Boland family's Piercetown Stud toasts major update for Even So sibling

The success of Even So in the Irish Oaks on Saturday provided a major pedigree update for her yearling half-sister by Footstepsinthesand, who was pinhooked by the Boland family's Piercetown Stud for €22,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

The pedigree has been transformed since last November, when no black type appeared under the first dam and Even So was described only as having placed at two.

However, the Bolands sat up and took notice when the Camelot filly struck in a mile maiden at Gowran Park by almost four lengths soon after the catalogue was printed.

Even So has continued to progress this season, taking third in the Group 3 Park Express Stakes at Naas, finishing a creditable fifth behind Peaceful in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and toughing it out to win the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas earlier this month, before landing the Irish Oaks.

"We're small breeders and it's great to have a filly like her going to the sales - she's going to the Goffs Orby Sale and will be consigned under Castlebridge," said a delighted Ronnie Boland.

"We liked Even So as she'd won just after the catalogue was printed. We took a chance on her younger sibling - it was my son Aaron who bought her - as we hoped Even So would improve this year.

"It's a solid pedigree that goes all the way back to Rose Of Jericho. There's four Classic winners under the first two dams now with Even So, Dr Devious, Dancing Rain and Saxon Warrior."

The Irish Oaks winner was bred by Lynch Bages out of the Danehill mare Breeze Hill, who delivered Even So at the age of 17.

Breeze Hill is a half-sister to four stakes scorers including the 1992 Derby winner Dr Devious, while her unraced half-sister Rain Flower is the mother of the 2011 Oaks heroine Dancing Rain, and also the great-granddam of 2,000 Guineas hero and Coolmore Stud stallion Saxon Warrior, whose dam Maybe won the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Footstepsinthesand, who stood the latest season at Coolmore's Castle Hyde Stud at a €15,000 fee, has sired six top-flight winners, as well as the dual Group 2-winning juvenile Threat and other smart sorts in Marie's Diamond and Mums Tipple.

"The Irish Oaks was a great result for Ger and Colin [Keane, jockey] and all the team over at Glenburnie," added Ronnie Boland.

"It's been a great year for them and long may it continue. Luckily, Aaron was there to see the Irish Oaks as he was leading up Buffer Zone for Ger in an earlier race."

Now in its 30th year of operation, Piercetown Stud is located in Kilcock, County Meath, and is run by Ronnie and Elaine Boland, son Aaron and daughter Aoife.

The farm has six of its own broodmares as well as boarding facilities for outside mares, while in recent years horses from Ger Lyons' Glenburnie Stables have rested and recuperated there while out of training.

The family-run operation has had some notable graduates down the years including the Cape Cross filly Star Lahib, who Andreas Wohler trained to win the Group 2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville in 2014, and her full-sister Moone Cross, who was a stakes-placed sprinter for Jessica Harrington.

Among the mares residing at Piercetown Stud is Star Lahib's five-year-old sister Amchitka, who has a filly foal by Cracksman and is in foal to Camelot. They also have Lady Vyrnwy, a Bertolini half-sister to Star Lahib and dam of the smart maiden winner Risk Of Thunder.

The updates have not been confined to the horses at Piercetown Stud this year either, as Aaron was awarded the Gold Medal on the Irish National Stud Breeding Course. He is set to work the upcoming yearling sales season with Chasemore Farm in Britain.

On picking out the Footstepsinthesand filly at the sales, Aaron Boland said: "My father and I went around, looking at a few, and just thought she was a nice foal. At €22,000, we thought she looked a bit of value and Even So had won her maiden impressively.

"We bought her hoping Even So would develop into a stakes horse this year. For her to win the Irish Oaks - you couldn't really ask for much more! We were absolutely over the moon on Saturday."

Asked about his time on the Irish National Stud course, Boland added: "That was probably the best six months of my life. It's a great place to work and a great place to learn from - the knowledge and experience you gain there is unbelievable. It's a fantastic course and I'd recommend it to anyone."

Aaron Boland: winner of the Gold Medal on the Irish National Stud Breeding Course this yearCredit: Irish National Stud

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