SO much importance is placed on blacktype in sales catalogues, that highly-rated horses often get overlooked, much to breeders’ disappointment and buyers’ loss. It’s one of many challenges for those aiming to breed a ‘sales horse’, as well as a racehorse and, quite often, horses don’t tick both boxes.

I don’t envy those selecting stallions 18 months or more before the resulting produce goes through the ring. In racing, everything happens so fast that sires can go from fashionable to failing in the space of a single season.