RED MILLS and The Irish Field present the Breeder of the Year Awards
Ken Parkhill and James Hanly were revealed as the respective National Hunt and flat winners of the Connolly’s RED MILLS/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year Awards this week, honoured for the exploits of two of the most popular horses in training – Bob Olinger and Ombudsman.
The awards evening was staged at Orby’s by Lucy at the Curragh Racecourse, where the 12 winners of the monthly awards, as voted by the public, gathered with family, friends and industry stakeholders to receive their prizes and have their achievements acknowledged by their peers.
The identity of the two overall winners, chosen by a panel of industry experts, was kept under wraps until the end of the evening, until Leo Powell of The Irish Field made the announcement.
Bob Olinger
Ken Parkhill has dedicated his life to producing top-class National Hunt horses from Castletown Quarry Stud in Trim, Co Meath, and it would hardly seem right to have a major National Hunt festival without a Grade 1 winner carrying his name as breeder. This season Bob Olinger signed off his illustrious career with victory in the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, greeted by an ovation as emotional as it was deserved.
What a star he has been for owner Brian Acheson’s Robcour and trainer Henry de Bromhead. The son of Sholokhov won 12 of his 23 starts, with Grade 1s in the Lawlor’s of Naas, the Ballymore and Turners at Cheltenham, the 2025 Stayers’ Hurdle – a third festival success – and that Punchestown farewell.
Bob Olinger is from a family with which the Parkhills have had a long and distinguished connection. His dam Zenaide was bred by Ken, trained by his wife Lulu and ridden by their son Peter to win a bumper at Cork on her first start, and she was beaten only a short-head on her sole other run. She has since produced six winners on the track and another pair who won between the flags. There are few comparable families in the stud book.
Accepting his award, Ken credited the roles played by Lulu and their sons, Peter and Nicky. “It’s a family business. This award means everything to me – I had no idea in the world that I was going to get this tonight. I’m absolutely delighted, and I thank Connolly’s RED MILLS for doing this.”
Ombudsman
James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, is widely regarded as one of the shrewdest operators in the flat breeding world, and in Ombudsman he has bred the best horse on the planet over a mile and a quarter – now officially the highest-rated flat horse in Europe.
The story began when Anthony Stroud purchased the mare Syndicate for James in 2017 for 25,000gns. Her second foal, a colt by Night Of Thunder, was sold for 340,000gns in Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale – money well spent by Godolphin. Named Ombudsman, the John and Thady Gosden-trained star announced himself with an impressive win in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2025, followed up in the Juddmonte International at York, and last month returned to Royal Ascot to defend his Prince of Wales’s crown with a stunning four-length success – becoming the first dual winner of the race since Muhtarram in 1995.
The Ombudsman effect has been felt at the sales ring too: his full-sister Synchronicity was bought for 900,000gns as a yearling, and Ballyhimikin now regularly sells yearlings for seven-figure sums. Ombudsman’s dam Syndicate has two stakes-winning full-brothers in Runnymede and Stipulate, while his fourth dam was the Group 1 winner All At Sea.
Typically modest in accepting his award, James was quick to deflect the credit to those around him: “With good people you can do anything.”
Breeders celebrate their big winners
The two Breeders of the Year were in fine company at the Curragh, as the remaining ten monthly award winners of 2025-26 were honoured on a night that celebrated Irish breeding excellence across both codes and around the globe.
Historic Heart – Jim Bolger (July 2025)
A two-time winner of this award, the legendary Jim Bolger added another remarkable chapter when Historic Heart, a son of his own stallion Fracas, returned from almost two years off the track to win the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial over the Saratoga jumps for trainer Keri Brion – proof that the Bolger stamp travels well in any code, on any continent.
Diego Velazquez – Denis Brosnan (August 2025)
Denis Brosnan’s Epona Bloodstock bred the 2.4 million guineas yearling Diego Velazquez, and the Frankel colt delivered on that promise in the very best company, holding off 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech by a nose in a thrilling Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Carrying the famous Sangster silks that day, he has since retired to the Irish National Stud for 2026.
Big Mojo – Derek & Gay Veitch (September 2025)
Bred by the Veitchs’ Ringfort Stud and The Ladies, the Mohaather colt Big Mojo came agonisingly close in the July Cup, beaten a neck, before the Holy Grail was achieved with a clear-cut victory in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup. A 175,000gns yearling, he is the first foal of his listed-placed dam Jm Jackson.
Powerful Glory – Con Marnane (October 2025)
Powerful Glory’s win in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes, at the expense of 18 smart speedsters including dual Group 1 winner Lazzat, was another fine advertisement for Con Marnane’s Bansha House. Remarkably, his dam was picked up for just 4,000gns, and the Cotai Glory colt followed Bansha House graduate Sands Of Mali, who won the same race in 2018 for the same trainer, Richard Fahey.
Ethical Diamond – William Kennedy (November 2025)
Few horses had a 2025 like the Tipperary-bred Ethical Diamond. The Awtaad gelding won the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, the £500,000 Ebor Handicap at York and then, for Willie Mullins, delivered on the world stage with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar. William Kennedy’s reward continued at the sales, where a full-brother made €380,000 at Goffs in November.
The Jukebox Man – Paul Cunningham (December 2025)
The Paul Cunningham-bred, Harry Redknapp-owned The Jukebox Man won at Kempton Park on Boxing Day for the second year running, following his 2024 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase with victory in one of the best finishes you are likely to see in the Grade 1 King George VI Chase. Bought for just €3,000 as a foal, the Ask gelding remains unbeaten over fences.
I’ll Sort That – Liam Walsh (January 2026)
It is not every day you can purchase a Grade 1 winner for €3,500, but I’ll Sort That provided a fairytale for owner David Needham and trainer/rider Declan Queally when winning the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle. Bred by Liam Walsh at Beechlane Stables in Wexford, he is out of Tuscarora, one tough cookie who raced 81 times, winning nine.
Oscars Brother – David & Grace Fenton (February 2026)
Consistency personified, Oscars Brother rattled off three consecutive chase wins including the Grade 2 Florida Pearl at Punchestown and the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan, form that prompted J.P. McManus to swoop. The Fentons bought his dam Hillview Princess for just €4,200, and the family traces to Champion Hurdle hero Celtic Shot.
Old Park Star – Matthew Fogarty (March 2026)
Matthew Fogarty has been breeding good winners from his Golden, Co Tipperary farm for over 30 years, and this season he stood in the winners’ circle after the Grade 1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, won by Old Park Star. Remarkably, his dam Norwich Star has had only four foals – and two of them are Cheltenham Festival winners, Old Park Star being a full-brother to Grand Annual hero Chosen Mate.
True Love – John Magnier (May 2026)
True Love made her breakthrough at the highest level in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at two and doubled her top-flight tally in this season’s Group 1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. All five of her wins have come in pattern races, and the No Nay Never filly’s achievements further enhance one of the very best families in the stud book – that of Urban Sea, Galileo and Sea The Stars.
Connolly’s RED MILLS/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year – Roll of Honour
2005-06 David & Diane Nagle
2006-07 Jim Bolger
2007-08 Seamus Burns
2008-09 Ling Tsui
2009-10 Ballymacoll Stud
2010-11 Jack Ronan & Des Vere Hunt
2011-12 John Tuthill
2012-13 Tally-Ho Stud
2013-14 Ballylinch Stud
2014-15 Jim Bolger
2015-16 Yeomanstown Stud/Doc Bloodstock (flat); Eugene Bourke (NH)
2016-17 Brendan & Anne Marie Hayes (flat); Paddy Behan (NH)
2017-18 Paul & Marie McCartan (flat); Paul Rothwell (NH)
2018-19 Aidan & Annemarie O’Brien (flat); Jerry O’Brien (NH)
2019-20 Moyglare Stud (flat); Jim Mernagh (NH)
2020-21 H.H. Aga Khan (flat); Niall Flynn (NH)
2021-22 Nicky Hartery (flat); Sean Murphy (NH)
2022-23 Derek & Gay Veitch (flat); Paul Hillis (NH)
2023-24 John Magnier (flat); Bobby & Robert McCarthy (NH)
2024-25 Bobby & Honora Donworth (flat); Geoffrey Thompson (NH)
2025-26 James Hanly (flat); Ken Parkhill (NH)
The Breeder of the Month and Breeder of the Year Awards, run by Connolly’s RED MILLS in partnership with The Irish Field, celebrate the dedication, skill and patience of Irish breeders whose horses light up racecourses at home and around the world. Congratulations to James Hanly, Ken Parkhill and all of the 2025-26 monthly winners – and here’s to another year of Irish-bred champions.
