Coolmore Stud

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Coolmore Stud, established in 1975, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses, based in Fethard, County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland.

It was originally a relatively small farm dedicated to general agriculture, but came into the Vigors family in 1945 when a training operation was established there. It was inherited by Tim Vigors, famous fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain and in the Far East. Having left the airforce, he firstly joined Goff's bloodstock auctioneers before setting up his own bloodstock agency in 1951. He moved to Coolmore in 1968 and began its transformation into the well known stud farm which it is today.

He went into partnership with his friend Vincent O'Brien, leading racehorse trainer and Robert Sangster, the Vernons pools magnate. He later sold his interest to O'Brien and his son-in-law, John Magnier. Eventually, Magnier became sole owner, and built the farm into a multi-national, multimillion-euro operation. The original farm is now known as Coolmore Ireland, and now has two branches—Ashford Stud, which operates as Coolmore America, near Versailles, Kentucky; and Coolmore Australia near Jerry's Plains in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.

John Magnier's attention to detail and eye for excellence is to be seen in the lay-out of paddocks and barns with the most modern facilities available for the nurturing of the thoroughbred. Under his stewardship, the operation continues to flourish as the leading operation of its kind.

At the Fasig-Tipton Florida auction in February 2006, Coolmore Stud paid a world record $16 million for a Florida-bred two-year-old colt in training sired by Forestry who in turn was sired by Storm Cat, the longtime leading sire in North America.