BY some way the Coolmore National Hunt roster is the largest, and between The Beeches Stud, Grange Stud and Castlehyde Stud they offer 19 stallions at fees ranging from €2,500 to €15,000. Fermoy-based Grange and Castlehyde stand five sires each, with the remainder at the McCarthy’s stud in Co Waterford. All farms stand a mix of established stallions and young prospects, and few names would not be recognisable at first glance.

This year each farm introduces new blood and for this feature I will look at them. Grange Stud welcomes Capri (Galileo) who won the Group 1 Irish Derby from Cracksman, Wings Of Eagles and Waldgeist, and the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, beating Crystal Ocean, Stradivarius and the Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling. He was a Group 2 and listed scorer at two, and accumulated over £1.5 million in prize money.