Locally trained Newbury star De Rasher Counter now has a full brother
Greenlands Farm Stud: Dedrunknmunky and foalWith the birth of a foal at Karina Casini's national hunt stud farm near Marlborough, the winner of Newbury Racecourse's 2019 Ladbrokes Trophy Chase De Rasher Counter has gained a full brother.
De Rasher Counter was sired by Yeats. Now his dam, 21 year-old Dedrunknmunky has produced a foal also by Yeats - born on the night of 12 May at the Greenlands Farm Stud. In the words of breeder Karina Casini - who also bred De Rasher Counter: "It was a very easy birth and Munky and foal are both doing well".
Mrs Casini describes the new addition to her yard as "a stunning colt foal". Certainly when marlboroughequerstrian.news visited on Wednesday (20 May), he looked splendid and very much at home in the paddock while Dedrunknmunky grazed away unperturbed by his nudging attempts to get her attention.
De Rasher Counter is owned by the Makin' Bacon Partnership (whose members include Paisley Park's owner Andrew Gemmell) and trained by Emma Lavelle at Ogbourne Maizey. His victory at Newbury, winning by one-and-a-half lengths in the 3 mile 2 furlong race on good to soft ground, was a significant boost during a season hampered by wet weather, for breeder, trainer and for his rider, conditional jockey Ben Jones.
Five mares have foaled at Mrs Casini's stud this Spring - with one more due to foal very soon and needing some night's of patient watching.
These foals include one by Blue Bresil out of Katharrini, who is a Kayf Tara half sister to De Rasher Counter and Munky's first ever offspring. This birth makes Dedrunknmunky a grandmother. She will be checked by the vet at the end of this week so plans can be made for her next foal - if that is now appropriate.
Katharrini and her foal (Photo: Karina Casini)
The grey mare Ixora delivered a Blue Bresil colt on the Saturday of the virtual Grand National: "So a very special boy and a stunning foal."
Ixora and her foal (Photo: Karina Casini)
During the first full week of April five mares were covered - despite the constraints of the Covid-19 lockdown, work at the stud has to keep its usual hectic pace.
Though Mrs Casini has had to cope with the postponement of sales at Doncaster and in Ireland. She has three three-year-olds waiting for these sales.
In addition to some very exciting looking yearlings enjoying the grass on Greenland Farm's 150 acres, there are also three two-year-olds. These include a gelding known as 'Spike' by Scorpion out of Dedrunknmunky.
Racing in Britain may have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the breeding and trainer of racehorses has to continue - waiting for the restrictions to lift and racing to return.
There is more about Dedrunknmunky and De Rasher Counter here.
Munky's foal - a few hours old (Photo: Karina Casini)