A4 THE IRISH FIELD, Saturday, January 10, 2009 BRIAN GRASSICK APPRECIATION Dedicated to his family and his work Leo Powell recalls the life and career of Brian Grassick

HE bloodstock indus- tryisinmourning following the death on Thursday morning T of the hugely re- spected bloodstock agent Brian Grassick. He lost a courageous fight against cancer at the age of 54. While best known interna- tionally as an agent, Brian was also a leading breeder, sales consignor and consultant and numbered many of the world’s best farms among his clients. From one of the best known families in the bloodstock and racing world, his career was always destined to be with horses. While involved with the family business – his father Christy was a successful jockey and trainer, numbering the speed king and Royal Ascot winner Godswalk and the Chel- tenham Festival winner Noble Life among the many leading winners he trained – his first job was with the BBA Ireland in Lansdowne Road where he worked with the legendary Tom Cooper, a man who was his mentor and whom he greatly admired. Always closely identified with the agency, he spent 17 years there before setting up his own company in 1991. This he did with his wife Sheila and the couple built a business that enjoyed great success. Principled A highly principled individual, Brian with Sheila also set up Newtown Stud outside Naas in 1996 and they board mares there for many leading breeders. These include Mrs Ling Tsui, with whom he enjoyed a great relationship and whose Sunder- land Holdings own the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Ur- ban Sea, the dam of luminaries such as , Black Sam * Bellamy, My Typhoon and this Brian Grassick with his wife Sheila at the Curragh year’s leading classic hope See TheStars.AmongtheTsui of a number of mares who later in the Prix de l’Arc de Shirley Taylor’s W Lazy T dedication, knowledge and in- mares at Newtown is Epping, went on to produce Group 1 Triomphe. Farm and Brian also advised They talk tegrity. Add to this his great the dam of the St Leger runner- winners. These included the Brian also bought the dams the farm on the breeding of last of his sense of fun, his competitive- up The Last Drop, and Sasse- dams of 2000 St Leger winner of Ransom O’War, Germany’s year’s Great Voltigeur Stakes ness and his utter dedication to nach, dam of the 2008 stakes Millenary and the previous Horse of the Year and winner of winner Centennial. Centennial’s professionalism, his family and you will begin to winner Dress Rehearsal. year’s Moyglare Stud Stakes the Group 1 Dallmayr Preis and dam Lurina boards at Newtown dedication, get a picture of a special human On the racing front, Brian winner Preseli for Neil Jones’ runner up in the German Derby, Stud. being. bought many top class winners. Abergwaun Farms and the dam and the 2001 Grade 1 Jim The E.P. Taylor Stakes win- knowledge and His love of Sheila and his These included the Poule d’Es- of 1998 Prix Vermeille winner Dandy Stakes winner Scorpion. ner Fly For Avie was bred by integrity family was paramount and any- sai des Poulains and Irish 2000 Leggera, later to finish second The last named was bred by Brian Grassick Bloodstock. He one who was fortunate to call Guineas winner bought the dam carrying the him a friend was blessed. His (31,000gns), the Grade 1 Flow- future Grade 1 winner and then passing leaves a major gap in er Bowl Invitational Stakes sold the mare on to one of his the lives of many, but especially winner Dimitrova and the clients, Major Pradeep Mehra industry. In addition to Michael, of those closest to him. Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner who owns the Usha Stud in they are Coolmore Stud man- Brian is survived by Sheila, (32,000gns). The India, for what Brian said was ager Christy, Ronan who owns Cathy, Mark, Sally Ann and his latter was twice a winner at ‘‘not a huge profit.’’ a transport business and Martin, adored granddaughter Jennifer, Royal Ascot when trained by On the stallion front, Brian manager of the Marquesa de his parents Alice and Christy, Brian’s brother Michael. also played a pivotal role in the Moratalla’s Childwick Bury his brothers, sisters Kathleen, He purchased the 2008 purchase of Invincible Spirit for Stud. Carol and Sally Ann and by his King’s Stand Stakes winner the Irish National Stud. In recent months Brian and extended family and friends. Equiano privately and the son Many within the industry Sheila’s daughter Cathy was His race is run. of Acclamation landed the were to benefit from Brian’s appointed to the board of the Brian’s funeral mass takes sprint feature for James Ache- wisdom and advice over the bloodstock agency, while Sally place today at noon in St Peter’s son on his first outing for his years and until his untimely Ann is also involved with Church, Two-Mile-House, new owner. death he served on the boards horses and currently is based Naas, followed by burial in the Exceptionally well-versed on of Goffs Bloodstock Sales Lim- in France. Their son Mark is a adjoining cemetery. The family pedigrees, Brian consolidated a ited and the insurers Lycetts journalist and lives in London. has requested no flowers but huge reputation gained during (Ireland) Limited. Many tributes have been paid for donations in lieu to St his time with BBA Ireland and All of Brian’s four brothers to Brian and, universally, they Brigid’s Hospice, The Curragh his advice led to the acquisition * Equiano are deeply involved in the talk of his professionalism, or St Francis Hospice, Raheny.