It has been announced today that Diamond Creek Farm in the United States and Oakwood Stud in Ireland have become the sponsors of Sire Stakes Ireland for the 2018 season.
Sire Stakes Ireland is a new racing series for Standardbred horses that was first started in 2014. The objective of Sire Stakes Ireland is to encourage breeding mares, increase prize money, and to promote harness racing in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The series is open to horses bred and foaled in Ireland and the UK, and sired by stallions nominated into the program.
Diamond Creek Farm has two American locations, based in Kentucky and Pennsylvania. They currently stand world champion stallions A Rocknroll Dance, Always B Miki, Creatine, Father Patrick, Ponder, Southwind Frank and Sweet Lou.
“Our involvement with the Vincent Delaney Memorial has created a great relationship between Diamond Creek and Oakwood Stud,” said Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Farm. “We are excited to partner with them to offer Sweet Lou to the UK and Ireland. As sponsors of the VDM, we are also big fans of Irish racing and are pleased to be able to support the stakes racing through our sponsorship.”
Oakwood Stud in Ireland has emerged over the past five years as one of the top breeders of yearlings in Ireland and the UK. Currently they stand Foreclosure N and Rachmoninov Seven and have frozen semen shipped from Sweet Lou in the USA.
“We recently were at Diamond Creek Farm in Kentucky, and sealed the sponsorship with Adam Bowden,” said Sire Stakes Ireland founder James Delaney of Oakwood Stud.
“What a great boost this will be for Sire Stakes Ireland in 2018,” Delaney said. “Now breeders and owners have something extra to look forward in racing opportunities in 2018. All yearlings that were foaled in either Ireland or the UK from the stallions eligible for Sire Stakes Ireland need only to fill out the nomination form and make the payments to be eligible. And now with the Diamond Creek Farm and Oakwood Stud sponsorships, the purses will be greater than ever in 2018.
“We are also introducing a breeder’s premium for the breeder of the winning horse in all divisions,” Delaney added. “The person(s) who owned and bred the foal at conception will receive a trophy in all divisions plus a cash bonus too. We hope this will help stimulate more people to breed horses. We feel it’s our duty to honour and reward the breeders who have been loyal to our stallions.
“We are so thankful to Adam Bowden and Diamond Creek Farm and Oakwood Stud for coming on board with Sire Stakes Ireland with their generous sponsorships.” Delaney said.
For the nomination forms, payment schedule and list of stallions eligible for Sire Stakes Ireland, visit their website at www.sirestakesireland.com.
The Sire Stakes Ireland nominated stallions are: Ayr Glory, Armbro Duece, Arts Conquest, Arts Professor, Check On Jack, Connors Dragon, Crown Manhattan, Doonbeg, Eagle Luck, Forafewdollarsmore, Foreclosure N, Hasty Hall, Kiki Kolt, Mypanmar, No Pan Intended, Stonebridge Galaxy, See And Ski, Total Truth, Yankee Lariat.
(Sire Stakes Ireland)