HUNTING Horn is expected to arrive at Ger O’Neill’s Castlefield Stud in Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny, this weekend.

A superbly bred son of Camelot and a Royal Ascot winner when trained by Aidan O’Brien, Hunting Horn is the first thoroughbred stallion to stand at Castlefield, better known as one of Ireland’s leading sport horse stallion stations.

O’Neill said: “The phone is busy already with enquiries about him. We have put together a syndicate to buy mares for him and will be supporting his foals and stores at future sales. I feel strongly that you have to support your own stallions.”

The deal to secure Hunting Horn was brokered by Jack Tuohy of Chapel Lane Bloodstock and the horse was purchased from Eng Hassan Ali Abdulmalik of Qatar for new owners Capital Bloodstock.

Jack Tuohy commented: “Hunting Horn is by an elite sire in Camelot and he is also out of a half-sister to High Chaparral who sired multiple champions on both codes, which was very important to us when sourcing.

“We feel that this is a brilliant opportunity for breeders to access the highest-rated son of Camelot at stud in Ireland and represents good value. The Montjeu line has produced some of the best horses and sires of our time.

“Like most good sires, he was an exceptionally tough and sound horse in his racing career, defeating 25 individual Group 1 winners including multiple classic winners around the world on all conditions.

“He really showed us what he was capable of on the biggest stage in racing at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old, clocking the fastest ever win of the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over a mile and a quarter. This win was boosted with the fact he had done so in a quicker time than his elders in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes over the same distance that week.

O’Neill added: “I visited Coolmore a few years ago with Darragh McCarthy and Greg Broderick, and of all the stallions I saw Camelot was the standout. So when the chance came up to acquire one of his best sons I jumped at it. Pedigree and genetics are very important to me, so I would only stand a horse who has a good page and he has that.”

The €2,500 fee has concessions for blacktype or blacktype-producing mares. Jack Tuohy is managing Hunting Horn’s book of mares: call 086 3589661. Ger O’Neill can be contacted on 086 384 4560.