RACING needs all the good news stories it can get and so it was nice to see some positive public relations coming from the Irish National Stud in recent days.

The stud’s PR team has been circulating the story of I’mperfection, a filly who overcame a rare birth defect to become a broodmare herself this year.

By Phoenix Of Spain, I’mperfection lost her mother during delivery and was born with a rare congenital deformity known as rhinos, a condition involving severe deviation and twisting of the nose and upper jaw. Foals with this condition often struggle to breathe, cannot nurse, and face significant challenges in their earliest hours. But the stud did not give up on her.

In those early days, I’mperfection required hourly round the clock feeding from a bucket along with constant monitoring and gentle, patient handling.

At just one month old, she underwent a complex surgical procedure performed by three veterinary surgeons at Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital in Kildare. The operation involved straightening her upper jaw and nasal structures and stabilising them with plate fixation, along with a tracheotomy to ensure her airways remained open. The impact was immediate. For the first time, I’mperfection could feed naturally. She later underwent a second procedure to remove the plates and screws once she had grown stronger.

Now a four-year-old, I’mperfection had her first foal this year, a beautiful and healthy colt by Kodi Bear.

Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud, said: “I’mperfection is a powerful reminder of why our work matters. Seeing her now – healthy, thriving, and a mother herself – is an extraordinary privilege. Her story reflects the dedication, expertise and compassion that define the Irish National Stud. Every horse in our care is valued as an individual.”