IT is fair to say that the majority of those involved in breeding chose that route originally because of a love of horses. They had a background and knowledge, allied with a dream of producing classic winners and future stallions.

James Hanly did not grow up with any such lofty ambitions but he has scaled that peak nonetheless. A farmer with a pragmatic approach to life, he considered a number of methods for making his living off the land and resolved more than 30 years ago that breeding racehorses was the most agreeable. Once making that decision, he approached it very simply. While a good sale might provide an instant return for his investment, monetarily and in terms of gratification, it was what they did on the track that would determine whether he would stand or fall. If the horses failed to produce the goods, the price tag would be quickly forgotten.