Q: Why are you selling Royal Kahala and why did you pick this sale?

OC: There’s a great bunch of members in the Winning Ways Starlet syndicate that own Royal Kahala and we bought her to race with one eye on her potential residual value when her racing days were over.

Unfortunately those racing days finished earlier than we expected and Goffs was a natural place to sell, given the end of the foal sales and the high-quality mares they have sold in recent years.

Q: What would you say about her to impress a prospective buyer?

OC: She won’t need my words to impress breeders as she’ll be able to do that herself once she starts walking. She’s a gorgeous big mare, perfect conformation and a very fluid walker. On the track she was incredibly tough and was versatile enough to win from two to three miles.

When she beat Klassical Dream in the Galmoy, we really thought we had a favourite’s chance in the Stayers’ Hurdle and she was travelling so well behind Flooring Porter two out before she got injured. What might have been! She’s got a beautiful temperament and will make a great addition to any broodmare band.

Q: Have you any tips on what stallions she might suit?

OC: She’s a complete outcross so provides a blank canvas for any breeder to choose a stallion. There’s not many racemares as good as her that offer that flexibility. She’s carrying a colt by Crystal Ocean and we liked the idea of using a young stallion from The Beeches Stud where Royal Kahala was born.

Q: It’s almost Christmas. Have you shares available in anything that might fill a stocking?

OC: A few past members are looking to go again so I’m opening a new syndicate with Peter Fahey which will buy at the premier store sales in June.

We are budgeting €50,000-€60,000 to buy a really nice three-year-old filly and split it into eight shares. It might be too much for a stocking filler but I have a couple of members who got their shares as a gift from their partners and it’s been a wonderful gift to share.