THE Cashman family’s Rathbarry and Glenview Studs in Fermoy, Co Cork, had a pretty good year in 2020, despite all the uncertainty and upheaval in the world.

Catherine Cashman reported: “It was better than we expected, the same as a normal year. Nobody seemed to be cutting back on the mares they bred, and we counted ourselves lucky that we were able to continue to operate. It really was a great year, in fairness.”

Covid-19 protocols were quickly implemented at both stud farms. “We had recently installed new electric gates at the main entrances to Rathbarry and Glenview. We put signs on the gates to advise breeders not to get out of their vehicles, and wait until a member of staff comes and unloads your mare. The mare was covered and returned to the horsebox, and the client drove away again.”

This policy actually worked out well for a lot of stallion farms as there were less boarders and less foals on the farm to take care of.

At time of writing it looks fairly certain the same protocols will have to be employed for the 2021 season, and there are many reasons for believing it will be busier than ever in Glenview Stud, Rathbarry’s National Hunt wing.

Impressive roster

The six-strong stallion roster at Glenview is very impressive. In terms of fees, the top earner is Blue Bresil (€7,500) who only joined Glenview from Yorton Farm Stud in 2020 and immediately proved a hit. According to the Return of Mares, he covered 190 mares last year and he could have had double that number.

From relatively small numbers, his progeny made up to €80,000 at the store sales last year and so did his foals. All the right judges were after them too.

“Blue Bresil is 16.3hh and really fills the eye,” said Mrs Cashman. “He has all the attributes you want.”

He is a proven sire, as are fellow Glenview stallions Sholokhov, Shirocco, Malinas and Youmzain. The dark horse is Old Persian, a new recruit from Godolphin. Sheikh Mohammed has a long association with Rathbarry, as Mrs Cashman explained.

“It goes back to Taufan, who was the first flat stallion that Sheikh Mohammed was involved with. Col Dick Warden of the BBA was an advisor to Sheikh Mohammed in the 1970s and we got to know the Colonel through Jimmy Murphy of Walshestown [father of Donie Murphy], who trained for him.”

Mrs Cashman’s late husband Liam asked the Colonel if the Sheikh would like to stand Taufan at Rathbarry and the deal was done, with Sheikh Mohammed retaining 50%. That led to Barathea also standing at Rathbarry which really put the stud on the global map.

Also involved in the Old Persian deal was bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud and he too has a long history with Rathbarry. “Anthony was instrumental in bringing Strong Gale here in the 1980s. He was just starting out at the time,” recalled Mrs Cashman.

Strong Gale was a leading stallion and it is probably no exaggeration to say it was his success which led to the establishment of Glenview as a purely National Hunt stallion station in 1991.

Fast forward to last summer when Mrs Cashman received a phone call from Anthony Stroud who told her: “I have another Strong Gale for you!” A deal to secure Old Persian for stud duties was done and the new arrival has settled in well.

“He is 16.2 and a half, and a grand, big model with a great walk. It’s not easy to get a young National Hunt horse off the ground but we will give him plenty of support and it will help that we have plenty of proven horses standing with him.”

The Glenview Stud roster

Blue Bresil

A Group 2 winner on the flat and Grade 2 winner over hurdles, he first made waves as a stallion here through Grade 1 winner Mick Jazz and Cheltenham scorer Le Prezien. In France he continues to be represented by the prolific Saint Goustan Blue and Grade 1 hurdler L’Autonomie.

Blue Bresil moved from Yorton Farm Stud in Wales to Glenview for the 2020 season and was an immediate hit with breeders. Among his better winners on the track this season are Indiana Jones (Mouse Morris), Royal Pagaille (Venetia Williams) and Blue Lord (Willie Mullins). The last-named was his trainer’s sole entry for Sunday’s Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle.

At the sales in 2020, one of Blue Bresil’s colt foals made €80,000 at Tattersalls Ireland and a filly foal fetched €40,000. The store sales saw prices of €80,000, €75,000, €70,000 (twice) and £50,000 for his progeny. Buyers included Thom Malone, Aiden Murphy, Nicky Henderson and Highflyer, Rathmore Stud and Mags O’Toole.

“This laid back horse has size, substance and strength in abundance, qualities which he seems to be passing onto his stock,” said Paul Cashman.

Malinas

A son of Lomitas from the family of Monsun, Malinas also moved to Glenview from Yorton Farm Stud. On the track Malinas finished second in the German Derby behind Shirocco, who also stands at Glenview.

His first Irish crop are four-year-olds in 2021. From much smaller crops he has sired the likes of recent winners Mister Malarky (Colin Tizzard) and Master McShee (Paddy Corkery). Before Christmas his son Lecale’s Article won well for Nicky Henderson and owner Joe Donnelly, while Tile Tapper exceeded expectations when finishing third in last Saturday’s Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle. Another son of Malinas worth watching is Setme Straightmate, a recent point-to-point winner for James and Ellen Doyle who is held in high regard. At the sales, Malinas had lots of five-figure foals in December, with prices ranging from €10,000 to €24,000.

Paul Cashman said: “There is plenty to look forward to from the progeny of this big, good-looking horse. His British-sired crops are now making their mark, particularly over fences, and he will have plenty of soldiers from his first Irish-bred crop this year.”

Shirocco

The Monsun horse was a star on the track for André Fabre and his best performers to-date are Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power and Irish St Leger winner Brown Panther.

Shirocco moved to Glenview ahead of the 2014 season, so those first Irish crops are still approaching their peak. A lot of his winners share the trait of being very sound horses, who rack up 20, 30 or even 50 lifetime starts. Minella Rocco, Casablanca Mix, Rock The Casbah and Lac Fontana are good examples of the durability and quality of Shirocco stock.

Recent Limerick debut winner Heather Rocco (Henry de Bromhead), Cork scorer Velvet Elvis (Tom Gibney), Dysart Diamond (Willie Mullins) and Queens Brook (Gordon Elliott) have kept Shirocco in the news at home. Across the water, his sons Cheddleton (Jennie Candlish) and One For The Team (Nick Williams) are being tipped as novice chasers to follow this spring.

“A very good-looking, quality horse who was the second leading living point-to-point sale sire in 2019/’20 with his first Irish crops,” said Paul Cashman.

Old Persian

Old Persian, a son of Dubawi who won two Group/Grade 1 races for Godolphin, is the newest arrival at Glenview. From the family of Kingmambo, he won as a two-year-old and was a Royal Ascot winner at three. He proved to be better again at four years, winning the Group 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and Group 2 Dubai City of Gold Stakes, bringing his earnings to just under €4 million.

Sholokhov

A Group 1 winner at two years for Aidan O’Brien, Sholokhov originally stood in Germany and quickly established himself as a top class jumps stallion, thanks to Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero Shishkin, and the prolific pair of winners, Dell’Arca and Kruzhlinin.

If Blue Bresil doesn’t provide the winner of Sunday’s Grade 1 novice hurdle at Naas, there is a good chance that Sholokhov will. At time of writing he was set to be represented at Naas by the Henry de Bromhead-trained Bob Olinger and Jessica Harrington’s Crosshill.

Other promising young horses by Sholokhov include Wide Receiver (Gordon Elliott), Oneknightmoreihope (Noel Glynn) and the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Mr Glass and Seelotmorebusiness.

Paul Cashman described him as “A great walking individual who has proven he can sire high class individuals on the flat and over hurdles and fences.”

Youmzain

Famous for finishing second in three runnings of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Youmzain is a dual Group 1 winner himself. Another claim to fame is that he is a half-brother to Creachadoir, sire of Arkle Trophy winner Footpad. Youmzain moved to Glenview from France within a month of that Cheltenham win in 2018. Youmzain’s first National Hunt crop are two-year-olds this year. A colt foal by him was bought by Gerry Hogan for €38,000 at the Goffs December NH Sale, and a Youmzain store made £30,000 at the Goffs UK Summer Sale.

Paul Cashman said: “From his first two Irish sired crops, Youmzain has produced foals of excellent quality and conformation. His very first crop in France yielded a Group 1 winner on the flat and his eldest progeny have begun to make their mark in the National Hunt sphere.”