Cathal Beale

Horse Country, Ireland's premier immersive equine tourism experience, was launched at the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday. Supported by Fáilte Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, Horse Country offers 15 visitor experiences that immerse guests in the world of Thoroughbred horses, including access to the yards and training operations of Aidan O'Brien (Tipperary), Johnny Murtagh (Kildare) and Jessica Harrington (Kildare). These globally-recognised trainers are opening their yards exclusively to Horse Country visitors, offering behind-the-scenes access and opportunities to see the training regimes and facilities for the equine...

The Irish National Stud's Shouldvebeenaring (GB) is the latest young sire that is reported to have his first mares scanned in foal. Among them is Newmarket maiden winner Ultra Violet (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Louisa May (Ire) (National Defense {GB}), a half-sister to stakes winner Dubara (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), from the family of Milan (GB) and Karpino (Ger) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Additionally, Irish Madam (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), a full-sister to Strath Burn (GB), has been confirmed in foal. Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud, commented, "Shouldvebeenaring has been...

Conor Hyland is a graduate of the celebrated Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Course. Since completing the course in 2019, he has been based at the stud, where he holds the role as nominations and sales assistant.  This year represents a big one for the INS with long-time star of the roster Invincible Spirit (Ire) retired from stallion duties. Hyland discusses the new stallions on the roster, including first-season sire Shouldvebeenaring  (GB) and Lucky Vega (Ire), whose first two-year-olds are set to hit the track in Europe this year.  [caption...

Invincible Spirit (Ire), the sire of 22 individual Group 1 winners worldwide, has been retired from covering duties, the Irish National Stud announced on Wednesday. Now 27, Invincible Spirit was a fixture on the Irish National Stud roster of stallions for 22 consecutive seasons, starting in 2003 after his breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Sprint Cup at Haydock the previous autumn. As a racehorse he won seven of his 17 starts for trainer John Dunlop and owner-breeder Prince Faisal, with his other wins including the Duke Of York Stakes...

Cathal Beale, the current CEO of the Irish National Stud (INS), will serve in the role for another three years, the Board of the INS announced on Wednesday. "The Board of the Irish National Stud is pleased to announce that our chief executive, Cathal Beale, has accepted an offer of a contract extension for a further final three-year period, following consultation with the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Minister of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform," the INS said in a statement. Beale became the INS CEO...

Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and Group 1-winning two-year-old Mac Swiney (Ire) has relocated from the Irish National Stud to Anngrove Stud for the 2024 season.  Mac Swiney lit up the 2021 season for trainer/breeder Jim Bolger when beating his stable-mate, the 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare (Ire), to land the Irish 2,000 Guineas. A three-time winner as a juvenile, he had ended his debut season with victory in the G1 Vertem Futurity having also landed the G2 Beresford S. Mac Swiney's dam Halle Na Saoire (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is a...

Over 200 people attended a breeding seminar held by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) and its junior wing, the ITBA Next Generation, on the eve of the Goffs February Sale on Tuesday, February 6. The event was hosted by Kevin Blake, a well-known racing analyst and broadcaster as well as being a reputable breeder in his own right. He was joined on the panel by former ITBA chairman Dermot Cantillon, the breeder of multiple Group 1 winners at Tinnakill House Stud, plus Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale, Helena...

Jim and Jackie Bolger's dual Group 1 winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) will stand at the Irish National Stud in 2024 for a fee of €8,000. Mac Swiney played his part in a memorable 2021 season for the trainer/breeder when beating his stable-mate, the 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare (Ire) to land a Classic of his own in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. A three-time winner as a juvenile, he had ended his debut season with victory in the G1 Vertem Futurity having also landed the G2 Beresford S....

It was a day for the young guns at the opening session of the Goffs November Foal Sale on Monday with a colt by Earthlight (Ire) sharing top lot status with a filly by the already proven Mehmas (Ire) at €80,000.  The progeny of the Irish National Stud-based Lucky Vega (Ire) also played a leading role on the day with Yeomanstown Stud's Supremacy (Ire) going down similarly well with buyers.  But the main story of the day was the positive start to the week in terms of trade, highlighted by...

Since its launch in 2021, Horse Racing Ireland's IRE Incentive program has awarded over €3,500,000 in €10,000 bonuses to the owners of Irish-bred winners of scheme races. The IRE Incentive scheme awards a bonus of €10,000 to owners of Irish-bred winners of selected races across the Flat and National Hunt programmes in Ireland and Britain and the owners of each eligible winner--those carrying the [Ire] suffix and Foal Levy compliant--have until the end of the following year to spend their bonus on Irish-breds at Irish sales. Over 250 individual owners...

The Irish National Stud & Garden's Irish Racehorse Experience was officially presented with a Themed Entertainment Award (THEA) for outstanding achievement at an awards ceremony at Disneyland Resort, in Anaheim, California. The award, which celebrates achievement and excellence within the themed entertainment industry, was collected by David Wardell, the Irish National Stud & Gardens Tourism Manager. The Living Legends, retired former racing champions that reside at the Kildare stud, will be paraded daily at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 25 through Friday, Apr. 28, to celebrate the honour. All pre-booked...

Invincible Spirit (Ire) tops the 2023 Irish National Stud roster in 2023. The sire of 21 Group 1 winners lifetime, the 25-year-old will stand for a private fee. His progeny won 10 stakes this year, led by Pearls Galore (Fr)'s victory in the G1 Matron S. and Shartash (Ire)'s win in the G2 Railway S. among his seven group winners. Classic winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire)'s first runners will step out on racecourses next year and he has been priced at €12,000. G1 Phoenix S. winner Lucky Vega (Ire) will...