IRISHMAN Michael Hernon is the man you need to speak to if you want to breed a mare to Tapit. Firstly you would have needed $300,000 this year, along with a suitable mare. The leading sire in the USA for the last three years is standing at Gainesway in Lexington and last weekend’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit is from his ninth crop. Tapit is a son of Pulpit (by A.P.Indy) and out of a stakes-winning two-year-old by Unbridled.

Tapwrit is the third winner in four years of this famous race sired by Tapit, joining Tonalist and Creator on that roll of honour. Tapit is so far responsible for 97 stakes winners, and 60 of them earned their blacktype in a group or graded race. The growing number of Grade 1 winners on that list includes US champions Stardom Bound, Hansen and Untapable, his leading earner Testa Matta in Japan, Frosted, Tapitsfly, Ring Weekend, Joyful Victory, Constitution, Cupid, Lani, Careless Jewel and Tapizar.