Broodmares and Foals

Spring, the season in which a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.........

Well, it's not that we are getting old but these days our thoughts, and those of our owner-breeders, turn to a shortlist of sires most suited to our broodmares.
There's no doubt that Ireland is a hotbed for National Hunt stallions. Top of the bill, so to speak, is Flemensfirth closely followed by Milan, Walk In The Park, Mount Nelson et al.
And there are numerous younger sires who are beginning making a name for themselves such as Diamond Boy, Vadamos and Jukebox Jury.

Concerns of Brexit implications regarding the transport of horses out with these shores, has led us to concentrate on British-based National Hunt stallions.
Kayf Tara has been an outstanding stallion for a number of years and younger sires with a fine record on the track such as Jack Hobbs and Dartmouth are entering their 3rd season at stud. Telescope is another attractive sire, and his oldest progeny will be 2 year olds this year.

Neither Bollin Julie (Bollin Eric ex Bollin Nellie) nor Bollin Fiona (Silver Patriarch ex Bollin Nellie) were covered last year, but we intend sending both down the road to Vauterhill Stud in Devon for matings with Linda's Lad and Rocamadour respectively.

Now, Linda's Lad is into his 3rd season standing at Vauterhill Stud having previously stood for half a dozen seasons in France. He has had a scattering of runners from his French crops in Britain and Ireland thus far but his progeny have caught our eye on the racecourse (Tout Est Permis, Draconien to name but two, several more though) and in the sales arena (Lucinda's recent Irish Point purchase Lucky Flight, in particular).

Following her recent success at Musselburgh for the yard, Side of the Road (Beneficial ex Roses and Wine) has been retired to the paddocks - pre-season that was always the intention - and she will visit Linda's Lad too.
The attractive Side of the Road has excellent conformation for her new life as a broodmare, and that hurdle win will round off her pedigree page nicely. She is a full sister to a winning Listed Placed horse in Ireland, and her dam is a half sister to the dam of 3 horses with winning black type form in Global Citizen, De Plotting Shed and A Hare Breath.

Side of the Road

Les Dodds' admirable 11 time winning mare Wor Lass was also retired to a life in the paddocks last summer, a bit late in the year though to put in foal.
Nevermind, as that gave Les lots of time to pour through the Thoroughbred Stallion Guide, and converse with a few Stud Owners.

Thinking in terms of a progeny that may be dual-purpose (flat and/or jumps) Wor Lass is booked to visit Cockney Rebel.

Les holds Wor Lass as she is washed down after exercise

Al Duncan has a couple of broodmares who also have up-and-coming covering dates.

Well Disguised (Beneficial ex Executive Move) and her unraced daughter Lonely Paradise (Sulamani ex Well Disguised).
Lonely Paradise give birth to her first foal at the beginning of March, a lovely filly foal by the late Black Sam Bellamy. There was an unusually long gestation period for 'Mabel' which lasted 370 days, very much at the top end of the range of 320 to 370 days (average 340 days).

Website enthusiasts will have been quick to note that Lonely Paradise is a year older full sister to current Dodlands' favourite Eternally Yours, who has a bumper win and two hurdles to her credit.
 
Lonely Paradise suffered a bad injury as a yearling in the field - if you look closely at the photo on the right below, you'll spot a scar and discolour in her shoulder area. That weakened her conformation enough to preclude life as a racehorse, or even as a riding horse so it was so pleasing that she was firstly, very easy to get 'in foal' and secondly has taken so well to motherhood.
Given that tough early life, it would be fitting if further siblings yet to race could perform well on the racecourse, to make her progeny even more attractive.