THANKS to his reputation for upgrading his mares, Rathbarry Stud’s Kodi Bear (Kodiac) has a bumper crop of two-year-olds to represent him in 2026, with about 130 on the ground. He has passed the 100-mark when it comes to getting juvenile winners, and six of his 13 stakes winners to date have earned their large blacktype at two.

Last year he was represented by the unbeaten Lifeplan, winner of the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, and he came a year after Leovanni captured the Group 2 Queen Mark Stakes at Royal Ascot. Kodi Bear’s son Go Bears Go, now in his second season at stud, won the Group 2 Railway Stakes at two and was Group 1-placed, while yet another pattern-winning two-year-old was Cowardofthecounty who landed the Group 3 Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville.