Michael O'Leary's Plantation Stud mares set for high-class pairings

The new year has not been plain sailing for breeders with the impact of both the coronavirus and Brexit ongoing, but for Michael O'Leary's Plantation Stud it is business as usual with plenty of mares heading to various stallions in Britain and Ireland.

With a mix of proven broodmares and exciting maidens among the band, there is plenty to suggest that the stud's ongoing return to the top could be felt in the near future.

Stud manager James Berney said: "We've got quite a few mares going over to Ireland, we want to give them the covers that we think will suit him whether they're in Ireland or England.

"We've tried to carry on as normal and mate the mares as best we can with stallions that'll suit. We've five over there already."

Princess Guest is already responsible for Pavilion Stakes winner Dubai Station, a son of Brazen Beau and her first foal who was also third in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2019. Berney confirmed the daughter of Iffraaj will be visiting new sire and champion juvenile Pinatubo.

Princess Guest's Soldier's Call filly

He said: "He was an exciting racehorse and is a good-looking horse too so ticks a lot of boxes. She's had a lovely filly foal by Soldier's Call and her three-year-old [North Of Amazing], who's with Karl Burke, was second in a good Newmarket maiden at the backend of last year. Hopefully he can go on and do something this year."

Little Kim struck in a French Group 3 for Burke as a juvenile and has been booked in to Acclamation, while the once-raced Affected, a Lope De Vega daughter out of the Blandford Stakes winner Manieree and a 130,000gns purchase from Tattersalls December Mare Sale, will be covered by Kodiac after foaling to Acclamation.

"We were looking for a nice, proven sire to get her going," Berney said of Little Kim.

The well-related Fast Lily is another to take prominent rank among the operation's broodmare band, with the daughter of Fastnet Rock heading the way of Showcasing. The seven-year-old is a half-sister to Lowther victress Silk Blossom and dual Group 3 scorer Mashoora, who was also third in the Prix Rothschild.

Berney said: "Her first foal [Almanzor colt] is now two and made 150,000gns as a yearling. He's gone to Chad Brown in America and she has a very nice Acclamation foal.

"She's quite an exciting mare and produces good-looking stock so hopefully they can translate that on the track.

There are also high hopes for the Group-placed Achnaha, who will visit Darley's exciting new recruit Earthlight.

"She's been a bit unlucky but was a stakes-performing mare, finishing third in the Park Express at the Curragh. She was Group-placed several times and is a half-sister to Dusky Queen, who's by Shamardal, and is booked in for Earthlight."

Other mares heading for top-class matings includes Rue Cambon, a half-sister to Beverly D Stakes scorer and Prix du Moulin runner-up Gorella and a full-sibling to German Group 2 victress Royal Intervention, who is due to visit Dark Angel.

"She has a very nice Zoustar yearling who we sold last year and is currently in foal to Almanzor," he said.

"Emaratiya Ana's first runner, a filly by Sea The Stars [Brideshead], won first time out for Sir Michael Stoute and she's in foal to Showcasing. She visits Zoustar and is a half-sister to Summitville, who was second in the Sun Chariot and third in the Oaks."

Oasis Dream's reputation as a broodmare sire reached even greater heights last term and his daughters, the Listed-placed Loaves And Fishes and Gadwa, could help that particular legacy, with offspring by fast-rising sires on the ground.

"Loaves And Fishes is in foal to Wootton Bassett, while Gadwa has a very nice Night Of Thunder yearling we sold last year. She's carrying to Churchill and is due to visit Saxon Warrior."

Like's filly foal by Le Havre

Frankel mare Like, a winner over six and a half furlongs and out of the Group 3 winner and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere second What A Name, has had a Le Havre filly and is booked in for Tweenhills' new sire and last year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko.

The winning Dream Dana, a daughter of Dream Ahead and dual Group 3 scorer Lidanna, has the promising Showcasing filly Operatic in training with Simon and Ed Crisford. She is due to revisit Showcasing.

Younger mares include Impetus, an unraced daughter of Tamayuz and a half-sister to Sweet Solera third On Her Toes, who is in foal to Kodiac and visits Acclamation. Always A Drama, a four-time winning half-sister to Endless Drama, has a yearling colt by Zoustar and is pregnant to Oasis Dream. She is another booked in for Pinatubo.

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