David Cox

He also donned racing silks to compete in the famous Punchestown Charity Race which annually raises enormous funds for Kidney research in Ireland.

Prior to his family’s purchase of historic Baroda Stud in 2006, David enjoyed a successful spell as captain of Carlow Rugby Club during their stint in Division One of the All-Ireland League. Professional stars still played alongside their amateur teammates when the dictates of international and provincial rugby allowed, with Irish legends including Ronan O’Gara, Paul O’Connell, and Donnacha O’Callaghan among some of the superstars he played against during his rugby days.

The project of developing Baroda Stud and neighbouring Rosetown Stud into the beautiful, boutique breeding, boarding, and consigning operations they now are, meant that rugby had to take a back seat but David is still an avid Ireland and Leinster supporter and enjoys watching matches when time allows.

His family has celebrated some wonderful days in National Hunt racing along with Neilus Hayes with the likes of Grade One Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle winner Back In Front and Tranquil Sea whose career highlights included victory in the 2m4f Grade One Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle, the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase and Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Ninetieth Minute’s Cheltenham Festival success in the Coral Cup was a particularly special one for the Cox family as David had bought the gelding as a two-year-old with trainer Tom Taaffe.

That initial foray into the business of pinhooking National Hunt foals to sell as store horses led to a gradual involvement in the Flat through Peter and Ross Doyle, renowned bloodstock agents. David’s sales consignments were invariably stabled across the barn from those of Jane Myerscough and their conversations developed into the enormously successful Baroda and Colbinstown Consigning, which David ran with Jane’s son, also David.

The addition of Rosetown Stud allowed David to develop the farms even further with international clients sending their mares to board at the farms. Along with keeping his broodmare band at Baroda and Rosetown, David also has mares in France with the esteemed Henri Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux. He has been pinhooking in America for over a decade with Ben McElroy and Hunter Valley and is also a member of Hannah Wall’s hugely successful international syndicate in Australia.

Baroda was once a Maharajah’s Irish jewel and under the stewardship of David Cox it has been and will continue to be, the birthplace of gems with Group One Prix Ganay winner and Cloth Of Stars born at the farm for Australian client Peter Anastasiou, and the exciting homebred Gypsy Island, successful in the Grade Three mares’ bumper at Punchestown for JP McManus, showcasing how David and the farm excel in racing’s diverse arenas.