THE Beeches Stud hasn’t ever really been out of the headlines since Bobby McCarthy developed the farm that has been in the family for around 300 years into a centre of excellence for the production of future champions.

As a key cog in the Coolmore National Hunt operation, the roster of stallions has invariably been deep, the venerable Flemensfirth a brilliant standard bearer who is backed up in west Waterford, between Tallow and Lismore by Derby winners Wings Of Eagles and Soldier Of Fortune (who had top lot out of a Flemensfirth mare at Goffs on Wednesday at €72,000), as well as Highland Reel’s full-brother Idaho, Ocavango, Mahler, Imperial Monarch and Sans Frontieres.

However, when it was announced that Crystal Ocean would be joining the team, it sparked a considerable reaction, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner finishing 2019 as the highest-rated middle-distance horse in Europe.

A son of Sea The Stars, who had never been out of the frame in 17 races and compiled earnings of more than £2.3 million along the way, the seven-time group race victor is a stunning addition to the National Hunt ranks, although he will be popular with flat breeders too.

Bobby and Robert McCarthy at Tattersalls Ireland \ Healy Racing

“When he got his injury, it was obvious that he was for sale and we’re privileged to be involved with Coolmore. They went ahead and bought the horse and we’re just delighted when they decided to send him down to Beeches,” says a smiling Robert McCarthy, son of Bobby, at Goffs during the week.

“His race record is unparalleled. For a National Hunt sire, he must be the best racehorse ever to go to stud. Also, that he’s by Sea The Stars himself is a huge attraction. He’s an outcross then for all the Sadler’s Wells mares as well - a huge amount of National Hunt mares are descended from Sadler’s Wells. He brings something new to the game in that regard and to have an outcross of his calibre is incredible.”

“And he’s a very good-looking horse himself. A big horse, nice bay, good walker, good bone. He was a very tough racehorse. In National Hunt, people love a racehorse that trains on, is sound and genuine. He ticks all the boxes.”

Emphasis on precocity

Stradivarius’ owner, Bjorn Nielsen, remarked in this parish that he was not being knocked down in the rush to acquire his star for stallion duties, given the emphasis on precocity in the flat world.

So while many observers were surprised that a racehorse of Crystal Ocean’s standing would be liaising primarily, if not exclusively, with National Hunt mares, it is merely a consequence of what is now in vogue.

“The emphasis in the flat is on speed horses whereas middle-distance horses are tending to go to National Hunt. Lots of flat studs around the UK and Europe were interested in Crystal Ocean though, so we’re just blessed that we got him. And he will cover flat mares too. There’s lots of interest from top flat breeders from across Europe.”

Mixing with the elite

Stallions need to hit the ground running with their progeny, so the management of a new one is vital, ensuring that the opposite of the racing truism about keeping yourself in the best company and your horse in the worst applies. Just as he did at the track, Crystal Ocean will be mixing it with the elite.

Group 1 winner Crystal Ocean is the latest recruit to the satllion roster at The Beeches Stud \ Healy Racing

“We’re going to be selective. It’s very important to get good mares to a horse, especially in his first season. All the right people are interested anyway so our job is going to be easy really.”

While the reputation of the farm is secure, the acquisition of Crystal Ocean is a reminder that what lies ahead is always the priority.

“You can never rest on your laurels. We’ve had great success with Flemensfirth and other sires over the years but you always have to be building for the future, don’t you?”

The history is a storied one.

“The farm has been in my family for over 300 years. My grandparents always had horses and very good show horses. When my dad came along as a teenager, he was into the point-to-points and was a very good point-to-point rider. Billy McLernon and Connie Vaughan would have been two of the top riders at the time.

“My dad used to bring his mares to get covered up to Grange Stud in Fermoy, where John Magnier was starting out. In 1972, John was branching out into the flat business.

“He was looking for somewhere to stand stallions so he asked my dad would he take two stallions - Prince Hansel and Laurence O, who was a very well-bred horse owned by the McGraths and trained by Seamus. He was closely related to Levmoss and Le Moss, who we stood later as well.

“My father and mother (Angela) have been doing business with the Magniers for over 50 years now and I’m just continuing their work.”

It is all Robert has known and he learned through osmosis, although he did travel to see how others did it too.

American experience

“I went to America for a little while and worked by D. Wayne Lukas, the leading trainer. In those days he had some great horses like Lady’s Secret and Winning Colors. He was the Aidan O’Brien of the USA.”

When he returned home Robert rode winners in point-to-points and at the track. Brown Trix and Lord Frantic were just two point-to-pointers they trained and sold to England but as the stud grew, they no longer had time to put into educating the younger horses and started sending some to Tony Mullins.

“We have two or three with Tony at the moment. We had a good horse a couple of years ago called Glencairn View. He was a very good horse but he got killed in the Scottish National unfortunately when well fancied for the race.”

Buckskin was among the stallions who helped place The Beeches to the forefront of National Hunt studs in Ireland but Flemensfirth has been the colossus, sire to Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander and a catalogue of Grade 1 winners. Mineral Melody and Tornado Flyer is part of the latest crop still advertising the legend’s talents, while Lostintranslation is a leading fancy to join Imperial Commander on the Gold Cup roll of honour.

Lostintranslation is another top graded horse sired by The Beeches Stud flagbearer Flemensfirth \ Healy Racing

“Flemensfirth is the best we’ve ever had. He’s 27 now and he’s covered 22 seasons. He’s covering reduced books of mares now. He had 60 mares in foal in the last year, at 27. That’s very rare, for any horse of 20, 22 years of age to be as fertile is very unusual. And he did it at 27. It’s phenomenal really.

“His progeny have toughness. If they get into a battle they nearly always come out on top. They obviously have the ability as well and are good jumpers.”

The National Hunt Galileo?

“Yeah, he is. He’s been champion sire for the last two seasons and hopefully there’s more to come with the likes of Lostintranslation and Waiting Patiently, who ran very well over two miles in the Tingle Creek.

“Lostintranslation is going in the right direction and, if everything goes his way, he could be another Gold Cup winner, which would be remarkable.”

New recruits

There have been some new recruits in recent years who were high achievers themselves and contain the bluest of blood.

“Wings Of Eagles and Idaho are two young horses who have both been very well supported. Last year was their first year and both of them covered well over 200 mares. They’re two very good-looking horses.

“Ocovango is a Monsun horse who has three-year-olds at the moment. He’s only had two runners, both of them have won two races. One of them, Langer Dan, that Dan Skelton has, has won a stakes race already and is unbeaten. So we’re very excited about Ocavango now as well. And he’s another outcross for Sadler’s Wells mares. Getaway, who stands at Grange, is a son of Monsun as well.”

A text arrives later in the evening to provide the headline information on the Soldier Of Fortune top lot. So they are all producing the goods.

What is very evident in conversation, and from the later message too, is that all the success has not diluted the McCarthys’ passion for this industry and way of life.

“You never lose that. That’s what keeps us going, the love of it. My dad is 87 now and still interested. He’s here today. My mum came from a farming background in Butlerstown, rode horses and hunted and she has been a great part of the business too.”

The McCarthys are considerable breeders themselves with a large broodmare band, 2018 Cheltenham Champion Bumper heroine Relegate among the more recent of their star products. Aintree Grand National victor Amberleigh House is another, while, long before that, Bobby pinhooked future Gold Cup champion The Dikler, having bought him as a foal and sold him to Padge Berry.

“Luckily my father has always bought nice National Hunt-bred mares. He loves the traditional National Hunt families which have stood the test of time and always seem to produce good ones. One of his better mares is Old Moon.

She’s by Old Vic, her dam is by Strong Gale, the next dam is by Deep Run, the next dam is by Arctic Slave. Dawn Run was by Deep Run out of an Arctic Slave mare. Her first five runners were winners, including Noble Endeavor and Minella Daddy, who are stakes winners. We had her filly in Fairyhouse last month bought by Jane Mangan for €62,000 for M.V. Magnier.”

Young sires

Having the breeder’s perspective is very helpful when it comes to being a stallion man, of course, while on a practical level, possessing such a group of mares means the McCarthys can support the young sires in the early stages of their new careers at stud.

Meanwhile, Robert maintains that the industry is in a very healthy position at the moment.

“It’s up to us all to try and have the best quality mares we can, and breed the best to the best. If anything has changed over the years, it’s become a bit more polarised. The good ones are making more but the gap is widening. It’s supply and demand. That’s business.

“There is a better race programme for fillies and I think that’s good. You can see it. At the sales in Fairyhouse, the well-bred fillies sold very well. Coolmore National Hunt Sires are committed sponsors of mares’ races. Everything like that is a help.

“On the flat you have the 1000 Guineas, the Oaks and we need to have something similar over jumps. But it’s improving all the time.”

And the McCarthys continue to be at the forefront of producing quality racehorses, with the calibre of their long-serving staff an absolute advantage at a time when many in the industry are struggling in this regard.

The words of Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, at Tuesday night’s HRI Awards in relation to looking at the permit situation for non-EU citizens is welcome.

“We have a very dedicated bunch of people who are long serving. Our stud groom Peter Kenneally is with us 35 years and does a great job. James Tobin is with us over 20 years. We’re lucky in that regard and the family play their part as well.

“My wife Debbie is a New Zealander. I met her in Kentucky when I was over there. She organises our sales horses and is here today, running the show down in the barn. My oldest daughter Jessie was 19 the other day and has been accepted into two veterinary colleges! She’s helping us here as well.

“Andrew is getting into it now as well. He’s in fifth year. He came up to the sales when he was in transition year and Henry Beeby offered him a job as a spotter if he wants to take it up, which was nice of him!”

Ever a family enterprise.