THE bloodstock world has been united in sadness this week following the news that Mark O’Hanlon of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing died last weekend. Mark (52) suffered a cardiac arrest last month and, despite multiple surgeries, did not recover.

Mark joined the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing team in 2008. Initially based in Italy, he returned to Ireland in October 2013. He was responsible for bringing many new and returning Italian buyers to Irish bloodstock sales. He also had extensive bloodstock contacts in the Far East and facilitated the sale of Irish horses to places such as Singapore and Malaysia.