GOLDRUSHPUBLICATIONS
THE BLACK HORSE
Shining a fierce light on the GREED, CORRUPTION, EXPLOITATION and INJUSTICE in horse racing and bloodstock around the world
THE KILLING FIELDS
OF TIPPERARY
There is an astonishing turnover of young horses at Ballydoyle every year which we have followed to find out what happens to the horses that are discarded as part of a detailed investigation into the equine welfare scandal that is swamping Irish racing. Untold numbers disappear from official records of Aidan O'Brien's horses in training every year as corroborated by public data available on two of the most respected racing websites - Timeform and the Racing Post.
Multiply that by the thirty years O'Brien has been in control of Ballydoyle and you get an idea of the shocking disregard for the lives of horses in Magnier's empire. It's the equine version of the meat grinder of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Soldiers might arguably deserve it but horses certainly don't. It might be difficult for the racing community to stomach - those who work in it to the fans who go to bet or be entertained - but the biggest killer of unwanted racehorses is Aidan O'Brien.
Everything at Coolmore Stud is geared towards finding a few new stallions every year to perpetuate a business plan which only guarantees a small number of yearlings will survive for more than the first three or four years of their lives. What happens to the also rans is the question we are asking?
For the 2026 breeding season, only three of more than 200 horses in training - Delacroix, Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse - made it to Coolmore's principal stallion roster in Ireland at fees of E40,000, E30,000 and E20,000 respectively. Los Angeles (E7,500) and Kyprios (E5,000) were two additions to the National Hunt division.
We have compiled a list of 49 horses trained by O'Brien in 2024 that lacked the necessary star quality and have since disappeared without trace. They haven't raced in any official jurisdiction anywhere in the world after the date of their last recorded race according to Timeform and the Racing Post. They are the tip of the iceberg. That last race date is the starting point of trying to find out what has happened to them; for most of these horses their final race was over two years ago and their racing careers are long gone.
Yet Timeform and the Racing Post say they are still owned by the Magniers and their business partners, and O'Brien is still said to be their official trainer. They should know their whereabouts today. According to Weatherbys, who are the keepers of the Thoroughbred Stud Book, they have not been reported as having died. We emailed Weatherbys Ireland and asked them what is the procedure for an owner or trainer to report a horse's death, but they declined to reply.
Coolmore regularly use the main Horses in Training sales held by Tattersalls in Newmarket for the more valuable horses they want to move on, but the lower grade animals on our list were not sold at these auctions in 2024 or 2025. If they were sold privately to continue racing, which is the reason why they were bred, these details would have been entered on the racing websites. It is an inescapable fact they have not run since the last official races we have reported.
In truth, they would not be worth much with their disappointing racing records if they were sold at public auction but they could have gone on to enjoy a full life in another equine discipline if given the opportunity. They are still young horses who have just disappeared, like so many in Ireland. They are the wholly innocent collateral damage in an industry that will have received nearly E80 million in public funding in 2026.
We have asked O'Brien to tell us where the horses on our list are. Straight to the point - are they dead or alive?
READ THE FULL STORY IN The Black Horse Inside Coolmore Trilogy BEHIND EVERY FORTUNE LIES A CRIME on sale from 30 September 2026.
EMAIL: info@goldrushpublications.com or will.r.jones@hotmail.com
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NEWS ALERT + NEWS ALERT + NEWS ALERT
Coolmore stallion Wootton Bassett was known as a very bad traveller but at the age of 17 when he had not long finished a breeding season in Ireland in which he covered 206 mares at a record high stud fee of E300,000, the Magniers couldn't resist another roll of the money dice for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season in Australia, where his stud fee was A$385,000 (approx E230,000) but he didn't live to tell the tale.
The horse needed to be sedated every step of a journey which could take well over 24 hours without any flight delays from an entry point of veterinary checks at Coolmore's quarantine barn in County Tipperary before starting out until arriving in his new temporary home for the next five months at Coolmore's Hunter Valley stud in New South Wales. He had shuttled to Australia for every season since Coolmore paid E75 million to buy him five years ago.
He was already sick before he arrived but unsurprisingly vets initially put it down to the travelling and then perhaps a bite from a Black Widow spider before eventually hitting on the real reason. Choke is a severe food blockage in the oesophagus which was likely triggered by the heavy sedation he underwent on the long journey to Australia.
He suffered an agonising death because he couldn't be euthanised but had to die naturally to satisfy the terms of his substantial insurance policy. I know how it works, because I was employed at Coolmore in Fethard when the great Montjeu died in March 2012 and I saw it with my own eyes as I described in The Black Horse Inside Coolmore. Montjeu died from septicaemia, which also caused Wootton Bassett's death along with pneumonia.
FULL STORY IN THE NEW BOOK.
LATEST NEWS ON THE BARNE ESTATE COURT CASE
HUMILIATING
CLIMBDOWN
It has cost John Magnier well over E10 million in legal costs in an arrogant attempt to force Richard Thomson-Moore and family to sell Barne Estate to him when the law decided it should be sold to a higher bidder who had a binding contract, but what's money got to do with it when you are a multi-billionaire? Except that the law is bigger than even a powerful bully like Magnier, who has now decided to drop an appeal against a High Court decision he lost in a humiliating climbdown. He has made a self-righteous statement of defiance from his annual winter sojourn in Barbados to try and justify his actions, which in reality reveal him to be an amoral old man who thinks money can buy anyone and anything. He even concluded his statement by "wishing the Thomson-Moore family well in their new life in Australia." Surely he's heard of the saying that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
Magnier still believes he was right, as we have already set out below in an earlier post, so there is no redemption for him. Instead we will refer to a statement from the Thomson-Moores, in which they thanked their impressive solicitors Creed McStay and team of barristers. "It took an immense amount of courage to withstand the onslaught we faced, and to believe that justice would prevail. The consequences for our family have been significant. Our lives have been placed completely on hold. The stress, trauma and financial burden imposed on the family throughout this entirely unnecessary process has been immense.
We now look forward to being able to turn our energy and attention to supporting and loving our family, especially our son Teddy. This was a long and intrusive process meant to intimidate us and bankrupt us. For everyone who has supported us - especially locally - please know that every single kindness has carried us. Thank you." 20 February 2026
In the latest twist in the Regan and Magnier war, Maurice Regan has commenced a High Court action against John Magnier and Coolmore Stud and associates alleging they have breached competition law.
An order is sought prohibiting Magnier and Coolmore from "instructing, directing, inducing, threatening, or otherwise causing any third party from ceasing or disrupting services," to Regan's Newton Anner Stud farm.
Regan is further seeking an order for the defendants to "withdraw, rescind and reverse any instruction, direction, inducement, threat or understanding" given to any third party that "has the object or effect of preventing or otherwise disrupting the supply of goods or services" to Regan's farm.
Regan is seeking "damages against the defendants for causing loss by unlawful means and/or international interference with economic relations."
In very general terms, the case concerns allegations that Magnier and Coolmore have "persuaded" third parties not to do business with Regan which has caused him unlawful economic damage. It has previously been reported that Magnier has a financial interest in Fethard Equine Hospital which has stopped attending to Regan's breeding stock.
Regan is represented by the same team who defeated Magnier in the Barne Esate case, Creed McStay LLP, composed of Emily Cahill, Matt Hanrahan and Senior Counsel Martin Hayden.
We have paused The Black Horse Newsletters to complete the third book in The Black Horse Trilogy. BEHIND EVERY FORTUNE LIES A CRIME will be published in 2026. Following the first two books in the series, we will again be exposing the ever growing collection of crimes committed by John Magnier, Coolmore Stud and the wider racing and breeding industries.
Magnier has just lost a putrid High Court action in Dublin he brought to try and force the owners of Barne Estate to sell him their imposing French Chateau-style mansion and 751 acre farm in County Tipperary for E15 million when another potential buyer had offered a much higher price.
Magnier claimed he had an oral agreement sealed by a hand shake over supper at his splendid house on Coolmore Stud to buy the property and wanted the court to enforce the sale, but Judge Max Barrett ruled against all claims he made. The sale was never agreed and no contract was ever made, the judge said. It was an embarrassing drubbing, but one which Magnier thoroughly deserved considering the background to the case.
Barne Estate was owned in trust by Richard Thomson-Moore, his sister Dr Alexandra McCullough and their spouses and children. Richard and his wife Anna decided in February 2023 to move to Australia which would afford their seriously disabled son Teddy a healthier life and to see more of Anna's mother who has been diagnosed with dementia.
Magnier made the first moves when the farm was officially put on the market five months later, offering E10 million and E10.5 million in a linked stalking horse play. The higher bid was withdrawn and he proceeded with the E10 million offer which he eventually increased to E15 million and then E16.5 million.
US construction magnate Maurice Regan, who founded his company J.T.Magen in 1992 after emigrating from Kerry to New York, has made substantial property investments in Ireland over the last thirty years including through the Mercantile Group and has developed Newtown Anner Stud near Clonmel in County Tipperary alongside similar farms in Kentucky and New York.
Having become a very wealthy and influential figure in the tough environs of the New York business world, he is much more street wise than Magnier and 20 years younger. How ironic Magnier, who has hidden his true character for the past 40 years by avoiding personal media coverage, has now confirmed by his own hand that he's just an arrogant schoolyard bully from Cork.
Sale negotiations for Barne Estate ended when trustees accepted Regan's offer of E22.25 million and binding contracts were signed. Magnier had no signed contract so he threw a fit and instructed top law firm Arthur Cox to sue Barne Estate Ltd, Richard Thomson-Moore and the estate's trustees based in Jersey on behalf of himself, son John Paul Magnier and daughter Katherine Wachman. They really wanted the Barne Estate but only at their price.
While awash with legal jargon and argument, the underlying theme in Magnier's case appeared to be that he must be right because he's John Magnier, an Irish billionaire who left school at 15 when his farmer father died suddenly, that this is an Irish court and he must be telling the truth because he said so. A few years ago that might well have won the day, but Ireland's judiciary is slowly changing for the better.
As is usual for Magnier in these situations, he ordered his team to investigate Regan expecting to find dirt - he did the same in his legal fight over the stallion Rock of Gibraltar with Sir Alex Ferguson 22 years ago - which didn't impress Judge Barrett, not least because Regan wasn't even a party to the legal action. Regan gave evidence for the Barne Estate side and helped nail down Magnier's coffin.
The only dirt was stuck to the Magnier team. Judge Barrett made extensive reference in his judgment to how evidence given at the trial by the plaintiff's key witnesses, principally Magnier himself, Eddie Irwin (his senior accountant) and Joe Holohan (his farm manager), changed "in material respects" from what they swore in initial affidavits which undermined their credibility.
In other words, they lied as the case progressed in a concerted effort to counter the strong evidence put forward on behalf of Barne Estate.
Anna Thomson-Moore made a lasting impression when talking about her son Teddy, who needs constant care. She told the court: "On one of the calls Mr Stokes [estate agent] said to us, you know, Mr Magnier said 'I'll take you to court and I will tie this up for years in litigation and it will cost millions.'"
And that's what Magnier did; costs are estimated to be at least E6 million with the trial alone lasting 19 days over two months. Anna Thomson-Moore said the delay in selling the property and the legal case had an enormous impact on their family life. Magnier's representative said after Judge Barrett delivered his verdict that they took the case as a matter of principle. What principle was that - Magnier always wins?
The truth is he is a nasty, vindictive and sad old man who already owns 11,000 acres in just Tipperary and countless mansions around the world. All is not lost. If the proposed sale of Barchester nursing homes in the UK goes through he will add another billion to his collection.
Coolmore's great stallion Sadler's Wells, who died in 2011, has been stuffed and holds pride of place in their museum in Fethard. His son, Galileo, who became the world's best stallion in a glorious stud career, is currently being stuffed and will soon join Sadler's Wells.
John Magnier, who is 77, was metaphorically stuffed in the High Court. The best outcome to this sorry tale would be if, when he eventually passes, he is stuffed literally and put on display at Coolmore Stud, standing between Sadler's Wells and Galileo. What an attraction that would be; even Donald Trump would be jealous.
TELL YOUR CHILDREN: You can have far more money than you will ever need and so much power it will corrupt you, and still make yourself the biggest fool in Ireland.
William Jones - 21 September 2025
BREAKING NEWS
15 December 2025
It didn't take arrogant bully John Magnier long to exact revenge for losing his High Court case over the sale of Barne Estate. Someone had to pay and he couldn't resist a quick pop at Maurice Regan, who he claimed in court did a million euros of business with Coolmore last year.
He decreed that Regan would be barred from using Coolmore stallions from now on, their vets could no longer attend Regan's horses including at Fethard Equine Hospital and his farms would no longer foal Regan's mares.
Coolmore is in decline and there are plenty of better stallions available in Ireland and America and loads of equine vets looking for an extra call, but only one Michael O'Rahilly, Coolmore's highly regarded foaling manager. Regan made O'Rahilly an offer he couldn't refuse and he jumped ship. Magnier didn't see that coming, which might be more proof he has lost the plot.
Then he moved on to the questions of whether to appeal the High Court decision and the prickly matter of the costs for the legal action he had brought. It took him three months to inform the court he intended to appeal when it should be completed in one, but he previously told the Barne side that he would tie this case up in litigation for years which would cost millions, and it could now be prolonged for another year and even more.
The benefit to Magnier is twofold: firstly, it will cause huge pain to the Thomson-Moore family for standing up to him and, secondly, it gives him a chance of overturning Judge Barrett's decisions if he can get a friendly judge put in charge of the appeal. Magnier has controlled much of the Irish judiciary for years, like he does with the bloodstock industry. So many judges are members of the Turf Club and Irish Horeseracing Regulatory Board that Magnier's influence is still strong and he can swing this if he can get one of his favourite judges to take over the appeal.
The upshot of the costs hearing before Mr Justice Barrett was that Magnier has to cough up the lot - a total of E6 million now, E4 million of which has been incurred by the Barne side. Isn't it great that no one has to worry if they are going to get paid as Magnier got his share last week from the sale of the UK nursing homes business, Barchester Healthcare, which he bought into two decades ago. It has now sold for £5.2 billion to US retail giant Welltower and he pocketed in excess of a billion for himself. Sometimes, just for a little perspective, it's worth remembering how much a billion is - a thousand millions.
Magnier was already a billionaire before the Barchester bonanza, yet he is tormenting the Barne owners by delaying the sale as long as possible out of spite because he failed to force it through on his terms as he tried to take advantage of their decision to sell up and move to Australia for the benefit of their five year old disabled son Teddy.
Magnier saw it as a fire sale and he was out to screw them for the lowest price possible. When Maurice Regan arrived on the scene offering E6 million more, it was hardly a surprise they decided to go with the Irish born property tycoon from New York. They needed the extra E6 million for their family's long term future.
Judge Barrett said: "The evidence indicates Mr Magnier's bid was just not the highest." What doesn't Magnier and his brief, Paul Gallagher, a former attorney general, understand about that simple sentence? The judge gave him a few more slaps: he was required to pay the highest legal costs award possible because he had lied during the lawsuit; the court had to mark its disapproval of his behaviour and the evidence given by his side was 'entirely false' and it 'cannot but have known to be untrue.'
The sale of the property had been on hold for two years pending the outcome of the case but will remain blocked due to Magnier's appeal. Martin Hayden SC, for the Barne side, said: "From the very beginning, Mr Magnier had tried to bulldoze his clients into submission through lawfare [defined as the strategic use of legal proceedings to hinder an opponent]. The defendants should not suffer additional costs from being required to resist an oppressive strategy." The judge agreed.
In a statement following the court ruling, Anna Thomson-Moore, a qualified lawyer, said the fact Magnier was pursuing an appeal would have a profound impact on their personal lives. "In view of the judgment, his intended position is vexatious. I appreciate that we cannot fetter his right to an appeal but it is a pernicious use of the legal system. We have endured the hardship of the unrelenting onslaught of the lawfare of the last two years.
"Being struck further in limbo has very real consequences for Teddy and his future. On a very personal level, I cannot get back time with my mum and will lose her to dementia. Any appeal means that the trustees ability to contract freely and complete the sale is fettered. That is an unreasonable restraint, being imposed by a party who has already shown that he is prepared to use deep pockets in a vexatious attempt to secure his desired outcome."
Gallagher complained the Barne parties had repeatedly 'mischaracterised' things Mr Magnier had said and made 'unjustified allegations' about his conduct, but no one listens to him anymore.