RACING POST NEWS

Irish foal crop up three per cent as British drops
BY KATHERINE FIDLER

THE Irish foal crop rose three per cent year on year in 2014, an increase half that anticipated following earlier numbers in September.

Figures released in November from the Return of Mares reported that 7,440 foals had been registered in Ireland up to September 31, six per cent more than at the same point 12 months earlier. However, the current 2014 foal crop as stated in the Weatherbys Fact Book gives the figure at December 31 as 7,999, up three per cent from 7,757 in 2013.

The total, which can be expected to exceed 8,000 when including late returns, represents the biggest foal crop since 2009, when 10,167 horses were registered.

In Britain, the number of foals registered by December 31 stood at 4,328, down two per cent from 4,420 in 2013. Figures in September indicated a drop would be likely, with the 4,255 foals registered down one per cent from 4,302 in 2013.

The British foal crop has declined in five of the past six years from a high of 5,920 in 2008, with only 2013 bucking the trend.

Last year's decline in foal numbers coincided with a further decrease in the number of active broodmares, down two per cent to 8,284 - the smallest number since the British and Irish populations were split in 2004. However, the number of new broodmare registrations leapt 18 per cent to 1,243.

In Ireland the total broodmare population increased from 12,643 to 12,909, the highest figure since 2011. Just over half of the population, 53 per cent, were classified as Flat mares (as indicated by their foal's intended career), compared to 75 per cent in Britain.