Here’s our second National Stud stallion profile, this time focusing on the extremely handsome Roderick O’Connor!

Owned by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Roderick O’Connor is one of the newest stallions on the National Stud’s roster. He is the Dual Gr.1 winning son of Galileo has made a great start to his career at stud.

From his first crop of 2yo runners in 2015 he has produced 2016 Classic prospect Biz Heart, winner of the Gr.2 Gran Criterium, and Gr.3 Prix du Calvados winner and multiple Stakes placed, Great Page, as well as Stakes placed horses Haalick and Mangusto.

Now with 17 winners from 46 runners in his first crop he is enjoying a 37% strike rate of winners to runners. His first crop of yearlings sold for an average of 22,743gns, and recorded a top price of 170,426gns.

Roderic O’Connor has a first class pedigree being bred on the same Galileo/Danehill cross as Frankel, Intello and Teofilo, out of the Stakes-winning mare Secret Garden; from the immediate female family of Champion sire Zabeel.

As a 2 year old he finished 2nd to Frankel in the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes before going on to win the Gr.1 Criterium International. At 3 years old he added Classic winning form to his record in winning the Gr.1 Irish 2000 Guineas.

Brian O’Rourke, Managing Director of the National Stud sums up the importance of Roderic O’Connor’s addition to its roster – “We are delighted to be adding Roderic O’Connor to our roster of stallions. As a dual Gr.1 winning son of Galileo, out of a Stakes winning mare, he’s a hugely exciting prospect. Add to that the fact that he’s produced a Gr.2 and a Gr.3 winner from his first crop of 2yos and we think his appeal will be far reaching. Our thanks go to Dr Poonawalla for choosing to stand him with us at this exciting point in his career”

Visit Gregorian and the rest of the stallions on our National Stud Tour when it re-opens in February. The perfect way to kick off the new year!

Call us on 0344 748 9200, or click here for more information.