THIS has been a memorable racing year for Co Clare owner and breeder Gerard Kerin. He bred the high-class juvenile filly Besharah who won two group races including the Group 2 Lowther Stakes and ran third in the Group 1 Connolly’s Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes. She will be vying for some classic glory in 2016.

Besharah is the first foal of the Dixie Union mare Dixieland Kiss and she was quite a bargain when she was snapped up for 33,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale four years ago. This was quite a comedown from her yearling purchase price of $500,000 at Keeneland. Though she never ran, two of her half-sisters were stakes winners in the USA and they are all out of the Grade 3 winner Kiss The Devil, by Kris S.

After producing Besharah, Dixieland Kiss had a colt by Casamento, now a yearling, and he was purchased last year by Shadwell Estate for 110,000gns, the best price for a colt foal by the sire that year. Now on the ground is a filly by Epaulette and she visited Slade Power this year. Gerard has much to look forward to with this family.

One horse that Gerard did not manage to sell was a son of Teofilo out of the Fasliyev mare Red Top. Now a two-year-old named Red Rannagh he was sent into training with Willie Browne and made an inauspicious start to his racing career in a maiden at the Curragh in late September, finishing out the back.

Three weeks later he was back at headquarters and ran Aidan O’Brien’s Black Sea to two lengths, making little of his 100/1 starting price. A month later he travelled to Dundalk and tried a new surface, failing by only half a length to justify favouritism when third to Aspen Mountain over seven furlongs.

Last weekend he was stepped up to a mile and short-headed Ebadan to open his winning account in the hands of Seamie Heffernan. He is improving with every run and he could be a horse to watch out for if he is not sold. Red Rannagh is the second winner for his dam and the first took until he was four to win and then he did it three times.

Red Rannagh is out of Red Top and she won in England and twice in the USA, earning valuable black type in a listed race at Ascot. She is one of 10 winners from Petite Epaulette who was a juvenile winner herself.

Red Top’s half-sister Rag Top, by Barathea, won four times at two years and these included the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes. Another half-sister bred the Windsor Castle Stakes winner Elhamri.

Con Marnane will be delighted with the victory for Red Rannagh as he bought a Helmet yearling half-sister this year for €20,000. The mare has an Iffraaj filly at foot and was covered by Dandy Man this year.