolan of Goffs Property to keep me in mind if he had any clients interested in a property like Abbeville. Quite soon afterwards I had a couple of enquiries and the deal was done.”

It’s believed that Rob Acheson will take responsibility for Abbeville. Robcour will be well represented at Cheltenham through the likes of geldings Teahupoo, Bob Olinger, Heart Wood and Skylight Hustle, but they also have a growing band of valuable potential broodmares such as Air Of Entitlement, Kala Conti, Highland Crystal, Only By Night and Mange Tout.

Last summer it was revealed that Robcour principal Brian Acheson had acquired a minor stake in leading French stud farm Ecurie des Monceaux, the perennial leading consignor at the Arqana August Yearling Sale.