The news that Irish Thoroughbred Marketing has appointed a new chief executive will come as a great relief to many in the bloodstock and racing world. Ideally the appointment would have been made a little earlier, especially with the plethora of yearling and breeding stock sales in the offing this autumn. However, it is better that the right appointment is made rather than a rushed one.

The rumour mill has been working away on this for some time and I am aware of the high calibre of some of the applicants, both here at home and internationally, for this vital role. Many of those who applied would have been eminently suitable for the position and their disappointment is understandable.