About Us

Coolmore Stud is owned by John Magnier, originally from Fermoy, Co. Cork, where his family have been in the stallion business since the 1850s. Coolmore’s headquarters in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, was developed in the 1970s in conjunction with pools magnate Robert Sangster and John Magnier’s late father-in-law, the outstanding racehorse trainer Vincent O' Brien, with the objective of creating a world-class stallion operation.

Be My Guest, a son of Northern Dancer, became the first Champion Sire to stand at Coolmore when 1982 Classic winners Assert and On The House both featured amongst his first three-year-old crop. A series of Champion Sires have followed in the shape of Caerleon, Sadler’s Wells, Danehill, Danehill Dancer, and Galileo, which have left an indelible impact on the breed. The legendary Sadler’s Wells recorded a record 14 sires' championships, smashing Highflyer’s record set way back in 1798, and his Epsom Derby-winning son Galileo followed suit with 12 sires' championships of his own and became the first horse ever to sire 100 Group 1 winners.

In the 31 years from 1990 to 2020 without interruption, the Champion Sire in Britain & Ireland stood at Coolmore. Not surprising, then, it’s known as the “Home of Champions”.

The world-renowned training establishment at Ballydoyle, from where Dr Vincent O’ Brien sent out numerous high-class horses over a 40-year period, has long been a major part of the Coolmore organisation, supplying many top stallions including the aforementioned Sadler’s Wells and Galileo. Vincent O’Brien’s unrelated namesake, Aidan O’Brien, is now the resident trainer and has enjoyed phenomenal success around the globe, literally re-writing the record books.

The current roster at Coolmore is led by proven Group 1 sires such as Wootton Bassett, No Nay Never, and Camelot. Other luminaries trained at Ballydoyle and already on the roster include St Mark’s Basilica, City Of Troy, Paddington, and Auguste Rodin. Exciting times ahead!